TITLE:-TORCHWOOD:-

IN THE BEGINNING WAS TORCHWOOD.

THE SAGA'S OF MAJOR LILITH LETHBRIDGE-STEWART.

(CHPT.9)

AUTHOR:- NEMOSANGEL

CHARACTERS:- CAPTAIN JACK HARKNESS, IANTO JONES, MAJOR LILITH LETHBRIDGE-STEWART, GWEN WILLIAMS.

MENTIONED CHARACTERS :- SIR ALISTAIR LETHBRIDGE-STEWART.

PAIRINGS:- JACK/IANTO

WARNINGS:- M/M KISSING, JACK NAKED IN SHOWER. DARK SUBJECT TALKED ABOUT, SUICIDE.

RATING:- T WORD COUNT:- 4341

SUMMARY:- JACK AND IANTO STAY THE NIGHT AT LILITH'S. THEY TALK OF MANY THINGS... OF STARS, OF TIME TRAVELLING, OF OCD, OF CANARY WHARF... JACK IS AT PEACE AS HE WATCHES THE INTERACTION BETWEEN IANTO AND LILITH. THE MAJOR IS THE GRAND-DAUGHTER OF THE FOUNDER MEMBER OF UNIT. AND JACK KNOWS WHAT HE WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH IANTO'S DOMINEERING TALENTS AND LILITH'S COMMANDING ABILITIES... OH AND YES JACK IS FLIRTING.

DISCLAIMER:- I DON'T OWN TORCHWOOD OR DOCTOR WHO, IT BELONGS TO R.T.D. & BBC. THIS IS JUST FOR FUN AND I HAVE HAD FUN PLAYING IN TORCHWOODS WORLD.

YOU KNOW THE DRILL... READ AND REVIEW... AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT IT IF YOU LIKE IT.

CHAPTER 9.

20.14pm. Lilith goes through to the kitchen to make them something to eat. She also phones her daughters friends mother to check her daughter is ok. She looses herself in the art of preparing food, everything done her way.

In the guest bathroom Ianto turns the shower on for Jack and unpacks his clothes, laying them out in the order Jack puts them on.

Jack watches Ianto.

Ianto can feel Jack's eye's on him. "Well, what's the story?" Ianto says, as he works. "And Jack... For the record... Even though I know you do not stay dead I... I still get terrified... I..."

Jack captures Ianto in his arms. "I'm sorry... I was reckless... I know." Jack whispers.

"Promise me you will never ever do Weevil hunting on your own again. I have not been able to think straight nor have I eaten today." Says Ianto.

"I can't promise never ever Ianto." Jack says honestly. "But I promise I will try not to go alone, though with Lilith and Mickey there will be no excuse for me to."

Ianto touches the side of Jack's face, he knew he could not get Jack to promise never ever but he will except that he will try not to. "I love you very much Jack." Ianto whispers.

"I love you too." Says Jack and kisses Ianto.

"The shower is ready for you." Says Ianto.

Jack gets into the shower. The hot water stings the freshly healed skin.

Ianto sits on a stool that is in the bathroom. He presses two on his phone. It rings. "Gwen... No... It is ok, he is safe and healed." Ianto then listens as Gwen says she is coming back to work. "No... No we are not at The Hub." Ianto says. "He was rescued by our target, Major Lethbridge-Stewart." Ianto explains. She starts to stay that she is coming to them. "No, we are alright."

"Tell her we will see her tomorrow about ten, she can have a lie-in." Jack call out from the shower.

"Jack says, we will see you tomorrow. To come in at ten, have a lie-in." Relays Ianto. "Jack has also recruited Lilith." Ianto informs her. He listens. "No he still hasn't explained to me... Anyway, see you tomorrow. Have a good night." Ianto disconnects the call. She was about to give him a hard time... Jack making decisions without discussing it with her... Them. Sometimes she forgets Jack is the boss.

Jack steps out the shower and Ianto passes him a towel. Ianto notices there are still a few discoloured areas on Jack's body from the Weevil's attack.

"Lilith is going to be a great asset to us... She will help us and we in return will help her... She called herself damaged... She is cold and closed." Jack says as he dries himself. "And Ianto, just so you know..." He will tell Ianto himself, he will not keep it from him. "She was in the thick of it at the battle of Canary Wharf... She is not ready to talk about it in any detail but because of it she does not do guns..."

Jack sees that haunted look in Ianto's eyes... Many that were at Torchwood Tower on that day either have committed suicide or have been forcibly committed to a secure mental unit or retconned or left like Ianto and Lilith emotionally damaged. Jack cuddles Ianto, as he is now dry. "She battled Daleks and Cybermen... She is emotionally damaged. Though she does not do guns, she admitted being useful with swords, knives and crossbows plus unarmed combat. She will need our help."

"Yes Jack." Says Ianto sadly, he swallows. He remembers the horrors. He has never spoken to anyone about just how bad it was. They only know of his desperate bid to save Lisa. A single tear runs down his cheek.

"Hey, you are not alone... I am here for you. Even Mickey was there that day, his fate was to be sealed in a parallel universe." Says Jack. "We are going to rebuild a better Torchwood, stronger." He wants his staff to be protected, looked after and this he believes is where Lilith can help him.

"Shall we get you dressed, Sir?" Says Ianto... There is his barrier... Moving away from that subject.

"Yes or perhaps I should... " Starts Jack with an impish glint in his eyes.

"No Jack." Says Ianto, knowing what Jack was going to say. "I do not think that Lilith would appreciate you turning up to her dining table naked. I think she has seen quite enough of you today."

"Spoil sport." Jack laughs, helping Ianto to move away from the bad memories.

Ianto helps Jack dress. Ianto cleans the shower, placing everything back as it was... Perfectly straight... Uniformed.

Once finished Ianto and Jack wander out to Lilith's living room. She comes in from the roof garden. The garden is lit with soft fairy lights. There is a table set for three out there.

"Ianto?" Lilith calls from the kitchen.

Ianto moves towards the kitchen area. "Yes ma... " He starts.

"Lilith, please." Lilith says to Ianto.

"Sorry." Says Ianto. "It just seems automatic as I'm surrounded by military a lot."

"He calls me Sir." Says Jack, with a smile.

"Jack." Says Ianto. "Behave."

"He is... Badly." Lilith says, surprising herself, she had made a joke... Hmmm.

Ianto smiles. "I like her Jack, she has you sussed." He says. "How may I help you Lilith?"

Something inside Lilith stirs, a warmth, a wanting to smile but... "Ianto can you help me out with the food? Oh and would you like a beer or a wine?" She asks.

"A beer would be good please." Replies Ianto

"Can I have one?" Jack asks.

"No!" Lilith and Ianto say together.

"I'm getting a sinking feeling, I'm going to regret this." Jack laughs... Interesting.

"You have had massive blood loss, Jack." Says Ianto.

"And it does not matter what you are or where you are from or even when you are from, I would imagine alcohol and blood loss is bad." Says Lilith.

"Oh great a double act." Jack groans, then he stops, a cheeky grin spreads across his face. "Hmmm a double act."

"And the answer to that Captain Harkness is... No!... Don't even think it, just forget you thought it." Says Lilith, she is fitting in, the pair feel comfortable... Almost familiar. She feels comfortable and there is the warmth again.

Ianto laughs, he has taken to Lilith, she is intelligent and can keep Jack on his toes. She has a sense of humour and he reckons it could be a wicked sense of humour. She just needs to relax, relearn and live. He once thought he would never laugh again.

Ianto passes a bowl of salad to Jack for him to carry. Ianto picks up a tray with two oven dishes on. Lilith grabs two beers and a bottle of water from the fridge. The three go out on to the roof garden. There are many plants like Bamboos and Acacias in pots. There is also an astronomical telescope on the roof.

Jack puts the salad bowl down on the table and Ianto puts the tray on the table.

Ianto moves to the telescope. "Very nice." He breathes. "A Meade 10", an expensive piece of equipment." Ianto says impressed.

"Yes, it comes with its own GPS tracking system and I have it linked to my computer. I often like to look at the stars, they are so beautiful." Lilith breaths. "Looking at the stars is looking back in time. How many of the stars no longer exist. It takes so many years for the light from them to reach us. I can loose myself out there. They are my escape."

Jack is impressed with the pair. Jack looks up at the sky. "There is great beauty out there and great danger." He says. "I suppose because I come from out there, travelled out there and with what we do here I... I tend not to look and marvel." He also realised something else. "You have a fascination with time?" He sits, his legs feel a little wobbly.

"Yes... As I said, as a child I use to dream of time travelling... Not just space travel but time as well. I believed they went together." Lilith says, also sitting at the table.

Ianto joins them. "I think it is the job... As I too as a child would walk about looking up at the night sky... Not looking where I was going... bumping into thing. I could name many of the constellations and individual stars." Says Ianto.

Lilith removes the lids from the dishes. One dish has minted new potatoes in, the other has strips of chicken in. Lilith had coated the strips of chicken in Cajun spices and wok fried them in sesame seed oil. "Please help yourselves." Says Lilith.

Jack dives straight in, new potatoes, chicken and salad. Ianto follows suite then Lilith.

"We found you book fascinating." Says Jack, as they eat. "To the point we are putting a copy in our archives as a study guide."

"After I came out the army I... I had to get away... I travelled around. I trawled through myths and legends, and scientific information... I think I wanted to make sense of... of alien life... Why it came here." Says Lilith, opening up to Jack and Ianto. "We must seem a backward planet compared to theirs... I mean we have only got as far as our moon with manned flights and a few satellites' slowly going out farther in the solar system. Where as they have perfected space travel, travelling farther then we can comprehend. I wanted to understand why with all that technology they still seem intent on destruction... That such advancements in technology, intelligence does not diminish the urge to conquer or destroy."

"Do you know I have never thought of it like that." Says Jack. "There are races out there that are peaceful, they live for the arts and science but for some reason Earth seems to attract the more aggressive races. I have a friend that also contemplates this question... Why here?"

Ianto looks at Jack. "Lilith talks about the electromagnetic field, the energy lines and being very similar to a circuit board. Would it be that Earth is sending out a signal Jack?" Asks Ianto.

"It is possible." Replies Jack. "Planets in general have their electromagnetic field dominated by its mass, what it is made of, its orbit all have different frequencies."

"Or is it like attracts like... These aggressive races realise that in our distant future we do spread out from here, colonising... conquering... It is the human condition to destroy what it does not understand or what it fears or what is different." Says Lilith.

Jack looks at Lilith, amazed. How does she know humans spread out..? Plus a grasp of human nature... She has a low opinion of the human race, why? Is it because UNIT or Torchwood or something else? "You are right in part." Jack says. "Though there are far worse races out there then the human race, far, far worse... Stronger, blood thirstier, more advanced. So much more nastier." Jack says, speaking from experience. "Those that do go out there from here are more the ones that want to know, to see. A thirst for knowledge more than conquering. The human race becomes very adaptable to their new environments."

Ianto had sat there in silence, listening as he eats. Lilith has a great mind and Jack... Well Jack is talking... Ianto wishes he has the confidence to approach such subjects with Jack... Lilith is going to be good for him, help him find out more about Jack and the universe.

"It is odd." Says Lilith. "Since a child I have been fascinated by such things, though I knew things I could not possibly know about, I dreamt of things, of places I could not know about." Lilith breathes, remembering... Why is she remembering things from her child hood.

"Like the time travel?" Says Jack.

Ianto listens intently... Time travel!

"Yes." Replies Lilith. "It is just there on the edge of my consciousness, I try to go towards it but... well the information retreats, it is like trying to retrieve a forgotten memory or trying to remember a dream when you wake."

Jack is intrigued... Is it possible she has had, in her childhood, contact with alien technology or alien life, she is certainly showing signs of a suppressed memories. "Can you describe travelling through time from you dream?" Jack asks curious.

Ianto looks a Jack, he knows him enough to know that Jack suspects something... Jack feels Ianto's eyes on him as Lilith looks down at her food Jack gives Ianto a smile. Ianto smiles back.

"I don't know, it is hazy... But I saw like a corridor in space, tunnels." Lilith says quietly, trying to remember. "And a weird noises, haunting. I don't know, it was just a child's imagination."

Jack knows her childhood dreams, her imagination is not wrong but is more... A lot more. Is it possible...?

Lilith drinks some of her beer, four mouthfuls, putting the bottle down exactly were she had picked it up from.

As Lilith had picked up her bottle Jack had noticed how red her hands are. He reaches over and gently takes hold of her right wrist.

"Jack." Hisses Ianto, trying to warn Jack off.

Jack does not realise the warning. "What have you done to your hands?" He asks.

Ianto winces. "Jack...No!" Says Ianto, he knows, in the past he has done similar.

Lilith freezes and blushes. "I... I cleaned my hands." She says, pulling her arm away from Jack and holding it to her body.

It is only then that Jack realises. "Oh sorry... OCD, right?"

"Yes." Says Lilith quietly. "Do not take it personally... I scrubbed my hands after dealing with you, your wounds." Lilith says.

"Because I am an alien?" Asks Jack curiously.

"No!... No!" Says Lilith. "It could have been anyone. I try and avoid touching, shaking hands, it does not matter who the person is. I just cannot do the touching. I have to scrub, wash or gel my hands." She explains. "I have got better, much better... I picked you up and carried you, god that is an achievement for me."

"You have a business, surely it must be hard?" Says Jack, he wants to know.

"It is but that is why I have a good manager. The business almost runs itself now." Lilith replies.

Jack looks at Ianto, he does not think he does this but then... "Do you do this also Ianto?" He asks, he wants to know and understand.

"I have at odd times when things get bad." Ianto admits.

"It must be so difficult for you both." Jack says.

Ianto and Lilith look at each other. "Yes." They says together.

Ianto laughs. "We do get into some messy situations working for Torchwood." He says. "I sometimes have had four, five even six showers a day. Though with my job I have found I have been able to channel my OCD in a constructive way."

"How long have you known about yours?" Lilith asks Ianto.

"Mine developed through childhood." Replies Ianto.

"Mine is relatively new... Since... Since... " Lilith stutters to a stop, she is talking about it again. She swallows. "Can... Canary Wharf." She says challenging herself to say it... She needs to move forward with her life, this could be good for her. These two males could be the answer... Torchwood could be the answer, well there is a revelation.

"I still have bad days." Says Ianto. "But as I says I channel mine into my work"

"And we run all the better for it." Says Jack. "If it was not for Ianto my job would be so difficult, he knows where everything is, he is organised in a chaotic environment, we have very large archives which is now so organised we no longer spend days looking for something."

Lilith looks at Ianto. "Can you help me?" She says. "My nut doctor gives me exercises to do, and tasks but she does not understand as she does not have OCD nor been in the same situations that triggered it."

"I can help you so it isn't a battle all the time... Show you how to channel it into everyday tasks... To use the OCD as an advantage not a disadvantage." Ianto says.

"Thank you Ianto." Replies Lilith. She takes four more sips of her beer and puts the bottle back down exactly as it was.

Jack watches the interaction between Ianto and Lilith... He feels at peace... He is at peace, for he knows she is going to be the one that keeps Ianto a live for him... She will protect him if he cannot... Jack can trust her, that when they are out on a dangerous missions, if Ianto is not with him, he will be with her and she will protect him, in fact, she will protect both of them... Where is all this coming from? Her name echoes out from their future to him from his past, he now knows her name... She is going to be great and so is... He looks at Ianto... Hmmm... He looks back at Lilith, her name? Oh yes the here and now... "Lilith, we have your surname already on our files." Jack says.

"Have you?" Says Lilith, not giving anything away.

"Yes, starting back from 1969." Says Jack.

"Well that is before I was born." Lilith says,

"I know, the file is for a Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart." Jack replies. "Now a Sir."

Lilith fidgets slightly. "Well that would be my grandfather then." She says.

"So your grandfather is the founder of UNIT?" Asks Jack already knowing the answer.

"Yes... UNIT... The, if it is alien shoot it then shoot it a second time and a third for good measure... UNIT that destroys families but will never let them go... UNIT that promises to protect families against aliens then fails..." Lilith takes a deep breath. "My grandmother committed suicide, the human mind is to frail to comprehend, to know certain things, she lost her only son to... to... My father and mother... My father was also a member of UNIT, were killed. The official report said car accident, the unofficial was an alien attack, it...he was punishing my grandfather for helping another alien. My mother was an innocent casualty. UNIT thought they could ride rough shod over me, my career, because of my grandfather. The end of the line finishes with me... My daughter will not be joining the military." Lilith tells Jack, opening up to him and Ianto. "My life has been filled with tragedy and pain."

"I am sorry." Says Jack sincerely. "I did not mean to upset you. Though we have no connection with UNIT there are times when we work in conjunction with them even sometimes sharing information or they send artefacts to us to identify... I too disagree with their methods and UNIT really dislike me... It was UNIT that warned us off from you... You are off limits... We were threatened with the Tower of London and our heads on spikes."

"Did they?" Says Lilith. "Well it is lucky you don't listen to them... It is possibly why my grandfather has summoned me to dinner on Tuesday night in Bristol, to see what I am up to and to warn me about you. They think because of whose grand-daughter I am, they can interfere." She explains. "I tried to stay in the regular army but they kept interfering in that... My unit and I kept being leased to UNIT for special missions. They have a lot to answer for."

Jack watches her blue eyes, when she is angry her eyes seem to flare, the pupils. The anger and pain... What about her husband? No he will not bring him up... He will wait for her, she will open up over time.

Ianto watches her, she is getting stressed out. She is moving the salt and pepper pot, lining them up, moving them one behind the other and her foot is taping, just slightly. Rhythm of four. He needs to get her and Jack away from this difficult subject. "Jack, drink your water." He says. "Fluid intake."

"He can be so bossy sometimes." Jack says. "I would go as far as saying, domineering."

Lilith looks at Ianto then back at Jack. Ianto is good. "He is right, you do need to drink plenty. I would think blood loss for any species would be bad but is helped with the ingestion of fluids, water, regardless of what the body is capable of." She says, her foots stops tapping, following Ianto's distraction.

"Hmmm." Jack muses. "One of you domineering and one of you commanding... I am not going to get away with much but I could put those traits to good use." He purrs.

Lilith looks at Ianto. "Is he like this with everyone?" She asks.

"More or less." Replies Ianto.

"How do you put up with it?" Lilith asks.

"If he upsets me to much I put him on decaf for the day and ignore him." Replies Ianto.

"He can be so cruel." Pouts Jack.

"Those lips Jack." Ianto laughs, feeling comfortable with Lilith,

Lilith looks between the two males... Her heart races. A warmth, an internal smile, not reaching her face but she can feel it. This is what she needs. "His pouting lips are rather endearing." She comments.

Both Ianto and Jack look at her, they smile so beautifully at her.

"There is me thinking my charms don't work on you." Says Jack, cheekily.

"Oh they don't." Says Lilith seriously. "I just know what is beautiful and you two definitely fall into the category of beautiful."

Ianto blushes.

"Wow." Jack gasps. "You are going to have me blushing at this rate."

Lilith starts to collect their plates, trying to distract herself. She takes them through to the kitchen. Ianto puts the serving dishes back on the tray and follows Lilith to the kitchen. Jack stands and goes to the wall that surrounds the roof garden. Lilith has a lovely view across the bay.

Ianto soon returns with another bottle of water for Jack and a beer for himself. He joins Jack at the wall; he passes the water to Jack. Jack puts an arm around Ianto's waist as they stand there looking across the bay.

"How is you back now?" Jack asks, remembering how bruised it was.

"I have not thought about it, I have been worrying about you all day." Says Ianto.

Lilith stands by the door for a moment, just watching her two new acquaintances, possibly friends, definitely new boss and work colleague. They look good together; they obviously care about each other. She goes over to them. She climbs up on to the wall next to Ianto and sits.

Jack looks at her; she shows no fear of the height at which they are.

Lilith sees his worried look. "I am passed the suicide part." She says, looking out across the bay. "Well I never really... A week after the event, after I discharged myself from hospital, I sat in a locked room with a loaded gun in front of me for nearly forty-eight hours... I just looked at the gun... I could not pick it up... Suicide was not a way for me... I have a daughter." She looks down at Jack and Ianto. "No, never pointless suicide... I would give my life for a reason, the right person or persons but not that... I am a bit of an adrenaline junky though or I was, always was from a young age... Jumping from planes, climbing, rafting, canoeing, fast cars. I have a bike in storage but I have not done anything since... Since then as that buzz would make me feel alive." She explains.

"Did you not feel a buzz when you chased off those Weevils?" Jack asks, still on edge.

"Oh yes." She replies. "Hence sitting up here."

"You like fast cars then you are going to love Jack's driving." Says Ianto. "That is an adrenaline rush or do I mean adding a few hundred years to you."

"Really." Lilith replies. "Hmmm I might give you a rush and take you two for a ride on my bike then sometime... That is an adrenaline rush."

Both men smile. "We will look forward to that." They say together.

Jack yawns.

Ianto looks at Jack concerned. "Perhaps we should get you bed." Says Ianto.

"Really? Both of you?" Jack says.

"That is not what he meant Jack." Says Lilith getting down off the wall.

Jack relaxes, he was afraid for her. "One can hope." Jack breathes.

"Jack you need to get some rest." Says Ianto.

"Ok." Concedes Jack, yes he still is recovering.

Jack and Ianto head back to the guest bedroom, followed by Lilith. Ianto gets Jack sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Ok. There is a TV. in the bottom of the bed." Explains Lilith, picking up a remote control, she presses a bottom and the TV. rises from the bottom of the bed.

"Flashy... I like that." Says Jack... It is a gadget.

"If you need water or coffee help yourself from the kitchen. If there is a problem during the night I am just up stairs." Says Lilith.

"Thank you Lilith." Says Ianto.

"Yes thank you for the meal and for letting us stay here." Says Jack sincerely.

"That is ok. Goodnight gentlemen." Lilith says.

"Goodnight." Says Ianto and Jack together.

Lilith close the bedroom door. She clears everything away from their evening meal. She scrubs everything, tidies everything until it is just so. Clean and uniformed; tidy.

Soon all three are asleep. Ianto and Jack cuddled up together. Lilith spread out across her bed.