The Man Who Has To
Ianto knows immediately what is expected of him.
Jack has fired Owen and the doctor himself knows what this means.
No-one though, knows that it’s Ianto that will do it.
It’s assumed that because Jack is the leader that he would be the one to retcon people as they take leave of his employ; they see Jack as the man who can.
But Jack is the man who can’t. Jack gives a little piece of himself to everyone that signs on that dotted line and he can’t bring himself to take it away again.
So Ianto becomes the man who has to. People don’t see him coming; don’t expect it from him. He turns up on the doorstep, beer in hand, sympathetic look on his face and they think “this is Ianto; harmless Ianto” and they let him inside. There’s often a trace of surprise; he’s not known for his friendliness, but they accept without question.
It makes it so much easier.
And it’s why he’s still here. Wasn’t going to retcon himself was he? And Jack couldn’t do it. So by default he remains. That wasn’t easy.
It’s all too easy to slip the DNA enhanced retcon - that only he and Jack know exists - into the coffees of the rest of the team though. They have no idea as they sip that they are slowly losing all traces of the people they worked with, fought with, relaxed with and in some cases loved. Only he and Jack carry those memories. Each of them think that it’s only ever just been them; Jack, Tosh, Ianto, Owen and Gwen. And Suzie. Jack let them keep Suzie as a reminder; a warning.
But this time tomorrow none of them will ever remember Owen again.
It might be for the best for Tosh, he thinks. Gwen too perhaps. It will take away the guilt.
But Ianto doesn’t think anything will take the guilt from him this time. There’s something different about Owen. This time it will hurt.
He can’t call him a friend, he’s not. Hell, he shot him yesterday. But there’s a sadness to Owen; one that existed even before Diane. And Torchwood is all he has. How can he take that from him?
No, he’s not a friend, can’t call him a friend, but he’s… he’s there. Always been there. He’s picked him up, he’s patched him up, he’s…he understood. When no-one else could, he understood. Owen helped him heal, even if he never told him.
Maybe that’s what he’ll do. Go to his flat; case of beer…no, whisky; a good bottle of whisky for Owen…and he’ll tell him. Tell him how he helped, how Owen showed him that he could carry on, how he helped him feel not so ashamed, how he helped him still feel human.
Yes, he would give him that, give him his friendship, give him a good whisky.
And then take it all from him again.
And Ianto knew that this time he’d be taking so much more from himself.