How could I deny that face? That smile! It was practically impossible, but after tonight, I'd look at Ianto a different way. I wouldn't see him as the dreamy eye candy I had before I knew he existed…Ianto would be…my Ianto, but not in a way, that most would think.
"I hope those fit." he called from the door. I adjusted the pink shirt, laughing at myself; I had worn men's clothing all my life. Here I was, actually wearing a man's shirt, which an actual man wore. I was amused with myself, putting the vest Jack had provided and managed to put a tie on. I said I'd dress fancy, but I didn't want to wear a dress, and they didn't protest with me. I came out, the sleeves much too long. I held an arm out to Ianto and he laughed,
"A bit big?" he questioned, rolling up my sleeves for me, getting a safety pin to keep them in place at my elbow.
"You guys ready?" Jack came around the corner with a grin on, "Oh look, twins." Ianto and I looked up, and gave Jack a scowl. But I smiled,
"Ready." I said. Jack held out both arms,
"Ladies."
"Jack." Ianto warned, but didn't say anything more; we all linked arms and walked out the door.
I was never fond of carnivals. They always seemed very scary, the rides were unstable and the games were rigged…well not to Ianto. I stood beside him as he tried to teach me how to out do the milk bottle game. I frowned, failing several times. Ianto was determined to let me win, Jack watching and laughing at each miss, smiling the whole time. Throwing tips at me along with Ianto's coaching.
"Now throw it as hard as you can." Ianto had positioned my arms, and backed away. I drew back and flung the ball, knocking down all the milk bottles. I jumped up,
"I did it!" I grinned, looking between Jack and Ianto. The clapped their hands impressed. I wrapped the large mouse stuff's stubby arms around my neck. The man smiled,
"One more round for the best tosser of 2007!"
I froze,
"What did you say?"
"Best tosser of 2007?" he repeated. That wasn't right, I had started in 1999…and now I was in 2007?
"J-Jack." I said panicked, I felt my knees give out, but Ianto and Jack were there to catch me. I was shaking more then I could feel, and Jack looked a little panicked, he nodded to Ianto and lifted me off my feet, taking me to the nearest bench and forcing a couple to move away from it to lay me down. My breathing was shaky, and I was having a real panic attack.
"Bryanna, Bryanna calm down." Jack said placing my hands on my stomach, and using the giant mouse I had just won to prop up my head. He handed Ianto some money and told him to go get some water, "Bryanna, tell me what's wrong. I need to know."
"W-When I got here." I took a breath, calming down, "When I got here it was 1999." I said looking at him, "When I started was eight years ago. I HIKED EIGHT YEARS." I said he put a hand over my mouth,
"Shh." he removed his hand, petting my hair, "If you don't calm down I'll be forced to sedate you, now just…breathe, close your eyes and breathe." I nodded, taking a deep breath.
"Here's the water." with my eyes closed I could only guess it was Ianto, the cold water bottle pressing again my face felt horrible and nice at the same time.
"I called Tosh and Owen, they're on their way. Owen can have a look at her." Ianto frowned, "This must be the worst Birthday ever for her."
"You have NO idea." Jack said, his calming hand through my hair forced my breathing back to a normal pace. The people around me started to stop, and wonder. Jack frowned, "Let's get her out of here." He hoisted me up with a grunt, "You're rather heavy."
"I know." I muttered, and they moved away from the carnival. The streets were almost dead silent when he laid me down at a bus stop. My heart was pounding. It was a surprise I hadn't leaped another few years. But I had been linking arms with Jack…maybe I couldn't take them.
"You said you hiked," Jack commented, he was right beside my head and I opened my eyes, Ianto pacing, looking for the van, "How far?"
"I…I don't know I was at a park…"
"You didn't feel strange? When you got to the base?"
"I felt tired…I walked pretty far though. And I was emotionally…distressed." I said remembering that the Doctor had left me behind. Jack rubbed his temples,
"You didn't shift time when Ianto and I were with you." he muttered.
"We were touching…if that helps." I muttered, taking the water bottle and opening it for a sip.
"There they are!" Ianto interjected, waving the car down. Owen hopped out of it nearly as it stopped; Tosh had a metal box and set it down beside me.
"She had sort of a panic attack." Jack muttered, "She seems fine now."
Owen flashed a light in my eyes, and I opened my mouth. Doing all he told me too during the instructions. Breathed, exhaled, followed his finger, and tilted my head, held out my arm. There was nothing wrong with me.
"Her rift radiation is high." Tosh said, running a scanner over me, "It's recent, she's passed through recently."
"That explains that." Jack said.
"Jack what aren't you telling us?" Ianto said cautiously.
"This is my friend Bryanna Josselyn, from the 2008. She came here from 1999 in a ten mile hike from a park, and now realizes she's been passing through time." he said, "She travels with my Doctor."
"She's not your sister then?" Owen turned to Jack.
"She is." He winked at me, "In a way, brotherly figure, you know me. But she's from the future." I smiled at him, being Jack's little sister figure…Everyone looked at me like I had the answers to the world. I shook my head. Toshiko continued scanning me, continuing to nod, muttering things and heading back into the van.
"Can you walk?" Jack looked at me carefully. I nodded, sitting up, my head feeling a little heavy. I stood, everyone watching carefully like I was going to fall. Which I did. My knees buckled, but Ianto and Jack grabbed either side of me and lifted me back up. I shakily stood, my knees shaking more then the ever had, and I was a performer.
"Ianto, hold her still." Owen and Jack left my side. And Ianto cradled me close; I was wobbling on my feet.
"You're quite a mess." he chuckled nervously. "And yet you smile just like her."
I frowned at what he meant,
"Live. Learn. Forget. Ianto Jones. Live. Learn. Forget." was the last thing I said, before he had to support me fully…for I had held up my record, and passed out once more.
I awoke to a buzzing in my ears, Owen meddling around with monitors and buttons. I removed one of the suction cups on my chest on accident, my monitor going flat line. It seemed that all of Torchwood jumped to the railing and Owen was covering his heart when he saw I had just sat up, Jack was gripping the railing so tight his knuckles had turned white, Ianto was drenched in coffee and was carrying an empty tray, and Toshiko had ripped a paper and half. I stared at all of them, just sitting there in a silence.
"Good…morning?" I said softly, and a little embarrassed that I had caused such a commotion in Torchwood. Toshiko vanished and Jack went to pace around and get air moving. Ianto trotting down the stairs.
"Owen…could I…have a word with her." He said handing the tray to Owen.
"She's not-"
"Please." He said glaring. Ianto and Owen never got along…but Owen looked at me, snatching the tray grumpily and walked off.
"You smell like coffee." I smiled. He laughed a little,
"You gave me a scare." he sighed, sitting on Owen's stool. "What you said yesterday…" he looked at me. I looked away biting my lip.
"How'd you…"
"I know…things."
"Did Jack tell you? To warn you, that I'm a dangerous person."
"No…no." I said, I didn't want to tell anyone that their lives were known. I didn't want to tell anyone that I watched them, "I have…a gift." she said smiling.
"Are you an alien, like Jack?"
"I'm human, one hundred percent. I'm just…a little intoned with my mind." I smiled at him. He stared at me,
"Prove it."
"Come here." I held my hands out. Mimicking the Doctor's cheap mind tricks, he didn't close his eyes when I touched his face, but I closed mine. Racking my brain for some important event. "I see…Lisa." I said softly, "I see…a happy couple…I see…you trying to convince Jack that you should join Torchwood…you rather liked his coat and-" he pulled away. I opened my eyes,
"You can really read all that?" he frowned, "You saw Lisa before…"
"Before she was a Cyberwoman." I said nodding, "Live. Learn. Forget." I said patting him on the head, a childish smile on my face, "Rules I learn to live by." there was an awkward silence between the two of us, and I had no more to say. I looked at him, trying to read his mind now, wishing that I could.
"You want some tea?" he asked.
"And a pillow, dead people may like it, but this table is uncomfortable." I joked, he laughed a little.
"Come on we'll get you off this table." He lifted me off it like a child, setting me down. I smiled and we walked together, hand and hand, up the stairs. Like I really was a six year old, and he really was my older brother.
"You doing alright?" Jack asked, turning towards me. I nodded my head, and I released Ianto's hand, and took a step. Freezing as everything went blank for a second, and I opened my eyes. Staring forward at an empty hub, boxes of things being put away, and tears…sobbing.
"J-Jack…" I called. I stared around,
"And I just wanted to say…that it's okay…it really is."
It was Toshiko's voice…I knew that message.
"And…I hope I did good."
The sobbing didn't stop, the continued. I was standing outside Owen's little medical room…scared…
"Ianto?" I called louder. The sobbing suddenly stopped, and I heard clicks of guns. I froze, Gwen standing pointing one at me, eyes red. I cowered putting my arms up, I was shaking again. I had just passed through the rift once more…
"Bryanna!?" Ianto was behind Gwen, and Jack followed, mouth a gape. Gwen hadn't been there for my little Torchwood visit. Monica wasn't around either…
"W-Where's Monica…?" I asked. Jack stared,
"We…we sent her home for a bit…to talk with her mom and stuff…She needs it after…"
"After Owen and Toshiko died." I replied. Gwen glared,
"She knew! She knew and she could have stopped it!" She aimed the gun at me, scared and exhausted Gwen.
"No she couldn't have." Jack growled, "Don't aim that gun at her." he took the gun from Gwen, "She couldn't have, there are RULES, Gwen…she has a gift and there are consequences to how she uses it."
"Bryanna…" Ianto was already emotional, "I shouldn't have let go of your hand…" The words seemed to stun Jack; he covered his mouth, biting down on his hand.
"Ianto, its okay…" I said softly.
"No. It's not." Jack said muttering, "Because the Doctor stopped by here-"
"Not…my time line." I said, "That's Martha's Doctor…not mine. He would have no idea who I was…"
"I'm sorry." Ianto muttered.
"Don't be…" I said, I was scared to move, Jack noticed this, and came over. Taking my hand he walked me over to Ianto, and I hugged him. "There's nothing to be sorry about. Live. Learn-"
"Forget." Ianto said softly, gripping my hand tightly as he removed the hug, "Right…now." he sniffed, "To get you back home somehow." He looked at Jack. Jack grinned,
"That'll be one hell of a job."