Ianto woke with a headache pounding through his head. He groaned and opened his eyes, the light blinding his vision. What did he agree to do with Jack this time? When he noted the yellow stain on the ceiling Ianto realised he was on the medical table in the autopsy bay. He still needed to clean that. That stain was the result of another one of Owen's pet project gone wrong when said yellow alien exploded spewing out viscous yellow fluid everywhere. Jack had thankfully forced Owen to clean up alongside Ianto. They were still waiting for the alien ships to arrive and declare war for killing one of theirs accidentally or not. Ianto was grateful that hadn't happened yet. Why was he here?
Everything came back to Ianto in a rush. He sat up quickly dislodging the saline attached to his wrist causing a sharp pain. Ianto lied back down again, looking at his hand there was nothing there, and Owen must have operated and removed that jewel. But there were no scars or a bandage to show that happened.
Still puzzling over it he heard a shout, "You're awake!" It was Tosh. She rushed downstairs rapidly almost tripping over in her haste to give Ianto a hug. Her shout brought the rest of the team running. Ianto had a handful of Tosh he didn't know what to do with so he returned the hug slowly, "What happened?"
"You've been asleep for almost three days! We were all so worried!" Tosh stepped back quickly as Owen brought his stethoscope and started checking his vitals. Gwen looked at him from the fence worriedly not coming down so there was some space.
"Three days?" Ianto couldn't contain his shock. No wonder his mouth stank. Gwen nodded at him, "We were just debating on bringing you to an actual hospital!" She also came downstairs giving him a hug quickly as well when Owen moved away. "Thank God you woke up!"
"Okay tea boy, show me your hand," Owen took the alien portable x-ray and pointed it at his hand. On the screen was his hand and everyone could see the spherical gem lodged inside. Pointing at the screen Owen explained, "Now here are your phalanges and just below them is the metacarpus. This alien thing had fused with your fourth and fifth bone."
Ianto felt a familiar hand land on his shoulder, which still made him jump, "Now this is interesting…" There was Jack looking intently at the sphere.
"Jack!" Ianto said exasperated, "Can we figure out how to get it out of my hand now!?"
"Finally lost the Sir," Jack grinned at him approvingly, this settled his worries slightly, "Also that is the problem, its stuck. I don't think it has plans of coming out anytime soon."
"What do you mean?" Ianto looked from jack to Owen, "Can't you cut it out?" Gwen and Tosh gave each other pensive looks. Jack nodded to Owen quickly, "Show him." Jack ushered Gwen and Tosh back upstairs where they decided to stand and watch. Ianto was even more puzzled when Owen came back wearing a rather large mask and protected gloves. Ianto became alarmed when Owen used tongs to pick up his scalpel and brought it close to his hand. "What are you doing?" Ianto snatched his hand back glaring at the scalpel dangling dangerously from the tongs.
"Just put your hand back," Owen barked at him. When Ianto looked up, Jack just nodded. Gwen seemed to be covering her face unable to look at the procedure. Tosh gave Ianto an encouraging smile.
They've all gone mad, Ianto thought. He said it out loud, "You're all mad!" When Ianto made to get up from the autopsy table. Jack quickly jumped down, "Ianto listen to me, you will not be harmed, just trust Owen." Jack looked at him, blue eyes showing sincerity. Ianto couldn't resist those blue eyes, his ears turning red Ianto nodded. Jack then patted his shoulders, "Now that's our Ianto." He then ran back to the girls giving Owen the thumbs up.
With a nervous glance at Owen, Ianto carefully placed his hand on the small table next to the autopsy bed. Now that he realised, he could tell his right hand held the tiny ball, as his hand was noticeably heavier.
Ianto closed his eyes shut as Owen brought the scalpel closer at strange angle. Just as Ianto felt the blade slice the dorsal part of his hand, he felt a rush of pinpricks rush up his arm, he couldn't describe the feeling but it felt like a rush of power. Ianto quickly opened his eyes to see Owen jump back away from the orbiting light just above the back of his hand. When Ianto brought his arm up closer, he saw the small cut Owen made with the scalpel seal up with a hiss. There were symbols rotating in the light. Whatever it was it was protecting him.
Tosh let out a gasp when she saw the symbols. "Those weren't there before!" She ran to the nearest camera and started recording the twisting, rotating symbols.
Gwen looked freaked out, "Jack! How do we stop this?" Ianto thought her experience being pregnant with an alien baby made Gwen re-think her opinion on any alien technology.
"Gwen look at his hand, for whatever reason it's healing him, protecting him!" Jack said in astonishment, "I have never seen anything like it, and I have lived a long time." Jack reached for Ianto's hand slowly. The light didn't prevent his hand from holding Ianto's wrist. With a muttered, "interesting," Jack stared hard at the symbols. "I don't recognise it," Jack ended the examination with a frown.
"Sir, what is it?" Ianto wanted to know if he had twenty-four hours left to live or something ridiculous like that. The symbols eventually faded as well as the light. "Tosh, run your translation algorithm to see if these symbols match anything on this planet." Jack
Seeing that Ianto was definitely not finding this interesting as he was, Jack explained, "That thing in your hand only reacts when someone approaches you with the intention to harm you." Jack again touched his wrist.
Owen only allowed Ianto to leave the autopsy bed to go to the bathroom and clean up. He was even given a bland cereal bar, Ianto hadn't realised how hungry he'd been until he bit into it. Tosh was still at the computers running her program, while Gwen was updating Rhys on her situation quite loudly on her phone. Jack and Owen were still with Ianto asking him primary questions to make sure his memories weren't affected.
"Ianto until we figure out what it is I want you have someone with you at all times," Jack ordered, "And I also think…" He was interrupted by the roar of the rift alarm, "Ok everyone, the rift calls." Patting Ianto's arm Jack ran towards Gwen and Tosh. "Will be right back Ianto!"
"Arg…bloody weevils," Owen groaned as he pulled off his lab coat and equipped himself with the weevil spray. When Ianto made to get up, Owen pushed him down again, "Woah, where do you think you're going?" He moved past Ianto to the stairs, "You're staying right here until we get back."
This was frustrating, "But I feel great! I can help." Ianto jumped off the autopsy table and to his credit he didn't wobble once. Whatever this jewel was doing, it was great; he'd never felt more energised.
"Oh shit!" They heard Gwen curse finally off the phone. Rhys can be overbearing at times, "There are ten weevils this time! Something is bloody wrong with this Jack."
"Something is definitely causing them to act funny, there's been more and more of them lately," Ianto heard Tosh explain to Jack.
Ianto took his chance, "See, you need my help, the four of you won't be able to cover ten weevils. If I come we can take two each." Ianto knew he was grasping at every straw but he knew he could handle it. Also he'd feel so antsy waiting for everyone to return.
Owen glanced at him dubiously, then threw his hands up knowing Ianto wouldn't listen to whatever he said, "Fine, do whatever you want, but the moment you feel something wrong you tell me! Understand?" Now it was Dr Owen Harper looking seriously at Ianto.
"Yes Doctor!" Ianto saluted him and ran up the stairs before Owen, causing him to curse loudly. Ianto had improved in the field after Jack had run off with his Doctor. He knew how to take down a weevil.
"Ianto are you sure you feel up to it?" Jack questioned him slightly away from the others, giving him a worrying look.
"I'm fine Jack," Ianto pulled on the suit blazer they'd taken off him, "Like you said, this thing is protecting me. I really don't feel tired at all." Ianto didn't meet Jack's eyes busy strapping on a gun.
"Yeah that's what I'm worried about," Before Ianto could ask Jack what he meant, Jack walked out the door, "Gwen, you're with me, the rest of you take the SUV."
Ianto hated it when Jack left him hanging. But there was no time to procrastinate over it now so Ianto placed his comms in his ear and ran to the SUV. Time to catch some weevils.