Torchwood: Divergence
Book One: Dychwelyd

Chapter 39

[I'm going for it,] Jones breathed unexpectedly.

"Wait for us, we're on our way," Harkness demanded, signally Gwen to pick up her pace where she moved along the opposite wall.

[It has Ebrill,] Ianto stated flatly, then the line went silent again.

Cooper broke into a run, Jack doing the same. They heard a surprised howl from the as yet unseen alien, then a hissing command and an horrific growl just as the baby began to cry. There was the sound of a scuffle from up ahead, a pained shriek from the Herperan, it's four-legged companion squalling in agony even as they head a stifled cry from their friend.

The two Torchwood operatives rounded the cargo bins blocking their view of the glassed off office area, rushed through the doors to find the alien nursing the yellow fluid gouting stump of its right wrist, hissing curses in its native tongue. Its captive beast was staggering and shaking its spike fringed head dazedly to clear the blackish blood pouring into its eyes from two huge gashes in its thick skull... and there was the glaring red of very human blood staining part of the wall leading back toward the office, as well as a spray across the floor beneath it just past the receptionist's station.

There were no questions asked or orders given. Gwen simply emptied the clip of her 9mm into the face and chest of the snake-headed Herperan that had invaded her husband's business, could hear the louder boom of Jack's Webley as the man put down the creature's spike tailed pet. Then they were both scrambling for the office's damaged door, trying to get to where Ebrill continued to cry. They burst in to find Rhys unconscious on the floor near the desk but otherwise unharmed, the baby held safely in Ianto's right arm where he leaned against the filing cabinet by the door, both he and the youngest Williams covered in blood.

"Take her..." the young Guardian hissed, starting to shake, left arm still tight up across his chest. "Blood's mine... she's okay... just scared..."

Cooper gathered her daughter to her, her eyes wide and worried. Her friend had rescued the sixteen-month-old from the Herperan, fended off and wounded it as well as its vicious pet. How badly had he been hurt?

"Ianto," Harkness was reaching for the young Welshman to check, when the obviously injured brunette's knees buckled and he nearly fell.

"Outside..." Ianto gasped desperately, blood starting to flow from his mouth in alarming quantities, the dark fluid running down the side of the cabinet where he's been leaning. "Now... Don't let... the baby see... please..."

Jack quickly moved to support his partner; half carried him from the office and the ten or so metres to the nearest exit as Gwen moved to check her husband. A few paces outside, he lowered the tremor stricken twenty-six-year-old to the grass and braced him in a sitting position. Then he quickly stripped off the Archivist's suit jacket, shoulder holster that he pocketed the gun from, tie, waistcoat, and blood-soaked lavender dress shirt to reveal a large gushing hole nearly seven centimetres across just to the left of the spine in the brunette's mid back, the ribs there crushed inward. There was a slightly smaller pulsing wound in the young Welshman's chest also a little left of centre, as well as a bone deep puncture nearly the same diameter on the inside of his left forearm, and he was radiating alarming amounts of heat. The four-legged alien had obviously made a retaliatory strike with its wickedly spiked tail, and it appeared that Ianto had turned his back to it so his body would shield the child he held.

"You're bleeding out," Harkness stated tightly, well able to tell by the location of the torso wounds that his partner's heart had been damaged, but nonetheless trying to staunch the gaping openings with the younger man's ruined shirt and waistcoat.

"Cold..." the Scieron Changeling choked, a flood of deep crimson staining the word.

"Don't die, Ianto," Jack pleaded, feeling panic chill his blood. "What if the Shadows lied?"

"Trust... me..." Ianto whispered, shakily putting a gore covered hand to the Captain's cheek, his muscles starting to spasm then go lax even as his breathing grew ever more laboured and shallow. "Like... I trust you... I'll come back, Jack... Just let go... step... step away... please... First time... will be...bad..."

Reluctantly the American eased his Archivist down to lie on his side, then rose and moved back a couple of paces. The Welshman's blood spread across the brittle grass with horrifying speed, and he choked once more as his gore covered body shuddered convulsively for a moment before going utterly still. Jack's heart lurched painfully, a sudden emptiness opening within him again that felt like it could swallow the world. Tears burned his eyes and he started to move forward, only to have the hair stand up on the back of his neck as a lurid red glow rose in a column from beneath Ianto's body, bringing a wave of scorching heat and the smell of boiling blood with it.

"Oh, God..." he heard Gwen moan behind him, felt her come up to take his bloodied right hand in a trembling grip.

"Baby?" Harkness queried breathlessly, obviously struggling to stay in control.

"Fine..." Cooper whispered. "Not a scratch... Rhys is awake... headache and sore neck from getting hit but he's fine too. He's cleaning her up with wet wipes. What about Ianto? What...?"

"The Cruckle," the Captain managed to reply, his voice strained. "Took a swing with its tail. From what I can tell, Ianto couldn't evade so he turned his back to it to protect Ebrill. The spike tore open his heart, and he was bleeding out faster than the Shadows in his cells could repair the damage. He knew he was dying and didn't want your daughter to see it. Gwen... What if..."

"What if he doesn't come back?" the raven-haired woman finished for him. "He will, Jack, you have to believe that. He said the Scieron would turn him away from Death's Door and restore his body. I'd say from the portal around him and the Shadows moving in it, that they're doing exactly that."

She felt the man's hand tighten on hers, looked up to see tears in his eyes as he stared at his lover's unmoving form.

"This is what it's like for him, Jack," Gwen pointed out flatly. "This is what Ianto and the rest of us feel whenever we watch you die and wonder if it'll be the time you don't wake up. Why it's so hard on him, especially if he thinks he's to blame for not protecting you."

"I'm sorry..." Harkness whispered, tears winning free to streak down his face, blue eyes haunted and desolate.

"Don't apologise," Cooper murmured, leaning her head against his shoulder. "We all know you accept certain risks because you believe you'll recover, but it's still hard for us to count the minutes or days until you take that reviving breath. I don't think you ever realised before how scary and gut wrenching that wait is, because you've never been the one doing the waiting until now. But I promise you, Jack... the joy and relief that you'll feel when Ianto wakes up will wipe that all out in an instant and lasts a lot longer."

"Till the next time," the American breathed, briefly looking down to meet her gaze as he gently squeezed her hand.

"Welcome to my world," the raven-haired woman sighed, returning the pressure of his fingers. "And now it's times two."

In that instant, the red glow disappeared and they both returned their attention to the young Welshman on the ground nearby. Not only were the wounds gone from his back, chest and arm, all the blood he'd been covered in as well as what had spread across the ground beneath him had also vanished. Jack and Gwen waited anxiously, trying to see if the brunette was breathing once more. Then they heard a gentle whisper on the chill breeze...

"Deffro, Frân Arian..."

Ianto's body jerked in reaction and he took a gasping breath even as his eyes snapped open. He tried to push up into a sitting position, somewhat dazed and disoriented, and his friends immediately came to his aid. Harkness knelt to steady his lover, giving him something to focus on at the same time. And as soon as Jones' gaze centred on the older man, he shakily reached out to embrace him. Jack returned the gesture, pulling the half-naked twenty-six-year-old close and stroking his hair before shifting to give him a very solid kiss. Gwen let out a shuddering sigh of relief and rested a hand on each of her teammates nearest shoulders. They all just sat there for several minutes, then Ianto turned his head to meet her gaze.

"Rhys and the baby?" he whispered worriedly.

"Both fine," Cooper reassured, leaning over to kiss the young Archivist on the cheek. "Thank you. I'm going to go get them ready to go home... you two just sit a span, yeah? I'll call Andy, see if he can co-ordinate a clean-up crew to remove the remains and hazmat the building."

"Why don't you come by the Hub?" Harkness suggested. "Let Martha give Rhys a once over before you head home."

"That's probably a good idea," Gwen nodded, noticing crimson smeared footprints across the strip of pavement by the door, as well as the blood on her hand from where she'd touched Jack's, tears welling in her eyes as she realised it was all Ianto's and it fully hit home what he'd done. "I came so close to losing him and Eb today... you laid down your life to protect them for me without the slightest hesitation. If you hadn't been here, if those Shadows hadn't sent you back to us..."

"I am here, Gwen," Ianto stated quietly. "I wasn't about to let some uninvited alien freeloader turn my hypnotised Goddaughter into a snack, no matter what I had to do. And Torchwood is here to protect the world from what the Rift brings our way. I've told you both, it's the other reason why the Scieron brought me back to life.

"Dying is never easy... it's terrifying, painful, lonely... ask Jack. For most, it's the end of all things. I know I can escape that cold Dark now, and as long as Jack's waiting for me when I do, I can accept Death's embrace whenever it comes. Especially if it spares an innocent life."

"The Scieron did say they chose beings with a pure heart to make Changelings," Harkness reminded, tightening his arms around his partner for a moment even as he thought about their earlier argument. "Noble spirits who died for the good of others, and would put their heart and soul into protecting what they held dear. You more than proved that point today, no matter what else the Shadows have in mind for their Chosen."

Ianto blushed slightly, smiled self-consciously when Gwen nodded vigorous agreement.

"Let me go get the family," she stated decisively, quickly wiping the tears from her face with the back of one hand. "We'll be ready to leave shortly."

She hurried inside, and Jack let go a shuddering breath that made his partner meet his gaze.

"I was afraid I'd lost you again," he whispered hoarsely, his blue eyes overly bright and his chin quivering ever so slightly. "When you stopped breathing, I felt like my heart had been ripped out... all that was left was a cold aching void. It was the same way I felt at Thames House when you died in my arms, the way I lived until two months ago when you came back to me. God, what I wouldn't've done to make it stop, to find a way to get you back, but there was nothing I could do so I ran.

"Just now I felt helpless like that all over again, wanted to reach into that portal and make you live. I've never had to face that kind of desolation until London. Especially not with the hope it might end. Not enduring the agony of waiting for some sign that you'd wake up and make me whole. Gwen told me it's always been like that for you, for anyone depending on me to come back."

"She's right," the young Welshman replied quietly, the lost child look showing in his eyes and expression once more. "And the longer it takes for you to finally wake up, the worse it gets. But when you actually do start to breathe again, all that disappears, and there's only this incredible feeling of relief and a strange sort of euphoria that's almost like a drug it's so strong."

"She said that too," the Captain half laughed, even as tears trickled down his face. "All these years, I never realised how I was hurting the people around me that I trusted with the truth. I didn't let myself think about it. You told me how miserable you were after what happened with Abaddon, how hard it was for you when I ran off chasing the Doctor. But I still didn't understand what that really meant until now. I've hurt you like that so many times and I'll keep hurting you every time I die... saying I'm sorry just doesn't seem to be enough."

"No, 'sorry' doesn't do the job," Ianto breathed, reaching up to wipe away the older man's tears as well as the smears of his own blood from earlier. "And it won't be enough whenever I die now either. But I never wanted apologies, Jack. Why do you think I always found reasons to stay late at the Hub with you after you woke once I found out about your immortality issue? Hmmm? Made the right comments or just flat out suggested a bit of 'dabbling' in the later days? Being close to you, sharing a meal, making you smile or laugh, having you touch me... those little things were all I wanted. Apologies are just words and wind, Cariad. Knowing you were back and having your attention on me for even an hour or two meant so much more. Still does."

Harkness gifted the young brunette with a passionate kiss, then simply held him close for a few more minutes.

"You are so mine tonight," he growled with a smile. "And I see more dates in our future. Right now though, we'd best get you on your feet and head for the SUV. Your shirt, waistcoat and jacket are pretty much a loss I think. Not even the talented Mr. Simmons is going to be able to fix holes like that."

"Lend me your coat?" Ianto requested with a shiver as they both moved to get up off the ground. "I'll have to get it cleaned anyway since I bled all over it earlier."

"I don't relinquish this to just anyone you know," Jack stated solemnly, shucking the long wool garment nonetheless and holding it for the younger man to slip into. "But, seeing as this is your first official resurrection as an immortal Scieron Guardian, I suppose you've earned it."

The young Archivist folded the slightly oversized, body warmed coat closed across his naked chest, and buttoned it in place. Then he drew the lapels up to his face and inhaled through his nose with a smile.

"You know how I am about the coat," he whispered, watching the grin that spread across its owner's face. "Must be the body that's normally in it."

"I'd suggest we share, but I don't think there's quite enough room," the American chuckled, pulling the now permanently underweight Welshman close and moving in for another good snog.

"Mixed company, boys," Gwen's voice suddenly called from the doorway to the building, her teammates dutifully cutting the kiss short and moving away from one another and accepting the wet wipes she handed them to clean up Jack's hands. "UNIT has a crew on its way to sort the mess, so we're free to go."

Rhys locked up the door behind them, knowing any clean-up crew would have the means to undo the dead-latch, then the family started toward the car park. Little Ebrill was quiet and no longer covered in Ianto's blood, but she reached for the young Guardian as her mother started to carry her past him. Cooper paused, allowed the tiny brunette to touch her friend's face when he stepped over close.

"Everything's fine, petal," the Archivist smiled, reaching up to brush the sixteen-month-old's raven hair away from her big green eyes. "No more scary visitors."

The little girl smiled and giggled, then surprised them all.

"Frân..." Ebrill cooed, still patting her godfather on the cheek even as he lost all expression.

"What did she say?" Rhys insisted, looking slightly pleased, very confused and definitely sore. "Was that what I think it was?"

"'Crow'..." Ianto whispered with a small nod, meeting Gwen's eyes in silent apology. "In Welsh..."

"Not 'Mam' or 'Da'," Cooper murmured, her voice low and a little shaky, as though she was either about to laugh or cry. "No... my daughter's first non-baby-babble word is full blown Welsh, and it's part of what a bunch of aliens call one of my mates from work. Brilliant, just brilliant."

"Better that than curse words if you ask me," her husband sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "And I suppose it's okay since he did just save her life and all. At least her first word wasn't 'Torchwood' or 'Jack'."

"How did she learn that word though?" Gwen prodded. "Did you teach her, Ianto?"

"I'm really sorry," Jones stated solemnly. "Honestly, I don't know how Ebrill would have ever heard it, let alone associate it with me. And I've barely been around her since the Scieron sent me back in August."

"She likes her birds, our girl," Rhys shrugged, then winced. "Probably saw your wings earlier. Told you they were like a great rook's."

"There you go, nothing to worry about," Jack put in with a quick smile, though Gwen was now frowning and giving his partner an odd look. "Come on... let's get back to the Hub, so Martha can give Rhys something for his monster headache."

"Amen," Williams half smiled, prodding his wife toward the car park as Ianto fielded his ruined clothes from the grass.

They split up at the vehicles, Jack and Ianto simply letting the SUV idle until their friends were safely in their own car and pulling away. Then they were on the road as well, a very memorable mission behind them. Everything had turned out fine in the end, but an undercurrent of tension and unease among those involved refused to be left behind. It was going to be a long night.

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Welsh bits:

Deffro, Frân Arian... = Awaken, Silver Crow...

Cariad = Sweetheart or Love (I think we all know this one by heart at this point)

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AN: Hopefully that makes up for the cliff-hanger… or does it? (Insert evil chuckle here…)

Thank you to those reading the story. And thank you to those who have followed, favourited, and reviewed. NM