Doomsday: Post Apocalypse
a Torchwood story
by RoadrunnerGER
Dislaimer: Oh, really! They're the BBC's.
Summary: Ianto comes to Cardiff for a week to help with the archives, but is it as simple as that? Jack/OC, Jack?Ianto
Suspense/hurt/comfort – T – Ianto Jones & Jack Harkness
A/N: Happy New Year everyone! May we all have a creative muse, lots of inspiration, and tons of feedback! :D Thanks to everyone who's reading, commenting, or putting the story on favourites, and especially to my dear beta reader mandassina. Enjoy!
Chapter 4 – The big cleanup
"I still can't believe that you're actually living here," Ydris said as he brushed glass shards onto his dust pan. "Why don't you have a flat or a house in Cardiff?"
"Why should I when I spend most of my time here anyway?" Jack shrugged.
"Don't you feel the need to get out every now and then?"
At that Jack paused and sank into Owen's chair. It was not as easy as that.
"A flat wouldn't change anything, Ydris. When I feel like getting away I find a calm spot to clear my head."
"Where do you go?"
Jack scowled at Ydris who was still working and certainly did not even notice how much he was prodding.
"You're awfully curious, sweet cheeks," Jack scolded in a salacious tone and with a smirk that could have made the Welshman's legs turn into rubber if he had seen it.
"Huh?" Ydris let the brush sink and turned to look at Jack who now leaned provocatively in the chair. "Oh, just making conversation."
"You're not just making conversation," Jack mildly said, shaking his head. "You're interrogating me."
Ydris laughed. "As if I had any chance of success with it!"
"True," Jack smirked.
When Ydris continued with his task Jack spared another minute to admire the well-rounded silhouette before he also returned to picking up the remains of Owen's workstation. With surprise he dug up the medic's coffee pot that was undamaged and put it into the left container while broken pieces came into the right box. The table could not be saved, but one of the monitors already stood on Suzie's desk and the frame that held the screens could be repaired as well.
"I can help you with the windows and the workstation," Ydris said as if he read Jack's mind. "I tinker around a lot. I can repair those things."
Jack chuckled.
"You're really trying anything, aren't you?" he teased.
"So I could stay?" Ydris asked back. "I'm just offering you my help. I mean, if you brought in craftsmen to repair the windows you would steal their memories, wouldn't you? And you like having me around, don't you?"
"I can't deny that," Jack cheerfully replied.
To be on the safe side he applied himself to the task of cleaning up because otherwise he might have torn the clothes off the Welshman right where he stood. Ydris was definitely more exciting than sorting the mess the octopus made. Knowing that he had to get done sooner rather than later Jack resigned himself to working first. The reward would be even sweeter when they were done.
That was when the proximity alarm blared and the cog door rolled open.
xXx
As Toshiko wanted to show Ianto the entrance where he could get in on Monday morning, Owen dropped her and Ianto off at the Plass before he drove into the underground garage to park. They could enter the Hub from there as well, but Ianto was more likely to come by foot as his bedsit was in walking distance.
Aside from that Ianto preferred to walk and breathe some fresh air. It was good to be outside which he noticed now even more than while he was at the pub. When they passed the water column across the Millennium Centre he noticed the tent and how Toshiko paused for a second to look at it.
"A Cyberman broke through the ceiling there," she told him when he asked. "One of the things we'll have to sort out."
"I see," he murmured. All of a sudden he was not so sure anymore if this was a good idea.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Hm hmmm."
"Ianto?" she prodded, slowing her steps. "Really? Tell me if something's wrong."
Stopping he took a deep breath. So close to the bay the air was salty and even now that it was dark he could hear the seagulls.
"Ianto?"
Gently she put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm okay," he murmured. "I… just became aware that I wouldn't be here without you lot."
Squeezing his shoulder reassuringly Toshiko murmured, "I'm sure UNIT would've gotten you out as well."
Ianto huffed. "UNIT was about to shoot me."
"Oh."
On second thought Toshiko wondered why she was surprised, given her own experiences with the organization.
"Now where's the tourist office?" Ianto asked with fresh determination. It was either that or sinking down on the broad stairs lining the Oval Basin and wallowing in a surge of depression.
"Down there," Toshiko pointed toward the boardwalk. "It's around the corner. Not far, really."
"I know Mermaid Quay, but I never really noticed a tourist office down there. I only know the one in the Millennium Centre."
"That… might be because ours is usually closed," she admitted. "It's a front after all."
"To make it believable you should take care of it, though."
"Probably," she shrugged. "But we usually don't have the time to do so."
"Maybe you should hire someone just for the tourist office then," Ianto suggested.
Toshiko froze in her steps.
"What did I say?" Ianto asked, stopping beside her.
"Nothing," she replied. "It's just that nobody gave it any thought before. I can see where you're coming from, though: A tourist information office that's located in an area well frequented by tourists might raise suspicion. Maybe you should tell Jack about it."
"Okay."
As they approached the subject of their conversation Ianto was even more convinced that it needed taking care of but did not mention it again. Instead he watched how Toshiko entered a keycode and followed her inside. As soon as the door was closed she reached over the counter and a hidden doorway to their right swung open.
"After you," she offered and Ianto stepped through. She led him to the elevator and when they neared a cog door at the end of the tunnel an alarm blared as the entrance rolled open.
"Wow," Ianto muttered as he stepped through the heavy barred gate and let his gaze drift through the main Hub.
"Impressive, right?" Jack cheered as he leaned against the railing on the station floor.
Once more Ianto let his view wander.
"It has that certain indefinable something," he finally said.
"Yep," Jack smirked.
"Such a sewerly charm."
At that Jack's features crumbled. "Why, thank you, Mr. Jones."
"What in bloody hell…!" they were interrupted by Owen's exclamation when the medic came in through the armoury, Suzie right behind him. "Jack! Did you have a party while we were gone?"
"Yes, indeed," Jack huffed, "and the guest of honour was so thrilled that he trashed the venue."
"Now seriously," Owen said as he bounded up the stairs. "What happened to my workstation?"
"Octopus," Jack shrugged.
"You're kidding."
"I told you it was huge," Toshiko cut in, following him upstairs. "But don't worry, Owen. We'll put your station back up in no time. You won't have to do long without it."
"Thanks," he grumbled back, knowing quite well that she teased him about his usual listlessness about writing reports or compiling information.
"Hey, Tosh."
At that she whipped her head around. "Ydris!" Her gaze flicked to Jack who shrugged. "Nice to see you, Ydris. So, you're helping out?"
"Yep."
"That's good. Every extra pair of hands is very welcome." Turning to Ianto, Toshiko introduced, "Ydris, this is Ianto Jones, Torchwood London. Ianto, Ydris is the one who helped Jack with catching the octopus."
"Hello," Ianto nodded at the other Welshman.
Toshiko nudged Ianto's shoulder, "Are you coming with me?"
"Down to the vaults?"
"Yes."
Nodding he started to follow her.
"What's so important about the vaults right now?" Jack asked, disappointed that Ianto would not stay. He really enjoyed the view. The man looked delectable in his jeans and dress shirt.
With a sigh Toshiko explained, "The thylacines need looking after, Jack."
"Oh, right!" Jack was mortified. "I'm sorry. I forgot Gwen insisted on bringing them here. There was so much we had to deal with…"
"It's okay, Jack," she said. "We'll tend to them now."
"We should've brought them something to eat," Ianto said as he walked down the tunnel with her.
"I think there's still some meat left in the fridge," Toshiko assured him. "We always need to store some for the occasional weevil."
"You keep them down there as well?"
"Not right now. The last one we got was killed by a Cyberman."
At the mention of the Cyberman Ianto fell silent. The long tunnel already became oppressing but he refused to cave to his rising anxiety. Hearing steps from behind he turned his head to discover Owen and Ydris, then followed Suzie. Toshiko stepped into a hall with three cells where she found the thylacines in the last one of the row.
"Tosh!" Jack called after her. "I think there actually is…"
It was then that Ianto followed Toshiko inside and jumped sideways when something thumped against the security glass with a roar.
"…a weevil in there," Jack finished his sentence. Turning to Ianto he asked, "Are you okay?"
"Sure," Ianto muttered, his gaze fixed on the humanoid creature. It looked pretty vicious and still there was something sad about it. Standing close to the glass the weevil eyed Ianto with as much interest as the Welshman did. It pulled up its lip to inhale the unfamiliar scents through the holes in the glass wall and growled deeply.
"Will it have to stay?" Ianto asked.
"I don't know what else to do with it," Jack admitted. "Once they're beyond their shyness toward humans they're impossible to control."
"And your solution is to keep them here indefinitely?"
"Um…"
Jack was caught on the wrong foot. Ianto's fresh view on Torchwood Three revealed shortcomings he usually comfortably forgot about. The inconvenient truth was that they did not have much of a choice. They could either lock it up or put it down as it was too dangerous to let it return to its horde into the sewers. They simply knew as good as nothing about weevils so they were incapable of communicating to them that they just had to stay out of the way of humans to be left alone.
"They're cute!" Ydris cheered, squatting down in front of the glass wall. "Look at those pups!"
"She's got enough water," Toshiko stated after a closer look. "I'll get her something to eat."
"Yes, do that," Jack agreed.
"What are you going to do with them?" Ydris asked. "They can't stay here."
"Gwen wanted to ship them to Australia."
"And then what?" Ianto asked. "Just put them there in the wild?
"Yeah."
"Then you should know exactly where you can send them," Ydris said. "The Tasmanian tiger is officially extinct, though sightings are reported every now and then. You can't just put Australia on the crate and let them run there."
"Ydris is right. They need the right environment and they won't find it on the mainland," Ianto agreed. "In Australia the tiger was gone even before the first Europeans settled there."
Jack smirked with irritation.
"We've picked up a walking encyclopaedia," Owen grunted. "Do you also know that there have been attempts to clone the tigers?"
"Unsuccessfully," Ydris cut in. "Even in recent years sightings have been recorded, though. On the mainland as well as in Tasmania. We could choose one of those places to release them."
"And I'm not an encyclopaedia," Ianto huffed.
"You sound like one."
"Anyway," Jack cheerfully said, "could you take care of our tigers?"
"Who, me?" Ydris asked back.
"Yeah, you and Ianto. Could you do that?"
"Sure," Ianto agreed. "I'll get right to it."
"Oh, I'm sure it's not that urgent," Jack chuckled and caught Ianto by the arm as he was about to stride out. "But I love your sense of duty."
"Of course, sir," Ianto automatically replied. "The tigers need to get back to fresh air so we shouldn't waste their time."
"Don't rush it, Ianto. In Australia it's Saturday already after all."
"The tigers don't know that, sir."
"Jack."
Suzie snickered at Jack's flirtatious tone and Owen just rolled his eyes. Captain Jack really was incorrigible.
"Right, that's your name, sir," Ianto replied and winked at Owen. "We can still do some research while the rest of you are cleaning up…, sir."
Shaking his head with disbelief Jack watched the two young men leave the tunnel right when Toshiko returned. The team stayed while she fed the Tasmanian tiger, then they all returned to the main Hub where they found Ianto and Ydris sorting the last remains of the destroyed workstation.
"Now what happened to doing research, Ianto?" Jack teased, just barely able to resist slapping the firm arse in tight jeans that hovered tantalizingly in reach as Ianto bent forward to take a piece of scrap from Ydris.
"Neither of us wanted to turn anything on without your permission, sir."
"Oh, Ianto," Jack could not resist, "you can turn me on whenever you like, with or without my permission."
"Is that the best comeback you have to offer?" Ianto snickered. "And keep your hands to yourself, sir."
Jack, who actually had leaned closer to reach out for the firm rounds, flinched back. Ianto did not turn his head and still stood with his back to Jack. How did he know? Hearing Owen and Suzie laugh did not make the situation any better.
Unnoticed by the others Ydris scowled at the debris. Even though he hardly knew Jack Harkness he could not deny the pang of jealousy that stung his insides when he heard him flirt so blatantly with the other Welshman.
And Ianto, who had seen the captain's reflection in a broken piece of equipment had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing at Jack's confusion as he said, "Now stop staring at my behind and get back to work, sir."
Shaking off his rigour Jack grumbled, "And here I thought my odds for a date with you would rise if you came to Cardiff."
"Keep this behaviour up, sir," Ianto teased, "and your chances are dwindling from low to non existent."
All Jack could do was gape.
"Anyway," Suzie threw in to refocus them, "if we all get busy tonight, we'll get this cleaned up quickly, so we can still enjoy a calm weekend. Let's go, guys!"
tbc…