TITLE: To Separate The Lies From Truth
PART THREE OF SERIES: The Five Elements (AU Verse)
CHAPTER SUMMARY: The big reveal!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Torchwood or Doctor Who which is unlucky because Jack and Ianto deserve so much more!
WORDS: 2000
Notes: Hiya short chapter, but the start of the big reveal is finally here! Hope it's okay, the whole series extended from this moment so I hope it's worth it!
Chapter 14. To the Waters and the Wild (2007)
15th April 2007
Ianto stood distractedly after knocking on Estelle's door, as he waited for her to answer. He wasn't sure what, but something about the Fae had Jack spooked, well than more than usual. Something wasn't quite sitting right with him either, the power inside him feeling as if it was rather unsettled. And what Jack had just commented about coincidences today, made him slightly disconcerted.
"Mr Jones! Did you forget something?" Estelle greeted him with a wide smile as she opened the door, which Ianto responded broadly, though inside his felt at half-mast.
"Ianto's fine ma'am." He assured. "And no, I was just wondering if you had any more information you could share. About the faeries I mean, other than the photos."
He tried not to share his concern, but Estelle was not duped by his excuse. "Jack asked you to keep an eye on me, didn't he?"
"We both wanted to ma'am." Ianto nodded, slighted chastised on having been caught out.
"Well then. You have perfect timing; I just boiled the kettle." She gestured towards the nearest armchair then pottered over into the small kitchen in the following room. "Tea?"
"Yes, please." Ianto nodded, sitting on the offered armchair. Moses, Estelle's cat, promptly jumped up to join him, curling up in his lap and purring loudly at seeing his new friend back so quickly. Ianto scratched his ear rather heartily, causing Moses to purr even louder. "Sorry, if I'm intruding."
"No worries, I think it's rather sweet of him." Estelle answered from the neighbouring room as she bustled about. He could hear the sound of teacups rattling as she picked up the small tray.
"He…I mean his father must have spoken very highly of you. For him to care so much." Ianto corrected himself before he slipped Jack's secret, but Estelle must have caught it as she gave him knowledgeable smile.
"It seems we both know Jack's the same man I once knew during the war." Estelle revealed with a warm smile as she settled the tea tray onto the table. "I can't assume to know why he hasn't aged a day, but he's so much like the man I once knew and not just in looks. He has the same walk, same smile, same voice.
They'd only met a few hours before, and had only known of Jack's relationship with her for each shorter but he reckoned Estelle would soon become one of the sharpest people he knew.
Somehow, it didn't surprise him that she already knew of Jack's truth. She might not know how or why he hadn't aged from the man she'd known all those years ago, but it was clear they were one and the same. Jack was too unique of an individual to ever pass as his own son.
Also, Ianto thought, if someone knows another as well as Estelle had known Jack in the past, so much so that they'd loved each other, he guessed one would always know when that loved someone had returned, whether 5 years later or 60.
"You haven't told him you know." Ianto realised.
"No, it was easier to let him think I didn't." Estelle replied with a sad smile. "I could see the guilt and anguish his in eyes at having walked away, but I suppose it was necessary to protect his secret. I said he hadn't aged a day, but he has. Every year is reflected in his eyes."
"He believes it's curse. Having to leave or lose everyone he ever loves." Ianto confirmed. "And in some ways it probably is."
The tone in the room had dropped rather solemn suddenly, and Ianto grimaced slightly as the silence was almost deafening as he sipped at his tea.
They passed the rest of the afternoon with conversation, Ianto finding it surprisingly simple to talk with Estelle, but eventually the silence fell again.
"Oh sorry, you were here for a reason. I do tend to get carried away sometimes. Now…" Estelle mused, eventually breaking the quiet as she stood again. "Let me see if I can do something to help you find the Fae."
"Oh, you don't need to…"
"No, I might not see what Jack does in them but, I'll always be happy to help." Estelle collected a few candles and rock crystals from a box on the side and placing them on them table. "Quartzite. The searching stone." She explained. "Typically, people don't seem to believe in the power of magic anymore."
"Oh, believe me, I'm not ordinary." Ianto quipped, shifting closer. Moses jumped up, disturbed as he moved and fled from the room. "How is it said to work?"
Estelle smiled warmly as she lit the candles. "You have to feel the energies flowing through you. Let it help you with what you're trying to find." Ianto didn't say it aloud, but it didn't sound too dissimilar to how he felt his own power inside him before he used it.
Only a few moments had passed, of watching Estelle focus on the crystals when the sound of wings caused Ianto's head to snap up. The candle blew out in front of them as the glass of the kitchen window shattered inwards, almost spraying the pair of them with shards.
"Oh!" Estelle exclaimed in shock.
Rain began pouring heavily from the darkened sky, while large gust of winds rattled the glass in their frames, but a loud screech of a cat in the distance, however, was what finally drew their attention to the darkened garden.
"Moses!" Estelle called, worriedly. "Where are you darling? Come on Moses.."
Estelle started to head for the patio door, but Ianto placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, holding her back. She turned; eyes widened in fear for her companion as another plaintive meow was heard from outside.
"I'll get him." Ianto stated with a muster of authority. "Call Jack, now."
Estelle hurried worriedly to do as he'd asked, disappearing behind him in search of her phone. The squeak of the hinges of the door was slightly unnerving in the gravity of the situation as he inched his way further forward. Sparks flew precariously from his hands as he held a small flame like it was a standard torch, but on the sodden ground of the garden, he knew they luckily had no chance of igniting.
He couldn't see Moses in the garden, the dark fur of the cat camouflaged in the darkness of the garden, even with the light of his flame. "Moses!"
Something moved in answer. It was quick, like just out the corner of his eye – and too high to be Moses. The flame in his hand grew larger in instinct and defence.
"Show yourself!"
He felt a black blur dash past him into the house and he breathed a sigh of relief that Moses was at least safe, but it was short life as movement whizzed around his head once more.
"The little one has grown." He could hear the screeches of the Fae and the harsh chill of their mischievous laughter between each word, but there was nothing in sight. "He thinks he's a match for us."
With no warning, the flame was suddenly quenched in his palm and Ianto felt like he was about to drown on dry land.
Or above dryland, he figured would be more accurate, as his felt his feet leave the ground. He wanted to take a deep breath; to move and get away, but something felt like it was pinning him in place.
But the air was completely still around him. Frozen.
He could wind and rain hammering around him, but nothing touched him, as the Fae, no longer in their childlike disguise surrounded him.
His power built up inside him, but he couldn't release it. It lingered on the edge of being freed, like his ability itself was frozen around him.
At least he could breathe again, he thought, as his lungs relished the new rush of fresh air that came from nowhere.
"You cannot not defeat us." A voice hissed. His view of Estelle's garden vanished around him, turning white. "Your powers are nothing against ours."
~ * o ~ * o ~ T ~ o * ~ o * ~
2nd March 1990
"Come away O' human child. Come away!" The rustling of wings and child-like voices echoed through the trees.
"Boy! Get inside now!" a voice bellowed, and the child tensed. He wanted to stay yet he feared the punishment that would follow if he dared to disobey his father. No matter how much he wanted to do, he couldn't make his father wait. He turned and ran, back towards his house.
"What took you so long?" His father shouted as he entered, grabbing him by his collar and yanking him forward. "Take the bins out! Now!" He turned away but not before striking his son's cheek. The child stumbled and grabbed his cheek, tears brimmed at the corner of his eyes.
"Sorry, father." The child whispered, fearfully preparing for a further attack. A loud fluttering of winds dived toward his father in retaliation. "No! Stop." He shouted, freezing their actions in their tracks. "You can't kill him. Ma needs his money." He added, quietly, unheard by his father.
The man glared at the child before pushing the boy out his way and heading for the fridge. The door slammed violently back against the wall before he grabbed the nearest beer. The child watched, frozen, as his father guzzled down the beer and slowly stumbled towards the lounge.
'Come away a human child' The voice repeated, the fae fluttering around his head.
Ianto hesitated, looking between the fae and the direction his father had just gone. The direction of the lounge where his mother and sister were sitting. Unaware of all that had just occurred.
"I can't" He might be the youngest, but he couldn't leave his mother and his sister alone to face his father's wrath. "Not yet."
"We understand." The faeries whispered, a slight touch of irritation. "We do not force. We will wait."
~ * o ~ * o ~ T ~ o * ~ o * ~
Unknown Date
Ianto opened his eyes to find himself in a bright meadow. The memories had erupted though him without warning making him feel slightly disorientated. Around him he could hear the false child-like laughter of the fae, but they were no-where to be seen.
"Where am I?"
"This is the Wild," A fae whispered, appearing in front of him from a gust of wind. "These are the Lost Lands."
Squinting against the bright sunlight, Ianto looked around. The area was bursting with colour, from forests and green hills to brilliant blue rushing waters and fields ripe with every species of flowers imaginable. It was certainly wild.
"Is this where you bring them? The Chosen Ones?" Ianto didn't know why he had asked. He already knew the answer. But it was better than standing and gawking.
"Yes," they hissed. "They belong with us. We bring them to the Wild."
"Why am I here? That child… That child was me!" Ianto started, his newfound realisation sparking a hint of anger. All his searching and need for answers and these bloody faeries knew. And this time it wasn't a trick. "I don't understand. How do you know all that!"
"We remember. We were there." The voices echoed, even though the answer has already dawned as clear as day. "You're one of us."
Notes: DUN DUN DUN. Haha, yeah I know a few people might have guessed it, but still I hope it lives up to expectations. Plus, this was a perfect chapter cut off place so sorry for the cliffhanger hehe. Next chapter up tomorrow, and all – well some bits more – will be explained!
