Chapter Four
Rory tells Ianto about the second meeting with Owen's mum as she installs the filter on the SUV while Ianto mindlessly hands her the tools.
"And the whole time while I was trying to keep my cool, inside all the neurons were just firing away on red alert. On the other hand, I did feel like kind of a bad ass."
"Hmm."
"Ianto? Yan?" she calls out to him when it finally dawns on him that he's not listening. She nudges him with her shoe.
"Yes. Did you want coffee?"
"It occurs to me that I was called out here to cheer you up," Rory says. "And I must be doing a piss-poor job of it from the looks of it."
"I am sorry. I should have been paying attention."
"You can talk to me about anything. You do know that?" Rory asks.
The Welshman nods.
"Ianto, whatever it is you're feeling, don't shut us out. If you don't want to talk about it with me, there are other people who love you very much and who are willing to listen."
"I know," he replies. "It's just that it's hard for me to…" He is unable to finish his sentence.
Rory reaches out for his hand, but it's covered with grease. They both chuckle as she rolls her eyes and wipes it on the boiler suit.
"Perhaps we can do something later on this week, like watch The Pirate Movieand sing along to all of the songs," Rory suggests.
"I could use a little 'Pumping and Blowing.'"
"Don't you get enough of that with Jack?"
Ianto narrows his eyes at her, but she wrinkles her nose at him, Mirna Loy-style.
"So how 'bout it?" she asks.
"Sounds like a plan. We'll definitely have to include Tosh, and maybe Gwen."
"Gwen can come if she promises not to sing."
"I don't think that'll be a problem," Ianto replies. "I don't think she's ever seen this particular cinematic gem."
"Ooh, a newbie," Rory exclaims. But she adds, "Though if she thinks that the movie is lame, don't think I won't make her walk the plank."
"Right there with you, sister," Ianto says.
xxxx
Meanwhile, Owen sorts through Lillian's medical records, focusing on her latest test results.
Jack enters from his office with work of his own. "You find anything?"
"I was able to get into the database and pull her file, which is completely illegal I might add."
"We're Torchwood."
"We might be above the government and all that, but this is personal. You failed to mention that Lillian Jones is Ianto's mother. Does he know that you're checking up on his mum?"
Jack says nothing.
"I thought so," Owen says with a sigh. "All right, I won't tell Rory about this because she won't keep it from Ianto. Besides, it's not my place to talk about it."
"Thank you. Did you find anything?"
"Nothing but a mundane case of head trauma."
"There's nothing mundane about the damage it can do." Jack looks at the MRI and asks, "What is that on the screen?"
"That's just a shadow. This image was probably taken by a technician."
"You sure?"
"Okay. This is the latest MRI from her yearly check-up. MRIs are expensive and getting a woman with this sort of damage to get one done is a piece of work."
"There's only so much an MRI scanner can do," Jack points out. "Lillian Jones is more aware of her surroundings than she lets on. She's in there. She asked me for my help, and maybe there is something that is keeping her mind trapped."
"So what do you think it is?" Owen asks. "Alien?"
"Maybe."
"Did you pick up alien life forms on your wrist strap?"
"No, I didn't have time to take a look. The doctors and the orderlies were always around, and Ianto would have noticed which would have made him more upset."
"Even if you go back in there and scan her with our equipment, Ianto will find out. He knows everything that goes on in this place."
"So that's it?"
"Her file's all there. You can look through it if you so desire," Owen says as he shuts down his computer. "Bit of advice, Jack?"
"You're gonna give it to me anyway."
"Tell Ianto what you're up to."
"I want to my suspicions to be much more that a hunch. If I'm wrong, I don't want him to get worked up for no reason. If I'm right, then I can tell him, and we can decide what to do next. I have to protect him right now."
"Right," Owen mutters, somewhat satisfied by Jack's argument. "Now, I'd like to get back to my girl and enjoy the rest of my weekend if that's all right with you."
"Take care of her," Jack says.
"I always do."
xxxx
That night, as Jack and Ianto walk along the bay, neither one of them has much to say. The older man is too wrapped up in the mystery of Lillian Jones; while the younger man struggles to replace the image of her in the hospital with a happier memory.
"She was a librarian," Ianto finally says. "Loved books, especially history. I keep thinking that the two of you would have had some interesting conversations about World War II."
"You suppose I could have taught her a couple of things?"
Ianto doesn't answer. Instead a small smile forms on his lips.
Jack laces his fingers though his boyfriend's and leans on his shoulder as they walk. "I wonder if I met her before the accident. When she was five, Rory liked going to the library and read books about electrical repair… and monkeys, especially gibbons. I got the distinct pleasure of taking her once or twice."
"I'm sure she would have been helpful – well, slightly perplexed by the notion of a five year old girl reading repair books, but helpful. When I was that age, I was going through my Dr. Suess phase."
"When I was a kid those books were still considered classics. My mum used to read them to me."
"Really?" Ianto says as his eyes light up. "It's good to know that the genius of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish will stand the test of time.."
"Feeling better?"
"I think so. It's just…she's supposed to be my burden - something that I have to live with, something that I can't fix."
Jack stops walking and cups Ianto's face in his hands. "You never have to go through anything alone if I can help it," he replies just before giving him a kiss on the lips.
Ianto tries not to cry. He holds on the lapels of his lover's coat. "Let's go home," he says quietly.
xxxx
Later that night, as Ianto sleeps, Jack sits in his office and cross-references the police report with the rift activity log. He asks himself, "If a car leaves Manchester at ten o'clock going at the speed of 70 miles per hour, and an alien flies out of Cardiff like a bat out of hell… Where would they meet?"
Of course, Jack wonders if the decades of working at Torchwood have finally gotten to him, and he is beginning to see rift involvement everywhere. And if his theory is true and Lillian had a close encounter, why didn't anyone catch it sooner? Furthermore, the fact that there was alien activity the day she crashed, doesn't mean there's a link between the two events. On the other hand, why would a healthy, sober driver with a clean traffic record suddenly lose control of her car? The police report offers no explanation.
He hears a noise in the hub and curse word muttered in Welsh. Jack quickly tucks away The Jones File before the younger man stumbles into the office.
"What are you doing up?" the older man asks.
"I woke up, and you weren't there," Ianto replies. "You?"
"Working. Go back to bed. I'll be back in soon."
"I hurt my leg in case you're interested. I bumped my thigh against Owen's desk."
"You want me to kiss it and make it better?"
"It's the least you could do for sneaking away to do paperwork," Ianto replies, looking more alert and horny.
"Five minutes," Jack says. "And lose the robe before I get in there."
"Yes, sir!"
Jack decides that he should pay Lillian another visit. He hides the file in a hidden compartment in his desk before following his younger lover to the bedroom, happy for the opportunity to clear his head.
xxxx
The Captain decides that the best time to go back to Providence Park is when Ianto is on his morning jog. He knows that the Welshman won't question the note that he left on the dresser:
Had to run. Got an alien to investigate. Shouldn't take too long. Love, Jack.
At Providence Park, Jack takes out a bag from the SUV and takes a deep breath, hoping that the staff won't notice his apprehension. He's barged into so many places with an authority that has been mistaken for cockiness, but this time it's so different. He's frightened by what he might find and the consequences of his visit. Owen cautioned him about this being too personal and rightly so. But it's too late to turn back. Jack makes his grand entrance anyway.
"This is Torchwood," he announces to the receptionist. "I need to speak to a patient in your secure wing."
xxxx
Minutes later, Jack finds himself in the visitors room, alone with Mrs. Jones.
"You're back." She doesn't even look at the Captain, but instead stares a the wall.
"Just as I promised."
"Fix me."
"That's what I intend to do," Jack replies as he checks his wrist strap. "Lillian, I need to take you somewhere safe - where I can fix you, where I can make things right. Do you trust me?"
"Trust a stranger?" she asks quietly as if wrapped up in thought. "Trust a stranger."
"That's right Lillian. I love your son. I want to do everything that I can to help him and you. We have to be quite and calm, Lillian," he insists.
"Your eyes… so old… an ancient one to save me."
"How do you know who I am?"
"Keeper of the light," she whispers. "Keeper of the light. So much power."
"What light, Lillian? Tell me about the light."
But she begins to rant once again. "No peace. No control."
"Listen. You'll have all of the peace you're looking for. Just come with me, quietly."
Dr. Greenfield sees the two walking down the hallway to the exit. "Where are you taking her?" he demands.
"She is important to the safety of this country. I'm taking her with me."
"But we need the consent of a family member."
"I am Ianto's family, and it is my duty to protect this city and its citizens."
"I will notify him!" the psychiatrist yells.
Jack doesn't answer and moves forward with his plan.
xxxx
However, Dr. Greenfield makes good on his threat, and by the time Jack carries the sedated Mrs. Jones into the hub, Ianto is waiting for him, still dressed in his running clothes.
"Have you gone completely mental?" Ianto asks.
"Owen should be here soon to complete the full examination," Jack says. He carries her to the autopsy room where he straps her into the bed with full restraints.
"Jack, please talk to me."
"When I went back to see her, I picked up alien readings from her."
The younger man shakes his head and backs away from his lover. "No. Please. No." Ianto's façade completely breaks down, and he begins to weep openly. "No. Anything but this," he moans.
"Ianto, I didn't want this to happen, but there are some things about your mother's accident that could not be explained."
"You looked for trouble. You went behind my back."
"Maybe there is hope for her. That's why I investigated her case."
Owen and Rory enter the room, and Ianto turns his anger towards them. "Did you know about this?"
"She didn't, but I did," Owen admits.
Ianto moves towards the doctor in a menacing fashion, but before he can punch him, Rory touches his shoulder. With a flash of light, the Welshman collapses into Owen's arms.
"What did you do?" Jack asks.
"I fooled his brain and made him sleepy," she replies. "I don't know how long it will last. Last time, it was fifteen minutes."
"You've been testing this?"
"On the Weevils and me," Owen admits. "Better than a stun gun, eh?"
"I'll keep an eye on our guest while you boys make Ianto comfortable," Rory says, as she watches Lillian sleep.
"Gwen should be here in a few minutes," Jack says. "She'll take over."
"I rang Tosh, as well," Owen tells his boss. "The tea-boy's gonna need his friends."
xxxx
Ianto wakes up twenty minutes later with Tosh on one side and Rory on the other.
"Never thought I'd wake with the two of you in my bed. And I'm all sweaty," he comments. "You put me to sleep."
"You know I hate violence," Rory replies. "Just for the record, Owen didn't want Jack to keep you in the dark about this."
"Are you going to defend your uncle?"
"Jack is… Jack," she replies.
"He's a man of action," Tosh says. "Once he's made up his mind…"
"Yeah, I should know," Ianto says with a cynical laugh.
"And he loves you very much," Tosh adds.
"I don't know if I can go through this again - not after Lisa."
"But this time it's different," Tosh reminds him. "And Jack is going to fix this."
Rory bites her lip and looks away.
"What?" Ianto asks.
"To be honest, we don't know that," she replies. "We can't promise you that until we know more."
"You say that because of Imogene - because she couldn't be fixed after she was diagnosed with cancer," Ianto surmises.
"Yeah," Rory says. "But I can promise that we will be here for you, no matter what."
"Do you think I can see her?" Ianto asks.
"I think so. Just be strong - for her," Rory advises.
xxxx
When they walk into the autopsy bay, Gwen is attempting to talk to Lillian, "Mrs. Jones, we know that you are in there, fighting this. Just keep holding on for your son."
"Out of control," the patient murmurs.
Owen steps in between the two women. "I need you to step back, Gwen. Don't want your brain to get mixed in with her results."
Jack looks up at Ianto who is standing on the railing and tries to read the expression on his face. He wonders if he can be forgiven. However, Ianto is too preoccupied with his mother at the moment. Jack takes solace that Tosh has her arm wrapped around Ianto while Rory holds his hand.
"So what have we got?" Jack asks.
"Don't really know," Owen answers. "Either the parasite has fully integrated itself with Lillian or… Mrs. Jones is an alien herself."
"How do we know for sure?" Ianto asks.
"Still working out that part," the doctor says. "I could use a cup of…" But he stops himself from speaking any further, trying to avoid giving Ianto an order.
"I'll go get the coffee," Rory offers.
"You stay. I might need you to keep her calm," Owen says. "Gwen, would you?"
"But, I could -" she protests.
"I'll go," Tosh says just to placate the heart of Torchwood.
"I'll take mine with milk and two sugars, yeah?" Gwen says without meeting the computer expert's eyes.
In spite of his pain, Ianto still finds it in him to whisper to Tosh, "Welcome to my world."
"I am so sorry," Tosh replies.
"Jack, can I see you alone?" Ianto asks.
The Captain feels a rush of anxiety and hope rush through his body. "Let's go to my office."
Gwen turns her attention to Lillian, "It's me again. We know what's wrong with you -"
Owen will have none of it. "Gwen, please, I'm trying to work. Besides, I'm not even sure that Lillian is paying any attention to you. No matter what, she's still brain-damaged."
"What do I do, then?"
"Watch," Rory replies as she takes Gwen's place.
A/N: The RavenclawNinja thought I should include something about Jack's mother. I agree. I'm thinking it should come in the next chapter during Ianto's conversation with Jack.