He was dead. He knew that much, he had after all just been poisoned by the 456. He just didn't know where he was.
It was dark, so very dark. But the darkness wasn't what bothered Ianto, what bothered him was that he was alone. He tried to look around, but he couldn't seen anything in the nothingness surrounding him.
"Help! Please! Jack? Someone? Is there anyone there?" He was yelling, screaming at the darkness, but there was no reply. He started to cry. He was so alone, and he missed Jack. He knew it was silly, but he was so mad at himself for dying. He had left Jack all alone again. He was no different from all the rest of Jack's lovers.
He knew Jack had promised he would never forget him, but he still feared he would. God, what if he was here in the pit of darkness forever? His thought were streaming all over the place, there was no proper train of thought, he couldn't think straight. He just wanted to see Jack one last time.
But wait, if he had died, maybe Jack had to! Maybe he would see Jack! It was such a small glimmer of hope, but it was hope nonetheless. Maybe just maybe-
"Ianto?" a voice was shouting in the dark. "Ianto!" it called again.
Ianto's heart leaped. "Jack! Is that you? Please Jack! I'm here!"
There was silence for a moment, and Ianto would have died again if he could have. He closed his eyes even though it made no difference and a single tear trickled down his cheek.
But then, the voice came again, closer this time "Ianto! Ianto, it's me! It's Jack!"
"Jack! Over here, I'm over here! Jack where are you?" Ianto yelled, standing up. His knees trembled, he did not know if this was really Jack or just some sick joke being played on him in the world of the dead.
"Ianto, stay where you are, I'm coming to you. Keep talking!" Ianto figured that Jack, or whoever it was would use the sound of his voice to find him. If it wasn't Jack, what harm could whoever it was do to him? He was after all dead already.
"Erm" Ianto didn't really know what to say, maybe if he recited the periodic table of elements, yes that would do it. "Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beranium-"
"Really Ianto? The bloody periodic table of elements? You would know them all... I'm nearly to you, just keep going!" Ianto rolled his eyes.
"Of course I know them, I do know everything Jack! Well, almost everything. Don't tell Gwen I said that when you... When you get back. She'll never stop going on about it." Ianto was struggling to reconcile that even if it was Jack, that he wouldn't be with him for long and would eventually have to return to the world of the living. Ianto had always appreciated that until now, now that he was stuck on the other side. God that did sound ominous.
"Ianto? I think I'm almost to you." Jack's voice sounded much closer, merely yards away.
Ianto's heart started racing, it was practically ''naught to 60 as those blokes on Top Gear would say'. "Jack! Jack I'm here!"
Ianto turned his head to where he thought-no, knew where Jack was. He was certain it was Jack now, he could tell. Hell, he could almost smell him.