Author's Note: Okay this is the second Torchwood multi-chapter fic I've written. This is still a WIP and I've only just picked it up after several weeks/months of neglect. But since 'Soulmates' is being so well received, I thought I'd start posting this one too. I hope you like. Ravena x

Synopsis: What if Ianto survived the 456 attack? What if Jack didn't know? A post CoE story. Rated for occasional use of strong language.

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of it's associated characters.

A Chance in a Million

Chapter One

"I love you."

"Don't. Ianto? Ianto? Ianto, stay with me. Ianto stay with me, please. Stay with me? Stay with me, please."

* * * * *

Ianto Jones forced his eyes open, slowly blinking away the crusted sleep which had gathered in the corners. He winced at the bright lights on the ceiling above him and narrowed his eyes to a slit until he got used to the light. Where am I? He turned his head slowly to one side. Not in my flat. A hospital? The sound of a steadily beeping machine penetrated his thoughts, giving away his location. Ianto swallowed and snaked out his tongue to lick his dry lips. As his eyes adjusted, he took in a more detailed view of his surroundings. He was alone in the room, four white walls surrounding him, one with a window and one with a door. The window had shuttered blinds over it, blocking out any view of the outside. He had no idea what time of day it was. There was a frosted window on the door and he could hear the sounds of people walking past. An IV drip was inserted into the crook of his arm. Ianto followed the line of the drip to the bag hanging by the bed. It was full of clear liquid but he didn't know what it was. In fact, he had no idea why he was in the hospital, which formed a sense of panic and the bleeps on the machine next to him sped up. He tried to shout out for somebody, but when he tried to speak nothing came out. He throat was too dry. Ianto swallowed and tried again but managed nothing more than a small whisper. He went back to staring at the ceiling and tried to work out what had happened. Someone would have to come in eventually.

* * * * *

Gwen Cooper sobbed into the arms of her husband, twisting at an awkward angle to get around the large bump on her stomach. The lights from Jack's transportation into the sky had faded from the air and there was nothing left except a cool breeze and the soothing sounds of Rhys' heartbeat as she rested her cheek against his chest. Rhys stroked her back as she cried and after a couple of minutes, guided his wife back down the hill. He was certain the exertion wasn't good for the baby but when Jack had told them where to meet him, he hadn't been able to stop her. So he had settled for going with her instead. Jack Harkness had surprised Rhys a number of times but even so, he never expected to see Jack vanish before their eyes. He felt angry at the man for just leaving. They hadn't seen or heard from Jack since the 456 were destroyed and then he walks back into their lives only to say he's leaving, possibly forever. The man was such an arrogant twat sometimes.

On the way home Rhys stopped off at Gwen's favourite pizza place. Neither of them felt like cooking. They had bought a lovely little three bedroomed house together and were half way through converting the smaller bedroom into a nursery. They had painted it yellow because they had decided not to know the sex of the child before birth. Rhys couldn't help but smile as he carried the pizza back to the car, where Gwen had chosen to wait. He couldn't wait to see his child. He wasn't sure he would make a fantastic dad, but he knew he would love it unconditionally. He got into the car to find Gwen staring out of the windscreen up at the sky. He sighed to himself and held out the pizza box for her to hold, bumping it against her arm when she didn't respond.

"Sorry," whispered Gwen, taking the pizza hold and placing it carefully on her lap, "I was just thinking..."

"About Jack," interrupted Rhys. "Gwen, let's just go home, have pizza and get some sleep. Jack will be back. He always comes back."

"Yeah," Gwen leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder and Rhys kissed it. When she sat back up, he started the engine and pulled out of the parking space.

* * * * *

"Oh my god," a female voice made Ianto jump. He had been tracing the cracks in the ceiling, drawing patterns with his eyes. He didn't know how long he had been awake but he felt it was at least a couple of hours. He turned his head to see a stunned looking nurse standing in the doorway to the room. He hadn't even heard the door open. "You're awake!" She exclaimed, before sticking her head back into the corridor and telling someone to go and find Doctor Hague. "How do you feel?" She bustled over to his bedside and checked his IV before giving him a smile and stroking the hair off his forehead.

Ianto tried to speak but found his tongue had now stuck to the roof of his mouth. He made a smacking sound with his lips and her eyes widened.

"Oh right, yes. Let me find you some ice chips," she vanished from the room and returned minutes later with a plastic white bowl and a male doctor. The doctor waited until the nurse had fed Ianto some ice. He closed his eyes in appreciation as the cold fragments melted in his mouth and he swallowed the liquid gratefully. After a few small handfuls the nurse placed the bowl on a bedside table and stood back.

"Good evening," said the doctor, "I'm Doctor Hague and I've been looking after your condition."

"Hello," Ianto said. His voice was still croaky but the fact he could make a sound was a definite improvement. He paused, "my condition?"

"You've been in a coma," explained the doctor, pulling a small torch out of his pocket and switching it on. He flashed it back and forth across Ianto's eyes until Ianto blinked and moved his head.

A coma? Ianto felt suddenly sick, "for how long?"

"Six months," the doctor sat back and replaced the torch, obviously satisfied with whatever had had been looking for, "what do you remember?"

Ianto looked back at the ceiling and thought. He remembered standing in front of a large glass tank, a glass tank which held an alien. The 456. He remembered talking to it and then pointing a gun at it. He remembered Jack threatening it and then... Jack... Ianto's eyes widened suddenly. He had breathed in the air, and Jack had caught him as he fell. Jack held him whilst he told him how he felt, and as everything faded away, Jack kissed him...

"Oh god..." whispered Ianto and he turned to look at the doctor, "I survived the poisoned air."

"Very good," Doctor Hague nodded, impressed, "there's obviously nothing wrong with your memory."

"Where's Jack?" Ianto asked. He couldn't imagine Jack being far away, not with him lying in a coma in hospital.

The doctor and nurse exchanged glances.

"Who's Jack?" asked the doctor.

"He's my..." Ianto paused, "he's my friend. I would've thought..."

"No one's visited you since you've been here," Doctor Hague rested a hand on Ianto's where it lay on the bed, "I'm sorry but we don't even know your name. You were brought it when it was discovered that you were in fact breathing. A soldier brought you in but without any ID on you we didn't know who you were. So we couldn't contact anybody. No one's reported a missing person matching your description since you've been here. I'm sorry."

"Jack didn't bring me in?" Ianto frowned then his face altered into one of shock, but he couldn't explain to the doctor why. Instead he told them his name and where they could find his family. After some more checks, they left him alone.

"Shit," Ianto breathed to the empty room, "I revived."