Warning: This chapter contains graphic suggestion of child death.
Nasty and Nice.
Ianto was happy as he checked himself over. He stood and waited for Jack by the was wearing his light coat because he had checked the weather. It looked like it was going to be nice but he wore his coat anyway because one moment it could be all sunny next it was raining. Once it had been sunny, rained then snowed all in one day.
Patting his pocket to check he felt the plastic bag filled with several slices of bread he was going to give to Marigold. He liked Marigold she was all pink and huge and she liked him, especially when he bought bread. 'She was so greedy'. Today as always they would walk down the lane one behind the other, feed Marigold who would be waiting for them. Next they would look at the sheep with the lambs and see how much they had grown. On reaching the village they visit Mac and say hello. He stopped himself not today; Mac had told him he was going to fix a tractor.
He liked Mac he was all old and grumpy but he fixed motorbikes, cars, and tractors. Mac talked to him telling him exactly what he was doing. He also told him loads of stories about the Island and all the different types of motors he fixed. When he was visiting Mac Jack would go and have a coffee at Maureen's café. Not today he reminded himself, not today Mac was not going to be there. Today they were going to, Morag's shop. Jack had ordered another catalogue and it might have come. If it had come he was going to spend his book time circling the best things with his special red felt tip pen. It was special because it could make a big wide line and he circled all the best things with it.
"All set? " Jack asked.
"Yes. All ready," Ianto replied nodding his head.
"Now remember," Jack warned him.
"Watch out for cars on the road."
"Good man," Jack replied.
"Kiss?" Ianto asked as Jack leaned in and kissed him on the lips. He wished they could do more kissing he wanted to practice because kissing Jack made him feel really good. Luckily lots of things needed kissing better. He smiled to himself sometimes he made things up that needed kissing better so Jack would kiss him. Kissing Jack made him feel all warm….Jack interrupted his thoughts closing the door and locking it.
"Greedy," Ianto said as Marigold scoffed down the bits of bread he emptied onto the ground before her.
"You're so greedy," he repeated as Jack smiled at him. He felt a glow he loved it when Jack smiled at him it made him all happy inside like kissing …Marigold looked up at him chomping.
"All gone," he showed Marigold his hands and the empty bag. "Bye bye see you next time," Ianto called out as Marigold moved away and they walked further down the lane. He saw with disappointment that the puddles were dried out which meant he couldn't jump in them and make a big splash.
A bird song caught his attention and he pointed it out to Jack as a big car raced by and he had to jump back.
"Bad driver!" he shouted as Jack laughed at his reaction and marvelled at how far Ianto had come over the winter.
Jack was grateful winter was over. For him it had been the hardest time since he found Ianto in the institute. They had survived in part to the discovery of birds. This had diverted Ianto's attention and he now kept a log of every bird who had visited the bird table. Jack still hadn't figured how Ianto recognised some of them individually because each blackbird looked same to him. The notice board was filled with drawings of all of Ianto's particular favourites.
Spring had meant more time outdoors and together they were in the process of creating what he hoped would be a magnificent garden filled with flowers, colours and scent. They had recently installed a greenhouse currently growing tomatoes. Jack to his own amazement was revelling in every aspect from laying it out to ensuring it was practical as well as beautiful. For some reason he could not fully explain, this filled him with a great deal of peace. If the truth be told he hadn't taken much interest in gardening; now it was difficult to keep him out. He had never known such satisfaction as each plant took hold and grew.
They both saw the farmer who owned the farm adjacent to them in the distance and Ianto waved vigorously and was rewarded with a wave back.
Jack smiled at the returned wave it was just one example of how the locals had taken Ianto under their wings. It seemed everyone they encountered was careful to not to ask him questions, put him on the spot or offer him in a choice. As they walked he recalled the last conversation he had had with Maureen the owner of the small café as he enjoyed her excellent coffee. Like all the locals she was upfront in her opinions. He wasn't sure how they had gotten to this point in the conversation when she reflected on their arrival.
"Let me tell you was there a bit of talk about you and Ianto before you came here. Up in arms we all were. Bloody outsiders coming here buying up land destroying our heritage,"
"And now?" Jack has asked curiously.
"Well we met you, and Ianto is such a sweet heart," Maureen told him warmly. "If there is anything any of us can do you just let us know Jack," he looked bemused as she became more soft spoken.
"We all see how much work he is and how wonderful you are with him. Once we saw and understood us locals didn't want to make your life any more difficult than it already was. And Ianto what he must has suffered." He looked at her surprised but touched at her declaration. "What would people think of us if they knew someone was brought here to be healed and then we treated them badly…"she took his cup. "Let me re-fill that for you,"
"Thank you" he said kindly as she refilled his cup form the coffee flask she was holding.
And then there was Mac; Jack was still trying to figure out Mac out. Mac was another local who had taken Ianto under his wing both benefiting from the relationship. Ianto was always in awe of anything mechanical especially motorbikes and the fact that Mac fixed them meant it was a match made in heaven. He could watch Mac for hour's content with handing him tools as he worked but he remained as gruff as ever.
Another good friend was Morag who owned the local shop and he grimaced at how many times had Ianto had told him how many animals and people shared names that began with the letter 'M'. Ianto loved Morag's shop they would pick up the mail and Jack would catch up on the local gossip while Ianto would spend his time hungrily looking at the sweets.
It was clear he wanted to try them but he still refused to choose and they tried to pick out what they thought he wanted which he accepted without comment. His food choices remained as rigid as ever and Jack wished he could crack this because Ianto's ongoing health depended on it. Not only that it was bland, it was boring, sometimes Jack just craved the opportunity of cooking up a storm full of flavour and texture for him.
However with the arrival of spring there had been two break throughs. As Jack has thought about it both changes had been happening over a long period. Ianto was now able to handle some questions. As long as it was not a string of questions that led to a choice he was able to cope. Secondly he had begun to acknowledge those around him he knew with a hand wave and even a hello.
Ianto stated to pull on Jack's hand in an effort to get him to move faster as they entered the main street eager to get to Morag's shop. It was a sort of post office, corner shop, news agents, come mini super market where you could buy all manner of foods complete with ice cream cabinets, glass fronted fridges and even had a hard ware section. Ianto entered wide- eyed waved to everyone and placed himself firmly in front of the sweet section running his eyes over the packets and large jars filled with loose sweets.
"Morning Jack. And how is young Ianto today?" Morag asked.
"We're wonderful," he replied as she pulled out his mail. "Another catalogue," winking as she pulled out the new one Jack had ordered.
Looking at the sweeties, Ianto feasted his eyes. He looked at each packet and jar in turn. He felt his fingers twitch, he wished, he wished he could lift his hand and point to what he wanted. He felt brave for a moment and felt his hand lift. As he did a shiver fear ran though him as it did every time he stood there and he let it drop. They all looked so wonderfully delicious, there were black ones, and orange ones, purple ones, green ones, yellow ones, red ones and chocolate. He wanted to try each and every one of the them and find the best ones.
A discordant noise interrupted his thoughts. A large brassy looking woman entered with two boys who looked to be about ten. They pushed past her and started running around. The woman huffed her way around the shop with an air of importance that appeared to go with the expensive nature of her clothes. He could see Jack still talking to Morag so he went back to sweetie gazing.
"Hurry up Daniel we haven't got all day," the woman called out as she pulled some biscuit packets from a shelf.
"Mum, the stupid man is blocking me and I can't see, " the boy hollered out from behind Ianto as his mother stomped her way down to where he was standing.
"Are you going to stand there all day?" she demanded as Ianto turned not sure how to react to her angry tone. "For god's sake choose something so we can have a look," she took a deep breath "Choose!" she pointed her finger at the Jars. "Choose you stupid Oaf."
Ianto looked into her face found his eyes focused on her lips as she continued to shout at him. He couldn't understand why she was so angry as he backed up and began to shake his head in distress.
"Choose," she ordered as she tried to push him out the way "Choose, choose!"
"I can't," he heard himself say as the room swirled dissolved and he found himself on his knees with the Master standing over him.
Ianto was so weak he couldn't walk so he had been manhandled here then forced on his knees. It was only the guard holding him up that kept him upright. He was in so much pain each individual agony had melded until it had had taken over his entire body. He felt his stomach twist in fear as the Master looked at him his face filled with glee.
He fought to concentrate but his head was swimming, from the effects of the drugs that they had use on him to force him to speak. It took a moment to figure out where he was. He battled to remain present when he felt his head jerk up as the guard behind him pulled his head up by the hair.
"So glad you could come. As you recall yesterday I promised I would explain our little game. It's about time you understood the rules," The Master mocked rubbing his hands together.
Ianto felt a surge of dread. He hated these games because no matter what he chose it always ended badly for him. Every time he was given the same two choices black or white. The choice was always more pain for him or less pain for him. He had tried to work out the logic, but how did you work out the logic of a madman? The reality was there was no right answer and all this was just a stupid game to get him to choose which torture they were going to inflict on him today.
A door opened and two small children around the age of eleven were dragged in clutching each other.
"Meet black and white or white and black, I forget," the Master said as the children were pulled apart becoming hysterical as they tried to reach each. Raising his hand the guards let them go and the children now released held each other tightly.
"Now ask me what me what are you choosing," the Master said quietly.
"What am I choosing?" Ianto asked with a growing sense of horror as he looked from the children to the Master.
"Well today black as always if chosen gets thrown off the top deck, while white gets to live." He looked at Ianto. "Well until the next round of the game."
"You can't! You can't ask me to choose which one dies," Ianto called out, distraught.
"Oh but I am, and you have every day for weeks now: black or white. One gets to live, one gets to die," the Master taunted as Ianto came to terms with the consequences of his actions. Grinning the Master took enjoyment from Ianto's discomfiture. There really was nothing like watching a good man drawn into the dark nature of his own soul. As much fun as it had been to rape Ianto Jones, the rape of his mind was proving to be much more satisfying.
"I see you are reluctant, how about another choice then." He waved a hand and to his horror he saw Tosh and Owen dragged was in along with Rhys and Gwen.
Walking up and down the Master rubbed his hands together with glee. "Big choice today Ianto. You can choose two. Choose the children and two of your friends die, or choose two of your friends and the children die, choose none of them, they all die. So Ianto choose, it's not difficult I mean how many times have we played this game?"
"Choose?" the voice said echoing through his mind.
"I can't, I can't," Ianto begged as he backed up into the jars. Disorientated he blinked as the woman's face seemed to merge and he saw the bad man again.
"Choose!"
"I can't, I can't," Ianto stuttered.
"Mummy, the man's having fit," the boy pointed and laughed as Ianto backed up in the shelves knocking several packets onto the floor.
"Get out of the way! Cant' you see…" she tried to say more when Jack pushed her forcibly aside and in what seemed like a single move took Ianto into his arms who burst into tears sobbing. As he held him he could feel he was trembling like a leaf.
"You stupid woman," Morag shouted at the woman angrily as she watched Jack trying to calm Ianto down. She was mortified. Everyone who came into contact was so careful of him, trying to make sure he was not upset in an effort to help in his recovery.
"Mummy, the two men are hugging," the boy said pointing and laughing as he was joined by his brother.
"They're homos," the second older boy said.
"Don't be so disgusting," the woman snorted.
Morag stormed towards her, "Out!" she demanded pointing to the door.
"What!" The woman replied stunned she was being thrown out.
"Out of my shop," Morag ordered.
"You can't refuse me service!" the woman burst out.
"I can and I will,"
"How dare you, do you know who I am?"
"You're not one of us; that's all we need to know," Morag added her face flared with anger as the woman drew herself up.
"What kind of community do you have round here that would tolerate such a wanton display in front of small children. I shall make a complaint," the woman said imperiously.
"You know nothing about us," another local spoke up who had watched the interaction unfold outraged at the woman's behaviour
"How dare you come in here and upset our Ianto," a woman's voice who Jack recognised as the head of the local W.I chapter now also spoke out.
Morag pointed towards the door, "out or I will call the police," the woman backed away as she saw she was outnumbered. Taking her boys hand she stormed out. Morag marched her to the door and slammed it shut.
Turning she returned to the back of the shop where Ianto was still being held by Jack to see if she could offer any support.
A few moments passed and much to their respective reliefs Ianto sob's slowed . After a while Ianto whispered something and Jack kissed him several times on the lips. No one commented because they had seen Jack kiss Ianto better many times, a kiss and a cuddle better worked every time. Ianto turned around his face tear streaked as Jack took out a handkerchief and handed it over. Ianto wiped his face , blew his nose loudly and handed it back to Jack.
"He tried to make me choose and I couldn't, I couldn't speak, I couldn't," Ianto tried to say in way of explanation.
Morag observed him carefully as she made a connection. Just as he calmed down she reached out and took one of the jars of loose sweets behind him. "Ianto, thank god you're here. I need your help," Morag said earnestly. "We've had a load of sweets come in. There was a terrible accident and now they are all mixed up together into nasty and nice. Right mess, and I need your help to tell which is which."
He looked at her confused blinking still looking lost.
"I badly need your help because I am never going to sort things out in time." Ianto looked up with tear filled eyes his lips slightly open, before he could comment she popped one in his mouth." Start with this one," she said.
"Nasty," he said screwing up his face and spitting it out. Jack's hand caught it before it hit the floor. He raised an eyebrow wondering what the hell she was doing.
"Thank you, I am so glad you are here to help me. I've got more," she declared as she popped a different one into his mouth.
"Nice," he said too surprised to react.
"Wonderful," she said taking jars off the shelf and taking them to the front counter.
"This is choosing, I can't," he told her shaking his head, distressed.
"This is not choosing Ianto. Schools out in a few hours and children are going to come screaming in here in exactly two hours and if we can't figure out what to give them, they are going to be very unhappy," she told him.
He still looked uncertain "And I bet all the nasty ones are exactly the ones Marigold would love because for her nasty is nice," Jack told him thinking fast on his feet as he saw something in Ianto change.
"I bet if we gathered the all of the nasty ones up she would snuffle them all down in one go," Morag told him winking at Jack who raised his eyebrows.
"Okay if Marigold likes he nasty ones," Ianto agreed hesitantly, "I'll help," he sniffed.
"Come with me," she took his hand and she led him to the counter.
An hour half later the counter was strewn with opened packets and jars. In a small bin on the floor were all the ones Ianto had rejected which was mostly anything with aniseed which were was met with a terrible grimace as he spat out the offending sweetie. The other was any fake banana , pineapple or bland flavour, all ready to go to Marigold.
A far bigger pile were all the ones he had identified as nice. Jack offered to pay but she shushed him up.
"Now I only need one more thing. I need you to tell me the special nice ones, because the children will want to know the extra good ones," she told him.
"Okay,' Ianto told her. He pointed out the ones he really liked.
"Excellent," she said biting her tongue not to use the word choice as she took a small white bag and filled it with all the ones he had chosen as his favourites and handed it to him. He looked at her in complete astonishment.
"For all your help today Ianto I couldn't have done it without you" she said. He took the bag.
"Morag I don't know how to thank you," Jack said as Ianto pulled out the first sweetie sniffed it then took a bite.
"The pleasure was all mine and throw these at Marigold as you go past on your way home," she told him as she handed him the bin filled with the nasties.
As they hit the beginning of the lane back to their cottage Ianto ate one more sweet then placed the bag in his pocket.
"For later because their special," he told Jack who took his hand.
Reaching Marigold they watched as with her pig like appetite she snorted down the nasties. Ianto watched deep in thought. Jack turned to say something when he noted Ianto had tears flowing down his face.
"I'm so happy to help the children today because I didn't want them to get hurt anymore," he told Jack.
"I'm sure you never hurt any children," Jack assured him taking out the handkerchief he had used earlier and Ianto wiped his face dry.
"I did. I chose; they died," Ianto said matter -of -factually as Jack put his arm around him. "I didn't know what the choosing was. I thought it was some stupid game but then the bad man came and he told me what the real choosing was and I couldn't choose," he sobbed out the words, "and the children died, everyone died," Ianto told him. "They all died because I couldn't choose." A few moments passed as they watched Marigold. "I couldn't speak a single word. " He looked into the distance. " And now the children will get nice things and special favourite things and they won't be sad anymore." He looked to Jack for reassurance as he worked through his thoughts.
"That's right Ianto; all the children will be very happy because you helped them," Jack said shaken by his revelation as he realised the significance of his admittance. Whatever the Master had done had meant he had forced Ianto to choose as part of some sick game. He knew because the Master had tried to play a similar game with him. Jack had refused to play telling the Master that regardless of any seeming choice he made the hand on the switch or trigger of the gun was always the Master. The Master had been furious and beaten Jack to death. By the sound of it when Ianto had found out the true nature of the game and Ianto had has chosen not to choose, and it had destroyed him. It explained that for him it was never a simple matter of choice, it was life and death. If he chose someone died, if he didn't choose someone died. The shock of not being able to choose meant he had lost the ability to speak.
In the immediate days that followed Ianto was less exuberant spending time drawing or studying his books. The schedule became all important again, and Ianto regressed slightly spending time looking out towards the sea.
"Lunch is ready," Jack said. He placed two white bread tuna sandwiches on a red plate in front of him.
Ianto crossed his arms and Jack looked then at the plate trying to figure what was wrong and bracing himself for a strop.
"Nasty," Ianto suddenly declared as Jack eye's widened.
"Marigold would like this it's nasty," he told Jack who blinked and straightened as he realised the implications of Ianto's statement.
"Anything else Marigold might find nice?" Jack asked cautiously.
"Load of things," Ianto told him as Jack started opening cupboards.
Jack, with a great deal of glee emptied the vast majority of foodstuffs from their kitchen cupboards from the back of his car to the delight of Marigold who had been brought up especially for the event. Ianto clapped as she scoffed her way greedily through the contents of their cupboards
"Marigold's really happy, she loves the nasties," Ianto told him excitedly as Jack snapped his mobile shut.
"Morag just called me and she had just had a whole shipment of food that's just been dropped off and she called to ask if you're available. She's desperate wants to know if we can come down right now," he said as put the car in gear
Ianto tuned and looked at him wide eyed and clapped his hands. "I'm really hungry," Ianto told him
"Good because this is a really big task," Jack told him as they got back into the car.
Authors note: Due to the length of this chapter there will be no post on Friday.
'Mewknight' has produced a wonderful drawing based on "Marigold" it can be viewed on my LJ site under evalentine99. I thank Mewknight very much for this wonderful fanart.