4
"Hey Jonesey"
"Hi frank" Ianto replied as he passed the little old man at the desk, and dropping some licorice on the afore mentioned desk, entering the secure archives once more. He was now seeking the things listed as belongings of the man in the cell, things taken, split up and examined at great length by different areas of the tower.
For some reason nothing was put back and Ianto hated that. So unprofessional. It took him a few hours but he found almost everything. But no sign of the 'weapon' or the 'wristlet' listed but he was happy to find some of the things in the old photos and scribbles.
.
.
Jack stood looking down at the tray that had been slid inside the drawer.
"I am still looking. I know there is more but this is what I have managed to find so far" Ianto said as he walked to his desk and settled behind it like he did not care if Jack wanted his things or not. He watched from the corner of his eye as Jack sat and pulled the tray ot him, lifting out the little book with the strange scratching in it and the pictures drawn with a good eye of things that could not exist. Well… not here.
"I hope you don't mind, I thumbed through it. I found the three titted woman quite… well… alluring actually but I do think three is a bit of a waste." Ianto said as he leaned back in the chair.
"Lenore"
Ianto froze, looking up from the file he had opened into those deep blue eyes and repeated "Lenore? Ah. Pretty name. OK. Do you remember all their names? You didn't strike me as a man who did remember all his conquests. Clearly she made an impact on you. Wish I was remembered by someone so far from now. God, in a hundred years I will not even exist anymore. My niece and nephew don't strike me as the kind to have me live on in their memories and I have no kids."
Jack shrugged and moved to his ledge, the other things left on the tray like he knew Ianto was not about to snatch them back.
"So… just the pretty ones then. The memorable ones get a mention in your little black book?" Ianto called out "God… I would just need a sheet of paper for mine. That's sad. This boy is vanilla, maybe she's right. I should get out and shag more only… god it's so sweaty and so much energy if there is not the connection ya know? I've never been a shag-by-night kinda guy. My sister says I am too romantic, looking for my soul mate."
Jack had lowered the book to look at him and Ianto smiled softly as he shook his head and added "If only she knew. I was the damsel in distress more times than I care to admit. Where is my knight in shining bloody armor? Eh? Why do I have to be the one to save the world. Shitty fucking rock."
Ianto sighed "sorry. I don't' mean to be a Debbie Downer Jack, it's just… sometimes I wonder what the point of all of this is. Ya know? We are a scourge on this planet. Raping her resources, killing one another as well as making so many things extinct because we are arseholes. I don't know why we bother. I often thing we are all gonna kill each other in the end. Nuclear War is the real threat now. I think more than alien invasion. If they don't kill us, then a button will be pushed somewhere and… boom. Game over."
Jack had closed the book and was now regarding Ianto like he was considering the argument and Ianto waved a hand as if he had answered him "I know. I know, I have to have more faith in humanity. I mean… look how well it's going for you, right?"
Again Jack gave a soft laugh, moving now to the tray to take a watch that he made a small noise at before lifting the tray and taking the entire thing back to the ledge.
"My father killed my mother ya know. The stop watch from his father is the only thing if his I kept."
Jack's hands froze, his eyes the only thing moving as he raised his gaze to the man who was not looking at him, rather at his own hands folded on the desk.
"Beat her to death. So much blood. It splattered like… dropping a bowl of tomato soup. I still can't eat that. Mama made these horrible noises, each breath like a moan then the longest time before her mouth would open again and she would make another weird moan. I watched her die. I heard the last breath and the death rattle I can tell you... it is a real thing. But I think you know that too" Ianto finally looked up "Her birthday today. Why I am a maudlin prick. My lovely mama. I was eight. Eight years old, hiding under the table as my father killed my mother right in front of me. Her feet drumming on the linoleum, her slipper had come off and her toe nails were painted pink. She liked pink. Me sister does and all."
Ianto let his head fall back as he closed his eyes "I loved my mama. My first love, I guess that is true of all boys right? Their first real crush is their mother?"
Jack was still watching intently, not saying a word and Ianto rose "Wanna see? I have a photo of her."
Jack rose and walked to the glass, looking at the small photo from Ianto's wallet. The pretty blonde woman with her smile so open and infectious, her long hair flying back like she was dancing.
She looked a little like Rose.
Jack focused on the man now, seeing those grey pools of intelligence looking straight back. Then Ianto blinked and turned away, the connection lost but for a moment,… for a moment it was there. Jack had felt it.
Ianto was empathic.
Jack finally saw that this man was not here as a jailor.
He was here to be a savior.
He DID want to save the world.
And maybe… maybe could save him.