Doomsday
a Torchwood story
by RoadrunnerGER
Dislaimer: Oh, really! They're the BBC's.
Suspense/hurt/comfort – T – Ianto Jones & Jack Harkness
A/N: Thank you everyone for your comments. Once I had the idea for the static scenery I knew it was a challenge because it's not easy to write. Your feedback encourages me to keep going. Well, we're closing in on the interaction. I'll do my best to keep the wait between the chapters as short as possible, but you know how it goes… Anyway, I'm glad that you like the story. Thanks. Special thanks to bammi1 this time because she helped out while my beta was on vacation. Enjoy!
Chapter 21 – Anomalies
London
"What are we doing here?" Owen asked as Colonel Mace led them farther into the Millennium Dome. "We should continue with searching the tower."
"You can return to it soon enough," Mace said, stopping in front of a door guarded by UNIT soldiers who stepped aside for their commanding officer. "Come."
Still rather annoyed Owen followed Mace. They had crossed the Thames in a boat, not knowing where the colonel was taking them. To both their surprise they had entered the Dome.
It was then that Owen got a suspicion what they were going to see. As a doctor he was familiar with general emergency procedures. They were not going to a triage. That was on the plaza. This was no hospital either.
Owen's anxiety increased as he now stepped into a chamber that turned out to be a connection to another hall. From there they went to a room that was now obviously used as an observation room. Through a window they looked out at the centre of the Dome that was under construction. Freshly built structures which would later divide different recreation areas allowed the UNIT personnel to separate the people housed there.
"You brought the survivors here?" Suzie said.
"We did. And surely you can see why."
"Tell me anyway," she replied.
"Those people fled the tower. We had to stop them. What do you think they will tell everyone? An alien invasion? We'll have to deal with them. That can take days. Weeks, even. Months."
"Well, you could always… Ouch!"
Suzie glowered at him.
"Did you want to suggest retconning them?" Mace grinned sourly. "Don't look at me shocked like that. UNIT knows about your little wonder drug. Fact is that Director Hartman was not willing to share the compound's secret with us. You don't want to break with that habit, do you?"
"That's something that only the head of Torchwood can decide," Suzie told him.
Mace huffed. "As we noticed earlier Director Hartman is in no condition to make such a decision. So it's up to you, right?"
"No, Colonel Mace, it isn't," Suzie said.
"So far we could not find any Torchwood official among the survivors," Mace let her know.
"Well, in that case Captain Harkness takes over the leadership of the Institute."
Colonel Mace snorted with undisguised disgust. "Captain Harkness?" he huffed. "You can't seriously consider…"
"Why not, Colonel?" Suzie interrupted him brusquely. "As the leader of Torchwood Cardiff he is the highest ranking Torchwood officer right now. So he automatically assumes the directorship."
"We'll see, agent Costello," Mace replied.
"There's nothing to see or to argue about," Suzie said. "And now we want to go down there to get a general idea of what we're dealing with. Then we can decide what we'll have to do."
Her tone did not leave room for arguments. She turned on her heels and Mace's only choice was to lead them down to the survivors.
xXx
Cardiff
When Jack returned into the Hub through the cog door he found Toshiko at her workstation. Wordlessly he sagged onto the sofa.
"Do we have some coffee left?" he sighed.
"Hmm, I'll check on it, but I don't think so," Toshiko replied. "What were you up to?"
"I had to make sure nobody could fall in through the hole the Cyberman punched into the roof," Jack grumbled and pointed tiredly up to the ceiling. "It's too far away from the lift to be covered by the perception filter."
"Oh."
"Yeah," Jack chuckled bitterly. "Oh's quite right."
For a moment they sat in silence before Toshiko said, "Thank you, Jack."
Surprised he looked over at her.
"What for?"
"That you arranged the talk with my mother, Jack," Toshiko meekly replied. "You didn't have to do that. Domo arigato. Thank you very much."
A small and yet warm smile spread on his features. "No problem."
"You won't get in trouble for breaking the rules, will you?"
Jack's heart ached for his technician as he shook his head. He did not even think about that before he arranged the call. That Toshiko worried about it hurt.
"No, Tosh," he softly said. "Nobody will get in trouble. Don't worry."
She did not look convinced but nodded anyway.
"What are you worrying about?" Jack gently asked. "About your contract? I told you there's nothing to worry about."
"I… just don't want to… I can't go back to that place," Toshiko breathed. "I'm sure you had to agree to some rules to get me out of UNIT's prison. You told me, only limited contact with my mother. I don't want to risk that UNIT finds out and will come and…"
"Stop right there, Tosh," Jack said as he got up from the sofa and walked over to her. Gently he took her chin and tilted up her head to face him. "I won't allow it. This is an emergency. To hell with the rules. They'll either agree with me or face my wrath. Got me?" he smirked. "Nothing bad will happen to you."
"Not from UNIT, you mean?" she could not help but tease. "Torchwood's not the safest job on earth."
"No, it's not."
"Yeah, given all those aliens and Cybermen… Well, you told me so before I made my decision," Toshiko sighed.
"Do you regret it?" Jack asked. Secretly he was scared that the young woman would confirm his suspicion.
"Not for a second."
Proudly Jack smiled down at Toshiko. Brilliant, courageous, and beautiful what more could a guy want?
Just for a split second there Jack followed unchaste thoughts.
"Jack?" Toshiko pushed suspiciously. "What's that twinkle in your eyes?"
"Ah, you know me, Tosh," he smirked. "We just survived a global catastrophe. I'm sure we could find some creative ways to celebrate."
"Oh, really?" she teased. "Well, a cute guy like you should have no problem finding someone to be creative with."
"You think I'm cute?" Jack queried with obvious confusion.
"Ah, well, you know… I mean."
"You think I'm more than just cute, right?" he challenged and saw her blush adorably.
Toshiko was not able to look him in the eye anymore so Jack gently took her chin again to tilt her head back up.
"Do you think I'm hot?" he asked lasciviously.
No words came to her mind. It was all Toshiko could do not to turn and run. Jack's face was right in front of hers and she got lost in his sparkling blue eyes while his male scent went straight to her head.
Jack looked into her big dark eyes and bent forward just a fraction.
"You do think that I'm hot, right?" he said hoarsely.
"Y-yes," she breathed so lowly that Jack almost missed it.
The captain's immediate response was to softly cover her lips with his own. His free arm slipped around her slender form to pull her a little closer and he sensed her shudder in his embrace. Her lips were trembling but she made no attempt to evade him. So he carefully intensified the kiss, caressing her with his lips until he felt a low gasp. Then he allowed himself to explore a little more and push his tongue out. The tip of his tongue danced over her lips, tickling, teasing, demanding entrance…
And Toshiko granted him access.
Putting all his extensive experience into this one kiss Jack brought her close to delirium as he noticed when she slightly sagged in his arms. Slowly and carefully he finished the kiss and drew back, steadying her with both arms now.
"I knew some creativity couldn't hurt," he said with a gentle smile. "Thank you, Tosh. For everything."
Making sure she would keep standing he released her.
Toshiko could just stare at him. She was absolutely certain that he did not thank her for the kiss. It was something that went so much deeper than that. Something he would never admit to.
"And you're really sure there's no coffee left?" Jack asked out of the blue. "I need some coffee! I should have brought some when I was out taking care of the hole in the roof."
For a second Toshiko was hurt. Then this is so much Jack, she realized. It's his way of telling me that he cares deeply… but would never overstep the line unless I invite him to.
"I should go and get some coffee before the Rift throws the next challenge at us," Jack said, smiling warmly at Toshiko. Oh, he sure would love to shag her, but she was a no-no and he would not break the taboo he created himself. Toshiko had been so badly used before that he did not want her to get hurt again.
"Do that, Jack," Toshiko replied lightly. "I could do with coffee, too. I'll keep an eye on the Rift."
"Thank you," Jack said again before he went down the stairs and to the cog door.
xXx
Torchwood Tower
conversion unit
Unfortunately singing the Welsh National Anthem did not impress the Cyberman at all. Ianto was still trying to block out its voice, but after the last line was sung he had to pause. His mouth was dry, but that was not the only reason he stopped. With horror he noticed that he had trouble recalling the lyrics. It was hard to concentrate and he yearned for something to drink.
Mmm, a cool beer would be nice. Or one of those drinks Lisa loves so much.
He choked.
Loved so much, he corrected himself. Lisa is dead.
Grief corded up his throat.
Quickly he tried to think of something to distract him. For some reason an old Welsh song came to his mind that his mother used to sing to his sister Rhiannon. Even though she was a few years older than Ianto he could remember it clearly. So he sang about Myfanwy, but the more he sang the more jumbled the song became until he could no longer keep the unwanted images of the converted Lisa at bay anymore. They painted a warped picture of the woman he loved, not human anymore but not quite Cyberman either with skin remaining visible despite the augmented cybernetic parts.
Her face was the worst.
The sight of the saws above blurred and he closed his eyes which made matters worse as he now saw Lisa with her lovely, beautiful face framed by the ugly helmet. No words could adequately describe the horror Ianto felt when he remembered her like that.
As his actual vision clouded his memories sharpened. Lisa, neck and shoulders covered by metal. Her head as well. None of her beautiful curls showing anymore. Instead a metal helmet with connected antennae. Metal strands spreading across her body like muscles.
I couldn't see her legs, but she made the same loud clanks as the Cybermen, so her long and slender legs must've been covered with a metal hull as well.
He choked.
I could see her dark skin, her full lips and her familiar features, but her eyes were empty. No recognition. A Cyberman.
His eyes burnt with tears that would not come.
How did she look without that stuff? How did her hair curl around her head? How did she smile?
As hard as he tried, Ianto could only recall the cybercaricature of her.
Is that how I'll remember her? A warped rip-off of the woman I loved?
A bitter laugh escaped him.
I don't think that I'll have to worry much about that. It doesn't look like anyone's coming and if nobody gets me out of this thing I'll sooner or later be rat food.
Thirst! How long have I been trapped here already? It was late afternoon when we went back into ghost shift, wasn't it? He rolled his eyes and sighed. There's not much light. Artificial at that. Well, what little there is. The power's back on, isn't it? So why isn't there more light? It's just the little bit that was there before. More light would be good. Why? I wouldn't see better. Must be the thirst. It's starting to affect me. Sooner or later I'll hallucinate.
The Cyberman was not a hallucination. It kept on repeating the same sentences over and over again.
Well, I think I prefer death by thirst over upgrading.
Ianto fought his rising depression.
I can't know if I'm right. It's still possible that there are search and rescue teams. I have to believe in it and fight my fear! It can take some time, though. We were high up in the tower already when we were caught and the Cybermen took us further upstairs. I didn't count then, but we must be pretty near to the top, somewhere between storey forty and fifty.
That thought made him shiver.
Whoever's going into the tower has to do it with the necessary caution. They can't run blindly into trouble. How much time will it take them to reach this floor?
That was a question that was not easy to answer. Aside from the possible threats that still existed inside Torchwood, Ianto could imagine that the fight between the aliens had also caused a lot of damage. That also could make the approach difficult.
His musings could distract Ianto for a while, but when he ran out of arguments and his thoughts slowed down he heard it again, the chants of the Cyberman.
"Dammit!" he swore. "Can't you stop that?"
"We do not recognize your authority," the Cyberman replied. "You fear us. You do not need to fear. Cybermen will remove fear."
Oh, stop listening, Ianto ordered himself. Or it'll drive you crazy!
He chuckled.
"As if that would matter anymore!" he laughed. "Why shouldn't I go mad? This whole life is absurd, and death's the final word, but like they said, you must always face the curtain with a bow…"
"Death is irrelevant," the Cyberman threw in. "It does not matter. You will become like us."
"I don't think so," Ianto replied challengingly. "I'm not compatible, you know?"
For a moment the Cyberman remained silent before it said, "Then you will be deleted."
"You know what?" Ianto huffed. "Fine with me!"
"Humans that are not compatible will be deleted. Anyone else will become like us. We are the Cybermen."
A wicked grin cracked Ianto's features.
"Who cares?" he laughed. "Life's a piece of shit! It's a laugh and death's a joke. I laugh in their faces! Laugh with me? No?"
"Laughing is irrelevant."
"I think it's liberating!" Ianto shouted happily. "You think you're good at slogans? Let me tell you, I can repeat myself, too!" And with that he began to sing again, "Keep 'em laughing as you go, just remember that the last laugh is on you. And always look on the bright side of life," and he whistled the song's hook. "Always look on the right side of life."
Whistling again he started his own loop.
tbc…