So, a new story. Inspired by a conversation on the bus, and it will not be a cheerful story, but hopefully it'll be some good :)
Jack cradled Ianto close to his chest as the young man's head lulled lifelessly. His pale face was sallow, loss of blood draining him of the life left in his cheeks. Ianto was on the brink of death and there was nothing that he could do. All of the years spent with the doctor, his time with the Agency, and all of it futile as life left his lover. It didn't get easier with time.
Hand pushed redundantly on the bullet wound in Ianto's side, Jack's hand was coated with a film of red. The bullet's path had cut through his abdomen and exited at an angle to its entry. There was nothing he could do, the damage was done.
-Torchwood—Torchwood-Torchwood-Torchwood-Torchwood-Torchwood-Torchwood-
Silence resonated through the hub as Jack awoke, it was a Wednesday, and his team weren't due in for another twenty minutes. Smiling he turned his head to watch the relaxed face if Ianto as he slept. He was peaceful in sleep, delicate, though Jack would never tell him so. The Captain often woke before Ianto, just to watch his slumber.
A frown wrinkled the unmarked brow and his nose wrinkled as he began to wake.
"Watcha lookin' at?" came the grumble from the tousled head.
"Nothing."
Ianto's answer was mumbled as he burrowed deeper into his cocoon of warmth. Snuggling closer to the naked body, Jack muttered,
"We have to get up. The rest will be here soon, and I'm not sharing you in this state."
"Hmm"
"Stop scowling, it makes your nose wrinkle, I can't be held liable for what happens next... "
"Fine, I need to shower and shave."
"Need a hand?"
"Jack, I thought you said we had to be quick."
"I'll meet you upstairs in my office then." Jack pouted and started to ascend the ladder.
Jack knew better then to wait for Ianto, that man took forever to get ready on his own, let alone with Jack's help. The young man was hopelessly fussy, checking over his tie and waistcoat repeatedly like a nervous tick. It had once taken him a whole hour to get ready; he even outstripped Jack and his preening. Not that the Captain would ever complain, it was exactly how he loved him. Drumming his fingers on the desk he was getting anxious, there was an unmistakable dread seeping through his bones, and he was rarely unjustified in his funny feelings.
Half an hour later, Ianto scrambled from the hole that was Jack's quarters, hair fluffy and jacket on over an unbuttoned waistcoat. Jack inhaled looking at Ianto as he tightened his tie and buttoned the waistcoat. What had he done to deserve this man?
"Morning."
"Morning, Jack" Ianto replied more humanly after his previous communications. He leaned over the desk and captured Jack's lips in a kiss. Jack responded eagerly and deepened the kiss. Just as jacks hand slipped over the desk to hold Ianto the alarms sounded the arrival of the rest of the team.
"Damn"
"Oi you two, stop shagging, I'm far too innocent to hear that."
"Oh piss off Owen, you're no more innocent than the Whore of Babylon" Gwen was here too then.
"She'd know." whispered Ianto to Jack, who stared at Ianto in shock.
"Ianto, you can be quite devious. "
"Don't you know it, sir"
Jack groaned and stood up.
He walked to the stairs and stood over them like the overseer of a particularly ragged factory. The team looked up at him, Toshiko in a deep purple dress, Gwen in her tight jeans and leather jacket, and Owen in his scruffy lab-coat, adorned with more pin badges then a tourists backpack. Ianto appeared to behind Jack, neatly pressed and ready for whatever the day had to throw at them.
Ianto walked down the steel stairs and into the main hub, "Coffee?"
A murmured response prompted him to put the coffee machine on, before he started brewing however he siphoned off a shot of pure coffee for Owen, who had started to taste again, he may not be able to drink it but he could allow it to sit in his mouth as he inhaled the fumes. Tosh slipped up behind him and began to arrange cups for the team.
"Thanks Tosh."
"No problem, you can't do it all by yourself."
The machine began to bubble as the hot water was fed through the coffee, and Ianto walked away to allow it to brew. He and Tosh walked together to the autopsy bay where the noise was coming from. Jack was once again watching from the balcony as Gwen tentatively held a scalpel to the chest of a weevil.
"Hold it at more of an angle." Owen attempted to correct Gwen's posture as she took an overly aggressive stance over the body. "It's not going to bite you, it's already dead. Look."
Owen stepped around the body and directed her hand to the correct position. Jack turned to Ianto and Tosh,
"He's trying to show Gwen how to properly dissect a weevil, should she ever need to autopsy anyone or anything. He's worried that he'll mess up with his damaged hand."
"Couldn't Tosh do that?" Ianto asked.
"I don't really like to, it feels like an intrusion."
Ianto only nodded in response, he knew how it felt to intrude into the life of the deceased. After all it had been his job to dispose of the bodies that Torchwood ultimately left behind. Gwen grimaced as she pierced the skin and a pungent odour arose from the belly of the corpse. Jack laughed and even Owen grinned at her face.
"That's definitely one benefit of losing my sense of smell."
A beeping sounded from Tosh's station, and Ianto went to investigate accompanied by Jack and Tosh.
"Minor rift activity." Tosh said consulting the screen, "Right above the hub, that could be a coincidence, but it's unlikely. We should -"
Tosh was cut off as the lights blinked out and the red emergency lights flashed on. The alarms began to howl and the hub took on the eerie glow that accompanied a lock down. Owen and Gwen dashed onto the platform, scalpels in hands, dead weevil forgotten. Jack stood legs astride, Webly at the ready, fixed on the door.
"Jack, all entrances are sealed, but the sensors are picking up an abnormal life signal." Tosh waved an alien device in front of him. "It's human, but it's not. Oh my God Jack, it's the same signal you give."
"Shi*, it can't be! We threw him so far into the future he should never be able to get back."
"Jack… what if we threw him back to the 51st century? To the Time Agency! He would easily be able to steal a working manipulator, or they might even give him one!" Ianto exclaimed.
A laugh filled the hub. The hub lit up as the lift retracted from the ceiling and descended to into the centre of the room. The boots were the first clue to their imposter, the sword confirmed it, and not in the fun way. As the lift reached ground level, John Hart stepped off, weapons in hand, aimed at the team.
"Hey Kids, where's the welcome party?"
The hub burst into action, Ianto pulled out his own gun and aimed at John, Jack began to step forward and the team flanked him, circling John.
"Put your weapon down, John."
"Been a long time since you've said that to me Jack, you're becoming tame."
Ignoring the comment Jack continued his slow migration towards the Time Agent. "Why are you here?"
"Why am I ever here? For you Jack." John smirked. "I miss you."
"It's getting old now, why are you really here?" Owen was almost behind John now.
"The last time I was here Jack, you broke my heart." He paused. "Now usually I would kill you, but as that seems to be easier said than done, I have to find something that will destroy you forever."
"And what might that be?"
"I can feel your agent behind me, please tell him to back off before I shoot his kneecaps."
"Owen," Jack snapped, "Stand back!" Owen deftly obeyed watching Jack as he continued his advance.
"We are over John. I thought that was clear."
"Oh it was. Crystal. But I want to set some things straight. Now if I lower my weapon will you lower yours?"
"What will you do?" Jack was nervous now.
"I want to talk to Eye-Candy."
"Ianto? No. You are not going near him."
"Fine." John raised his gun, and looked over to Ianto. "How fast are your reactions?"
Jack lowered his gun.
"Ianto, are you alright."
Ianto looked pale, "Yes, he can talk to me."
John holstered his gun again and this time it was his march to Ianto that drew all eyes. Leaning over to Ianto John drew his sword. Whispering in his ear Ianto made out two words.
"He's mine."
The hub rang with gunfire, and Ianto flinched as the sword came closer to him, but it wasn't the sharp pain of a sword that pierced him. It was the burn of a bullet.