Fic- Forever Part Thirteen
Title: Forever
By Branwen Blaidd & Oncoming Scone
Part Thirteen of Thirty One
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: Adult - Dark Themes, Violence, Graphic sex, AU
Spoilers: Torchwood & Doctor Who all seasons to date.
Summary: Set after Exit Wounds and Journey’s End, no-one is coping with recent tragic events. In an attempt to bring the team back to unity and strength, Ianto makes a decision that will change the fate of Torchwood, and the world, Forever.
Disclaimers: Despite 5 months of creating this together, we own nothing and never will! The various songs, verses, etc do not belong to us either.
Notes: This is AU, though it begins in line with canon up to Exit Wounds. We hope to post one chapter each day at roughly the same time. Comments please!
They floated together, holding each other. Hands on hands. Fingers caressing. Whispered words drifting across the air between them. Ianto smiled and it turned into a giggle as he snuggled into Jack. Jack let out a laugh too. All was right. They collapsed into giggles together. Together forever.
* * *
The cell stank of death. It consumed the air.
Two bodies lay on the dirty floor. Two lost lovers. Hurt. Soiled. Broken.
The floor was dashed with blood.
There was a gasp, an ear-bursting breath of air.
Ianto was awake. He screamed.
The blood throbbed through him, nourishing him. It coursed through his veins and he remembered his feed. He laughed out loud, sneering at Jack’s prone and stiff body.
“Oh I see. Clever fucking trick. Tried to poison me did you?” He snorted and went to stand up. But his legs wouldn’t respond. He stumbled. Suddenly, something else filled him up. His eyes fell on Jack.
“Jack?”
What had happened to him?
“Jack? What’s going on? Jack! Come back! Please, Jack, I’m scared.” He screamed in pain as a spasm in his stomach gripped him.
The next sound was another sudden intake of breath. It was Jack. He lay gasping for several long seconds, eyes wide at the ceiling.
Ianto snarled. “Knew you wouldn’t fucking stay dead!” He threw his head back as another spasm rocked him and he screamed. “Jack! Help me! Please! Help me!”
Jack sat up instantly. His face was white. He blinked as the room, and Ianto, came into focus.
“Ianto?” he whispered.
“Jack…what’s happening? Have I been shot?”
Jack couldn’t believe it. Ianto was back. He had Ianto back!
There was another piercing scream. Ianto was in agony. Jack flailed towards Ianto on all fours.
“I’ve got you!” he cried, pulling Ianto into his arms. “Ianto, I’ve got you. You’re gonna be okay.”
“Hurts,” whimpered Ianto. “Every…thing…hurts.” His body jerked and writhed, like he couldn’t control his own limbs.
He screamed into the air, eyes wide and staring.
His eyes changed, became violent, penetrating, hate-filled.
“Fuck you!” he hissed. “I can’t die. You can’t kill me. I’m forever. I’ll have you. I’ll feed on you forever; kill you over and over again. You’re my human, do you know that? I’ll have you, take you, fuck you and make you die over and over again and you’ll have no choice. I’ll keep you, drain you every fucking day. And you’ll beg me to do it over and over again.”
Ianto’s body jerked again and he choked on his own snarls.
Jack no longer knew what was happening. Was it the vampire or was it Ianto?
He was answered as Ianto’s shaking reduced to a quiver, and his soft voice returned.
“Jack,” he whimpered. “It’s dying. Jack, please.” Ianto’s white fingers gripped onto Jack’s arm tight. “I can’t. It’s too strong. Don’t wanna go. Please. Help.”
Jack felt hot tears fall freely down his face as he rocked Ianto and kissed his head. “You’ll be okay now. It’s all right. I’ve cured you,” he soothed.
Ianto gasped, struggling for breath. “No. Not enough. Can’t. He…it…can’t let go. Jack, help.”
“Ianto, what should I do? Tell me what to do.”
Ianto’s eyes shone. There was blue in his eyes again. But the silver was still there. He wasn’t himself, not yet.
He snarled at Jack, baring his teeth. They were still fangs. “You can’t have him. You can’t get rid of me. I’m here. I’m always going to be here. He’s gone. He’s dead.”
“No,” Jack sobbed. “No! Please no…”
Ianto held onto Jack with bruising fingers. His eyes closed.
He was dying. Jack could feel the life fading away from him.
This was what Jack had always dreaded, since the very first time he’d felt something for Ianto. He’d always known Ianto would die. But this? This wasn’t fair! Ianto wasn’t even dying as himself.
Hot tears spilled down onto Ianto from Jack’s eyes. “Please,” he whispered. He held Ianto tight. “Please, don’t go now. Let me have you back for a little while. Please.”
Ianto drew in a ragged breath. Jack saw that his fangs had gone.
“Ianto,” he whispered. “Ianto, please, please be you, please.”
Ianto’s eyes opened and they were blue. Real blue. Soft blue. The same old eyes Jack remembered.
There was kindness in his eyes, shining love in his eyes, sadness in his eyes.
“I think…I’m gonna die, Jack,” he whispered. “I’m…sorry. I was…so… stupid…” he gasped. He raised a hand, curled it around Jack’s neck in a caress. “I just…wanted you.”
Tears shone in Ianto’s eyes and his voice broke with sobs. “I didn’t…want you to…be on your own…forever.”
Both their bodies shook with sobs. Jack was watching Ianto drift away. He was watching him die and there was nothing at all he could do about it.
“Ianto,” he whispered, cradling his boy close to him. “I’m sorry. I let you down. I’m so sorry.”
Ianto was drifting away. Jack cradled him in his arms, holding his head to his chest.
“It’s all right,” he whispered, though he knew Ianto could no longer hear him. “I won’t forget you. I’ll keep you inside forever. I promise. I’ll hold you. I won’t let you down anymore. I’ll hold you.”
He knew the words sounded silly. He knew he was skirting around the words he really wanted to say.
He caressed Ianto’s beautiful face and he knew he couldn’t avoid it any longer. It was now or never. He knew he should have done it long ago. He felt it, of course he did. He had for so long.
He brushed his thumb over Ianto’s red lips, caressed his cheek with soft fingers.
“Ianto,” he whispered and he wondered whether this would be the last time he whispered his boy’s name to him. “Ianto, I love you.”
He thought he saw a smile grace Ianto’s lips. But then Ianto’s breathing stopped, his eyes went glassy, his body stilled and Ianto…Ianto was dead.
Jack couldn’t speak. His words echoed through the cell. They were all that mattered.
Jack cradled his beloved boy, rocking him and humming softly to him, waiting for his own heart to break.