Title: Dark Waters
Author: totally4ryo
Word Count: 1846
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto
Spoilers: Up to "Exit Wounds", takes place after DW: "Stolen Earth" & "Journey's End"
Disclaimer: I don't own Jack and Ianto (heavy sigh), I'm pretty sure they own each other. I do know the BBC and RTD owns all things Torchwood.
Warnings: None. Except that I do like Gwen, so no Gwen-bashing here.
Summary: A quiet night for Jack and Ianto goes wrong.
Notes: I know I'm behind with the horizonssing challenges, but I'm also new to writing Torchwood fics. I'm doing my best to complete all challenges, but I'll admit, I'm using this as a chance to 'get to know' the Torchwood characters better in hopes of producing more fics. This one is for Day Two.
Thanks to gracie_musica for the beta and checking for any glaring errors in things Torchwood.
The two men came out of the Information Booth, talking. Jack stopped and waited while Ianto locked it up. Jack's eyes strayed to Ianto's ass, as the younger man made sure the Information Booth was secure for the night.
Ianto turned and caught Jack's gaze. He tried to look annoyed, but did not quite succeed. Jack's eyes moved up and locked on the other man's eyes with a small smirk. Ianto held his hand out to Jack.
The smirk changed into a warm smile as Jack held it in his, squeezing lightly.
"It's lovely out here tonight," Ianto said, sparing a moment to gaze up at the sky. "Shall we take our time going to the car?"
"I think I'd like that," Jack replied. "I wouldn't mind taking a little stroll along the quay."
Ianto nodded and allowed Jack to lead them on. Ever since the Captain had led the two members of his team to have a picnic in the park, Ianto made an effort to slow them down when time allowed, even if for a half hour or so.
On nice days, when it was not raining, Ianto would find himself walking along the quay with Jack during lunch, or when they both went back to his place for the night, if it was not too late, he would make a stop somewhere.
Ianto noticed that at times, he was not the only one, such as on that night.
They ended up leaning against the railing in a deserted area not far from the Information Booth, alternating between looking out at the bay and gazing up at the sky. Lately, the beautiful star-filled night held more wonders for them. It was a shame that they noticed most people had already gone back to the old hustle and bustle, taking advantage of what they had lost not very long ago.
They did not have to talk. Just standing close, Jack's arm going around Ianto's waist. Ianto felt content. Something was still shifting in their relationship, and he liked where it was heading.
The peace didn't last long. Jack's handheld went off, alerting them to Rift activity. With an annoyed grunt, Ianto pulled out his mobile, calling Gwen to see if she had already left for the night.
"I was just going to call you," Gwen answered. "Happened just as I grabbed my bleeding purse to head out. It's in the location of the Quay."
Ianto relayed the information to Jack, and confirmed that Gwen was already on her way in their direction.
Jack's head went up and he turned, starting to peer around. As he took a step from the railing, something went ramming into him. Ianto made a lunge, hoping to grab whatever it was.
As he got a good hold on the alien, he realized he was too late to stop Jack's momentum from the head-on. He watched as Jack fell back, over the railing, into the water.
"Jack!" Ianto yelled.
Ianto held onto the alien, noting it more or less had a humanoid body, but was scaly with long claws for hands and a misshapen, enlarged head. In a split second, he raged at it, wanting to snap its neck for ruining a perfect moment, a night where there would be eventually wonderful sex, but a rare time of all the sweet and simple things leading up to it. Jack had his hormones, and pheromones, in check that evening. Ianto was starting to know the signs. Jack wanted romance first, before sex. Then this had to happen. His rage was also for it putting Ianto in his current situation.
Helplessly he looked back at the railing where Jack had went over. He wanted to go after his lover, make sure he was okay. He knew if Jack died that he would come back, but Ianto still did not want Jack to go through another death, particularly drowning. Jack knew how to swim, but the current in the bay was so treacherous that even the most seasoned swimmer stood a chance of drowning.
He knew Jack would want him to continue doing what he was currently doing, as he noticed Gwen running up to him. If he followed his first impulse and immediately went after Jack, letting the alien go, and if Gwen stood no chance of overcoming it by herself, he knew if the creature proved dangerous and killed someone, Jack would not forgive himself, or Ianto.
Ianto already had a plan by the time Gwen reached them, and rendered the alien unconscious with a stun gun. As she expertly bound the fallen alien, Ianto was shrugging out of his jacket, looking frantically over the railing for any sign of Jack.
"What happened?" Gwen asked as she worked.
"It knocked Jack over into the bay," Ianto replied, struggling to keep the panic from his voice.
"This bugger isn't going anyway, Ianto," Gwen stated. "Do you see him?"
Ianto shook his head, dropping his tie onto the jacket now laying on the ground. He pulled off his shoes.
"Ianto," Gwen called out, causing the other man to pause as he hoisted himself onto the railing.
He looked back.
"Be careful too. Jack can come back. You can't."
Ianto nodded. "I'll be fine," he assured her, hoping he was not lying. The truth was he saw no sign of Jack. Nothing to indicate he was below the water, struggling to break to the surface. He feared Jack was dead somewhere down there, and if he came back while still under, Ianto wondered if it would just lead to a cycle of repeated deaths.
Something he was not willing to have Jack go through.
Before Gwen could say anything else, he flung himself over, into the water.
He dove under once, realizing it was a struggle to get back to the surface and keep himself from being dragged away from his location. He cursed inwardly, wishing he had thought to have a flashlight on him. As he broke to the surface, grabbing a pylon of the dock and gasped for air, it occurred to him that it was possible Jack could have been dragged off along with the current. He fought down the surge of panic.
He heard a faint chuckle coming from above him, from the dock. It was too low of a rumble to be Gwen.
Carefully he pushed as far from the pylon as he could without letting go and looked up, to find Jack leaning over and looking down at him. The immortal's hair was plastered to his head and his shirt clung to him.
"Nice night for a dip," Jack remarked, grinning. "I'll bet skinny dipping would be better."
Ianto frowned for a moment. Just a moment as the relief slammed into him so hard, he almost let go of his purchase. "Jack?"
"Hang on. I sent Gwen to get us some rope. Are you okay? You can hold on a little longer?"
Ianto nodded, still staring up at Jack.
"Let me know if you start losing your hold."
Again Ianto nodded.
He watched as Jack's head disappeared from above the railing. Not a minute later, he saw Jack again, with Gwen next to him. Jack lowered a rope with a loop tied. "Now carefully, I want you to grab onto this and get it around you. Okay?" Jack instructed as the rope came closer.
Ianto reached up with one hand and shrugged into the loop, then switched hands to complete the task.
"Good," Jack said. "You're not going anywhere now that I have you on a leash." He smirked down at the man in the water.
Gwen looked at Jack and swatted him, giggling a little.
"Gwen?" Ianto called out.
"Yes Ianto?"
"Hit him harder for me, will you?" Ianto asked, managing to keep from flashing an amused smile up at the two.
"I would, but if it caused him to let go of the rope…" She shrugged and laughed again.
"Good point. I'll get him later," Ianto agreed, remembering that Gwen once had landed Jack on his ass, proving the woman had a hellacious punch.
"Right. Now down a little, it'll be better to hoist you up, rather than over this section of railing," Jack said. "I think you know where I mean, so I want you to start swimming up there. We'll make sure you don't go anywhere else. Okay?"
Ianto nodded again and pushed himself away from the pylon. "See you in a bit," he called up, then started to swim in the indicated direction, thankful that at least the current was with him.
It felt like forever and a split second before he found himself being hoisted up onto the dock and into Jack's arms. Gwen was kneeling beside him, checking him out.
"Are you okay?" she asked as Ianto clung to Jack.
The Welshman allowed himself to be relieved that Jack was safe, he was safe.
Ianto nodded. "I am now, thank you."
Gwen squeezed his arm and stood up, looking down as both men clung to each other. "I'm going to take our friend down to the Hub now. And find some warm blankets."
Jack nodded, noticing Ianto shivering in his arms. It was a warm night, but there was a cool breeze coming in from the bay. It wasn't exactly wise to sit around on the pier in wet clothes.
"I'm sorry," Jack apologized, nuzzling the dark head close to his mouth. "I tried calling out to you, but I was too far. Gwen heard my yell when you went over. Ianto," the immortal sighed. "I would have been fine."
"Yeah, fine. Dying as soon as you come back to life, taking in mouthfuls of water while being dragged off to who knows where in this current."
"I would have come back," Jack assured the younger man. "Honestly. But you… you just have one life. One death. Don't take unnecessary risks, Ianto." Jack's tone was haunting.
Ianto pulled his head away from Jack and studied the older man. "Jack?" he asked.
"I… I don't want to think about life without you yet. Not before your time. Please, Ianto."
Ianto sighed. It was going to be a long night. First, going back to the Hub and change their clothes. Then the order of things concerning the alien and the recent Rift opening. After that, Ianto knew both men needed to talk. He only hoped that whatever was on the surface in his lover would not be once again buried by then. If they were lucky, he'd get some sleep when it was all over.
He allowed Jack to pull him to his feet. "Gwen has your jacket and tie," Jack informed him. "Let's go get into dry clothes."
Ianto nodded, and allowed Jack's hand to wrap around his as the older man pulled him toward the Information Booth.