Title: Journey of Two Worlds – Chapter 1/7
Beta: Milady_Dragon
Series: Two Worlds
Rating: PG-13
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto (times two), Toshiko/Owen, OCs (children); Andy Davidson, Emma Cowell
Warnings: Some language (this is Torchwood), past/future Mpreg
Spoilers: Not really
Disclaimer I wish I owned Torchwood! If I did, everyone would be alive, Jack and Ianto would be happy and maybe, just maybe, I could have made Gwen a likable character (and less Mary Sue). This is a labor of love and no profits being made. No copyright infringement is intended for both the fiction and artwork.
Summary:Jack and Ianto pack up their family for the vacation of a lifetime – travel to the alternate world, where along with their counterparts family, they head into that universe's future.
Author's note: This is an AU where Reset and Exit Wounds ended differently, with Tosh and Owen are alive. It takes place about 7 years after S2, CoE (and anything after that attempted and failed miserably to be Torchwood) did not happen. The alternate world is based on Steampunk culture, but not exactly, so if there are some differences that are common in Steampunk but shows up here, or is missing, that is the way it is in their world. This is the third story in the Two Worlds universe. Picks up right after the epilogue of Two Worlds, One Crime. Written for the Long Live Ianto Big Bang.
CHAPTER ONE
Jack and Ianto looked around the Torchwood lobby hoping to find their offspring inside the reception area of the alternate world's Torchwood. Jack shook his head. "They're missing already?" he asked Ianto, a look of concern on his face. "We just got here not even five minutes ago."
Ianto shook his head. "Not even in this universe 15 minutes," he added. They had arrived inside a room that was meant for such travel through the use of devices. They decided on that location for arrival because Black-coat Ianto felt they were able to make the targeted arrival with no problems, being they use those rooms and have the coordinates already programmed in the devices they used. If it was just Jack and Ianto, he knew they would be able to have them arrive anywhere near the Hub or even their house, but since they had the children, he wanted the safest and most accurate arrival. Jack, Ianto and Captain Jack each travelled with a child, while Black-coat Ianto went on ahead to assure the planned room was ready for use. Once everyone shook off the effects of dimension hopping, they went down to the main lobby. The children were to go off to a child's playroom by one of the childcare handlers who worked for Torchwood. They were waiting for the head of childcare's arrival, engaging in idle talk amongst the adults when they discovered all three children were no longer with them.
"Don't worry about it," Black-coat Ianto said. "They can't go far before someone runs into them and brings them back."
Ianto stood and still looked around the reception area, his hands on his hips. "Well, I must say that it does feel different being here this time. The first time we entered here, we were prisoners." His eyes gazed over to the main entrance where the doors were opened as clients entered the building. He clamped down on the fear that the children had run out. They had heard about what the world there was like. Meghan was also interested somewhat in Steampunk. Her favourite book was a bedtime story based on the culture. She loved to read it to her brothers at least once a week for bedtime story time. Jack and Ianto had found more children's books on the subject to add to their collection of reading material. They really got excited about it after meeting who they called their Uncle Jack and Uncle Ianto, because Meghan insisted the two counterparts were her parents' twins. Once they found out that they were going to the other world, the children were excited and couldn't wait to see the world. Ianto realized that they should keep a closer eye on the children, especially when they leave the building. If the children were still inside the building.
Captain Jack smiled. "At first, but that didn't last long. Of course, we didn't foresee a friendship, and well, this." He smiled at their guests. "You're looking good again, gentlemen."
Earlier they had left the Harkness-Jones's home in Penarth, they all went to the Hub, where not only they said goodbye to the team, but they also changed into clothes to fit into the other universe. They dressed Meghan in long blue dress and a pink and blue pinafore over it, and a power blue sash that tied in a bow in the back. It actually was her Halloween costume from the year before. Franklin and Jesse were also dressed in what were Halloween costumes. Both boys had dark brown knee length trousers, braces and brown boots. Franklin had a beige shirt and Jesse had a black shirt. They completed the outfit with newspaper boy caps. Jack and Ianto had changed into the outfits they had took back with them from their last visit to this world. Jack retained his greatcoat over a white shirt and dark blue waistcoat and trousers, plus a cravat. Ianto looked dapper in a red shirt with a black and red brocade waistcoat and black trousers. He also wore the long leather coat that had become his trademark in the years since their return to their Cardiff. While they were getting changed for the trip, Captain Jack and Black-coat Ianto saw that their luggage was transported to the other universe. While Jack and Ianto were saying goodbye to their team, the two men from the other universe changed into their normal clothes.
Before Ianto had further chance to panic and run for the doors, screaming for his children, he heard giggles coming from beyond the grand staircase they had descended only minutes ago. Both Jack and Ianto turned in the direction, knowing their children's giggles anywhere.
Andy Davidson came into sight coming from the hallway along the stairs with three laughing children.
"What this now?" Andy asked, looking down at them, and then over to the adults. He was dressed in black trousers tucked into black boots, a white ruffled shirt and black waistcoat that had gleaming brass clasps, and a black frockcoat. He looked down at the children. "We keep Weevils in the backrooms there. You know what they are? You don't want to run into one of the ugly beasties."
Two year old Jesse Harkness-Jones looked up at Andy with a defiant look. "Weevils? Have 'em for breakfast!" he announced loudly.
"Oh good Lord," Ianto muttered, glaring at an amused Jack while their counterparts laughed. "He gets that from you."
"Can we see the Weevils?" Meghan, their seven year old daughter, asked. "I wanna see if they look different."
"We have Weevils in our Hub too!" Four year old Franklin exclaimed.
"Poor Andy's going to be worn out by the time he reaches us," Ianto lamented.
Jack laughed. "I'll rescue him. I do feel sorry for your childcare handler," he said to the other two men.
"She's handled ours, she'll survive," Captain Jack said with a laugh.
Once Jack had control of the children, Andy greeted Jack and then headed over to his bosses. After a quick hello to Ianto, he said to Blackcoat-Ianto, "Their luggage is being transported to the St. David's per your request."
"Ah, excellent," Black-coat Ianto stated. "I trust you acquired steam trunks for their travel?"
Ianto came over to them after taking possession of Jesse from Jack to make it a bit more manageable for his partner. Holding his youngest child's hand, he asked, "I take it only the specified bags are on the way to the hotel? No need to bring everything when we'll have to transport it back here again."
"Oh yes. Definitely. Just the bags marked for the hotel. The others are in in a secure storage room down in the Hub," Andy replied.
As Ianto set Jesse down, the door opened and a woman came in. Both Jack and Ianto recognized her immediately, having already met her counterpart in their world. "Emma!" Jack exclaimed. "You only mentioned her first name. I had no idea you meant her. How did she find her way to Torchwood?" he asked.
"They arrived via an airship through the Rift from our past. We were able to send John back to his time, Dianne became a shuttle pilot for us, and Emma decided to stay and work for us. She also designs clothes as a side business, and does quite well," Black-coat Ianto explained.
Emma smiled at the children. "These have to be your lovely children," she said, and then to the youngsters added, "I feel as if I already know you."
Meghan looked up at her. "Daddy says we have twins too."
Jesse started to jump up and down waving his arms. "I wanna see 'em!" Looking up at Jack, he asked, "Can we Daddy?"
"Later, tiny mite," Jack said. "Right now, you're to go with Miss Emma and don't drive her crazy."
"Why Daddy?" Franklin asked. "I wanna go outside and see steampunk!"
Emma laughed. "Once I get them settled down a bit in our daycare room, I can take them for a walk by the bay, if that's okay with you two?" she asked Jack and Ianto.
"Only if they behave," Ianto said, looking down at the kids. "The moment one of them acts up, they all come back here and wait for us to be finished with our paperwork."
"Aw Tad," Meghan pouted.
Jack put a hand on her shoulder. "Why the sour face, princess? Planning on being bad?"
"No Daddy! I'm not going to be bad, but Jesse and Franklin will."
"Will not," Franklin insisted.
"Don't start, or no one is going out," Ianto warned and glared down at Jesse, daring him to start up.
The child lowered his head and studied his boots. "I good," he muttered.
With a smile, Ianto picked him up and hugged him. "Yes you are. Just keep being good, and soon Miss Emma will be taking you out around the bay for a little while." He looked at the other two. "Then we'll go to our hotel, relax a bit and I think we'll go out for dinner."
All three children started to clap. Jack laughed and hugged Franklin and Meghan to him. "And maybe tonight you'll get to see Uncles Jack and Ianto's children."
"Our cousins!" Meghan exclaimed, making the adults laugh.
"Why don't we take our children and meet you for dinner tonight?" Captain Jack asked.
Jack and Ianto shared a look. "Sure why not."
"And on that topic, if we don't get you working on your paperwork and the details of your flight, dinner will be way past the little ones' bedtimes," Black-coat Ianto stated.
"Right." Ianto smiled at Emma. "I guess that's your cue. If they give you any trouble, let us know." He kissed Jesse's nose and set him down.
"They'll be fine. As I said, I handled their counterparts," Emma said with a smile.
Jack knelt before the children. "Okay, go have fun with Miss Emma and we'll see you kiddos soon."
"Are we really going to go on a spaceship too?" Franklin asked.
"Hopefully," Jack said. "If your Tad and I can get to work here and finish our paperwork."
"Bye Daddy!" Franklin exclaimed.
Jack laughed as he hugged each of the children, and then watched as Ianto did the same. As Emma took the children toward another wing of the building, Black-coat Ianto excused himself to look in on the Hub, leaving the two men with Captain Jack, who led them to an office, where they started to fill out the required paperwork. While they worked on that, Captain Jack looked into their choices of a passenger ship that would take them to their temporary home world.
OoOoOoO
"There's something we want to show you," Captain Jack said once Jack and Ianto were finished with the paperwork and reservations. They were settled in an anteroom that was richly appointed in burgundy brocade on two walls and beige and red stripes on the other two, trimmed in gold gilt. Handsome sturdy black and brown chairs and couch were set around a large stately walnut desk. Captain Jack had stayed to assist them with filling out the paperwork, while they drank coffee and ate pastries. Captain Jack had explained that while they were considered VIPs that they were treated no different than any other applicant requesting Torchwood's travel services. The clerk had left them to file the paperwork. When Black-coat Ianto joined them recently, he had the documents they would need for travel.
"We've had some changes since you were last here," Captain Jack finished with a broad grin.
Black-coat Ianto came over to join them. "Actually it was already popular in America and parts of Asia and Europe."
"What's that?" Jack asked in curiosity as Ianto looked on interest.
"Sky cities," Captain Jack replied. "America and China were already over-populated by the time I first arrived here and the first cities there were built. The Welsh government had started construction shortly after you were here. The first sky city was completed four months ago. It almost filled up before construction was completed. There is a family entertainment complex that quickly became quite popular and we were thinking of having dinner there tonight, if it's okay with you. I think your children will love it."
Black-coat Ianto chuckled. "I think our children just love going up to Upper Cardiff, but they do enjoy the Arcade, which is the name of the place. It shouldn't take longer than going across the city by airbus."
Jack and Ianto traded looks and smiled at each other. "I think the children will love at least the trip there," Ianto replied. "After all, some of the stories they read have sky cities. It will only add to their experience."
"Yes, they would. I'm pretty sure Ianto and I would enjoy it too, so that would be a yes," Jack replied with a grin.
"It's pretty obvious from anywhere in Cardiff that you can see the sky," Black-coat Ianto said.
"You're set to go from here," Captain Jack said. "Of course, you would have some paperwork to complete at different legs of the journey, but you knew that."
"Yes, we were properly warned," Jack remarked.
"I took the liberty of having Andy fetch your family from the child centre," Black-coat Ianto said. "The next few days will be hectic until we're settled on the starliner."
Ianto nodded. "Indeed it does sound like we have a tight schedule until we board the starliner."
Jack grinned broadly, "Including several short hops to get there."
"At least we should have a couple of days waiting for the Dysosnia to come into port," Captain Jack pointed out. "And it usually stays in port for two days before departure."
"It all depends on our arrival. Hopefully we won't have any delays in travel," Black-coat Ianto added.
Ianto gazed at the two men who looked exactly like them. He noticed Jack nodded his head in agreement. It suddenly occurred to him that he was the only one who did not yet travel the stars. Even his counterpart had stories of his travels to other worlds and knew how to fly some space vehicles. The immensity of what they were about to embark weighed on him. Suddenly he had to wonder how good an idea this was, especially including their family.
He knew he was probably being unreasonable. They were going to a time when space travel was common. Of course, there were still some risks, but from what he had understood after listening to Jack, it was no more than driving a car or taking a plane. Besides the other couple had decided to bring their own family along for a vacation with no worries.
His fears must have shown on his face because suddenly Jack had his arm around him. "Ianto, what's wrong?" he asked.
Ianto shook his head. "Nothing. I'm just being silly, is all."
"Such as?" Jack asked. "Because I'm normally the silly one out of us." Jack leaned over to nuzzle Ianto's ear.
"You're all going to laugh," Ianto muttered, feeling embarrassed.
It was Captain Jack who caught on. "I get it. Hey Ianto, it's not your fault when and where you were born. By the time you're back to your own world, you'll be a seasoned space traveller, as so will your children."
"And they won't be able to share it with anyone but us and our team," Ianto stated. "They most probably will want to do it again at some time."
"I don't see that as a problem since you now have access to our world," Black-coat Ianto said. He smiled at Ianto. "I understand how you're feeling. I felt the same the first time I found myself on an away mission that involved space travel. I was much older than you. Torchwood first started to travel to the future only two-hundred years ago. I was terrified, but I had no choice."
Ianto had to laugh at the face his twin made. "I would assume that I'm also from a more advanced world than yours was when time travel was first introduced."
"We were a bit behind your world, yes," Black-coat Ianto said. "We seem to go through our ages slower than in your world and we have longer transition periods when to you I'm sure ages overlap. I did some reading of your world's history when we were there."
"The shuttle we're using is very reliable," Captain Jack said. "I would never allow our family to travel in it if it wasn't."
Ianto took a deep breath. "As I said, I was just being silly." He smiled at Jack. "I did say I would love to travel in space one day, and I wanted you to share all the wonders of the universe that we don't get much of a chance to see in Cardiff."
"You did, and I'm planning on doing just that once we're out there in the old final frontier," Jack said with a warm smile. "So, okay now?"
Ianto nodded. "Yes. I am. I just had a moment of panic, along with feeling so inexperienced among present company."
"Well, in another day you won't," Jack stated and gently kissed Ianto.
The door opened to the room they had used to file the paperwork and three children came rushing in, all talking at once about what they had seen during the outing Emma took the children in her charge on. Andy entered the room already looking frazzled from the short time he escorted them from the child centre to the room.
"Gentlemen, they're all yours. Thank goodness. I'll be seeing you tomorrow for your departure. Enjoy your time here," Andy said and then left.
The four adults in the room all looked from Andy to each other and broke out in laughter.
"We have a carriage waiting out front for your trip to the St. David's," Black-coat Ianto said. "Unfortunately Jack and I have to tie up things before our departure, but we will be around with our family early evening to take you all to dinner."
"Will we get to ride in an airship?" Meghan asked.
"How about an airbus?" Captain Jack asked.
"Yes!" she exclaimed.
"I wanna ride in an airship too," Franklin said with a pout.
Jack picked up his son and hugged him. "I don't know about before we have to leave, but we most certainly will before we have to go home. Okay?"
"But that's a whole year," Franklin replied.
"Yes, but you will be going into space," Jack replied. He could not help the wide grin those words brought to his face. "Isn't that exciting?"
Franklin nodded his head and hugged Jack. "Yay space!" he exclaimed and then giggled when Jack tickled him.
As the children were already dressed with their outer wear, Jack turned to Ianto who was picking up Jesse, while Black-coat Ianto had Meghan by the hand. Soon they were leaving the building and getting into the horse-drawn carriage. The children kept pointing out things and chatting excitedly on the ride to the hotel.
At one point Jack nudged Ianto, pointing up where they saw Upper Cardiff with its towers and spirals in the sky. The buildings were not as tall as the ones in Cardiff proper, but it still made an impressive sight. Aircars and buses were coming and going from the sky city, while airships docked at platforms extended from the city.
Ianto found that he was looking forward to the evening as much as the children were.