UNCLEAN SPIRIT PART TWELVE

Owen hurriedly searched Ianto's desk rather gobsmacked to find a battered copy of the bible in amongst a pile of other reference texts that were housed under his computer desk. Owen had never taken Ianto as a religious sort but quickly quashed the thought, dammit he was in a hurry. He found 'Messiah' as well and grabbing the bag of salt he raced back down to the cells ignoring Gwen and Tosh as he swept past them. He practically skidded to a halt at the sight of his boss sitting on the floor with a very fragile looking Welshman in his arms.

"Is he ok?"

Jack's look spoke volumes as Ianto eased himself to unsteady feet and held out his hands for the items that Owen had brought with him. Owen passed them casting his doctor's eye over the young man.

"Ianto mate....."

"It's fine Owen, really."

Jack got to his feet. "Ok, so what happens now?"

Ianto looked from one to the other, his pale face seemingly ghoulish under the lights. "Owen will need to lock us in the cells and monitor via the CCTV. You and I will be in there." He gestured. "We need to get on."

"Am I talking to Michael or Ianto?"

"We can both hear you Jack, but Michael is the one speaking to you. If Ianto is in any danger of not making it through this I will ensure you can speak to him before his passing."

Jack nodded. "Fine. Owen, lock us in."

Reluctantly Owen did as he was asked before charging back up to the Hub.

As he stormed in he yelled at Gwen. "Bring up the cells on the monitor. I'm going to get the autopsy bay prepped for Ianto."

Gwen and Tosh gathered at Tosh's desk to watch.

Jack checked that Owen had in fact locked the door behind them. He was immediately aware of a crawling sensation up his spine as Elam's eyes fell upon him.

"Well, well, can't face me alone Michael, you must be weaker than I thought. This is going to be so easy."

Michael/Ianto appeared to ignore the taunt as he moved a chair close to where Jack stood.

"Please be seated Jack."

Jack smiled at the calm good manners and watched in curiosity as Ianto drew a circle of salt around the feet of the chair.

"You must remain within the circle, if you cross the boundary I cannot protect you. Do not under any circumstances leave this circle no matter what I say, no matter what you see, until this is done."

Jack sighed worriedly. "And how will I know that?"

Ianto faced him with wide apologetic eyes. "Either he will be dead, or I will be, or we both will be." He pressed the bible into Jack's grip. "I know you do not believe, not even sure that Ianto does, but it will protect you. Find your faith Jack, if not in God, then in Ianto, he will need your faith, I will need your faith."

A thump against the security glass distracted them and Elam fixed his gaze on Jack.

"How could he possibly have faith in the man who ran from him for another? Who fucks his way through life like an umtempered storm? One who will always live when everything dies."

"Silence!"

Jack had to cover his hears and Elam shrieked and backed off a pace. Ianto heaved in a breath and returned his focus to Jack who lowered his hands and grasped the book. Damn it, it was just a bloody book, what the Hell use was that? Lips brushed against his forehead.

"Trust yourself and trust me. You must not listen to that thing in there." There was a tangible electrical charge in the air and Jack felt his skin crawling again and he watched as Ianto opened up the second book and lay it at his feet as he stood facing the cell. Ianto's left hand was outstretched toward him and his right was hanging limp at his side. "You ready Jack?"

Jack nodded, feeling slightly foolish about the situation. "Yes, I'm ready." He replied wondering where the foolishness had come from and suddenly he was flooded with doubt as the life was agonisingly sucked out of him. His fingers contracted around the book and his scream echoed silently in his own head as the light of the vortex streamed from his chest and through Ianto's hand. He could hear Ianto's voice, a deep Welsh timbre that bounced around inside his skull, but the words were foreign to him. Jack forced his eyes open against the blinding light unable to see the young man in front of him. The world was a blur of spinning colours too brilliant to comprehend and far too bright for him to tolerate. He caught the scent of the stench of decay and rot and then just as quickly he smelt flowers and herbs and heard birdsong.

It suddenly became deathly quiet and a single hissing voice lanced through his brain like a hot knife.

"Jack! See how frail he is."

Ianto was there crumpled on the floor.

"See how weak he is....he will not survive this and you will lose him forever. Can you stand to be alone forever Jack?"

Jack stared unable to respond, and unable to turn his terrified gaze away.

"I can immortalise him Jack, give you both forever, save you from your grief, make you happy for eternity."

Jack squeezed his eyes shut, trying to remember Ianto's words, reciting them like a mantra. "Don't listen, don't listen." But he wanted this so much, to have someone beside him through out the long centuries ahead. Isn't that what love was meant to be? Forever?

"You can have forever Jack. You can."

There, it was the stars spread out before him and looking down Jack saw Ianto's hand gripped in his. Their eyes met and Jack felt an overwhelming joy that threatened to drown him.

Ianto turned his head feeling the weakening of Jack's resolve as he spoke age old incantations. Michael reached out to touch Jack, brush his wandering mind with a single frightening thought.

"He's lying Jack! Ianto does not want this. It will imprison his soul and he will hate you for it."

Jack lurched, pitching forward, but he managed to hold his place and properly see past the vision and he was met with Ianto's gaze as he continued to speak. He saw Elam shrinking away in the back of the cell, hissing and screaming foul obscenities, but blotted it out totally focussed on the young man before him as his life continued to ebb away through Ianto's hand.

How Long now? He glanced at the walls as they bled and the glass as it vibrated with a high pitched buzz, the lights above them whining and flickering and the air rushing hotly around his ears. Jacks own tears stung his face but he managed a smile for Ianto's sake as he accepted the lie for what it was and the curse of his own future.

Elam wailed pitifully then rose to his feet and pounded on the glass. "I will take you with me, you will fall into the abyss at my side..... we will both die here.... save yourself Michael, let me go, save yourself!"

Michael appeared to falter and the hand directing Jack's energy dropped slightly and Jack's eyes widened angrily.

"Ianto! Keep going, you're almost there. Ianto!"

The hand wavered then rose again and Jack almost passed out as another surge of energy coursed out of him. The glass was fracturing and the monster behind it screamed again, clawing to get out as it was revealed for the vile thing that it was, skeletal and deformed.

The light overwhelmed the room and last thing Jack remembered before he blacked out was the smell of flowers again.