Chapter 42

AN: Pronoun update for Rikki: He/they

*the bomb explodes, exploding Jack too, Jack's comms go dead*

R: *goes to stand beside Ianto*

I: JACK! Dammit!

R: Wha…?

J: *body parts are scattered, moving towards each other*

I: *grabs a blanket and starts out* Stay here, Rikki.

R: *nods, looking a little green*

J: *parts start connecting and regrowing*

I: *preparing for the screams, kneels next to Jack with the blanket*

J: *revives as his insides are regrowing* AGH

I: *wraps his arms and blanket around Jack* I've got you, I'm right here. *voice shaking*

J: *screams in pain*

I: *holds him close, voice breaking* I'm right here, Jack, you're alright now, I've got you.

J: Ianto?

I: Right here.

J: *white as a ghost* Kill me again, please this is too painful-

I: *crying silently, whispers* I'm sorry- *breaks his neck*

J: *goes still*

I: *holding him close, still crying*

J: *his body is fully repaired, but he's still dead*

I: *repositions the blanket to actually be wrapped around Jack*

J: *gasping in air*

I: *wiping away tears, pulling him closer* I'm sorry…

J: Ianto?

I: Yeah, I'm here.

J: *slowly sitting up* Ow, fuck that hurt so badly. Thank you for killing me.

I: *nods, wiping away the rest of his tears, making sure the blanket stays around Jack*

J: I'm okay now.

I: I know…it just… It hurts to see you like that-

J: I'm sorry.

I: Don't be sorry, not for me. Be sorry you blew up in the first place.

J: I'm sorry you had to see it. I was checking to see how it needed to be contained and it blew up.

I: It was bound to happen sooner or later. *kisses him softly*

J: *kisses back* Better me than someone else.

I: Yeah- *helps him up* C'mon let's get you some clothes.

J: My coat…

I: *glances at a piece of burned coat, making a mental note to buy another one asap*

J: *getting up* Oww ow-

I: *holding him up* Gonna need to get you new boots too.

J: The ground is freezing, let's hurry…

J: And it's raining.

I: Just keep the blanket around you, doubt Rikki wants to be flashed.

J: I'm cold enough as it is of course I will.

I: *laughs and brings them back to the hub*

J: *leans against him*

R: *worriedly pacing*

J: *steps onto the lift*

R: Oh thank goodness! Are you okay!?

J: Ow no-

R: I mean, obviously now but you'll be okay, right?

J: *still in agony, he faints*

I: *catches him, stumbling a little* Can you clear off the couch, Rik?

R: Yeah, right, sure. *clears all the papers and stuff*

I: *has managed to fully pick up Jack and lay him on the couch* Thanks,

R: *nods, clearly worried*

J: *wakes up* AHHH!

I: Shh, Jack, I'm right here, you're on the couch.

J: Everything still hurts- It shouldn't be like that this long after revival.

I: *grimaces* Sorry, can't really help with that.

J: There's something wrong.

I: What do you mean?!

J: I've been blown up before.

I: You have?

J: Never in this much pain after- WHY IS MY SKIN TURNING BLACK?

I: *shocked* What the heck!?

J: Call Yan and have them get here as fast as possible.

R: I got it!

R: *phone ringing* Pick up pick up!

Y: *picking up* Rikki what's wrong?

R: Well there was a Rift-alert and JAck got all blown up and now his skin is turning black!

Y: Shit. I'll be there in five. Get him to the medbay.

R: Kay.

Y: *hangs up and shoves on their shoes* Malcolm, I'm sorry to cut our date shot but there's a medical emergency with Jack, are you coming?

R: *to Ianto and Jack* They said they'll be here soon, and to get Jack to the medbay.

M: Of course! *puts on his own shoes*

Y: *grabs their keys and runs to the car* Y'alla.

M: *getting in* What's happening?

Y: *speeding to the Hub* Jack got blown up and evidently healed but not enough because his skin is now turning black. *over comms* Rikki I need you to erase CCTV footage of me driving.

M: WHAT?!

Y: *parks and hops out* I don't know, but I think it's frostbite.

R: *comms* Right, I can do that. *starts erasing CCTV footage*

M: But that fast? It's not yet winter-

Y: He was naked, dead, on the cold ground and it's been raining.

I: *brings Jack to the medbay*

M: But it still takes me a whole day to get frostbite! It's not even that cold yet!

Y: Then I don't know. *running downstairs into the Hub* Ianto talk to me what exactly happened?

I: He said it was blinking mauve and it blew up with him; then I had to- had to- and when he came back again I made sure he was wrapped in the blanket, we didn't stay out that long.

Y: Okay, okay, hold up. Do you have a picture of the device?

R: *sifting through the CCTV footage* Here.

Y: Bollocks.

M: What?

Y: Alien frostbite bomb.

R: That's a thing?!

J: Yes. I didn't recognize it.

I: *frowning* Is there anything you can do, Yan?

Y: Yes. *goes to the medbay*

J: I know what you're going to do. Just do it, I don't care that it'll hurt.

Y: *nods, prepping everything*

M: *grimaces, remembering what happens*

Y: Malcolm, please keep everyone away where they can't see. I have to have him naked.

M: *nods* Right, come on you two. *herds Ianto and Rikki out of the medbay, ignoring Ianto's protests that Jack is his boyfriend, not wanting Ianto to see what happens*

J: *puts the blanket on the floor, laying on the table*

Y: *injects antifreeze and a blood thinner into his bloodstream*

J: *circulation slowing, the blackness slowly beginning to recede*

Y: *comms* Ianto?

I: *comms* Yeah?

Y: *comms* I need you to be aware that this'll take hours.

I: *comms* Hours!?

Y: *comms* Yes. Stay where you are. Malcolm, can you please escort Rikki out so he can go home?

I: *shocked silence*

M: Yeah, come on Rik.

Y: *comms* Thanks.

R: *comms to Yan* Promise to call later?

Y: *comms* Yeah.

R: *comms* Thanks. *hugs Malcolm* See y'all tomorrow.

Y: *comms* See you. Drive safe, it's pouring.

R: *comms* I'll be careful. *leaves and goes home*

Y: *injects more antifreeze into Jack*

M: *returns to Ianto to keep him company*

J: *has gone unconscious*

Y: *comms* Malcolm, please keep him away from the medbay.

I: *is stress cleaning, already has set a pot of coffee on*

M: *watching Ianto bustle about the main portion of the Hub* Okay.

Y: *taking Jack's vitals constantly, writing everything down*

*a couple hours pass, his body is almost back to it's usual color, if a little pale*

Y: *stops the anti-freeze*

I: *is getting ready to start with the mop*

M: *has given up trying to help Ianto after being swatted with a broom*

Y: *comms* Ianto, no more cleaning.

Y: *has removed a pint of Jack's blood, replacing it with fresh; has done it twice more*

I: *forced calm* Hm?

Y: *comms* Enough cleaning. Go rest in Jack's bed, I'll tell you when I'm finished.

I: *comms* I'm fine!

Y: *comms* Ianto, I'm telling you as your friend and doctor. You're going to wear yourself out and you won't be able to help Jack.

I: *sighs and goes to lay down, muttering under his breath that he's perfectly fine*

Y: I heard that, Jones. No you're not. Don't forget I'm you, so I know.

I: *doesn't respond but stops muttering*

Y: Good.

Y: *switches to a private channel* Malcolm? How are you doing?

M: I'm alright Yan. Is there anything I can help with? *heading to the medbay*

Y: Glad to hear it.

Y: *finally finished switching out Jack's blood, the whole procedure took about four hours. He's sleeping off the meds, they're exhaustedly cleaning up*

M: *smiling tiredly, pulls them into a hug*

Y: Amore, as much as I'd love a hug, I'm a bit bloody on my gloves and lab coat.

M: What's a little blood- oh that's not a little… *pulls back, frowning at his now bloody shirt*

Y: I don't want to ruin your shirt- oh, I'm sorry. I'll take it to the dry cleaners and see what they can do…. Hold up, I'm a medic. I should be able to figure it out myself.

M: It's fine, I've had to get blood out of my clothes before. *frowning* More times than I'd have liked, really…

Y: Hydrogen peroxide and oxi clean, warm cycle. Should get spotlessly rid of a fresh stain. There's a machine in Sublevel 2, room 1.

M: *kisses them* thanks. *heads off to wash his shirt*