Come the next morning, Ianto had barely made it out of bed before a hyper-excited Jack was telling him all about a so-called marvellous garden that was located somewhere within the ship. He had a world of trouble getting Jack washed and dressed, because the older man would not cease wriggling in his excitement.
As he tried to get a tee-shirt over Jack's head – again, clothes that the TARDIS had supplied – he finally managed to get in the question that he was itching to ask ever since Jack first started talking about the garden.
"Tell me something, Jack. Do you remember it from when you were on the TARDIS the last time, or is there another reason that you're suddenly so excited about it?"
The speed with which Jack stilled was almost frightening. Ianto took a slow step back and raised an eyebrow in mild amusement. He knew that look all too well. It was the look that Jack routinely wore when he'd something wrong, and didn't want to own up to it.
"Look at me, Jack."
Slowly, Jack raised his eyes to meet Ianto's.
"I'm sorry," he said softly, tears welling in his eyes. "I didn't mean to. It just happened, but she told me it was okay, and she was singing to me, and…"
"Whoa!" Ianto said with a short laugh, smiling warmly at his charge to reassure him that he wasn't in the least bit angry. He reached up and brushed a rogue lock of hair out of Jack's eyes before soothing his thumb over Jack's forehead and temple. "Slow down, all right? Why don't you tell me what you did before we decide if it was wrong or not."
"I left our room," Jack admitted meekly. "It was when you were asleep. I… I woke up, and you were crying and yelling in your sleep. I didn't know what else to do, so I lay down next to you and cuddled you. Like you do for me when I have bad dreams. I was going to go back to bed when you stopped crying, but the door opened, and the TARDIS wanted me to go for a walk. So… I did. Was I bad?"
It was turning into a standard question that made Ianto want to weep. Jack was so desperate to be good – a product of their time hiding out from Torchwood, where Ianto had drilled it into his head that doing certain things was bad. It wasn't going to be easy to break Jack of that mindset now, but he had to try.
Shaking his head, he leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to Jack's forehead.
"No, Jack. You weren't bad. I can see we're going to have to have a talk about what you can or can't do now. Things have changed again, love, and you don't need to ask my permission anymore to wander around… although, I expect there are probably some places here that the Doctor would prefer you didn't get into, and I'd prefer it if you didn't get yourself lost."
"She wouldn't let me," Jack stated with absolute confidence.
"Well, I can't say that I understand," Ianto conceded, "but I trust you. After all, you do know more about her than I do, even if you don't consciously remember. Now, how about we go and get some breakfast? I'm assuming there is a kitchen here somewhere?"
Jack frowned a little, as though trying hard to remember. He was still thinking when the door slid open, and Rose peeked in.
"Figured you had to be up and dressed. Don't think the TARDIS would've let me in, otherwise. Anyway, the Doctor asked me to come and check, and see if you were ready to come and get breakfast."
"We are," Ianto confirmed for the both of them.
"C'mon, then. I'll take you to the kitchen."
"Exactly how big is this ship?" Ianto wondered as Rose led them along the corridor. The question provoked an amused laugh from her.
"Couldn't you have thought of something easier to ask? Seriously, I've been with the Doctor for two years now, and I've only seen a fraction of the TARDIS. Now the Doctor, he's over nine hundred years old, and I don't think even he's seen every room."
"She's bigger on the inside," Jack said suddenly, and Rose smiled up at him in pleased surprise.
"Yeah, that's right, Jack. That's really good."
Jack beamed at the praise and puffed up with pleasure, causing Rose to giggle. Ianto chuckled, and encouraged him to keep walking.
"C'mon, you big goose."
"Honk," Jack offered, causing Rose to explode into full-blown laughter. Ianto merely grinned and rolled his eyes.
The Doctor and Gage were already in the kitchen when they arrived, and both Rose and the Time Lord watched with open curiosity as Jack literally bounded across the floor and wrapped Gage up in a ferocious hug. The other man was clearly used to it, for he returned the hug willingly, and accepted a loud, wet kiss on the lips as though it was nothing out of the ordinary.
"Good morning to you, too, sweetheart," Gage greeted him with a fond smile.
"Good morning, Gage," Jack responded cheerfully. Gage chuckled and ruffled his hair.
"Go on, sit down. I'll bring you some toast and eggs."
Jack turned to do so, only to find himself directly in the Doctor's line of sight. He shifted stance, suddenly nervous. All movement seemed to still in the room, as Ianto, Gage and Rose all watched to see what would happen.
Aware that he was possibly being judged on more than one level, the Doctor approached Jack calmly, and smiled at him.
"Good morning, Jack."
"Good morning," Jack answered quietly. His gaze flickered up briefly to meet the Doctor's eyes, and then back down again. Any confidence that he'd regained after their night time visit to the garden seemed to have evaporated, and he once more appeared nervous and skittish in the Doctor's presence.
"Did you tell Ianto about what I showed you last night?" the Doctor asked, taking care to keep his voice neutral.
It was like throwing a switch. All of a sudden, given something new to focus on, Jack's face lit up like a beacon and he launched into a fresh ramble about the TARDIS' wonderful garden.
"Nice one," Rose murmured as a bemused Ianto guided his exuberant charge to a chair. The Doctor grinned faintly.
"I'll say. Once he gets going, he's worse than me."
Rose slapped him lightly on the arm, and went to join them at the table. Jack, she noted, had a firm hold on his blanket, but the toy dog was nowhere in sight. As she watched, Ianto murmured something to Jack, and the other man obligingly draped the slightly ragged material over his lap so that it was out of the way.
Again, Rose reminded herself to ask exactly what the significance of the blanket was, and at the same time hoped she wasn't opening up a can of worms that really ought to be left shut. Her curiosity was too strong, though, and she approached Ianto when he went to make himself a cup of coffee.
"So, are you gonna tell me what's with the blanket?" she queried. Ianto glanced back over his shoulder at Jack, who was waiting patiently, if somewhat eagerly, for Gage to bring his breakfast.
"When I first met Jack, he had nothing. The clothes he wore were barely enough to cover him. He didn't even have an identity. I was calling him Joe, until he remembered his name was Jack. To start with, I couldn't do anything for him because I was being too closely watched. But then the Director gave me open slather to do whatever I felt necessary for him. Mind you, it wasn't out of the goodness of her heart, and I think she regretted it later, but I held her to her word. The first time I officially went shopping for food for him… the slop they were forcing him to eat wasn't worth using for landfill… I found a camping bed in a store, and I bought it for him, along with a pillow and blanket. It wasn't much, but after a hundred years of sleeping on a bare concrete floor, it probably felt like the lap of luxury. It was all good, but then I got sick with the flu and I was off work for a week. When I got back, my bastard supervisor…"
"The bloke the Daleks killed?" Rose wondered, and Ianto nodded.
"Right, the one who tried to run for it. Well, he let another bloke take away everything I'd given Jack. When I came back after being sick, all Jack had left was that blanket. It was torn, and pretty much useless, but he'd fought to hang on to it, even when just about every bone in his hand was broken. I suppose I could wax lyrical and say that the blanket was a visible reminder to him that he could still fight back, but that would be a lie. The truth is, I think it was just something tangible to hold on to. And then, he just never wanted to let it go. It means something to him, and I won't be the one to take it off him."
"And nor will we," the Doctor said, startling Ianto somewhat with his sudden appearance at Rose's side. He hadn't realised that the Time Lord had even been listening.
"So, what's the plan of action now?" Rose wondered.
"I think a little trip back to Earth is in order," the Doctor said with a smile.
Rose looked startled at that, as did Ianto.
"Already? I thought we would've stayed here in the vortex a lot longer."
"Oh, it's just going to be a quick visit," the Doctor assured them. "I just thought that there's someone back on Earth who would appreciate knowing that you and Jack are safe, Ianto."
"Sarah Jane," Ianto murmured in realisation, and the Doctor nodded.
"Exactly."
"I'd appreciate that, Doctor," Ianto murmured. "And I know that Jack will also. I was wondering, though. My parents are going to think I'm dead."
His distress at that was painfully clear, and the Doctor responded with a sympathetic smile and a pat on the shoulder.
"I'm afraid you may need to wait just a little longer to see them, but you can certainly call them, if you like. Rose will lend you her phone."
A sheepish look filled Rose's face.
"Yeah, about that…"
The Doctor raised an eyebrow in her direction.
"Do I want to know what happened?"
"It was broken yesterday," Ianto answered, saving Rose the necessity of trying to explain to the clearly sceptical Time Lord. "It wasn't Rose's fault. Look, Doctor, please. I just want to visit them for an hour, so they can see I'm all right. I haven't been in contact with them since I started taking care of Jack. That's nearly six months ago now!"
"Go on," Rose growled lightly at him. "Say yes. It won't hurt, surely."
The Doctor wasn't going to give in quite so easily, though, and he regarded Ianto with a severe look.
"You do realise that UNIT will be looking for Jack? It's entirely likely that they know you're connected to him, and they might have your parents under surveillance."
Ianto paled slightly.
"I hadn't thought of that," he admitted. "I suppose you're right… I'll just have to wait."
At the sight of the young man's misery, the Doctor's expression softened.
"Now, don't look at me like that. I never said I wouldn't take you. I just want you to be aware of the risks. Look, first to Sarah Jane, and then we'll stop by and see your parents. Just a brief stop, mind you, and we'll need to find some way of keeping Jack occupied so that he doesn't notice you're gone. He's not ready to leave the TARDIS yet, and I don't want him thinking for a second that you've gone. He needs you, Ianto. You know that, don't you?"
Ianto looked past the Time Lord to the table, where Jack was engrossed in the scrambled eggs and toast that Gage had prepared for him. He felt a pang of sadness that was almost overwhelming, though he didn't really understand why.
"Yes, sir. I do know it, and I wouldn't do that to him. I've tried to make him understand that I can't stay with him forever, but he just doesn't seem to be able to cope with the idea of being on his own. I was hoping that it might have been a bit easier to sever ties once he was back with you, but it doesn't seem to have made any difference. He's still as reliant on me as he was before… maybe even more."
"One day at a time, Ianto," the Doctor told him gently. "We take just one day at a time. Now, how about we finish breakfast, and then we'll pay those visits to Sarah Jane and your parents… and one other little stop, while I'm thinking of it."
A weary smile warmed Ianto's face.
"Thankyou, Doctor."
The Doctor nodded as his attention returned to Jack.
"Then it'll be back into the vortex, so we can start helping Jack to hopefully find himself again."
Luke Smith knew his mother was worried. In the immediate aftermath of the Cybermen and Dalek invasion, she'd been nervous almost to the point of paranoia, although he couldn't for the life of him work out what she was so worried about. The monsters were gone, the so-called mighty Torchwood Institute was no more and everything was back to the way it should be.
Then, he'd overheard his mother talking on the phone to the Brigadier about Jack and Ianto, and Luke finally understood her fears. Then, the Brigadier had turned up on their doorstep that morning looking painfully tired and generally fed up.
According to the Brig, Jack and Ianto had been retaken by Torchwood a mere twenty-eight hours prior to the invasion – information that had been provided on the quiet by Sylvia, the Brig's friend inside Torchwood. Beyond that, they didn't know anything of the men's fates. UNIT had apparently scoured the ruins of Canary Wharf, and Ianto was neither listed among the survivors or the dead. He was marked as missing, presumed dead, and Jack was simply noted as missing.
The Brig had said that as far as he knew, Jack was not in UNIT hands. According to the sergeant who had lead the squad that was charged with finding and securing Jack, there had been no sign of him anywhere in Torchwood Tower. Luke knew that both the Brig and his mother both harboured suspicions about that, and neither of them doubted that if UNIT had taken custody of Jack, then only a very select few would know about it. On the other hand, it was also a possibility that Torchwood had smuggled Jack away somewhere before everything went to hell.
Now, they sat together in the kitchen, speculating over the multiple possibilities, while also resigning themselves to the likelihood that they would never know the truth.
Luke looked away, his mind drifting as his mother and the Brigadier's conversation moved inevitably towards more mundane matters, such as the tenuous political climate in the wake of the Canary Wharf disaster. And so it was that he heard what they both missed – the sound of grinding engines in the garden outside. It was a sound that Luke had not actually heard before, but he knew anyway from the countless times his mother had described it.
"It's him!" he burst out in excitement, running to the window to look out into the garden. "Mum, he's here!"
Sarah Jane joined him, frowning in disapproval at his outburst.
"Luke, what on earth are you… Oh my god…"
"What is it?" the Brigadier wondered, making no effort to extricate himself from his chair.
"It's the TARDIS," she answered, already heading for the door. "The Doctor is here."
She hurried out with Luke right on her heels. The Brigadier watched them go with wry amusement before getting up to amble out after them.
The Doctor emerged first, along with Rose, and a warm smile lit up his face at the sight of his former companion.
"Hello, Sarah Jane. And who's this?"
She slipped an arm somewhat protectively around Luke's shoulders.
"This is my son, Luke."
The Doctor's eyebrows shot up, but she just shook her head.
"Long story."
He accepted that without argument, and instead turned with a grin towards the third member of the welcoming party while Sarah Jane and Rose greeted each other.
"Brigadier. Long time, no see."
A smile quirked the Brigadier's lips as they shook hands.
"Indeed, Doctor. Tell me, is it a typical thing for you to get younger with each regeneration?"
A wide grin lit up the Doctor's face.
"It's good to see you too, Alistair."
"Doctor," Sarah Jane asked anxiously, "please tell us. Jack and Ianto. Did they find you?"
The grin softened into something considerably more heartfelt.
"They're both on board," he answered. "We came specifically so you could see they're all right, but you'll need to come on board yourselves. I don't ant to try and make Jack leave the TARDIS just yet, even to visit friends. He's not ready."
"So you really do know him, then," the Brigadier said in a tone that was just one step shy of accusation. The Doctor, to the surprise of all, made no attempt to evade the question.
"His name is Captain Jack Harkness. He was my companion, along with Rose, for the last four months or so of my previous regeneration, until we ended up in a battle against a fleet of Daleks in the year 200,100. Jack was killed trying to buy me more time to create a delta wave, but he was brought back to life. Now, he can't die."
"And you did leave him behind, didn't you?" Sarah Jane asked softly.
"Yes, I did, and I regret doing it, but I can't change it. All I can do now is try to help Jack, and make sure he isn't abandoned again."
"Well, finally," the Brigadier said quietly. "You're finally taking responsibility for the aftermath."
The Doctor nodded, and then motioned to the door of the TARDIS.
"Jack is in the gardens with Ianto and Gage. I'm sure he would love to see you."
"Do we have your word that we won't leave my garden?" Sarah Jane asked as she tightened her grip fractionally on Luke.
"I promise," the Time Lord answered seriously. Satisfied, Sarah Jane led the way into the TARDIS.
It wasn't entirely clear whether Sarah Jane remembered the way or whether the TARDIS was guiding them, but it took them only a few short minutes to reach their destination. The Doctor led the way in, and there they were all treated to a touching sight. Not too far away, Ianto was sitting leaning against the enormous leaves of a plant that looked more like it was cradling him. His eyes were closed, and he looked more relaxed than he had been for a long time. Nearby, Gage sat cross-legged in the soft, cool grass while he read from a thick book. And then, comfortably ensconced between the two men, Jack lay on his stomach with one hand dangling loosely in a small stream that ran past them.
"I don't remember a stream in here," Sarah Jane said in surprise.
"There wasn't, until now," the Doctor confirmed. "The old girl added that for Jack, along with a few extra features. She's determined that we're going to take better care of him this time."
"I should ruddy well hope so," the Brig grumbled.
At the sound of voices, Ianto opened his eyes, and a grin lit up his face when he saw who it was.
"Jack, look. See who's here."
Jack looked, and gasped loudly.
"Luke!"
Ianto chuckled as Jack scrambled to his feet and ran straight to the boy. He threw his arms around him jubilantly, and lifted Luke clean off the ground in his enthusiasm.
"Jack, put him down," Ianto said with a laugh. "You'll knock the wind out of him, you silly goose."
"Sorry," Jack apologised with a sheepish grin, and deposited Luke back on solid ground.
"It's all right," Luke reassured him. "And I'm happy to see you again, too, Jack."
"Me, too," Jack said happily. His gaze shifted finally to Sarah Jane, and he smiled shyly at her. "Hello."
Sarah Jane approached him and looked him over with a practised eye.
"Hello again, Jack. How are you?"
"I'm good," Jack answered, looking nervous and awkward – almost a complete turn-around from his exuberance of only moments ago. Ianto noted the Doctor and Rose exchanging curious looks, and wondered again just how different Jack's current behaviour was compared to when they'd known him. Meanwhile, Sarah Jane had decided she'd had enough of polite formalities.
"Oh, come here," she said, and pulled Jack into a hug, which he returned with enthusiasm.
"I hope you've been good for Ianto," she asked when they finally parted. Again, Jack looked awkward.
"I tried to be."
She smiled sympathetically, and looked over at Ianto.
"Well, Ianto, it seems things have worked out despite everything."
"Yes, thanks to you and everyone else who took a chance to help us," Ianto said, stepping up to hug her himself.
"It's good to see you both so relaxed, at any rate. Especially you, Ianto. You were a nervous wreck when I saw you last."
"Well, we're safe now," Ianto said with a tiny shrug. "Torchwood can't hurt Jack anymore, and UNIT aren't going to get their hands on him, either."
"Speaking of which," the Doctor spoke up, "Ianto, I don't believe you've met Brigadier Alistair Stewart-Lethbridge face to face."
To his credit, Ianto quickly recovered from the surprise and shook hands with the older man.
"Thankyou, sir, for all your help."
"It was my pleasure, lad, believe me. I'm just glad you're both all right. I saw what was left at Canary Wharf, and I feared the worst."
"We were lucky," Ianto agreed softly, all the while trying to rid himself of the persistent memories of Lisa.
"Yes, you were, and I hope you never forget it."
Ianto hesitated, his mind going to other friends whose fates he didn't know.
"Sir, would you happen to know whether particular people survived? Sylvia, for starters…"
The Brigadier's expression turned sombre and he answered quietly, confirming Ianto's fears.
"I'm sorry. She didn't make it."
Ianto shut his eyes against a sudden onset of vertigo. He had hoped and prayed so hard, and it was a rough blow to have to accept that the woman who was responsible for helping him out the initial stages of Jack's rescue was dead.
"Sir, how many survived?" Gage asked softly in an effort to draw the attention away from Ianto while he struggled to contain his grief. "Do you know?"
"Not counting yourselves," the Brigadier mused, "twenty-three. It will probably be less before long. Some of the survivors that UNIT found were suffering horrific injuries. Kindest thing for them now would be death."
"And about what Jack?" Rose asked. "Are UNIT gonna leave him alone?"
"As far as I know, UNIT have officially listed Jack as missing," the Brig replied. "Obviously, they won't mark him as presumed dead. The higher-ups know better. At this point in time, though, they have no idea where he is. To be honest, when I was told that to begin with, I had my suspicions that they really did have him and were keeping mum about it. It's a very big relief to know he's safe inside the TARDIS. I think now that the longer he's kept away from Earth, the better off he'll be."
"We have just two more stops to make after this one," the Doctor said, "and then we'll be away from Earth for a while. Cyntro Three, I think. Early thirty-fifth century. Somewhere nice and vibrant, and safe. I think we could all use a complete change of scenery."
"Fine," the Brig agreed dismissively. "Just as long as it's not Earth."
He looked to Jack, who was watching everyone warily – as though he knew he was somehow the focus of the conversation, but didn't understand how or why. He was distracted from the exchange, though, when Luke gently took his hand.
"Jack, would you like to show me your room?"
Jack looked hopefully at Ianto.
"Can I, Yan?"
"Of course you can," Ianto answered, and Jack all but dragged Luke from the garden in his eagerness.
"He's still very much a child mentally and emotionally," Sarah Jane mused quietly. "I have to admit, I wonder what he must have been like before Torchwood got a hold of him."
The Doctor couldn't suppress the smile that quirked his lips at the memories Sarah Jane's musings produced. Rose, too, didn't even try to hide a grin.
"What'd you call him, Doctor?" Rose asked. "Intergalactic playboy?"
"He once quite proudly claimed he'd shag anything that breathed, and some things that didn't," the Doctor recalled wryly. "More than once I caught him wandering around naked. He had no shame whatsoever."
"But he does now," Rose said. "He got horribly embarrassed yesterday when he realised he didn't have any clothes on. Once upon a time, he would have taken the opportunity to show off."
"That's my fault," Ianto said heavily. "I taught him to be ashamed of his own body. I taught him that being naked was a bad thing."
"Oh, I wouldn't be too hard on yourself," the Doctor reassured him. "A little bit of modesty won't go astray."
"Tell me something, lad," the Brig said thoughtfully, effectively redirecting the conversation. "Does he heed you in everything?"
Ianto answered with a nod.
"Yes, sir. Mostly he does. I do wonder how he'll cope when we have to go our separate ways. Before, he was doing what I told him to do as a necessity. We're safe now, but he still thinks he needs my permission for everything."
"I shouldn't be surprised by that," the Brig said. "For over a hundred years, all he knew was being a prisoner and getting ordered around. He's miles out of his comfort zone, now, so of course he'll fall back on the one thing he knows, and that's having someone else to tell him what he can or can't do."
"He's still frightened that this is all just a trick, or a façade," Gage pointed out. "He's scared that he'll be punished for doing something wrong."
Sarah Jane looked sadly towards the door, through which Jack and Luke had disappeared less than a minute ago.
"Still just a child."
to be continued...