16
Ianto leads them to the secondary flight deck where they learn that the security teams have combed the vessel and are sure there are no other devices. They now knew they had a few hours to relax before they reached the point of no return. Blow them out the side of the hull or not. That sort of thing.
The rest of the team were still there. Team. Listen to that. Thinking of this little group of people as a team. Agency talking there I guess. Ianto feels they are trustworthy, although Gwen still rankles a bit. He doesn't know why but she is so … brassy. Rhys loves her though so … must be something good there.
John was not done with the conversation and as they settled to eat something he decided to ask. He knew he might get shot down but it was worth a try, right?
"Ianto? Please … can you tell me why you hide yourself like this?" he asked, choosing something that was easier to talk about, trying to keep lines open. Maybe if he warmed up he could ask about the baby again. That still didn't sit right.
"Well … I lived a long time before a reset. I aged, as we do when allowed to. Then came a sudden death and I knew I was fucked. Those close to me saw, knew and were able to accept. But it meant that those in the outer hemisphere of my business had no idea I was immortal. To them .. I would have just died. How do I explain a sudden reappearance so young, half my age? Only choice I had was to say I have a secret son and am going to ease him into the business. If I do the suddenly dead … the appearing son … I know those wanting to seize control will come out. Those saying we were secret lovers and deserve a cut … and bullshit, me supposedly dead and unable to defend myself. The only way around it is to present myself as my own son, hide myself while still in control and supposedly handing over business due to poor health in my senior years then kill myself off. Take over and go on."
They digested.
"You know … that is a brilliant idea" Owen said, breaking the silence. "No one can try to contest the will if you are already in control. Hell of a thing though. So .. you … shit. You're bleeding."
"No, it's OK. I was. Then I died and it's OK now" Ianto assured him as Owen rushed over, puling up the shirt to gape at the pristine skin.
"Owen. A Phoenix remember? Immortal? I still hurt. Still die. Still feel that pain, and then I come back." Ianto sighed "At the age I was originally when this all started. Look at my face… still look in my thirties?"
"Barely 25" Owen agreed with wide eyes.
"And each time I die, I am this age again."
"Well … that will get tired soon" he sighed "you will need to have sooo many illegitimate kids out there."
Ianto laughed, unable not to as Owen once again reminded him that he really liked him. He knew what John was doing, a tactic he often employed while trying to think through the real thing he needed to ask and Ianto knew his request for time would not happen. John was getting too close to the truth, too close.
"John. I love you, as I love Jack. The three of us were a Triad. We were a … a… well .. Hive I guess. We shared everything. All of it." Ianto sighed "when she died… the fake one ... in your mind … it was all over. You turned from me and forgot that you loved me back, that she was actually safe. Look … it's done. OK? Done."
John sat staring at Ianto for a long time then turned to Jack "I remember you pregnant. Standing there in the doorway of the store. I remember how… beautiful you looked."
"Me?" Jack started to laugh and John's smile faded as Jack continued "No … Ianto was the one pregnant. I remember washing his bump."
Ianto sighed, "Look… clearly some things are rattling about and are discombobulated. Jack … come on. You were pregnant. I washed your bump. Remember? I called it peanut. You hated that, so I called it Lumpy and you called me horrible. When I called it Spawn and you didn't talk to me all day."
Jack stared at him long and hard "Yeah. I remember that bit … but why do I remember your belly too?"
"It was yours. Transference. Fighting the mind block. Things are coming back in the wrong place"
"Makes sense" John agreed, his eyes sliding to the side in a way that told Jack he didn't believe it at all and they needed to talk away from the man who clearly knew how to blow smoke up someone's arse like a pro.
A Phoenix after all.
Right?
