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Kev didn't know what to do to help so he stood outside the door trying to calm the young man, his terror fading to remorse as he repeated that it was his fault for not hearing his Tad calling his name to move.
"Shit happens" Kev crooned as he rubbed Billy's back, relieved when Marley arrived to relieve him of his charge and he was about to step away when Jack opened the door and looked directly at him.
"I need help" Jack said with more calm that Kev would have expected in the circumstances, "I need…I need to move him and he would kill me if I do anything that might put the pup in danger."
Kev found it odd that Jack referred to his baby as a pup but he supposed he did because Ianto did, it made sense in a way and he followed him into the room and stalled as he saw Ianto laying there naked. They had cut away his clothing to assess him and the vivid bruising was sickening to look at, making Kev swallow back bile.
He didn't have long for this verse.
"Can you carry him?" Jack asked and Kev nodded, carefully gathering the broken man and Owen was pulling Billy into the room and going off as he had just noticed the dislocated shoulder from Ianto's savage jerk on the arm.
They left the room and travelled along the tunnel system then to Kev's surprise Jack changed course and he slowed, looking at the tunnels he was running twice a day with Tish.
"Where are we going?" he asked, worried now that they were heading somewhere to leave Ianto to die in peace. He had a dog that had done that, dragged himself off to die.
"Shangri-La" Jack answered and Kev frowned.
"That's not on any maps."
"Because it's not…here" Jack said cryptically, "Look. It doesn't exist in this time or space, OK? I am about to show you the real bottom of the rabbit hole."
Kev decided to give Jack the benefit of the doubt and he followed him up into a tunnel that seemed to be somehow lighter in air and cooler too. The door swung as they neared and Kev followed Jack into a…
Well….shit.
Kev looked around at the paradise and felt the warm sun, smelt the lavender grass and saw the lush wilderness the lovely house was nestled in.
"Put him here, in the longer grass and step back, Just…just don't have a conniption, they might startle." Jack said as he waited and Kev knelt, gently lowering the limp man into the soft grass and he stroked his forehead before rising, sure now that they were watching him die.
The Mara were totally unexpected and Kev struggled to breathe as the creatures swarmed their Wolfling and Jack pulled Kev over to some stumps.
"Let them work, he's theirs too." Jack sighed, then they waited.
Kev started awake, unaware he had fallen asleep as Jack rose to move to the spot where Ianto had lain and Kev looked at the furs and leaves covering him with interest.
Jack leaned in and kissed Ianto with as much as he could give, knowing Ianto would go mental if he gave too much as the pup was more precious.
The glow hurt Kev's eyes and he leaned forward, his large forearms settling on his thighs and he watched the air crackle around them as the golden light made a bubble, then it evaporated like dust dispersing.
Jack stroked the smooth cheek and whispered soft words as Ianto stirred, the furs and leaves falling away as Ianto woke.
"Billy?" Ianto croaked, "Is he OK?"
"You yanked him back hard enough to dislocate his shoulder" Jack said fondly, "Owen fixed it, he's fine."
"Oh gods" Ianto swallowed, his adams apple bobbing, "Sit me up, my back hurts Cariad."
Jack eased Ianto up and the furs and leaves fell away, flowers and berries rolling as well and the patchwork quilt was gone, showing the pristine pale skin as Ianto stretched and yawned.
"Jesus" Kev breathed, "He…shit. He's OK?"
"He's fine" Jack grinned, "The Mara healed what they could and I did the rest with my special gift as well. He will be tender for a while, his insides were badly squished."
Squished, is that a medical term Sir?" Ianto croaked as he grimaced and Jack reached for the water left conveniently in a rounded stone cup.
"Yes, highly technical term, in all the best books" Jack said in a posh voice, then his face softened, "Baby, I am so sorry. For everything. I can't just blame hormones either, I …I was horrible to turn away from you. I'm sorry."
"Hey, let's agree it was a douche bag move and let it go, yeah?" Ianto smiled lovingly, "Not the first time you broke my heart, not the last and I know you never mean it that way. Hurting me, hurts you too. I know that you stupid man."
"That's me, just another stupid ape" Jack said and Ianto snorted with mirth as he settled against him.
Kev frowned as he wondered what the joke was, seeing both men finding the 'ape' comment funny.
Kev settled against the stump and watched as Jack pulled his coat around Ianto's shoulders and helped him stand, then Ianto did some wobbly walking to the house and with each step he seemed to grow stronger.
This is not Alice in Wonderland, not the Wizard of Oz either.
This is something much, much better.
This was the fucking Matrix!
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You lot are all so bloody bossy! Lucky I love you, you know I love my cliffies!
