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Chapter 80 - Endings and Beginnings, Part 2
Ianto's brow creased with deep furrows as he read Tosh's email with little enthusiasm. He had cleaned and tidied the Tourist Centre yet again out of sheer boredom and learning that Jack had taken Owen with him to run errands, didn't sit well with him. Nor did Jack's 'promise' of tucking him in do anything to assuage his annoyance.
John and Gray were off buying gear to take with them when they headed off with the Doctor after he returned from the healing centre so it was just Ianto and Tosh in residence. A shrill scream reminded Ianto of the other member of Torchwood. Myfanwy. It's as if that bloody bird can read my mind! One day I'll fix that prehistoric screecher for good!
Ianto! Keep your barriers up! And whatever you decide to do with that beautiful, rare bird is your business and I don't need to know. Not unless you have some kinky earth ideas about a 5-way pairing with her! John made sure his sending was narrow so that only Ianto would receive it. He giggled as he imagined the young Welshman's face turning beet red about now.
John! Ianto responded, also ensuring his sending was narrow and only received by John. You can just keep your alien mating habits to yourself! But it's good to hear from you, how are you and Gray?
Changing his sending to a more friendly tone, John replied. Good thanks, we've got just about everything we'll need for the journey and when we arrive at our destination, wherever that will be. We'll have enough to set ourselves up initially, then see what's available on the local scene. We don't know where we'll start our adventures, we're going to discuss it with the Doctor. He knows the Universe in all time and space better than us, so we'll just wait and see. But if I can, I'll let you know where we're going. And I'll let you know if we find coffee that is as good as yours! We should be able to keep in contact but there may be a delay.
Ianto snorted with disbelief at John's last part of his sending. He did, however, feel reassured that all was well with his relationship with John and that all was well with John and Gray. He knew Jack hated the idea of losing his brother to his former lover, as well as the fact he was taking him far away from him. But the reconciliation that Jack had longed for had at last, taken place. And that was more important than anything else.
That's fine, John. I'll miss having you and Gray around but it will be great to be able to keep in touch. Well, time for me to go back to my brain-numbing duties in the Tourist office while Jack and Owen are out and Tosh is at her computer.
Ianto sighed deeply again. He rather hoped the Rift would spit out something for him to go out and deal with, even if it was just bloody weevils. As he sat brooding while idly flicking through a Travel Catalogue, Ianto got a sudden idea. Jumping up from his seat, he locked the door and put the "Lunch – back in 30 mins" sign up. He then went down into the Hub to see Tosh.
"Hey there Ianto, what can I do for you?" Tosh called out as she heard Ianto's footsteps approaching.
"We've both been left here to twiddle our thumbs while those two get to go joyriding. Well, it looks like it's going to be another boring, day at the Hub so why don't we treat ourselves to a fancy meal out tonight? I could ring Gareth and see if he wanted to join us because he's on his own for a whole week! Please say yes, Tosh, it will help me get through the tedium of this day!"
Tosh turned and frowned at her friend. "You might find yourself twiddling your thumbs up in the office if the Rift stays quiet, Yan, but I most certainly will not! I've got plenty of work to do until we finish tonight. And yes, that sounds like a lovely idea, a nice meal and wine. Maybe we could catch a movie or see if there are any concerts in town."
"Great Tosh! I'll ring Gareth soon but first I'm going to do a lunch run. Fancy anything?" Ianto inquired.
"No thanks Yan, I brought my lunch in today, a yummy tuna salad! And when you come back, you can make coffee to finish it off." Tosh replied.
Ianto just pulled a face and turned to leave the Hub. "Think of me tucking into a delicious, hot steak and cheese pie, then finishing it off with a cream-filled raspberry bun!"
"You sod, Ianto!" Toshiko yelled after her friend. It made her envious to think that Owen, Ianto and Jack could eat mountains of high-calorie food and yet still maintain their figures. It's just not fair! Women have a rotten deal in life. That's why I know God is male because a female deity would have looked after us better!
Before sitting down to enjoy his lunch, Ianto put a quick call through to Gareth. He was delighted when Gareth eagerly accepted his offer as he had been downhearted when Aaron had make a quick stop to pack, informed him he would be away for work for about a week and then be picked up by the Doctor.
It was a pleasant day out so Ianto decided to have his lunch in the park rather than at the at the café's outside tables . He sat down and sighed contentedly as he ate the delicious food. He felt very relaxed and was glad it wasn't cold. He stared up at the thin, sheets of cloud covering the blue/grey sky. As he watched them move slowly by, he suddenly realised that soon, John would be far, far away and he felt a pain in his heart. A wave of sadness swept over him, but he pushed it away. He had Jack and John had Gray, there was no need for him to be sad anymore and he still had his special link with John.
Scrunching up the paper bags from his lunch, then tossing the paper ball like a basketball into the rubbish bin nearby, Ianto smirked as months of practice paid off with a pinpoint accurate shot. Too bad he didn't have an audience. Sighing lightly, he stood up and headed back to the Hub with a quick pace, looking forward to the coffee he would soon be making for Tosh and himself.
There was a lightness in Ianto's step as he looked forward to the dinner tonight with Tosh and Aaron. A part of him hoped that Jack and Owen would be late back so it would just be a merry threesome. He whistled cheerfully as he made his way to the Tourist Centre entrance. There was already a couple waiting outside for him and he hoped it wouldn't take long as he really needed coffee to finish his meal.
"Hello and I'll just open up for you" Ianto said cheerfully as the couple waited patiently.
"We've only been waiting a couple of minutes, so that's fine" the man replied in a Texan accent. "We've already enjoyed a bus tour around the southern parts of Wales and we're going to continue it in the northern region tomorrow."
The couple followed Ianto into the Tourist Centre and he flicked on the lights so they could see the pamphlets and brochures more easily.
"We're from Austin, Texas in the good old USA", the man continued while his wife nodded proudly "and our names are Ethan and Sophie Castillo."
Ianto replied "A pleasure to meet you both and I'm glad you're enjoying your tour of our lovely country. I'm Ianto Jones."
"Ooh, what a lovely accent!" Sophia cooed with delight. They were a pleasant middle-aged couple that Ianto assumed were retired with adult children and grandchildren back in America.
The man looked a bit sheepish as he said "Look I know you must get asked this a lot but, well, we'd just like to know if you can pronounce for us that really long Welsh placename for us."
Ianto grinned as he recognised one of the most common requests made by tourists and even some locals.
"Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, which translates as 'The Church of Mary in the Hollow of the White Hazel Near the Fierce Whirlpool and the Church of Tysilio by the Red Cave' and I'll say it once again more slowly if you need me to do that. It's located on Angelsley Island, north-west of Wales. You should ask your bus tour company about tours to the island."
Ethan and Sophie both beamed with delight and Sophie said "Just say it for us one more time please in your lovely accent, not slowly just as you did before. We're not trying to learn how to pronounce the place name, we just wanted to hear it spoken by a native Welsh person."
Ianto obliged the request and afterwards posed with them for selfies. Sophia asked "Would you mind if we videoed you saying that placename for us one last time? So we can show family and friends back home."
Ianto smiled and nodded as he was used to this request as well. Ethan put his phone on the selfie stick, extended his arm and he and Sophie joined Ianto in the shot.
After wishing them well for the rest of their time in Wales, Ianto gave them a few brochures for places of interest in northern Wales before ushering them out of the door. He then flipped the 'Back in 10 mins" sign, locked the door and headed down to the Hub.
Toshiko waved at Ianto as the usual fanfare heralded his entry into the Hub and called out "At last, Ianto! I'm really hanging out for coffee. The Rift is quiet so we can relax and enjoy our coffee. I think as Jack left us to mind the Hub, we can treat ourselves to the chocolate biscuits Yan, we deserve it!"
"Great minds think alike, Tosh!" Ianto quipped as he headed into the kitchen and began preparing his 'world-famous in Cardiff' delicious coffee. The Torchwood crew always said Ianto's coffee was the best in Wales and Ianto couldn't argue with that.
Meanwhile on the TARDIS …..
The TARDIS welcomed Aaron and opened a door with glowing arrows on the wall leading him to the room she had prepared for him. A warm presence embraced him and Aaron couldn't help but feel completely at home. He unpacked quickly, then returned to the console room to talk with the Doctor.
Gwen was sleeping in a room kept discretely away from her husband. The TARDIS assigned Rhys a large room that was comfortable and nearest to the main room so the Doctor could speak with him easily. She and the Doctor decided that 'softly, softly' was the best approach for Gwen and Rhys to be reacquainted with each other.
Rhys needed time to adjust to both the Doctor and his Time Machine as it was all an overwhelming experience for him. As he sat nervously on the edge of the large, comfortable bed, Rhys wondered what he had let himself in for and began having second thoughts about the wisdom of accepting the mad Doctor's invitation.
"Doctor!" Aaron called out as he came back to the main room where the Doctor was lounging at the console. "I've brought tea and coffee if you'd like to direct me to the kitchen and I'll prepare us a drink. I've also brought biscuits. Will Rhys and Gwen be joining us for refreshments, or will they join us later?"
"They'll join us later. You and I have plenty of time for refreshments and a chat on our own. I'll need to run some things past you about the Healing Centre we're going to and don't worry, you won't need innoculations of any kind. We'll be landing right in the Centre's foyer so their environment will protect us from any nasties from any planet."
"That's a relief", Aaron responded. He turned and went through the doorway the TARDIS had opened for him and found his way to the kitchen where he began preparing tea and coffee.
Aaron returned with a tray of steaming mugs of tea for the Doctor and coffee for himself. He had also found a tin of chocolate biscuits obviously brought from Earth so he put half a dozen on a small plate for them to enjoy.
"Aaron", the Doctor said as he was handed his mug of tea by the young man in front of him, "I think it would be wiser to keep Rhys and Gwen separated for the journey and have them meet when we arrive at the healing centre for counselling. Of course, we can also take turns at talking to each of them. Well I mean, have you counsel each one and I'll just lay down the law to them, so to speak."
Aaaron frowned as he took a seat, a quick sip of his steaming coffee and shook his head. "No Doctor, laying down the law to Gwen and Rhys in this situation, will not work. We need to be careful in how we handle them as both are broken and vulnerable. We need to be more subtle and gentle with them. Discretion is needed in this whole matter, softly, softly."
The Doctor rolled his eyes as he grabbed a biscuit and munched cheerfully on it. When he had finished, he replied, "Alright, alright Aaron, I'll defer to your judgement with them and practice a bit more subtleness and gentleness with them. I can do discreet!"
He ignored the loud guffaw from the TARDIS that only he could hear. He would show his uppity TARDIS he could do this. Easy peasy, he would pass with flying colors!
Rhys moved gingerly around the edge of the luxurious bed in the bedroom the TARDIS had directed him to. He felt as though he was in a swanky hotel and while he was excited about being here, he also felt nervous with the strange doctor and his stranger space ship. He was quite nervous about the prospect of meeting Gwen again. Was he just a dreamer thinking they could be reconciled? Was he the fool he felt he had always been in his relationship with Gwen?
And yet, it hadn't always been bad. It had started off well and they had been very happy together forging a future together. They had been happy with their life, their friends and their families … well, up to a point with each other's families.
Rhys was happy in his job and Gwen had been happy as a police officer. Until Torchwood. Until bloody Captain Jack Harkness. Then everything had changed. It wasn't a dramatic change but a slow, insidious one, like a virus that invades your body and in the end, you are at it's mercy. Captain Jack Harkness was the bloody virus that had infected his wife and Rhys could only hope that this healing centre the mad Doctor spouted on about, would free her from her virus, would heal his Gwennie.
Rhys shook his head at this familiar road to despair and anger. He knew he had to let go of the past, the immediate past that had turned his dreams into a nightmare. He had to cling to the hope that this crazy doctor knew what he was doing. And then there was his weird spaceship that seemed to … know him in some way.
There was one, very real truth that Rhys knew he could never escape. He knew that deep down he had always loved Gwen from the moment they met and there would never be anyone else for him. His doubts about facing her rejection were being effectively shouted down by the hope he harboured to be reconciled with his wife. He had to try again, he had to try just one more time.
The TARDIS sent soothing telepathic reassurances, not speaking directly to Rhys so he wouldn't be upset, just imperceptible suggestions of calmness and serenity as a mother gently shushing her fretting child.
Gwen was beginning to stir more frequently and would awaken soon. The TARDIS knew that her Doctor planned to keep Gwen and Rhys separated for the duration of the journey, having both himself and Aaron speaking to each of them in turns.
The TARDIS disagreed and felt the couple needed to meet on the journey and she knew she was right. However, trying to get her Doctor to see the obvious logic in this move would be too tedious so she decided to take direct action and bypass the Doctor's wishes. Because the Doctor was wrong in this matter and she wasn't.
Gwen woke up feeling hot and parched. She looked around the lovely room but couldn't see a water jug. "Poor host" she muttered irritably. Stumbling out of bed into red, velvet slippers laid at the bedside, she stood up and stretched. There was a gorgeous red embroidered robe with gold thread pattern laid out on the trunk for her. She slipped it on and being a woman, moved to look in the mirror. She smiled at her reflection as the luxurious robe suited her well. She looked around, found a brush and carefully brushed her her into soft waves around her face. Gwen chuckled as her reflection reminded her of Scarlet O'Hara when she wore her robe before Rhett angrily took her in his arms and carried her upstairs to make love to her. Gwen sighed.
A series of unexpected jolts shocked Gwen out of her revelry and she rushed to the door to find the Doctor. It opened and she stepped into the passageway at the same time that another bedroom door opened and Rhys stepped out. They looked around before their gaze fell upon each other and their eyes locked in shock.
Before either could move or speak, the TARDIS opened the nearest wall panel in the control room so that now, both her Doctor and Aaron could see the couple gawking like startled geese at each other.
Aaron's eyes were blazing as he turned on the Doctor and said, "And this is your idea of discreet? Softly, softly huh? You need a dictionary!"
