22

They were almost there, his poor beautiful vessel limping towards their destination, her berth in the Space Port where she could be repaired and loved once more, Ianto could finally relax and then rage at the injustice of it all … after all this time the Agency had shown their teeth again.

Time and time again he thought it over, time and time again he had hoped it was the last time they tried to show some dominance yet here we are… yet again with loss of life and blood staining the floor. Once again Ianto finds himself unable to unclench his jaw as his own lips demand peeling back, if only to remind them that they may well be wolves in a land of sheep … that this land also have something flying higher than those fucking wolves can ever jump with their empty jaws.

He knew.

Deep down he knew, the stirring deep in his gut telling him the real Alpha of the pack was there waiting for him. Full of bullshit and bluster … he knew he would finally see the one pulling the strings and he hoped like hell this had all been worth it to force this man's hand.

Ianto had no illusions that this was going to hurt, that he would suffer now … but he knew suffering, had embraced it long ago as the only feeling he had left to recognise. To have been so close to these two men again, to feel a stirring of that love, that raw affection he had once known hurt more than he had imagined it could, he ws shocked to find a piece of his heart still working at all.

And now he must crush it.

Now he must set fire to it all and rise triumphant at the cost of everyone and everything.

To survive this he must first die.

He knew this as well, even if the other two were still oblivious, even if Jack was now nervously glancing at him like he knew dammed well Ianto was playing a long game. Well … I guess he did. Really… of all of those in the room the only one who ever knew the internal mechanisms of Ianto's thoughts was the one he taught it to. The only one in the entire Verse he had loved so deeply that he had dropped every damn shield and let him in to roam freely in his mind.

Jack knew him and knew his firewalls, would breach him as easily as opening a feckin book and knew right now Jack was struggling to read him, to go through the oceans of shit to find what was really happening and even if he wanted to Ianto could not stop him.

Not that he wanted to.

Actually it was a relief, after all this time. For him to finally know. John was playing catch up as per usual, his heart Jack's so he was reading second-hand through Jack's connection. Once Jack got a new memory or piece of the puzzle he would decipher it, accept it and move on, turning that piece over to John to look at and fondle, create his own opinions.

The three men stood on the flight deck like that, Ianto openly letting his mind be invaded with such a delicate and loving touch that he could almost kid himself that it was welcome. John then accepting the offerings Jack gave… no …John could not invade jack's mind like Jack was invading Ianto's. Jack was closed to all … even Ianto. Something that always hurt him on a certain level, knowing his undying love was not fully returned by this man at his right shoulder, gleaning his very life from him as a faster rate than John could follow … the delay evident in the way Jack's face would frown as a hard part came up then smooth, then John's several moment's or even minutes later as he 'saw' the same moment Jack was handing over to him.

Ianto knew it was all coming to a head, they were to the point of no return and he sighed, gripping the handrail in front of him and letting his head fall forward, closing his eyes to try and steel himself for it, then he released it to the air… the cosmos or whatever you want to call it. The void. He heard Jack's sharp intake of breath as Jack finally saw the shell game for it's possible completion. Saw the reason for the smoke and mirrors and to Ianto's' surprise Jack stepped back, blinking furiously as he stared at Ianto and John turned to Jack with surprise as their bond slammed shut.

Jack was not going to share?

"Javic?" John whispered.

"Not now Johnty" he replied with a lump in his throat, staring at the man whose back was straightening up as if overcoming a mortal blow.

Ianto cleared his throat, and then said shakily "Here we go … coming into dock. Be ready Cariad."

Jack nodded and reached out to take John's had in a show of apology and affection as John glared at him openly, aware now that Jack knew something that would make him so … emotional... he might not function when something was about to happen.

Him.

John fucking Hart.

Emotional.

For some reason the thought that Ianto had told Jack something that would be so mind numbing that he was unable to find a way to pass it on scared John now.

Jack looked ….

Murderous.

The doors opened and Ianto stood there watching the screens as the passengers disembarked and then once it was all clear he sighed, turning to face the main doors and John watched the screen as some came aboard.

Owen and Tosh stepped off along with Rhys, Gwen and the other contestants. Owen and Rhys exchanged looks as they passed the crew entering and moved to one side, Owen openly looking for someone.

Those boarding the vessel did not give way or make any attempt to be polite to these disembarking. A man who walked with the swagger of a king, his companion trotting to keep up with his stride and the other three men heavily arms clearly his security. Then more, eight more men entered with their own weapons drawn.

Ianto waited until he was sure his trap was set.

"Myfanwy, are all crew and guests ashore my love?"

"Yes boss. Just us and them."

"Good girl." Ianto said softly then he glanced at Jack for the first time since the revelation "Are you ready?"

Jack looked Ianto in the eye and said calmly "Do it."

"Myfanwy … initiate End of Days protocols. Clearance 007-13."

The vessel acted immediately, slamming closed the blast doors, the hull doors and implementing the shields at full force, leaping from the docking clips and tearing one out that did not disengage quickly enough as she tore at hyper speed away from the space port and the innocents that could have been harmed in what was about to happen.

As John clung to the railing and looked over with fear at Jack he only saw the teeth of a predator ad Jack grinned at him.

Whatever Ianto was up to …

Jack was in.

So he was too. Right?

John grinned back.