Note; I do not own Torchwood, nor do I own its characters. I simply love writing one-shots! xD

I decided to do another of my obsessive Torchwood marathons (Won't explain it, but it's fun), but my folks screamed at me for being 'obsessive', so I just stuck to watching Children of Earth. xD

And whilst I was watching Day One, I wondered about Ianto's thoughts when Jack pushes him in the lift to save him from the bomb.

The countdown is in italics.

Set during Day One of Children of Earth, when Ianto is going up the invisible lift, and Jack says 'I'll come back. I always do.'

I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it =D

~ Dragon

Time Is Walking

Twelve

Ianto's heart dropped as Jack grabbed him, yanking him away. He couldn't just run away; he had to help Jack, had to stop the bomb…

He struggled, but could not stop Jack from dragging him to safety. He strained against Jack, so desperate not to go. He couldn't leave Jack, not now. He couldn't let Jack die all alone.

Eleven

The numbers on one of the monitors were mocking Ianto, counting down what could have been his last moments with Jack. Time was ticking away, tearing apart Ianto's world as it did so. It had no mercy for two men. It would not wait.

Ten

All the hopes, all the dreams, gone, in one moment. Ianto felt himself being pushed, gently but forcefully, onto the invisible lift, though he felt numb to the bone. He couldn't think. Couldn't hear. Couldn't be. He needed Jack to be safe. He had to stay. He couldn't go. He…

A last kiss. That was all he could give. Jack kissed him desperately, almost like he thought it was goodbye forever, too. Everything that Ianto had ever lived for was thrown into that last moment shared; all his love for this one man. A despairing goodbye; a last grip of the shoulders, a last touch of the cheek. Ianto memorised Jack in that one moment, fighting back the tears that so fiercely wanted to break free.

Nine

He was going up. Away from Jack. Away from everything. Away from his Jack, his love…what could he do without Jack?

How could he possibly live again without this man?

All was a blur as the lift ascended from the Hub. Ianto peered over the edge of the stone, his eyes brimming, and saw Jack, watching him go, his face pained.

Eight

Was this the end? Was this how it was all going to finish?

It was the final curtain call.

"I'll come back," Jack promised desperately. Ianto so dearly wanted to believe it, he found himself nodding fiercely. "I always do."

If Jack promised, then Ianto would believe him.

Seven

Time was slipping through Ianto's fingers, just as it had so many times in the past.

Time was a great enemy; there was never enough of it, never long enough to share into the saddest of times. It walked on by like a stranger in the street, not pausing for anybody.

An endless, eternal stream, never stopping, never resting. It would always be ticking away, counting down the seconds until somebody's demise.

This time round, it was Jack's.

Six

Ianto watched Jack grow smaller and smaller, his beloved face becoming blurred as tears washed over Ianto's eyes. He wanted to screw his eyes shut, chase them away…but then he couldn't look at Jack. And he had to keep looking. Because maybe, just maybe, if he kept on looking, then Jack could never really go, could never really disappear…

Five

Halfway to the surface. A million miles from Jack.

Four

I love you, Jack. So, so much. Ianto mouthed, his breath hitching in his throat. Jack was just a speck now. The Hub was swallowing him, like a whale in the ocean.

Three

Ianto could see the stars above his head. He was almost out. He nearly jumped back down. Nearly.

But then, if he died with Jack, and, by some chance, Jack survived, Ianto would never see him again. The young Welshman's heart pounded at this. To think he may never see his lover's eyes again, hear him whisper Ianto's name into his ear, feel his fingers caress his cheek…

Two

So close, yet so far. Ianto closed his eyes, and though of Jack.

One

"Jack…!"

Zero

An ear-splitting explosion threw Ianto off his feet, and time stole away all his hopes and dreams, melting them into the inferno around him.

As he landed in a pile of rubble, he swallowed, and whispered Jack's name, over and over.

He needed Jack to be okay. He had to be.

The stars flashed the colour of blood, and died, as Ianto's world crashed around him.

Yay? :/

Anyways, there we go.

It was a bit of a ramble, but, eh, I'm tired. xD