Title: Keeping Up with the Harkness-Joneses
Fandoms: Torchwood/Glee
Pairings: Mostly Jack/Ianto and Quinn/Finn, with grautitious mentions of many Doctor Who, Torchwood and Glee ships.
Rating: PG-13, and a sound PG-13 at that
Warning: Lots of fluff, lots of sad chapters, implications and mentions of domestic abuse, occasional violent chapters and Jack and Ianto like to kiss...a lot.
Beta:I don't have one at the moment, but if you'd like to, I'd be more than appreciative!
Summary:After discovering that Ianto is immortal, Jack is able to rebuild his life with the other man. They become Ianto and Jack Harkness-Jones, and are dropped off in Lima, Ohio by the Doctor. Why Lima? The Rift is like a window, with Cardiff on one side, and Lima on the other side. They expect the craziness that comes with the Rift. What they don't expect? Needing to adopt a six year old: Quinn Fabray. And they discover that life doesn't always turn out like they planned.
Notes: Read the chapter before this one!
Trigger warning: There's a car accident in this chapter so if that stuff upsets you, skip it.
Chapter 37-
"This is Captain Jack Harness-Jones speaking. Who may I ask is calling?"
"This is Lima General Hospital. Your daughter and her family have been in accident. Your grandchildren are fine, and so is your son-in-law, but your daughter has been severely injured." The phone slips from his hands. He lurches. For the first time since he became immoral he feels like maybe, just maybe, he's about to faint. "Hello?"
"Jack?" Ianto's head snaps up and he catches the look on Jack's face. "Jack, what's wrong? What's happened?" He picks up the phone from the fallen floor. "Hello? No, this is Ianto Harkness-Jones. Who may I ask is—oh." Ianto links his hand with Jack's and squeezes with every ounce of strength he has. "How…so it's serious, then. I understand. My husband and I will be along shortly. Thank you." He hangs up the phone and looks at Jack bleakly.
"I know," Jack whispers. His eyes are full of anguish and Ianto's gaze matches his own. He closes his eyes for a minute, trying to regain all the feelings coursing through him. "Ianto," he whispers, clearly in pain. "You're still here, aren't you?"
Ianto squeezes Jack's hand tightly. "I'm here." Jack opens his eyes and holds Ianto tightly to him for a moment. Ianto clings tightly to Jack, fingernails digging into the back of Jack's shirt. "She's alive, all right? Don't give up on her yet, okay?" He strokes Jack's hair and whispers, "It's going to be all right, Jack. Don't give up, cariad. But she needs us, okay? We have to go to her."
"Okay," Jack whispers. "And Sarah Jane and Jim and Finn? They're okay?"
"Yes, Jack, they're fine. The children have minimal injuries, and Finn has a concussion, so he has to stay overnight for observation," Ianto answers softly, tilting his head up so that Jack can bury his face in Ianto's neck. He wraps his arms around his husband gently and kisses Jack's forehead.
"And Quinn?" Jack's voice breaks and Ianto holds Jack tightly to him. Jack is trembling against him and Ianto wants nothing more than to reassure Jack that everything will be fine. "I'm not ready for this, Yan. Our little girl is…oh, God. Oh, God, Yan. That's our little girl."
"I know." Ianto cups Jack's face in his hands. "I need you to stay with me, okay, Jack?" He rubs Jack's back soothingly. "I know you're scared. Believe me, Jack, I'm terrified. But I'm here with you. And I need you. Are you with me?"
Jack looks up at Ianto and presses his forehead against his husband's. "I'm here," Jack whispers. Ianto kisses him softly, and Jack holds him close. "Scared, but here." Jack rests his head against Ianto's collarbone. "Will you drive? I…I can't."
"Of course, cariad," Ianto whispers. They stand like that for a minute longer. Jack has never looked so small, and all Ianto can do is stand there and hold him. "Come on," he whispers. "Let's go." Jack slips his hand in Ianto's and holds on for dear life as the other man leads him to the car.
When they walk into the hospital waiting room, two little blurs launch themselves at them. "Granddaddy Ianto! Granddaddy Jack!" the children say, relief evident in their voices. Jack holds his grandchildren close to him for a moment before letting them go. They immediately run to Ianto who bends down and holds them tightly to him.
"Are you all right, rhai bach?" Ianto asks as they bury their faces in his neck. "Sssh, ssh, it's going to be all right. Your Granddaddy Jack and I are here now. It's all right." He stands up and has the two children placed on his hip, clinging to his shoulders for support.
"Granddaddy Ianto?" Jim is tugging on his sleeve. There are tears in his eyes. "Granddaddy Ianto, they won't let us see Momma. I want my Momma. The doctors said she was sleeping, but she has to wake up and come home with us now. Momma always said that we have to listen to her because she listens to you and if you tell her it's time to come home, she'll wake up, won't she?" Jim tugs on Ianto's sleeve even harder. "She has to wake up if you tell her to, doesn't she?" Ianto has no idea what to say, especially when Jim cries out, "I want my Momma!"
"I know," Jack whispers, taking Jim from Ianto. Jim clings to Jack and Jack bounces him a little. "Your Momma has…" His voice chokes a little bit. "Your Momma has a boo-boo on her brain. And the doctors have to wait a little before she can wake up and come home. But your Granddaddy Ianto and I are gonna stay with you, and your Daddy is here, and your Momma will go home with you soon, okay?"
"Okay," Jim whimpers, clinging fiercely to Jack.
"Can we go see Momma now?" Sarah Jane sniffles. "The doctors wouldn't let us before because we had to sit out here. It's not fair. We didn't get to see our Momma, and we were so brave with the doctors."
"Of course," Ianto whispers, kissing her forehead. "Jack?"
"Yeah," Jack says roughly, through the doors. They walk down a long hallway into Quinn's room. She's hooked up to a bunch of monitors and she looks so unnaturally small and pale against the bedspread. He sets down Jim as Ianto puts down Sarah Jane. They both run to her side and take one of her unmoving hands in theirs. "Oh, sweetheart," Jack whispers, unable to contain himself. The sight before him is just too much to bear. "Oh, Quinn."
"Hey, I thought I saw a vending machine down the hall way," Ianto says. He can see so much in Jack's eyes that he wants to say to their daughter, and Ianto knows that if Jack needs to break down, he either has to do it with Ianto or he has to be alone. "Who wants some candy?"
"I do! I do!" The children pipe up and scamper out into the hallway.
Ianto goes to Jack's side and wraps him up lovingly in his arms. Jack lets out a shaky breath and holds Ianto tight to him. "She…oh, God, Ianto. I can't…I can't…" Jack is hyperventilating and Ianto presses several kisses to the side of his head to calm him down. He stands there, holding Ianto tightly to him until he calms down.
"I'm gonna spend time with Sarah Jane and Jim. Take them to see Finn. You'll be all right?" Ianto whispers. Jack sniffles and nods, pressing a quick kiss to Ianto's temple. "I love you, cariad."
"Love you too," Jack whispers hoarsely. Ianto leaves the room, giving Jack one last loving look. Jack pulls up a chair beside Quinn's bedside and presses his forehead to hers. "Hi, sweetheart," he rasps. "It's your Daddy Jack. Your Daddy Ianto is here too. Well, not here…here but he's in the hospital with Jim and Sarah Jane. Finn's…Finn's got a concussion, but he'll be okay. I'm more worried about you, sweetheart."
He takes in a deep breath, and presses a quick kiss to her forehead. "The doctors said that…oh, God, sweetheart, the doctors said that the hit looks deliberate. And I can't…I can't think of anyone that would want to hurt you if you weren't involved with Torchwood. It's my fault…sweetheart, I'm so sorry that I couldn't protect you. This is my fault. Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." As he keeps talking, he breaks down into tears, sobbing into his daughter's hair. "Oh, God, Quinn, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I should've protected you, and I couldn't. I'm so sorry."
He puts his hand over Quinn's and tightens his grip. He strokes her hair lovingly, and presses a few errant kisses to her forehead. He can't seem to stop crying, but he knows it's because he feels like he's failed his little girl in the worst way possible. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry," Jack sobs. "I'm so sorry."
"Tears? In the five years that we spent together, I've never seen you cry," a voice drawls from the doorway. John Hart is sitting in a wheelchair, parked in the doorway. One of his legs is broken and he looks thoroughly beat up. "And the whole apologizing thing is new too. Good God, Harkness, that woman must've meant something to you fierce. But I just warn you, she's got a husband."
"Did you do this to her?" Jack growls, looking up. He leans forward, to place himself protectively over Quinn. He narrows his eyes at his former companion, wondering why the hell he's having a conversation with John fucking Hart of all people. John lifts an eyebrow. Jack knows John well enough to know that this is confirmation. "You son of a bitch!" Jack roars.
"Easy, Harkness," John says, bringing his hands up in a surrendering position. "I don't think she was gonna run off with you into the sunset anyway. I did you a favor. I wanted your attention. The Rift is falling apart, Jack. Something big is going to happen."
"It's Harkness-Jones," Jack snarls, completely disregarding John's warning. "And that's my daughter lying in this bed!" He draws himself up to his fullest height and walks over to John menacingly. "How did you get through the Rift? Why are you here? And why the hell did you run into my daughter and her family?"
"Harkness-Jones?" John looks surprised. "You never wanted to do marriage with me. What little thing got you into marriage? And a daughter? Goodness gracious, Jack, who the hell talked you into this?"
"I did," Ianto says dryly, his arms folded. Jim and Sarah Jane are peering around his legs, staring up at John Hart will fear filled expressions.
"Oh, hello, Eye Candy," John says amiably enough. "You look like you haven't aged a day. You look delectable as ever."
"Get back, Granddaddy Jack!" Jim cries out. "That's the bad man from the other car!" He glares up at John hatefully. "Get away from my Granddaddy! You hurt my Momma, I won't let you hurt my Granddaddy Jack!" He charges forward and bites John's hand.
"You little-!" John snarls, starting to smack Jim away, but Jack grabs his wrist.
"Don't you dare hurt my grandson," Jack growls, tightening his grip on John.
"Granddaddy Jack?" Sarah Jane pipes up. She sounds terrified, and Jack forces himself to soften. "I'm scared. Granddaddy Jack, can you make that bad man go away?"
"He was just leaving," Jack says, his voice filled with venom. He lets go of John's wrist, but he still glares at the man hatefully. John smirks at Jack before wheeling away. Sarah Jane runs over to him and he picks her up, letting her bury her face in his neck. She begins to cry a little bit and Jack tries to calm her. "It's all right, sweetheart, he's gone now. Everything's fine. Ssh, ssh, it's fine. Everything's okay. He's gone now, and your Granddaddy Ianto and I are here," he whispers, stroking her hair.
"Jack, do you think you can manage the pair of them?" Ianto asks. There's a look in his eyes, a look that Jack's familiar with. Ianto has some kind of plan. "I need to make a phone call." Jack nods and Ianto goes outside. Jack takes one of Jim's hands and one of Sarah Jane's hands in his own.
They go back into the room and Sarah Jane and Jim sit in chairs by their mother's bedside, watching her with wide, sad eyes. "What do we do?" Jim asks, looking at Jack. "What can we do to make her boo-boo go away?"
"Is it like a regular boo-boo?" Sarah Jane asks. "Can we kiss it to make it better?"
"You can try," Jack whispers to his grandchildren. "It may not make her better right away but it might help." They each press a kiss to her forehead and then they look at Jack. Jack hates that they feel so lost, and he has no idea how to assuage them that their mother will be all right. "Go stay with your Daddy tonight," Jack suggests. "You'll be able to cuddle up next to him, and I'll come get you if your Momma wakes up, okay?"
"Okay!" Jim says and tugs on Jack's coat so Jack will lean down. He kisses Jack on the cheek and whispers, "Love you, Granddaddy Jack."
"Love you too, kiddo," Jack replies. He kisses the top of Jim's head. "Good night." He turns expectantly to Sarah Jane, but the little girl doesn't move. "Are you coming, sweetheart?"
"Granddaddy Jack?" Sarah Jane asks quietly. "Did you know that bad man?"
"I did," Jack sighs. "A long, long time ago. I would probably still be friends with that bad man, but then someone came along and saved me." Ianto comes in the doorway at this point, but he doesn't move for fear of interrupting Jack. "Your Granddaddy Ianto saved me and he made me want to be a better person." Jack looks up and smiles at Ianto and whispers, "And I love him with my whole heart. I don't know what I would do if it weren't for your Granddaddy Ianto."
The children seem satisfied with this answer, and Jack and Ianto walk them to Finn's room. Jack wonders how much of his story Ianto actually heard. They quickly climb into bed and curl up with their father. He places a kiss on each of their foreheads. "Jack? Ianto?" Finn asks quietly. "You'll let us know when something happens?"
Jack and Ianto nod and return to Quinn's bedside. Jack has Ianto sit next to him because he's so scared that John will come in the room and hurt Ianto too. Ianto rests his head against Jack's shoulder. "Love you more than anything," Ianto whispers. "I don't know what I'd do without you either."
"Love you too," Jack responds, nudging Ianto's nose with his own. "And by the way, who did you call?"
"Oh," Ianto responds with a smirk. "You'll see." As if to mark his words, the familiar sounds of the TARDIS ring out, and Jack looks at Ianto fondly. "Apparently, John is in violation of several of his parole rules, according to the Time Agency. I called in the cavalry to make sure he gets back on the beaten path."
"My Ianto, always thinks of everything," Jack says proudly rewarding Ianto with a tender kiss. They hear the flurry of movement as several guards run past Quinn's room and to John Hart's room a few rooms down. The Doctor skids into Quinn's room, looking enraged. Jack can't help but contain a smirk. John Hart hurt a former companion of The Doctor's. He was going to pay. Jack feels a twinge of…he's not sure what the emotion is, but John's warning comes back into his mind, full force. He shakes his head irritably and chalks it up to a ploy to manipulate him.
"Daddy?" A voice croaks from the bed. Quinn's eyes flutter open, and Jack lets out a sigh of relief and starts sobbing. Ianto and Jack both press their foreheads against Quinn's and sob. "Daddy, what's going on? Where are Finn and Jim and Sarah Jane?"
"They're safe, they're all safe," Ianto whispers, his voice choked. "You're all right. You're safe. Oh, God, annwyl, you're safe." He presses a few fervent kisses to her forehead, and he and Jack are sobbing. "We love you so much, sweetheart. We love you more than anything." They put their hands on top of hers and squeeze tightly.
"Love you too, Daddy," Quinn rasps, smiling weakly at her dads. As John Hart gets locked up in the TARDIS, and Ianto and Jack are hovering over Quinn's bed—stroking her hair, kissing her forehead and the like—the Doctor thinks it's time for him to leave. It's obvious that everything is going to go back to normal.
Next Chapter: Rose.
-LBP