Jack awoke with this unearthly nagging feeling rolling through his brains. Just how bloody stupid had he been? Of course it had been a trap. But who and why as of yet remained a mystery.
He took two breaths just to be sure, long and deep. The oxygen seemed to be in check. Next on the list was arms and legs. First, he wound his left wrist up and followed with his right, no restrictions found. So far the signs are looking good, he thought to himself. My luck will never hold. Jack took the first of many risks that night.
Captain Jack Harkness jumped into a push-up position and rolled himself off the floor onto his knees. No blood, no restrictions, and yet no light. The temperature was stable, and yet still no light. He shivered in spite of it. He checked his voice for a single note, that came out weak, still unable to make out what he was going for. Jack was thirsty out of fear, a harsh grating to his voice, as thought it hadn't been used for a long time. What day was it? Where was Ianto? Was he still on Earth?
In the echo of the endless night, Jack bellowed. "Ianto! Ianto!" The force of it sent him straight to his knees and he shivered again, vulnerable. The darkness drove him to the brink of fear, the brink of insanity. He struggled back to his feet, trying to find something in vain. Something tangible, perhaps a wall? Perhaps a wall.
He kept walking; the corridor seeming to go on forever. Each step was a little less labored, blood vessels waking from a slumber. He couldn't take it anymore. "Light!" And they beckoned to his call. And Jack wished he'd said nothing.
The light held the ferocity of a trembling hurricane, him being the exact center of the eye. Jack shielded himself futilely with his arms and waited. The noises, the sharp whistling stopped, and yet there was still light. He unclothes his eyes from beneath his skin and there he was. Ianto.
Behind a wall of blue ice was Ianto. A mirror reflection of himself, there was Ianto. Jack ran forward, grasping, but could not hold. He pounded against the glass, fist after fist. And still nothing answered. A mirror of Ianto. He looked around the room, spinning in insanity and grief. What is this?
Another piece of the puzzle answered. Another picture of Ianto in a different suit, a different point in time. They came, marching forward, until rows upon rows stacked together, an endless existence of Ianto. Jack grabbed forward in frenzy, seizing his own mind and fighting for control. He closed his eyes and inhaled sharply, he caught the sound of the buzz made by lighting. It calmed him just briefly enough.
He looked again at the first picture as it began to change poses. Ianto scratching his nose, Ianto leafing through files, Ianto reading his favorite book. What did it all mean? Under the light, Jack saw scaffolding, bathed in light from the glowing pictures of Ianto Jones. He climbed on the ladder, for no other reason than he could. He was met by yet another Ianto. He recognized the suit. Pink undershirt and blue striped tie. He'd seen Ianto wear it only twice, varying the shades but it was indeed the same suit.
Jack looked again at the first picture, and traced the outline in his mind. Rules of a twisted game began to form and he searched. He searched until he found it. Three rows up and to the left he climbed. There was that same portrait as the first. Ianto had gone back to looking through the book, cycling through the changes. Jack pounded the portrait with his fist. The portrait turned away and he slipped through the opening.
Jack awoke from a daze, the Torchwood team right behind him as they entered a metal tunnel. Ianto began to talk, and music began to take form behind him. What was going on?
"Cardiff Bay"
"Uh Huh." Owen nodded in agreement and encouragement to Ianto.
"Center of the universe." Jack had this strange sentiment flowing through him, and he chimed in.
"Sing it boy."
"Times are shitty, but I'm pretty sure they can't get worse."
"I hear that."
"It's a comfort to know, when you're singing the hit the road blues, that anywhere you could possibly go after Cardiff Bay would be ...a pleasure cruise."
"Now you're talking." For some reason, as they entered the subway car; Jack's lungs burst with the fire of song, and it began to spread.
Well, I'm thwarted by a metaphysic puzzle
And I'm sick of catching aliens I know.
I'm shouting in my lack of sleep, where's my muzzle?
And all this misery pays no salary so...
Let's open up a restaurant in San Fran Bay
Sunny San Fran Bay would be nice
We'll open up a restaurant in San Fran Bay
And leave this to the weevils and mice
Ianto gave Jack a quizzical sort of look as he sat in the seat beneath the pole Jack leaned on. "You hunt?"
He murmured, rather dejectedly. "Yeah, I hunt. With levels of high technology, when all I'd rather do is find the Doc."
Ianto raised an invisible glass and shrugged. "Cardiff." And the rest joined in the chant.
Jack turned to Gwen, and reached down for her hand. You're as sensitive as they get, cook up trouble we ain't found yet.
Jack turned to Tosh. You're a wizard with the keys, so give us rhyme.
Jack turned to Owen. You're kinda dead, so you could be used as a drum.
"What about me?" Ianto turned and looked expectantly with a warm smile.
You? You'll seat guests as they come.
Chatting not about the Rifts, but soups today.
Let's open up a restaurant in San Fran Bay
Our labors wouldn't take so much to spend
They all took up the chant of Spend, Spend, Spend!
We'll open up a restaurant in San Fran Bay
And save ourselves from soul-bound decay
We'll pack up all our junk
Let's fly so far today
Devote our hearts to helping where we can
We'll open up a cooking place in San Fran Bay
Forget the London Calling in our head
As the singing and dancing died down, Jack headed back to the first pole he'd began to song out and began to whistle softly.
"Do you know the way to San Fran Bay?
You know, Ghirardelli...Golden Gate..."
"Yeah."
Jack's eyes fluttered as the subway car entered a dark tunnel and the vision faded. He found himself lurching forward back into the room of nothing. Once again, there was nothing. Nothing to grab or hold onto, and so he screamed again. He screamed for the light.
It swirled forth, and he in anger. As he unleashed his eyes from his arms again, he found the portraits had changed places. They were the same portraits, only slightly brighter compared to two that had no light. In a small shadow he saw the two pictures he had touched darkened. He swallowed and pounded another. Ianto on the day they had gone to the country. Ianto at one of his finest moments, brave and selfless. Maybe this was the answer, the way out of this tomb. This very odd tomb.
Jack found himself running as he slipped through the second portrait. He was running along a silver corridor, and suddenly the top and sides cut away. Jack found himself running the Wales Millennium Center in a panic and short of breath, tears nearly streaming down his cheeks. He saw the object of his panic before him. The Tardis was there. His Doctor was there. But who was that running behind him, nearly on his heels?
He stopped and turned as he reached the door. A frightened Ianto, eyes wide stood before him. He looked at the Doctor, who couldn't hide the radiant smile he bore, and looked back towards Ianto. Both men loved him, and he had the urge to stay with them both. Now what?
Ianto spoke, clutching his knees and in between ragged breaths, "Jack, why couldn't you have stayed calm, just for once? Did you have to go flying away like that? I hope you're happy."
Jack surged with rage over this decision. Did Ianto think this was easy? Jack looked down and clenched the fist that wasn't holding the door handle. Ianto continued to talk. "I hope you're happy. I hope you're happy now. I hope you're happy how you're wrapped in your cause forever. I hope you think you're clever."
Jack could barely retort instead of spitting venom. "I hope you're happy, Ianto. I hope you're happy too. I hope you're proud how you learned nothing but submission, don't have your own ambition."
They spoke shocking words at the same time, reaching into each other's eyes as Ianto found the breath to stand. "So though I can't imagine how, I hope you're happy right now."
"Jack, you've got to listen to me. You don't even have to say that you're sorry."
You can still lead us at Torchwood.
What you've worked so hard to do
You can have all the things you need here
Jack looked down at his unclenched fist. "I know"
But I don't want this
No, I can't want this anymore
Something in my heart is different
Something beyond recall
I'm through with playing
The rules of someone else's game
It's too late for second guessing
I couldn't even sleep
I have to trust these instincts
Close my eyes and leap!
It's time to try defying gravity
I think I'll try defying gravity
And you can't pull me down!
Ianto backed up just briefly and then brought his head forward, forcing himself to speak.
Can't I make you understand?
We can figure this out together
Jack shook his head, wanting it but knowing nothing was the same.
I can't accept your limits
Just cause you all need me so
Some things just can't be altered
But I must try, so that I know
Too long I've been afraid of
Losing love I guess I've lost
But if that's love
It comes at much too high a cost
I'd sooner by defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
And you won't pull me down
Jack had an idea, a spark of genius and he grabbed Ianto's hand, pulling him inside the Tardis and closing the door behind them. "Come with me; think of what we could do together!"
Unlimited-together we're unlimited
Together we'll be the greatest pair there's ever been
Ianto
He couldn't resist. It was so infectious, and in his heart, Ianto needed his Captain. Needed to be with his Captain.
Dreams, the way we planned them
If we work in tandem
There's no fight we cannot win
Even the Doctor and Rose, who had grabbed complete hold of each other and were watching the pair, joined the song as Jack brought Ianto into the circle.
Just all of us Defying Gravity
All of us Defying Gravity
They'll never bring us down
Ianto let a small smile escape his lips, like air deflating from a faithful tire. He fought the tears that were coming as he walked backwards towards the door. Worry lined the usually bright eyes of Jack Harkness. "Well, Ianto, are you coming?"
Ianto shook his head as he exited, not bothering to look, beginning to sob into his cuff and shaking. He felt a hand coming from a warm light and turned to see Jack. The two men embraced and Ianto did his best to stand.
I hope you're happy
Now that you're choosing this.
Ianto looked back. Tosh, Owen, and Gwen had caught them on the spot they were. He looked to his team and then back to Ianto. Gwen handed Ianto Jack's jacket. "It'll be cold without this, in, wherever it is this thing takes you, Jack."
You too.
I hope it brings you bliss.
Ianto stepped back and felt Tosh's arm going around his shoulder, a paltry comfort. They held as Jack sang to his team and they back to him.
I really hope you get it
And you don't live to regret it
I hope you're happy in the end
I hope you're happy my friend
Jack began a feverish climb to the top of the Tardis as he heard the familiar sounds of motion begin to churn. Ianto ran back towards him and held his leg. Jack bent down for one last kiss and then pushed Ianto gently away. He felt his faithful friend melt away and the colors of the Vortex began to swirl around him.
So if you care to find me
Look to the Spacial Skies
As a trusted friend once told me
Everyone deserves the chance to fly
And if I'm flying solo
At least I'm flying free
To those who ground me take a message back for me
Tell them how I am defying gravity
I'm flying high defying gravity
And nobody, nothing from the Rift
No master with any discernible gift
Is ever gonna bring me down!
He swore he heard Ianto yell. "I hope you're happy."
Nobody will ever bring me down!
"Look at him, he's flying!"
Down!
