Chapter Eight:
The bright white corridor swung into focus for Jack as he came round, before his head fell forward and Ianto's concerned face became clear. The next thing he noticed was the numbness he felt slowly receding from his body, the feeling creeping towards his neck from where it seemed to have originated. Reaching his hand up to feel the spot, the movement was cut off abruptly by the strong hand cuffs- wait, his handcuffs- chaining him to the desk he was resting on.
Suddenly Ianto's presence didn't seem so comforting. What if he'd got it all wrong? Made a mistake in trusting him. But everything he'd said- everything he knew.
"Ianto- what is this?"
The welshman sighed and leaned back, picking up the bomb and staring at it intently as he turned it and tightened the wires in preperation. For a moment Jack feared he wasn't going to get an answer then Ianto spoke, still keeping his head down, focused on his work, and avoiding Jack's gaze.
"All the planning, the bomb, walking yourself in. You forgot about what was right in front of you. If you die here Jack, then you'll never have met me. All my memories will be gone, everything I've gone through, that we've gone through will never have existed in the first place and I can't let that happen." Ianto was getting more and more worked up and Jack found himself wondering what he could have ever done to deserve the kind of loyalty that Ianto was displaying.
"So you're going to kill yourself for me."
"Like I have another choice. I knew this was coming since I realised you didn't know who I was. If you die a paradox will form and we can't let that happen"
Ianto looked up and Jack found whatever comment he was about to make stuck in his throat as he stared straight into his pale blue eyes. For a moment he was struck by the thought that they seemed much too old for his face but it was quickly dispelled by the storm of emotion going on behind them.
It all seemed so surreal. They had met under hostile circumstances, Jack had knocked him out, locked him up and then Ianto had turned the tables on him. They had kissed once for god's sake and Jack wasn't one to take those things seriously but now he- Captain Jack Harkness, protector of the Earth- was honestly considering ripping a hole in the universe just to keep him alive. He didn't want him to die. The strength of the thought surprised him but he couldn't bring himself to regret it, looking at Ianto sitting before him.
He was bringing himself to speak, tell him that he was willing to give up their future, that he had lived long enough when Ianto broke through his thoughts.
"I should go now, it's time" The soft whispering and glow of the rift radiating from around the corridor seconded his words. Time was literally slipping away.
"No, I-uh" Jack stammered as Ianto picked up the bomb, stood and turned to leave. "Don't Ianto. I don't want you to. I've been around for years, I've seen it all Ianto. It's time for me to go"
Ianto spun round, his determination showing clearly through his stiffened posture.
"And what you're willing to just give it all away? I know you don't know me yet but I'm important to you- why do you think you gave me your vortex manipulator? You've kept it for hundreds of years and yet you give it up for me. I can't let that all slip away."
"I can change it! This can't be the end."
"And it won't be Jack, you've still got so far to go. If the time agency taught you nothing it was that you can't create a paradox."
Jack stared for a moment at the man about to die for him, willing a solution to just pop up, just so that for once in his long, long life he wouldn't have to say good-bye. Eventually he reached acceptance. Quietly he almost whispered, holding Ianto's gaze.
"I would. For you, I would"
Ianto's lips parted in a silent exhale and he knelt down again, putting himself at eye level with Jack.
"Thank you." He said, before leaning in the few inches to press his mouth to Jack's in a soft, chaste kiss. He straightened once more and glanced down at Jack's hopeless face.
"Get rid of the manipulator when you get back to the hub, yeah? As I said, paradoxes can be nasty things" The edge of his mouth twitched in a small, bittersweet smile. " Oh and don't worry Jack" He said, lingering over the Captain's name as if it was a benediction.
"It's going to be amazing"
Jack's eyes bore holes into Ianto's back as he walked out of sight, memorizing the sight until the next time they would meet. He had to keep hope, remember what Ianto had said.
There was a flash of white and then the rift stiched itself shut, leaving the universe whole again but Jack couldn't bring himself to move or get help, even though he knew he could reach the hand cuff key in his pocket if he tried, call his team, get started on the monumental cover story the chaos would require- return to Torchwood's version of normality.
Ianto Jones was gone.
A/N: well, that's the end of that part of the story at least! The rest isn't quite so planned out and I am debating with myself whether or not to continue so please give feedback and ideas!