TITLE: To Separate The Lies From Truth
PART THREE OF SERIES: The Five Elements (AU Verse)
CHAPTER SUMMARY: Jack reflects on Ianto's accusations then receives troubling information.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Torchwood or Doctor Who which is unlucky because Jack and Ianto deserve so much more!
WORDS: 3100
Notes: Here it is, the final part of this overarching storyline. Enjoy!
Also, thanks to Fran Arian for her help with pointing out something at the end of last chapter which is now fixed to make the timings for plot more believable. All fixed now.
Chapter 11: Peace Offerings (2006)
27th December 2006
It was well past midnight as Jack ate his pizza in silence at his desk. It was days old and hard, yet he couldn't bring himself to care, his thoughts now even more preoccupied than before. He'd tried to sleep, but as he had predicted the act had simply avoided him.
After another beat, he tapped up the CCTV of his office and replayed the argument between him and Ianto once more. Being his office, the CCTV had no sound for privacy reason, but he could recall each accusation from Ianto by memory, simply by watching their silent altercation. He was confused and angry by the whole scene. While it was clear that Ianto thought Jack should know the reason behind it, he wasn't sure what had brought it on.
The phrase hypocrite had to mean something though. Ianto wouldn't have used such a specific word otherwise. Maybe the Welshman finally remembered something from his past, something that he believed Jack to have hidden, but what Jack didn't understand was why Ianto believed he'd have kept something that important from the younger man, especially after all Jack had shared with him. It depended of course on what the other had uncovered, but it had to be significant considering Ianto's reaction, and that fact just hurt.
~ * o ~ * o ~ T ~ o * ~ o * ~
Hours later, Jack found himself slumped uncomfortably in a plastic chair at the Police Station, half angry, half concerned as he worried a cardboard cup of coffee. It was the only thing he could do to distract his hands before he throttled every last member of the Cardiff Police Force.
He'd been called half an hour previously to inform him that Ianto was being processed for arrest, but since his arrival he had gained no further answers, repeatedly shut-down and told to wait for the Detective in charge. Jack fumed as he waited, peeling the paper slowly off from around the bitter and burnt coffee, that was all the vending machines had had to offer. Even his Torchwood credentials had been ignored.
"Captain Harkness." Jack jumped up as his name was called, the frustration on his face transforming into a wide grin as a tall woman approached him, holding a brown case file in her hands. "Detective Inspector Swanson, I'm the lead Detective on Mr Jones' case." She ignored the hand Jack had held out rather pointedly as she introduced herself. "Shall we go somewhere more private."
Jack dropped his hand quickly, silently following the Detective into a brightly lit interrogation room. It was clear his usual charm wasn't going to work here, and he quickly turned to the offensive.
"Okay. This is private enough." Jack demanded. "Now, would you please like to inform me what the hell is going on?"
"Might I remind you that you are still in a Police Station Captain." Swanson reprimanded, then opened the case file in her hands. "Now then. Mr Jones was arrested at 1:18am…"
"Wait!" Jack interrupted. "1am? It's almost 5. Why the hell wasn't I informed earlier!"
"It's still the Christmas period, Captain. I apologize for the delay, but we're currently short of staff."
"That just an excuse, and a poor one at that." Jack countered.
"Even so, Captain. If it'd had been up to me, you wouldn't have been informed at all, but one of the younger officers unfortunately followed protocol."
"Don't presume it would have made a difference." Jack snapped back. "I would have been informed eventually." Jack paused, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "So, what trumped-up charges has he been arrested on then?"
The Cardiff Police had a long-lived vendetta against Torchwood, regularly leading to different members of the team over the last few decades being arrested for multiple and exaggerated minor offences. It was one thing he'd hoped would have improved after hiring Gwen. He'd had to bail Owen out for drunk and disorderly behaviour once too many times already.
"Firstly, make no mistake, there are no 'trumped up' charges here, Captain Harkness." Swanson retorted. "Mr Jones is under arrest for the murder of a Miss Lisa Hallet as well as for the suspected involvement in the death of Dr Ryoichi Tanizaki which occurred under suspicious circumstances."
Both Swanson tone and the severity of the charge confounded Jack. He wasn't sure what to expect when he'd received the call, but not that. Ianto was not one to get in trouble with the law, but he knew there would most certainly been a rational explanation for this Doctor's and the woman's death. Self – defence was the first one that crept to mind, but part of him didn't want to go there as it meant most likely Ianto had been in danger. He internally kicked himself – he should had followed Ianto after their argument.
"No, something else went on here. Ianto would never…" Jack trailed off and started again. "The only reason Ianto would have killed anyone would be in self-defence, of himself or others."
"Mr Jones was found on private land belonging to Dr Tanizaki, who has been crushed brutally under the rubble of his own building." Swanson retuned. "Not only that but he was found outside alongside the body of a recognised criminal, who can be found on multiple countries' red-lists. It's not like he was found in his own premises, Captain. In fact, it was over 5 miles from his own flat. Do you even know what your employee was doing that far away from his flat?"
"No, but he certainly wasn't there working with a criminal. I want everything you have, as well as Ianto released into my custody." Jack didn't believe what the Police were suggesting, and thought it was beyond time to get this over with so he could talk to Ianto. He straightened, portraying his authority with his next command. "Torchwood's taking over the case. Authorisation 4-7-4-3-1-7."
"Torchwood's not going to brush this one under the rug like always, Captain. Dr Tanizaki was a world leading scientist and was key to diplomatic ties between the UK and Japan. There'll be uproar if we let Jones walk." Swanson denied calmly, in a tone that Jack felt was a touch patronising. "And as far as I believe, this doesn't fall under Torchwood's jurisdiction."
"Ianto is one of my operatives!" Jack argued, voice rising in anger. "That makes it our jurisdiction."
"I'm already under pressure by Whitehall with this case." Swanson maintained, not swayed by Jack's growing anger. "And it not even properly morning yet. If you have concerns, you should take it to them and you can see where that gets you."
"And there it is, the real reason for this whole thing. Well, it's a good thing we answer to Royalty and not Whitehall then, Detective." Jack replied sarcastically. "Now, if it all the same to you, I'd like to see my employee."
~ * o ~ * o ~ T ~ o * ~ o * ~
Jack finally gained permission to see Ianto when Swanson's mobile rang loudly interrupting the long-lasting stalemate with the Detective. He was quickly passed off onto the PC officer on cell block duty.
"PC Davidson" Jack acknowledged, recognising Gwen's old partner in the force. The officer also had been the one to call him earlier that morning . "Thanks for the call."
"Yeah, there'll probably be some backlash on that one." Andy replied with a shrug. "Sorry it was late, but I didn't get on shift till half 3. I'd heard rumours a Torchwood operative had been arrested, but I didn't expect it to be Ianto. I've met him at a few scenes, always ready with a thermos of his best coffee for me."
"That sounds like him." Jack shifted uncomfortably as Andy led him down multiple corridors.
Andy nodded. "Yeah. So, I had a hunch the charges were too extreme to be true and it seems I was right. A witness came forward earlier saying she'd witnessed a kidnapping in Roath Park. It took a while to connect the dots, but the mobile phone footage she took at the park clearly shows Ianto being most likely drugged attacked by a woman, that matches Miss Hallet's description, merely hours before Tanizaki was killed."
"So, it was self-defence." The news calmed Jack a little, but knowing Ianto had been drugged and kidnapped only changed one worry to another.
"Somethings will still need to be ironed out, but yes it's starting to look that way."
Jack was confused. "But Swanson…"
"I think you'll find that's what the Detective's current phone call is about." Andy replied. "Ianto's release papers are already being processed. I put a rush on it."
"Thanks." Jack breathed a sigh of relief as Andy unlocked another gate between them and the cell block, glad Ianto would be released soon. The cell wouldn't be doing much to help Ianto's current state of mind, especially with memories already dragged up from their earlier confrontation. "How is he?"
Andy hesitated, and Jack's worry came flooding back. "Don't know. Hasn't said a word since he came in." He explained. "In shock most likely. We had the on-call medic try to check him out, but she couldn't get close enough to do a proper examination. He's closed himself off into the corner."
Jack's mind caught on the last word, and flashed back to the last time Ianto had stuck to corners – it was the strongest defence someone could use , like how people are trained not to keep their back to the doors. If you stay in a corner, you can always see who's coming.
"He's had bad experience in the past with Doctors, and the events this evening probably only added to them." Jack explained vaguely. "We have our own Doctor that he trusts he can see once he's out."
If there had in fact been any left, Jack found all his lingering anger from earlier shoved aside at the first sight of Ianto. As Andy had described, the younger man was slouched in the furthest corner of the cell, hugging his knees that were brought up to his chin, his face buried in them. The cell was dark, filthy and reeked of half-cleaned vomit from past inhabitants.
"Ianto?" Jack started, edging forward slowly. "Hey, it's me."
"Jack?" Ianto finally looked up, his eyes red-rimmed. "Jack. I'm sorry. I didn't… I'm sorry." Jack quickly pulled him forward into his arms and held him tightly.
"It's okay, they told me. It's okay." Jack broke through Ianto's continuous stream of apologies. "Come on, let's just get you checked out and home. We can talk more there, okay?"
He'd just gotten Ianto shakily to his feet when Andy returned with a sealed plastic pouch in his hands. Being so focused on Ianto, he'd hadn't even noticed the latter leaving. "Paperwork's gone through. This is everything he had when he was brought in."
Jack took the bag from him with a nod. There wasn't much other than his wallet and watch – not even his phone - but Jack quickly realised something more significant was missing when Ianto leant on him heavily as they started to head towards the doors.
"Where's his cane?"
"Cane?" Andy double checked the paperwork and frowned. "It's not on the list, which means it probably wasn't with him when he came in. Maybe he lost it beforehand."
Jack nodded his thanks to Andy, taking to supporting Ianto himself. They both didn't say another word as he helped him from the station and into the SUV parked outside. Jack pulled the car into gear and peeled out with a screech onto the street, wanting to escape from the misery of the station as fast as possible.
"Where are we going?" Ianto finally asked after a few long seconds of silence, after not recognising the direction Jack was driving. Thankfully, Jack could see the distress and fear from being locked in the cell was starting to ease off.
"I messaged Owen. He's expecting you at his apartment." Jack explained. "I didn't tell him what had happened, that's up to you."
He pulled up outside an apartment block and pulled out some cash. Part of him screamed to stay and see for himself Ianto was okay, but the other part of him knew they both needed some separate time to process the situation before they talked.
"Get a taxi back to your flat after. I'll see you there, okay?"
~ * o ~ * o ~ T ~ o * ~ o * ~
Ianto returned from Owen's an hour later to find Jack pottering around the tiny kitchen of his flat. From the smell drifting from the pan and Jack's continuous stirring, Ianto realised he was making risotto, but what surprised him more was that it appeared he was cooking from scratch.
"You're cooking for us?" Ianto asked suspiciously.
Jack spun around, having only just noticed his arrival, but only sent him an admonishing look in return. Ianto could sense the slight hint of amusement underlying, which was a relief considering the tension between them in the previous 24 hours. He knew a conversation needed to be had, but it didn't stop the dread and guilt he was feeling at the thought of it.
"What? You don't think I can cook? After 100 years on this planet, it would be impossible not to pick up something. There wasn't any takeaway in the early 1900s."
"Sorry." Ianto felt chastised not to have considered it. "It's just you never have before, not since I've known you."
Jack shrugged. "Not for a while, no. The hub doesn't have the best in the way of kitchen appliances. I might be a little out of practice, but I imagine it's like riding a bike as they say." He turned from the hob to point at Ianto in declaration. "Not that I have, or ever will."
"Not many bicycles in the future then?" Ianto quipped, propping his new crutch against the table before sitting down.
"No, well at least not where I grew up. Too much sand." Jack stopped stirring for a brief second to add some wine into the saucepan. "So, what did Owen say?"
"Other than grouching at the date as well as the time?" Ianto joked before answering. "Just some bruises and I might have set my leg recovery back a few weeks but nothing major."
"Good news." Jack turned off the heat to the Hob, before dishing up a reasonable proportion of Risotto into two dishes and placing one in front of Ianto on the table. He must have stared curiously at the dish for longer than imagined as Jack spoke around a mouthful of his own meal. "Go on then. It's not poisoned."
Both ate silently, Ianto actually relishing the taste of a homecooked meal, of which he hadn't had for a while. Fair's fair, Jack's cooking skills were quite enjoyable. The latter finished first, his table manners still in need of drastic improvement, but Jack patiently waited for him to finish before taking a deep breath and beginning.
"Right, we still need to talk about…."
"…what happened, I know." Ianto finished. "I'm sorry."
"You've already apologised, Ianto." Jack debated. "It would help if I knew what you were sorry for, or even what you think I've done. You mentioned something about hiding the truth from you. Ianto, I'd never…"
Ianto guilt flared again at the reminder of what he shouted to Jack earlier and he looked down. "I know, it makes sense now. " Ianto looked up, forcing himself to look at Jack. "I found my file in Suzie's belongings. The one from Torchwood One. Suzie said she'd found it after the battle, when she attacked me that time, but I'd forgotten until I was helping you pack her things."
"Wait? Suzie knew about…?"
"Yeah. It was part of what she confronted me about." Ianto exhaled. "But there was a report in the file, and I started digging."
"A friend accessed your files the first day I found you. I can't remember a report or even reading the name Tanizaki or Lisa Hallett in any part." Jack recalled. "Do you have the file you said you found?"
Ianto nodded, standing to collect them from his bedroom, including any printouts of what he'd found while researching. When he returned, Jack had migrated to the sofa, and nervously, he sat down beside him.
"These weren't in the file I read." Jack shared, scanning the documents Ianto had passed, his own understanding dawning. "I shared everything I knew. I'd never hide anything I find, no matter what it was."
"I know. I should have trusted you. I just saw what Suzie had found, and thought maybe..."
"You thought you might not be the only one." Jack finished.
"Yeah, but it was a trap. Suzie must have shared what she found before she was admitted to Flat Holm." Ianto speculated. " A back-up in case she couldn't get the glove. He just wanted my power for himself."
Ianto dropped his eyes again, failing to keep eye contact in his fear of witnessing Jack's expression. Not that it helped however as he could feel the anger, worry and disproval rolling off him, yet it didn't feel as if it was directed towards him. Well other than the worry. Confused, he rubbed his eyes wearily.
"How long did you last sleep?" Jack asked at the action, repeating his earlier question. "Truthfully, this time."
Closing his eyes, Ianto leant backwards to rest his head against the back of the sofa, but surprisingly, Jack pulled him sideways to rest against his shoulder. He tensed at first but ultimately relaxed. "Three, four hours maybe."
"Let me guess, the night before was about the same?" Jack returned. "Nightmares?"
"Yeah, but they're different… I mean … I don't know." Ianto stumbled over his explanation. "I can't explain it, I just have the feeling something's brewing. Maybe this was it."
"Maybe." Jack agreed. "But still, maybe try not blocking our bond so much, it only drained you further." Jack explained, which Ianto realised did make some sense. "You don't even have to ask to share the burden."
"I'll try." Ianto promised.
"I think there's a lot more to explore with our strengthened bond, but only once you've recovered. So, take some time off." Jack suggested, noticing Ianto was still fairly tense. "Visit your family."
"Am I suspended?" Ianto asked tentatively.
"No." Jack reassured. "You should have come to me sooner, but a lot of things have happened this year for you. With Suzie and now this." Jack pulled Ianto in closer, wrapping around each other on the sofa. "I should have realised you were struggling sooner and that's on me. So, I'm giving you the medical leave you should have had months ago. Focus on getting better, rather than us for a change."
Notes: Hope that a good place to leave it for a short break while I write the second half. I'll try and get it done as fast as possible but due to uni work as well, it'll probably be like a month or so until I'm back.
You don't want to miss it as next half will included more or Janto and their families, some episodes from Small Worlds to End of Days, and hopefully more Jack centred story arcs after so much of Ianto recently.
But most of all, there will of course be the (and the correct one this time) BIG REVEAL!
What did you think of first half? Was everything believable – or at least believable for Torchwood's standards.
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