Twins
Ianto Jones walked down the steps to the boardwalk below, walked along to a door, unlocked it and went into the tourist information centre at Cardiff Bay. Once inside, he relocked the outer door before going through the secret door at the back and down to the Hub below.
Ianto made coffee for himself and the rest of the team and then went down to the archives to do a couple of hours down there. He'd not been down there for a couple of days and the filing was beginning to get a little out of hand.
New documents and artefacts were being found almost daily, and Ianto liked to keep on top of the paperwork and filing. Some days, he'd spent up to 6 hours down there. Alone with his thoughts and his filing.
He sat behind the desk that held the computer and a small photocopying machine, looking down at a report he'd found.
Ianto had been cleaning out an old cabinet that was to be replaced, when he came across it. It was in one that he rarely went into. They we very old and dirty. Two things that Ianto didn't like in cabinets. He liked sorting through the newer ones. The clean files, with no coffee stains and ink smudges. No faulty locks and peeling paint. New. But this cabinet caught his attention. A padlock lay on the top of it. One that Ianto hadn't noticed before.
All the cabinets that had been locked held top secret documents for Jack's eyes only. So why was the lock lying on the top?
It was about Captain Jack Harkness…Ianto's lover
Sitting down, Ianto opened the file up, and started to read it. His jaw almost hit the floor. Jack had died. They'd frozen him, as per Torchwood procedures. He'd been dead for an entire year. He had to read it two or three times before it sank in.
Ianto thought he couldn't die. Jack had told him he couldn't. The Welshman was puzzled. He sighed, not knowing what to think.
Placing the file to one side, Ianto got on with other work, but his mind kept going back to that file. He'd have to find out, one way or the other, from Jack.
But how was he going to broach the question?
Walk into his office and just ask him?
Pillow talk?
No!
Head on!
Sitting in front of the computer, Ianto brought up his e-mail account. He clicked on 'Create' and began typing an e-mail to Jack.
TWTWTW
Jack was catching up on his pile of paperwork, too, when he realised that he hadn't had his coffee at 11am and it was now closer to 12 o'clock. He touched his coms. "Ianto? Ianto, where are you? I need to hear those beautiful Welsh vowels. I require your liquid refreshment. It's passed 11 of the clock. Ianto?"
No answer.
"Ianto?"
At last, Ianto heard Jack's voice. He took a deep breath and put the folder away again. "Sorry, Jack. I'm here."
"Where is here and where is my coffee? You're never later, Yan. What are you doing, anyway?"
"Sorry, Jack. I'm in the archives. Lots to do down here." He told him. "I'll be up right away. I got a bit distracted. I'm on my way." Ianto stood up, straightening out his tie.
Jack frowned. Ianto never got distracted. Well, he smiled, sometimes he did, but not about his duties. He always made sure the team got their coffee on time. Something was wrong. He'd get to the bottom of it once Ianto was in his office.
TWTWTW
Ianto quickly walked up to the main Hub and the kitchen area and made the coffee. He smiled at the others as he took their coffee to them, them took Jack's blue and white cup up to his office. Ianto walked in putting, the coffee cup down on his desk.
He smiled his best apologetic smile. "Sorry, Jack. It won't happen again." He tilted his head the way Jack liked, bowing slightly.
Jack eyed the younger man, not convinced. "It's not like you to get distracted." He leaned forward. "Is there anything I should know about, Yan?"
Ianto smiled. "Nothing's wrong, Jack. Don't worry."
Jack stood up, moving to stand in front of Ianto. "Now I really am worried."
Ianto smiled. "You worry too much." He put a hand on Jack's arm.
Jack sighed, patting Ianto's hand. "How much longer you gonna be in the archives? I was thinking...lunch...Terra Nova maybe."
"Yeah, give me half an hour and I'll be back up."
Jack looked at his watch and frowned, marring his handsome features. "A late lunch then." He shook his head.
After Ianto had left the office, Jack closed his eyes. He must have sounded really pissed at Ianto for making him wait on lunch.
"Shit!"
Ianto went back down to the archives. He hid the file he'd been looking at did some photocopying and filing, then put things away. He sat down at the desk.
Jack had died. Been frozen. He couldn't get the thought out of his head. Other folders also needed his attention, but he kept looking at the drawer where the folder about Jack being dead, was.
TWTWTW
Jack finished the last of his paperwork, put his cup back down in the kitchen and sat on the battered old couch by the autopsy bay, waiting for Ianto.
Gwen eyed Jack more than once, but he was in no mood for answering questions. Especially about him and Ianto. Not now.
Time passed slowly and Jack was getting more and more annoyed as the seconds ticked by.
"Ianto? Where the hell are you? It's been almost an hour already!"
Ianto heard the annoyed tone in Jack's voice.
"I'll be right there."
Putting away the file, Ianto looked around before leaving the archives.
He saw Jack sitting on the couch.
"Sorry, but it was such a mess the archives. I wanted to get it done today."
Ianto didn't look directly at Jack. He could see the mood Jack was in. "I'm ready."
Jack got up and walked back to his office, as he went up the stairs he called back. "Yeah? Well, I'm not!"
Ianto stopped in his tracks, looking up as Jack walked up the stairs to the office. He shook his head before walking up to Jack's office. He knocked, walking in and shutting the door.
"Look, I'm sorry, Jack. I just lost track of time. I didn't do it on purpose."
"You're keeping something from me, I know you are and I don't like it. We don't have secrets, Ianto. We agreed to be upfront with each other." Jack sat down. "But, if you say there's nothing..."
Ianto sat down, closing his eyes. He didn't want to fight with his lover. "I just lost track of time, that's all. I'm sorry, it wont happen again, I promise." He almost fluttered his eyelashes.
Jack looked at his hands then at Ianto. He sighed, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. It's just... I worry about you. Us." He sighed. "Do I need to, worry I mean?"
Ianto looked at him, smiling. "No, you don't need to worry, Jack."
Jack stood up. "Let's go grab some lunch. I'm starving." He approached Ianto, kissing him on the lips. "Sorry."
Ianto smiled and kissed him back. "Yeah, me too." he took his hand.
After lunch, Ianto stayed in the tourist office, while Jack went back to his office. He was still thinking about the amount of time Ianto spent in the archives.
What did he read when he was down there? Were there files that he shouldn't read? Of course they were, but Jack trusted Ianto's instinct for these things. He did trusted him, didn't he? Jack had never thought about it before. Maybe he should.
TWTWTW
Ianto came back down after two hours. He'd shut up the tourist office, shut down the computer and made his way to the main Hub.
Standing at the bottom of the stairs, Ianto looked up at Jack in his office. He wondered what was going through his lovers mind.
Jack never usually shut his door, but it was shut now. It told everyone he wanted to be left alone. Should he go and open it? Jack half stood, then sat down again, thumping the desk.
Ianto turned his head away, he knew that when the door was closed, Jack didn't want to be bothered. He was on his way to the kitchen to put the coffee machine on, when he heard Jack thumping his desk, not knowing what else to do.
Tears of frustration filled Jack's eyes threatening to fall. He bit his bottom lip, drawing blood. Getting up, he opened the door. He saw Ianto looking up at him from the kitchen and tried to smile. Blood dripped from his mouth and he wiped it away with the back of his hand.
Ianto crossed the Hub quickly and walked up the steps. Pulling out a handkerchief, he wiped the blood off Jack's hand.
"Jack, what's going on in your head? We're fine, I told you."
A tear slide down Jack's face. "I have so many secrets, Yan. I don't know who the real me is sometimes." He turned, walking back into the office. "Do you ever read files about me down in the archives?" Then he answered his own question. "Of course you do. Do they shock you? Do I shock you?"
Ianto followed him in and shut the door. "No," he shook his head. He didn't need time to think. "I read about you, your past, what you've done." Ianto smiled a little. "They don't shock me. Sometimes they scare me a little, because you've never told me about it," he laughed nervously. "But I understand why."
"I've done some bad thing in my time. Here and on other Worlds. I'm not proud of everything I've done. Some I did because I had to. Others, well..." He let the sentence trail off. "I don't want you holding things in that you read. Okay?"
Ianto nodded. "I know," he smiled. "And I wont." He took Jack's hand in both of his. "And maybe one day, you'll tell me these things yourself."
"Were you reading about me this morning? Is that why you were distracted? Tell me the truth, please."
"Yes, I was and I'm sorry." Ianto didn't want to lie to him.
"What were you reading about me? Good or bad?"
"You died," he just came out with it. "For a year. You told me you couldn't die, Jack, but you did."
"I...was a danger to everyone, it seemed. It was in 1902. Something happened that changed the way I thought about the Torchwood Institute. They thought it best to kill me and put me on ice." He laughed. "Sorry, couldn't resist."
Ianto looked at him. "Not funny, Jack."
Jack shook his head. "Sit, please." Jack waited until Ianto had seated himself, then he continued. "I had some differences with a few people. I had an agenda, they said, that wasn't convivial to Torchwood. I disagreed. I wanted to do things my way….or I'd leave. They killed me over and over again just to get me to join Torchwood. I wanted to do it my way now and again. They took offence. I….went against everything they'd taught me and I was punished."
"You never change do you?" Ianto couldn't help but comment.
Jack shook his head and for the first time, genuinely smiled. "No, never will. Would you want me to? I had my own ideas about how Torchwood should be run." He shrugged. "It all worked out in the end. I was needed. They defrosted me. We….compromised. Here I am."
"No, I never want you to change," he smiled.
Ianto loved everything about Jack.
"Read what you like down there. Don't be afraid to ask questions. I'll answer what I can. But please, if I don't, respect that I can't tell you everything. Okay?"
Ianto nodded, he knew it was too good to be true, he knew there would always be things he didn't know about the man he loved and it chafed because Jack knew everything about him, but he had to respect Jack's wishes. For now.
"I know you want to be there for me. I love you for that. I know you tell me everything, but there are just some things that are better off not known by you." Jack sighed, standing up and perching on the edge of the desk beside Ianto. "I don't enjoy keeping things from you. It's for your own good, trust me."
Ianto nodded. "I trust you." He stood up. "The coffee is ready by now. I'll go get us some."
Jack touched Ianto's arm. "Thank you."
Ianto nodded and walked down the steps to the kitchen.
Glad of the small space.
Glad to be alone with his thoughts.
TWTWTW
Jack sighed, sat down in his chair and took out a file from his top draw marked. Top Secret:- URGENT. Opening the file, Jack looked at the picture inside. Ianto Jones. 'For Captain Jack Harkness' Eyes Only' RESTRICTED.
Ianto was completely oblivious to what Jack was reading. He made everyone coffee and handed them out and then walked up the steps to Jack's office, knocking on seeing Jack deep in concentration.
"Just a moment," Jack said, hurriedly putting the file back in the drawer. "Come in."
Ianto walked in and put the coffee cup on the desk. "Anything else I can get you, before I tidy up for the day?"
Jack looked around the office, a guilty look on his face. "Er, no. Thank you."
Ianto noticed, but chose not to say anything.
"I'm going to feed Janet first. I'll be on coms if you want anything." Ianto turned and went to walk out before he could respond.
Jack wanted to say something, but Ianto leaving so fast said it all. He watched as the young Welshman left the office and went down to the cells. Jack hated himself for what he was about to do, but he had no choice. Not if he wanted his lover to remain at Torchwood.
Ianto actually enjoyed his time down with Janet, she never asked any questions, just expected to be fed. He could deal with that, no secrets, no lies. Ianto sorted her out and leaned against the wall his eyes closed.
Deep in thought, Jack turned on the CCTV camera down in the cells area. He watched as Ianto fed Janet and then leaned back against the wall, his eyes closed.
"What am I doing?" he said out loud. Jack touched his coms. "Ianto, my office. Now!"
Ianto's eyes flew open. "On my way, Jack."
Ianto locked up the cells and went straight up to Jack's office.
"Yes. Jack?"
Jack took the file out of his drawer, placing it on the desk. "It's about you. Everything. Almost from birth until a year ago. Then it stopped. No photos. No more info. Just stopped. Why is that, Ianto?"
Ianto looked down at the folder on his desk, he was confused. "What's this about?"
"Ianto Efan Jones. Born 19th August 1983. Died, it seems, 13th July 2008 in a car accident." Jack looked up at Ianto. "You tell me."
Ianto grabbed the folder and looked down at it. "What..." he looked at Jack. "This is obviously wrong, Jack. You know that." he tried to smile, but couldn't.
Inside, he was shaking.
"It was compiled by UNIT. You were picked from birth, it seems, for the Torchwood Academy. What made you so special? Why did it end a year ago?" Jack stood. "Are you Ianto Efan Jones?"
"No, I haven't got a middle name. UNIT have got it all wrong!" Ianto put the folder back on Jack's desk. "You know me. I haven't changed. I'm Ianto Jones."
Jack frowned. "But were you Ianto Jones when you stalked me for the job at Torchwood Three, or Ianto Efan Jones?"
Ianto smiled a little. "This is ridiculous. Of course I was, Jack. It's always been me. I don't know who compiled that file. It's not true!"
Jack picked the file up and read through part of it. He sighed, picking a passage, reading it out. "Scar on left arm above and below elbow." Jack looked over the folder. "How did you get that scar, Ianto?"
Ianto shook his head. "I fell off my bike when I was six. Rhiannon bought it for me for my birthday and she was trying to teach me to ride it. I told her I could do it on my own. But I fell off in the road. I almost got run over."
"It says here, you pulled a pan of hot water off the cooker and scolded yourself."
"That would be burns, not a scar." Ianto took his jacket off and then started turning up his sleeve, he showed it to Jack. "I was in hospital for a week. I got to miss school."
"Were there any other brothers or sisters?"
"I only have one sister. I don't have any other's. It was me, mam, tad and Rhiannon."
"We'll leave it for now. I'll have to contact Martha Jones." Jack sighed. "I don't know what to make of it, Ianto. I'm sorry."
"You don't know what to make of it?" Ianto looked at him. "What are you talking about, Jack? My name is Ianto Jones. You know me! You once said you knew every inch of me! How could you even think any of this is true?" He began to pace. "This is ludicrous!"
Jack looked directly at Ianto. "This came from UNIT. They do not lie. I have to check it out." He looked away. "I owe it to the others."
Ianto put his jacket back on. "To the others? What about what you owe me? Jack, you believe me don't you?"
He looked at Jack. He needed Jack to believe him.
Jack just sat there, not saying anything.
"UNIT don't lie?" Ianto said. "I'm beginning to think there's something wrong with you, Jack, if you believe that!" Ianto pointed to the folder. He shook his head. "I'm going home. I can't take anymore of this bullshit!""
Jack stood up and walked to the door. "Tosh, lockdown. Now!" He turned to face Ianto. "No. You're not." He locked it, removing the key.
Ianto sighed. "So what, I'm your prisoner now?" he took his ear piece out, throwing it on Jack's desk, and smiled. "If you don't believe me, I would rather be in a cell, than locked in here with you!" Ianto turned his back on Jack. "I clearly don't know you at all, Jack."
Jack took a step back. "Is that what you want, for me to lock you up? The Ianto Jones I know and love would make a stand. Fight this Yan. You need to prove UNIT wrong."
Ianto turned to looked at him. "How am I supposed to fight this, Jack? Tell me how, and I'll do it. The Hub is in lockdown. I'm locked in you office and you want me to prove who I am to you? " He threw his arms in the air, laughing. "How?"
"We have computers. Tosh can help. There must be records somewhere. Find something about Ianto Jones...my Ianto Jones…You, that isn't in the file that you can use against UNIT. A friend...a student in college...an old flame...anything!"
"There has only ever been you and Lisa," he sunk down into a chair. "How could you not believe me?"
Jack knelt beside Ianto, cupping his face. "I have to remain objective. Put aside our relationship." He sighed. "But it doesn't mean I love you any less."
Ianto looked at his lover, his captain, his best friend. Tears were swimming in his eyes. "Do you, love me?"
Jack pulled him into a warm embrace. "Yes. Always."
Ianto wanted to hate Jack for doubting him, but he couldn't, so he let Jack hold him, wrapping his arms around the older man.
"I love you, whether you believe me or not."
Jack pulled back, looking into sad, blue eyes. "I'll help in any way I can." He touched Ianto's face, wiping away a tear. "The lockdown isn't to keep you in, Yan. It's to keep UNIT out." He smiled, sadly.
"Are they coming to get me?" he suddenly felt scared.
Jack shook his head. "I don't know. I need to call Martha." He stood up. "Go talk to Tosh." Jack nodded towards the door. "I need to speak with her in private."
TWTWTW
Ianto stood up and walked out of the office, going down to Tosh. "Hey," he muttered.
How was he supposed to explain this to her?
Jack closed the door and took out his phone. "Martha, Jack. I need to ask a favour."
"You're in lockdown, Jack. We agreed."
"I know. I need some time."
"I don't know, Jack."
"This is Ianto we're talking about."
"24 hour. That's all I can give you."
"Thanks."
"You better come up with something, Jack. There's a kill order out on him."
Jack hung up, leaning back in his chair.
TWTWTW
"Tosh, I need you to do a search for me," Ianto muttered, sitting down.
"What name?" asked Tosh, smiling at Ianto.
"Ianto Jones," he sat down next to her.
Tosh smiled. "No, really. Who?"
"I'm serious, Tosh. Just do it, please."
Tosh nodded and got her fingers moving over the keyboard. "Are you sure you want me to do this?" She looked up at Jack's closed door.
"Jack doesn't really believe in me," he sighed and told her what had happened. "So I need to do this."
"I don't believe that of Jack. He's just being cautious, that's all."
Tosh continued. A page came up with Ianto Jones' on.
"Any middle name?"
"No," he shook his head. "This is insane."
"There are three for your date of birth. One died aged 16. He drowned while on holiday in Spain. There is a Ianto Efan Jones. Same date of birth. One sister. And Ianto Jones, also with one sister."
"Wait. There's me and a Ianto Efan Jones. Can you bring up the pictures?"
Tosh worked her magic and brought up the two pictures side by side. They were identical. "Ianto!" said Tosh. "You could be twins."
Ianto looked at it. "What the hell!" he muttered.
"I think you better go tell Jack. His neck is on the line here." She looked at Gwen. "We are in lockdown."
Ianto got the printouts and walked up to Jack, putting his file and the other Ianto's file in front of him. "A twin?"
Jack picked up the printout and looked at the pictures. "He looks exactly like you." Jack looked up. "Could he be?"
"I don't know. Anything's possible, Jack." Ianto shook his head, unable to take it in.
"What about Rhiannon, would she know?"
"Maybe. We have to ask her."
"No, you have to ask her. I can't get involved. Once the lockdown has been lifted, UNIT will be here. You have 23 hours to prove which of you is the real Ianto Jones." Jack looked at the photo, running his thumb over one of the faces. "This one is you." Jack smiled. "I'd know you anywhere."
Ianto sighed and picked up the files. "I'll go do that then." He walked out and down to his desk. Taking out his phone, he called Rhiannon.
Rhiannon picked up on the third ring. "Hello." silence. "Hello? Who is this?"
"It's me," he finally said. "I'd say your brother, but you had two, didn't you?"
"Ianto? No. I...can we talk. Come round. Ianto? Please. I need to explain in…."
"I can't come round." Ianto interrupted. "We have to talk on the phone."
"I need to explain in person. Can't you get away for an hour?" she took a deep breath.
"No."
"It happened when you were both just over 2 months old. Mam...couldn't cope with two."
Ianto fell silent for a couple me seconds. "I had a twin? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Mam gave him away, Ianto. A couple in Swansea adopted him." she paused. "Their name was Jones, too."
Ianto looked at the picture. "But he died, Rhi. A year ago." A tear ran down his cheek.
"I didn't know that. I'm sorry." silence. "When did he die?"
Ianto told her. "July last year." There was silence. "He was my brother and he died. Why wasn't I told. He had the same name as me! You have to tell Jack, Rhi."
"That mam gave away one of her boys? No! I can't. No one alive knows about it. I haven't even told Johnny. No, Ianto. Not even for you. I'm sorry."
"You have to!" he stood up. "If you don't, you may not see me again."
"Why, if he's dead? What harm is it doing? Ianto, I don't understand. Is it Jack?"
"Please, just tell him. All you have to do is repeat what you just told me."
"No. Please don't ask me again. I promised mam, Ianto." Rhi put the phone down.
Ianto sat looking at the phone. Jack wouldn't believe him now. He stood there and cried silently.
Jack placed a hand on Ianto's shoulder. "I was listening." He rubbed his hand up and down his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Yan. Without her word, I can't do anything. They think that you killed the real Ianto Jones and took over his identity."
Ianto looked at him. "So, I go with UNIT then?"
Jack pulled him into his arms. "Not on your life. I'm not lettin' them step foot in Torchwood. I've spoken to the others," he kissed Ianto's forehead. "They're staying, too."
Ianto let him be swept up into Jack's masculine arms. "We're going to have to leave eventually."
"Not without a fight, we're not. We can hold up for weeks. They'll have to blast us out." Jack smiled. "I'll talk to Rhiannon."
"And if she doesn't help? We cant tell her the real reason, Jack. What about Torchwood?"
"Then I'll tell her the truth. UNIT are not taking you away. I won't allow it." Jack walked Ianto back into the main Hub. "They won't allow it."
The rest of the team smiled at Ianto.
Ianto looked at Jack. "You all believe me?"
"We never doubted you, mate," said Owen.
"We know you, Ianto Jones," said Gwen.
Tosh just smiled.
Jack patted him on the back. "Let's all go up to the boardroom. There's a coffee machine in there, let's make use of it."
TWTWTW
Ianto was in a daze. This time yesterday everything was normal. It had happened so quickly. He walked beside Jack, their hands almost touching.
They sat around the boardroom table, both files in the middle. Owen and Gwen had now looked through them.
"It's unbelievable," said Owen. "Your mum actually gave one of her twins away. She must have been desperate."
Jack kept an eye on Ianto, as he made coffee.
"My Tad was a force to be reckoned with. He drank a lot. Abused mam and me when I was older." He tried to smile, then turned away.
Ianto kept himself distracted with the coffee and tried to blank out what the others were saying after that. His hands were shaking. He clenched them into fists, trying to steady them.
Tosh turned just as Ianto balled his fists. Getting up, she went over to him.
"They can say what they like. We know and love you." she took his hand in hers.
Ianto looked at her. "Thanks, Tosh. I just can't stand here and listen to it all."
Tosh wouldn't let his hand go. "What will you do? Jack has the unlock code."
"Ianto? How long have you been with Torchwood Three?" Jack was flipping through one of the files.
Ianto turned and told him the right answer, then handed out the coffees, but stayed standing up.
Jack sighed, watching his lover. "Yan, please. Sit."
"I'd rather stand, Jack." Ianto crossed his arms.
Jack raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. "Okay. Ianto E. Jones joined Torchwood One 11th July 2003 as a Junior Archivist." Jack looked at Ianto. "His personnel file was impeccable."
"How is that possible?" he muttered. "I joined that day. I never met him. There was only one archive section."
"Maybe because he was never there," said Owen.
"The file's been doctored, you mean?" said Tosh. "Easy enough to do. Add a letter here, remove one there."
Jack ran a hand over his face. "That means someone has been planning this since Ianto and his brother were 2 months old." Jack looked at Ianto.
Ianto couldn't look at his lover. His eyes were piercing and he couldn't bear it.
"Why would someone wanna fuck up Ianto's life now?"
"His brother died a year ago in a car accident. About the time Ianto joined Torchwood Three."
"But we know it was him, Jack. Because of Lisa."
Ianto's head wiped round at the mention of Lisa.
"What about Lisa?" he looked at them each in turn.
"It must have been you at Torchwood One. You brought Lisa here," said Gwen.
"Unless the other Ianto brought her here, and you took him over."
"I loved Lisa! I watched her get captured by the Cybermen. I couldn't do anything. I had to watch her get turned into that monster! I loved her," he didn't bother hiding the tears.
Now he was angry.
Owen lowered his head, ashamed for what he'd said. "Sorry, mate. I was thinkin' out loud."
Jack stood, walking over to Ianto. He didn't try to comfort him. He knew Ianto wouldn't want that. Not in front of the others. Not the way he was feeling right now. Jack just stood there. Just in case Ianto needed him. Just in case the cracks got bigger. Just in case...
"This is my life!" he turned to them all. "I haven't been living a lie. I loved Lisa and lost her. I love Jack now. That's all true."
"Hey, hey," now Jack put his hands on Ianto's upper arms. "I believe you. That's all that matters. I...love you, too." there, he'd said it in front of the others. "We'll get through this. I'll call Rhiannon." Jack got his phone out. "What's her number?"
Ianto shook his head. "She won't talk to you," he wiped tears of his cheek, "She thinks this is all your doing. I don't know why."
"Because we're together?"
Ianto shrugged.
"Owen, go bring her in. I need to speak to her."
"What'll I tell her?"
Jack looked annoyed. "Tell her your the Health Inspector. From Social Services. Tell her anything. Take Gwen with you, Just don't come back without her."
Ianto looked pleadingly at Jack, who shook his head. "You need to stay here. They'll be watching for you, not them."
"Don't hurt her." He looked at Owen. "Or scare her," he added.
Ianto watched them leave and turned back to the coffee machine, starting to clean it. He didn't like the silence that had fallen on the room.
Tosh got up and went back to her workstation. She sensed that Jack needed to be alone with the young Welshman.
"They won't hurt her. I need to speak with her, whether she wants to or not. You're her brother, Yan. She should help you."
Ianto shook his head and looked down at his hands. They were still shaking. "I've lived a lie my whole life. I didn't even know I had a twin, Jack. How could I not know that?" he muttered.
"Don't believe everything you read. Not all twins have a sixth sense about each other. You were 2 months old. There was no way you could have known."
"I pride myself on knowing everything Jack!" he finally turned to him. "I thought I knew everything about my life, my family's life." He sighed. "I hope he had a better go at life than I did."
Jack remembered Ianto telling him about his abusive father. How he'd been knocked around by him.
"He may have. Unless we find his adoptive parents, you'll never know. Maybe that's how it should be."
"I'll find them," he muttered. "Even if it's the last thing I do."
Jack had to smile. "And I'll help you."
"Thanks, Jack." Ianto nodded, finally sitting down.
They sat there in comfortable silence for another ten minutes, when Jack's phone rang. "Hello?"
"It's Gwen. Bad news, Jack. UNIT already have Rhiannon."
"Shit!"
Ianto saw the look on Jack's face. "What's going on?"
Jack sighed, closing his eyes. "UNIT have Rhiannon."
"What?" Ianto stood up and walked to the door. "We have to go get her!"
"Ianto, wait! You can't go out there. They'll take you, too."
"They have my sister, Jack! I can't sit here and do nothing. You can't ask me to do that!"
"No, I'm ordering you! I am still your Boss."
Ten minutes later, the cog door went back. Tosh locked it again.
"The place is almost surrounded. We just about made it in before they tried to follow." Owen told Jack.
"I've locked the Tourist Office and the lift. We're secure again."
"They have my sister!" Ianto ran down to the armoury and typed in the code, grabbing two guns. "I need to get to her!"
Jack was beside him in a heartbeat, his own gun in his hand. "Put them down, Ianto. Don't make me use this." His hand was shaking. "Please, put the guns down."
Ianto turned to him the guns in his hands. "Go on then, Jack." He stared at him. " Shoot me," he muttered. "If you're really going to use that, do it! Do it!"
Jack kept eye contact with the younger man. He went to lower the gun then brought it up, hitting Ianto in the right temple. Jack caught him before he hit the floor.
Ianto collapsed into Jack arms, out cold. The guns fell from his hands.
"What the fuck, Jack!" Owen shouted at him.
"I can't let him go out there. They'll shoot him on sight." Jack replied. "There's a death order out on him."
Owen walked over to Jack, taking Ianto from him. "We have to do something, Jack." Owen placed Ianto on the couch.
"We have less than 22 hours until they storm the place," Jack told him. "Rhiannon was our last hope."
"Maybe not," called Tosh. "I've located Ianto Efan's adoptive family in Swansea."
Owen turned to Tosh. "Are they still in Swansea?"
"The mother is, but the father now lives in Penarth."
Owen turned to Jack. "What are we waitin' for? A bloody invitation."
Jack looked from Owen to Gwen. "Gwen take the father. Owen the mother."
They started to leave.
"Just remember, we have 21 hours to find out the truth. Then..." Jack just shook his head, looking at the unconscious Ianto on the couch.
A couple of hours later, Ianto woke with a start. Looking around, he put a hand to his head.
Jack was stood beside Ianto, arms crossed over his chest. "Sorry. I had to stop you. There's a shoot to kill order out on you." He looked away, a tear in his eye. "I can't let them kill you. Not now. Not..." Jack couldn't finish the sentence. The tears began to flow down his handsome face.
Ianto looked at him but made no attempt to move. "If they hurt her, I will never forgive you, Jack," he said bluntly.
Ianto was upset and angry, but he didn't mean it.
Jack lifted his head, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I would never do that." He wiped at his face. "Tosh found his adoptive parent. Gwen and Owen have gone to see them." Jack started walking to the coffee machine. "You know I would never hurt anyone you loved."
Ianto turned. "Don't touch the coffee machine, Jack. I'll do it." He stood up.
Jack stepped back, tutting. "I do know how to use a coffee machine. I used to do it before you..." Jack stepped back. "Sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. I..."
Ianto just shrugged. "Nothing else for me to do but sit and wait, so I might as well do it." He looked back at Jack. "Your coffee sucks, anyway."
Jack stood back, watching.
Ianto gave him a cup of coffee and Jack took it up to his office.
"Go see Tosh. She'll fill you in on his parents," he said, running a hand through his hair.
TWTWTW
Ianto walked out of the kitchen and over to Tosh.
"Were they good people?" he asked her.
Tosh smiled, tilting the screen so that Ianto could see it. "Read it for yourself. They were really nice people." Tosh looked towards Jack's office. "He died suddenly in July last year. His mother and father separated when he was 18." Tosh smiled again, still looking at Jack's office. "You look as if you have a few questions of your own. Not for his parents, either."
"I….don't want it to end like this." He looked at Jack's office door. "I have so many questions I want to ask Jack." He stopped. "I love him more than life. I want to know everything about him."
"Maybe Owen and Gwen will come back with good news." Tosh smiled.
"Maybe."
"Go talk to Jack. I think you really need to."
Ianto nodded.
Making more coffee, Ianto took two cups up to Jack's office.
"I brought you another coffee."
Jack looked up, his eyes dark and serious. "Thanks."
"I didn't mean…."
Jack cut him off. "It's okay. I understand."
Ianto sat down. "Why did they freeze you?"
Jack sipped his coffee and then leaned back. "I went a little cave man crazy," he tried to laugh it off. "We knew all about aliens back then. That's why the Torchwood Academy was created. They came through the Rift on a regular basis, but we killing most of them." Jack looked at Ianto. "I didn't think it was necessary. Not all of them. Sure, a few were hostile, dangerous. Needed to be killed. Most were scared, they just wanted to go home. But we killed them. All of them." Another sip of coffee. "I took it upon myself to save them. Try and get them back to their own Planets." He lowered his gaze. "They took a dim view of it. Torchwood, that is. They humoured me for a while, then they pulled the plug." Jack leaned forward placing his hands on the desk. "I tried to get people on my side. Try to see the bigger picture," he sighed. "No one wanted to upset Torchwood. I tried to leave, more than once, after that. They kept bringing me back. I tried to leave again. It got boring after a while. So, they killed me and froze me. A year later, I was defrosted and given an ultimatum….Go back to the way it was, or stay frozen for an eternity."
"So you had to kill them again?"
Jack nodded. "I managed to save the odd one here and there. It got back to the Queen. She decided to go with my idea of letting them leave again. Guilt,
denial, call it what you like, but she agreed. I wasn't put in charge of any Torchwood Hubs after that. Not until Alex killed everyone in 2000."
Jack's phone rang.
"Jack?"
"Martha."
"I can't give you that 24 hours, I'm sorry."
Jack looked at Ianto. "We need that time. You promised. Owen and Gwen have gone…."
"We have them, Jack."
Jack stood up. "What! Do you want to see him dead?"
"No, but…."
"There were twins, Martha. Separated at 2 months…"
"Jack, please. Let me in."
"Let my team go."
"I can't."
"Then go to hell, Martha Jones!" Jack slammed the phone down.
"They have Owen and Gwen?"
Jack nodded.
"I'm as good as dead, then."
"Not if I have anything to do with it."
Standing up, Jack moved to stand beside Ianto, offering him his hand.
"Do you trust me?"
"With my life." Ianto smiled, taking Jack's hand.
"I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner."
Jack opened his wrist band, pressed a few numbers and looked at Ianto.
"Still trust me?"
Ianto nodded.
Pressing the buttons, Jack and Ianto vanished in a flash of white light. They reappeared in Penarth near the water front.
Ianto looked at Jack. "Will Tosh be okay?"
Jack nodded. "I have the address of Ianto Efan's father." He looked at the younger man. "Guess it's up to us now."
Trying not to attract too much attention, Jack and Ianto walked to the address Jack had. Ringing the doorbell, they waited for it to be answered.
"He's not home, Jack. Let's leave."
Before Jack had a chance to answered, the door opened. A man stood there, his mouth wide open.
"Ianto, is that you?"
Ianto smiled sadly, shaking his head. "Not the one you're thinking of. I'm sorry."
"May we come in?" Jack asked.
The man stepped aside.
Going through to the lounge, Mr Jones offered them a seat.
Jack spoke first. "Ianto only found out about his twin brother about 4 hours ago."
Mr Jones remained silent.
"The people we work for think this Ianto Jones stole the identity of the dead Ianto."
Still silence.
"Please, Mr Jones, I could die, unless you help us." He sighed.
"Your mother kept her word then. Never told you?"
Ianto shook his head.
"Bronwyn couldn't have children. When your mother had twins, she asked if we would take one. She couldn't cope, you see. What with your father and all."
"You knew my father?"
"Bronwyn was your mothers sister. It meant that we could never meet, but it was worth it to have a son.""You called him Ianto," said Jack.
"Ianto Efan, Bronwyn insisted. Well, we lived in Swansea. Who'd know?"
"What did your son do?"
"Accountant in Swansea. He was going for a job in Penarth when he died in an accident."
Jack looked at Ianto.
"Have you ever heard of Torchwood?" Jack asked.
"Hasn't everyone?"
"We….work for Torchwood."
"No! Really?"
"They think that this Ianto Jones," Jack pointed to Ianto. "killed your Ianto Efan and took over his identity.""Which isn't true," said Ianto. He had glanced around looking at the pictures on the mantel piece. They looked exactly like him. It was unnerving.
Mr Jones smiled. "I identified my son's body. He died in a car crash. No funny business there. He was unlucky, I'm afraid."
"Would you be willing to tell someone we know what you've just told us?" asked Jack.
"If it helps, yes, of course."
Ianto closed his eyes a tear slowly rolled down his face.
"Thank you," said Jack.
"Do you really hunt aliens?"
Jack laughed, nodding, "Yes, we do."
Efan tilted his head to one side. "You say this Ianto only found out about his brother a few hours ago? How? I mean, who told him?"
"The people who work with us received a file with details on Ianto Efan - jobs, date of death - it had to be checked out."
Efan looked at Ianto and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry you never knew him You would have gotten on well."
Ianto just smiled.
Moving out to the kitchen, Jack got his phone out.
"Martha Jones," Jack was almost smiling. "I have someone who would like to speak to you about his son, Ianto Efan Jones. Accountant. Deceased."
"Are you with Efan Jones, Jack?"
"Does it matter?"
Martha sighed. "Tell him to come outside, Jack. I'll speak to him."
"You're here?" Jack looked through the kitchen window. "You knew about this place?"
"Owen thought it best to tell us. Mrs Jones sent the file to us, Jack. She saw Ianto at Canary Warf, just after her son died. She was devastated by his death and wanted Ianto to pay. She wouldn't say why. Grief I expect. "
Jack hung up, walking back into the lounge. "Mr Jones, we need to go."
Ianto vaguely took in what Jack said.
The next thing he remembered was a loud smashing sound, as a bullet came through the front window. It hit Ianto low in the shoulder, slamming him against the wall. Blood soon soaked his shirt.
"Ianto, no!" Jack pulled the stricken man to the floor and then grabbed Efan Jones. "Stop shooting! Stop shooting!" he shouted. "Martha Jones, stop shooting!"
Ianto lay in Jack's arms, looking up at him. "It's...to late."
Jack shook his head, a tear running down his face. "No, it isn't. Martha! He's dying!" Jack held his hand firmly against the wound. "I won't let you die. I can't..."
"They wont...let me live...no matter what...you say." he coughed.
"Don't say that. They know bout Efan."
Efan walked over to the door. "Don't shoot, I'm coming out." He opened the door. "I have a picture here of my son, Ianto Efan. This is not my son," He pointed into the house. "My son is dead. You shot this poor man for nothing. He needs medical attention. Now!"
Ianto looked to the door. "He's...going to get shot"" he muttered. "Jack, I'm cold."
Jack took off his greatcoat wrapping it around the young Welshman.
"Jack!" called Martha. "Show yourself."
"Ianto's been shot. Damn you, Martha Jones. I won't leave him!"
Ianto looked up at Jack. "Do….what she says, Cariad,"
He didn't want Jack getting hurt as well, even if he couldn't die.
"I won't leave you...ever." Jack called back to Martha. "You come in here."
A tear rolled down the young Welshman's cheek. "I love you, Jack." His eyes closed.
"No, no! Don't leave me, please...Ianto...Ianto!"
"No need….to shout," Ianto whispered.
Jack smiled, running a thumb across Ianto's jawbone. "Sorry." He watched as Martha walked through the door in front of Efan Jones.
"I've called for an ambulance."
"How did UNIT get hold of the file?"
"It was posted to us, believe it or not. Mrs Jones dated someone from UNIT."
"And you didn't think to ask before acting on it."
"I'm not in charge at UNIT, Jack. Besides, we didn't know that back then."
Ianto opened his eyes to look up at Jack. "No need to panic, I'm okay."
"You've been shot, Yan, I panic." He closed his eyes for a moment. "Let's hope this is over with now." He looked from Efan to Martha.
"We'll chase it up from our end. Bring her in for questioning." Martha promised, not revealing her name in front of Efan Jones.
Ianto smiled, then his head rolled to the side and he stopped breathing.
"Ianto!" There was pure panic in Jack's voice.
He laid Ianto down, tilted his head back and started CPR.
Martha looked on in horror. "Jack!"
Jack breathed twice into Ianto's mouth and then did five chest compressions. He continued this until the ambulance arrived and the paramedics took over.
After working on Ianto for nearly ten minutes, there was still no response from Ianto. He was pronounced dead.
"Jack," began Martha, "I'm sorry. He's gone."
Jack shook his head. "No, he can't be."
The paramedics went to put a sheet over his face.
"No!" said Jack. "No sheet."
The paramedics went to the back of their van to get a gurney.
Jack leaned forward, covering Ianto's mouth with his own.
"Jack, what are you doing?" Martha was shocked.
Jack breathed in and then blew gently into Ianto's mouth, placing a hand on his chest.
For the longest time, there was no response, then Ianto started breathing again.
Jack closed his eyes and tilted his head back, sighing with relief.
"He's breathing," Martha said.
The paramedics brought out the gurney and an oxygen mask, placing it over Ianto's nose and mouth.
Martha knelt beside Jack. "I'm sorry, Jack. The bullet made a bigger hole as it passed through the shoulder."
Ianto was rushed to the hospital. After he was operated on, he spent 2 days in ICU before being transferred to a private room. He spent 9 days in the hospital.
TWTWTW
Ianto had sent Jack an e-mail before all this happened, telling him that he loved him, but he was going to die without knowing the real Jack. He couldn't live with that. If Jack couldn't open up to him, then Ianto couldn't see them staying together.
Jack read the e-mail on the same day Ianto was taken to the hospital.
Although he visited the younger mad daily, he never said anything to him about the e-mail.
On the day Ianto was being released, Jack went to pick him up. When they were in the car Jack began to speak. "My life is very complicated. You know that from meeting John Hart. I'm by no means perfect." He smiled. "I love with a passion and I fight for what I believe in. I believe in us, Yan. You and me. Together. For the rest of your life." He licked his lips. "Torchwood is everything to me, but you mean more. Maybe I'll tell you about my lives, but not here and not now. You'll just have to trust me a little longer, okay?"
Ianto sat in silence, then nodded. "Okay."
"I enjoy what I do Ianto. I won't apologise for that. I hate killing, but sometimes it's necessary. I'll keep on doing it, long after you and the others are gone " Jack looked at the expression on the younger man's face. "You alright with that?"
Ianto nodded his head. "Thank you for telling me."
"I'd like to tell you more," Jack smiled, "but I'd have to kill you after."
"Of course," he smiled.
Jack parked the SUV and opening his door, turned to the young Welshman. "I'm sorry about everything that happened and everything that might happen. But I'll never be sorry I fell in love with you.
TWTWTW
UNIT picked up Mrs Jones and she was cautioned for wasting time and was given a warning.
Two days after Ianto got out of the hospital, he and Jack went to see Rhiannon.
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you about your twin. If I'd known they'd really try to kill you, I would have." She began to cry.
Ianto pulled her into his arms. "It's okay. I understand. You did it for mam." He kissed the top of her head, smiling at Jack. "We're going to the cemetery with Efan Jones tomorrow, would you like to come?"
Rhiannon just nodded.
Efan Jones, Rhiannon, Jack and Ianto visited Ianto Efan Jones' grave, placing flowers on it. Ianto said a silent pray for his twin.
Jack looked on solemnly, taking both Ianto and Rhiannon's hands in his own.
THE ENDS