There's a bit of a tissue warning for this chapter. I'm such a wuss, I cried writing it, but hopefully none of you reading will cry. I have started a new series, I would be honoured if you guys would read it. I would really love it. If any of you are interested: .net/s/5756640/1/Better_Left_Unsaid. Thanks so much x
"Doctor?" Ianto asked, his voice shaking with anger. "I'm going to ask you nicely, because to be honest, right now, I'm kind of scared of you."
The Doctor looked up at the Welshman with big puppy dog eyes.
"Okay, I'm scared of what you can do. So, as nicely as I possibly can, what the hell is going on?"
"Right, I have this theory…"
"Wait, why are we discussing this in here?" Ianto asked.
"Because Jack would kill me if he knew I was going to risk it. But I know it's what he wants. So, please, just hear me out?"
Ianto considered it. "Okay, go for it."
"So, what I'm thinking is..."
*
Jack leapt up from his seat. "What the hell?!" Then he turned to John Hart, and wrenched him up from his seat by his collar. "Okay. John. Explain now, or I will kill you. Right here, right now. And I don't really want to upset the ladies, but I might have to."
Martha signalled at Jack, and he nodded. She ran over to the TARDIS, trying to open the door. "Doctor?" She called. "DOCTOR! Open up. Now."
"John, tell us what the fuck is going on." Owen said, rising from his seat, at the same time Tosh and Gwen did, all pulling out their guns and pointing them at John.
Mickey decided to go help Martha, both banging on the door. It wasn't that Jack didn't trust the Doctor, because he trusted that man with his life, a thousand times over. But this was Ianto. This was different.
*
Ianto gasped. "Are you really willing to risk all that...for me?"
The Doctor nodded.
"For someone you've known less than 4 months?"
The Doctor smiled. "I make friends fast."
"I can't...Doctor, I can't...I can't let you do that. I mean...you...John would be crushed if anything happened to you..."
"If that's the way you see it," The Doctor beckoned Ianto over. "Look at this."
The screen in the TARDIS illuminated, and whirred into life, showing a dying Ianto being cradled by Jack. The Doctor turned up the sound, and Ianto felt tears falling down his face.
"Is that..."
"Shh. Watch," The Doctor instructed.
"Don't forget me."
Ianto gasped. "Oh my God, is that...?"
"Yeah, that's you."
"Never could." Jack. Defiant...but so obviously fearful.
"In a thousand years time," Ianto's voice, small, scared... "You won't remember me."
"Yes I will," Jack's voice was loud, determined. "I promise. I will."
"Ianto?" Jack's voice filled the TARDIS, scarred with tears, broken and aching. On the screen, Ianto's body went limp, his eyes closed. "Ianto?"
"Oh, God." Ianto whispered. The Doctor put an arm around him, comfortingly.
"Don't go. Don't leave me please...Please don't..." Jack's eyes went cold, dead, as he looked up with more hatred than Ianto had ever seen before in his life.
"He will die, and tomorrow your people will deliver the children." A deep, threatening voice. It scared the hell out of Ianto.
"What the hell is that?"
The Doctor didn't reply, he just continued to stare at the screen.
Jack leant forward, kissed the lifeless Ianto, Jack's tears falling onto his husband's face.
The video finished.
Ianto Jones failed to form words.
"I'm sorry...but...you had to know what it would do to Jack. When you..."
"Die." Ianto finished for him. His voice was cold, dark.
"Yeah," The Doctor didn't really know what to say.
"H-h..." Ianto couldn't get the words out. He wiped away his tears, and tried again: "How...how long?"
The Doctor knew what that meant. "It would...will happen in 6 months."
Ianto wrapped his arms around his body, trying to offer himself some comfort. "Six months…only six months. Six months with the man I love." He took a deep breath. "How?"
"The 456...Jack dealt with them in the past. But they came back. Jack was gunna just lie down and let them do what they want. They wanted children...10% of the children of the world. But you, Ianto Jones, you convinced Jack to stand up to them. And that lead to your death. They poisoned the air in Thames House. Thousands died."
"Oh my God," Ianto breathed.
The Doctor pulled the younger man into a hug.
"I...What if I say no?" Ianto whispered.
"I have a drug that will make you forget everything you've just seen." The Doctor told him.
Ianto laughed, humourlessly, his body shaking with a mixture of rage and sorrow against the Time Lord's. "Retcon?"
"No. Far more effective. There's no chance of triggering what you saw. There's no way you'll ever remember."
"And...Jack?"
"It'll all go back to normal." The Doctor promised.
"But I'll die. In six months." Ianto started to cry again. "And I'll never come back."
"No." The Doctor said, sincerely.
"Okay." Through his tears, Ianto smiled. "Let's do it."
