18
Jack had Ianto by the throat, his sneer on his face as he snarled "Where is she."
"Jav…"
Jack's hand tightened and his face became that of a monster, so unrecognisable as his eyes were pure pools of hate boring into Ianto's very soul. Jack was not fighting the mind block, he was not holding the thought of their child in his mind, rather the memory of losing her. He was starting to slip and John lay nearby unable to help as Jack had already beaten him to a pulp.
Ianto's only hope now was that John would die from his injuries, reset and come back to pull Jack away but Ianto knew it was not going to happen. Jack was rampaging and as Ianto looked into those pools of hatred he knew he deserved this.
For trusting them to keep him safe.
And their little girl.
Ianto heard the soft pop and felt the relief as his neck broke then came the swirl of darkness and the last thing he saw as he died was Jack's face turning form anger to disappointment then shock at the lost of control.
.
.
.
.
Ianto sat up with a start, a sharp intake of breath that had John glancing over at him. "Hey. You OK?"
Ianto looked around with confusion at the room then remembered where he was, the sofa he had slumped on was plush as everything else. He hated this room. It was the one reserved for the meetings and pompous arseholes that needed to feel they were special, in the inner sanctum. Ianto liked old things. Wood. Not this bullshit. He morosely looked around at the opulence dripping from everything and decided he wanted to set it all on fire.
"Hey"
Ianto jumped involuntarily as Jack leaned over the back of the sofa and there was a moment of shock on Jack's face as Ianto squeaked and shot to his feet creating distance between them, then Jack straightened up to regard the clearly frightened man.
"Ianto … are you awake?" he asked softly, well aware that their flashbacks were disturbing and wondering if he was experiencing them too.
"Fine. Just annoyed that I fell asleep" Ianto lied.
"Well … clearly you needed it. Dying can really take it out of you, once the adrenalin wears off." Jack soothed sitting on the sofa and waiting patiently until Ianto finally settled next to him. With a division.
John was watching as well, wondering why Ianto was so nervous all of a sudden, then he heard a small noise, turning to see what Gwen was watching.
"Fuck. Look ... we have jackals going after our gazelle"
Everyone watched as their actor wandered along the corridor, three men following him that were clearly not along for a stroll.
"Checking them, so far the computer is not recognising any faces. I think it's them. Holy shit balls. You were right Ianto … there were still some on board. Shit. We were right. We have them" Gwen said then turned to find two men already racing out the door as Ianto continued to sit on the sofa, gripping it tightly.
He rose and followed the two men he hated, loved, feared, needed … wanted.
They raced along the inner walls, popping out behind the three amigos and John was the first one to start a soft snorting giggle.
"What's so funny?" Jack hissed.
"Three. Like us. Three. Why is it always fucking threes?"
Jack stared at him and shook his head "you are one strange cat my friend!"
"Yeah… come on. I want the one with the curly hair!"
"I want one of them alive if possible when we are done" Ianto replied "Please … please try not to kill all of them this time?"
"Yes Mom" Jack said in a silly voice and then he and John sniggered some more as Ianto glared at them.
They walked confidently up behind the three stalking idiots and simply seized them, Jack pulling his back and punching him had in the gut, watching him fall before letting his knee stop the momentum.
John went for the balls, kicking the man from behind so hard that he actually left the ground for a moment before screaming with pain and falling in a heap, the third one turning at the sudden attack to find Ianto standing there silently staring at him like a fucking wraith.
Ianto had been cooped up, terrified for his vessel and insulted with the lack of professionalism in this poor attempt at his life. Ok, they had technically killed him but really? Armatures.
Ianto swung, the man's head jerking back as Ianto reached out with the other hand to seize his lapels and he swung again, this time taking a step forward as his prey started to stagger back from the force of the attack and it was several more blows before he released the lapels to watch the man fold like he was made of paper.
Jack watched with awe, his hapless victim writhing under his knees that were pinning him down and then John cursed softly as his curly haired man made a strange noise and started to shudder in death throes.
"Ooops … I broke mine" John said happily "So do I get a smacking? Look, I broke mine Taddy!"
Jack grinned, and then it faded as he remembered that.
I broke mine Taddy.
She hadn't been barely 18 months … she hadn't been a little dark haired baby with curls that slid around your fingers. No. Tiny, petite with blonde hair that fell in soft waves, Ianto's' nose and a cupid's bow mouth … no. The little girl in the white lace dress holding the popped balloon was at least two and a half. Three?
He turned to face Ianto and saw it in his face.
He knew what he had remembered in that moment.
And was afraid.
Still lying?
