Title – Our Memories
Chapter 3. Dead man walking
--He wasn't ready when two men attacked him, he tried to fight them off but the effort was futile. Eventually they overpowered him, tying him up. They gagged him and knelt Jack down, taking his gun and earpiece.
Jack chanced a glance at Ianto who was bound, gagged and slumped in the corner drifting in and out of consciousness- this wasn't a new experience for Jack but he knew he would never get used to it.
The man who had placed the call grinned at Jack before hitting Ianto, hard. Jack growled through the gag and tried to stand up, but a hand behind him held him down. The man ignored Ianto's groans as he bent down and stared into Jacks eyes.
--
Jack thought his head might explode as images raced before him. In that instant he realised who it was.
'You left me for dead.' The man whispered in Jacks ear, reaching around he untied the gag and when he pulled back Jacks eyes were clear but after he spat the gag out his voice was a little unsteady.
'Is, that really, you??' Jack asked. The man raised his eyebrow. 'Grey.' Jack was whispering but his voice reverberated around the room.
'Jack...' Ianto tried to communicate, he understood now. Jack let the tears fall as grey sat down and wept with his back against the wall.
'for years I prayed, to be rescued, from the hell shaped rut I was in, everyday I lived the pain of watching dad die, I wanted to die, I thought my brother let go on purpose, that he didn't care about me.' Sobs wracked his body as Jack stood up struggling against the ropes on his hand: his face was red and puffy, he half expected the goons to hold him back but they were (he guessed) too surprised by the turn of events. He looked over at Ianto who nodded that he was fine, but Jack was torn; Ianto was limping and his face was bruised- grey was here, alive.
--
Before he could process these thoughts Ianto was by his side, untying Jacks arms before he put his hand out to the captains' face where a bruise was appearing, Jack closed his eyes, when he opened them he saw up close the injuries Ianto was sporting.
'How?' jack asked. Ianto threw the rope that had bound his own wrists onto the floor. He winked. 'Houdini knew yoga.' As the rope fell from his own wrist Jack pulled Ianto into a warm relived embrace and they kissed passionately.
When he came up for air Ianto turned to move towards Grey, he knew the man had attacked him- but he didn't care, love and the need for it made people do insane things, he knew exactly what someone in that position could do, just look at his record.
Jack stared at Ianto wondering what was going through the welsh mans mind, then in a second he realised, he was going to forgive, because he knew how much it hurt to lose someone, and he realised, he had to too, but not just for his own sake, then he wondered if could he really do it, be a big brother again. He could try. He put his hand on Ianto's shoulder, this was his cue.
--
Jack bent down and gently lifted grey's head, for a while they stared, drinking in each others appearance: they were nothing like each other- grey if anyone could be compared to Owen in height with a strong build, he had dark hair and green eyes, their moms eyes. One of the goons grunted uncomfortably. The spell was broken. Jack hung his head.
'Grey, listen, I always cared and it hurt so much I tried to forget, but I never could because the thought of what I did, it damn near destroyed me.' Grey stared into Jack's eyes for what felt like several sunlit days then it hit him hard. He gasped as his chest constricted painfully nodding and smiling at the sincerity in his brothers' voice.
Jack stood up, he shook his head. 'Um, Yan...' he stood stock still for a while, Ianto holding him up, his legs felt like lead. Regaining his composure he held out a hand for grey to take and as his brother stood up Jack pulled him into a bone crushing hug.
--
Two weeks later.
Some kind of inner battle seemed to be raging inside Jack stopping him for speaking coherently, he was obviously flustered.
'Yan, Ianto, um...' he tailed off reaching for the tumbler on his desk before emptying it, and beginning a rhythmical tap on his desk. Taptaptap, tap, tap, taptaptap over and over again.
The door swung open and Owens face appeared at the door grinning.
'D'you want anything picking up Jack, I'm heading out in five minutes.' Jack berated himself silently, he knew better than to let his guard drop. 'Nah, I'm good.'
Owen turned to leave. Jack reached for the rum again- he seemed to have developed a taste for it since the night grey arrived, it had been a hectic time and he felt like he could sleep, if only he had the guts to face the darkness…
--
'Oh, and Jack?' Owen turned around as he looked up. 'When you actually talk to Ianto about this, try not to get too hammered beforehand- and pay attention: you might learn something.'
For the first time in, scratch that. For the first time Owen had him confused, his questioning look spurred Owen on. He sighed. 'Ianto fell for you a long time ago Jack.'
Jack pinched himself, no he wasn't dreaming even if it was slightly surreal that he was having this conversation. 'How?' the words caught in his throat, he felt his face flush red. Owen shrugged. 'I'm a doctor Jack.' he left the room closing the door on a (if possibly) more confused Jack...
--
flashback
'Owen, I know you're trying to help and believe me it's working, but you can deal with this life... '
He looks broken, just like the first time. 'None of us lost our partners to this job, Ianto.' It's been like this since Lisa, we're doing brilliantly, he's getting on with life then he collapses, the rest don't even know these sessions are still happening, because I'm a doctor, I should be able to fix him.
'Owen, can I ask some advice,' Ianto was being cautious but Owen smiled, nodding. 'What do you think about me, and Jack?' Owen watched Ianto's face flush but he realised he wasn't uncomfortable with the conversation. He dodged the question though. 'What do you think Ianto, really, what do you want?' Ianto shrugged. Owen frowned ready to give his advice.
'Ianto, look I'm probably not the best person to ask but yeah, you two need to talk; he'd have to be blind to miss the way you look at him,' Ianto blushed but Owen carried on, 'and bloody stupid if he doesn't feel the same way, you two are made for each other, even I can see that.' He grinned as Ianto brightened.
They sat and talked for a while before reconnecting the cameras in the conference room and opening connections.
end flashback
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reviews appericiated.
sorry for delay (again) but life is cruel.
also sorry Judy.