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 12 – Coat and coffee
After his talk with Ianto, Jack returned to his office. He felt on edge. Unknowingly Ianto had touched a subject that woke painful memories. Just for a second he had been tempted to tell the young Welshman about the agonizing time after his tragic loss on the last night of the year 1999. It was hard to believe but Alex had been his first boss who did not make him feel like he was part of the equipment. Jack liked to work with Alex and his team and when he died in the line of duty he knew he had someone to talk to if needed after his resurrection. He rarely made use of the offer, but knowing that he could and was not taken for granted already helped a great deal.
With a sigh Jack sat down behind his desk. His gaze fell on the little coral on the tabletop and his heart clenched painfully. He yearned to travel but this planet was too small to satisfy his desire. Sometimes he wondered if he would ever find the kind of happiness again that he had experienced only twice during his long life and both his youth and his time with the Doctor were over a hundred years ago. Some rare times came closer to being happy than others and being part of Alex's team had been one of those times.
It's about the people, Jack thought. I love my team members. Suzie. Toshiko. Owen. Each of them is special and I'm so glad I found them and made them part of this team. Why can't I get a connection with them?
Jack never realized that it was fear of renewed loss that kept him from getting to know his co-workers better. All he knew was that something was missing.
Hearing a knock he looked up and a smile touched the corners of his mouth when he found Ianto at the entrance to his office.
"Come in," he said and explained, "As long as that door isn't closed you don't need to knock."
"Okay." Ianto approached his desk and set down another big mug with steaming coffee.
"Mmmmm," Jack smiled. "Smells wonderful. You know, a wise man once said that a good coffee has to be black as the night, hot as sex, and sweet as life."
"You didn't say anything about sugar," Ianto muttered, thinking he forgot something.
"Oh, no, I don't take sugar" Jack rushed to assure him. "It's just a quote. Thank you."
"In that case," Ianto mused aloud, fixating the captain with a stern gaze. "I've seen that coffee mug, sir, and it's hot as love, not sex."
"Oh, well, I must have misremembered it," Jack muttered, a naughty sparkle in his eyes that sent chills down Ianto's spine. Just as quickly turning nonchalant, Jack asked, "What are you going to do now? The archives?"
"Yes, sir."
"I need to take care of this pile here," Jack gestured at a stack of papers on his desk. "I'll join you later in the archives, okay?"
"Of course, sir."
"Ianto, I'm sorry for cutting you short earlier," Jack said. "You caught me on the wrong foot."
"No problem," Ianto assured him. "It's not my place to question you about it."
"It's your job to question me about how I kept things filed," Jack firmly told him. "I went through a hard time when I used that improvised filing system. That's all I'm gonna tell for now."
"That's perfectly all right, sir."
Jack smiled and took a drink of his coffee. Smiling dreamily he leaned back…
…and was interrupted by an alert shattering the silence.
Groaning Jack took another gulp and put the mug down. Rushing to the door he shouted, "What is it?"
"Rift alert," Toshiko replied. "Seems to be something big."
Owen came up from the med bay and Suzie approached from her work area where she examined an artefact.
"Can you tell us anything else?" Jack asked, "Did something get through?"
"No. Sorry, Jack," Toshiko answered, "We'll have to go and see."
"Well, let's go then. There's a job to be done," Jack said cheerfully and the others rushed to gather their equipment. "Are you holding down the fort, Ianto?" he queried and patted Ianto's back encouragingly.
Ianto winced and emitted a small hiss.
"Oh, sorry!" Jack gasped, contrite at having hurt the young man whose back still appeared to have sore spots from being trapped in the conversion unit. "Really, sorry."
"No harm done," Ianto groaned.
"No, I mean it. I'm sorry," Jack insisted. It looked like it was becoming a habit, apologizing to Ianto. As quickly as his expression had changed to shock, though, a mischievous smirk cracked his features. "Shall I kiss it better?"
Sourly, but with a mystical half-smile, Ianto grimaced at him, slightly shaking his head. "No."
Jack actually looked disappointed. Why could he not get anything right with Ianto?
"I could drive," Ianto suggested.
"That won't be necessary," Jack shook his head. "But thanks for the offer. You can continue with your task… and have some of that incredible coffee ready when we get back."
All Ianto could do was roll his eyes.
"Do you want an earpiece? Then you can follow our radio talk."
"Yes, sir."
"And could you call me Jack, for God's sake?" the captain frayed. "You're driving me crazy!"
"Apparently a short trip," Ianto muttered under his breath.
"Hey! I heard that!"
Ianto was stunned that Jack could understand him but did not back down. "Take it like a man, Captain," he smirked wickedly. "Just like I'm enduring your flirting."
"Endu…!" Jack gasped. "And here I thought my odds for dinner with you were rising!"
"Hardly," Ianto told him matter of factly. "Now, sir, your team is waiting."
"Ianto Jones, you're really one of a kind," Jack snickered. "You want it? You'll get it: I'm expecting coffee when I get back. That's an order!"
"Yes, sir."
Ianto saluted, looking so serious that Jack could just shake his head.
"Jack?" Owen shouted. "Are you coming?"
"Yep!" Jack replied. For a second he looked at his office, undecided, but then he hurried to catch up with the others who were on their way out through the armoury.
xXx
For a minute or so Ianto stood on the same spot and felt a little lost. When he finally shook off his rigour he returned to Jack's office to collect the half-empty coffee mug. On his way out his gaze fell on the coat rack and the greatcoat that hung limply from one of the hooks.
He left his trademark behind.
Now he understood why Jack had been reluctant and looked back to his office before he left. He carried his gun in its holster, but the coat was still there. Obviously he wanted to take it with him but decided against it.
To the two most important things, Ianto chuckled to himself, lifting the coffee mug at the greatcoat. Coat and coffee.
Ianto let his free hand run over the thick wool. Even though the stains were not clearly visible he could feel them where blood and dirt encrusted the fabric.
They must have suffered a lot.
Feeling the irresistible urge to do something for the captain, Ianto took the coat from its hook and out to the main Hub. Only then did he realize that he had no idea if he would find something like laundry detergent here. Actually he doubted it.
Maybe dry cleaning would be a better idea.
Sitting down on the sofa in the rec area, Ianto examined the heavy woollen coat closer. It was not just really dirty but he also discovered tears and holes in the thick fabric.
What happened to Jack to leave such traces? A Weevil attack? Probably.
Letting his fingers run over the folds, Ianto recalled how he woke up with the coat stuffed under his head. Jack had taken him to the med ward at Torchwood tower and when Ianto would not let go of the coat he left it there.
One of those blood stains must be mine.
Deciding that Jack could not wear the coat again as it was, Ianto got out his cell phone and called his landlady as the bedsit was much closer to the Hub than the next grocery store. Mrs. Dillard assured him that she had laundry detergent at home and he asked if he could have some which she readily agreed on. So Ianto quickly went to his bedsit in order to get the cleaning agent, making a mental note to buy a replacement and getting more for the hub as well. He also coaxed Mrs. Dillard into giving him a sewing kit, carried both back to the Hub, and found a basin in one of the storerooms that he dragged to the shower room. There he let warm water run into the basin. He poured in some of the detergent and mixed it thoroughly in. Then he looked through the coat's pockets to make sure nothing important hid in them and put the coat into the bath to soak.
Now he had to wait.
xXx
When Ianto emerged from the Hub's shower room about an hour later the team was not back yet. Even though Jack had offered him one of the earpieces he forgot to give it to him before he left, so Ianto was clueless. Unwilling to just sit around and wait, he went down to the archives to get some work done. For about an hour, he busied himself with sorting the files that blocked the desk and made using the computer there rather difficult. Then he realized that he would not notice if the team was back. The thought put him on edge and after a few minutes, he decided to pause and go up to the main Hub.
His timing could not have been any better because right when the coffee machine announced with happy gurgling that it was finished brewing the paving stone of the invisible lift slowly descended, carrying Jack and Suzie to base level. When Ianto and Jack's gazes met a broad grin cracked the captain's features at the prospect of fresh coffee.
"No reason to be so happy," Suzie snarled as they reached the bottom. "We still have an unexplained death to solve."
"No reason not to enjoy coffee," Jack growled.
"Oh, I know exactly what you were enjoying," she hissed back and moved away from him, going over to her worktable.
"What happened?" Ianto wanted to know as he walked down the stairs.
"No thermos?" Jack asked back.
"I was about to ask if I should take it to the boardroom for a meeting."
"Not yet," Jack told him. "I'm about to get a stretcher. Owen needs to do an autopsy."
"Which brings me back to my original question," Ianto said, "What happened?"
"Well, we don't know," Jack shrugged.
The blank admission startled Ianto a little. This was another difference between Torchwood One and Three. Ianto could not imagine anyone at the headquarters officially claiming they had no idea. Torchwood was the one place where everything was possible… which ultimately led to the Institute's downfall.
By the time Ianto returned to the present Jack was gone to get the stretcher he mentioned. A moment later he reappeared and made his way through the armoury to the underground garage to bring in the body. When he returned, Toshiko and Owen were with him. Together they took the body bag to the med bay where they placed it on the autopsy table.
Hesitantly Ianto crossed the gantry to the handrail from where he could look down to the med bay. The others just removed the bag and Ianto had to force himself to stay where he was. A young man was inside, which was hard to bear for Ianto after his own brush with death.
"Is there something I can do?" he asked when Toshiko came up the stairs.
"Well, actually…" she smiled apologetically, "some coffee would be really nice."
Going with her toward the workstations Ianto asked, "Tosh, is there a special story behind your obsession with coffee?"
"Not really," she shrugged. "Call it a legal drug that keeps us going."
"Well, you shall have what your heart desires," the Welshman smirked with exaggerated chivalry.
"Thank you, Ianto."
Ianto sensed a lump form in his throat. Toshiko's thanks were heartfelt. It made him wonder whether their efforts ever were acknowledged. Working for a secret organization they would never get any recognition by the public and with their team consisting only of four people their only approval might come from their boss, Captain Jack Harkness. Torchwood One could have been a source of acceptance, but as the captain had severed the ties to the headquarters that was unlikely as well. Any small sign of appreciation, even if it was a simple cup of coffee, probably meant a lot to them.
Making a mental note not to ask ever again, Ianto just turned and climbed up to the kitchenette. Two minutes later he was on his way back down with freshly filled cups. Putting the tray down on Owen's workstation he first served a mug to Toshiko who offered him a shy smile, and then to Suzie who was so engrossed in examining an artefact that she just grunted something that could have been anything from a thanks to an insult. Ignoring her weird behaviour Ianto took one mug down to the autopsy bay where Owen was about to open the body. Ianto put the mug onto the small computer terminal there. All Owen gave him was a curt nod.
"Thanks, teaboy," Owen muttered absently as Ianto already set foot on the stairs again.
The young Welshman paused, his head whipping around.
"Pardon?"
"Huh?"
"What did you just say?" Ianto prodded at Owen's confused expression.
"Said thanks?" the medic murmured.
"No, that other word," Ianto pushed.
Owen just shrugged.
Indignantly Ianto put his fists on his hips and huffed, "You called me teaboy."
At that a wicked smirk cracked the medic's features.
"Oh, that… well, that's appropriate seeing what you're doing, right?" Owen teased, and giving a crooked grin and a wink he dove back into his task.
Shaking his head at the medic Ianto returned to the gantry. With the last mug he went to Jack's office. As the door was open he went straight in as he had been told before and found the captain at his desk, lost in thought. Ianto found that he looked weary. There was no energy in his posture and his eyes appeared unfocused. All of a sudden Jack looked up and his whole demeanour changed, a smile spreading on his face and the pale blue eyes sparkling.
"Ianto! Coffee! You're a lifesaver!"
Ianto could not help but wonder how much of his refreshed enthusiasm was real and how much was show that the captain put on in order to maintain his dashing superhero façade.
"Do you have a moment?" Ianto asked.
"Yeah. Come, take a seat."
"Thank you, sir."
Rising a sceptical eyebrow at Ianto, Jack tilted his head to the side. "I know I'm going to regret asking this, but… How's the archiving going?"
"With the identifiable items it's going slowly but steadily, sir," Ianto replied matter of factly.
Jack chuckled at the hidden reprimand. "I think I earned that." Even though he appeared to be amused he was in uproar. Checking out the Rift alert did not go as well as he claimed. When they arrived at the location they could not find any trace of alien presence, but there was an unexplained death and they took the body to find out if there was a connection with the Rift. A gulp of coffee helped to ease his tension.
"How did the mission go?"
Now that question did not help.
"Can't really tell," Jack admitted with a shrug. He took another drink. "No alien visitors. At least not as far as we can tell."
"Who's the victim?" Ianto prodded.
Fishing the wallet he had taken off the young man out of his waistcoat pocket and checking its contents Jack said, "One Spencer Murphy."
"What happened?"
"No idea," Jack shrugged. "He was dead already when we arrived. Now Owen's trying to determine the cause of death to see if it's related to the Rift."
"I see."
Using the pause to drink more of his precious coffee Jack leaned back in his executive chair. The black brew did not just smell good, it also tasted incredible. Out of the blue Jack was thrown back in time to when Griff brought in the machine that appeared to be oversized for a staff that consisted of only six people. Then they realized that it produced a seemingly never-ending supply of coffee and no one teased the young man anymore. The only downside was that Griff was the only one who could make a brew that deserved the title coffee. Since then Jack had not tasted a coffee that tasted this good.
"Sir, may I ask you about your filing system?" Ianto broke the silence.
"You can ask me whatever you like," Jack told him with a lopsided shrug. "But that's not a guarantee that you'll get an answer."
"Well, you said that there actually is a system," Ianto continued unperturbed. "Can you explain it to me now or should we meet later?"
Jack was grateful that Ianto offered him a choice. He's a very thoughtful and compassionate young man. And his unusually deep voice…
"Are we talking about the reports or the artefacts?"
Ianto grimaced. "Well, if I'm not mistaken the files were dropped there in chronological order?"
At that Jack grinned sheepishly. "You can say so, yes."
"And the artefacts?"
"Were also dropped there in chronological order, more or less," Jack quipped. "They're coded with symbols."
"You mean those glyphs you scrawled on the boxes with a permanent marker?"
"Yep."
"Does it matter whether it's red or black?"
"Yep."
"Red is more dangerous?" Ianto suggested.
"Exactly."
Accepting the explanation Ianto nodded. "Can you make me a list of the symbols you used and their description?"
"As in right now?" Jack queried. At present he was not in the right frame of mind to concentrate on his symbolism.
"At some point between now and tomorrow morning," Ianto suggested.
"That will work," Jack nodded.
"All right."
Thoughtfully Jack watched the young Welshman as he sat in the old chair, his back straight, his head held high. One of his hands rested on an armrest, the other on his thigh. Its relative proximity to his groin made Jack's thoughts drift to impure spheres. While he did his best to school his features into a neutral expression he wondered what that hand could do, to him or to Ianto himself. What would it be like to feel that hand on his skin? How would it tingle when it slowly moved from his pectorals across his stomach to more sensitive regions? He could imagine that hand doing things to him that he had better not think about too hard right now or it would cause physical reactions.
Noticing how Ianto rolled his eyes Jack wondered if the latter already occurred.
"Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?" the Welshman asked.
Instantly five different scenarios came to the captain's mind, but instead he said, "No, Ianto. Thank you."
"All right, sir," Ianto confirmed and got up from his chair. "I'll be in the archives then."
"Fine with me," Jack replied even though he wished the young man would stay much, much closer to him.
Giving a short nod Ianto got up and left the office, leaving an uncomfortably agitated captain behind.
tbc…