GOODBYE, IANTO

Romance, Drama

Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones

Words: 1295

Don't want to say much in advance for this one, but knowing "The House of the Dead" is important.

...

Well, there weren't that many choices, were there? Oh, maybe there were - and just too many he couldn't choose.

He wondered what would happen if he just left. He didn't know what he was anymore - a ghost, or more than that, or plain human and alive again? But he couldn't just try and go for it, could he? There was the world at stake.

He tried to focus. Two things. Two things he had to take care of.

Saving the world. Saving Jack.

Ianto felt a shiver running through his body. There was one choice left. He listened to Jack, a part of him dying inside as he realised that the decision was made.

"... I've seen you once more - what else is there?"

He didn't want to do this. He didn't want it to end like this, with a lie. He didn't want it to end.

"Well... we could just go." Ianto focused on his goal. Get him out of here. Save him.

"What?"

"My dad said we could both leave together." It got easier, and he smiled an encouraging smile.

Jack laughed. Ianto saw a hint of hope in his eyes, and he felt his heart break a little more. "Never... you're kidding, right?" Jack narrowed his eyes. "You mean leave here?"

"Why not try it? The Rift - ancient evil - magic pebbles - just for once, let someone else deal with it!", Ianto pushed further, curious for Jack's reaction.

"Can we do that?"

He - he's really considering it? He'd let Seriath go? What about the 'threat for the earth' and all that stuff?

"I'm real, aren't I?"

"Huh - it will never work... we cross that door, we will be back in the real world... what if you vanish? What will happen?"

Ianto blinked. He really would do it. He still had no memory of his death six months ago, and Jack hadn't exactly gone into detail, but - What has it done to you? Oh Jack... What he saw here, was the man he loved, more desperate than he'd ever seen him before, willing to let Seriath go for Ianto's sake.

"That's no reason for not trying", Ianto carried on. He hoped that Jack didn't see how close to crying he was. And here I am, doing it again... I'm hurting you again... "Seems a shame, you know - to get me back only to lose me again-" I'm sorry, Jack. I'm so sorry. "- a touch careless."

"Huh, true... Seriath - the last remnant of a dead universe - ah, she's not so special, but there's only one Ianto Jones."

"And there's only ever been one Captain Jack Harkness." Pride filled Ianto's heart as he looked at the Captain, his Captain, in his coat and with his Harkness grin on, now stretching out one hand to stroke Ianto's arm affectionately. "Ah, screw it! Worth a try! Let's leave the device here for Seriath..." Jack shot a glance at the box that Ianto was still holding in his hand, and the welsh man let it drop to the ground.

The Rift was wide open by now and started soaking in the House of the Dead, making the ground shake beneath them.

"The whole place is falling into the Rift!", Ianto shouted, clinging onto Jack as they both tried to stay on their feet.

"Ha! We better go now!"

Hesitantly, Ianto let go of Jack and stood back. "Cross that doorway and there's no coming back", he repeated the Captain's words. He felt sick.

"Why would I want to?", Jack asked jauntily, too happy, too hopeful to notice Ianto's uneasiness. "I've got you back, Ianto - let's do this! Come on, Ianto, be brave!"

"Always..."

Jack grinned and started moving towards the door. There was a bright light that led to the outside - back to the real world, and Ianto slowly followed the Captain to the edge of it before he stopped. He watched Jack stepping through the light and out of the House of the Dead, turning around and looking for him.

"I'm not coming", he finally said. He almost had to shout to drown out the noise of the Rift that was pulling strongly on the House - and on him.

"Ianto, no - come on, there's still time!"

Finally, Ianto could cry. Over the distance and through the bright light, Jack maybe wouldn't see the tears. "No, Jack - you know I can't. My place is here: in the House of the Dead-" Am I real or still a ghost? I shouldn't leave this place anyway. It's for the better. Maybe I really would vanish outside. "-with your device, saving the world!" And you. Most of all, you!

'Eternal Oblivion', Jack had said. That had been the moment when Ianto'd known that he had to get him out of there. He couldn't let Jack do this to himself.

"Don't do this!"

"Sorry, Jack - someone's gotta destroy the Rift..." Whatever would happen to you in the void between worlds - you'd be alive. You'd suffer. The time would come and you would curse me, hate me because I'd be the reason for you being there... then you'd forget who I was, and who you were, and it still would go on, it'd be forever... "Quite a way to go...", Ianto quoted Jack in a dry voice.

"No! Not like this! Don't leave me like this!"

Ianto was shaking. He was filled with fear, and Jack's calls broke his heart. He was grateful that the Rift was pulling on him with such a force now that even if he'd tried, it would have been hard to leave the House of the Dead. "Gotta go...", he called, heavily breathing, and picked up Jack's device from the ground.

"Ianto, no! I never said it properly before..."

Tears were streaming down Ianto's face. "Doesn't need saying...", he muttered, and he meant it. Countless memories of Jack and him flashed before his eyes - gestures and words and kisses and so many little things - Jack had said it so many times, in his own way...

"Yes, it does! Ianto Jones-" Ianto looked up, facing the Captain one more time. "-I love you."

Like a blanket on a cold winter day, the words covered Ianto up, made him feel all safe and sound, and he smiled again. "And I love you, too, Jack", he responded in a calm voice, looking at the man and memorizing the picture of him standing there to the last detail.

He took a deep breath and gripped Jack's box tightly. "Right, then - let's get a move on!", he said. I'm going to die in a few seconds. "Goodbye, Jack!" Don't think about it. Go on. Do it.

Ianto closed his eyes, Jack being the last thing he saw, and triggered the device.

..

Once again, his life flashed in front of his eyes. Now, he saw more - bits of his childhood - Torchwood One... Lisa.

And even though his time with Torchwood Three had lasted no longer than about three years, those memories took up the longest part - he saw Suzie, and Owen, and Tosh, and Gwen... and most of all Jack. Once more, he felt the older man's lips on his, firm hands on his shoulders, strong arms wrapped around him.

Now, he also saw his death - his first death - and he remembered the 456 and Thames House and his last moments in Jack's arms.

..

Pain filled what was left of Ianto's conciousness as he was ripped apart and fell through the Rift to be scattered all over the universe.

It lasted only for a very short moment, not even long enough for him to scream, and then-

*ADDITIONAL DISCLAIMER* I obviously don't own the dialogue of this one, it is from the ending of the radio play "The House of the Dead".