Summary: After the 456 Jack disapears following his goodbye with Gwen. Where does he go? An alternative universe where Ianto is still alive and Torchwood is how it was before Grey, before reset. Will the team get their happy endings in this world?
Disclaimer: Begging, wishing, crying and pleading dont work. I tried. Still not mine. Darn it.
Dedicated to ViBid.
Alternate U.
It was a more modern version of the ship he had when he first met the doctor, equipped with the same appealing voice.
'...and then, he accused me of cheating and demanded to be named official champion of naked hide and seek.' Jack finished, pouring himself another generous measure of gin.
The computer didn't reply.
'He made the best coffee this side of the universe too. And never let us forget it! There was one time Owen was in before Ianto, that was a rarity in itself, Ianto was never late, ever. Anyway, Owen decided that he couldn't wait ten minutes for Ianto to arrive and make the coffee, so he tried to do it himself. To horrendous results. He's eyes turned the most magnificent blue when he was angry.' Jack reminisced fondly, before sobering up to reality. 'And now he's gone. Because of me.' He swallowed his drink in one gulp wincing as it burned his throat. He poured another.
'Never again will I get to watch him sleep, or see him look at me with those sleepy eyes when he's barely awake - still half asleep. Or play with his hair when we're watching telly. Or have him natter about something he saw on the news as he makes a fry on a Saturday morning. Or have him there holding me when I wake up after dying.' He ignored the tears that threatened to fall. 'And he's never going to know how I really feel. He died thinking he was just a blip in time, someone I'd forget. But truth is I could never forget him. I could never forget Jones, Ianto Jones, my beautiful Welshman because I l-'
The ship juttered and groaned, lights flashing as the screech of metal on metal filled the cockpit.
'What?
'Emergency landing activated. System lock down. All commands overruled. Emergency landing activated. System lock down. All commands overruled...'
'What?'
A whirring sounded nearby.
'No, no, NO! Just leave me be. You left before, do it again. Leave me be, leave me drink away the pain.
I'm wrong! An anomaly. I know and I'm suffering for that now! Why can't you just leave me be, or let me die?' Jack screamed, throwing his glass and watching it shatter against the wall.
'Emergency landing activated. System lock down. All commands overruled...'
The ship was filled with red flashing lights. Knowing the crash would be painful and ugly to watch, he closed his eyes and smiled as his Welshman laughed in the sun.
'We've been getting reports of a fire in a field near Newport.'
'The rift has been going insane'
'SUV is ready to go.'
'I have the estimated coordinates!'
'Estimated isn't much good to us!'
'When have I ever let you down? My estimations tend to be more accurate than the actual-'
'Can you two continue this in the car? Only we have aliens to catch and places to be. That's right argue and walk. ..'
He groaned and tried to cover his eyes, squinting against the bright light. But he couldn't move.
His head was pounding, his chest was tight. He was returning to life. Convulsions were beginning. Ianto wouldn't be around to hold him this time, or the next ... or ever again. His head was going to bash against the metal debree, probably killing him again. Feeling was returning to his limbs, his torso.
It was starting.
The pins and needles feeling was slowly fading, being replaced instead with an acidic burning.
Not long now.
This was going to hurt more than usual. There was a reason he kept his drinking to a minimum.
He could hear muffled voices, footsteps. He could feel himself being raised through his shuddering and jerking. Warm arms holding him, his head resting on something soft.
He was going to die. His chest was going to explode. The glass, the glass wass ripping right through him. Shards piercing agian and again.
Why is there always glass?
Make it stop. There shouldnt be glass.
It hurts god it hurts .
Please please...
KILL ME!
Ianto...
Doctor...
Jesadena...
I'm sorry,
The screaming inside his head, pounded like drums
louder louder louder LOUDER
Silence.
Everything was calm, silent. It was done.
He opened his eyes, his heart skipping a beat as he took in his surroundings.
'Cariad...'
A/N: I wrote this about 2 months ago, when there was an illness in the family. I needed an escape and writing provided it. Eventually i didn't want an escape, i wanted an Alternate Universe. A chance to change and redo things - make them right. Say all the things I should have said, do all the things I should have done. Said I love you a little more often. I'm not able to have that AU, that second chance.
For some reason, i really empathised with Jack, at this time. I wanted to give him the second chance I dont get. This was the result.
