Turning Point - 58/64
Title: Turning Point
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairings: budding Jack/Ianto, references to past Ianto/Lisa
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: If I was the one who owned Torchwood, you think I'd admit it now?
Spoilers: Some information and events from s1,2. NONE for s3.
Summary: In the aftermath of Lisa's death, Ianto is struggling to cope - and new surprises don't help matters much. Can his friends on the team at Torchwood help him carry on?
Author's Note: Sequel to Guilt.
Thanks to: My beta cazmalfoy, angelzbabe1989 for idea bouncing, and morbid_sparks for cheerleading even when she doesn'tdidn't know what happens.
Previous chapters at master list
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Jack leant back against the wall, his shoulder just brushing Ianto’s where he sat next to him.
“I don’t think she’s got long left now,” he murmured.
Ianto shook his head. “Even with the absolute nightmare they gave us catching them, I’m going to miss them.”
Jack bobbed his head. He knew exactly what Ianto meant. It had been nice, these past two weeks, to be able to come down to the cells occasionally and just watch the little furry creatures play. It made a difference to the usual Weevils and other not-so-fun aliens they kept down there. “Maybe we should have allowed some controlled breeding,” he mused idly.
Ianto shifted against him. “Maybe,” he agreed. “It’s too late now.”
They both watched the single remaining creature as she slumped on her belly next to the water dish, the rhythmic rise and fall of her back the only indication they had that she was still alive. Her last companion - another female who had been very young when they brought them in - had passed away that afternoon.
Ianto had declared that he couldn’t leave the last one to die alone, and when the others had gone home a short while ago, Jack had come down to join him.
There wasn’t much conversation for the next while as they sat in tense silence, knowing that any minute the last of their furry little friends would take her last breath.
Jack knew almost the moment that it happened; when a hand gripped his leg and squeezed, he knew that Ianto had noticed too. He also knew that Ianto probably wasn’t aware of quite what he’d done, but couldn’t make himself point it out.
He felt oddly bereft when Ianto shifted away, standing up. “I should probably…” He gestured towards the cell.
Jack nodded, shaking himself internally and clambering to his own feet. “Yeah.”
He looked again at the tiny creature, looking even smaller now in death than she had in life. “We never even gave them a name,” he realised, sighing a little. The last team to encounter them hadn’t given them a name either, and they weren’t anything Jack had encountered before he came to Earth so he didn’t know their real name.
“Well, actually…” Ianto started. He paused, his mouth still open. “Never mind.”
“No,” Jack pushed a little, curious. “What is it?” Although the lights in the cells were always dim, Jack would have sworn that Ianto’s cheeks pinkened a little.
“I’ve been calling them...” Ianto bit his lip and looked away. “Fuzzy Wuzzies.” The last two words were so quiet as to be barely audible.
“Did you say ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy’?” Jack asked, frowning slightly as he requested the clarification.
Ianto turned back to look at him, his cheeks flaming brightly. “Yes, I’ve been calling them Fuzzy Wuzzies. And I know it’s a bit silly, and it’s not exactly the most scientific name for them, but…”
“I like it,” Jack interrupted, contemplating for a second as he realised that he wasn’t actually lying. “It has a bit of a ring to it.” He smiled slightly as Ianto blinked at him; he wasn’t sure if it was in confusion or just startlement. “When you get around to permanently filing the reports on the whole incident, file the creatures under ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy’.”
Ianto just stared at him for a long moment. “You’re serious,” he said slowly a second later.
Jack nodded, wondering why Ianto would even doubt it. “Of course I am.”
Ianto shook his head and muttered something under his breath. Jack was quite certain he caught the words ‘crazy’ and ‘why’ being used more than once.
“Right,” Ianto said, his voice once more loud enough for Jack to hear. “I’m going to deal with…” He gestured once more towards the cell beside them. “And then, if you don’t need anything else, I might head home.”
Ianto began to move to do just that, and Jack suddenly remembered the other reason he’d had to come down and find Ianto earlier, other than just to keep him company while he witnessed the death of the final ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy’.
“Actually,” he started, and Ianto froze. “When you’re done, I might need a bit of a hand in the storage cupboard, sorting some stuff out.”
Ianto looked at him suspiciously. “What sort of stuff? And why does it need sorting?”
Jack smiled. “Nothing that warrants you looking at me like that. Camping stuff. Tomorrow morning, we’re all heading out on a little trip. Just for a couple of days. Yes, you included,” he added, seeing Ianto’s mouth opening and guessing the question he had been about to ask.
“There are odd things happening out in the Beacons, and after the last few weeks, I think a little team bonding trip is just what we need.”
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Comments and concrit are loved!
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairings: budding Jack/Ianto, references to past Ianto/Lisa
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: If I was the one who owned Torchwood, you think I'd admit it now?
Spoilers: Some information and events from s1,2. NONE for s3.
Summary: In the aftermath of Lisa's death, Ianto is struggling to cope - and new surprises don't help matters much. Can his friends on the team at Torchwood help him carry on?
Author's Note: Sequel to Guilt.
Thanks to: My beta cazmalfoy, angelzbabe1989 for idea bouncing, and morbid_sparks for cheerleading even when she doesn'tdidn't know what happens.
Previous chapters at master list
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Jack leant back against the wall, his shoulder just brushing Ianto’s where he sat next to him.
“I don’t think she’s got long left now,” he murmured.
Ianto shook his head. “Even with the absolute nightmare they gave us catching them, I’m going to miss them.”
Jack bobbed his head. He knew exactly what Ianto meant. It had been nice, these past two weeks, to be able to come down to the cells occasionally and just watch the little furry creatures play. It made a difference to the usual Weevils and other not-so-fun aliens they kept down there. “Maybe we should have allowed some controlled breeding,” he mused idly.
Ianto shifted against him. “Maybe,” he agreed. “It’s too late now.”
They both watched the single remaining creature as she slumped on her belly next to the water dish, the rhythmic rise and fall of her back the only indication they had that she was still alive. Her last companion - another female who had been very young when they brought them in - had passed away that afternoon.
Ianto had declared that he couldn’t leave the last one to die alone, and when the others had gone home a short while ago, Jack had come down to join him.
There wasn’t much conversation for the next while as they sat in tense silence, knowing that any minute the last of their furry little friends would take her last breath.
Jack knew almost the moment that it happened; when a hand gripped his leg and squeezed, he knew that Ianto had noticed too. He also knew that Ianto probably wasn’t aware of quite what he’d done, but couldn’t make himself point it out.
He felt oddly bereft when Ianto shifted away, standing up. “I should probably…” He gestured towards the cell.
Jack nodded, shaking himself internally and clambering to his own feet. “Yeah.”
He looked again at the tiny creature, looking even smaller now in death than she had in life. “We never even gave them a name,” he realised, sighing a little. The last team to encounter them hadn’t given them a name either, and they weren’t anything Jack had encountered before he came to Earth so he didn’t know their real name.
“Well, actually…” Ianto started. He paused, his mouth still open. “Never mind.”
“No,” Jack pushed a little, curious. “What is it?” Although the lights in the cells were always dim, Jack would have sworn that Ianto’s cheeks pinkened a little.
“I’ve been calling them...” Ianto bit his lip and looked away. “Fuzzy Wuzzies.” The last two words were so quiet as to be barely audible.
“Did you say ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy’?” Jack asked, frowning slightly as he requested the clarification.
Ianto turned back to look at him, his cheeks flaming brightly. “Yes, I’ve been calling them Fuzzy Wuzzies. And I know it’s a bit silly, and it’s not exactly the most scientific name for them, but…”
“I like it,” Jack interrupted, contemplating for a second as he realised that he wasn’t actually lying. “It has a bit of a ring to it.” He smiled slightly as Ianto blinked at him; he wasn’t sure if it was in confusion or just startlement. “When you get around to permanently filing the reports on the whole incident, file the creatures under ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy’.”
Ianto just stared at him for a long moment. “You’re serious,” he said slowly a second later.
Jack nodded, wondering why Ianto would even doubt it. “Of course I am.”
Ianto shook his head and muttered something under his breath. Jack was quite certain he caught the words ‘crazy’ and ‘why’ being used more than once.
“Right,” Ianto said, his voice once more loud enough for Jack to hear. “I’m going to deal with…” He gestured once more towards the cell beside them. “And then, if you don’t need anything else, I might head home.”
Ianto began to move to do just that, and Jack suddenly remembered the other reason he’d had to come down and find Ianto earlier, other than just to keep him company while he witnessed the death of the final ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy’.
“Actually,” he started, and Ianto froze. “When you’re done, I might need a bit of a hand in the storage cupboard, sorting some stuff out.”
Ianto looked at him suspiciously. “What sort of stuff? And why does it need sorting?”
Jack smiled. “Nothing that warrants you looking at me like that. Camping stuff. Tomorrow morning, we’re all heading out on a little trip. Just for a couple of days. Yes, you included,” he added, seeing Ianto’s mouth opening and guessing the question he had been about to ask.
“There are odd things happening out in the Beacons, and after the last few weeks, I think a little team bonding trip is just what we need.”
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Comments and concrit are loved!