This is my attempt of a CoE fix-it though I'm not sure whether to continue it. Please give your thoughts?
Disclaimer: Torchwood does not belong to me.
It was a few days after Jack had left Gwen on top of a Welsh hill claiming to be going to a ship in space. Instead Jack had gone back to London and was sat in a pub staring at the pint glass in front of him. His thoughts were focused on the recent events of the 456 and all the people he had lost over the past three years. Owen, Tosh and Steven but most of all was Ianto. The words Jack had never said to Ianto, in fact to anyone, immediately entered Jack's head whenever he thought of Ianto. There had been many times when he had longed to say the three simple words but it was the curse that came with the words that had always stopped Jack from saying them.
-TW-
Ianto stood in the darkness, as he had done for what felt like months now. He could hear noises of creatures but couldn't quite spot the source of the noise. So Ianto had remained in the same spot, not wanting to provoke some unknown creature to attack him but as the days had past Ianto had become more and more use to the noise. Now, as cautiously as he could, Ianto made his first proper step. As Ianto continued to take more cautious steps he became more and more aware of the noise becoming quieter, as if he was moving away from the unknown creatures. Ianto continued to move, quicker and with more courage and once the noise from the unknown creatures was almost gone; Ianto could just make out two figures in the distance. Ianto squinted, wondering if he was going mad. It looked as if there were two humans waiting for him. Ianto hurried his pace curious to find out if he knew the people who were watching him and as Ianto got closer he realised the figures were Jack and Gwen. Ianto frowned and came to a stop as quickly as he could. He doubted that Gwen was dead and he knew for certain that Jack wasn't. "Who are you?" Ianto asked as loud as he could muster. "You're not Jack or Gwen. They're not dead."
The reply Ianto got wasn't what he had expected and the voice was almost creepy. The reply came in barely a whisper but was carried across to Ianto liked wind. "You can see Jack again if that's what you want. You can stay with him forever if he admits to you his love." Ianto didn't believe the voice but decided he would do anything just to see Jack again.
"O…Okay," Ianto stammered, unsure of what was going to happen next.
"You'll only have five minutes. If you touch a human being you will come straight back here. Use the time wisely." Ianto barely had time to register the words before a bright white light dazzled him.
-TW-
Jack heard the noise of the pub door open behind him but didn't bother to look round. He was too busy dealing with his guilt and regrets to even look round when some person sat down beside him. The only person Jack wanted to talk to at that moment was someone he thought he wasn't going to be able to talk to again. "I've never seen you in a bad mood like this," Jack head jerked up when he heard a welsh accent. At first he worried that Gwen may have found him but instead the person he saw almost made him fall off his chair backwards, instead his jaw fell open when his eyes met Ianto Jones'. Ianto was wearing the same suit and waistcoat as the one he had worn when he had died though he looked exactly as Jack had remembered him.
"Ianto, what are you doing here?" Instead of being excited to see Ianto, as Ianto had thought Jack would be. Jack's tone was slow and cautious and his eyes widened when he remembered what had happened the first time someone he had loved had died and more recently when Estelle had died. "No." Ianto looked up at Jack suddenly, more excitement in his eyes than when he had first spoken to Jack.
"You mean it's true?" Ianto asked in astonishment and Jack sighed; Ianto hadn't believed it but had come to see Jack one last time. Jack turned his attention back to the pint glass. "You can give someone immortality?"
"Just one person," Jack shrugged, not turning to look at Ianto. Jack had wanted to see Ianto again but he didn't want their conversation to be like this.
"Just not me," Jack almost jumped at Ianto fierce tone. The last time he had heard Ianto speak like that was with the Lisa incident and Jack didn't like it when Ianto spoke like it.
"You don't understand," Jack turned back to Ianto now and Ianto could see pain in his eyes. "Everyone thinks immortality is a great gift but all it's not. It's a curse and you have to believe me when I say that I don't want to give anyone this curse because I wish I didn't have it myself."
"No, it's you who doesn't understand!" Although Ianto snapped he wished the conversation wasn't going this way. He had hoped for a happy conversation before Ianto left Jack for the last time but it didn't look like that was going to happen. "You don't understand what it's like to die properly. To be stuck in that darkness after losing everything from your life beforehand."
"I know," Ianto frowned at the sound of regret in Jack's voice. "I wish I did. My life has been too long. I don't want you to go through this."
"Okay," Ianto gave up and wanted to change the topic for the small amount of minutes he had left and one question suddenly dawned on him. "Where's Gwen?"
"Wales," Jack replied as he took a small sip from the almost fall pint glass. For the first time, Ianto realised how calm Jack was.
"Where are we?" Ianto continued to ask questions, not wanting the conversation to die down.
"London," Jack replied simply as he placed the pint glass back on the counter. "Ianto, Torchwood's finished." Though Jack spoke fiercely, Ianto could tell Jack wished it was still going.
"Why?" Ianto asked softly, not wanting to upset Jack any more than he already had.
"It causes too many deaths," Jack replied, staring right into Ianto's eyes. "Yours, Steven's, Owen's, Tosh's, Suzie's and so many more." Ianto opened his mouth and was about to ask who Steven was but set against it, concluding the subject would probably hurt Jack.
Ianto looked down at his watch. "I only have two minutes left, Jack. I want you to know – my death. It wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself for it." There was silence and Ianto knew Jack was making a decision. Maybe he had managed to persuade him to give him this supposed curse. Ianto looked back at his watch. "I only have forty five seconds Jack." As soon as the words were out of Ianto's mouth, Jack stood up, taking Ianto by surprise.
"Ianto Jones," Jack smiled and lightly placed his hands on Ianto's. "I-" Jack blinked and Ianto had disappeared, his hands now rested lightly on the seat which Ianto had occupied. At first Jack was too shocked to speak then he found his voice and looked up to the pub's ceiling. "No! I was going to say it. You didn't give me enough time."
-TW-
"Ianto Jones," Ianto smiled back at Jack but his smile quickly faded when he felt Jack place his hands against his. Within a blink Ianto was surrounded by darkness again. At first Ianto was too shocked to speak then he found his voice and spun round to the figures of Jack and Gwen.
"That's not fair," he screamed angrily. "I had thirty seconds. He was about to do it. Send me back."
"You only had twenty seconds and we did warn you."
"Please," Ianto begged. "Give me twenty more seconds."
"Fine."
-TW-
When Jack stopped shouting he closed his eyes, wishing Ianto to come back somehow. Suddenly Jack felt skin under his hands for less than a second before they quickly pulled away and his eyes shot open. Ianto was there once again, smiling. They stared at each other for five seconds before Ianto started speaking – fast. "Jack I have less than twenty seconds. If you touch me I'll get sent back. It's now or never."
"Ianto Jones," Jack tried again, this time keeping his hands away from Ianto's. Jack took a deep breath as he prepared to say the three words he had never said since he became immortal. "I love you."
Ianto took a massive breath when he felt the claws of the darkness leave him and fell into Jack's arms as he fell unconscious. Jack stared down at Ianto who he held in his arms, his eyes full of horror. He had done the one thing he had promised himself he would never do. He had given someone immortality and he didn't like it.