Author's Notes: Well, we're almost there now, as you can see. My Internet's down for the moment and I'm posting from another one and while the updates will still be daily, they'll prbably be posted in different hour than usual for the next couple of days.

Day Seven: Cosplaying

"Now that's just cheating." Ianto simply smiled as he kept fixing his bowtie, looking at himself in the mirror from all sides and Jack gave him a look of distaste, insisting, "You can't go as James Bond. That's not even a costume for you."

"It counts," Ianto said as he started looking for his shoes. "And if you think you can pass as a World War Two Captain and call it a costume then so can I."

"You changed your shirt and took your gun, that was it," Jack protested, looking Ianto up and down. He had picked up a white shirt instead of the purple one he'd had on while they'd still been at the Hub, he'd replaced the tie with a bowtie and he'd called it a day, so Jack thought it was only fair that his own costume consisted of his usual clothes with a cap added to go with the coat.

Ianto sighed. "Gwen is going to kill us for this."

Jack nodded forlornly. "We're an embarrassment."

"What is she going as?"

"Pocahontas, as far as I know."

Which only made it worse, really, because she had put real effort in it, knowing that they'd need to look enthusiastic enough to get the approval of the UNIT folk, and the two of them had thought about all sorts of things and then settled on their usual clothes instead of actually buying a costume. They'd been invited on the yearly winter festivities in UNIT and had refused the offer for Christmas – nobody had any desire to be in the USA for the holidays – so they had settled on the Halloween party instead which, thankfully, would be held in London. Jack had watched Ianto with quiet horror as he arranged the hotel rooms and reservations as the Captain had said goodbye to any sort of personal space and time they might have to start the topic he so desperately wanted to start.

Barely a week had passed since they had sent the last alien from the group on its way and ever since, Jack had fought an exhausting but stubborn battle with the perception filter that descended back onto his mind on every opportunity it got. Even now, a voice inside him reminded him that it was completely normal for a human's body temperature to be less than twenty degrees and Jack had to shake it off again and again. He had yet to mention anything to Ianto and, since the young man's behaviour hadn't changed in any way, Jack assumed that he'd been aware of his actual nature for quite some time.

The subject of his thoughts had apparently sensed the change in moods – or had felt Jack's eyes on him, he couldn't be sure – but Ianto frowned, his eyes searching Jack's face carefully. "What is it?"

The Captain placed a hand on the side of his neck and brought him closer as if for a kiss and yes, there it was. The skin so cold that it nearly made him flinch back, and the steady pulse; two hearts beating under his fingers, slightly off-beat. Jack's head started hurting simply from thinking about it but when he looked in Ianto's eyes, there was no lie there – no attempt to hide anything, just the concern and the quiet question 'Are you all right?'

Jack smiled tightly. "Nothing, just... this James Bond thing. It really suits you."

Ianto's face lit up and he laughed. "You know, if you're still thinking of giving up the Captain role for tonight, you can be my Bond boy."

"Does this mean that I've got to hide with you in uncomfortably small places and hold your hand while we run for our lives?"

"You can do it if you like," Ianto shot back even though had picked up Jack's tension; the Captain could see it and it was only confirmed when the smile disappeared from Ianto's face and he bit his lip, stepping away from Jack and taking a deep breath. "We don't have much time, so I'd rather go straight to the point. I know that you know."

Deafening silence fell in the room as Jack desperately tried to think of something to say and Ianto kept talking – calm and collected as if he'd practiced it in front of a mirror. "And it's getting easier every day, isn't it? Easier to override the perception filter, to look right at me and see... me." Jack just nodded. "And as immensely relieved I am that it doesn't seem to matter to you... the time for this hasn't come yet."

"What do you mean?" Jack croaked at last, finally finding his voice.

"You weren't supposed to know this, not yet, and I know what's triggered it, but it's confusing the timelines. There is a fixed point that will happen sometime in the future – not too far, I'd hope – but it can't happen if you have the knowledge that you do now and... You know what the consequences would be. Don't ask questions," he hurried to add when Jack tried to speak. "You know that I can't answer them yet. Just know that... I'm sorry. What I'm doing now is for your own safety; for the safety of all of us, so I hope you'll understand."

"Don't make me forget." Jack's voice shook as he finally cut in Ianto's speech. "It can't be all that important for me not to know if I cooperate, but it'll be easier for me, so please –"

"You've been a Time Agent, haven't you?" Ianto asked softly. "You can feel it, can't you? The time streams are changing, altering, and it's not supposed to happen. You can see what will happen now that I've mentioned it, right?"

"That's exactly the point," Jack ground out. He could see the image Ianto was sending him in the mental link they've established sometime ago. It was a weak signal – still the perception filter, Jack supposed, but he could feel it. "You can't just leave me without even a bit of hope and just suppose that I'm going to–"

"The fixed point will trigger events that cannot and should not be changed," Ianto reminded sharply, but his eyes betrayed something different – like he was looking for absolution he wasn't sure he'd ever receive. "I know it's cruel, but you know how this works, Jack. I can't ignore the basic rules of the Universe." His hands rested on Jack's shoulders and his grip tightened as their eyes met. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But you won't wait long, I promise."

Ianto leaned in and a second too late some faraway place in Jack's mind pointed out that his lover's lips were unusually glossy. The realisation hit him just as their lips collided and then the world around him mercifully faded away.

o.O.o

Ianto carefully placed Jack on the bed, kissing his forehead as an apology and picking up his phone. He'd done quite a few modifications on it through the last few months and could now call hust who he needed.

"Hello?" The voice on the other side of the line was bored and yet somehow lively and Ianto smiled just from the sound of it.

"Where are you?" He asked, sitting on the bed by Jack's side. A sudden, hysterical thought passed through his head and he thought that if one of his neighbours could see hi now with someone who could as well be dead in his flat, they wouldn't be all that surpised.

"My dorm. Where are you?" When only silence responded, she prompted, "Ianto?"

"I did it," he said, voice somehow hoarser than usual. "Are you sure there are no side effects?"

He could almost see her rolling her eyes. "Of course I'm sure. And no, there are no triggers, before you ask. I've used this on people that've got thrice the brain that he does and it worked, so why would it fail now?"

Ianto took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I suppose I won't hear from you until after... it happens, right?"

She sighed. "No, sorry. I wish I could be there, but I can't watch you die."

"I know," Ianto reassured. "It's okay. It'll happen in the summer, won't it? You said I'll sense it when it's coming."

"Yes, you will." There was a moment of silence. "Until next time, Ianto."

And neither of them could be sure when that would be.

With a heart heavier than it was supposed to be, Ianto smiled.

"Goodbye, River."