7
Jack was right.
The first three had been a cakewalk compared to what was now on offer. Ianto sat staring dumbly at the script as the others bickered and laughed, Lisa showing them how the Cyber outfit was ill-fitting and striking poses.
They were killing his character off now. Gods, only four episodes, three more than Suzie I guess. At least it was enough money to pay for the upgrades to the lighthouse without dipping into the funds aside for the kids. All the money from Kayla's death were there, almost all anyway. Each birthday and Christmas Ianto allowed some money for a gift for them, from her.
"Excuse me" Ianto rose and shot from the room, hiding in the loo while he tried to calm himself. He knew this was coming right? Canary Warf was always there. Always had been and it was not a surprise that they would want to now to catch the attention of the growing fan base. Right?
Not like it was the same, not at all. After all, this was staged as some weird intergalactic war that just happens to take place in a building. Right? No bombs, no terror no blood...oh gods….Kayla.
Ianto stared at himself in the mirror, then told himself to grow a pair and he strode out to his spot for what was to be one of the most horrifying moments of his acting career.
It was not until Jack's arms were around him as Gwen screamed at the cameras to fuck off that he realised something had slid…his cheese had slid off his cracker like. Ya know? He tried to calm down but she was there in his arms, looking so much like her. The pretty blonde girl so much like his Kayla and those words, those please for him to join her.
Gods. The pretty tall black woman was fine, after all she was nothing like her but this one, so innocent. So young. Gods.
"Come on" Jack lifted him easily, shocked no doubt at the lack of weight and half carried him to the trailer, slamming in and placing him down on the bed soiled suit and all. Owen entered, slamming the door shut behind him and bustling over to look down at the pale man in the bed.
"Let's get these things off, maybe if you have your own clothes on you will feel better" he offered and Jack looked at him.
"Owen? What makes you think it will?"
"Do you have a degree in medicine smartarse?" Owen asked calmly "No? Huh. Well. I do, now fuck off and get a wet cloth to wipe his face arsehat."
"Hear that?" Jack said softly to the pale form, "Everyone thinks about my arse."
Ianto snorted.
Jack felt better for it.
"Right, wanna tell me why that was so fucking scary?" Owen asked, "I mean, I almost shat meself. Jesus on a cross, that was not just committing to the project, I mean…fuck. You had me crying."
"My wife" Ianto said softly, so softly, "Kayla. I lost her at the Warf."
"What?" Jack was still, his hand reaching with a glass of water as his eyes widened.
"The terrorist attack, we were there that day." Ianto sighed.
"We?" Owen sat, "Tell me."
"She died. I didn't" Ianto shrugged, the horror still too real to say out loud. No need. He saw it every time he closed his eyes ya know. Her body hanging as they stabbed at it and the others they had chosen to be martyrs. Gods, how he had begged, pleaded they take him instead. She had kissed him, her hand so gentle against his cheek as they shared one last moment of contact, then she was gone. Butchered. Bled.
"They knew" Jack hissed, "They must have known, the way they set this up. They knew and they wanted that reaction. Are probably…fuckers."
Jack stormed from the trailer as Owen reached out to pat his knee, "My fiancée died about three months before that attack. Brain tumour. Bloody awful, they asked about it. Do you think they will use that too?"
"Oh Gods" Ianto sighed, letting Owen have his hand, this poor man who was so childlike, "I am sorry Owen. Seems they have their own agenda. They want it as believable as possible, after all they want people to think this is a reality show. For that they need some reality. Kayla's death was my trigger. I guess if they know that they will use it."
"I wonder what Jack's trigger is" Owen said as he lay on the bed with Ianto, curling up like a huge bony cat.
Jack re-entered the trailer with a reel in his hand, "Here it is. I took it!"
He was nervously pacing, shaking the reel of film as he checked the door.
"Jack, it's just that camera" Ianto tried to explain, "The digitals…"
"Didn't catch your face" Jack said swinging to face him, "They will have some perspectives, not your face. Not full on. Not what we saw. I let them keep the long shots. Compromised. Shit, this game is all about that right? Yes I will wear the coat, no I will not walk around with no shirt."
"They asked you that?" Ianto asked, "To be shirtless?"
"Yeah, but my mama didn't raise no fool" Jack said as he placed the reel by the bed, "Not gonna happen."
"Thank you Jack" Ianto said as he pulled the blanket up to over the sleeping Owen, "You are kind."
"I would have preferred sexy but I will take what I can get" Jack smiled and Ianto felt it again.
Damned blush.