Waiting for Life
Title: Waiting For Life
Author: iantojjackh
Word Count: 615
Beta: tardisjournal (thanks again)
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG-13
Summary: After an explosion leaves Ianto in a coma, Jack decides to have a heart to heart with him. Inspired by the radio drama "The Dead Line"
Notes: Written for the prompt 'hospital stay' at hc_bingo. Part of the Fighting For Life/ New Life series. You don't have to read the other two pieces to understand this.
Waiting For Life
It had been exactly three hundred sixty thousand four hundred and fifty three seconds since Ianto had been wheeled into the room. Jack had the time down to the exact second because he had been given Ianto's stopwatch in A&E. Miraculously, it had survived the explosion unscratched and it was going to stay that way until he could put it back in Ianto's hand.
The injuries were still were still too difficult to look at despite being covered by bandages. When Ianto had first been bought to A&E he had been rushed into immediate surgery to stop the internal bleeding. They were six of the longest hours of Jack's life as he stared at Ianto's blood on his hands. Ianto’s condition had stabilized after surgery and Jack had decided to move into the room. No one could explain why the injured man had not woken up yet.
Jack had heard the whispers of several nurses that sometimes people just do not want to wake up. Normally that would have enraged him, but the situation made Jack think that because of the fight, Ianto did not want him anymore.
"Ianto, I don't know if you can hear me. Tosh thinks you can and Owen spouted off some logical, medical reason why you can't. I'm leaning toward believing Tosh on this one. She and Gwen are going to stop by around lunchtime to check on you. They say the hub is too quiet without us there. I think they miss you more than me. Or maybe it's just your coffee."
Jack shuddered as he watched Ianto struggle with every breath. There were times where it seemed the next breath would not come.
"This is why you should never fall in love, Jack. Makes these times impossible to bear,” Jack admonished himself. "Now you have me talking aloud to my self. Great going, Jones." He took a deep breath in an attempt to reign in his runaway emotions.
“I think it's time you woke up, Ianto. I know you are mad at me for the fight, but this isn't funny anymore." Jack fiddled with some of Ianto's hair that was matted to his forehead.
"Listen to me, damn it. Wake up. That is an order. I miss seeing those blue eyes. I miss the feel of your arms around me. I miss the way you whisper naughty things to me in Welsh. I miss your coffee. I miss the way you know when I just need one of your sarcastic retorts, an eye roll, one of your quirky smirks. Any or all of those would be good about now." Jack's voice was strangled with grief and fear.
"You are too stubborn to give up. How did you manage to get me to fall in love with you? What kind of magic did you work, Ianto? In all the years I've been alive no one has ever made me feel... I'm not sure if love is a strong enough word. I cannot begin to describe the connection I feel to you. I was too much of a coward to admit it before. When you wake up I'm going to stop being a coward and tell you the truth. Now, it's your turn to fight. Fight like you haven't fought before. You have to come back to us. Please come back."
Jack's eyes were almost swollen shut from crying by the time he finished baring his heart and soul to the man who had sole possession of those parts.
The passage of time was never slower. The days became weeks; weeks became a month before the moment Jack prayed for finally happened: Ianto opened his enchanting blue eyes.