Disclaimer : Ianto's not dying, nor are Tosh and Owen(he's not living but dead either), Jack doesn't give a damn about Gwen - Obvious proofs that I don't own Torchwood. (And it's not possible to mistake me for RTD 'cause really, even if you're blind, you can't mistake a 17 year old girl for a man)
Warnings :
Slash(of course, since I'm writing it)
Swearing
Lot's of emotional moments, tissue might be needed (I needed that while writing it)
Unbeta'd
Pairings : Jack/Ianto, slight Owen/Tosh, Gwen pinning on Jack
A/N:
1. The idea of paralyzing drug in coffee beans is not mine, I read something similar in a fic and liked the idea.
I read this in the story "Father" by caz251. I would recommend the story to everyone, it's really sweet with a good lot of gwen-bashing as long as you don't mind mpreg. (I myself am not a big fan of mpreg but still I loved the story)
2. Inspite of what I said about making the story humourous, this chapter turned out to be really serious but I liked the way it turned out so I didn't rewrite it. I'll try to put in some humour in the later ones.
3. I finally decided the timeline of the story. It's somewhere after 'Exit Wounds' though Tosh and Owen are fully alive. Don't ask me how but, as referenced in the chapter, due to John Hart's help, they were saved.
4. I love reviews - all kinds - suggestions, constructive criticism, praise(of course) or just a little hi, telling me that you are reading this.
5. If anyone's interested in beta'ing the story, send me a message.
It was early morning and Jack sat at his desk, smiling. He hoped that today they'd get a chance for the dinner that had been averted yesterday.Yes, we will, I'll not let anything go wrong today. Oh God, please let him say yes.
Owen checked the medical reports but couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. So he decided to stop work and open up a porn website.
Tosh was scanning the Rift activities for the week in case they'd missed something.
Gwen was at her workstation, filing nails, wondering who'd be a better choice to hand her work to.
All four were in their own worlds when a loud scream caused them to jerk.
"JACK!"
"Ianto?" cried Jack, coming down from his office, worried to death (not literally, of course) on hearing his lover scream. The four of them ran to the kitchen, where the voice had come from only to see Ianto lying unconscious, a small pool of blood around his forehead where he'd hit the floor.
"Yan! Talk to me baby!" said Jack, hunching next to the archivist and cradling his head.
"Jack, get a grip, let's carry him upstairs, check him up." Owen took Ianto's wrist in his hand and felt the pulse. "He's going to be fine, just unconscious, ok?"
Jack nodded in a daze as he helped Owen carry Ianto to the autopsy bay.
"Tosh, check for anything suspicious. I think its the best to start with coffee, check the machine, the beans and everything. Just be sure not to touch anything and also, don't smell anything too closely," commanded Owen before leaving. "Be careful"
Tosh monitored the coffee machine and all the items around it with her Rift Energy locator as Gwen pretended to be looking here and there.
Meanwhile Owen dressed up the wound in Ianto's forehead and did some tests. Jack paced around in the main hub, not allowed into the autopsy bay as his tension was irritating Owen and not having enough courage to go to the kitchen.
"Jack, I found sone residual rift energy in the beans jar, not normal energy but very tiny traces, like the ones we have in items we keep in the archives," Tosh said showing the jar to Jack. The captain took a deep breath.
"Which means it has been here since long. But then why didn't it work earlier? Could it be that it was dormant and something activated it?"
"No, there aren't any other energy signs. Probably, it was kept away and now placed here, Ianto got affected and you know what."
"Ya. Tosh, check it up for any unknown chemicals. Owen, what's it?" He rushed to the medic as soon as he appeared out of the bay.
"I've got the reports. He's paralyzed."
"What? But - Can I see him?"
"Yes, but he's sleeping just now, I put him on a sedative. I've taken his body fluid samples and am going to check them for any clues."
"Ok. I - I'll be with him, tell me as soon as you find something. Owen, you're in charge"
Jack straightaway walked off to the autopsy bay, where his lover lay, unware of the world.
"Hey you'll be fine... We're working on it, you know... You'll be fine," he said, his voice full of emotion. He held Ianto's hand in his own and stroked it slowly. "I go on saving the world from aliens and couldn't save my own boyfriend from coffee...hell of a captain I am..."
"You're a great captain Jack, the best leader ever," said Gwen as she reached out a hand and placed it on his shoulder. "It's not your fault"
"Gwen please I do not want to talk right now"
"Jack I know you, I know how you take all the fault on yourself and then live in that guilt. But please, I won't let you do that this time, it was his fault to be careless, not yours. You can't help it if he can't take care of himself. Come on, calm down and come with me, we'll sit and talk and -"
"Shut up Gwen! You don't understand, do you?" He was disgusted that even now, all she could think of was ways of obtaining him. "This guy here is my boyfriend, my lover. Today, I was going to ask him to marry me because I love him. And if you think that just because he's here, paralyzed, I'd leave him and go fuck you, you're bloody wrong, Gwen Cooper. Listen to me. Carefully. You will stay away from him and from me. And if I find that you have been trying to hurt him, then remember, that on your first day here, you were told about how we managed to cover up murders. Now, leave."
Scared, Gwen moved away from Jack but before she could even turn around, an armed hand came up and stunned her.
"We have reason to believe that she did this," Tosh explained as she put away her stun-gun.
"Yeah, she was the first one here in the morning. Tosh checked the CCTV footage and she was playing with the coffee jar."
"I - I can't believe this, she went this far." Jack put his head in his hands and sighed. "Anything about what she used?"
"The blood samples and coffee, both show a chemical called GC-1578. I didn't even know that anything by this name exists"
"Not yet but it does 15 centuries from now. It's a poison created in 3512. The one we confiscated from the blowfish last week. No antidote was found until the 63rd century. I don't know any further. It paralyzes the person who smells it. But the paralysis is not what you normally have here. The victim can talk but the rest of the external body motions stop. The best technique they had for torture at that time. Paralyzed prisoners are always easier. Add in a bit of punches and some sensual touching, your prisoner's bound to speak. They banned it in 3577 but the use was so widespread that there was still an illegal market for it. Scientists have tried all kinds of chemicals but everything's useless against it." Jack's voice broke down as he finished. Tears rolled down his cheeks unashamedly.
"Don't worry Jack, we'll find a way," Tosh reassured the immortal. "We will."
"Yeah. Don't worry Captain, your team's not giving up."
Despite knowing the uselessness of the words, Jack smiled tightly. "Yes, we will. For now, Owen, take Gwen to the vaults. Tosh, can you please clear up the kitchen. I think I'll contact Martha, we need more people here while Ianto's not - eh - well. And could one of you get me my cellphone from my office, I don't wanna leave him"
Both Owen and Tosh had known the extent of Jack's feelings for Ianto but it was a surprise to see him admit it so sincerely.
----------------------XxX----------------------
"Jack?"
On hearing Ianto's voice, Jack, who'd be n talking to Martha about the Welshman's state, at once rushed to his lover's side.
"Yan! Hey baby," he whispered
"Hey, I can't move." Ianto's voice was still weak. Jack felt guilty for not being able to do anything for the man he loved so much.
"I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry you're going through this Ianto, I'm sorry I can't do anything, I'm sorry that I'm the cause of it, I'm sorry baby." Jack held Ianto's hand as tears rolled down the immortal's eyes.
"I don't know what happened Jack, but I know it's not your fault. Stop talking as if it is. Whatever it is, I'm sure it could never be because of you."
"You're wrong. It's all because of me. Gwen did this, she thought it'd get you 'out of the way'," Jack replied, chuckling dryly.
"Jack, listen to me, even if Gwen did this to get you, it's not your fault. You're not going to blame yourself for this, ok?" Ianto stressed on each word as he reassured the American.
Jack nodded weakly as he pushed away a strand of hair from Ianto's forehead.
"What's happened?" asked Ianto, breaking the silence.
"She put a 36th century poison in the beans jar. Anyone sniffing it gets a sort of paralysis, you can breathe, see, talk, feel, all the internal organs work fine but you can't move." Jack tried to keep a professional voice but however hard he tried, he couldn't help breaking down.
"Any cure?"
"None until 63rd century, but the Doctor's gone to find in years after that. You need not worry Isnto, it'll all be ok, very soon," Martha answered, knowing that Jack would never be able to say that to his lover.
Ianto realized the hollowness in her words - it'll be ok. The look in Jack's eyes was enough for him to know the possibilty for that. But he knew that for Jack's sake, he couldn't afford to give up. "Of course it will be. Jack would drive you all crazy if he didn't get his coffee on time," he said smiling at Jack.
"Yeah, that's one of the reasons why you have to get well soon," replied Jack with a weak smile. "Though the more important one is that I'd die of sexual frustation and also dust, you know."
"Yeah that too."
Martha slipped out silently, blushing a bit, realizing that she was witnessing an intimate moment between the two.
----------------------XxX----------------------
"We'll have to move him to his apartment," said Owen as he, Tosh and Martha sat in the main hub.
"No, we can't do that," said Martha.
"Do what?" asked Jack as he entered the area.
"Shift Ianto to his apartment. You're not going to do that right Jack? He'll get lonely there"
"He won't Martha. I'll be there with him, all the time"
"It won't work, think about him Jack, if Ianto's there in his flat, lying on the bed all the time and you'll be there as well, he'll start feeling guilty for keeping you away from Torchwood. And then Owen and I will also have to leave the hub often to check him up. Let's set up something here at the hub itself. That way, he won't feel that he's away from everyone, he can also participate in any discussions about the cases. He can still feel involved."
"I think Martha's right, we'll set up a bed here in the main hub," supported Tosh.
"Owen?" asked Jack, unable to make a decision on his own.
"I agree."
"Then here it is."
"Ianto's asleep?" asked Owen, just to be sure though he knew that Jack wouldn't have come up had the Welshman been awake. Jaxk nodded wearily.
"Jack, would you like a coffee?" Tosh asked. He could do with a bit of caffeine at this time, she thought.
"No, I don't. And also, no one is touching his coffee machine. Anyone who needs a coffee, go to the cafe or use some instant one, get that?"
The others nodded in agreement.
"Tosh, what about last night? Have we got the cover story up?" Jack asked, going back to his professional voice.
"Yup, all done. Witnesses have all been Retconned, the scene has been cleared up."
"Very well. Get the report ready by tomorrow. Martha, keep an eye on the rift activity, you're already familiar with the equipment. Owen," he paused for a moment as he turned to his medic and friend. "Keep an eye on him and call me when he wakes up." The change in his tone as he talked about Ianto did not go unnoticed by the team. They all hoped that the Doctor would find the anti-dote and find it soon. The situation was affecting them all, Ianto had been a great friend, but Jack was the one being killed by it.
"What about Gwen?"
"I don't know. Let her be in the vaults, we'll see later."
Jack left them to do the assigned tasks and went up to his office. He poured himself a whiskey and fell down into a chair.
----------------------XxX----------------------
"So it'll be just Owen, Tosh and Martha on the field?" asked Ianto. He lay in the bed that had been set up for him in the main hub and Jack had been telling him about the present arrangements
"Yeah. And don't you try to convince me to go with them. I'm not leaving your side, get that?"
"I wasn't going to say that. But yes I do think that they need more people. Why don't you call Hart?"
"Ianto -"
"Jack, we need some more people on field, you know how earlier even being five of us there, it was difficult to overcome some of the aliens. Three of them can be in serious danger. And you know Hart's changed, if it weren't for him, Owen and Tosh wouldn't be here with us"
"I know but -" Jack started but somehow he knew he could not say no to Ianto, not now. "Ok. I'll call John."
"What about Gwen?"
"What about her? She's in the vaults and we're planning to Retcon her to birth"
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because you're sending her on the field too."
"Ianto, John is fine but Gwen? She tried to - god no - she succeeded in doing this to you! How can you forgive her like that?"
"Not her fault, she thinks she's in love. Maybe if she hadn't done this, I'd have done something to her to keep her away from you. And it doesn't help that you're so irresistible," Ianto smirked slightly.
"No you wouldn't have so don't give me that shit. I'm not letting her go. What if she tries something else?"
"She couldn't. You'd be here with me all the while. The team needs it, Jack. I can't go out to field and help them but I can at least make sure that there are less chances of them getting hurt" Tears swelled in Ianto's eyes and Jack knew that what he thought earlier still applied - he could not say no to Ianto.
The captain wiped a little tear drop from the corner of Ianto's eye and smiled weakly. "Ok. But as soon as you're fine, we're gonna Retcon her"
"Done."
Ianto smiled sadly. He knew what he was doing was right. But he hoped that it would work. At least one of Gwen or John would be able to woo Jack away from him. He himself would prefer John to be the one but anyone who took Jack away would be good. I won't let him waste all his years by my bedside.
----------------------XxX----------------------
"Hi eyecandy, Jack said you wanted to talk?" asked John as he settled himself on a chair next to Ianto's bed. Even though it had just been a day and a few hours since John arrival, surprisingly, he and Ianto had built up a sudden friendship. The time traveller stuck to the nickname he'd given to the Welshman on their first meeting but as he said it now, all the bitterness and sarcasm was gone.
"Yeah. It's about Jack himself actually."
"Explain?"
"John, you and he were together for five years right?"
"Yeah, but it was just because we were in a time loop and since it was just two of us there, we got together, but in case you're thinking, I don't want to take him away or whatever. Trust me, I'm past that. You know I wanted Jack because I couldn't bear that he'd choose someone else over me. But the when Gray had made me dig a grave for him, I realized that I really loved him. All I wanted was for him to be safe and happy. And I saw that he was happy with you. That was all I wanted. That is all I want"
"You got it all wrong John. I'm not worried about you taking Jack away from me. I... I want you to do that"
"What? You - you're crazy." John stared at Ianto, a stange expression on his face. He couldn't believe what the younger man was asking him to do.
"Maybe. But I want to see him happy too. But now, everytime I look at him, all I see in his eyes is pain. I can't take it John. Please you have to do this for me. I know you love him truly and he - even though he doesn't love you, he thinks of you as a close friend. I know you'll keep him happy. Please John"
"No, I can't. You know how much it'll hurt him to know that you said all this to me? And even if he never knows, he'll never - never ever - leave you. Ianto, I know Jack. We were partners ever since we joined the Time Agency and since then, we've been close. That relationship, it made me understand him even better. After all this time, I can say this is the first time I've seen Jack fall in love. And I am not going to let you take this away from him. Now I'd please like to get back to work, my boss isn't very forgiving when it comes to paperwork," he smiled as he forced that tear to stay in his eye.
----------------------XxX----------------------
"You should have gone with them, I'll be fine here," said Ianto, breaking the silence. Owen, Tosh, John, Martha and Gwen had gone to investigate a Rift spike while Jack, as usual, stayed back with Ianto and now was sitting next to his lover, stroking his hair softly.
"Shut up, after a week of ot, you should know that I won't go. Can't you think of your own self for sometime, at least while you're here lying on a bed?"
"You guys do that enough for me"
Jack smiled at Ianto as he remembered something.
"Hey Yan, that day I'd meant to ask you something but then this happened. So I'd thought I'd ask it when you get well - "
"If," interrupted Ianto.
"No, when you get well. I know the Doctor, he won't stop until he's found the antidote. Back to what I was saying, I'd thought of asking then but now, I feel like asking this very moment, so Ianto Jones, will you marry me?"
----------------------XxX----------------------
A/N: - Hey guys! I'm back! Sooner than expected, no? But I was really upset and so I decided to complete this. For the same reason,this is a bit more serious than I planned.
The thing is that last night, my crush(who also happens to be one of my closest friends) and I were messaging and he took it upon him to guess the guy I fancy. Finally, I told himit was him. Now,he has a girlfriend and I've made it clear that I want nothing more than friendship and he said he's cool with that. But I was still feeling strange, inspite of him trying to ease me out of it. So, the point is I'm still banging my head over what I've done and hence the need to divert my attention.
But it's good for you, you get two chapters in one day. And, wow, this was quite long. Exactly 3050 words!!(excluding the disclaimer, A/N etc)
Don't hate me please, I'm already hating myself for doing this to Ianto, but don't worry, he'll be ok very soon. Try to see the positive side, this gives us so many sweet 'awww' moments.
I know that paralysis affects nerves so it means that sensation receptors may also be damaged or something but I'm not a biology student and I do not know if it'll be so. If anyone knows for sure, let me know. Or you can just assume it to be some kind of semi-paralysis or any other body condition where you can feel but not move.
Now tell me,what do you think about the little cliffie? Will Ianto say yes? That, of course, would be the best thing but think about it, he's been trying to set Jack up, he knows he might not get well again and doesn't want Jack wasting all these years by his bedside. But does he love Jack enough to let him go at the moment when all Jack himself wants is to be with the Welshman?
All constructive criticism, suggestions, praise and advice for getting me out of this mess I've got myself into are heartily welcome.
A big thanks to sarah, milady dragon, Vampire's Phoenix, natn : Thanks for the wonderful reviews. Gwen bashing is really good for health I should say, it's one of the best way to get a laugh.