A/N- I have no idea where this plot bunny came from but it's decided to stay; the only way to shut it up is to write it. I've changed a few things. On TV Torchwood 3 ran from 2006-2009. In this story it will run from 2000 to 2005. I put Canary Wharf in March 2000. Let's say Ianto went to work for Jack at the end of June. Jack still used the glove on Owen. Tosh and Owen still died when Captain Hart and Grey came. Ianto did not die with the invasion of the 456 because it didn't happen. I mean come on…a virus? He died a different way. And…I guess for now that's it.
Gone and Back Again
2001
A month after Jack left, Owen and Tosh arrived with an odd looking artifact that had fallen through the rift. Owen had dumped it on his desk and left, muttering under his breath. Gwen left for home not long after that. Tosh had tinkered with the thing for a good two hours before giving up and heading home.
"I'm going to put this in the archive."
"But Ianto, I'm not done analyzing it yet," Toshiko typed something into the computer, "it's being powered by something on the inside," she looked up, "not to mention that I think it's been on Earth for at least a decade-if not more."
"Yea-Owen said it was buried in a box under a crumbling house."
"Could it be a weapon?"
Tosh shook her head, "I'm almost certain it's not-from what I saw, it almost looks like something that would be used in a hospital."
Frowning Ianto looked down at the device. It didn't look particularly destructive but he's been in Torchwood long enough to know that looks can be deceiving; and really, the artifact almost looked like a medical scanning device or some sort.
"I can take it out for you again tomorrow. I just don't like having artifacts out in the main part of the hub."
"If you're sure…"
"Don't worry about it."
Smiling Tosh had patter his shoulder before leaving as well, leaving Ianto alone. Looking at the device Ianto put on a pair of gloves and carefully picked it up. Making sure it didn't touch any part of his body, Ianto headed down for the archives, footsteps loud. Halfway down the stairs, Myfanwy shrieked. Gasping Ianto fumbled with the device and luckily managed to catch it before it fell. However, he felt a cold sensation coming from his wrist. He looked down and saw the artifact was touching his skin. It started to glow. Quickly Ianto set it down on the ground but the thing sprang up before he could even take a step back. Cursing Ianto tried to turn but the device let out a low pitch whine before shooting out a bright light at him. Wincing Ianto tried to move but found that he couldn't. A minute passed and the sound started to get higher in pitch and louder. The light was growing more and more intense. His brain was bombarded with memories. His first day at school. His sister's 10th birthday party. The day his mother went away and never came back. The day he broke his leg and lied. Stealing from various stores. Meeting Lisa, his first day at Torchwood one. Canary Wharf. Capturing Myfanwy, weevils, the cyber woman the cannibals, Mary and Tosh, John Ellis, Jack and Tosh missing, Jack and Tosh returning, the real Captain Jack Harkness, the rift opening, killing Jack, abandon, Jack dead, Jack alive, Jack leaving.
Shuddering Ianto gasped when new images filled his head. Odd, flying metal balls of death. A man with a sword wearing red coat. Jack returning. Owen shot-Owen brought back to life. Gwen getting married. Dancing with Jack. The man in the red coat returning with someone else. Toshiko dying-Owen dying. The Earth missing-Daleks in the hub. Cybermen returning. A bomb from a different world in his hands as he ran, hid. Doors locked. No other choice. A blast.
Chocking Ianto felt his knees growing weak but he still couldn't move. Just when Ianto felt as if he would pass out the light stopped and he slumped to the ground. For minutes he stayed down, shaking, eyes closed. After a few minutes he cautiously got up and looked around. The device was gone. Blinking Ianto looked around but saw nothing. Two hours later, after searching the entire hub he still couldn't find the device. Two more hours after that Ianto returned from the archives more than a little disturbed and the device still missing. Mind in overdrive Ianto headed home. His alarm clock would ring in three hours. Exhausted he leaves Gwen a message saying he's not feeling well and to only call him in case of an emergency.
When his body hits the bed, he tried to recall the last images he saw. He thought he saw Jack but he can't be sure. Within minutes, Ianto falls asleep. Next day Ianto remembered the device disappearing; he didn't remember touching it or what he saw.
2005
Eighteen months after losing Tosh and Owen, Ianto is trapped in the hub with at least fifty Cybermen that came through the rift. Jack and Gwen are out. He's locked down the hub but he knows they'll eventually find a way to get out. He had just enough time to grab a bomb. It's not from earth. Jack had mentioned that it came from a different galaxy in the future. The explosion wouldn't be too big but it would be powerful. It will destroy anything and everything. He's locked away under Jack's office, sitting on his lover's bed but he can hear the Cybermen getting closer. Closing his eyes Ianto leaned back, head falling on the pillow. His finger finds the detonation button. It will destroy the hub. The archives would probably survive. The sound of stomping grows louder. Ianto took a deep breath before laughing,
"Fucking Torchwood…"
And then he pushed the button.
1994
When Kurt was born he didn't cry. Alicia and Burt had been terrified that something was gone wrong but the Doctor said their baby was ok. When they handed Kurt to his mother for the first time, he blinked at her once before falling asleep. He was a curious baby. At times he was loud and babbled for hours on end. Sometimes he would sing songs of his own creation. Other times he grew quiet at stared at nothing but Alicia and Burt never really worried about it.
1996
At the age of two Kurt was talking in almost complete sentences. Everyone who heard him talk was impressed. There were times, however, that Kurt would speak in what almost sounded like a different language. At first Burt thought it was German but it didn't really sound like it. Alicia thought it was Russian but again, it didn't sound like it either. In the end, both of them decided that it was probably some made up language Kurt had invented.
1997
Two months before Kurt's third birthday, he'd gone up to his parents with a scribbled list,
"What's this, baby?"
"My presents."
Alicia laughed,
"I see-well let me see it."
Burt took a sip of his coffee and watched. After reading the list Alicia set it down on the table, an odd look on her face,
"Are you sure you want these things?"
Interested Burt grabbed the list. The first thing written was 'high heels'. Burt bit his tongue and read the rest of the list. Legos, a Barbie, a tricycle, toy soldiers, a doll house and a-
"Kiddo…what's this last thing?"
Kurt toddled up to him and put his hand out. Burt gave him the list. Pouting Kurt looked at the last item,
"Myfanwy."
"…what's that?"
Sighing Kurt handed back the list,
"My dinosaur."
"Dinosaur?" Alicia chuckled, "oh, you want a stuffed dinosaur."
"No," Kurt stomped his foot, "MY dinosaur! Myfanwy! She flies!"
"Oh ah," Burt snaps his fingers "a pterodactyl?"
"Mine! I catched her."
Now both parents were confused,
"When?"
"I was grown up…I gave her chocolate."
Alicia looked over at Burt,
"We'll…see if we can get the pterodactyl."
"Myfanwy!"
"That's her name?"
Kurt nodded. Burt grunted,
"And you want…high heels?"
Smiling Kurt skipped to the living room,
"Sensible high heels."
1998
Alicia and Burt decided to put Kurt in pre-school when he was four. Apart from a six year old, nobody else on their street had a kid below the age of ten. When Burt had picked up his son from pre-school on the first day, Kurt had seemed pretty excited. He talked about his new best friend, Rachel and his other friend Brittany and how he had made them pretty. Burt had asked if he had played football or something with the boys. Shrugging Kurt said he played soccer with them for a little while but he got bored.
"Soccer is stupid-I wanted to play something else but they didn't want to."
"What did you want to play?"
"Aliens."
Burt was surprised by that. He'd thought that maybe Kurt had tried to rope some of the boys into playing dress-up or something.
"Aliens?"
Kurt sighed and rolled his eyes, "Yes, Daddy, aliens. I wanted to capture the bad aliens and help the good aliens go back home."
"Uh…how would you tell the difference between the good and bad aliens?"
"The bad aliens would try and kill us but we'd have guns and bombs and computers so they couldn't. The good ones just got lost."
Burt wondered what kind of shows Kurt watched on TV.
A week later Kurt came home from school with several drawings; one was of him with his parents outside. Another was of Kurt and his two friends Rachel and Santana. The other was of "Myfanwy" as they now knew. It was the last picture that made Alicia's skin crawl,
"What's this, Kurt?"
Her son looked at the drawing,
"It's a robot with a human inside."
Burt had grabbed the paper. The robot didn't look particularly terrifying. In fact they looked a little bulky-and it looked like it had on ear muffs. What was a bit chilling was the word Kurt had written over and over,
"DELETE."
"Kiddo, where did you get the idea for this?"
"Inside my head," Kurt popped a cherry tomato in his mouth, "I fought them."
"Did you?" Alicia pulled Kurt into her lap and gave him a kiss, "did you win?"
"Yep," Kurt smiled up at her, "it felt good."
1999
A week before his fifth birthday Kurt came barreling into his parents' bedroom at three am, terrified.
"MOMMY! DADDY!"
Before Alicia or Burt could fully wake up Kurt had jumped on them and frantically touched their faces. After a few seconds, Kurt jumped back down and ran into their closet, slamming the door behind him. Frightened Alicia lunged from bed and went to the closet,
"Baby? Baby what's wrong? Are you ok? Kurt!"
She looked back at Burt,
"Don't just lay there!"
Grunting Alicia pulled back the closet door to find Kurt in a little ball, trembling. Burt stepped closer and gently pulled Alicia aside,
"Kurt? Kurt?" carefully he kneeled, "hey buddy what's wrong?"
Mumbling his son shook his head. Burt reached it and took Kurt into his arm, pulling him out. Alicia took their son back to bed.
"He's so cold and sweaty…" Alicia tried putting him down but Kurt wouldn't let go, "hey, hey it's ok…mommy and daddy are here."
Sobbing Kurt looked up at her,
"I thought she found me, Mommy."
"Who darling?"
Kurt looked up at her, eyes wide,
"The cyber lady…" he shuddered, "I can't save her."
After that night Alicia and Burt wouldn't let their son watch TV without one of them there with him.
2000
From December to the start of March Kurt didn't have any nightmares or mentioned odd things. However, on March 25th Kurt was jittery and snappish all day. At night, he kept looking at the clock, panic in his eyes. At bedtime, both Burt and Alicia tucked him in,
"You ok buddy?"
Kurt sniffled, "No."
"Are you sick baby?" Alicia went to feel his forehead but Kurt put a hand over his heart,
"Not physically…here."
"You're…sad?" his mother asked.
"I can't save her."
Burt sighed and pulled Kurt closer,
"Who, son?"
"I don't know her name but," Kurt's lower lip trembled, "something bad is going to happen."
Kurt didn't fall asleep until midnight. Alicia fussed around the house until one am and Burt lied in bed, staring at the ceiling. The next morning Alicia and Burt saw the destruction in London; a terrorist attack. Kurt refused to go to school and barely ate. His parents let him. On the 27th Kurt was back to his old self.
On November 1st Alicia went grocery shopping and was involved in a car accident. Burt was called and after leaving Kurt with the next door neighbor raced to the hospital were the doctor informed him that he was sorry, but there was nothing they could do. Burt had only stayed to identify the body before leaving. Kurt had been looking outside the window of the house. As soon as Burt came into view his son came barreling out,
"Hi Daddy! Look!" he pointed to his face, "Katie gave me a facial! My face is so smooth!"
When Burt didn't say anything the smile fell off of Kurt's face. He looked behind his Dad and back to the house.
"Mommy?"
Burt closed his eyes and shook his head,
Biting his lip Kurt hugged his father's legs and sobbed.
November 3rd
The day before the funeral he found Kurt wearing a suit and styling his hair.
"Hi buddy," Kurt looked at him through the mirror but didn't respond, "what you doing?"
"Putting on my suit," Kurt said, fixing his tie. Nodding Burt stepped closer to his son.
"I never thought I'd wear another one."
That got Burt's attention,
"Another what?"
"Suit."
"…Kurt you've never worn a suit. At least, I'm pretty sure you haven't. I mean you've worn those fancy pants with the bowties but—"
"I'm wearing a suit now."
Frustrated Burt took off his cap and thumped it on his thigh,
"Yea, you are."
Kurt looked up at his father,
"What happens when you die?"
"You…" Burt cleared his throat. He's never been religious but he does believe in God, "you go to heaven. That where mommy is right now; she's an angel now."
Blinking his son turned back to the mirror,
"People told me it was empty and dark."
"Who told you that?"
"Dead people."
November 4
Kurt was quiet and still for the entire funeral. When people came to offer their condolences Kurt would respond in a polite, stoic tone. It scared Burt to no end. When they buried the casket Kurt had slipped his hand into Burt's and squeezed. Burt looked down and saw a couple of tears slipping down his son's cheeks. When it was just them at the gravesite Burt picked Kurt up,
"Just you and me now, buddy."
Kurt took in a deep breath,
"I hope they're wrong-I hope there's a heaven. I don't want mommy to be in the dark."
2002
At the age of eight-two years after Alicia's death Burt bought Kurt a bike. He was going to get him one for Christmas when he was six but they didn't really celebrate it that year. Kurt didn't seem too impressed with it but he still tried to learn. The first time Kurt fell near some grass not two seconds after getting on. His son had thrown a fit when he saw the grass stains on his outfit and ran inside, huffing. The second time was a week later. Kurt didn't really fall but he didn't really use the pedals either; he mostly just moved the bike forward with his feet. The third time Kurt did fall on the asphalt. Burt had gone up to him and cupped his cheek to make sure he was ok. After that the bike was left in the backyard and Kurt started up his tea parties again.
2003
"Dad?"
"Yes, son?"
Kurt brushed his hair back and wiped off a grease stain on his cheek,
"Have…have you ever had really weird dreams?"
Burt stops what he's doing and turns around,
"Weird dreams?"
Kurt plays with the wrench in his hand,
"Yea..like…really weird vivid dreams that didn't feel like dreams."
Burt frowns,
"I once dreamt I was a bulldozer-I was kind of drunk, though."
"Ah."
"Why do you ask?"
Sighing Kurt puts the wrench down,
"Sometimes I dream about people-people I've never met except," he frowns, "I know them-I'm sure I've known them but I don't really remember them. Other times, I dream about a place-it's grey and rainy and I hear the ocean," Kurt looked at his father, "once I dreamt about people that wanted to butcher me."
Burt patted his sons shoulder,
"Sound like you've got a very active imagination, kid."
"That's the thing, Dad. I don't think it's my imagination."
"What else could it be?"
"I don't know."
Burt remembers the odd comments Kurt's always said. He remembers the nightmares, the drawings. He thought about how sometimes his son acted as if he was thirty.
"You just got an overactive imagination, buddy. That's all."
A/N-I'll be honest-I've no idea where I'm going with this. Don't know how long it will be or if Kurt will ever meet Jack or remember more things. Next chapter will be up in 2-3 weeks most likely. I've already started writing it so...yea. First time writing for Glee or Torchwood.