Disclaimer: All characters are property of the BBC and RTD. I make no profit from my scribbling.
Author's Note: Again my musical tastes inspired this one, although once again the song in question (Razorlight's Fall, Fall, Fall) does not make an appearance and really has very little connection, other than being what I was listening to when I came up with this.
Hope you enjoy – reviews are always welcome.
Fall, Fall, Fall
Two sets of heavy footfalls pounded along the decking of the Cardiff Bay area breaking the early late evening stillness. The first pair of feet was marginally quicker than the second, a fact that Ianto Jones was eternally grateful for. Being pursued by a Weevil around Cardiff was not how he had intended to spend his Friday night, particularly not when, for reasons best known to itself, his stun gun had resolutely refused to fire. Mentally he made a note to check the calendar when he returned to the hub - surely this sort of thing should only happen on Friday 13th?
"Hurry UP Jack," he snarled into his Bluetooth, hating how breathless the three words made him, and wishing, not for the first time, that he had stuck with his New Year's Resolution to run to the Hub in the mornings.
It had started off as any normal Weevil expedition did. Tosh was manning the comms from the Hub, and as Gwen was away sunning herself on her honeymoon it had been down to Jack, Owen and Ianto to track down the miscreant. Typically the Weevil had decided to reveal itself in a series of narrow intersecting passageways, poorly covered by the Council's "Safer City" CCTV Network. In Ianto's opinion, narrow, dark passageways were where there should be more cameras, not less, and he resolved to inform the Council of this, forcibly if necessary first thing on Monday morning, providing of course that he survived this to make it into work.
The three men had split up, all of them eager to return to their previously quiet evening's as soon as possible. Ianto had, of course, happened on the Weevil first, sneaking up behind it as its interest was captured by what appeared at a distance to be a dead pigeon. He had fired the stun gun, repeatedly in fact, and had received only a disappointing fizzle in response.
"Jack, Owen," he whispered into the comms, as he backed away slowly, "I've found it, but my gun isn't... oh bloody hell!"
It hadn't been the best expression of his surprise at being suddenly charged by a Weevil, but frankly his attention had been too consumed by trying not to be ripped to shreds by claws to come up with some witty repartee. Weevils were quick when they wanted to be, and Ianto's first instinct had been to distract the snarling monster by throwing his ineffectual weapon at its head, quickly followed by his second; to run, as fast as his legs could carry him, and hope desperately that Jack and Owen would find him before he became dinner. He knew his second weapon was safely stowed as usual in his ankle holster but he wasn't going to waste seconds trying to get at that, that would surely leave his throat exposed to the deadly claws, he would just have to trust that the others would get to him quickly.
He could hear the radio chatter between them and Tosh as he weaved his way through the maze of passageways, the Weevil literally breathing down his neck.
"Where is he Tosh?" Jack's voice had been taught with stress.
"Two streets over. Ianto keep running that way," she instructed, her voice reassuringly calm, "it'll bring you to the waterfront, Jack if you turn right it'll bring you back to the SUV, Owen's there already – then you can drive round to the waterfront and head off the Weevil there."
Ianto hadn't wasted breath on acknowledging the instructions, just followed them instinctively and now here he was running along the wooden jetty, and rapidly running out of places to go. He listened desperately for the reassuring thrum of the SUV engines, his lungs beginning to burn with the unexpected exercise and the cold night air. He really didn't need this tonight, he'd been having a lovely evening, in his flat with a bottle of wine, a plate of pasta, a film and Jack. They'd finally managed to be in the same place at the same time for long enough to have what almost classed as a normal night in. Then along came a bloody Weevil. Ianto nearly growled in frustration.
Momentarily he was distracted by the dazzling sweep of headlights across his vision, leaving burning remnants imprinted in his retina. The SUV swung gracefully around the corner and Ianto could make out the sound of Owen and Jack shouting to each other. Looking ahead, he could see that the jetty was going to come to abrupt end in far too short a time; whipping his head round, he risked looking back to see how much distance there was between himself and the Weevil.
He couldn't say what it was that caused it. Perhaps the wood was slippery under foot, perhaps he had turned rather more than he had intended, perhaps the two glasses of wine he had with dinner affected his balance; whatever it was, the world tilted dizzily about him and he was suddenly aware of the weight of the Weevil pressing against him. The last thing he heard as he hit the water was Jack and Owen screaming his name.
Jack was moving before Owen could even truly register what had just happened to their colleague, running down to the edge of the jetty stripping off his greatcoat and shirt as he went, with practiced ease.
"Jack WAIT!" he yelled, ripping the Bluetooth out of his ear, abruptly silencing Tosh's anxious questions. He grabbed the Captain by the shoulder, yanking him back from the edge of the jetty where he stood about to plunge into the murky depths.
"Owen!" Jack growled, forcefully shaking off the medic's restraining hand.
"Jack listen!" Owen yelled, desperate to get his point across as fast as possible, aware that, below the surface, time was ticking away for Ianto, "I don't need to breathe, I can't breathe, and he's going to need CPR when he comes out! I can't do that for him!"
He paused only long enough to see the acceptance in his Captain's eyes before diving in to the still, black water.
Owen was sure that if he had receptors left to feel it that the water would be agonisingly cold as he descended. As it was he had no breath left to steal and the cold made no difference to his progress through the water. It was pitch black below the surface and he wished he had the foresight to grab the waterproof torch from the glove compartment of the SUV. He wasn't sure that it was this waterproof but at this point, anything was better than nothing. Desperately he swept his fingers out in wide circles, sighing in relief when his finger's made contact with something that bore the unmistakable shape of a human face.
Frantically he gripped what he hoped was Ianto's chin to pull him to the surface, mentally swearing when the Welshman wouldn't budge. After a moment of consideration he realised the younger man was being pinned to the sea bed by the weight of the Weevil which had barrelled him into the water. Scrabbling madly, he tried to free Ianto before it was too late.
On the jetty, Jack could do nothing but stare at the surface, waiting desperately for Owen to return. Inactivity, especially with Ianto in danger, was not something that Jack did especially well and he fought the impulse to follow his medic into the sea. He knew that Owen's decision had been the correct one, Ianto would almost certainly need him if, when, he was brought back to the surface but at the moment, that knowledge did nothing to ease Jack's painful guilt.
He couldn't lose Ianto; not yet. He needed him too much for him to be gone now. He almost hated how much he needed him, hated the fact that despite the promises he had made to himself he had allowed himself to fall for one of his team. Every time Ianto went out into harm's way his heart constricted in fear, until Jack thought he was going to choke, and he couldn't bear the thought that one day he would be responsible for the death of the man he loved. He could only pray that today wasn't that day.
"Jack!" Toshiko's voice eventually broke through his panic, and it was evident from her tone, she had been trying to get an answer for him for a considerable period of time, "What's going on? Where's Ianto?"
"He fell," Jack choked out, his blue eyes continuing to scan the water before him, "and the Weevil pushed him into the Bay." He heard Tosh's startled gasp through his earpiece, and he wished that she was beside him, so that he didn't feel so very alone and helpless. "Owen's gone in after him, but they haven't come back up."
"They'll be ok Jack," Toshiko's worried voice betrayed her calming words, "I'll get Owen's kit ready here, let me know as soon as..."
She was interrupted by the splash of breaking water, and Owen's choked voice.
"Jack, help! He's not breathing!"
Ianto looked dreadful, he was deathly pale and rigidly still in Owen's firm grasp. Blood ran down his face in rivulets, from injuries hidden beneath his hair. The Weevil's claws had obviously caught him as he fell. With a strength belied by his wiry frame Owen lifted his younger colleague out of the water enough to allow Jack to grab him and haul him onto the jetty, where he lay, face down and unmoving.
Without a pause, Jack flipped him onto his back, sealing his mouth around his lover's and exhaling deeply to inflate the younger man's chest. By the time he had repeated this a second and third time Owen was out of the water and poised to start chest compressions. Before he could start, Ianto began to cough weakly, struggling feebly against their hold.
"Easy Ianto," Owen soothed, elbowing Jack out of the way and rolling him swiftly onto his side, "Let's empty out some of the sea water shall we?"
His hacking coughs sent thrills of relief through Jack; for a moment he'd honestly thought Owen would never find him in such dark water, and the thought of literally losing Ianto in that way had terrified him. Gently he stroked a hand through Ianto's hair, frowning slightly when it came away crimson with blood.
"Jack?" Ianto questioned weakly, his blue eyes still somewhat unfocused.
With a sigh, Owen moved away from his patient, knowing that Ianto would settle more easily in Jack's presence. The Captain shifted so that he was back in Ianto's eyeline, smiling down gently at him.
"Hey Yan," he whispered softly.
"Sorry..." replied Ianto, his usually smooth voice hoarse and strained.
"What?" Jack asked, his eyebrows knotted in confusion, "What have you got to be sorry about?"
"Clumsy." Replied the Welshman, "Fell in. Worried you. Sorry." He spoke in tiny fractured sentenced that Jack recognised all too well as the by product of his head injury. He stroked the young man's cheek gently before gathering him to his chest to lift him to carry him to the waiting SUV.
"Yes," he commented finally, as he settled him into the back seat and wrapped him tightly in his long grey coat, "Your pirouettes need a bit of work, but all in all I don't think it was too bad a performance. What do you reckon Owen?" he asked as the Londoner slid in the opposite door to sit beside his patient.
Owen saw through the pitiful attempt at humour straight away, Jack had obviously been terrified, not only while Ianto was in the water, but while he was being pursued by the Weevil through the dark streets. Owen had watched him battle with his terror, trying so hard to be the detached, rational boss he knew he should be.
Owen always admired the grip Jack managed to keep on his emotions when it came to Ianto being in danger. He'd barely flinched when he'd had a gun to his head in the warehouse with the whale, and had sent Ianto into the path of danger apparently without a second glance more times than Owen could count. At first he had thought it was because Ianto really was nothing more than a part-time shag to his boss, but now watching him gently squeeze the younger man's hand in tender reassurance, he realised it wasn't that at all. Which to him made it all the more odd that Jack continued to send Ianto into danger.
"To be honest Teaboy," he replied with a snort, "If that was your attempt at ballet I wouldn't give up the day job."
Ianto smiled tiredly at Jack then, that brilliant smile that was seen all too rarely at work.
"I don't intend on doing," he replied, and his eyelids fluttered closed so he missed the look of sorrow that crossed Jack's face.
In that moment Owen knew, it had nothing to do with Jack sending Ianto into danger, in fact judging by the look on Jack's face, if he had his way Ianto would be chained to the archives. The problem was that Ianto wanted to be out in the field, and however much it cost Jack to see him in danger day in and day out, he wouldn't risk Ianto's happiness by taking it away from him.
Owen shook his head, amazed that Jack could take the risk of falling in love with someone he would probably have to watch die, far too soon judging by the average life expectancy of a Torchwood operative. It had been bad enough watching Katie be killed by something senseless, but if he had to send her to that death; he wasn't sure he could have done it. He didn't know how Jack could. Secretely, he admired the dedication the two obviously for each other, and resolved to stop teasing Ianto about being Jack's easy lay. At least for the rest of the week.
Tapping the screen in front of him, he activated the SUV comm system.
"Tosh? We're coming home."