Fandom(s): Torchwood, Doctor Who
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Gwen Cooper, Clem (Clement MacDonald), Brian Green, UNIT
Pairing: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Summary: Jack Harkness finds a way to bring Ianto Jones back to life. The question is, did he bring him back permanently? And what kind of trouble will they get into?
“Don’t speak. Save your breath.”
“No! Ianto? Ianto! Stay with me! Stay with me, please!”
“If I could swap places with you, I would-”
“Then I’d have to live without you-
“A thousand year’s time, you won’t remember me-”
“Yes I will. I promise, I will.”
“No. Don’t. Oh, don’t, Ianto
Jack came back to life with a soft gasp. He sat there, waiting for his memories to come rushing back. Then it hit him, and Jack sobbed. Ianto was gone. Gwen came over, tried to comfort him, but it was as though there was a piece of him missing. Jack stood and left the building. He ran until he no longer could, and then continued running, all the way to where the ruins of the Hub were. Digging through the wreckage, Jack found his desk, still in one piece. Frantically pulling open drawers and tossing around their contents haphazardly, he finally pulled out a small canister. This was what he had been searching for. He ran again. Through the night and day, until he reached Thames house once more. Straight to where Ianto’s body lay, still unburied. It took a day and a half each way to run, and he was nearly out of time.
Jack knelt next to him, laying Ianto’s head in his lap. He opened the canister, watching as the shimmering golden particles floated around him. “Can you help him?” The particles buzzed, then swarmed around Ianto. “I’m so sorry, cariad-” A tear fell, splashing on Ianto’s cheek. A few more followed, and then Jack heard the softest intake of breath. “Ianto?” It took a moment, and a bit of coughing, before Ianto started to breathe. He sat up, looking around in confusion. “Oh god, you’re okay-” Jack reached for him, wanting nothing more than to pull the young man close and never let go. “Jack? What’s going on? Jack, why are you crying?” Ianto reached out, wiping away the tears that stained the Captain’s cheeks.
“Where are we?” Jack helped him to stand, and then hugged him tightly. “What do you remember, Ianto?” “I remember stopping the outbreak and Provictus, but not too much more than that…” “Oh no-” At that moment, Gwen burst into the room. “Oh good, Jack you’re here again. We have a pro-” she stopped mid-sentence when she noticed Ianto. “What? How? Jack, what’d you do?” “I’ll explain later. What’s going on, Gwen?” “The 456 are trying to kill Clem, and Green is trying to use Steven as a relay to send the 456 signal back to them.” Jack’s face went white. “Fuck. We have to stop him.” He hurried out of the room, adrenaline once more fueling him. Ianto and Gwen hurried after him. “Who’s Steven?” “Jack’s grandson.” “Jack has a grandkid?” “You don’t know?” “Gwen I just woke up in this strange building with Jack crying and the last thing I remember is stopping that outbreak…” “Oh. We’ll catch you up later, right now we have to figure out how to stop the 456.” “456?” “A sadistic alien race that essentially gets high off of pre-pubescent children.” “What the fuck?!??” “And they want 10% of all those kids on Earth.”
They found Jack, and just in time too. He was standing over Brian Green, gun cocked. “Tell me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you?!?” Jack demanded. Brian shrugged. “Do it.” ianto put a hand on Jack’s arm. “Cariad, don’t-” “Why not? So much of this is his fault!” Ianto nodded, motioning for the UNIT members scattered about the perimeter of the room to take Green into custody. “Maybe, but you don’t need another man’s blood on your hands. Let’s figure this out together, how to stop them, okay?” Jack took a deep breath and put away his gun, watching as UNIT led their captive away. They joined Gwen, who was attempting to reassure Clem that the aliens wouldn’t kill him.
Ianto was the first to come up with an idea. “Gwen, you said they were going to use Steven as a relay?” “Yes.” “Why him?” “Because they talk through the kids, and he’s a kid.” “It would have worked, but it would have killed him, because he’s so small,” Jack interjected. “Okay.” “They also talked through me, but I’m not a child,” Clem spoke up. “Why you?” “They almost took me when they first came. I got away.” Ianto took a moment to think. “Jack, would it kill an adult?” “No. The worst that would happen would be a nosebleed.” “Okay, then we use Clem as a relay. Clem, would you be willing?” “Will it make them go away?” “It should stop them, and make them leave. Then we’ll be safe, and it will all be thanks to you.” Ianto gave him a friendly smile. “...Okay, I’ll do it. But then you leave me alone too.” “Alright, we will.”
They all worked fast, afraid they were running out of time. They built a rudimentary device, but functional, that when the 456 attempted to send them a message again, it would instead go through Clem and be sent right back at the 456, and hopefully destroy them. Gwen went to the room the aliens were in, to keep an eye out for what might happen and to report back. Jack and Ianto worked together quickly, and it wasn’t long before the 456 sent another signal. They watched as Clem started convulsing, blood trickling out of his nose, and then he stopped, still alive. Gwen’s voice came in over the comms. “They’re gone. It looked almost like they exploded, then there was a fiery beam of light and now I’m staring at an empty tank. They’re gone, you did it!” She ran back to them. Ianto was helping Clem clean the blood off his face. As soon as that was done, a UNIT agent stepped forward to take Clem back to where he lived.
At that moment, the doors opened again, a woman and child Ianto did not recognize ran straight to Jack. He embraced them, a sad smile on his face. “You’re safe, oh my god you’re okay-” “We’re fine, dad. Is it over?” “It’s over. They’re gone.” “Good.” Jack crouched down so he was eye-level with Steven. “Steven, you’re going to be good for your mom, right? “Yes, uncle Jack!” “Good man.” He kissed the top of Steven’s head before standing again. “I’ll stop by later, Alice, but for now just go home.” “If it’s all the same, I'd rather you stayed away. It’s too dangerous.” Jack looked crushed, but he agreed. He hugged her once more. “I love you. I love you both, never forget that.” Alice smiled, then took Steven with her as they left. “Bye uncle Jack!” Steven waved as he left, and Jack waved back. Once they were gone, he turned to leave too.
Where are you going?” Gwen asked. “Home. Away from here.” “But the Hub-” “Not there. My house.” “You have a house?” Ianto was surprised. “Yeah, had one for years.” “Oh.” Jack headed to the door. “Do you want to come home with me?” Ianto asked him. Jack turned to him. “Come with me, Ianto?” Ianto stepped forward and took Jack’s hand. “Yes.” Jack squeezed his hand, and they left together. Eventually, Gwen went home to Rhys too.
