Time's Heart: Fiery Twin
A Doctor Who Fanfiction
Rating T
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, Torchwood, or any corporate entity mentioned herein. Original characters are available for use with permission.
AN: One more to go…
X Fiery Twin X
"We're going home soon. Amser called me this morning."
A genuine grin touched his lips as a grateful sob caught in his throat.
That night was Ianto's happiest since the rift had spit him out in Pete's World.
X Fiery Twin X
Theta lay in the snow shaking, scared of what was coming. He didn't want to change, to end. This form was his favorite. He had made some of the best friends of his existence with this face. Fell in love, more deeply than he'd ever thought possible.
A soft hand touched the back of his head and a larger one his arm.
"Come on up ye get."
"It's time to go."
He shook his head as he pushed himself up. Two pairs of hands supported him as he staggered. Lifting his eyes he started, shocked to see Jack standing next to Ood Sigma, his beloved Susan on the Ood's other side.
"Come on Doc, can't be that bad right? You might even get ginger this time."
"It'll be all right Grandfather. I promise."
Theta nearly fell again hearing their words. Gently turning him, the twins helped him towards the waiting time ship and the two blonds standing to either side of her doors. Once again shock poured through his changing veins. For there were the oldest and youngest of his children. Dúrdhor's eyes were now crystal blue and contained a peace he had never had in his younger years.
"I've a new name now Father, since I'm not in the dark anymore."
"Yeah?"
The younger Time Lord smiled softly. "Illuminarius."
"Mouthful."
He shrugged. "You always did say that I was a handful."
Jenny held open to doors as the twins released him to go on alone. "I'll see you soon Dad."
Turning sharply he staggered. Jenny was grinning at him. "What do you mean?"
Jenny just kept grinning as she closed Verity's doors. "Who do you think introduced me to Theseus?"
Staring at the closed doors for a moment, a thought entered his head, that too clever head of his. "You knew."
Verity brightened the interior lights briefly in her version of a shrug. Tugging at him mentally, she pulled him to her controls. She knew that this one was going to hurt. He had put it off too long. And she was the one likely to pay the price for it. But, she reflected as they shifted into space, that was her burden to bare for having chosen such a vibrant child to be her bonded.
. . .
"Geronimo!"
. . .
'Oh dear.' was Verity's only thought as they started plummeting back to Earth.
X Fiery Twin X
A light persistent knocking on the front door finally drew the devoted rugby watcher from his seat with a groan. "Of all the times to interrupt. It's a special Christmas match you know." His muttering was interrupted by a louder knock. "I'm coming."
With a few more muttered curse in Welsh, he unlatched the door and opened it just enough to stare at the bottle blond woman standing on his front stoop. "What's it you want then?"
With a small smile the woman nodded, "Are you Rhys Williams?"
"Aye."
Pulling a small mobile out of her purple jacket's pocket, she handed it to him. "Expect a call the day before New Years eve." She turned and started to walk away.
"Wait. Who are you?"
Turning to look to look back at him, her brown eyes dancing, Rose replied, "A friend of Ianto Jones."
Looking down at the phone, Rhys couldn't help but be confused. "But…" When he looked up the woman was gone, nothing but the wheezing sound of an engine carrying on the wind to mark her passage.
… Four days later the phone rang.
X Fiery Twin X
January was bitterly cold in Cardiff, but this year Jack didn't notice. This year he didn't have his Ianto to whine to, or curl up with. This year his grandson wasn't there to give presents to, or to build snowmen with. Earth had become a graveyard. Even the Doctor was gone, changed again. Looking up to the stars he waited, Gwen should be arriving soon. A lonely tear broke through his defenses as a cold breeze caressed his cheek. "Goddesses I miss you."
The sound of a car engine dying drew his attention down to the bottom of the hill. Gwen and Rhys were headed for him. Rhys fell back as the now heavily pregnant woman marched up to Jack.
"Hello Jack."
"You look good."
Gwen let out a little laugh. "I look pregnant." she sighed knowing full well why her friend had called her here. "How were your travels? Are you going to stay now?"
Jack shook his head. "No. I've been all over the Earth, it's just… it's turned into a graveyard. I can't come back. Not yet. The only reason I stayed this long was Scribe."
She nodded, not really expecting a different answer, though she had hoped. "Where will you go?"
He gestured to the sky. "There's a freighter just waiting for my signal to go."
Scribe's words about some things being meant echoed through Gwen's mind as she started to cry. "Then you'll be needing a couple of things." Pulling Jack's vortex manipulator from her pocket, she smiled wistfully. "Found this in the rubble. Indestructible. And something else." She motioned Rhys forward. When he reached her side, he handed Jack a plain brown leather rucksack. "It was in the vault leaning up against Sardit's doors. It was the only room left intact."
"Gotta love Time Lord tech." Jack took the bag from Gwen's husband, before stepping back. "How'd you know this was for me?"
"The tag. Wasn't hard to figure out."
Reading the tag had Jack nearly in tears again. In Ianto's neat script it read 'Iti anwylyd. Always, Ianto.' *(for you beloved)*
"I think he meant to give it to you as a Yule gift." Gwen stepped up to her friend. Taking his arm, she fastened the thick band of his vortex manipulator onto his wrist. "That's better."
Rhys scowled fiercely at the immortal. "You better visit. Can't have the baby wondering where her godfather is, now can we?"
Jack nodded. "Yeah." He shook hands with him and hugged Gwen one last time. "Time to go." Hitching the rucksack higher on his shoulder he keyed in the sequence to transport away.
As the light from his transport faded, Rhys hugged his now weeping wife. "Don't worry he'll be home soon. Ianto won't let him stay away for long."
"Ianto?"
"Rang a few days ago. Said he'd be home within the week."
Wrenching herself away from her husband, Gwen slapped his arm with all the strength she had. "Why didn't you tell me that he was alive?"
Rhys held his hands up in defence. "He told me not to. He said he wanted to surprise you and Jack. I think that he'll be mad that Jack left though."
"You should have told us."
He shrugged. "No worries. He'll be back. Ianto said if Jack left to let him. Said he'd come running after he got his presents."
Gwen stared at Rhys for a moment before shaking her head and stalking off to the car. Rhys just shrugged. Oh, the things he put up with for his wife's coworkers. Shaking his head with a small smile, he joined his wife in their car.
X Fiery Twin X
"That should do it." Tosh's voice come from nowhere as the screen on the tiny vid player lit up to show Ianto seated in front of a white wall.
"Is it on?"
"It's working now." Tosh paused. "Mabon don't touch that."
Ianto smiled softly as he stared out of the screen. "Hello Jack. Umm, Happy Yule or Christmas. Never did quite figure out which you celebrated, if either. But Happy Yule anyways." He paused, tipping his head as he looked behind the camera. Rolling his eyes he straightened his head. "Sorry. This is a music video journal, that Owen, Tosh, and a couple of other friends helped me put together. There are about thirty seven or so tracks, that I know of. And, umm, you can blame the Hamster Dance on Mickey. He seemed to think you'd like it. Anyways Tosh…"
"Mabon don't chew on the cables."
"Tosh is having issues. She was a big help getting this together. I swear that she has one of the largest music libraries of anyone on this planet and probably several other ones. Owen says hi. He's waving from the door."
"Ten seconds."
"There's a special track near the end, or middle. Twenty-two. I think you'll like it anwylyd." Ianto smiled brightly just before the screen faded into the first track, Voodoo Child by the Rogue Traders.
X Fiery Twin X
Jack bobbed his head along as he lay the little iPod on the bar. Lifting his glass of hyper vodka to his lips, he was startled to see a note stuck to the bottom. Pulling it off, he read the carefully written words. 'His name is Alonso.' Looking around he was confused to see the Doctor staring sadly at him from near the door. With a sigh Jack realized that it must be time for his friend to change. It was sad thought, though he had been there with the others not more than a month prior. A quick salute and his adopted brother was gone.
Glancing at the young human to his left, Jack realized that this must be Alonso. Popping an ear-bud out, he turned more fully to see the sadness on the other man's face. "Care to tell me about it?"
Alonso looked up to see a very handsome man looking at him with sad blue eyes. "I'm sorry?"
Offering a hand Jack repeated his question. Well if the Doctor had pointed him out then he must need help. "I'm the Captain."
"Alonso." the young man looked down quickly before looking up again, "Captain who?"
"Just Captain. You know like the Doctor."
Alonso blushed. "Oh. You know him too?"
With a grin Jack ordered two more drinks. "He's my brother." Leaning in like he was telling a great secret, Jack whispered. "And let me tell you, I think he's insane."
The young man laughed startled.
"I mean have you seen some of the stuff he's done. And of course he's got the Goddesses own luck, rarely a scratch on him."
By the time he left Alonso giggling his head off in his hotel room, Jack had realized that the Doctor was right. Sometimes all you need is a friend.
Putting his ear-buds back in Jack began the long walk back to his own rooms across town. Pushing play he was startled to hear his own voice. As a tear slid down his cheek he smiled. Ianto always had liked it when he had sung to him, and 'Heaven' always was his favorite song.
X Fiery Twin X
AN2: This is a real play list, you can find it on YouTube under this story's title 'Time's Heart'