AN: This is a prequel to my story "No More Secrets". I know some reviewers commented on the fact that I hadn't explained how the 456 were defeated, and whilst nobody really seemed to mind… I thought I'd write this anyway. Hope you enjoy – please review x
"But Jack…" Ianto started to argue.
"No Ianto. Its not safe… you're staying here." Jack insisted abruptly.
"I'm not a bloody child Jack." Ianto shouted before turning and storming off.
Jack sighed. "Keep an eye on him for me?" He said glancing at Gwen as he pulled on his coat and walked out of the warehouse.
Gwen walked over to Ianto who was slumped on the sofa. "You okay?" She asked.
"He treats me like such a child… like I'm totally useless. Do I need to remind him that it was me who got him out of that cell? I did that without screwing up. I'm not completely incompetent." Ianto complained.
"Do you ever wonder if the reason he stops you going on some missions is to protect you? Maybe its because he doesn't want you getting hurt?" Gwen suggested gently.
"He can't wrap me in cotton wool and only bring me out when it suits him. I have a job to do… whether he likes it or not. What am I meant to do now then… wait here like a good little boy… and make you all bloody coffee." Ianto grumbled, getting out of the seat and heading over to the coffee machine, making a fresh batch of coffee as noisily as he could.
"What's got up his nose?" Rhys asked as Gwen appeared at his side.
"Jack. Don't worry. Now, are you organised? Do you know what you're doing?" She asked.
Rhys nodded. "I'm not an idiot Gwen." He said.
"I know sweetheart." Gwen said, kissing him softly. "Right… off you go. Keep your phone on… I'll call you." She said smiling.
"Be careful." Rhys warned before jogging out.
"You too." She whispered as she watched him go.
TW
At Thames House Jack was making his way up to the room where the 456 were housed. Walking inside he stood in the centre of the room and glowered at the tank before him.
"You!" The 456 said surprised to see the same face before it as it had forty years ago, the face hadn't aged a day.
"Yeah… me." Jack spat. "Now get the hell out of here. You are not having any of the children. Never again."
"You complied last time. We want ten percent of the worlds children." The 456 chanted.
"No more. Never again." Jack replied.
"You complied last time. We want ten percent of the worlds children." The 456 repeated.
"NO MORE! Don't fight me on this… just leave. Leave or I will make sure you regret it." Jack seethed.
"You complied last time. We want ten percent of the worlds children." The 456 said once more.
Jack sighed loudly. "You leave me no choice." He said as he pulled his gun from his holster and headed for the door to the tank that the soldier had used earlier to get a look at the 456. Jack opened the door and strode in, unprotected from the toxic fumes inside. Raising his arm he fired the gun at the 456, firing every bullet in his gun straight into the monster before him, hearing each scream of pain that went up as each bullet hit.
"You left me with no choice." He said weakly as the toxic gases took a hold of him, shrouding his body, killing him slowly, as he slumped to the floor.
TW
"Oh my god… is he okay?" Gwen spoke softly into the phone. Ianto's ears pricked up and he walked over to her. She nodded, unseen to whoever she was speaking to.
"So it's over?" She asked, her voice choking slightly as tears filled her eyes.
"Okay… thank you." She said before hanging up, wrapping her arms around Ianto as she wept.
"It's over Ianto… it's all over." She said into his chest as he held her.
"What happened?" Ianto asked.
"Jack… Jack killed it. He went into the tank… and emptied his gun into it… and it died." She said.
"Where's Jack now?" Ianto asked.
"He's dead… they don't know he can come back… we can go and pick up the body they said." She said.
Ianto nodded. "I'll go." He said grabbing the keys to his sisters' car.
"Ianto…" Gwen started.
"Trust me Gwen – you don't want to try and stop me doing this. Ring Rhys. Get him back here." Ianto ordered before walking out, jumping into the car and heading for Thames House.
The journey was short; he was there within ten minutes. He parked up next to the car Jack had travelled in; one they had "borrowed" the day before when they'd gathered up credit cards and laptops in the city.
"Torchwood. I'm here to pick up Jack Harkness' body." He said firmly to the man guarding the door. The man nodded, moving to one side, letting Ianto pass through.
"I'm here to collect Jack Harkness?" Ianto said to the nervous woman sat behind the reception desk.
"He's upstairs… I'm sorry." She called after him as Ianto ran up the nearby flight of stairs.
Reaching the correct floor Ianto burst into the room where the 456 had been housed, ignoring the tank, the inside splattered with a green slime, as he made for the body bag which had been laid in the centre of the room. Dropping down onto his knees he unzipped the bag, the ashen face of Jack looking up at him, his eyes open, alive, maybe not well, but breathing all the same.
"I hate these things." Jack croaked. "The only plus is that it's red… I do like things that are red." He said, trying to lighten the mood, hoping to gloss over their earlier disagreement.
Ianto sniggered. "How do you suppose I get you out past the guards?" He asked. "They might look a little confused if you walk out."
"You have arms." Jack pointed out.
Ianto shook his head despairingly as he re-zipped the bag, heaving it over his shoulder and carrying Jack's not-so-lifeless body out. Several of the assembled guards and staff tutted at his apparent disregard for the body he was carrying somewhat carelessly. As he left the building he crossed the road to where he had left the car. Pressing the key fob which unlocked the doors, and opened the back door, he lowered the body bag and pushing it back on the seat, laughing a little as he accidentally hit Jack's head on the roof and bag called out, "Ow!"
"Can you unzip me please?" Jack's voice was muffled.
"We'll be back at the warehouse in ten minutes… the guards are still watching me… I'm not sure they liked the way I carried you out… hardly appropriate for a corpse." Ianto said as he slipped into the driver's seat and started the engine.
"I'm not a corpse!" Jack shouted.
Ianto laughed softly as he pulled the car out of its space and headed back to the warehouse.
TW
"Jack!" Gwen grinned as he strode back into the warehouse, his coat flowing out behind him and she ran over and hugged him.
"I'm okay." He said softly squeezing her tightly.
Ianto walked in behind him, walking straight past and going to make fresh coffee.
"Can you give us a minute?" Jack whispered to Gwen.
She nodded. "I'm gonna go get some fresh air… wait for Rhys." She called as she walked out.
Jack shrugged off his coat and laid it on the sofa as he passed by, heading towards Ianto.
"Coffee?" Ianto asked, wiggling a mug infront of him.
"Do you understand now why I didn't take you with me?" Jack asked ignoring his question.
Ianto put the mug down. "Yes." He said softly.
"I didn't want to take you in there with me… I didn't want to take you because anything could have happened… and I could have lost you. I don't do it to treat you like a child… or because I don't trust you… I do it because I don't want to lose you. Okay?" Jack asked.
Ianto nodded. "Do you realise why I wanted to come with you?" He asked. "I wanted to come with you because this is my job Jack… at the end of the day… whatever is going on here between us… this is my job. I work for Torchwood… and I'm meant to be protecting the planet… not standing in warehouse making drinks. I thought we'd got past that… I thought I'd been allowed past that. You have to let me do my job Jack… you have to." Ianto argued back before walking over and sitting on the sofa.
Jack sighed as he followed the Welshman and sat down beside him.
"I'm sorry for leaving you zipped in that bag… I just… I knew you'd have some reasonable argument and I didn't want to hear it… I just wanted to make sure you were alright… that's why I came." Ianto said softly, the angry tone having left his voice.
Jack smiled a little. "It's okay… I'm glad it was you that came… I couldn't have faced Gwen gushing over me… I was glad it was your face I got to see first." He began. "And I'm sorry for not letting you do your job… I guess I need to stop trying to protect you all the time."
"Jack I know you want to protect me… and I appreciate that… but I don't want any favouritism… I don't want you treating me any differently to how you would treat Gwen… how you treated Owen or Tosh… you cant let this… thing affect our work."
Jack ignored the use of the word "thing" to describe their relationship; instead he wrapped one arm around Ianto's shoulders and pulled him close.
"I promise I'll try… if you promise to indulge me once in a while… okay?" Jack asked.
Ianto smiled. "I do that already."
Jack laughed as he kissed Ianto on the top of the head before getting up and pulling him to his feet.
"Come on… its time we went home." He said.
AN2: And now you all need to read "No More Secrets"… and review that too. Thanks for reading x