Fic: To The Pain (25/41)
Title: To The Pain, Chapter 25
Rating: R
Warnings: None really, just don’t feel like changing the rating :)
Spoilers: Season One thru End of Days (1x13)
Pairings: Jack/Ianto; Ianto/Brendan
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around!
Summary: In which Brendan offers his assistance to deal with the dealer…
Notes: Sequel to Vizzini’s Rule; previous chapters of To The Pain can be found here. Thanks to my wonderful beta
thrace_adams for all the support - any mistakes are mine!
To The Pain: Chapter Twenty-Five
Gwen turned to Brendan with a question on her face. “Help? What do you mean?”
“Well…” Brendan swallowed hard as four sets of eyes were suddenly trained on him. “I could, er… well, I could call UNIT.”
Gwen still looked confused. “What can they do?”
“Lock him up,” Tosh said in a cold voice.
Ianto stepped closer to Tosh, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“Lock him… Does UNIT have that kind of authority?” Gwen asked.
Brendan nodded. “It’s not that different from Torchwood, beyond the police and all that. We have three detention facilities in England alone. It’s just…” he trailed off.
“What?” Owen asked. “Will they take him or not?”
“They will. There’s enough evidence here, no question. You just need to be sure this is what you want. Once UNIT has him, it’ll be hard to change your mind.”
Ianto cleared his throat. “It’s Tosh’s call,” he said quietly.
“Tosh? Why?” Owen asked.
“It just is.” Ianto tightened his hold on Tosh’s shoulder. “What do you think?”
Tosh looked down at the file of victims and then back over at Brownson. "Gwen, if - if this was a clean case, if the police and the prosecution had all the evidence here and they could use it? If the jury could see the truth, what would the sentence be like?"
Gwen pursed her lips. “They’d probably only be able to get him on manslaughter, which would average anywhere from five to life, depending on the jury. Nine counts though? Add the weapons and drugs possessions to his charming take on the value of human existence? I say closer to life than not on a good day.”
Tosh nodded. “Do it,” she whispered.
Ianto slid his arm around her shoulders and Tosh leaned into him, closing her eyes for a moment.
“Are you sure?” Brendan asked.
Tosh nodded and Ianto spoke up. “She wouldn’t say it if she wasn’t sure. Everyone else agreed?”
Gwen and Owen each nodded.
Brendan nodded as well. “I’ll make the call, then.” He pulled out his mobile and walked slowly to the front door of the flat as he made the call. “Da?” He stepped onto the front step, closing the door behind him. “It’s Brendan. I need a favor…”
The team was silent for a moment and then Owen nodded. “Good call. It’s a bit closer to justice than a dose of Reton would have been. No saying he wouldn’t get back to his old tricks again anyway.”
“Right,” Gwen agreed. “Thanks, Tosh.”
Tosh just nodded. Ianto hugged her close and whispered, “You okay?”
“Yeah. He… he isn’t sorry. Nine people are dead because of something he did and he isn’t the least bit sorry. Why does that frighten me more than the weevils or any of the aliens and monsters we’ve faced?”
“He’s lost what it means to be human,” Gwen said softly. “And that’s the scariest thing that can happen to a person.”
Ianto met Gwen’s eyes and gave her a small smile. For once, they were in complete agreement.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
After Brendan finished his phone call, he informed the team that UNIT would be there in an hour or so. Owen suggested that he use the time to swing by the coroner’s office and see what he could learn from Susan Whitted’s body. Gwen agreed and, after a look at Tosh’s still pale face, asked that he take Tosh along to lend a hand. Owen bristled in his usual fashion but before he could argue, Ianto steered him outside and told him point blank to get Tosh away from the flat before UNIT got there.
“Why? What’s the big deal about UNIT?”
“She’s dealt with them in the past and they didn’t part on the best of terms,” Ianto evaded smoothly. “Just do it, okay?”
“Fine,” Owen huffed. “Tosh! Come on, we’re leaving.”
Ianto gave her a quick smile as she followed Owen to the SUV. She smiled back, relief plain on her face as she climbed into the vehicle and braced herself as Owen rocketed down the street. Ianto went back into the flat where Brendan and Gwen spent some time making sure Brownson was secure and gagged against his increasingly violent invective. Without discussion, the three of them made their way out the back to the small garden to wait for UNIT.
They sat for a long while, just enjoying the sunshine and the quiet.
Gwen, somewhat predictably, broke the spell with a question. “Is Tosh okay?” she asked Ianto.
“I think so.”
“Why does she know so much about UNIT?”
Ianto chuckled. “She reads all the reports, just like I do.”
“Ha ha,” Gwen deadpanned. “I’m serious, Ianto. Is there anything I should know?”
“No.” When Gwen started to argue, Ianto cut her off. “It’s her business, Gwen. Don’t push me because I won’t tell you.”
“But -”
Ianto sighed. “Anything I know, I learned in confidence. I’m sure you can understand that. I followed the same protocols when Owen cornered me last month about a few doses of Retcon he couldn’t account for.”
Gwen flushed and looked away. When she turned back to Ianto, there was a sheepish smile on her face. “Point taken. And thank you, again.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Does everyone tell you their secrets?” Brendan asked.
Gwen laughed out loud and Ianto smiled and shrugged. “Pretty much.”
“Even Jack?” Gwen asked, ever curious.
Ianto stared out the back of the garden. “Some of them,” he said quietly.
“But you didn’t know about… I mean, when he got up, after Owen shot him, you -”
Brendan gasped and Ianto glared at Gwen.
“No, I didn’t know. Happy now? You were the only one.”
“I didn’t mean it like that, Ianto. It’s not like he told me on purpose either. I was just there when Suzie shot him and -”
“Jesus,” Ianto muttered when Brendan gasped again.
Brendan chuckled. “Don’t worry, Ianto. You know I can keep secrets, too. I don’t think it would be good for Torchwood/UNIT relations for them to find out half Jack’s team has tried to kill him.”
Ianto cocked an eyebrow at Brendan, relieved that he hadn’t realized what Gwen was really saying. “If it helps, I shot Owen once too. It’s not just Jack.”
“You’re a trigger happy lot,” Brendan teased.
“Yeah, well -” Ianto broke off and listened intently. He thought he heard a raised voice and the sound of a car door slamming.
Brendan sighed and stood up. “Yep, that’s my Da.”
Glancing at her watch, Gwen noted, “That was fast.”
“It’s probably just him and not the full retrieval squad yet. He said he wanted to talk to me.”
“We haven’t caused you any trouble, have we?” Ianto asked.
Brendan turned, his hand on the door. “Ianto, I brought this mess to you. Any trouble I earned on my own. You were brilliant.” Brendan’s gaze was a caress and Ianto had to physically stop himself from reaching out. Brendan shifted his eyes over Ianto’s shoulder and included Gwen. “You all were. Thanks again.”
“Of course, sweetheart,” Gwen said firmly. “I don’t even want to think about how many more people might have died if you hadn’t come to us.”
Brendan smiled and headed into the flat, Gwen and Ianto following right behind, anxious to see this all finished.
TBC in Chapter Twenty-Six
Rating: R
Warnings: None really, just don’t feel like changing the rating :)
Spoilers: Season One thru End of Days (1x13)
Pairings: Jack/Ianto; Ianto/Brendan
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around!
Summary: In which Brendan offers his assistance to deal with the dealer…
Notes: Sequel to Vizzini’s Rule; previous chapters of To The Pain can be found here. Thanks to my wonderful beta
thrace_adams for all the support - any mistakes are mine!
To The Pain: Chapter Twenty-Five
Gwen turned to Brendan with a question on her face. “Help? What do you mean?”
“Well…” Brendan swallowed hard as four sets of eyes were suddenly trained on him. “I could, er… well, I could call UNIT.”
Gwen still looked confused. “What can they do?”
“Lock him up,” Tosh said in a cold voice.
Ianto stepped closer to Tosh, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“Lock him… Does UNIT have that kind of authority?” Gwen asked.
Brendan nodded. “It’s not that different from Torchwood, beyond the police and all that. We have three detention facilities in England alone. It’s just…” he trailed off.
“What?” Owen asked. “Will they take him or not?”
“They will. There’s enough evidence here, no question. You just need to be sure this is what you want. Once UNIT has him, it’ll be hard to change your mind.”
Ianto cleared his throat. “It’s Tosh’s call,” he said quietly.
“Tosh? Why?” Owen asked.
“It just is.” Ianto tightened his hold on Tosh’s shoulder. “What do you think?”
Tosh looked down at the file of victims and then back over at Brownson. "Gwen, if - if this was a clean case, if the police and the prosecution had all the evidence here and they could use it? If the jury could see the truth, what would the sentence be like?"
Gwen pursed her lips. “They’d probably only be able to get him on manslaughter, which would average anywhere from five to life, depending on the jury. Nine counts though? Add the weapons and drugs possessions to his charming take on the value of human existence? I say closer to life than not on a good day.”
Tosh nodded. “Do it,” she whispered.
Ianto slid his arm around her shoulders and Tosh leaned into him, closing her eyes for a moment.
“Are you sure?” Brendan asked.
Tosh nodded and Ianto spoke up. “She wouldn’t say it if she wasn’t sure. Everyone else agreed?”
Gwen and Owen each nodded.
Brendan nodded as well. “I’ll make the call, then.” He pulled out his mobile and walked slowly to the front door of the flat as he made the call. “Da?” He stepped onto the front step, closing the door behind him. “It’s Brendan. I need a favor…”
The team was silent for a moment and then Owen nodded. “Good call. It’s a bit closer to justice than a dose of Reton would have been. No saying he wouldn’t get back to his old tricks again anyway.”
“Right,” Gwen agreed. “Thanks, Tosh.”
Tosh just nodded. Ianto hugged her close and whispered, “You okay?”
“Yeah. He… he isn’t sorry. Nine people are dead because of something he did and he isn’t the least bit sorry. Why does that frighten me more than the weevils or any of the aliens and monsters we’ve faced?”
“He’s lost what it means to be human,” Gwen said softly. “And that’s the scariest thing that can happen to a person.”
Ianto met Gwen’s eyes and gave her a small smile. For once, they were in complete agreement.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
After Brendan finished his phone call, he informed the team that UNIT would be there in an hour or so. Owen suggested that he use the time to swing by the coroner’s office and see what he could learn from Susan Whitted’s body. Gwen agreed and, after a look at Tosh’s still pale face, asked that he take Tosh along to lend a hand. Owen bristled in his usual fashion but before he could argue, Ianto steered him outside and told him point blank to get Tosh away from the flat before UNIT got there.
“Why? What’s the big deal about UNIT?”
“She’s dealt with them in the past and they didn’t part on the best of terms,” Ianto evaded smoothly. “Just do it, okay?”
“Fine,” Owen huffed. “Tosh! Come on, we’re leaving.”
Ianto gave her a quick smile as she followed Owen to the SUV. She smiled back, relief plain on her face as she climbed into the vehicle and braced herself as Owen rocketed down the street. Ianto went back into the flat where Brendan and Gwen spent some time making sure Brownson was secure and gagged against his increasingly violent invective. Without discussion, the three of them made their way out the back to the small garden to wait for UNIT.
They sat for a long while, just enjoying the sunshine and the quiet.
Gwen, somewhat predictably, broke the spell with a question. “Is Tosh okay?” she asked Ianto.
“I think so.”
“Why does she know so much about UNIT?”
Ianto chuckled. “She reads all the reports, just like I do.”
“Ha ha,” Gwen deadpanned. “I’m serious, Ianto. Is there anything I should know?”
“No.” When Gwen started to argue, Ianto cut her off. “It’s her business, Gwen. Don’t push me because I won’t tell you.”
“But -”
Ianto sighed. “Anything I know, I learned in confidence. I’m sure you can understand that. I followed the same protocols when Owen cornered me last month about a few doses of Retcon he couldn’t account for.”
Gwen flushed and looked away. When she turned back to Ianto, there was a sheepish smile on her face. “Point taken. And thank you, again.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Does everyone tell you their secrets?” Brendan asked.
Gwen laughed out loud and Ianto smiled and shrugged. “Pretty much.”
“Even Jack?” Gwen asked, ever curious.
Ianto stared out the back of the garden. “Some of them,” he said quietly.
“But you didn’t know about… I mean, when he got up, after Owen shot him, you -”
Brendan gasped and Ianto glared at Gwen.
“No, I didn’t know. Happy now? You were the only one.”
“I didn’t mean it like that, Ianto. It’s not like he told me on purpose either. I was just there when Suzie shot him and -”
“Jesus,” Ianto muttered when Brendan gasped again.
Brendan chuckled. “Don’t worry, Ianto. You know I can keep secrets, too. I don’t think it would be good for Torchwood/UNIT relations for them to find out half Jack’s team has tried to kill him.”
Ianto cocked an eyebrow at Brendan, relieved that he hadn’t realized what Gwen was really saying. “If it helps, I shot Owen once too. It’s not just Jack.”
“You’re a trigger happy lot,” Brendan teased.
“Yeah, well -” Ianto broke off and listened intently. He thought he heard a raised voice and the sound of a car door slamming.
Brendan sighed and stood up. “Yep, that’s my Da.”
Glancing at her watch, Gwen noted, “That was fast.”
“It’s probably just him and not the full retrieval squad yet. He said he wanted to talk to me.”
“We haven’t caused you any trouble, have we?” Ianto asked.
Brendan turned, his hand on the door. “Ianto, I brought this mess to you. Any trouble I earned on my own. You were brilliant.” Brendan’s gaze was a caress and Ianto had to physically stop himself from reaching out. Brendan shifted his eyes over Ianto’s shoulder and included Gwen. “You all were. Thanks again.”
“Of course, sweetheart,” Gwen said firmly. “I don’t even want to think about how many more people might have died if you hadn’t come to us.”
Brendan smiled and headed into the flat, Gwen and Ianto following right behind, anxious to see this all finished.
TBC in Chapter Twenty-Six