AN – Just me again, I do NOT own Torchwood, at all.
So, This chapter, Jack and Ianto have been dating for around 2 and a half months but known of each other for three, (just incase you where wondering).
Rietta has been absolutely FANTASTIC FANTASTIC FANTASTIC with this story in her allowing me to rant and bounce idea's off her, and get a time line down for part one. XD So this chapter is dedicated to her. ALSO to my FABULOUS FABULOUS FABULOUS reviewers and readers out there, who have kept me smiling and laughing with your comments xD
Special thanks to Rietta for the Time lines, the Coupling and the driving past turn off's with the MP3 player chanting "Turn around bright eyes," (1 point to the person who can guess which song the line is from xD)
Dare count- 0
Time line- 4th August 1999
Chapter 7- Holiday from hell.
August 1999
Fuerteventura- Corralejo
Darian Jones smiled as he watched his younger brother walk out of the hotel and join him at the pool.
"What took you so long?" he chided good naturedly.
Ianto smiled. "You know, the usual."
Darian smiled "If I didn't know you better…"
Ianto smiled as Darian stood up, and they headed over to the poolside bar to grab drinks and have a quick bite to eat before spending the rest of the day by the pool, sun bathing, relaxing, and spending time together. They ordered their food and drinks, and Darian smiled before asking, "So, Yan, Tell me about this 'oh so fantastic guy' then."
Ianto smiled. "His name's Jack and he works in the West End, so he's only able to see me when he gets time off or, god forbid, when he's sick."
"The West End? Ianto, that's amazing!"
Ianto smiled. "I went watching Phantom of the Opera with Rhys, back at the end of May. Jack used to be a friend of Rhys'."
"Does Jack have a last name?" Darian asked with a smile.
"Harkness."
"I'll have to look him up, give him the old big brother talk."
Ianto smiled and shook his head. "Leave him alone."
"It's my right, as your big brother."
Ianto laughed and rolled his eyes, leaning back slightly as the waiter placed his food and drink down in front of him, and then proceeded to do the same with Darian. As he was leant back he overheard a couple talking at the next table. "Have you heard about the fire in London? It's where all the stars of Phantom were staying; they have five people unaccounted for."
Ianto felt his heart beat speed up and he checked his phone. No new messages stared back at him.
"Yan...you okay?"
"I think...there's been a fire in London," he murmured, so quietly that Darian almost didn't hear him.
"Where at Yan?"
"They…" Ianto nodded his head at the couple "...said the hotel where all the stars of Phantom are staying... There are five people unaccounted for and I don't have any messages off Jack, he's only staying there short-term, he mentioned buying a place" Darian closed his eyes and prayed.
****
London, West End, hotel room.
Rhys stared as Franklin hung up from the fire brigade. "Nothing; they can't tell me fuck all! My son is missing, and his hotel's on fire, and all I get is 'we'll keep you as updated as we can Mr Harkness'. I don't want updates, I want answers"
"I know, it's hard and it's frustrating, but we can't do anything until they tell us to."
Franklin nodded "I can't lose him, Rhys..."
Rhys moved closer and wrapped his arms around Franklin, letting the man cry. He was worried for his friend, especially when he had received the phonecall some twelve hours earlier.
He glanced at his own phone. "Oh god," he muttered as it started to ring and the name he had prayed he wouldn't see glared up at him. Ianto. "Ianto's calling," he murmured.
Franklin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'll talk to him."
Rhys nodded and handed Franklin the phone. "Ianto, it's Franklin, Jack's dad."
"I just heard about the fire..." Ianto's voice was broken and Franklin could tell how upset he was.
"We were going to call you as soon as we heard something definite, but I'm going to be blunt: Jack's missing, there's no point me sugar-coating it..."
"Doesn't he have a PA or a manager...?" Ianto was clutching at straws.
"Not yet...listen, stay where you are, I'll keep you updated."
"Fuck that, Franklin! I'm coming home, I need to be there; I can't sit here in Fuerteventura cooling my heels when Jack's missing."
Franklin sighed: he knew his son had met a good one in this Ianto Jones. "Alright, give me a call when you get to the airport and I'll make sure I'm there to pick you up."
"Okay, I'll speak to you soon." Franklin could hear the tears in the younger man's voice and closed his eyes. He felt awful, and he knew deep down he'd be grateful to have Ianto around.
****
Fuerteventura Airport.
He hurried along the flights of escalators and out of the doors into the burning sun. Why they had sent him to Fuerteventura to learn about bullfighting and to be fitted for costumes was beyond him. His phone had died on the plane: he had no way of getting in touch with anybody, and he was meant to be able to find his way around a Spanish city on his own. The only thing he knew for certain was that he couldn't wait to see Ianto- he'd go and surprise the young man after being fitted, maybe take Ianto and his brother out for a meal.
He hailed a taxi and gave the name of the bull riding school; in rather poor Spanish, but the taxi driver seemed to know where he meant.
"You are not from around here?" the taxi driver asked, his accent strong.
He shook his head. "No."
They didn't speak again. He paid his fare and climbed out of the taxi ready to head into the bull riding school. "Thank you" he smiled and told the driver to keep the change before heading into the school.
He approached the desk cautiously until he heard an all too familiar voice. "Jack Harkness, where on earth have you been hiding?!"
Jack spun on the spot and grinned. "Martha Jones, voice of a nightingale!"
Martha grinned as she threw her arms around him in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're safe!"
Jack grinned. "Why the hell wouldn't I be?"
"Come on, lets get you all kitted out and then we can discuss your training over in the UK before you head over to do whatever it is you're going to do."
Jack grinned. "I'm going to visit a sexy Welshmen who's on holiday with his brother."
Martha raised her eyebrows. "And said sexy Welshmen is...?"
Jack grinned. "If all goes to plan, I'll be able to call him my boyfriend soon!"
Martha laughed and dragged Jack in the direction of the changing rooms to get started.
****
Ianto walked into the Arrivals lounge at London Heathrow to find Franklin and Rhys both waiting for him.
"Anything?" he asked breathlessly.
Rhys shook his head. Ianto closed his eyes and dropped down onto the chair beside Jack's father. He'd only met Franklin on one other occasion: the night he'd first met Jack. He rested his hand on the older man's shoulder.
"Franklin..."
Franklin placed his hand on top of Ianto's before standing up and pulling Ianto into a fierce hug. That was when Ianto cracked. He felt the tears before he even registered he was crying.
"Shhhh, it'll be okay, we'll get through this," Ianto heard Rhys murmur as he patted his back.
Franklin smiled and pulled Rhys into the hug; and they stood there, in the middle of the crowded airport, hugging and crying, grieving for man they were so sure had passed away.
"We're going at this like we already know he's died!" Rhys laughed despite himself.
Franklin shook his head. "Prepare yourself for the worst, whilst hoping for the best."
Ianto nodded and wiped his tears away, and they turned towards the exit to go back to the hotel.
****
Jack hurried along the roads towards Ianto's hotel. The costume testing had gone on for longer than he'd expected. He strode into the foyer and spotted the receptionist.
"Hola, I'm looking for a room under 'Jones'."
The women looked at him and eyed him up and down before picking up the phone and dialling a number. "There's a man at the front desk asking for you, Mr Jones" she hung up the phone.
"Mr Jones is on his way down.
Jack nodded and moved to stand aside. A few minutes later he noticing a young man the spitting image of Ianto walk into the room, looking round. Jack raised his hand and smiled when the man approached.
"Hi, I'm Jack Harkness; I'm looking for Ianto."
The man stared at him and sighed, before a massive smile spread across his face. "I should hate you right now, but I couldn't be more relieved!"
Jack looked confused. "What?"
"I assume you're here to reassure Ianto about the hotel fire?"
Jack blinked "Hotel fire?"
Darian blinked. "The hotel where you're staying has burnt down...five people unaccounted for- including you."
Jack paled. "I...Oh my god..."
"Ianto's gone back to London to be with your dad."
For an instant Jack looked like he was going to faint. Recovering, he turned to Darian. "I never got your name."
"Darian Jones- and you better do right by my brother Harkness, or so god help me!"
Jack nodded. "I promise- I have to go back to London though."
Darian nodded. "Run like you have never before!"
Jack laughed and hugged Darian briefly: he liked this guy. "Hopefully, we can chat for longer next time."
Darian smiled and nodded. "Go!" he laughed.
****
Ianto lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. He had counted the amount of ceiling tiles several times over and he was beginning to wonder if the emergency services were even trying to find the missing people.
"Ianto Jones, snap out of it!" Ianto looked over at Rhys, who was perched on the end of the bed, looking slightly red eyed.
"Anything?"
"Nope, but they want us to be at the theatre for a memorial service for the missing at midnight tonight, you know, with it being the time the fire service have estimated as the time the fire begun"
Ianto sighed. "I refuse to believe he's dead until I see some evidence."
Franklin sat down next to him. "That may be so; but Ianto, there are four other people missing. We need to support their families; focus on that."
Ianto closed his eyes and nodded. "Okay, where do we have to go?"
"To the theatre where they performed Phantom."
Nodding Ianto moved over to the bathroom and glanced at the clock. '17:30' stared back at him.
"I'm gonna grab a shower," he murmured.
Rhys nodded and watched as Ianto shut the door before looking over at Franklin. "Did you get hold of him?"
Franklin shook his head. "No. Not that he'd come anyway... he and Jack never got on."
"They used to be so close."
Franklin nodded. "It was after that camping trip..."
"Camping trip?"
Franklin nodded. "Jack got sick... Grey had to leave him behind to get help with his friends, and when he got back to him, Jack was almost dead... Its like Grey is angry at Jack for putting him in a situation where he wouldn't have had someone to protect him at school. Jack was always the popular one...but then, it got worse when their mother died, like he actually blamed that on Jack."
"Resentment then?"
"Maybe. Even so…" Franklin shrugged. "I dunno how he'd feel about this."
"Yeah..."
****
Midnight...
Jack bolted off the plane and moved as fast as he could through the airport. He had been listening to the radio on the plane: they were holding a memorial for the five people unaccounted for. Jack didn't recognise the names of the other four, and he felt immensely guilty about that. He grabbed the nearest taxi and gave the name of the theatre. Sitting back he looked at his dead phone. Nothing. Well there was bound to be nothing: it was dead.
****
Ianto, Franklin and Rhys stood in the foyer to the theatre. They had all been given sheets with song lyrics on and the names of the people missing.
'Carys Jones, Bob Lewis, Thomas Jacobs, Leona Murphy and Jack Harkness.'
Ianto ran his hand over Jack's name. He was the only one out of Phantom, according to the papers. The other four were workers at the hotel.
He looked over at Franklin, who was staring at the picture of Jack, dressed up in his suit trying to do Moody for the camera and still ending up with a small smile on his face.
He rested his hand on Franklin's shoulder. "He knew you loved him."
Franklin nodded and was about to respond when the doors to the theatre burst open, letting the wind whip through the crowd.
Franklin,Rhys and Ianto shoved their way to the front and felt their hearts jump as non other than Jack Harkness stood before them. He was drenched to the skin, he had no jacket,the crowd that had been talking quietly up until the door flew open, stood, watching Jack like he was a ghost.
Rhys registered Ianto move and before he could stop him, Ianto had moved forward to stand in front of Jack. For a few seconds, Rhys thought they were just going to stare at each other. Suddenly, Ianto whipped his fist back and thumped Jack right across the face, causing a stir in the crowd.
"Don't you ever fucking scare me like that again!" Ianto snarled as he grabbed Jack by the scruff of his wet clothes and kissed him squarely on the mouth, a battle of tongues and teeth and harsh breaths.
"I promise, you can have a copy of my schedule from now on," Jack murmured, running his hand down Ianto's cheek and wiping the tears away. "I'm so sorry, I was in Fuerteventura; I had to go for some costume fittings... I went to surprise you, and your brother told me what had happened."
Ianto gaped at Jack before hugging him fiercely and allowing Franklin and Rhys to greet him.
Some time later, after Jack had changed into dry clothing, he and Ianto were curled up on the bed in the hotel room: the same bed Ianto had lain on earlier, wondering if Jack was alive. Franklin was sleeping soundly in the room attached and Rhys in the room across the hall.
"Giving me a copy of your schedule is very domestic Jack."
Jack smiled and kissed Ianto's forehead. "I don't care, I don't want to keep missing you because you don't know where I am and vice versa. You shouldn't have to worry about me like today- none of my friends should, especially not you and my dad."
Ianto nodded. "But...what does this make us, Jack?"
Jack smiled softly. "Well... together..."
Ianto smiled. "I'd like that."
Jack smiled and leaned over and kissed Ianto on the lips, a slow soothing kiss, one that allowed Ianto the chance to realise that Jack was here, in front of him and willing to be with him.
"I'm so glad you're okay," Ianto whispered.
"I'll never leave you, I promise."
"We all die one day Jack."
Jack smiled. "But I'll always be here," he placed his hand over Ianto's heart and kissed him again, slowly, taking the time to really explore... They had forever... there was no rush.