Trauma Pod – bringing back the memories...
I saw a video on about this robotic mobile operating theatre, called the "Trauma Pod", and it sparked this off...
This is instead of another fic that I started to write as a thankyou for 200 reviews – it didn't really work out, so this is dedicated to WickedTorchwoodFan for all her encouragement and support!
Disclaimer: I don't own "Trauma Pod" or Torchwood. More's the pity... :-(
The Tourist Information Office clock was showing 11:26 as Ianto Jones hid an extensive yawn behind a polite hand, scrolling through the alerts in his inbox.
Most of the time such alerts were nothing to worry about – the odd typo in which the writer wrote "torchwood" in stead of "torch wood", or made a joke about aliens. There were a couple of blogs that Ianto had tagged to watch with caution - finger always poised over the delete button, if they got too close to the truth – but nothing serious.
However, now and again, something interesting came up. Ianto had been following the New Scientist website – more out of curiosity than any real fear that they would unearth some alien facts – and now he scrolled down his Favourites to the website.
Ianto clicked on the link, sipping idly at his coffee as he waited for the page to load. When it did, he was completely unprepared for what he saw.
The keyboard was drenched in the hot liquid as the mug fell from Ianto's numb fingers. He didn't even blink as it splashed into his lap and scalded his skin; his eyes were fixed on the screen.
Ianto wasn't seeing the screen. He didn't see the flashing adverts, or the tiny black text in a neat column down the left of the page. He was dragged back to that day a couple of years ago, that day of blood and fire and death and pain and death and fear and burning and metal monsters and screaming and torture and blood and death and—
Ianto didn't realised that the agonized cry had dropped from his own lips until he felt a supportive hand on his shoulder and a worried voice ask, "Ianto? What is it?"
He could only nod at the screen, at the dreadful video playing. Jack didn't need to watch for more than a couple of seconds before he understood. He reached across and pressed the 'power' button. The screen cut into blackness.
Ianto held onto Jack's arm tightly, gripping it so hard that he must have left bruises. The dreadful images were still playing, ghostlike, in the back of his mind, on an endless loop and—
"It's OK, Ianto. C'mon, snap out of it." Jack turned the chair so that he could stare into Ianto's face. "You're here, with me, remember? You're safe— I'm here, and it's all OK. C'mon..."
Ianto bit back another whimper, eyes desperately searching Jack's face as his hands clenched fistfuls of the blue shirt. "Jack?"
Jack smiled reassuringly at him and cupped Ianto's cheek in his right hand, helping him stand. "That's right."
Ianto hesitated for a only a moment, before slipping his arms around Jack's waist and simply holding on, like Jack was the only thing in the world keeping him anchored down and the memories at bay. He buried his face in Jack's chest, his head tucked snugly beneath the captain's chin, and breathed in his comforting scent.
"It's over, Ianto." Jack's voice rumbled in his chest. "The cybermen are gone. It's all over."
Ianto bit his lip, unable to keep the tears from spilling down his cheeks and dripping off the end of his nose.
"Hey," Jack murmured. "Let's have none of that." He kissed Ianto's forehead, wiping away the tears with a gentle thumb. "I'll take you home, and you can have a nice, long hot bath. The others have already gone home."
Ianto nodded, but didn't make any move to unwrap himself from the captain.
"Then we'll sit and watch some TV before bed and drink hot chocolate, with you in my lap and already half-asleep," Jack continued, rubbing circles on Ianto's back as he waited for Ianto to move.
"And I'll end up kicking you all night because of your snoring," Ianto added, with a wet-sounding chuckle. "Like every night."
"I'm not that bad!" Jack protested.
Ianto pulled back, though not letting go of Jack quite yet. He still needed the contact to keep him from drowning in the memories. "Of course not, sir. That's why I'm thinking of buying earplugs on my next shopping trip."
Jack grinned. "You'd rather stick foam plugs in your ears rather than kick me out of bed? I'm flattered."
"Having you around means that I can cut down on the energy bills," Ianto replied dryly, the start of a smile forming in his eyes.
"Nice to know that I'm wanted for something other than my devilishly handsome looks," Jack said, reaching under the desk to get Ianto's car keys. "C'mon – hometime."
"That makes me feel about six years old again, you know," Ianto remarked.
"Oh?" Jack cocked an eyebrow. "Is that a bad thing?"
"Very bad, Jack. Especially if I'm taking you home with me." Ianto reached out to take the car keys, but Jack whisked them out of reach. "Jack—"
"I'm driving," Jack said, wrapping an arm around Ianto's waist and steering him away from the desk.
"But—"
"No buts." Jack grinned. "At least, not that sort—"
"Jack—"
"N'uh. I'm driving. End of discussion."
Ianto rolled his eyes. "Fine. But I get to choose what we're watching."
"Deal. I'll just lock up downstairs whilst you clean up that spill, and then we're going home to watch whatever horror you force me to endure."
-T-
In the middle of "Love Actually", Ianto relaxing against Jack's chest and both clutching large mugs of hot chocolate, Jack's mobile went off. He fished out the offending machine and glared at it before answering.
"Jack?"
"Tosh – what is it? Is there an emergency?"
Toshiko hesitated. Jack could hear the trepidation in her voice as she replied, "Not exactly - but it might be an idea to keep Ianto away from the New Scientist website at the moment."
"Too late," Jack said, rueful. "Already had that episode, back at the Hub."
"Where are you now?"
"At Ianto's, watching a movie. Shouldn't you be asleep by now?" Jack checked his watch. "It's nearly one in the morning."
"Couldn't sleep," Toshiko said. "I just thought I'd do some web-surfing, and I found an article about the 'Trauma Pod'. I know that Ianto likes to check the site, so I thought I'd better warn you."
"Thanks, Tosh." Jack dropped a kiss onto Ianto's springy hair. "I appreciate it."
"Was it bad?"
"Yeah."
"He fine now?"
"Yeah."
"OK, then. Enjoy your movie."
"Will do – don't be up too late." Jack pressed the 'end call' button and shoved it back into his trouser pocket.
Ianto raised an eyebrow. "What did Tosh want?"
"She found the site and thought that she'd better warn me," Jack admitted, holding Ianto tighter.
Ianto paused for a moment. His blue eyes clouded, and Jack feared that they were in line for another episode, but they cleared before he'd even had time to finish formulating that thought. "Oh, OK. Can we go to bed now?"
"We're only half-way through," Jack replied, with a frown. It wasn't like Ianto to not want to finish a movie – usually he would insist on watching it right through to the finish, and sit through the end credits. It was one of the little quirks that Jack loved about him.
Ianto shrugged, sitting up properly. "I know. But we can always finish it tomorrow night, Rift-providing."
Jack studied Ianto through narrowed eyes. "Are you OK?"
"Ye—"
"Honestly, Ianto." Jack held his gaze, noting with a twinge of worry the dark bags beneath the young man's eyes, and the pale colour of his cheeks.
"Honestly?" Ianto hesitated, biting his lip. "No."
Jack sighed sadly. "I think it's high time you and I took a break," he decided, from out of the blue. He had no idea where that had come from, but once he'd said it he decided that he liked it. "Y'know – get away from town for a couple of days, maybe visit some places around the country."
Ianto smiled. "Where did that come from?"
"I've always wanted to visit some old cities – maybe I won't feel so old, then," Jack said thoughtfully, reaching out to the remote to turn off the television. "I know that you like old places, too."
"I've got a bit of a weakness for old things," Ianto agreed, with a laugh in his voice. "Haven't you ever wondered why I hang around?"
"And I thought it was because I was a dashing hero," Jack teased.
Ianto pretended to consider it. "Nah."
Jack grinned and leant up to kiss him. Ianto's eyes fluttered shut, and he sighed into Jack's mouth.
Jack pulled back, his hands not leaving Ianto's face. "C'mon, you – off to bed. We've got a holiday to plan in the morning."
There we go! I might be persuaded to write their holiday, when I've finished Splash... :-P
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