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
Chapter 7 – Spontaneous decisions
"Jones," Ianto said reflexively when Jack answered his call.
"Jones who?" the captain asked only to add with joyful recognition, "Ianto! What's up?"
"I'm on my way to London, sir," Ianto told him and could have sworn he heard his boss gasp. "Just wanted to let you know."
"I thought you'd stay," Jack replied, sounding crestfallen.
"I'll be back tomorrow night," Ianto explained. "I just… need to sort some things."
"All right," Jack agreed with obvious relief.
There was a pause, but Ianto was pretty certain that there was more to come, so he waited.
"Ianto…"
"Yes, sir?"
"UNIT informed me that they identified Lisa and Virginia. They will remain with UNIT until they can be released for funeral. Do you want to make the arrangements?"
Ianto did not need to think long about that. "Yes, sir. Who's my contact at UNIT?"
"To my knowledge nobody was appointed yet. I'll let you know as soon as I do."
"All right, sir. Anything else?"
"Well…" another pause followed, "there's something I'd like you to think about."
"Which is?"
"Can you imagine helping me with handling the survivors?"
Stunned Ianto muttered, "Like doing what?"
"You said all personnel would report in after the crisis. Then there are the survivors who escaped the tower, like Carlie. When I know what will become of One I'll have to deal with them. I'd like to make you… the interim director of personnel… or something like that."
This time Ianto could not answer at once.
"I hope I'm not asking too much, Ianto. Will you think about it?" Jack asked hopefully.
Ianto really was not sure if he could handle the other survivors, but he knew that someone had to wrap up everything that was One and he could imagine that the extra workload would put a strain on the small team at Three. Now Jack had not downright ordered but asked him politely. He could at least give it some thought so he finally said, "Yeah, I'll think about it."
"Thank you, Ianto."
The Welshman could not help but think that the captain sounded relieved but also somewhat anxious so he felt compelled to ask, "Is everything all right, sir?"
After a short pause Jack claimed, "Yes. Yes, I'm fine. The Hub's almost recognizable as such as well. Now if the Rift will stay calm for a bit everything will be okay."
"Good," Ianto said. "I'll see you on Monday morning then, sir."
"I'm looking forward to seeing you," Jack replied and sounded a little more cheerful at the prospect. "Maybe I can invite you for a drink later?"
"That would hardly be appropriate, sir."
"There's nothing wrong with having a drink together," Jack huffed and Ianto could clearly hear the pout in it. "Are my odds for a date with you really so low?"
"About fifteen percent, sir," Ianto told him matter of factly. "But I don't think that I'll have time to go anywhere but the Hub anyway, if I'm going to agree to be your interim director of personnel."
"That almost sounds like a yes to me."
"It means that I'm taking it into consideration," Ianto curbed Jack's enthusiasm. "Besides, I don't have an overview yet of how many artefacts will have to be integrated into your archives. I assume that I'll be rather busy on Monday."
"Well…" Jack drawled in a seductive tone, "as I'm your boss I could order you to stop working."
"Which would be unfair toward the rest of the team," Ianto stated without showing any reaction to the subtext. "Is there anything else, sir?"
"No," Jack had to admit.
"All right. Until Monday, sir."
"Bye, Ianto."
Quickly Ianto disconnected the call. He did not like the sad note in Jack's voice that he could just interpret as neediness. It made him uncomfortable. He hardly knew the man and still there seemed to be a connection between them that he could not explain. The way Jack reacted to it, taking it as an encouragement to pursue his courting, gave him the creeps.
His gaze drifted out of the window just when the train crossed the bridge over the Severn. The day was cold and cloudy and Ianto was glad that he did not have to drive himself. Which reminded him that he needed to get a new driving license as the old one was destroyed along with his clothes by the conversion unit.
Hope I'll get an opportunity on Monday.
With a sigh he returned his attention to the landscape. Crossing the Severn the train had left Wales and took him further away from Newport. Which was why Ianto was on this train in the first place. He honestly had wanted to go and see his sister, but when he approached Newport his resolve crumbled. His anxiety got the better of him and he chickened out, climbing back on a train instead.
Right now he was looking forward to returning to his flat but he feared that his mood could switch again. It was pretty erratic lately, ranging from the top of the world to the depths of despair. It unsettled him to say the least. Knowing that those mood swings were an after effect of his ordeal and part of his grieving did not help as long as that knowledge did not provide a solution to the problem.
Ianto suspected that his edginess was one more reason why he did not go to see his sister as planned. He simply did not think that he could deal with her on top of everything else. She would ask about Lisa, about his job, about the attack, about how he escaped, about his new colleagues… and he would not be able to talk to her about any of it without lying. That would make their conversation rather awkward and Ianto did not believe himself to be capable of having an awkward talk with Rhiannon right now. Their relationship was strained as it was. He did not need further complications like an alien invasion to put further stress on it.
Pushing those thoughts aside Ianto tried to imagine what he would have to do as an interim director of personnel. Of course he needed to find out who survived but that was one of their priorities anyway. He was not under the impression that Jack planned to rebuild One or to transfer any personnel to Cardiff. So the question was how they would leave Torchwood which left Ianto with the idea that Jack might insist on retconning them all, stealing their memories of serving Torchwood. He knew that he would not participate in that.
Mulling over those questions he kept staring out of the window. It started to rain. The steady rhythm of the patter against the glass and the rumbling of the train lulled Ianto to sleep.
xXx
Ianto's call left Jack with mixed emotions. His first impulse was to be disappointed, but as he thought about what Ianto had said he felt a new surge of enthusiasm. The Welshman did decline his offer, but he had not downright said no. To Jack anything less meant that he still was part of the game. With fifteen percent his chances were slim but still existent. He would work on his charm and improve his odds.
His intention to better himself made Jack aware that he had more issues to solve. Taking a pen and paper he started to make a list. When he paused to read what he had written he had eight items on his list. Not all of them could be addressed immediately, but others he could tackle right now. He picked up the phone and dialled. Ydris answered after the fifth ring but reacted rather coldly when he heard that Jack was on the phone.
"Please listen to me for a minute," Jack said.
"I would've hung up already if I wasn't willing to hear you out, Jack," Ydris declared. "I'm listening."
"I wasn't in good shape this morning," Jack explained. "I'm sorry."
The line remained silent.
"Ydris, you know I'm different. I… had a lot to deal with. Still have."
"You were drunk," Ydris scoffed. "And you were a mean drunk."
"Yes."
Jack waited. It was not his style to go into any details. Ydris either accepted his scarce apology or not.
"Hope it's not a habit with you," Ydris responded. His tone, while not forgiving, was at least more receptive.
"It's not," Jack said. "I promise."
"All right, then, what do you want?"
Jack breathed a silent sigh of relief. "I was wondering if your offer to repair the windows of my office still stands."
"Yes."
Inwardly Jack cheered at Ydris's readiness to help and he coyly remarked, "Good, they're really in bad shape."
Willingly Ydris took the bait, "The windows or you?"
"When can you be here?" Jack asked.
"I'll come over when I'm finished here. Might be an hour."
"I'll wait at the water tower," Jack told him before they ended the call.
Next on Jack's list was a construction company who could close the hole in the roof. As Jack claimed the matter to be urgent and offered extra compensation the construction foreman agreed to come in about an hour and look at the damage.
Satisfied Jack sat back in his executive chair and had another look at his list:
Call Ydris… check.
Find a construction company that will repair the roof… check.
The Tasmanian tigers… are going to be taken care of by Ianto and Ydris. Maybe I should check on them before I meet the construction foreman.
The broken windows… will be repaired by Ydris, so check.
The survivors in London… will have to wait until Ianto decides if he wants to help.
Make sure that the dead will have a proper funeral… check. Thank you, Alistair
The addresses Ianto mentioned… can wait as well. They're not running away.
Decide about One's future… almost check. I don't want to rebuild it after all. Three will become the chief branch of Torchwood, under my command. I will determine if, when, and how it will grow, change or develop and what personnel will be hired. It just will have to be made official.
Of course there were still a number of small things that he did not think of or that did not even come up yet. He would wait and see what else the invasion might entail. As there was still time until he would meet the construction foreman Jack went to see how the Tasmanian tigers were doing. He fed the mother some meat so she had enough energy to care for her young. While he watched the pups crawled up to her and began to drink which made him smile. A few minutes later he tore himself off the sight and returned to the main Hub.
"Hey, Yvonne," he murmured when the calico cat crossed his path. "Are you hungry? I got you something, right?" When he went over to check she padded along. "Did you eat? What can I do for you?"
Returning to his office he found her bowl still half-filled. She sat beside him now but she did not seem to be interested in more food.
"Well, keep it for later then," Jack murmured. The cat head butted his shin in order to catch his attention and rubbed her cheek against the inside of his knee. Jack chuckled when she walked around and between his legs in a tight figure of eight, brushing his trousers. "I'm sorry, love," he said as he leaned down to pet her. "I've gotta go. We'll cuddle later, all right?"
Taking a deep breath he straightened back up and marched to the invisible lift to get up to the Plass.
xXx
Ianto woke a few miles before his train arrived in London. With a sigh he stretched his stiff limbs. It was still raining, dark clouds grazing the highest buildings of the city. The weather reflected Ianto's mood, or maybe he drifted deeper into depression because everything looked grey in grey. When he finally climbed off the train he felt sore and rather dragged himself to the underground.
To his own surprise he went into the opposite direction. He emerged from the depths of the tube at Canada Square and slowly walked to the cordon UNIT had drawn around Torchwood Tower.
What am I doing here? For God's sake, I should be home now. There are things to pack and I should get Lisa's things in order for her family.
The moment he thought that he felt grief tightening his chest. It was still fresh and more painful than he had thought. Gasping for breath he looked around for a place to sit down or something to lean against. The only thing in reach was one of the metal barriers. Supporting himself on it with both hands he fought for his composure. His gaze drifted up the tower which made him slightly nauseous.
"Ianto?"
Confused the Welshman focused on his surroundings and the UNIT soldier who approached him.
"Dennis!" Ianto greeted with honest joy at seeing the man again who had supported him and Owen while he was stuck in the conversion unit. "You're still on duty?"
"Again," Dennis sighed. "There's still a lot to do in the tower."
"Yeah…"
Thoughtfully Ianto looked back to the tall building. Its nearly undamaged façade masked the destruction inside. All the horrors he had seen were hidden away from the public. As so often the people would be told that terrorists were responsible for the attack and they would believe it. Ianto remembered a time when he had been one of them. Now he would not be that easily deceived anymore. Not after working for Torchwood. Not after what he had witnessed and lived through.
"I'm glad to see you're doing all right," Dennis said. "Can I help you somehow?"
"Actually I'm not sure why I came," Ianto admitted. "I guess I had to see it again."
"To find closure…" Dennis murmured.
"Probably." Ianto bit his bottom lip. "I was informed that you found my fiancé. Captain Harkness told me that I should contact UNIT in order to organize the funeral."
"Who's coordinating those efforts?"
"I don't know who's responsible," Ianto said. "I'm really not sure what I'm doing here." Suddenly he realized that he should ask about who was running the morgue as well but figured that he could address that matter when they were arranging the service. He had no chance to say goodbye so he wanted to see Lisa again before she was cremated.
"I could ask Colonel Mace and get you the contact information," Dennis suggested. "Would that help?"
"Sure," Ianto agreed. "Shall I wait here or…?" He was not sure about what to do as he neither was here with the team nor did he have an official order. He spontaneously rode to his old workplace and now he stood here and was clueless.
"Come on through," Dennis said. "You're Torchwood after all." He held up the plastic cordon and Ianto ducked under it in order to follow the soldier to the command tent. There Dennis gestured him to wait.
A few minutes passed until the UNIT soldier showed up again and invited Ianto inside. Among the soldiers Ianto felt strangely nervous. He was not sure what he should say if he was asked about Torchwood's mission the other day. It would be the best not to say anything.
"All right," Dennis startled him out of his musings. "Here is Major Billingham's contact information."
"Thank you," Ianto said and pocketed the slip of paper Dennis gave him. "I just thought of something else."
"What is it?"
"When we were in creature containment I discovered a small group of individuals, harmless little mammals," Ianto explained. "Captain Harkness claimed they had no room to take them in at Three, but I'd hate to see them suffer because everyone's too busy to take proper care of them. I'd like to see to them getting a nice and adequate new home."
"You want to arrange that?"
"Yeah."
Dennis nodded thoughtfully. "We should talk with Colonel Mace about it."
Hearing that Ianto sighed. After what little he had heard about the colonel and the short confrontation between him and Suzie that he had witnessed, he was not under the impression that Mace was likely to cooperate. Having no other choice Ianto agreed.
tbc…