Witness

Chapter six

Aboard the valiant

'Gwen, come on sweetheart. Wake up.' Ianto nudged Gwen with his shoulder slightly, noticing her eye lids were fluttering. He looked around; hoping to see anything, anyone but the Master, but the team's cage was still empty apart from them and a guard standing just outside the cage. Gwen groaned slightly, and made a move to step forwards but was unable to move her foot. She moved quickly in sudden panic, tugging at her chains and causing them to cut into her skin.

'What the hell?' She shouted.

'Gwen! Calm down!'

'Ianto?' She turned her head to the side to see Ianto and smiled slightly, 'Oh thank God.' She sighed in relief at seeing a friend and then leaned forward to get a clearer view of the other two. 'Tosh? And Owen? They still unconscious?'

Ianto nodded, 'Toshiko did stir about 5 minutes ago, as did Owen 10 minutes ago, but you did as well. So they should be awake soon.'

Gwen nodded solemnly, 'What is this all about Ianto? What's going on?'

'It's that man, The Master. He claimed to be Harold Saxon and then became prime minister. But I reckon he only did that to get in everyone's good books.'

'But what kind of man calls himself 'the Master'?'

Ianto opened his mouth slightly, thinking about whether to tell Gwen about what the Master told him, what the Master told him he was going to do to them, but he decided against it. 'Don't know.' He said simply. Would it make things any better, telling her she was going to die? Ianto certainly wished he didn't know; he'd rather it would be an unplanned death. That's what Torchwood is all about isn't it, the unknown? He signed up for the job, in London, knowing about the danger. He moved to Cardiff still aware of it, knowing that he could die on the next mission, but he still continued. He carried on saving the world; because there was no way he was quitting this one.

He'd never been told he was going to die before. He'd had guns placed at his head, been attacked by weevil's, by cybermen (and women), been almost eaten alive, and he'd been threatened. But the Master didn't threaten, he told. Ianto doubted he took the news as any normal person would. Any normal person would panic, and scream, and beg for their lives, and cry for themselves. Ianto didn't. Ianto panicked, and screamed, and cried, and begged, but not for himself.

Ianto remembered the days where he would welcome death because he had nothing else left; Lisa had gone, for good this time, and the team…his 'friends' hated him, and Ianto didn't blame them. But then Jack forgave him, and he suddenly felt so alive again; like everything around him was on fire, and lit up in front of his eyes. He remembers the day so well…

Ianto walked into Jack's office, and placed a coffee down on his desk quietly, not wanting to disturb his boss, not wanting to be an annoyance. He turned away to exit the office, to go and clean up some mess, or sort out the archives, when Jack spoke.

'Thank you.' Ianto froze at his words. That was the first time anyone had thanked him, or, hell, even spoken to him since the incident with Lisa. It had been two weeks now. He spun around to look at Jack. Jack smiled at him. 'Ianto, I've been meaning to tell you something.' Ianto just continued to stare at him, lost for words. 'I forgive you, Ianto.' Jack stood up from his chair and made his way over to Ianto. The younger man stumbled back a bit, worried about what Jack will do to him. The Captain simply placed his hand on Ianto's cheek and stroked it gently, 'I forgive you.'

Ianto felt his bottom lip tremble slightly as he nodded. Jack cupped his hand round the back of Ianto's neck and pulled him into his chest, hugging him as Ianto silently cried. Jack kissed the top of Ianto's head, and whispered, 'I don't blame you for what you did. I would have done the same. I forgive you.'

Jack never did know that Ianto was crying then.

'Owen! Tosh! Oh thank god!'

Ianto was pulled back into reality by the sound of Gwen's voice. He looked at Owen and Tosh to see them awake.

'What…what's going on?' Owen asked groggily.

'What's with these chains?' Asked Toshiko, panicking slightly.

'Just keep calm, sweetheart.' Said Gwen. 'It's that man, the Master or whatever he likes to call himself. It's his doing. He's got us tied up here, and I don't know why.'

'Shit…' Owen muttered before screaming even louder, pulling on the chains, 'SHIT!'

'Oh always count on Owen to sum up the situation in one word.' Ianto rolled his eyes as he spoke.

'Well tea-boy, in case you hadn't noticed, the situation we're in is pretty shit!'

'I had noticed Owen; I was just thanking you for your evaluation, because it makes everything so much easier.' Ianto paused, before whispering 'Note the sarcasm.'

'Oh I fucking noted it, alright,' Owen spat.

Ianto was about to speak again when Gwen swiftly cut him off.

'Quiet! Both of you! We need to stick together on this, not bicker like children!' The team, mainly Owen and Ianto nodded. 'Right. Check up. Tosh, how're you doing?'

'I'm okay. My head is cut from when I passed out, I can feel the dry blood, but I'm fine.'

'Are you sure?' Toshiko nodded. 'Good. Owen?' Gwen turned to Owen, asking him the same question.

'Fucking brilliant,' Owen mocked. He turned and looked at Ianto, speaking sardonically, with a dry smile, 'note the sarcasm, tea boy.'

Ianto nodded and spoke just as sharply, 'noted, doctor.'

'Boys,' Gwen said, warningly, 'I meant have you got any injuries, Owen, apart from the painful sarcasm?'

Ianto chuckled slightly at this.

'That's not an injury, darling.' Owen stated, 'that's in my DNA.'

'And don't we know it.' Toshiko mumbled, unable to control herself.

'Oh don't you start, Tosh!' Owen barked. Toshiko shied away, turned her head away from the team.

'Check up results state that Owen is 100% his normal self.'

'Yeah, sure.' Owen interrupted, 'A banging head ache which feels like the hang over from hell-'

'Probably is.' Ianto stated, Owen continued just giving Ianto a look

'…slit wrists, and the fact I'm chained up. I'm 100% normal.'

Gwen continued as though Owen had never even interrupted her, 'Ianto. How're you sweetheart? You're a bit tetchy, for you.'

Ianto opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. What does he tell them? That the reason he's so tetchy is thanks to the Master telling him that he and his friends are going to die? Or the other reason being, because he misses Jack more than he thought possible, and it hurts? Or-?

'Why'd you think he's tetchy, Gwen? Why'd you think any of us are? Hmm?' Owen answered for him. 'We're chained up God knows where, by some psycho who wormed his way into the British Government, and we don't know why. Does that answer your question? Sweetheart?'

'Sorry!' Gwen suddenly exclaimed, 'I'm sorry! Alright?' She sighed slightly.

'Yeah, well…' Owen looked rather taken aback by Gwen's sudden, resounding apology, 'Just…think before you speak.'

Ianto couldn't help himself, 'Pfft, says you. Live by that rule do you Owen?'

'Oi! I just stuck up for you! Fuck knows why, to be honest!'

'No, you just-'

'Stop it!' The two men stopped squabbling at the sound of Toshiko's piercing voice. 'Please…stop it.' None of the team had noticed the sound of Toshiko's sobs. In fact, they hadn't stopped and thought about her at all.

'Tosh, I, I'm …' Owen, for once, struggled with his words.

'Just stop!'

'Tosh, look, I-' Ianto tried to talk but was interrupted by Toshiko.

'Do you think I enjoy listening to my best friend and the…' She hesitated slightly before lifting her head with full confidence and continuing, it's now or never, she thought, 'and the man I love,' she took another breath, 'get at each other's throats all the time?'

Gwen, Ianto and Owen all stared at Tosh. Gwen coughed slightly in surprise. Owen spoke up, 'I'm…?'

'Yes. Owen.' Toshiko said, another tear spilling down her face.

'But I thought Ianto was your best friend.'

Toshiko looked up, looking confused for a moment, but then thought about the way Owen had stupidly interpreted what she had said, 'He is.' Toshiko shook her head, 'You prick.' She laughed slightly.

Owen lifted an eyebrow but suddenly realisation hit him. 'Oh.'

'Yeah.' Toshiko said, under her breath.

'I, I don't' know what to say, Tosh.' Owen whispered, arguing with his own emotions.

'You don't have to say anything. Just, please, stop.'

'But Tosh…'

'Don't Owen.' Toshiko looked Owen right in the eye while she spoke; Gwen and Ianto stayed quiet, letting Toshiko have her moment. 'I've been wanting to say that for a long time, not like this though. Not when I'm so scared, and petrified, and so, so tired.' Toshiko's lips trembled as she spoke, and more tears slipped down her face. Owen took this as his chance to speak.

'I'm sorry I didn't do this earlier.'

He leaned forward and placed a soft, chaste kiss on her lips, before pulling away smiling.

'Thank you.' Toshiko said, almost silently.

Ianto looked down at his feet, not wanting anyone to see him cry. They were going to die, both of them, in here. He didn't know how, and he didn't know why, and he didn't know when. The one thing he did know, for now, was that he wasn't going to tell them; why ruin such a moment, such a bliss, bliss moment between two of his friends.

He'll let them be happy; he'll let them die happy.

1'650 words.