Affairs of the Heart.
Chapter 25.
"You remember Toshiko", Jack said as he entered Ianto's flat.
Ianto pointed the remote at the DVD player to place the movie he was watching on hold then looked up surprised at the visitor.
"Jack told me what happened so I asked if I could come and visit", she explained holding out her hand smiling, "to see how you are".
Ianto shook her hand smiled briefly, then indicted she sit down next to him on the sofa.
"Toshiko has come to bring us the survey I told you about", Jack said as he disappeared into the kitchen and began emptying the white paper bags filled with lunch he had bought, on to plates.
Tosh handed him several thick folders, "Jack said you were a bit bored and I was up here anyway and thought you might like to have look through", she said quickly.
"Thank you", Ianto replied taking the folders not quite sure how to react to Tosh. He had only met her once in the office weeks ago. He was surprised she remembered him at all and even more amazed Jack had spoken to her about him.
Jack came back into the room holding a mug and plate full of food which he handed over to Ianto.
Ianto put the folders on the floor, then took the plate and mug of coffee from Jack balancing the plate on his good knee.
" Jack told me you've had an accident, a pretty serious one by all accounts", "Tosh commented indicating the cast on his wrist and leg, as Jack now handed her a plate of food.
"I've broke my wrist ", he lifted the cast for her to have a better look, "and I twisted my knee and ankle" he indicated to the cast on his leg.
"How did it happen", Tosh asked picking up the roll from her plate and taking a bite.
"We were out at the Standing Stones , the ones we've been investigating, I was over by the edge of the ditch and without looking I stepped back, lost my footing and next thing I had fallen in", he explained
As he came back into the room with his own plate full of food, Jack shook his head as he heard Ianto put the blame on himself, "What actually happened was Ianto had his back to the edge. I was directing him to where he should be going. I didn't realise he was so close to the edge, and before I knew it he had slipped and fallen", Jack corrected him.
Ianto picked up the sandwich on his plate, "still reckon I could have got out of that ditch on my own", he said as he took a bite.
Ianto looked as Jack raised his eyes to the ceiling, followed by the stubborn look he had seen over the past week cross fleetingly over his face.
"How much longer do you need the casts for", Tosh queried, silently amused as she observed the private moment that passed between them.
"Cast on the wrist another six weeks if I'm lucky, ten if I'm not", he replied, "and three weeks for the leg".
"Well I am very pleased to see you're alright", Tosh told him smiling. "Being stuck at home is no fun", she added "especially when you are involved in something so interesting".
Ianto nodded, "Yep stuck at home and bored", he agreed as he picked up the remote and turned off the DVD player with the remote.
"Well I was thinking about you being at home and thought you might find these useful", she leaned down opened her substantial hand bag and took out a roll of paper. She smoothed them out and handed him a number of articles.
Ianto took the articles and began to scan the titles. They were a collection of local legends and stories collected approximately 100 years ago some pertaining to the Standing Stones of Emin.
"Thank you Tosh", he replied using her nick name unwittingly.
Jack took a long drink from his mug, and looked across at the both of them relaxing into each others company. Tosh had wanted to come the day after the accident to check how Ianto was. He had argued Ianto would find it very strange someone he had met for less that 45 seconds would rush to his side. It had taken all of his powers of persuasion to get her to hold off until now.
Tosh had lost more than just a friend he realised when Ianto had wiped his memories. What depths of pain must Ianto have been in to want to forget his close friendship with her. He took a breath, he didn't need to wonder, he knew, it was laid out in black and white. He re-read Ianto's journal on a regular basis to remind himself what was at stake here and never to forget his own culpability. He only hoped he could make it up to both of them. Using this opening to renew her contact with Ianto he was aware she was eager to be more involved and wanted to visit more often. He wondered if Tosh had told Gwen yet. He smiled and wondered what Gwen would say as another Torchwood operative drifted up here, as he saw Tosh take out a permanent maker from her bag.
"Its traditional when someone is in a cast to write a message", she said indicating to the pen in her hand, as Ianto held out his arm. With a flourish Tosh began to write several Japanese symbols firmly on the cast.
"There all done", she said as she finished.
Ianto looked down to examine the message along the length of the cast.
"It says get well soon in Japanese ", she told him and smiled.
Ianto looked at the series of symbols and smiled in return.
"You look after yourself ", she said standing, " and I'll see you as soon as you are up and about. I'll be back and we can go out to the henge and set up those monitors", she said as prepared to leave.
"Thank you for all the articles", he said as she picked up her bag and walked across as Jack opened the door. "And the message", he called out.
"I'll walk you out", Jack said following her.
"What did you write on his cast", he asked suspiciously as they approached her car.
Tosh smiled looking a little smug, "let's just say, Ianto might find it interesting if he could read Japanese ", she said.
"Tosh what did you write", Jack repeated this time with an edge to his voice.
" It's a good luck message", she replied nonchalantly as she opened her car door.
"Toshiko", he said not convinced as she pulled the door closed , unwound the window and started her car.
"Toshiko", he repeated as she backed up and pulled up beside him.
"I wrote a note asking him to hurry up and remember because we all miss him", she explained then drove away.
As she did she looked back in the mirror to see Jack walking back into the building, "amongst a couple of other things, she said to herself smiling as she changed gear. " like how much you love him".