Jack wasn't sure what to think as he was led out of the courtroom with the fae queen and down a long corridor covered in wood, moss and flowers to another seemingly large chamber with a small round table in the centre of the room surrounded by chairs and shelves covered in books which lined the walls. The queen walked over to the table pulling a chair out and sat down before indicating for Jack to do the same.
"How much of our world has Mr Jones told Torchwood?" the queen asked when Jack, all a bit reluctantly, sat down opposite her.
"Not much. I know the basics that you can control the elements, you can travel backwards and forwards in time looking for chosen ones. Ianto mentioned how the chosen ones are picked because of their situation, the children are abused or neglected in some way. I know a little about your predecessor and her downfall and I know about the rogue fae Jason but that's about it" Jack explained, he didn't want to push Ianto into telling him about his world, there was a time and a place for that and currently with Gwen and Jason on the loose was far from it.
"We fae have a few rules and regulations in place to prevent our kind from going down the same dark path my predecessor took and unfortunately for your team because of the actions of Miss Cooper they are at risk. We fae are protective of our own both chosen ones and faes a like, what Miss Cooper did shooting Ianto when exposed to the council will put Torchwood in a disadvantage position which may risk the lives of Miss Sato and Mr Harper" the queen said and Jack opened his mouth to interrupt "please let me finish. Ianto and I can try to defend them but if the council agrees that they are guilty of supporting Miss Cooper in harming a fellow fae then the council can kill them. There was a system put in place to ensure that the queen will never have too much power over the fae again. Me bring you into our world doesn't exactly paint me in a good light but I have no choice, Jason threatens this whole world and he needs to be stopped".
"I honestly don't care much for your traditions or your rules, all I care about is protecting my team which includes Ianto. I would never let anything harm him" Jack stated. Ianto meant the world to him, as did Tosh and Owen. He was not going to let the fae take them from him as well.
"I am pleased that Ianto is cared for by yourself immortal one. To know that my people are being protected by those who are not of my kind is warming. As you know immortal one my kind is not always seen as the good guys because we take our chosen ones but like Ianto explained we want to protect those who aren't being protected by others. Some species don't see it that way" the queen said, it wasn't the first time they have had to fight for their chosen ones against another species, and the queen doubted it would be the last.
"I have to admit, I was very against the fae. In some ways I still am but Ianto is a fae and I know that he is the furthest things from something evil. I hope that maybe working with the fae I can see the good in your kind the same way the chosen ones and Ianto sees it. Torchwood will help in any way you need us, we want to find Gwen just as much as you do" Jack offered, it was time they settled their differences and work together.
"Immortal one, has Ianto mention a potential deal which could save Toshiko Sato and Owen Harper's lives and put the issues between my kind and you behind us once and for all" The Queen said, she had been beating around the bush for long enough.
"…no, what is it?" Jack asked. The queen smiled before opening her mouth and told the immortal one about the deal.
When Jack had left the courtroom with the queen, Ianto offered to take Owen and Tosh on a small tour around his world, if they were going to be trapped here then it would probably be ideal that they knew their way around or at least they knew enough that they could navigate parts of it. The fae world wasn't really made with the intention of humans being here, it was part of the reason why they were hardly ever allowed access to his world.
"Ianto this world is beautiful" Tosh said, they had come up to an observation deck where they could overlook the whole city. She could see the extend that the trees had moulded and bent into unbelievable shapes which took hold of houses, cathedrals and small forests which was identical to Round Stone Wood, she could even made out the famous stone circle hidden amongst the trees.
"You see that cathedral, inside there is the history of all the fae. It's carved into crystal" Ianto said, he felt relieved that he could share the history of his kind to his friends. Tosh was just soaking in the whole atmosphere whilst Owen was acting like he was unimpressed yet Ianto could tell he was just astounded as Tosh.
"So, tell us tea-boy how did the fae come about, how does a powerful species decide that they are going to make it ranks out of children from different millennia" Owen said.
"As you can guess, it started with a child. She lived a horrible life; she was horrible abused by her family and her father's friends. At the age of 12 she had fallen pregnant, she died during childbirth abandoned in what you now known as round stone woods. Just as she died, her blood mixed with the current elemental presence of the area and the first fae was born. She decided that she was going to protect those just like her and that's how the chosen ones came about. That child became our first queen" Ianto explained, Tosh looked horrified. That the fae had such a dark beginning.
"Wait… didn't you say the first queen was overthrown?" Tosh asked, she was sure that Ianto had mentioned that the first queen's old ways were the reason she ended up getting overthrown.
"Did you know that there are only five fae to have ever died in the whole of our history. The queen was the first. She might have had good intentions to protect our chosen ones but she let her anger taint them, she killed merciless, whoever see deemed unworthy and that's why the fae have such a bad reputation, because we've killed countless of innocent people because the queen didn't see them worthy of living any longer. Just before I became a fae, there was an uprising and they overthrew the old queen and our current queen took over. To mark the end of the first queen's era, she died, it was also to prevent any sympathisers trying to re-instate her" Ianto explained, the first era of the fae's history was a dark one full of death and horrors but it was important for the fae to know to prevent them from ever going down that dark path again.
"We've all done terrible things in our lives. God knows I've done some stupid things but it what makes us who we now. I'm grateful that I know you are a fae and that I can learn more about a species that we've got hardly any information on. Ianto, I want you to know is, if you need someone to talk to about being a fae or anything stupid like how Owen or Jack are driving you insane then I'm here for you" Tosh said, yes she was curious to find out about the fae but she cared more about her friend, her best friend.
"Thanks Tosh" Ianto said giving his best friend a small smile.
"Any now we've done all that emotional bollocks. Where's Harkness got to anyway? Should we have left him alone with your queen after all we know how he can get" Owen said, looking around to see if he could find the leader of torchwood three but Owen couldn't see anyone. Actually, now he thought about it, the only fae he had seen beside the queen, the two guard friends of Ianto and of course Ianto himself was the occasional guard. There were no fae flying in the sky or rushing through the halls, everywhere was empty.
"Please I don't think Jack will try anything on her majesty. She wanted to talk to him about a potential deal which would save both your lives, I'm sure he needs time to think it through before giving the queen his answer" Ianto explained.
"Save our lives? Is there something you're not telling us tea-boy" Owen said. He could see the tension in Ianto's shoulders.
"When Gwen shot me, she condemned the whole torchwood team to death. My kind is very protective of each other and if one of us gets harmed, it's a serious crime. Unlike with the chosen ones where we can only kill an associate of an abuser if they have caused the same abusive treatment to the chosen one. With an attack on a fae, everyone there can be held accountable, it stupid I know but it's the law unless it can be proven that either they had no part in the attack or that they are loyal to the fae, nothing can spare them. This deal it secures a link between team torchwood and the fae and prevents a fallout so, that Gwen will be the only person accused of her actions against me" Ianto explained, he knew what Tosh was going to ask before she opened her mouth.
"What does this deal entail?" Tosh asked and Ianto sighed, this was going to be a long conversation, but they had a right to know.
Jack didn't know what to think, he had left the Queen's chambers nearly an hour ago and now he was just wandering around the queen's palace. The queen's proposal had definitely been a surprise, and it was nothing but temptation, however, could he really take the deal knowing full well what it would entail.
"Jack" a familiar voice said pulling Jack out his sorry looking state. He looked in the direction of the voice – it was Estelle. He had been so distracted by his own thoughts he had completely forgotten that she was here.
"Estelle are you alright. The fae didn't harm you did they?" Jack asked once more as he walked over to the door she was peering out of. Just because he trusted Ianto didn't mean he would instantly trust the fae. Especially after what happened to Estelle the last time, if Ianto didn't get to her when he did then he would have lost her, and she was too important to him to lose.
"The fae have been extremely kind to be during my visit. I told you Jack that there are good ones, like Mr Jones. Come inside, you seemed to have a lot on your mind" Estelle said backing in the room she had been given by the queen and took a seat. Jack sighed before sitting opposite her.
"Why did the fae bring you here Estelle? The Queen refused to tell me" Jack asked, it was driving him insane as he tried to figure out what the fae would want with Estelle.
"They gave me an offer" Estelle said smiling, she still wasn't sure whether she was going to take it but whilst she was experiencing the fae world she could definitely picture herself living here.
"Which was?" Jack pushed.
"If I would like to become a fae myself" Estelle said and Jack felt his heart freeze, they wanted to what.
"How does that work? Would they go back to your childhood and take you when you were a child?" Jack said panicked, would he lose an important part of his life to the fae, if they took Estelle as a child she would never meet him which means his memories would change and maybe everything which led up to this point would be different what if, if Estelle became a fae as a child it stopped Ianto from ever meeting him.
"I'm not sure but the queen said that there is a process to turn an adult, I have lived a good life Jack, if I do take the deal I would want to remember everything I have experienced and not lose out on the important parts of my life. Now, enough about why I'm here. Tell me what's on your mind" Estelle asked.
"The queen has offered me a deal however if I take it I tie someone to me for eternity. The thing is Estelle, I'm that selfish that I would take it, if it meant I get to keep him with me" Jack confessed, he knew he wasn't a bad man yet he was far from being a good one but could he have it on his conscience that because he took this deal, he took away the choices of another man, someone Jack truly cared for.
"I'm guessing Ianto Jones is whom you are talking about" Estelle said, Jack had to stop himself from laughing was he truly that obvious.
"I love him Estelle, just like my dad loved you" Jack said. If he bonded with Ianto Jones, he would never lose him, something that always scared Jack whenever he met someone important, when would they die, when would he have to be alone again.
"Then why are you moping here for. Go tell that boy what he needs to hear, Jack if you love him then he deserves to know. So, go get out of here, find that boy of yours and Jack be happy" Estelle ordered, she wasn't letting Jack give up on love just because he seemed to stop himself from ever allowing someone to love him for who he really is.
"Yes ma'am" Jack said jumping up off his seat and gave Estelle a salute. She was right, it was time to stop beating around the bush and to man up and tell Ianto how he felt. He didn't want this deal to force Ianto to be with him and then grow to hate him, he wants their relationship to be open and honest before they got themselves into this whole bonding mess. Jack didn't spare a second thought before he darted out of Estelle's room and started looking for Ianto.
"Ianto" Jack said the second he found his team, Ianto's head snapped up whilst Tosh and Owen seemed so deep in thought that they didn't notice Jack appearance. Jack didn't waste any longer before saying "Is there somewhere we can talk… alone".
Ianto stared at Jack, taken back a little but he understood, Jack wanted to talk about the deal. Ianto nodded before whispering something to Tosh which Jack couldn't quite hear then Ianto gestured for Jack to follow him.
"No one will interrupt us here" Ianto said pushing the door to his house open. It had been so long since he had come home, living in the human world and working for Torchwood took up so much time that he could hardly to come home when he felt like it.
"Is this your house" Jack asked, it made sense considering if it wasn't then Ianto had broken into some random fae home plus there was just an air about it which screamed Ianto. From the furniture to the coffee machine in the kitchen and the pile of – Jack was pretty sure – were James Bond DVDs.
"Yeah" Ianto said, waking into the kitchen where he had his beloved coffee maker and started brewing a cup for Jack and himself before saying "you wanted to talk".
Jack came to stand next to Ianto, but the archivist wasn't looking at him. "I want to know your thoughts on this bonding thing".
"My opinion on the ceremony isn't important. It's up to you to decide" Ianto responded, he had already told the queen that he was willing to take part so no other fae had to, why would Jack want his opinion on it.
"Ianto if we did this then you would be tied to me for the rest of eternity. You should at least have some say in it before you're forced to spend every waking hour with me. I'm not a good person Ianto, I'm far from it" Jack said, he couldn't believe that Ianto thought his opinion wasn't important, it was the most important thing ever, Ianto deserved to say how he felt about this whole thing.
"I don't think you're… you're not a bad person Jack" Ianto said.
"You wouldn't say that if you knew the things that I've done" Jack huffed, he spent many years of his life conning and torturing people, if Ianto knew that then he would never be able to he even say that about Jack, let alone look at him in the same light.
"Yeah well I'm not the saint you seem to make me out to be. Let's just say we're just as bad as each other" Ianto replied, he didn't care how Jack saw himself, what happened in his life which made Jack believe that he was some horrid person, Ianto didn't care about that. All he cared about was the person Jack was here and now.
"Ianto all you've done is tried to save people, Estelle, Tosh, even Lisa. Even if she was far from saving you still tried. If I was in your situation, I would have just killed her, hell I ordered you to kill your own girlfriend. If that doesn't say that I'm a bad person then I don't know what will" Jack said, but Ianto just shook his head. He put his mug of coffee on the side and grabbed one of Jack's hand in his.
"Jack. I wasn't always like this. Thousands of years ago, a young arcateenian, Reiner founds us somehow, he was being abused by his kind and knew that we protected those who had be neglected so we agreed to take him, to turn him into a fae however, the arcateenians found out somehow and they were mad, really really mad. For the best part they couldn't find us but then one night a small group broke in. There is a dead part of the forest full of ruins from that fight. I had only been a fae for less than a month and I noticed a weakness with their main weapon, and I was scared Jack, I really scared. I just got from one horrible place just to find myself in the middle of a war. I blew their weapon up. It killed three hundred arcateenians instantly, but I didn't stop at that until they were all dead. In less than a night I killed roughly two thousand arcateenians because I was scared of losing the only place of safety I've ever known" Ianto confessed, he could feel the tears streaming down his checks. He hated thinking back to that time, overnight he had be promoted to commander and the war continued until the fae was safe and the arcateenians had been defeated. The second the war ended Ianto had returned to his post of the Chosen One Response Squad and tried to block what had happened from his mind. He had succeed too until now, being called the Commander again, it just brought all those unwanted memories back.
Jack suddenly ripped his hand out of Ianto's, making Ianto flitch. Jack hated him; Jack was going to hate him. But instead Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto and pulled him in for a hug and whispered into Ianto's ear. "I don't blame you; you were young and didn't really know any better. I could never judge you for that. Ianto… my beautiful Welshman. There has been something that I've needed to tell you for a while now and I've been so scared, but someone told me that I deserve to be happy and you make me happy. Ianto Jones I love you".
Ianto felt his heart skip a beat. Jack loved him; he must be hearing things because he was sure he heard Jack say that he did in fact love Ianto.
"I love you Jones, Ianto Jones. Faults and all" Jack said over and over again in Ianto's ear until Ianto knew he wasn't dreaming it. Jack loved him. Jack Harkness, his boss was in love with him.
"I…" Ianto took a deep breath "I love you too Jack. F-faults and all".
Jack didn't waste a second long before he pressed his lips against Ianto's in a passionate kiss, the couple clung to each other both fearing that if they let go then this will all fade into a dream. Jack slide his tongue across Ianto's bottom lip asking the Welshman for entrance which Ianto gave him. Ianto let Jack's tongue slide into his mouth and explore ever inch. Ianto could feel himself relaxing into Jack. Ianto knew he was going to be okay; they were going to be okay.
"We better find Tosh and Owen before they get themselves into trouble" Ianto said pulling away from Jack but still stayed in his arms. As much as he wanted to stay here with Jack, and spend every waking second discovering every piece of their bodies, Ianto knew they couldn't. They still had the issue which Gwen and Jason posed, and they had to find the Queen to inform her of Jack's decision.
"Sure, let's go" Jack smiled before pressing another kiss to Ianto's lips and then pulled him out of Ianto's house and onto the streets to find the other two members of their team.
"Where the hell have you two been?" Owen snapped when Jack and Ianto finally found them.
"We were talking about something, never mind that we need to find the queen" Jack replied. Tosh seemed to give Jack a knowing look whilst Owen stared at him suspiciously.
"Talk about what" Owen said before he noticed that Jack was holding Ianto's hand, their fingers still entangled. Owen seemed to let out a sigh of relief before he said "fucking finally, I thought you two would never get together. How did he do it teaboy, did he have to try and charm you".
"We can talk about our relationship later. First, we need to find the queen and stop a fight breaking out between torchwood and the fae" Jack said. Tosh and Owen nodded and the torchwood team took off, following after Ianto who had a suspicion of where the queen might be and he didn't like it at all.
"Where's the queen?" Ianto asked Bertholdt and Reiner who was standing outside the royal courtroom.
"She's inside. The council has been informed of the immortal one's presence and the actions of Gwen Cooper. It would be an understatement to say that they aren't pleased that he's here" Bertholdt replied briefly looking over at Jack but returning his attention to Ianto.
"Do you trust him" Bertholdt asked, if the commander trusted the immortal one then Bertholdt would to. If it hadn't been for Ianto, he would have never come with the fae. He had been so loyal to his family that he couldn't see that what they were doing to him was abuse, it was until Ianto had shown him what a normal family was like and how they acted towards one another that Bertholdt's vision of a perfect world slowly crumbled. If Ianto hadn't done that he would have never met Reiner. If Ianto trusted the immortal one then it was enough for Bertholdt. Ianto just nodded.
"I know we haven't exactly seem eye to eye lately but what's important is stop Jason and Gwen. We need to talk to the queen" Jack said. Reiner and Bertholdt looked at each other then at Ianto who gave them a small nod. Interrupting the royal court whilst it is in session was never a good idea, but they needed to prove that Torchwood was on the side of the fae and not working with Gwen or Jason.
"Ok, just understand immortal one. It will be no easy task talking to the council, you better strike up some amazing deal that will shift their minds into believe you" Reiner said before he and Bertholdt pushed the courtroom doors open allowing Tosh, Owen, Ianto and Jack to walk though then shutting them closed behind them. Torchwood was officially on their own.
"Who dares enter the royal court whilst it is in session" a loud voice shouted through the air. Jack smirked as he strode to the centre of the courtroom, giving the faes a once over before bowing to the Queen.
"Your majesty" Jack said ignoring the horrified gasps which resonated with the congregation. Jack had expected as much, after all he was their enemy standing right in front of them, in their place of safety.
"He shouldn't be here, he's the enemy" a fae sat beside the queen shouted, visible horrified that the immortal once had somehow gotten into their world.
"Please, I understand your distress but now is not the time to forget that we have a bigger problem than the immortal one. Jason is on the loose and we need to apprehend him. From what we know is that Jason is going after a valuable fae of ours if he succeeds that who knows what Jason will do after, he might try and kill us and take our kinds on a darker path. We are on the council because we have fought to improve the ways of our kind, to save innocent people's' lives. We cannot let this Jason issue get out of hand anymore than it has already. Jason has brought a rogue member of Torchwood – Miss Gwen Cooper on board however, this doesn't implicate that the rest of the Torchwood members are guilty. We need the help of Torchwood and the immortal one to finally bring an end this is war. We need to listen to what he says and how they can help" the queen said trying to defend Torchwood, but she knew that the council will not listen to her. Jack needed to be the one who changed their minds. Their future partnership was all riding on Jack now.
"Nothing he says will ever help the fae, he has only tried to destroy us" another fae shouted.
"Listen, I know the fae hate me. We both caused each other some extreme harm but now is the time to use our strengths to bring down our enemies. Torchwood stands beside the fae in our pursuits of finding and bring down Jason and Gwen Cooper, we do not want any more innocent lives taken because of their actions" Jack said.
"We can't trust you! Your words mean nothing" the same fae shouted.
"I will willingly bond myself to a fae, if it means you will trust the work of Torchwood and our support in finding Jason and Gwen" Jack said, and the courtroom went silent. The fae stared at Jack as if he had suddenly grown another head and then the council deteriorate into hush whispers. Some fae believing what Jack had said whilst others outright denied that they heard anything. One of the faes sat beside the queen stood up, he was glaring down at Jack before saying.
"You! The immortal one would willingly bond yourself to a fae just so we could believe what you are saying. So that we can accept the help of Torchwood, how desperate do you think we are. And even if we did need your help – which we don't – but even if we did, do you think there is a single fae here who would willingly bond themselves to you for eternity. Everything this man says is complete poppycock, we can't trust him, and we don't need his help".
"Trust me" Ianto said, speaking up for the first time since he entered the court. He, Tosh and Owen had stayed on the side-lines just watching. It had been up to Jack to negotiate with the fae but Ianto knew more than anyone that the fae would need some type of insurance before they would start working with the immortal one.
"Commander Ianto" the fae said surprised, he hadn't noticed that the commander had entered the room.
"I understand that everyone here is feeling anxious, we have a rogue fae on the loose and now we are being forced to potentially work we people we wouldn't have dreamt of working with in a million years. The immortal one is willing to bond with a fae to show his loyalty to the fae so that we can indeed move forward and make progress in find Miss Cooper and Jason. I also understand that no one here would ever be willing enough to go through the bonding ceremony let alone to be bonded to the immortal one himself. That's why I would willingly put myself forward as a candidate to being bonded with the immortal one, so that no one else would be forced to" Ianto said, the courtroom when quiet again.
"Commander, you are a well-respected member of the fae. Why would you put yourself in this position" the head council fae spoke up.
"As you know I have worked at Torchwood One and Three for years now, I understand how its operatives and out of all the fae, I can work with the immortal one. I understand him, I am the only likely candidate for the role. I also don't want to lose two dear friends who understand and accept me for who I am" Ianto explained briefly looking over at Tosh and Owen before turning back to face the head council fae.
"We, the council will consider the immortal one's proposal. If you would step outside to give us time to debate" the head council fae said. Ianto nodded before grabbing Jack's arm and pulled him out the courtroom.
"Do you think it will work?" Tosh asked, when the courtroom doors had closed. Ianto just shrugged.
"All we can do is wait and hope that the council will agree in favour of the bonding ceremony" it was all Ianto could really say, he had no idea what the council will choose. Their main focus should be capturing Jason but being confronted with their number one enemy seemed to throw all of their priorities out the window. The royal courtroom doors stayed closed for a best part of an hour, it had been torture with all the possible outcomes running through Ianto's head. Maybe they would accept what Jack said, or maybe they will outright deny Jack's proposal and kill Tosh and Owen the second they step back through those doors.
"Commander Ianto, the council has made a decision" Reiner said as he and Bertholdt pushed the large courtroom doors opened once more. Only Ianto and Jack entered the room this time, both immortals believing it would be best to keep Tosh and Owen out of sight, like the human saying went out of sight out of mind. Ianto hoped that the council fae would forget about Tosh and Owen and unintentionally save their lives, that is if they didn't accept the deal.
"After a thorough debate, we have come to accept the immortal one's proposal. We will prepare the bonding ceremony immediately; it will happen tonight. Commander Ianto, immortal one prepare yourselves".