AN: And this is the end of Part 1! A long chapter for you, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 6: Mind Games
Jack smirked back at him. "Hurry up!" Owen shouted and Jack had to bite back the retort that had risen to his lips. "We're here you twat!" He yelled back and swept past a grinning Toshiko and a livid Owen to swoop out of the cog wheel door, the team streaming behind him. "Come on you lot! Chop, chop."
Ianto had grabbed their coats and helped Jack with his while they were on the move. "So what's the alert?" He asked.
Tosh consulted her PDA. "Something came through in Splott. Funny readings." She reported, still trying to figure out what it meant. "Could be big, not sure." Her mind was mostly focused on the readings she couldn't figure out.
Ianto looked over Tosh's shoulder without crowding her but couldn't make any sense either. He guessed Jack was driving so jumped into the passenger seat before Owen could. He could feel Owen still watching him.
Jack briefly touched Ianto's hand in reassurance before starting the SUV and heading out towards Splott. "Why is it always Splott?" He asked of no-one in particular.
Owen made some comment about it being because that's where they Splott down but everyone just groaned and then proceeded to ignore him.
Jack rolled his eyes and took a corner too tightly on Owen's side of the car, causing the medic to curse and cling onto the bar above the door. "For God's sake Jack!" He yelled. "You're going to kill us!"
Ianto chuckled as he clung on too wincing a little at the sudden movement. Okay, so he was a little sore, he didn't care though. Of course Owen then pounced.
Owen saw the wince and attacked. "Sore Jones?" The medic asked acidly.
Ianto glanced at Jack then smirked. "A little. But it was worth it." He saw Tosh blush and pretend to be interested in her computer.
Owen scowled and muttered something about 'why should you bother being a doctor when no-one listened to you'. Tosh hit him and mumbled something too low to hear but the medic perked up.
Ianto rolled his eyes. "Owen I'm fine. No dizziness, nausea nothing, and being sore has nothing to do with my injuries. Stop worrying."
The medic muttered that he knew that bit thank-you very much and the computer genius whacked him again with a hissed warning to leave them alone. "Ianto," she said more loudly. "Stop baiting Owen and Owen..." She glared at him before directing her next words to Jack. "Jack! There's something really weird about this reading..." In response Jack sped up, racing towards the location of the Rift activity.
Ianto muttered "spoil my fun," but only so Jack could hear. He looked at Tosh. "Any idea what's come through?"
"Not a clue..." She murmured, distracted. This one was tricky... "But, I've got the oddest feeling I've seen this energy signature before..." It was like something only barely remembered and she couldn't grasp it...
Ianto nodded and looked at Jack. That meant they didn't know what weapons they were going to need. He wondered where Tosh had seen the signature before. He didn't remember it, so it could have been from sometime before he joined Torchwood Three.
Tosh frowned down at her PDA as if it was its fault that she couldn't remember it. "Well, we'll find out soon." That was Owen. "Woah! Look out! You almost hit that poor bloke!"
Ianto looked up, but there wasn't anyone there. "What are you on about Owen?" He asked. Jack may drive fast, but he was still careful.
"There was someone..." Owen turned around in his seat. Whoever it had been, was gone, vanished. "There was some long-haired bloke... just standing in the middle of the street!"
Ianto looked in the rear-view mirror. "Well he's not there now. Did you see him Jack?"
"See who?" Jack asked, most of his concentration on the road.
Owen frowned. "The guy in the street you almost hit!" Ianto looked at Tosh to see if she had picked up any readings at all.
"Owen, there was no-body there." Jack shot back, still concentrating on where he was going. "Tosh, how close?" He asked. The computer genius was staring at her screen in complete and utter bemusement. "I don't understand this." She mumbled.
Ianto sighed. "Tosh?" he asked trying to get her to reply to them. Owen was muttering under his breath now, convinced there was someone there.
"What? Oh... sorry... right turn ahead. The go left and it should be 300 metres on the right." She rattled off absently, more focused on the readings she knew she knew.
Ianto got ready his gun and made sure Jack's was ready for him so he could concentrate on driving as Owen got his ready. It would have been nice if Tosh could have figured out what was going on before they got there instead of going in blind, but at least they were as ready as they could be.
Jack threw the younger man a smile before screeching to a stop in front of an empty plot. "Alright boys and girls. Looks like we're going to have to search hard."
Everyone nodded and they split into two teams of two. It was never a wise idea to go searching for anything on your own in this job.
Jack suddenly spun around, gun pointed at... nothing. He frowned. He could have sworn he'd seen something... from the corner of his eye... There had been someone... or something there. Tosh, to his right, gave him a questioning look and Jack shook his head. Great. Now he was seeing things.
Ianto had been partnered with Owen. Something neither of them were happy about. They walked slowly checking everything. "Murderer," a voice whispered. Ianto turned, gun at the ready. "What?" Owen asked. "You don't hear that?" Ianto said, surprise ringing clear in his voice. Owen shook his head. "Monster," the same voice whispered. Ianto stopped, a strange pressure in his head and fear in his heart. He was remembering… something.
The flicker came again and this time it was clearer, more defined. There was... a person... a man, standing there. He wasn't doing anything, just watching. Jack turned to face him full on and... Nothing. Gone. "Toshiko! Did you see that?" He barked. Tosh had been looking the other direction and swung around at Jack's shout. "No, sorry Jack." He beckoned her closer. "We're being watched." He whispered, low enough that only she would be able to hear. "I don't know who or what it is, but there's someone watching us. It's a flicker in the corner of your eye. A man, longish dark hair, pale. Didn't get much else. Keep an eye out."
Owen had gone over to Ianto. "What's wrong mate?" He asked concerned. Ianto had gone rigid, and looked like he was scared of something, that fear rapidly turning into terror. "Ianto? Yan!" He called. All Ianto could hear though was the words monster and murderer being whispered over and over, along with the sound of rain. He remembered an alley way, three girls... he'd killed them, enjoyed it... and someone helping him, only that face he couldn't make out, they were a shadow, like a ghost, nothing more, no detail.. nothing. "Jack, get back here now. It's Ianto." Owen said into the com.
All Jack heard was that something was wrong with Ianto. "Toshiko stick with me!" He shouted before racing back the way Owen and Ianto had gone. "I'm coming." He snapped into his comm unit, almost flying over the short turf. He reached the pair in seconds and halted in front of his lover, gripping his hands. "Yan? Ianto! Look at me! Yan!" He shook the younger man lightly, trying to get a response. "Whatever it is, I promise you, it's not real. It's not real."
Tosh had moved closer to Owen, eyes fixed on her friend. One hand had unconsciously reached out and she had slipped her fingers through the medic's, the touch reassuring him as much as it did her.
Owen tried to get Ianto to respond, but he was caught in the memory. Whatever this thing was, it had latched itself onto Ianto and wasn't going to let him go. Oh the fear was delicious, made all the better because it was a false memory. Its big brother had done well... now he would finish what his brother had started.
Ianto's gaze turned to Jack and a bit of recognition flooded them. "J-Jack..." He whispered as he started to shake. "Jack... I killed them...I...I'm a monster..."
Those words. Ianto had said those exact words to him once before... Memory flashed back and... Wham. This had happened before. This had all happened before. "No!" Jack snapped, harsher than he had meant to. "You didn't. You didn't do it! It's that... that thing playing with your head." The Captain's voice gentled and cracked on a sob. "You would never hurt anyone Ianto. Not you. Not my sweet, kind Ianto. You would never hurt a soul." Jack refuted. He realised he was babbling but didn't care. Somehow, they'd both slipped down to the grass, Jack sitting with Ianto cradled in his arms. "You wouldn't Yan. I know you. It's not real. Fight for me... you have to fight it Yan!" Tears were rolling down the Captain's cheeks now as he pleaded with his lover to stay strong.
Tosh had turned into Owen's chest and the medic's arms were wrapped around her. Whatever this... thing was that had come through, it was making Ianto think... something horrible. Owen was watching the scene in front of him with horrified fascination as he held the Japanese woman close. What horrors was Ianto facing? What was it making him think? Owen felt faintly ill. He couldn't imagine anything worse than having your mind violated like that.
Ianto blinked as Jack snapped at him, fight... he had to fight? Wait... he and Jack had been here before, Jack had showed him... he cried out in pain as whatever was trying to attack him was trying to stop him from remembering... something Jack had showed him... CCTV. That was it, he was attacked and made to remember false memories. "No." He groaned clinging onto Jack and shaking. "Not real... not real..." Tears were running down his own face now. "I'm not a murderer, I didn't do it, it's not real." He muttered over and over.
"It's not real." Jack agreed, rocking him slightly. "Not real, not real, not real." Somewhere, something screamed... a scream of pure, defeated rage. How dare these humans get the best of it? It released the male, cursing. A feral smile crossed almost complete features as the creature turned its attention to the woman. A woman. Excellent. Weak... pliable... easy.
The only warning Toshiko Sato had was a frisson of fear that started low in her belly before... Memories. Horrible, terrible memories. Owen... Owen was... was... A shrill scream was pulled from her throat, a scream of pure pain and fear. No! Owen would never... ever hurt her like... that... "No!" She sobbed. Hands reached for her, a man's voice low and soothing but she flinched away from that voice, that touch. "No! Don't touch me!" She cried, falling to her knees, face contorted in terror.
Ianto heard Tosh scream and it broke through his own terror. He scrambled out of Jack's hold and was at Tosh's side in an instant, wrapping his arms around her despite her struggles. "Tosh... Tosh it's me, it's Yan. It's not real. Something's messing with our minds, it's not real. Come on. You're strong and smart, you know this isn't real. Fight it with me." he said over and over.
"Ianto!" She sobbed in relief, curling into him, hands clutching at his coat. "Yan... he... he... but... he would never... I... Oh Ianto!" Tosh buried her face into the lapels of her friend's jacket, shaking.
Owen watched helplessly as the woman he loved was rendered into a quivering mess who flinched from his touch. Whatever that monster was doing... "I'm going to find it and I'm going to tear it limb from limb." The medic growled, teeth pulled back in a feral snarl. In that instance he looked every inch the "King of the Weevils." "We'll get it." Jack promised, gazing down at his favourite computer genius clutching desperately at his lover's coat. "And we'll make sure it can never hurt anyone again." The Captain's voice and face were blank but a terrible, flaming rage burned in his eyes. This... thing dared come in here and hurt his family...
Ianto's gentle reassurance and soothing presence slowly calmed the Japanese woman down and she looked up at him, face tear streaked and swollen. "It's not... real?" She quavered, dark eyes still filled with fear. "But... it felt..." She shuddered. "It sounded... so... so real... I could feel it... and oh it hurt..." She whimpered, gazed darting up past Ianto's head, catching the look on Owen's face and she couldn't help the instinctive flinch, shrinking back against her friend. No. This was Owen... her Owen. Her at times sweet but usually snarky and sarcastic Owen. Owen who didn't do flowers or romantic gestures, but she knew he loved her. He did. He never said it, well... he had once when they'd both thought they were about to die but... He hadn't said it since, but she knew. "I'm sorry." She croaked, gaze locked with his.
Owen's expression softened and tenderness flooded his eyes as he gazed down at his Toshiko. "It's alright sweetheart." The usually sarcastic way Owen used that word towards Gwen was replaced with something warm, happy. "It's alright..." Tosh struggled to her feet out of Ianto's arms and threw herself at the medic. Her arms wrapped around his waist and she buried her face into his shoulder. Owen, looking slightly dazed, wrapped his arms around her in return, crooning too low for the others to hear, into her ear.
Another muffled shriek of rage came from somewhere and suddenly... Jack stiffened and cried out. "Gray!" His little brother. Not the murdering lunatic he'd become, but the little boy he'd lost on the beach that day... "No! You can't!" Jack shouted, at what he wasn't sure. His father entered, standing next to his brother and Jack howled with pain. They both were looking at him with such... hatred. "I couldn't save you... I'm sorry... I couldn't save you... I couldn't save either of you..."
Gray's voice, the sweet, piping lilt of a child reached him. "I hate you, I always have. Our parents always loved you more..." His father placed a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "That's not true son." He gazed down at the younger boy before looking back up at Jack. "You killed your brother son, and for that... We hate you too." His mother appeared as suddenly and as silently as his father and brother. "You lost my baby boy, son. You killed your brother. And for that, I hated you the rest of my life." His mother... No... "No!" He screamed, gazing at all three of them. "No! Not them! Not this! You can't! Please!"
Ianto held Tosh until she had calmed, reassuring her that it wasn't real until she went back to Owen. The group looked around at the shriek of rage then Jack cried out. Instantly Ianto was next to Jack. "Jack? Jack!" He called, gripping his lover's arms, but Jack seemed to be looking over at someone who no one else could see. Ianto moved into Jack's line of sight. "Jack look at me." He turned Jack's face to look at him. "Whatever you see, whatever you hear, it's not real remember. Jack!" He leant forwards and kissed him. "I'm real, I'm here, Jack please, stay with me. I love you, don't leave me."
He could distantly hear someone calling him, begging him... pleading with him to... to what? The thing that held him gripped all the more tighter and the voice faded, like someone had turned down the volume on a radio. It was still there, but so faint... Hang on. What? "I love you, don't leave me..." Love... Ianto! "Yan?" He croaked, searching for his lover. He couldn't see him... He could hear him but he couldn't see him. It was so frustrating!
His parents and brother started speaking louder, trying to drag his attention back to them but Jack could only focus some of his attention on them. The larger part of his mind was busy searching for the man he loved. Yan? He called out with his mind, a helpless, fearful note creeping into his mental voice. Yan? Where are you?
Ianto panicked slightly when he saw jack look at him but not see him. What was going on. Then he heard the mental voice. I'm here Jack, right in front of you. He sent a mental image of what was around them, really around them, including Ianto cradling Jack to him. I'm here. Stay with me cariad, please. He leant forwards and kissed him again, a kiss full of love and promise and reality. This was real, not what he thought he saw. Him, Ianto, here and now was real.
Why can't I see you? Jack asked, getting panicky. And why can't you see them? He asked, gaze fixed on his parents and his little brother. They were so real, so solid... and right there. Please... make it stop! He begged, fingers clenching at his sides. Please I can't... I can't bear it… Silent tears poured down his face, dripping off his chin and splashing the ground at his feet.
Ianto held him closer. Remember what's real, remember what we have. I'm here for you, I always will be. He held Jack and kissed him again, wiping the tears from his face and sending him emotions... love, friendship, happiness, how Jack had made him feel this morning when they had cum so hard and then just collapsed spent and happy together on the floor after so long, such intense emotions that Ianto almost started crying himself, and got turned on again remembering that morning, but was glad Owen was too busy comforting Tosh. Whoever you see isn't there Jack, this creature that's attacking us is making you see it and not me. You can bear it because it's not real and I'm with you. Together we can overcome anything.
Jack's breath caught and then exploded from his chest in a huge gust. The film cleared and Ianto came into sharp focus. "God Yan." He croaked, taking his lover's hands and pulling him close, holding him tight. "I couldn't... that thing had me... I saw... I saw..." He choked off, buried his face into the younger man's neck, inhaling the smell of his Ianto. The feel and scent of his love pushed him over the edge and he broke, almost violent sobs shaking his frame. "Yan."
Ianto held him tight and close... "Shhh cariad, you're okay, you're safe and loved." He said rocking him gently, rubbing his back and letting Jack cry and get it out of his system. "I'm here, I'm here." He whispered. Jack could tell him later what he saw and heard, and together they would deal with it.
Jack's fingers scrabbled at his lover's shoulders, clutching him with desperate intensity. Jack slowly calmed down and pulled away, wiping his face on his sleeve. "I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely. "I didn't mean to... I'm sorry." He was still holding onto Ianto as if afraid he'd fall over if he let go.
Another, shrill furious scream sounded, louder and more primal. It was tinged with desperation.
"Well, that's three..." Owen muttered with grim humour. "Wonder what it's got in store for m..." His words cut off and he stiffened, a pained grimace passing across his features at the creature dug through his mind, trying to find something to get him with. Tosh clung to his hand when Owen suddenly went horribly, terribly still. Not that day. But... hang on... this wasn't right. He was fighting Death. It would work, Owen didn't care whether he lived or died. Hell, he was dead anyway.
What was happening? This... this worked! Owen knew it did... But... Death was turning from him... heading towards the hospital doors. Towards the boy... and Tosh. No! But... He couldn't move, he was stuck in place... The skeletal spectre passed through the doors as if they were nothing. It swallowed the boy's soul first before it turned on the Japanese woman. Her eyes met Owen's with a desperate plea but Owen was stuck fast. He was helpless as Death swiftly took the woman he loved.
His unbeating heart shattered. Owen hadn't thought he'd find love again after Katie. But... he had... The quiet, small kind woman had somehow crept into his heart and before he knew it, she had become firmly entrenched in it. Everyone assumed he couldn't see how Tosh had felt about him but he could. He just... He didn't want to get hurt again. He'd loved Katie with every fibre of his being and she'd been taken from him. He couldn't face that pain again. And here he was, having been forced to witness another person he loved ripped away from him.
Stop this! He raged, cursing whatever thing had him trapped. It didn't happen this way! It didn't! Fingers clenched around his hard, gripping his hand. Real, solid, good. The hand was small and dainty. Warm. Alive. "Tosh?" She wasn't dead! It hit him light a bolt of lightning. This was that... thing, whatever it was, playing tricks with his mind. "I refute your reality!" He shouted, not sure where it had come and the mirage shattered like a dream.
Owen gazed down at small woman standing by his side. A broad smile spread across his features and he pulled her close, crushing her to his chest. "Thank God." He mumbled before he dipped his head and kissed her heatedly. Toshiko blushed furiously, but responded, arms twining around his neck and holding him tightly. Whatever he'd seen had shaken him badly.
There was a fading, shill wail as whatever had tried to get them was vanquished for good.
Ianto had held onto Jack, reassuring him that there was nothing to be sorry for and kept him close afraid what would happen if he let go of Jack. he heard Owen's statement and grimaced. he couldn't help the medic. This thing was taking their worst nightmares and using them against them, and only the support of loved ones helped. With Tosh though it had used Owen against her, but he and Tosh were best friends and very close. At the start they often went round to each other's for a take away and a movie and moaned about Jack or Owen or both, so that friendship, that love had help Tosh conquer it enough for Owen to help her, now the tide was turned and she had to help Owen.
Luckily they managed it, and Ianto heard the last dying wail of whatever had tried to tear them apart as they defeated it. He saw Owen and Tosh kiss, rather heatedly and looked at Jack with a warm smile. "About time too." he said to Jack, still holding him close and comforting him. He gave Jack a kiss too, a long, loving lingering kiss.
Jack kissed Ianto back, both hands cupping his cheeks. God, how he loved this man. He drew back, keeping their foreheads pressed together, emotions, so many emotions swirling in his gaze. He couldn't find the words to express them, he didn't even know if what he was feeling could be conveyed by mere speech, so he lowered his mental barriers and let the younger man into his mind. Love, elation, joy, a small amount of fear but mostly so much love. Jack, although he may love many people was only in love very rarely. And those he fell for... well, he loved them utterly and completely until the day they died. He had never felt this strongly for any of the others before though. It scared him a little but it didn't stop him from clinging even tighter to Ianto Jones. He would find a way, somehow, to keep this gorgeous, sweet, kind, amazing man with him for always.
Tosh and Owen were still snogging rather passionately in the background and Jack decided they needed to get back to the Hub. He pressed a tender, soft kiss to Ianto's lips and, brushing back tears of happiness, stepped back. He straightened his coat and coughed. Loudly.
The medic and the computer genius broke apart. Owen was grinning and Tosh went bright red, ducking so she could hide behind him. The medic squeezed her hand reassuringly. Jack smiled at her. "I'm so very happy for your Toshiko." He informed her gently. Still red, the Japanese woman offered him a small smile in return. "And if this idiot hurts you, tell me and I'll break his legs for you." The Captain offered cheerfully. Owen glowered and slipped an arm around Tosh's waist. "Watch it Harkness." He warned, but he knew Jack's warning had been made with genuine warmth. Owen would never hurt this woman ever again.
"What do you say kids? Let's go home." Jack clapped his hands. He tugged Ianto close wrapped his fingers around the Welshman's and squeezing gently. Smiling now, they all headed back in the direction of the SUV.
Ianto melted into the kiss as if it was the first one they'd ever shared, so tender and full of feeling that it made tears come to his eyes. As Jack let him in and emotions washed over him, those tears fell and it made his head spin. He knew Jack loved him deeply, as he loved Jack but had no idea that he felt that strongly for him, stronger than anyone before. He could fear that it scared Jack as much as it scared him and he loved Jack all the more for it, never before had Jack seemed so human. He clung fiercely to Jack until they had to break the kiss for air, wiping at his own cheeks, but his eyes shining with nothing but pure happiness and joy.
He turned to look at Tosh and Owen still snogging and smiled as Jack coughed making them break apart and Tosh blush. He caught her gaze and winked at her and she smiled back feeling ridiculously happy. He grinned at Jack's promise to hurt Own if he hurt her, then held Jack's hand squeezing back as they headed back to the SUV.
They'd won, barely, but they'd won. There was still some healing to do, he could tell Jack was still a little shaken about what he'd seen, but Ianto would be there to help him through it, as he always was and would always be until the day he died.