Song of the Lost: Chapter 1/11 +epilogue
Title: Song of the Lost
Author: moonfirefic
Beta: milady_dragon
Art: cjharknessgirl
Word Count: 30,400
Rating: PG-13 to R
Characters: Ianto, Jack, River, Eleven, Ten, Four, Romana II, Sexy, Amy, Rory, Gwen, Rhys, Martha, Mickey, Others
Synopsis: After being pulled from the rift, Ianto is reunited with his birth parents and travels with them in the TARDIS. Along the way he meets his feisty Scottish Grandmother, encounters a paradox and two previous Doctor at Woodstock, evades an intergalactic warlord, and finds himself in a difficult position after a chance encounter with a young and very mortal Jack Harkness. With timelines shifting in every direction and a prophecy nipping at his heels, Ianto finds refuge amongst old friends, and finds his long lost brother in the most unlikely of places.
Chapter One
Several Years later
Somewhere in Time…
“It’s not fair,” the Doctor complained leaning against a railing of TARDIS wardrobe and crossing his arms with a huff.
“Be sensible,” River advised patting his arm. “It’s not as if he wanted this to happen.”
“Ten times, ten bloody times, and nothing,” he groused bending over to pick up a discarded waistcoat off the floor. “Then your son comes along and gets it right on the second go,” he added picking up a stray coat hanger and pointing it at her.
“Oh so he’s my son now,” River answered, plucking a white fur coat from a coatrack and trying it on. “Funny how he’s only your son when he does something brilliant,” she added while admiring herself in the full length mirror.
“I blame your mother,” the Doctor replied with conviction. “All those Pond genes must have glommed onto him and done this out of spite!”
River rolled her eyes and took the coat off before making her way over to where Ianto was racing up and down the stairs, choosing and discarding items from the racks as he went.
“Find what you need sweetie?” she asked as a scorched pair of pin-striped trousers sailed past.
“Aye,” answered a low voice with a distinctive Scottish burr from somewhere amongst the poodle skirts and parachute pants. “I think I have.”
“Now I know it was her,” the Doctor grumbled, scooping up a discarded pair of platform boots and a green velvet frock coat and setting them onto a table beside one of Jamie’s discarded sporrans. Smiling, he stroked the worn leather fondly for a moment before stilling as a new idea struck. “If he starts wearing a kilt,” he said hiding the sporran under a pile of ties. “You’ll find me in the lounge drowning my shame in banana daiquiris,” he said with a scowl.
River laughed and the Doctor scowled harder.
“Don’t be such a drama queen,” she said, kissing him softly on the cheek. A few moments later, Ianto parted the clothes with flourish and stepped forward.
“What do you think?” he asked, tugging the cuffs of his new jacket into place.
“You look fantastic,” River complimented taking his hands and holding them out so that she could see the rest of the outfit. “Where did you find those?” she asked glancing down to the boots he was wearing.
“Would you believe they belonged to James Dean?” he replied with a grin.
River took in her son’s new appearance and decided the boots, dark wash jeans, black studded belt, gray NNNNYU t-shirt, and black 22rd century motorcycle racing jacket with white stripes running down the arms suited him.
“Well at least you decided against the red jacket Jimmy wore in the film,” observed the Doctor as he looked him over. “Would have made you look like a tomato with that hair.”
Ianto frowned and bounced down the last few steps to the mirror below. “It’s more dark auburn then red,” he argued leaning in and trying in vain to smooth down the unruly front flip of his hair. The Doctor grimaced, realizing it was almost an exact replica of his 10th incarnation’s unruly style.
“It’s so dark it’s nearly brown,” River reassured him. “I like the eyes though, same shade as Amy’s.”
“Really?” he asked sounding pleased.
“Oh yes,” she answered with a smile. “Accent sounds a lot like her too.”
“Yes, yes, he’s a few centimeters taller, green-eyed and still pale, well, barring a few extra freckles here and there, and of course ginger,” the Doctor rambled as he took in all the changes. “But what puzzles me is this face,” he asked as he reached up to pat Ianto’s cheek. “First time I get it, you had no idea what was happening. But this time you knew, and other then a slightly smaller forehead and bit more rugged jawline, it’s still the same.”
Ianto looked away and clenched his jaw. “I-I want him to recognize me,” he said quietly.
“Who?” the Doctor asked suddenly concerned.
Ianto turned to him with sad eyes. “You know who,” he answered.
“Oh sweetie,” River said as she stepped forward and rubbed his arm in comfort. “You know we can’t cross that part of your timeline, even if we wanted to.”
“I know,” Ianto sighed. “I just miss him that’s all.”
River gave him an understanding smile and Ianto gave her a half smile in return before glancing at the Doctor and going back to the mirror.
“Talk to him,” River mouthed to the Doctor, who opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.
River kept gesturing for him to go over until finally the Doctor snapped his mouth shut and in a moment of inspiration picked up a straw fedora off a nearby hat stand.
“Nothing like a good old fashioned hill picnic to take the edge off a new regeneration,” he said, picking up a hamper from a nearby dresser and twirling it around. “How about the three of us drop in on the Ponds and show them how it’s done?” he asked earning him a smile of encouragement from River.
“Do you think they’ll like me?” Ianto asked. He had never met Rory and Amy, though with all of the stories he had heard, he felt like he knew them already.
“Of course they will,” the Doctor reassured him as he bounded over and put his arm around his son’s shoulders.
“Besides, we haven’t had much family time since you finished up at New, New, New, New York University,” He added with a grin. Ianto returned it, and they both turned to River as she finished texting a message on her phone.
“All set,” she said with satisfaction. “Rory knows to be at Birdwood Hill at precisely 1PM, and told Amy that we are bringing her a surprise,” she added winking at Ianto.
Ianto was about to ask her what they should pack for lunch when her wrist strap beeped.
Recalling that the sound of Jack’s strap beeping never meant anything good, Ianto held his breath as she checked over the data screen before looking up at them both with a mischievous grin. “Sorry boys, looks like I am going to be missing out on this adventure,” she said, pulling a scarf from a nearby rack and wrapping it over her head.
“Where are you off to?” The Doctor asked as she held up her wrist strap and prepared to jump.
“Just checking up on an old friend of the family,” she answered. “I’ll be back before you know it. Sweetie, take care of him in the meantime,” she said blowing them a kiss.
“I will,” they both answered as River disappeared.
“Well!” exclaimed the Doctor clapping his hands together before scooping up the picnic basket with ease. “Ready to meet the in-laws?” he asked over his shoulder as he headed out of the wardrobe towards the kitchen.
Taking one last glance at his new self in the mirror, Ianto smoothed down the front of his jacket and with a final nod followed him out, hoping that this new regeneration liked coffee as much as his last.
Chapter Two