Warning for some squiky stuff and potential spoilers up to season 2 just to be safe...
Bluebirds Chapter 7
Jack woke to the sound of Owen's voice yelling his name down the hatch from his office. Lifting his head off the toilet floor, Jack remembered where he was and let his face smack back down on to the tiles in frustration. He had been there for hours, and the churning sensation in his stomach told him that he wouldn't be leaving any time soon.
"Jack! Answer me or I'm coming down there!"
Jack sat up, but the movement dislodged some part of his shaky equilibrium. His stomach screamed in protest, immediately ejecting whatever was left inside. Hearing Owen's footsteps on the ladder, he choked out the only thing that seemed appropriate from inside the toilet bowl.
"Fuck off!"
Jack twitched as he felt Owen touch his back and tried to swat him off with one hand, the rest of his body still prone. Owen caught his hand neatly, pulling him away from the toilet and attempting to take his pulse, but Jack pulled away groaning and retching and Owen retreated. Distracted by all out civil war that his body was waging against his digestive system, Jack was almost completely oblivious to the world outside himself, but sat up in alarm as the sound of Owen's med back hitting the floor beside him filtered through the chaos.
"Don't sedate me!" He gasped.
"Fine' Owen said, putting down the syringe 'but you have to let me look at you."
Jack's skin felt hot and dry under Owen's fingers, and the pulse in his neck raced.
"How long have you been vomiting?"
Jack reached out and Owen grabbed his hand and held it tightly.
"I don't know."
A paper cup was pressed to his lips and he drank, tasting salt and sugar. Electrolyte solution, Jack thought dimly as he choked, and vomited the liquid back up. Owen's hand were on him again, flashing a small torch up to Jack's face, his thumb pulling Jack's eye lids open as Jack began to shiver. He could feel Owen's concern coming off him in waves of adrenaline and it unnerved him. He had thought he was fine, miserable, but fine. Now he wasn't sure at all.
"You're dehydrated. Really, really dehydrated. I'm going to give you this- it's an antiemetic, not a sedative, alright?" Owen prepped a new syringe and paused, looking to Jack for permission.
Jack nodded and Owen pushed him down on his side, injecting into Jack's hip. Jack swore and moaned against the tiled floor, still retching as Owen continued to move above him pulling more items out of the med bag.
Jack didn't know how much time had passed before he lifted his head from the tiles and looked back at Owen sitting next to him holding an IV bag, its tube snaking down to Jack's arm.
Jack made a miserable noise and sank back down to the floor.
"I completely agree. That was really terrible. Let's try to avoid this in future.' Owen said flatly. 'You know, for a man who's been tortured and killed more times that can be counted, you're kind of being a pussy about this."
Jack glared at him. "Yeah well, if I had been given the option to decline before being tortured and killed, I would have taken it. I'm not used to this specific type of torture."
'Get used to it. You're alright and your little parasite is fine too. You've always had a knack for the dramatic, but this is pretty much just severe morning sickness. C'mon, you should sleep but probably not on the floor."
Jack gave him a tired look and held out his hand for Owen to pull him up.
"I'm not really feeling that 'pregnancy glow' thing right now." He said as Owen dropped him roughly on the bed.
"Yeah?' Owen with half a smile. 'At least it's not been boring, right? Come check in later in the bay when you've had some sleep. We should do an ultrasound – make sure it hasn't multiplied or grown a tail or something."
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"Well, your super-human immortal healing seems to be missing in action, but you're still looking pretty good considering.' Owen blinding Jack with his torch as he examined his eyes, 'It's kind of nice actually, seeing you heal in seconds always sort of creeped me out."
The lab table was cold and Jack was fidgeting, impatient to get this exam over with, wanting nothing more than to get back in to some real clothes again. He never felt as safe and powerful as he did when he was wrapped in his greatcoat, but right now Jack would have settled for getting his trousers back. Letting go the opportunity to tell Owen that he always looked good, Jack just shrugged.
"Mortal baby..."
"Yeah, so no dying for the next six months, right?"
"I'll do my best."
"Okay,' said Owen, 'have you tried eating today?' Jack shook his head no. 'Try and see. I'll need to know if you can't keep water down at the least. Oh, and you've blown some blood vessels in your left eye from vomiting, so if you see yourself in the mirror don't worry- it'll clear up in a week or two."
"I've what? Does it look gross?" Jack's eyes went wide, displaying the bright red puddle that had blown out across his sclera.
Owen rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry.' He repeated 'You don't need to stay in bed if you don't want to, but take it easy. I've told Gwen and Tosh that you are having a medical issue related to an alien object and you'll be back in action tomorrow. When are you going to tell them? I can't believe you've managed to hide this as long as you have- Gwen's gonna loose it when she realises I knew and didn't tell her. They've both left for the evening, so let's get this started so I can go too.' Owen paused. 'Are we waiting for Ianto?" He added hesitantly.
Jack shook his head.
Owen moved the sensor over Jack's pelvis. The picture on the monitor was shockingly clear and detailed. Jack smiled at the tiny shape, discomfort and guilt disappearing, if only for a moment. He loved all his children, and this one was no exception.
"Martha sent over an upgraded machine. Cool, huh? It's better than our scanners, and it has great audio too." Owen adjusted a setting and the room was filled with the swishing sound of a fast heartbeat.
"Martha knows?"
"I didn't volunteer any information. I just told her it was important.'
The sound of the heartbeat continued and both men paused, listening in faint disbelief.
'Well, everything else looks good,' Owen said yawning. 'Been a long day and all- mind if we wrap this up?"
Jack held up a hand, still looking at the monitor.
"Yeah, in a minute…' he said 'Can you page the archives for me?"
Owen glanced over his shoulder at the ancient paging substation on the bench behind him. They hardly ever used it anymore, in favour of their blue-tooth comms system. Jack would sometimes take advantage of the old speakers mounted in every room and blast music through the hub, irrespective of the wishes of anyone trying to work after hours.
"Uh, yeah sure. Is Ianto down there? Do you want me to ask him to come up?"
"No,' Jack said, reaching for the volume adjustment on the ultrasound monitor 'just leave the mic open."
Owen passed the sensor to Jack to hold and leaned over to press the zone button on the substation, keeping his finger on the mic. They waited, listening to the amplified heartbeat echo across the tiles. Jack held his breath, imagining the sound bouncing through the darkness of the archives, finally reaching Ianto through the maze of paper and dust. After several minutes, Jack nodded and Owen let his hand drop away from the panel.
The sound of the heartbeat stopped as Jack removed the sensor and both men looked up at the quiet footsteps on the level above them. Ianto was standing on the top step looking back at them. Summoned from the archives by the sound, he had hurried toward its source. Now that he had arrived he wasn't sure what he planned to do or say.
Owen was the first to speak.
"Everything looks good.' He said as casually as he could. 'See you tomorrow." He packed up quickly, forgetting Jack's IV line in his haste to leave. Bag in hand, Owen realised that he would have to pass Ianto on his way up the stairs and wished that he could just disappear from the room. Privacy was obviously necessary and Owen had no wish to hear part of the conversation that he imagined was about to take place. Sliding past awkwardly, Owen raised a hand as if he was about to say something more but changed his mind and self-consciously patted Ianto on the arm instead.
When the sound of the cog door signalled that they were alone, Ianto walked down the stairs and sat down on the exam table next to Jack, watching as he wiped away the conductive gel and buttoned his shirt. They hadn't been this near to each other in weeks, and interpreting Ianto's proximity as a small offer of willingness, Jack shifted his body nearer until their shoulders touched.
"What's in there?" Ianto gestured to the IV.
"Just fluids."
"You're okay without it?"
Jack nodded, fumbling as he removed the line from his arm.
"Then let's go." Ianto nodded toward the stairs.
On the way to Jack's bunker, Ianto grabbed the legendary great coat off it's hook on the coat-stand where it hung, tossing it down the hatch ahead of them. Jack quickly followed him down the ladder and automatically undressed, laying down on his bed and waiting nervously, half expecting him to leave. He watched Ianto turn away and begin removed his waistcoat and shoes, lying down beside Jack in his shirt and trousers. Jack's skin radiated with fevered warmth, and Ianto felt a pang of guilt that he had waited so long to come to him.
Jack's face felt wet. His body relaxed, his weight settling into the mattress. He felt scratchy wool of his coat against his skin as Ianto pulled it over them. The weight and warmth of Ianto's body next to him seemed suddenly unreal and he fought an impulse to reach out and touch the other man's face.
He tried to stay still and calm on his side of the small bed, not wanted to assume any offers of intimacy or worse, accept pity.
Ianto rolled closer and when Jack felt Ianto's arm rest across his chest as he arranged himself for sleep, Jack gave in, turning his head in to Ianto's shoulder and breathing in the familiar smell of Ianto's skin. It felt good, better than anything had felt in years, and Jack felt himself fading out, unable to stay awake to savour the intimacy. Ianto kissed the top of Jack's head as he felt his breathing change, again feeling heat radiating against his lips. He burrowed down into the blankets and closed his eyes.
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Thanks for reading, and thanks to the people who have taken the time to review- it's so nice to read your comments! This story is around the half-way point now and I'm looking forward to uploading the rest. Next chapter not far away...
