Ianto Jones
"Are we really going to do this J?" River asked as she stood in the snow, bundled up in a white coat and scarf and gloves and hat, looking at J and silently cursing herself for not being more Time Lady than she was. He was just standing there in his black pants and blue jumper, a black jacket over him, just as comfortable as ever, his hands in his pockets, just…standing there.
It was snowing!
And he was just standing there. Fine and dandy, acting as though he were standing outside in the middle of spring, just grinning away, not even flinching as the snowflakes landed on his face and nose.
He was lucky it was Christmas or else she'd slap him for dragging her out of her bed for this. She had it all planned out, a nice sleep in, a warm breakfast, waking HIM up to open gifts, and then the two of them lounging about and just watching old Christmas movies. But no, this time he had been awake before her, had woken HER up and instead of breakfast, just told her quickly to get dressed before he was rushing out of the room to prepare the TARDIS.
And now they were on Earth, 2007, and standing on the busiest street of London, watching people literally running everywhere trying to get their last minute gifts. It had to be early morning if people were rushing about like that. It was funny to see in a way, people acting so normally when a Racnoss ship had just attacked the night before. But that was before, and this was now, and they were there just waiting on the streets, off to the side, trying to keep out of the way of different people shopping. It would be one thing if J wanted to take her into a shop or a café but he wasn't.
It would have been much more enjoyable if they'd been in a shop and waiting instead of out in the snow, but J had insisted that they had to be out there.
"Yep," he grinned, nearly bouncing beside her, "Any minute now Riv."
She sighed, "And you're SURE he's going to come this way?"
"Yep," he repeated, "Uncle Jack told me some stories of him and this was one."
"Why would he even tell this one though?" she shook her head, telling a story of how she'd been Christmas shopping and slipped and how a lovely couple had helped pick up the gifts before heading home to a girlfriend wasn't something so extraordinary to tell.
"Because he's heading home to a Cyberman," J remarked, "Well, a partially converted one at least. It's all very complicated, I'll explain it later."
River rolled her eyes, that was just so him, wasn't it, to wave it off and 'explain it later' when really he hardly ever did because, by the end of it, the story had resolved itself and she knew all she needed to know.
"Well he had better hurry," she muttered, "I can't feel my feet."
J laughed at that, "Don't worry Riv, we just have to help him and then we'll be back in the TARDIS and you can open your gift."
She smiled at that, they always exchanged gifts on Christmas. Well, her gift was partially getting out of Stormcage for a few days, but the guards tended to look away for Christmas, mostly because they knew she'd be back the 'day after' and then there would be a random man visiting her for the new year…it was a small tradition but she loved it. Spending the holidays with J were always an adventure and he always got her the best gifts.
She looked over, spotting a familiar man, one she, unfortunately, had never met but seen pictures and been told stories of, heading around the corner, "J!" she grabbed his arm, "It's him!"
J swallowed hard, seeing none other than Ianto Jones step around a snowy corner, bundled up as much as River was, with a box and another on top of it. He watched as the man slipped in the snow, catching himself, before continuing, "Let's go," he murmured, taking her hand and leading her across the street towards him.
Ianto tripped once more, trying hard to keep his footing but the ice and snow and slush was just too much. He stumbled into the wall of the shop beside him, dropping the first box, the top box, spilling its contents all over the snow, more like little ornaments, little metal snowflakes.
"Let us help," J called as he and River reached him, the two of them squatting down, the other shoppers rushing around them, as they picked the pieces out of the snow and put them back in the box.
"Thanks," Ianto smiled at them, well, they were sure he smiled, they just couldn't see him over his scarf around his mouth.
"Not a problem," River nodded as they stood, waiting till J put the last of the ornaments back in the box and replaced the lid before handing him the box back, setting it on top of the other once more, "It's crazy this weather," she remarked, sending a wink to J.
He grinned and laughed, his father hadn't quite remembered to work out the setting for the ball of energy he'd sent up to cheer Donna up, that bit of snow that had fallen for her just kept on and now it was still going. They knew it would taper off in a few hours, the children having a truly white Christmas this year, but it was a bit hard to deal with.
"Last minute shopping?" J asked, nodding at the boxes.
"Oh, um, yes," Ianto nodded, "Money's a bit tight," he shrugged.
"Haven't got a penny either," J agreed.
"Yes, we…" River began, glancing at J before smiling, "Recently lost our jobs."
"Me as well," Ianto sighed.
"Oh, where were you working?" J turned to him.
"Um, Canary Warf," Ianto supplied, all three of them knowing that was just code for Torchwood One.
"You survived the battle!" River's eyes widened, "You must be very skilled."
Ianto shrugged a bit at that, looking away, "Just…got lucky."
J gave him a sad smile before forcing it to widen, "Well, I've heard that the Canary Warf wasn't the only branch," he gave Ianto a meaningful look as the man turned to him, shocked, his eyes wide, "There's 3 others aren't there?"
"…yes," Ianto said slowly, eyeing them.
J shrugged, "May want to check out the others then. I've heard one in Cardiff could use a bit more staff."
"How do you…"
"Well," J cut in, taking River's arm, "Merry Christmas!" he cheered, rushing them off before Ianto could finish asking his question.
"Same to you," Ianto nodded, watching them go a moment before blinking and shaking his head, turning to go.
J and River ducked around a corner to watch him head off, smiling as the man went, "You think he'll check it out?" River asked.
"Oh yeah," J laughed, "He's already met Uncle Jack, as soon as he sees that he works for the 'branch in Cardiff' he'll be begging to sign up."
And he would, his uncle had told him all about how Ianto would come to work for Torchwood Three. How he'd just keep showing up, persistent as ever, asking for a job, wanting to work for them, until he finally brought Jack to a pterodactyl and got the job.
"It'll be great," J nodded, moving to drape his arm over her shoulder before they turned and headed down the street, making their way to where the TARDIS was parked.
River was silent a moment before sighing, "You…DO realize what this means for Jack, that you told Ianto about Torchwood Three, don't you?"
"Yeah," he said softly.
By telling Ianto, or hinting, about Torchwood Three, giving the man the nudge to look into it, he knew he'd be leading Ianto to Jack. He'd be getting the man back involved in Torchwood, he'd be putting him through everything that would happen with his girlfriend Lisa and then later with Jack. By doing this…he'd be putting Ianto in place to die when the 456 came to Earth, because Ianto would be there, he'd know about Torchwood Three and more because of HIM. The different facilities of Torchwood, while knowing they weren't the only one, only the higher ups actually knew where the others were located. Ianto hadn't nearly been at that level.
By doing this…he was almost…creating Ianto's future.
"But…he'll make Uncle Jack happy," J continued, "He and Uncle Jack will BOTH be happy for a time and…that's the best Christmas gift I can hope to give him, to give either of them," he smiled, that was why they were there.
It was Christmas and he had no idea what to get his Uncle Jack, in one way, he was giving Jack Ianto. He was giving him a man that would help him heal and make him better, a man who would grow stronger from knowing Jack as well. The relationship his uncle and Ianto had had was beautiful and it had made them both better people from knowing the other. And that was all he wanted, he just wanted his uncle to be happy.
And Ianto had made him very happy.
"Well, then," River cut into his thoughts, "I think it's the greatest Christmas gift ever," she told him.
She knew the stories J had told her, how fondly he spoke of the man, how happy he had made Jack and how important he was to J and his family. J was even named after the man after all! If it hadn't been for Ianto...Evy would have never been found. Ianto and Torchwood had rescued her, and if not for him, she never would have met the Doctor again or had J. Truly, without Ianto...J wouldn't be there.
"Thanks Riv," J smiled at her, so pleased she thought that. It was...a reassurance that what he was doing wasn't something bad. He was so happy to know that she agreed with his actions and that his gift wasn't going to be seen as a curse of sorts. Because, for as sad and hurt as both men might come to be, they had been infinitely more happy with each other before that.
"Come on," she took his hand and pulled him faster down the road, "You've given Jack his gift, it's my turn to give you yours."
He laughed and they started running carefully through the falling snow. He didn't know what River had gotten him, but he knew he'd love it, because it was like with Jack when it came to River, he tried to get her things and take her places and bring her on adventures that would make her happy.
And she returned the favor in everything she did. She tried to make him happy as well and help him have a good time, feel less lonely.
And she always succeeded.
A/N: This is the first for a small Christmas-themed version of TAOSAT, IYC, and Recollections chapter that I'll be posting today through the 4th before I start my Merlin story on the 5th.
I was trying to think of what to make this chapter be, to fit with the I and to fit with Christmas, I had already done one with a number of gifts last year for River and J, so this one I wanted to make as a gift for his family :)
Happy New Year!
