Worth that cold cup of coffee (Torchwood, Jack/Ianto)
Ianto went around the hub, dropping off the cups of coffee as he went. There was only two, well three counting his, cups to deliver as Jack wasn’t back from wherever he had gone yesterday. Ianto sighed as he thought about the day before when they had found an old Torchwood one file in the archives explaining that a cure had been found and that it was kept in Torchwood three. Martha found it twenty minutes later in one of the cabinets in the medical ward.
Jack had been silent while he looked through the file with Gwen. Ianto knew that he was trying to find out why James hadn’t been cured until Gwen pointed out the answer, thirty minutes later. Ianto remembered the tears running down Jack’s face as he left the hub, alone and depressed. Both of them deciding that it was best to leave him alone and do their duty by curing those who were still alive and fighting the illness in the 21st century.
“Jack still not back then?” Martha asked as Ianto gave her the cup.
Ianto nodded and left her to the cup of coffee.
Just as Ianto was about to put his cup to his lips, the mobile started to ring in his pocket. Sighing he put down his cup and answered it.
“Hey Ianto, could you come and get me the SUV seems to have run out of fuel” Jack’s voice seemed to sing in his ear.
Ianto sighed as he reached for the car keys. He already knew where the SUV was because of the tracker that connected to their computers. Oh well it was rare to finish a cup of coffee in this place anyway. The rain had started to fall when Ianto drove towards the other side of the city centre. He hoped that Jack was ok, in a healthy state of mind or close to it.
He spotted the SUV parked near a bar and parked his car behind it. Jack was asleep in the driver seat as Ianto looked through the window. Ianto passed his eyes down Jack’s face, noticing the dry tears and untidy hair. He opened the door and put a hand on his shoulder which was enough to wake him.
“Hey Ianto, sorry I seemed too had dozed off.” Jack said as he woke, looking up at Ianto with a grin.
“What seems to be the problem?” Ianto asked looking at Jack.
“As I said the SUV as run out of fuel.” Jack replied with a smile.
“No Jack, what’s the problem?” Ianto tried again. “I filled it up yesterday morning.”
Jack didn’t reply but stepped out of the SUV. Ianto was a little taken back as Jack put his arms around him, staying silent. As Jack held him Ianto could smell a mixture of alcohol and 51st century pheromones on his breath but he didn’t care. He knew that Jack had drunk away his sorrows, like he always did when the depression took over. Finding out that the cure was found two weeks after James’ death would have really killed him inside. No wonder he had stayed out all night.
“I’m sorry I just wanted to see you!” Jack finally replied, “But I didn’t want to tell you the truth.”
“Sir, you don’t have to apologise, now let’s get you back to the hub to a nice cup of coffee.” Ianto told him, slipping back and grabbing his hand.
“Sounds nice, if you’re making it.” Jack replied with a smile.
“Of course, I always do.”
As Ianto poured his cold coffee down the sink he smiled to himself. Some moments in life were worth that cold cup of coffee.