(no subject)
Title: Chances 1/2
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Author: Buttercup
Contact: Buttercupgaud@aol.com
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Spoilers for CoE. All of it.
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, they belong to Russel T and the beeb.
Summary: What happens after CoE. Here be SPOILERS.
Thanks: Thanks to the Jen for beta reading!
Jack was waiting. He checked his watch needlessly for the fifth time. His heart was racing. It felt like it was throwing itself against his ribcage, fighting to get out. The queue of unmoving traffic sprawled out in front of him. Long since having given up with beeping their horns or shouting, people were standing in the road. Waiting. Just like him.
Any moment now. His stomach kept turning over and he felt sick, his palms were sweating, but he ignored it. Any moment now.
The car pulled up, and there he was. Jack’s heart seemed to stop, skip, and then take off at hundred miles an hour, like he’d missed a step going down the stairs. He wasn’t ready to see him again. His stomach lurched, and for a moment he thought he was actually going to be sick. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. But, when he opened them it was too late. They were gone.
He huffed, all the air leaving his lungs, his legs seemed ready to give out. He sat heavily on the pavement. It was night before he moved again. He sat on the pavement staring off up the street seeing the day unfold. He heard the screams, the police and ambulances. He couldn’t make himself move. Some part of him knew he deserved to relive that moment, and owed everybody involved, him not turning away; not fleeing.
As the stars hid behind the clouds, he climbed to his feet, and tried again.
******
Jack was waiting. He checked his watch needlessly for the fifth time. This time he was prepared. The car pulled up and Jack didn’t feel like he’d just died. He steeled himself, waiting for the exact moment.
He moved behind Ianto, and grabbed him. The feeling of the familiar body in his arms made him jolt. He fumbled with the handkerchief, and Ianto wriggled, and kick him hard in the shin. Jack cursed and let go.
Ianto turned and pulled a gun. He frowned. “Jack?”
But Jack was running and he didn’t look back.
******
Jack wasn’t waiting now. There was no need.
It was 1965 and Jack sent a wave into space that killed the 456. Only, he didn’t, because when it came to it, Jack couldn’t bare to kill another child. He stood there shaking while the child cried and asked for her mother.
He left and didn’t come back.
******
Jack was waiting. He needlessly checked his watch for the fifth time. This time he knew he had to move faster.
Ianto wasn’t ready, he was on the phone to his sister, and when Jack’s hand came up around his mouth, ready with a handkerchief soaked in chloroform, there was no chance for him to do much more than put up a moment’s struggle before sagging back into his arms. Jack didn’t dare even breathe until he was in the car and leaving. He couldn’t bring himself to look at the passenger’s seat. He wasn’t sure what he’d do, but there was a high possibly that it would involved crashing the car, so he kept his eyes focused on the road.
It was dusk as he pulled up to the barn. It was as disserted as ever, and gently as possible, he picked Ianto up and carried him inside.
“Jack?” Ianto’s eyes blinked and he looked panicked for a moment until recognition dawned. “Jack? What happened? What happened to you? You look awful.”
Jack hadn’t been sure what his reaction would be at this moment. Hadn’t dared think passed getting Ianto into the car. But he supposed the tears weren’t really a surprise, nor was the overwhelming desire to throw up. He’d been sitting on his haunches, staring at the unconscious figure laid on the ground. He’d just lent forward to brush some dirt of Ianto’s suit when his eyes had fluttered open. Jack sat back heavily, and ran a shaking hand through his hair.
He was in it now.
“Jack?” Ianto struggled to sit up and reached a hand out to him. “Was it the 456? Where’s Gwen?”
Jack just shook his head. He slowly brought his eyes level with Ianto’s, then immediately closed them. It was too much. He wasn’t prepared. Stupid.
“Jack, stop it, tell me what’s going on.” Ianto’s voice was staring to get an edge to it. Not just of panic but irritation too.
“Ianto,” Jack breathed.
“What, Jack?” Ianto shifted so they were side by side. He put his arm around Jack, left it there awkwardly for a moment and when Jack didn’t respond, dropped it again.
“We have to leave.” Jack dragged himself to his feet.
“What? Where are we going? The last thing I remember is walking towards Thames House.” Ianto blinked, looked at Jack. “How long have I been out? What are you wearing?”
Jack shook his head. “We don’t have time. We have to keep moving. He’ll be looking for us.”
“Who will be?” Ianto smoothed down his suit and watched Jack picking up various items from around the barn.
“Come on,” Jack said, walking towards the door.
“No.” Ianto didn’t move.
“Come on,” Jack repeated holding the door open. “We don’t have much time.”
“No, Jack. I’m not leaving just because you say so. I thought,” Ianto huffed angrily through his nose. “I thought we were leaving this behind, you have to talk to me.”
“Ianto, please.” Jack hadn’t heard that pleading note in his voice since the last time they’d been together. He swallowed heavily, and blinked hard. “We need to go now. I can’t explain it. But trust me.”
Ianto stood for a moment looking steadily at Jack. Then he silently walked out of the barn and got into the waiting car. Jack followed him.
******
They drove in silence, Ianto looking out of the window. “Are the 456 looking for us? Is my family safe?”
Jack looked at him. “No, and they’re fine. I’ve dealt with the 456. Or I should be if I got my message.”
Ianto’s mouth quirked. “Nothing like a bit of cryptic muttering to lighten the mood.”
Jack laughed, and when it seemed more like a sob he stopped. He reached out and grabbed Ianto’s hand, used it to change gears and didn’t let go. Not this time.
******
They pulled up to hotel a few hours later. After checking in, they went to the room. Jack laid his jacket down on the bed and sighed heavily. “Why don’t you take a shower?” He was finding it hard to look at Ianto. He wondered if this was what it was like when the Doctor looked at him. Ianto was wrong.
Ianto sat down on the bed. “Why don’t you tell me where Gwen is?”
“She’ll be with Rhys.” Jack was sure this was probably true, although the universe was a strange creature so he may be wrong.
Ianto sighed. “Is she hurt?” he was definitely getting angry.
“I don’t know.” Jack went to the window, pulled the curtains open for a moment, and checked outside.
The door slamming made Jack's head whip round. The bed was empty. His heart felt like it had been plunged into a bucket of ice. He was out the door and running down the corridor before he'd even thought about it.
“Ianto!” Jack jogged to catch him up.
Ianto turned from watching the numbers on the lift change to look at Jack. He raised an eyebrow. “Jack.”
“Where are you going? Don't just leave like that.” Jack sounded half irritated, half terrified, which was a little embarrassing.
“I'm sorry, what?” Ianto snapped. “Are you kidding me? Jack, I've just been dragged half way across the country, I don't know where I am. I don't know where my family is, I feel like I've been drugged, and you're not telling me anything. I'm going to find out what's going on.”
Jack swallowed, realising that he'd not thought through this plan, which was stupid because he'd been thinking about it for decades. But he hadn't factored Ianto into the equation. At least not a living, breathing, thinking Ianto. He hadn't dared imagine that it would work, that he'd be able to save him.
Ianto was staring at him. The lift pinged open. Ianto paused, before sighing heavily. “Okay, see you later.” Ianto turned and got into the lift.
The thought of the lift closing and Jack loosing sight of Ianto, even for the moments that it would take him to race down the stairs and meet him in reception filled Jack with bone chilling terror. He dived into the lift with him.
Not really thinking, Jack took Ianto into his arms and kissed him hard. Ianto didn't fight it, just melted into Jack's embrace and kissed him back. The sheer volume of feeling that surged through Jack made him gasp. It seemed that he hadn't felt anything in so long, and the backlog of emotions rushed forward and knocking the air out of him, and making his knees tremble. He clung to Ianto trying to pull him closer. Trying to imprint the memory of what this felt like into his mind. He was fumbling with Ianto's waistcoat, trying to pull it off, without undoing any of the buttons. Reaching for some skin, his fingers worked under Ianto's shirt and the warmth of it made him moan. He’d travelled the universe searching for someone who might be able to fix his vortex manipulator, called in every favour, and used every threat. It had taken decades, and now he was finally here. Ianto was alive and in his arms and Jack couldn’t think passed that fact.
“Jack,” Ianto had begun to try and wriggle free. “Jack, stop.”
But Jack wasn't listening. It had been so long, he'd dreamt of this for so long, he simply couldn't. A lifetime's worth of hopeless desperation was coursing through him. Ianto shoved him hard.
“Hey,” he said, voice firm. “I said stop.”
The lift was open and they were being stared at by some of the people in the reception. Ianto, blushing furiously, stormed from the lift and made towards the door of the hotel.
Jack stood, panting for a moment before following. He felt the eyes of the people in the hotel's reception following him, but he didn't care. He focused on not letting Ianto out of his sight.
“Ianto,” he called, hurrying down the dark street. Ianto didn't reply. “Ianto, wait!”
Ianto paused, and balled his hands into fists. “What?”
“I'm sorry,” Jack said, coming to stand next to him. “I just...” he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I'm sorry. I thought I'd lost you.”
Ianto's face softened, even as his brow creased in confusion. “Lost me? What happened?”
Jack thought of telling Ianto everything. About Thames House and the 456, and Stephen and leaving Earth. All of it. But, found he couldn't. The look of absolute trust that Ianto gave him, made Jack's heart ache. He couldn't stand the thought of loosing that. Of Ianto realising just how badly Jack had messed up. So, he reverted to type. Once a con man...
“You don't remember?” he said, reaching out and grabbing Ianto's hand.
“Remember, what, Jack?” Ianto let himself be tugged closer.
“In Thames house? We found a way to stop the 456, but they released a gas, they nearly killed you.” Jack reached up and ran a hand through Ianto's hair.
“Really?” Ianto seemed doubtful, but there was a smile forming. “But, we won?”
“Yeah, Ianto, we won.” Jack smiled. And maybe they had. Ianto believed that this was the truth, and so maybe it was. It felt good to be in the lie. “But the government aren't exactly happy, so we have to keep moving. Just for now.”
“Is Gwen all right, though? And my sister and the kids?” Ianto still looked confused, and worried, but he believed Jack.
Jack ignored the sharp stab that he felt for deceiving him. “They're fine. We're just going to keep a low profile for a bit. Let the government fall, and a new one be rebuilt. Then we can see about rebuilding the hub. But, for now, it's safer if we stay away from them all. Okay?”
Ianto paused for a moment. “Okay,” he nodded.
Jack smiled, and Ianto raised his eyebrows. “Can we get coffee now?
TBC
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Author: Buttercup
Contact: Buttercupgaud@aol.com
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Spoilers for CoE. All of it.
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, they belong to Russel T and the beeb.
Summary: What happens after CoE. Here be SPOILERS.
Thanks: Thanks to the Jen for beta reading!
Jack was waiting. He checked his watch needlessly for the fifth time. His heart was racing. It felt like it was throwing itself against his ribcage, fighting to get out. The queue of unmoving traffic sprawled out in front of him. Long since having given up with beeping their horns or shouting, people were standing in the road. Waiting. Just like him.
Any moment now. His stomach kept turning over and he felt sick, his palms were sweating, but he ignored it. Any moment now.
The car pulled up, and there he was. Jack’s heart seemed to stop, skip, and then take off at hundred miles an hour, like he’d missed a step going down the stairs. He wasn’t ready to see him again. His stomach lurched, and for a moment he thought he was actually going to be sick. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. But, when he opened them it was too late. They were gone.
He huffed, all the air leaving his lungs, his legs seemed ready to give out. He sat heavily on the pavement. It was night before he moved again. He sat on the pavement staring off up the street seeing the day unfold. He heard the screams, the police and ambulances. He couldn’t make himself move. Some part of him knew he deserved to relive that moment, and owed everybody involved, him not turning away; not fleeing.
As the stars hid behind the clouds, he climbed to his feet, and tried again.
******
Jack was waiting. He checked his watch needlessly for the fifth time. This time he was prepared. The car pulled up and Jack didn’t feel like he’d just died. He steeled himself, waiting for the exact moment.
He moved behind Ianto, and grabbed him. The feeling of the familiar body in his arms made him jolt. He fumbled with the handkerchief, and Ianto wriggled, and kick him hard in the shin. Jack cursed and let go.
Ianto turned and pulled a gun. He frowned. “Jack?”
But Jack was running and he didn’t look back.
******
Jack wasn’t waiting now. There was no need.
It was 1965 and Jack sent a wave into space that killed the 456. Only, he didn’t, because when it came to it, Jack couldn’t bare to kill another child. He stood there shaking while the child cried and asked for her mother.
He left and didn’t come back.
******
Jack was waiting. He needlessly checked his watch for the fifth time. This time he knew he had to move faster.
Ianto wasn’t ready, he was on the phone to his sister, and when Jack’s hand came up around his mouth, ready with a handkerchief soaked in chloroform, there was no chance for him to do much more than put up a moment’s struggle before sagging back into his arms. Jack didn’t dare even breathe until he was in the car and leaving. He couldn’t bring himself to look at the passenger’s seat. He wasn’t sure what he’d do, but there was a high possibly that it would involved crashing the car, so he kept his eyes focused on the road.
It was dusk as he pulled up to the barn. It was as disserted as ever, and gently as possible, he picked Ianto up and carried him inside.
“Jack?” Ianto’s eyes blinked and he looked panicked for a moment until recognition dawned. “Jack? What happened? What happened to you? You look awful.”
Jack hadn’t been sure what his reaction would be at this moment. Hadn’t dared think passed getting Ianto into the car. But he supposed the tears weren’t really a surprise, nor was the overwhelming desire to throw up. He’d been sitting on his haunches, staring at the unconscious figure laid on the ground. He’d just lent forward to brush some dirt of Ianto’s suit when his eyes had fluttered open. Jack sat back heavily, and ran a shaking hand through his hair.
He was in it now.
“Jack?” Ianto struggled to sit up and reached a hand out to him. “Was it the 456? Where’s Gwen?”
Jack just shook his head. He slowly brought his eyes level with Ianto’s, then immediately closed them. It was too much. He wasn’t prepared. Stupid.
“Jack, stop it, tell me what’s going on.” Ianto’s voice was staring to get an edge to it. Not just of panic but irritation too.
“Ianto,” Jack breathed.
“What, Jack?” Ianto shifted so they were side by side. He put his arm around Jack, left it there awkwardly for a moment and when Jack didn’t respond, dropped it again.
“We have to leave.” Jack dragged himself to his feet.
“What? Where are we going? The last thing I remember is walking towards Thames House.” Ianto blinked, looked at Jack. “How long have I been out? What are you wearing?”
Jack shook his head. “We don’t have time. We have to keep moving. He’ll be looking for us.”
“Who will be?” Ianto smoothed down his suit and watched Jack picking up various items from around the barn.
“Come on,” Jack said, walking towards the door.
“No.” Ianto didn’t move.
“Come on,” Jack repeated holding the door open. “We don’t have much time.”
“No, Jack. I’m not leaving just because you say so. I thought,” Ianto huffed angrily through his nose. “I thought we were leaving this behind, you have to talk to me.”
“Ianto, please.” Jack hadn’t heard that pleading note in his voice since the last time they’d been together. He swallowed heavily, and blinked hard. “We need to go now. I can’t explain it. But trust me.”
Ianto stood for a moment looking steadily at Jack. Then he silently walked out of the barn and got into the waiting car. Jack followed him.
******
They drove in silence, Ianto looking out of the window. “Are the 456 looking for us? Is my family safe?”
Jack looked at him. “No, and they’re fine. I’ve dealt with the 456. Or I should be if I got my message.”
Ianto’s mouth quirked. “Nothing like a bit of cryptic muttering to lighten the mood.”
Jack laughed, and when it seemed more like a sob he stopped. He reached out and grabbed Ianto’s hand, used it to change gears and didn’t let go. Not this time.
******
They pulled up to hotel a few hours later. After checking in, they went to the room. Jack laid his jacket down on the bed and sighed heavily. “Why don’t you take a shower?” He was finding it hard to look at Ianto. He wondered if this was what it was like when the Doctor looked at him. Ianto was wrong.
Ianto sat down on the bed. “Why don’t you tell me where Gwen is?”
“She’ll be with Rhys.” Jack was sure this was probably true, although the universe was a strange creature so he may be wrong.
Ianto sighed. “Is she hurt?” he was definitely getting angry.
“I don’t know.” Jack went to the window, pulled the curtains open for a moment, and checked outside.
The door slamming made Jack's head whip round. The bed was empty. His heart felt like it had been plunged into a bucket of ice. He was out the door and running down the corridor before he'd even thought about it.
“Ianto!” Jack jogged to catch him up.
Ianto turned from watching the numbers on the lift change to look at Jack. He raised an eyebrow. “Jack.”
“Where are you going? Don't just leave like that.” Jack sounded half irritated, half terrified, which was a little embarrassing.
“I'm sorry, what?” Ianto snapped. “Are you kidding me? Jack, I've just been dragged half way across the country, I don't know where I am. I don't know where my family is, I feel like I've been drugged, and you're not telling me anything. I'm going to find out what's going on.”
Jack swallowed, realising that he'd not thought through this plan, which was stupid because he'd been thinking about it for decades. But he hadn't factored Ianto into the equation. At least not a living, breathing, thinking Ianto. He hadn't dared imagine that it would work, that he'd be able to save him.
Ianto was staring at him. The lift pinged open. Ianto paused, before sighing heavily. “Okay, see you later.” Ianto turned and got into the lift.
The thought of the lift closing and Jack loosing sight of Ianto, even for the moments that it would take him to race down the stairs and meet him in reception filled Jack with bone chilling terror. He dived into the lift with him.
Not really thinking, Jack took Ianto into his arms and kissed him hard. Ianto didn't fight it, just melted into Jack's embrace and kissed him back. The sheer volume of feeling that surged through Jack made him gasp. It seemed that he hadn't felt anything in so long, and the backlog of emotions rushed forward and knocking the air out of him, and making his knees tremble. He clung to Ianto trying to pull him closer. Trying to imprint the memory of what this felt like into his mind. He was fumbling with Ianto's waistcoat, trying to pull it off, without undoing any of the buttons. Reaching for some skin, his fingers worked under Ianto's shirt and the warmth of it made him moan. He’d travelled the universe searching for someone who might be able to fix his vortex manipulator, called in every favour, and used every threat. It had taken decades, and now he was finally here. Ianto was alive and in his arms and Jack couldn’t think passed that fact.
“Jack,” Ianto had begun to try and wriggle free. “Jack, stop.”
But Jack wasn't listening. It had been so long, he'd dreamt of this for so long, he simply couldn't. A lifetime's worth of hopeless desperation was coursing through him. Ianto shoved him hard.
“Hey,” he said, voice firm. “I said stop.”
The lift was open and they were being stared at by some of the people in the reception. Ianto, blushing furiously, stormed from the lift and made towards the door of the hotel.
Jack stood, panting for a moment before following. He felt the eyes of the people in the hotel's reception following him, but he didn't care. He focused on not letting Ianto out of his sight.
“Ianto,” he called, hurrying down the dark street. Ianto didn't reply. “Ianto, wait!”
Ianto paused, and balled his hands into fists. “What?”
“I'm sorry,” Jack said, coming to stand next to him. “I just...” he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I'm sorry. I thought I'd lost you.”
Ianto's face softened, even as his brow creased in confusion. “Lost me? What happened?”
Jack thought of telling Ianto everything. About Thames House and the 456, and Stephen and leaving Earth. All of it. But, found he couldn't. The look of absolute trust that Ianto gave him, made Jack's heart ache. He couldn't stand the thought of loosing that. Of Ianto realising just how badly Jack had messed up. So, he reverted to type. Once a con man...
“You don't remember?” he said, reaching out and grabbing Ianto's hand.
“Remember, what, Jack?” Ianto let himself be tugged closer.
“In Thames house? We found a way to stop the 456, but they released a gas, they nearly killed you.” Jack reached up and ran a hand through Ianto's hair.
“Really?” Ianto seemed doubtful, but there was a smile forming. “But, we won?”
“Yeah, Ianto, we won.” Jack smiled. And maybe they had. Ianto believed that this was the truth, and so maybe it was. It felt good to be in the lie. “But the government aren't exactly happy, so we have to keep moving. Just for now.”
“Is Gwen all right, though? And my sister and the kids?” Ianto still looked confused, and worried, but he believed Jack.
Jack ignored the sharp stab that he felt for deceiving him. “They're fine. We're just going to keep a low profile for a bit. Let the government fall, and a new one be rebuilt. Then we can see about rebuilding the hub. But, for now, it's safer if we stay away from them all. Okay?”
Ianto paused for a moment. “Okay,” he nodded.
Jack smiled, and Ianto raised his eyebrows. “Can we get coffee now?
TBC