Heart and Soul – Secrets and Lies

Chapter 55

Day One – Late Afternoon.

Ianto sat his back up against a tree, trying to calm his mind. Something was wrong, he should have been able to make some kind of contact, but there was nothing not even in the tiniest sense. He thought it was just tiredness but he knew that was not it. Every moment since they had arrived he had tried to make contact. Every time he failed it just made the sense of wrongness grow.

Where Jack should be there was only emptiness. He paused because it was so difficult to quantify what he was sensing into words. Then he realized that something essential that made Jack who he was gone. He felt a tremor and the ring knew it to and he closed his eyes and reached out again and he took a deep breath. All he could sense was a terrible hollowness where Jack should be. He took the offered water pouch from Owen and took a drink.

"How far have we come?" Owen asked as he saw John fiddle with his wrist strap.

"Fourteen miles," John told him his face long with fatigue.

"Hours to sunset?" Owen asked as he took back the water pouch and took a drink himself.

"Two," John told him.

"Ten more minutes," John said.

"Something's wrong," Ianto said standing and moving over to John. "With Jack."

"Well yeah," Owen said. "That goes without saying, I don't think Gray's gonna hold back is he with the …" he stopped as he saw the look on Ianto's face.

"Try again Ianto, your bond is so new it may just need to attune," John told him. "Jack's not wearing the ring; it might mean we have to get closer."

"You don't understand, regardless of distance I should have a knowing of him, don't ask me how I know this, I just do. I've tried and tried, there nothing there, he's gone," he told him and saw Owen began to say something but John raised his hand.

"Gone like dead?" John asked him and saw him shake his head.

"He's there physically, I know that it's Jack. Who Jack is, is gone." He said getting more frustrated as he tried to explain.

Owen listened as he tried to get a handle on the conversation as Ianto explained further.

"It's like some essential element of who Jack is, is missing. I can't explain it but all I can get is this hollow feeling." He closed his eyes. "It's like his essence has been stripped away," he cursed his own inability to explain.

Taking Ianto's hand Owen examined the ring on his thumb. "I think I get this Ianto, you're somehow bonded to Jack," he said and he saw Ianto nod. "Well that explains the congratulations," he added. "How does this work then, is it telepathic, empathic, can you talk directly to each other is that what you're trying to do?" he asked quickly.

"Sort of empathic, as the relationship grows the rings attune each partner to the other, you have a sort of knowing of each other," Ianto struggled to explain.

John interjected," The rings are old, very old. They belong to some long forgotten culture. No one recalls who they were all that remains of them is the tales of the bonding rings they forged. All sorts of stories exist around what powers those who are fortunate to wear them can access. The point is we don't know their full capability, at best we were hoping we could send a message like 'Now' as we got closer. However their most basic function, from what Jack told me was their ability to connect each bonded partner at all times on some level."

Owen interjected," It's like knowing you have a leg. You don't have to think about your leg at all times it's there as part of you. However if something happened you would instantly know it if was numb or missing," and he saw Ianto nod.

"That's exactly how it feels like I know part of me is missing," Ianto told them relived they now understood.

"However," John continued, "according to the instructions for the rings, to be at their most effective they have to be worn on the left thumb. Because that's not possible right now. Jack has hidden his, in his body," John added, as he saw Owen raise an eyebrow.

"So the effectiveness might be limited because Jack is not wearing his ring as prescribed?" Owen asked as he reflected back what John had told him then added. "So it sounds like you have connected but Jack can't receive and or respond."

"I'm the other half of the bond and I'm telling you there is nothing to connect to." Ianto told him his face creased with concern as he watched Owen stood thinking.

"I think we can guarantee that Jack is being tortured," he said quietly as he paused then looked to them. "I got it. Jack was tortured for a year, the year that never was. When he came back he was in a right state. I was very concerned for him especially when he found you missing," he indicated.

"Later on Martha filled me in on the gory details because she thought Jack might have a breakdown and would need help. I mean he can't go to some shrink and say 'I was held prisoner for a year by as psychotic Time Lord who used my body to take out his anger and sadistic tendencies on. ' She told me he came very close a complete breakdown, the reason he didn't was because he had one thought that kept him sane," he looked at Ianto," coming back to You." He took a deep breath, "Jack doesn't know you came back after the argument to sort things out, he believes he's lost you and as a consequence has lost it. It in this case being himself."

"But I've been trying to tell him that he's not on his own in the dark, that I'm here and I love him," Ianto told him.

"What you're both telling me is that the rings most basic function is to create or enhance an empathic link. That means feelings, not thoughts. So stop trying to send thoughts and send feelings. Right now you need to send him the strongest feeling you have for him and keep sending, because what kept him hanging on during the year that never was, is going to bring him back now," Owen told him as he saw Ianto nod his understanding, close his eyes, and brought the ring to his lips.

Jack lay unmoving his eyes blank, agony his existence ….he blinked; something was different, there was an insistent feeling in his chest. Again his physical discomfort overwhelmed all other considerations and he lost it. Several moments passed and it returned. It was the tiniest ember which grew into the faintest warm glow that spread upwards, downwards, and outwards. He closed his eyes and concentrated. It was so distant, barely perceptible, but it was there, a presence reaching out with a feeling of love. He dismissed this instantly as something not for him. He knew the truth, he was wrong, a freak. The feeling returned stronger and he dismissed it again as a sick fantasy of wish fulfilment. Hours passed or was it seconds he could no longer tell. The feeling was back and no matter how hard he pushed the feeling away it returned stronger each time. Now it was a constant whisper stroking his mind. He was confused; bewildered he only had a single purpose, a vessel for pain. Moments passed then the feeling touched his mind ardently with passion and determination and left him no doubt it was directed solely at him. As this powerful feeling bombarded him he unable to deny it any longer and images filled his mind of the times when he was a man, a man with hope. He broke down, and wept, as his heart responded

Owen caught Ianto as he swayed, tears running down his face. "He's back," Ianto told.

"One hour 30 minutes to sunset let's get moving," John told then both as Owen slapped Ianto on the back.