Ianto Jones is waiting.
It's OK, he's used to it. Sometimes he thinks that he has spent his entire life just hanging about…waiting.
Waiting for his dad to stop hitting him, or to start
Waiting for his mam to notice and save him
Waiting after school for Rhiannon to finish work so that he can walk home with her. Knowing that if he does Davy Morgan and his gang won't beat him up because Tim Lloyd told them how Ianto had kissed him in the showers after rugby
Waiting for the dreams he has about having sex with other boys to stop, or at least turn into dreams about girls.
Waiting for his exam results to find out if he has the grades he needs to get into university. He does but he has an even longer wait before any one in his family thinks to ask him how he got on.
Working at Torchwood One. Waiting outside the lifts at the end of the day to catch a glimpse of Lisa. Waiting for Lisa to notice him. Waiting for the courage to ask her out. Waiting in the shop whilst she gets a key to her flat cut for him. Waiting for the right moment to propose. Waiting too long.
Waiting for Jack Harkness – he helps subdue the weevil. Waiting on the quay the next morning with a mug of his best coffee. Waiting in the rain to recruit Harkness to help him catch the Pteradon. Waiting for the right time
Working at Torchwood three. Waiting to move Lisa into the sub-basement. Waiting to hear from Dr Tanizaki. Then, when Ianto's world begins to unravel, waiting for Jack Harkness to put a bullet into his head.
Things change but Ianto is still waiting. Waiting for the team to forgive him. Waiting for Jack to see him, to touch him, kiss him, suck him, enter him, make him scream with lust as he comes. Waiting for Jack to love him as much as he loves Jack. Waiting for the chance to tell Jack how he feels
Then he is waiting to die. He has to tell Jack, he hopes he hasn't waited too long.
'I love you'
Jack looks away, 'Don't'
Ianto opens his eyes. He is lying on a soft and comfortable sofa. He sits up. The room is large and seems to be full of sunlight. Coffee machine in the corner, shelves and shelves of books, DVDs and music. No doors, no windows either – where is the sunlight coming from? Ianto hears a voice; it is strong, compelling and deep. He's not sure if it in his head or really in the room,
'IANTO JONES'
Ianto feels he has to respond but isn't sure how so he sort of raises his hand and says 'erm…here'
'IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO TRANSITION TO A HIGHER PLANE OF EXISITENCE. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO CHOOSE'
'Choose?' Ianto is more than a little confused. The voice does not sound like it belongs to someone who gives people a choice.
'TRANSTION MEANS LETTING GO OF ALL PAST LIFE MEMORIES, ALL RECOLLECTIONS OF LOVES AND ALL LOVERS. FOR MOST THIS LOSS IS INVOLUNTARY BUT YOU...YOU DIED BRAVELY SAVING MANY SOULS, YOU DIED SUFFUSED WITH LOVE FOR THE BEING HARKNESS, SO YOU GET TO HAVE A CHOICE'
'and that choice is?'
'YOU CAN TRASITION NOW AND LOSE ALL MEMORY OF YOUR PAST LIFE AND MOST ESPECIALLY OF THE BEING HARKNESS…OR YOU CAN REMAIN HERE UNTIL HARKNESS CAN JOIN YOU AND YOU MAY TRANSITION TOGETHER'
Ianto frowns, 'I'm here because I died?'
'YES'
'and if I "transition" now I'll lose Jack forever?'
'YES'
'But I can stay here and when Jack dies we can transition together?'
'YES'
'but….Jack is immortal, he can't die' Ianto gets the feeling that the owner of the voice is smiling and rolling their eyes.
'THE BEING HARKNESS HAS LONGEVITY IT IS TRUE BUT ONE DAY HE WIL DIE, ALL THINGS DIE… EVENTUALLY. HE WILL TRANSITION. IF YOU CHOOSE TO REMIN HERE YOU WILL BOTH TRANSITION TOGETHER'
'If I do that, will I remember him? Will he remember me?' Ianto really wants to ask "will he love me", but he is afraid to
'YOU WILL REMEMBER HIM, HE WILL REMEMBER YOU. HE WILL STILL LOVE YOU. YOU WILL BE TOGETHER UNTIL THE END OF ENTERNITY'
The word 'still' warms Ianto through. 'How long until Jack…?'
'TWELEVE HUNDRED MILENNIA'
120,000 years. Ianto looks around the room, coffee, books, movies, music. He settles back into the sofa and smiles. It's the easiest choice he's ever had to make,
'I'll wait' he says.