Kathy+C - First off, don't you DARE kill that child. Ianto would never forgive you if you did. Second, don't you think you're being just a bit dramatic with wanting a "death bed" scene. I know, I know, it's your story. And though I may complain, I always come back for more…..Just remember... DON'T KILL THAT BABY!

FranArian - Don't think the baby would survive long enough for an antidote to be made...sad but true. As for Ianto...let's go back to the original stroke idea. Nerve/brain damage is normally irreparable, so it'll definitely take Orin some time (with physio assist) to clear it...I would go for total left sided paralysis, with corresponding visual deficits, complicated by periods of intense neuralgia (nerve pain) in all four limbs, possibly respiratory distress if the misfiring nerves occasionally shut down his diaphragm to some degree...or the virus shows a hemorrhagic factor that causes bleeding in the lungs (could be it caused a brain bleed, hence the stroke and resultant deficits). He's going to be semi-helpless and in a lot of pain as Orin tries to sort him out. No quick fix, even with Jack's genes providing an antidote. Doesn't so much 'cure', as just halt the progression of the virus and allow the generated antibodies to purge it from the body...but any damage already done is permanent (unless you have a Pilot that can slowly reverse it). Evil enough for you? ;}

Wweeellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Kill the baby….don't kill the baby…dramatic or not dramatic…..gods decisions, decisions…..Heh heh

21

Jack storms out. Drew remains unruffled as he works diligently in a bubble of calm.

Jack bursts into his office and slams the door. He grabs the glass paperweight off his desk and throws it against the wall. It shatters. He stops. A moment of hesitation.

He picks up the phone to inform her majesty that Torchwood is in lockdown.

.

.

.

.

Drew looks at Ianto, lying in the bed, eyes completely yellow and lifeless, face and body covered in black-and-blue splotches. His chest rises and falls in short gasps. The baby went downhill in the night and it was both a relief and a horrific shock to learn that Torchwood has cryogenic units. Drew knows that if he fails, they all die.

Like….no pressure there, right?

At least the baby is safely encapsulated and if he does fail, maybe the next team can….who is he kidding. Jack has already explained to the team that he will blow the place with their bodies in it before giving up the secrets of this base. Drew has a strange feeling that Jack would stay down here with them, cradling Ianto until the end.

Tosh stands at Ianto's bedside. She's getting sick too: pale, sweating, starting to cough, but she's more worried about Ianto, who's barely conscious. The scarlet hemorrhagic rash can be seen on his cheeks. Jack is shocked at how far gone Ianto is and knows Orin is working overtime in there as he struggles to keep Ianto alive.

Suddenly Ianto starts convulsing and Drew runs over as Owen shouts "More Valium. Quick."

"We're out." Drew yells, "Shit. Where's the crash cart?"

Owen nods to an auto mechanic -style tool cabinet in the corner. Drew starts for it, but Jack's already there. He punches off the plastic lock, rips open a drawer and grabs a small box labelled Valium. He flips it to... Owen, who in a second, pops it open, pulls out the syringe of Valium and shoots the yellow liquid into Ianto's IV.

He stops seizing.

They are exhausted. No need to hide it as they sit blearily staring at each other and they try to pretend they want the sandwiches offered. Jack is the first to speak, "Ianto is dying."

"I'm doing all I can" Drew answers, poking at a sandwich.

"I'm not doubting that" Jack yawns and stretches, then coughs and sighs.

"You were looking better this morning" Drew says as he eyeballs Jack, "Now you feel sick again?"

"I ….reset in the night" Jack shrugs, "Re-contaminated myself when I came back up here to you guys."

"You shot yourself? Thought I heard a thump" Owen snorts, "God. Ianto hates when you do that shit. I hope you cleaned up your mess, he will have your guts for garters if he gets through this to find a blood splattered shower cubicle."

Drew stares at him as Owen starts to talk about the day ahead and the things that might be done to find more answers, Drew blinks and looks at Owen with confusion then back to Jack, "Wait. A reset means you were not contaminated anymore?"

"Nope" Jack frowns, "anyway. It's just like the flu for me. My 51st Century biology is fighting it from getting as bad as it will for you."

Drew blinks and stares some more.

"Jack. You are creating antibodies." Drew points at him as Owen stops talking, "Shit. Shit. Wait. We need…..wow. Jack, we need some blood to look at. If the antibody is effective, you could use it as a template. Maybe you could save us."

Beat.

"What?" Jack asks quietly in the too silent room.

"If we can get blood, create a template, you reset and are pure once more, then you re-infect so we have bloods to see the differences, I can narrow down or even seize your antibodies." Drew explains as simply as he can, his hands starting to flap excitedly, "Shit, we try it on Ianto, if Orin can sift through the final bits we can't get…within a few hours or so we could have a fucking serum."

"He's right" Owen nods, "Tosh?"

Tosh doesn't answer and they look down the end of the room to find she had slumped over at the end of the table.

.

.

.

.

"I understand" Orin croaks with obvious pain, "I am doing all I can to keep Ianto contained, if we can stop the onslaught I might be able to create the rest of what we need. It is risky but…I know we have little choice."

"If you can't….I want to have Ianto back" Jack said softly, "I know it hurts but he would want to be aware at the end. He needs that."

Tosh lies in the bed next to Ianto, both still apart from the chest movement as the machines work, Owen's hands shaking as he takes more blood.

Jack sits between them, the blood on the collar of his shift showing his reset and he sits watching both of them intently.

This has to work.

Then Drew appears in the doorway holding a large plastic bag of antiserum. Drew moves to hand it off to Owen who connects it to Tosh's IV and the brown fluid flows into Tosh. He sits down beside her. A long beat. Then he touches her face gently. "Hold on Tosh."

Tosh lies with antiserum running through her IV's. Owen's eyes are blood-shot as he watches her intently. He sneezes and sniffles. Jack stares toward Ianto, still so still.

The bag of antiserum is empty as it hangs by Tosh and Jack stands between the beds with a sense of hopelessness.

Owen reaches for Tosh's hand. Her finger twitches.

Beat.

Her eyes open.

They are clear of the virus' yellow hue.

She blinks and then softly smiles up at Owen.

Drew slumps with relief.

.

.

.

.

.

OK? Dramatic without weeping scenes? Hmmmmm…..that baby though. Has to wait until Ianto is stronger, he was the sickest of the lot of them, refusing to leave that baby.

So….

I like the lingering recovery idea. Thinking, either Ianto too weak and Orin has to take control or Orin used too much and Ianto is left like a stroke victim again? I think maybe Tosh oesn't bouce back either, Owen fussing as he makes her rest on the sofa….fluffing that makes her blush? Him panicing that she is sick again? Tells her how much he loves her?

Jack can show some gentle attention to Ianto now? Both couples strengthen their relationships?

Drew finally accepts his body and realises this was what he always wanted? To safe someone else?