COMING HOME

Romance

Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones

Words: 619

One of the things I love about their relationship is how Ianto takes care of Jack when he died(especially the scene in CoE Day 4). This is a little something about how it might have started: Jack and Ianto weevil hunting(literally ;)) as it happens - but as Jack comes back this time, Ianto is there for him.

...

Jack came back to life with a gasp as if he'd been holding his breath for too long, shooting up and breathing heavily, trying to orientate and remember what had happened. It took him a moment until he became aware of his surroundings and realised that there were hands on his shoulders and that he was staring right into Ianto's face.

"Ianto-", Jack panted, blinking in order to focus, suddenly remembering where he was and what had happened. "Did you get the weevil?"

Ianto frowned and shook his head. "No", he said calmly, caressing Jack's arm.

Jack stretched himself and cleared his throat. "Damn it, Ianto, why didn't you go after it?"

"It's just a weevil."

"Yeah, just a weevil, just a weevil that already killed two people and could kill even more right now!", the Captain exclaimed angrily and moved to stand up, but Ianto pushed him gently, yet determined back to the ground.

"It just killed you", the younger man responded, tightening his grip.

"That's not the same."

Jack looked into Ianto's eyes and saw concern and a hint of hurt in them. Then he glanced down at his own shirt, ripped and bloody where the weevil had got him. The first shock of coming back to life and the arguing with Ianto had repressed the pain in the beginning, but now he felt it again, sharp and burning and as sudden as a punch in the stomach. A groan left his mouth before he could stop it, enough for Ianto to notice. "Jack? Are you okay?"

"It's nothing", he replied harsher than he had intended. He shrugged his shoulders and added a bit softer: "Had better days, I guess."

He wasn't sure if it was the sad, resigned smile on Ianto's face after his words or the new wave of pain that ran through his body, but Jack sighed and leaned back, resting his weight on his hands. "It still hurts. It always does. I'm still healing, y'know. But it's just for a few days. I'll manage."

"I'm sorry", Ianto whispered and closed his eyes. Jack could hear the compassion and the affection in the younger man's voice. "I'm sorry that you're in pain."

Jack leaned forward and stroked Ianto's cheek. "It's okay", he murmured. "Thank you. Thank you, Ianto Jones, for taking care of me."

Ianto opened his eyes and they glanced at each other. "Always."

Then, suddenly, they were kissing passionately, caressing and holding each other, until they were out of breath. They rested their foreheads against one another's and didn't move or speak for a few moments.

Finally, Jack shifted. The worst of the pain had gone for now, and he had died often enough to know how to ignore the dull, pounding ache that remained. He took Ianto's face into his hands and kissed him again, gently this time. "Still some work to do", he whispered with a hint of regret. "But you're right - just a weevil. We'll call Tosh, shouldn't be a problem for her to trace it for us."

Ianto smiled and nodded, than he stood up and stretched his hand out to help Jack to his feet.

...

Several hours later, Jack watched the locked up weevil down in the cells of the Hub, still pondering about what had happened earlier. He remembered the grip of Ianto's hands on his shoulders, the concerned look on his face...

So many years of dying and coming back. It had been a long while since someone had been there for him when he woke up - like, actually been there, actually caring for him the way Ianto had this evening. Jack smiled.

It feels good. Safe. It feels like... coming home.