9
"Javic Thane of the Boeshane Peninsula." Ianto said calmly as he talked with Jack while completing the early morning preparations Ianto always did in his stacks, "Born around the year 5094. You grew up in the 51st century , raised on the Boeshane Peninsula, a sandy, beach-like area. You spent time with your brother, Gray, and father, Franklin, playing cricket and singing around campfires. Your poor mother probably despaired having such beasts."
Jack drew back and stared at Ianto as it became apparent he had opened a lot of doors in the night and his sweet archivist had been unable to resist peeking. Ianto pulled another file from a drawer and added it the little pile on his trolley then turned to face Jack with a raised eyebrow.
Well?
"On the worst day of my life, an unknown enemy invaded my homeland and killed many of the inhabitants. Father told me to flee with Gray, while he went back for mother. As they ran, Gray stumbled and I let go of his hand." Jack paused and swallowed thickly at the memory "I continued to run, thinking Gray behind me. I hid in a bush while the invaders flew overhead. I returned home hoping to find my brother, but found only my dead father and distraught mother."
"She blamed you?" Ianto asked, his face telling Jack he would have expected it and Jack shook his head.
"No, she forgave me, reveled in keeping her one last child but I longed for revenge. I spent many years searching for my brother unsuccessfully, and buried the memory of what happened that day but I eventually lost my happier memories of before father's death."
"Why do you bring it up now? Why torture yourself over something long since done and gone? It's mote." Ianto asked, leaning against the desk with his hands in his pockets, quite an unusual stance for him but so sexy. He sounded so much like the Doctor sometimes with his quiet reasoning.
"Dreams." Jack said softly, "Terrible dreams"
"Of that day?" Ianto canted his head, then frowned, "No. Later. Much later?"
"Yeah. As a young man, I persuaded a friend to join up with me to fight an enemy that were the worst possible creatures you can imagine." Jack's grimace was echoed as his thoughts told Ianto he could not speak their name aloud, could not give them power over the air.
"You were captured" Ianto said suddenly, clarity making him feel ill.
"The enemy thought my friend the weaker of the pair and tortured him as a lesson for me. They let me go, to bear the guilt of Saint's fate." Jack sighed.
"So, the cannibals have woken your memories of that time, of that horrible time" Ianto nodded as he stood and walked over to look down at the man sitting on the crate, then gently pulled Jack's head into his torso.
Jack was so surprised that he closed his eyes and revelled in the warmth of the soft body, Ianto's waist felt nice to wrap his arms around as well, the sudden image of Ianto in his arms choking on something had him pulling back, Ianto blinking as well.
"What was that?" Jack asked.
"I think….I think I just died somewhere." Ianto looked down at him, "Another me. Another Verse, some creature just farted poisonous gas. How rude."
Jack blinked, then laughed softly, "So…you feel other versions of yourself?"
"Yes, why I could never leave" Ianto reached out to stroke Jack's face. "I am not worthy, not at all but I must try. For the future, I must try. So many versions of me have failed, so many other verses have folded, failed and succumbed. We can't."
"We must try to do what?" Jack asked as he rose to stand toe to toe, dick to dick and nose to nose.
"Be ready when they come" Ianto said with a cant of his head, "Did it never occur to you that those creatures that stalk your dreams might come this way? Cariad, I believe they are close. Close enough to crate the global warming we are experiencing, your planet was hot yes? They like a dry climate."
"The creatures that just killed another you, the you I wept for, what were they called?" Jack demanded.
"They didn't say, but we called them something with numbers" Ianto tried to focus but the image was gone.
"You think they were the same things? The same as the things that killed Gray and Father? Saint?" Jack stood as he tried to focus, "Shit. Time. Yes, time. In the 51th century they would have evolved more than what they are in this time. Shit, Ianto, what if they are the same creatures. If we stop them now…"
"Unless it's a fixed point, maybe we can save your past. If we can defeat them, maybe we can ensure future generations carry that knowledge so when they attack Boeshane they are effected, not conquered. Gray may still fall if it's a fixed point but you would save countless others" Ianto nodded, watching Jack's eyes as they seemed to swirl with intelligence, that 51st century bent that made Ianto's mouth water.
One kiss won't matter.
Right?
"No, one won't matter a damn" Jack said as he seized Ianto and slammed their mouths together, revelling in the cholately taste.
It had never occurred to Jack that those things might be this far back in time, maybe he should have been more thoughtful in such things but it seriously never occurred him that he might be able to cheat a little.
He owed it to Gray.
To saint.
To be worthy.
