TITLE: Beauty of a Broken Angel
PART ONE OF SERIES: The Five Elements (AU Verse)
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood, because if I did Ianto would be immortal!
Note: Penultimate chapter is here! So close! Hope you enjoy. There is a time jump here and flashback is in italics.
Chapter 6: Trust vs Betrayal
17th January 2000
The following ten days went by rather quickly, but despite Jack's hopes, Ianto didn't regain many more memories than the ones he already had, and none of the few he did were relevant to either his missing year or subsequent capture by Torchwood One. Jack could see that Ianto was getting increasingly bothered at the blanks along with constantly discovering he could do task when he couldn't remember doing them before. One surprising example was his reading and, although shaky, his writing skills. Jack, although not to this extent, had his own experiences with missing years and the frustration it brought, and tried to distract the other by helping him with gain control of his powers and empathic abilities. For the first time ever, Jack was annoyed that he hadn't concentrated in all of his classes at the Time Agency as he tried to recall the small details of psychic training.
Knowing Torchwood One wouldn't keep quiet for long, during the long nights while Ianto was recovering from practising, Jack had taken to compiling a fool-proof plan to protect Ianto from the hands of Yvonne. With his limited access without the Hub, it was proved harder than imagined to get started, but with it almost done, Jack realised something else had to be done first, despite his reservations.
That morning, with no word from Torchwood One or Three in Cardiff, Jack felt just about comfortable enough to take Ianto outside the Hotel to practise. Mental shielding with individuals and small groups in the hotel corridors was one thing, but having them hold up in large crowds was another and if Ianto ever wanted to be able to immerse himself back into the world after he was safe from Torchwood One, they had to try. Being in crowds for someone previously held captive even without Ianto's empath abilities would be hard enough, but with them, the constant flow of hundreds of different emotions would be overwhelming without shields.
Both were uneasy at leaving the safety of the hotel, but Ianto agreed that he wanted to see if his newly developed shields would hold and if Jack was honest, they could both use the trip for other reasons as well. While Ianto had noticeably gained a little weight since being rescued, the outfits Helen had brought the first night still hung loosely on his frame and Jack figured they could hit the shops to buy some proper fitting clothes.
They stood side by side in the doorway of the hotel, having chosen a Monday so it'd be a little quieter than the weekend, but still be plenty of people around to challenge Ianto's shielding.
"Ready?" Jack asked and Ianto nodded, closed his eyes as he remembered the conversation he'd had with Jack in order to bring up his shields.
o0o
12th January 2000
"Every empath is different." Jack explained. "So first try explain in your own words how you distinguish from your own emotions and others."
Ianto looked confused but complied, closing his eyes to focus. "They're like…sparks of light, different colours. Mine are stationary but everyone else's are moving inwards to mine."
"Makes sense." Jack confirmed, nodding. "There's two types of mental shielding. The first is what I did the other day which involves closing your mind completely and the other is doesn't block them out but can rather quieten them and their reaction on you. What do you want to try first?"
"The quietening one?" Ianto whispered, uncertain. He wasn't sure he'd be able to do either, but thought the second might be easier than the other.
"Okay, let's try this. You'll be able to see and acknowledge the feelings but not absorb them as your own." Jack focused briefly on his own shields and what he remembered. "You want to try blocking those inwards ones from coming in. Visualize a glass wall or something pushing those ones back." Looking at Ianto's perplexed expression Jack tried to reassure him. "To be honest, the actual shield is strangely easier done than explained, the art however is having holding it while doing other things, but that comes with practise. Go on, try it."
Ianto closed his eyes again, and concentrated for a few minutes. Jack watched patiently so he didn't distract him until Ianto opened his eyes again.
"I think it's working. I'm not sure?"
"Okay, trying dropping it again and see if you notice a difference." Ianto complied and smiled.
"A bit quieter, except that… can I ask a question?"
"Of course?"
"Why is yours different?" Ianto asked, nervously, but Jack merely looked confused.
"What do you mean?"
"That extra feeling at the back of mind that coming from you, it's not an emotion only… like a plain white spark. I've never felt it with anyone else."
The question stumped Jack. He'd never heard of it before but the only reason he could think of was due to his future origins. "Not sure" He replied. "Maybe it's because I'm from the fifty first century or something?"
Ianto shrugged, it made sense, and he wasn't that bothered by it. "I just wondered because it didn't change like the other emotions with the shield."
"Does it hurt?" Jack asked, and Ianto felt his sudden onset of worry.
"No" Ianto assures, "it is just always there. Just sitting at the back of my mind. I can just ignore it…"
o0o
"Hey Ianto?" Jack's voice brought him back to present. "You sure about this? We can try another day?"
"No. I want to try."
~ * o ~ * o ~ T ~ o * ~ o * ~
They didn't stray far from the hotel, sticking only to the shops on the same street. Ianto was nervous at the large choices in each shop but despite his indecision, the clothes shopping was a success and soon they were heading back towards the hotel laden with bags. Ianto mental shields had so far held up with only one close incident with large group of teenagers, which Jack quickly avoided by a short detour.
Two stores from the hotel, something caught Ianto's eye and he hung back, looking through the window of a privately owned stationary stop. Jack turned back, worried as he headed back to join him and followed his gaze to a leather diary in the window display, similar to one he'd given Ianto the other week. It was plain black, lined with gold metallic edges and acknowledging Jack's questioning thoughts, Ianto explained. "I was thinking if I could write down everything I remember I might be able to organise them into a logical order or have a reference…just in case I forget again."
"Makes sense." Jack returned, before patting his shoulder, grinning. "Come on, my treat."
"You don't have to…"
"If you're worrying about cash, don't. I've got plenty." It was true, Jack had been paying the hotel and today's adventures with cash from his personal account Torchwood was unaware about, and he had built up a significant sum over the last century.
The inside of the shop wasn't anything special and they found themselves in a short queue in order to purchase the book. The shop owner and an angry customer were arguing loudly over a price and Ianto withdrew, his shields visibly failing.
Jack sympathised. "Why don't you head back to the Hotel? I'll buy this and be along in a minute, but only if you're sure."
Ianto nodded. "It's not far. I'll be fine." He assured, almost fleeing from the building and straight towards the hotel with the rest of the shopping. In his haste, he missed the eyes of the front desk receptionist follow him intently, before they reached into their pocket for a mobile phone, instead bumping into to Helen at the edge of the lobby.
"Sorry" Ianto mumbled.
"Is this going to become a habit between the two of you?" She joked cheekily. "Did you have a successful morning?"
"Yes Ma'am." The three had become quite friendly over the last ten days, Helen keeping him company whenever Jack had to pop out for an 'emergency'.
"Well it's good to see you out of that room." Helen voiced, smiling. "Do you need help with the bags?"
"Thanks"
The door crashed open again mere seconds after they'd crossed the threshold of their hotel room, they spun round in shocked as a dozen uniformed men crashed through the door, guns waving. Helen immediately took a gun butt to the face, dropping to the floor and not having re-built his shields from the shop, the chaos of emotions ranging from fear, pain, anger and resentment from the large crowd hit Ianto like a brick. Unable to restore his shields fast enough, his legs collapsed out from under him from shock and he barely felt the sharp pain in the back of his neck before everything went dark.
~ * o ~ * o ~ T ~ o * ~ o * ~
Jack sighed as he came out of the store. He'd waited patiently for a few minutes but the fight had gotten progressively worse, the other customers in the queue starting to get involved. Frustrated and wanting to know Ianto had got back to the Hotel room safely, Jack had broken through the crowd, shoved a tenner on the counter then strode out without a word.
A black unmarked van squealed away from the curb as he came closer and his gut twisted uncomfortably and he sprinted into the building taking the stairs two at a time. Shoving open the ajar hotel room door, he stopped short at the sight of Helen sprawled unconscious on the floor. He called frantically for Ianto, hoping he was just mistaken and he was just in the en-suite. His heart dropped as there was no answer, but Helen stirred, quickly sitting up in panic.
Jack helped her to her feet and move shakily over to the nearest seat. "What happened?" He wished upon anything it wasn't what he thought. He had checked and double-checked that morning to see if it was safe to leave the hotel and Yvonne had still been searching London.
"There were men, a dozen. Had uniforms and red caps. I recognised one as the brother of one of the personnel downstairs, he must have tipped them off or something. They had guns. They stormed in and took Ianto."
Jack cursed, he'd gotten too complacent. They had stayed for too long in one place and Jack hadn't even considered that Torchwood One would enlist UNIT to help hunt as well. "I'll find him. What about you? You should get that head checked out."
"I'll be fine. Who are they, what do they want with Ianto. Was it them? The ones that abused him."
"Not directly but I have a feeling they'll be taking him back to the same place. I know exactly who they are and they'll wish they were never born." He started for the door but Helen called him back.
"Wait you can't going marching in without a plan. There's too many of them!"
She was right, but Jack remembered that he did have a plan. It wasn't 100% finished, but it should be enough and if not there might be another way around it. He grabbed two USBs, one of which he firmly palmed to Helen, before scribbling an email address. "If you don't hear from me by noon tomorrow, send these files to that email address with my name. She'll be able to help."
"How? Who is it?"
Jack gave a knowing grin just as he left the room. "The Queen."
~ * o ~ * o ~ T ~ o * ~ o * ~
Jack stalked the outside of Torchwood Tower, waiting for a security guard he'd seen when he'd arrived to come back out. When at last he spotted him, he emerged from the shadows and dragged the man roughly into an alley. Shoving him against the brick wall, he chucked the man's weapon a safe distance away.
"Where did the UNIT guys take Ianto?"
"Who…I can't…"
Jack growled as he pinned the man harder, tilting his greatcoat aside to show his Webley. "Do I look like the kind of person you want to mess with at the moment?"
"No sir?"
"Glad we've come to an understanding. Now where did they take the prisoner… and don't even think about lying. I saw you with them as they went in." Jack asked, tightening his arm threateningly against his throat, but not hard enough that he couldn't breathe.
"Medical Research Labs, Floor 3." The guard wheezed out and Jack released his hold to let him slide to the floor.
"Now that wasn't as hard as it should have been." Jack said to himself. "Who is Yvonne hiring these days?"
He left the guard secured in the alley before heading for the correct floor, not caring about being seen. If this plan worked then it wouldn't matter, so long as he knew where Ianto was and he did.
Using the signs around the building, he found the room easily. "Ianto…" Jack breathed from the doorway, seeing the other man laying motionlessly on the examination table. He dashed over in alarm, a wave of relief flooding over him as he felt a strong pulse beneath his fingers and Ianto's steady breaths. "Ianto" He called aloud, shaking his shoulder to try to rouse him but he didn't move. "Ianto wake up!"
"He won't wake yet."
Startled, Jack span around, drawing his gun and pointing it at the newcomer darkly. The woman backed up, arms up in surrender. "Please don't shoot."
Jack inspected the woman closely. She was dressed in a doctor's uniform, staring terrified at his weapon and he lowered his aim slightly but didn't drop his guard. "Who are you?" He asked sharply. "What do you mean he won't wake up?"
"They said the UNIT soldiers gave him a sedative. It won't wear off for another hour or so."
"Well give something to wake him up sooner. Now!"
"I'd be happy if you don't threaten my staff, Captain." Hartman entered the room behind the doctor, followed by multiple armed guards.
"I hardly call that threatening." Jack snarked, bringing his gun back up again.
"I was talking about the guard you left so rudely tided up outside, but even so..." Yvonne revealed sarcastically. "Good to see you back so soon. I told you no-one leaves Torchwood voluntarily and now I find you've been harbouring a dangerous alien fugitive."
"He's as human as all of us and I think you know that." Jack's finger twitched on the trigger but while he didn't show it, he knew he was outnumbered. "You just want his powers for your own gain."
"Whether that's true or not is important. In fact, it seems you might have a secret of your own." Jack's aim faltered slightly at the words but quickly regained his composure. "UNIT has also heard rumours of your supposed immortality and as at this particular moment I don't really care whether you live or die, I think I'm willing to put it to the test. Shoot him!"
Shocked and outnumbered, Jack barely got two shots of his own off before the bullets found it's mark and a fresh burst of pain flared in his head and chest and everything went black.
Notes: So sorry for the cliff-hanger, but I can't wait to write the last chapter so hopefully it won't be long. Aiming for Monday! Thanks for everyone who's made it this far, glad you're enjoying it. Please review.