Jack and Ianto - Chapter Four

Ianto glanced up when he heard his name, thinking Jack had been quick to arrive. But to his surprise, it was the Doctor who was striding toward him, looking equally surprised. A young woman walked with him, her flaming red hair billowing out behind her. She dashed toward Ianto and for a moment he thought she was going to embrace him, but instead she threw her arms around the man next to him.

"Rory Williams," she said. "Don't you ever scare me like that again."

Ianto exchanged an understanding grin with Rory over the woman's head. Though he'd just met the man, their experience on the train to Charing Cross had immediately created a bond between them. Rory had been sitting beside Ianto when the man with the knife had jumped up and began swatting at some unseen enemy, narrowing missing a woman sitting with her children. The train car had screamed as everyone tried to get out of the man's way, until Rory had turned to Ianto, exchanged one of those looks that is implicitly understood without need for words, and they had literally leapt into action.

"Don't you go looking so smug, Mr. Jones," the Doctor said, joining them and crossing his arms over his chest. "When Jack gets here he's going to say the exact same thing!"

Ianto couldn't help but roll his eyes, even if the Doctor was right. Jack would probably read him the riot act for getting involved. Yet for Ianto, there had been no choice: a madman had been threatening the passengers on the train, and no one had stood up to him, so Ianto had.

"Wait, you know him?" asked the woman, turning around and frowning at the Doctor. "What are the odds of that?"

"When it comes to Torchwood, not particularly high," shrugged the Doctor. "Mr. Jones is my dining room manager and host at The Hub."

She glanced at Ianto in surprise. "I do the same at Torchwood One," she said, then smirked. "You must work with Jack Harkness then. Are the latest rumors true?"

"I do," said Ianto, more and more confused. Had the Doctor come to see Ianto or had he accompanied this woman to see Rory? "And they probably are." Whatever rumors she was referring to were probably completely wrong, but Ianto knew Jack enjoyed his rather cavalier reputation. He extended his hand to her. "Ianto Jones."

"Amy Pond," she replied with a smile that lit up her face. "And apparently you've already met my fiancé by managing to get into one of his spots of trouble!"

Ianto raised an eyebrow at Rory, who shook his head with a long-suffering look. "She's exaggerating. I've never wrestled a man with a knife before."

"Nor have I," said Ianto. He flexed his hand, feeling the muscles and tendons in his forearm stretch with the effort. The knife had left a long though shallow cut from elbow to wrist that Rory, who worked as a nurse, had assured him was superficial. The paramedics had cleansed and closed the wound with steri-strips and wrapped a bandage around his arm. He'd need some painkillers soon, but for now, it was a heady reminder of victory.

"Don't go making a habit of it then," growled a voice from behind him. Jack was striding toward them, looking both angry and scared out of his mind. He practically knocked Ianto over with the force of his relieved embrace, and Ianto was slightly embarrassed by Jack's fawning as he examined every inch of him, particularly his injured arm. Rory put an arm around Amy's shoulder and winked in understanding, which made Ianto grin and step back from Jack's exam.

"I'm fine, Jack," he said, shaking his head. "Really, I'm all right."

"What the hell happened?" Jack asked. He seemed to notice the Doctor for the first time and frowned. "And what the hell are you doing here?"

The Doctor nodded at the other couple. "Mr. Williams called the restaurant, and I insisted on accompanying Ms. Pond."

Jack turned and stared at the couple for a moment before remembering his manners. "Jack Harkness," he said, extending his hand to first to Rory, then to his fiancé.

"Amy Pond," she said with a smile. "We've met. Sort of, in passing."

Jack frowned as if trying to place her, then glanced at the Doctor. "Torchwood One?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Amy's my floor manager now," the Doctor told him. "Doing a fantastic job, too."

Jack nodded, obviously still distracted, then turned back to Ianto.

"Please, what happened? It's all over the news now!"

Ianto sighed; he'd been hoping that wouldn't be the case, but when the television cameras had appeared he'd suspected it was a lost cause.

"I was on my way to meet you for lunch when this man started muttering to himself across the aisle, like he was hearing things. He kept complaining the drums were too loud."

"Complete nutter," offered Rory.

"Only he was a nutter with a deadly weapon," said Ianto. "After a bit more muttering and mumbling, he jumped up and pulled a knife, started waving it around as if trying to defend himself. He almost hit a few people. Everyone started moving out of the way."

"Hallucinations?" asked the Doctor, and Ianto shrugged.

"Perhaps. He started getting in people's faces after that, still waving the knife around. 'Can't you see them?' he asked, over and over. 'They're here, they've come for us! Stop them!' He'd turn around and scream at whatever he saw and then threaten someone else."

"Stark raving mad," said Rory, who offered the rest of the story. "I was sitting next to Ianto here when he got too close to a woman trying to protect her children. All we did was exchange a look, and we took him down."

Amy looked incredulous, while Jack looked angry. "Just like that? You took on an insane man with a knife in the middle of the train car?"

The Doctor covered his mouth, curved up in a smile. Ianto shrugged. "Rory tackled him around the legs while I went for his arms. That's how I got cut, he managed a good swipe before I was able to force the knife away. Another passenger picked it up and handed it to Rory."

Rory laughed. "As if I knew what to do with it! I sat on his legs, though, while Ianto kept hold of his arms. He kept screaming so some woman with a sweater stuffed it in his mouth. Once the train stopped and the authorities showed up, we turned it over to them." He smiled at Amy Pond. "End of story. No big deal."

Jack stared at the man as if he too was insane. "No big deal?" he asked, glancing back and forth between Rory and Ianto. "You both could have been killed!"

"Jack, we're fine," said Ianto, trying to sooth him, not sure why Jack was so upset when Amy appeared little more than miffed at her fiance's rather heroic actions.

"They probably saved someone's life," the Doctor pointed out, earning an irritated look from Jack. "Who knows what this man might have done, who he might have hurt."

"We've given our statements to the police, who said we were both incredibly brave and incredibly stupid," Ianto replied. "As soon as they're finished, they said we could leave."

"And what happened to the man with the knife?" asked the Doctor, sounding curious.

"Apparently he escaped from the Gallifrey One Psychiatric hospital early this morning," said Ianto. "I assume they're taking him back." The Doctor froze, clearly affected by the unexpected answer.

"Did you learn his name, by any chance?" he asked. Jack's temper seemed momentarily distracted as he frowned at the Doctor instead.

"Harold something," said Rory, shaking his head. "Poor bloke was absolutely screaming bloody murder as they moved him. Kept shouting 'She's going to kill me! The woman in red, she's got a gun!'"

The Doctor had gone very pale. Jack laid a hand on his arm. "You all right, Doc?" he asked quietly, all his anger from earlier replaced by concern. The Doctor shook his head.

"I knew a man named Harold once," the Doctor said soflty. "He was a good friend in school. He was also very ill, and the last I'd heard he'd been admitted to Gallifrey One indefinitely."

No one knew what to say. Ianto wondered what the odds were, that the man they'd subdued on the train might have been one of the Doctor's friends from long ago.

"Excuse me," said the Doctor. "I think I'd like to know what's happened to him."

He left without another word. They stood awkwardly and stared at one another for a long moment until Rory spoke up.

"So you both work for the Doctor?" he asked, tucking his hands into his pockets. "Is he as much of a crackpot in Cardiff as he is in London?"

"Rory," Amy murmured fondly, and Rory grinned.

"What? You have to admit, he can be a bit of a handful."

"It's always a fun ride, though," said Jack with a smile. "We don't see him as much in Cardiff, though."

Rory nodded. "So you've not heard about this new place in New York then?"

Ianto glanced at Rory in surprise while Jack grinned. "Apparently it's not as much of a secret as I thought!"

"He's asked Amy to move to New York and be the general manager," replied Rory in a stage whisper. "Trying to whisk her away before the wedding." Ianto wondered if his fiancé was upset at the comment, but she rolled her eyes.

"And I've told you both I'm not going," she said firmly. "I'm happy where I am."

Ianto felt his heart start to pound as a strange idea started to come together in the back of his mind. He tried to dismiss it, but it made too much sense, and for a moment he was slightly stunned by it and how much he wanted it. He almost missed Jack's response to Amy's announcement.

"I told him the same thing," Jack said, and Ianto stared at him in shock.

"You what?" he asked.

Jack nodded and smiled. "I met with him this morning. I told him no. I'm not going."

"But Jack—" started Ianto, only they were interrupted by the return of the Doctor. He appeared sad.

"Harold's been taken back to Gallifrey One," he said. "Thought they may serve charges later. Apparently his condition has worsened over the years."

"I'm sorry," murmured Amy and Ianto, Jack and Rory nodding their agreement. The Doctor sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I may try to see him," he said quietly, gazing into the distance. "We were close, once…" He trailed off, then seemed to come back to himself. "So what did you talk about while I was gone? Are you free to leave yet?"

"No," said Amy, and she grinned mischievously at the Doctor. "And we were talking about your attempt to relocate us all to New York!"

The Doctor snorted. "Well, that's obviously not worked. Jack turned me down this morning, and you've been telling me no for the last two weeks!"

"I'm not moving to Manhattan," said Amy, linking her arm with Rory. "You already dragged me away from Glasgow. I'm happy here, with my angel." Rory kissed the top of her head, and they both stared defiantly at the Doctor.

"No manager, no chef," the Doctor complained. "At this point I'm going to have to hire bloody Americans for my very British establishment."

"I'll do it," Ianto blurted out, earning himself four, wide-eyed stares. "If you don't mind Welsh."

"Mr. Jones," started the Doctor.

"Ianto!" exclaimed Jack. "What are you doing?"

Ianto felt a sense of peace flow through him. It was one of the most spontaneous decisions he'd ever made, and yet it felt more right than some decisions he'd agonized over for days. He wanted to be with Jack; he was meant to be with Jack. Jack had turned down the job in New York to be with him, and knowing that only made Ianto's decision easier. Jack should be in New York, and this way Ianto could go with him.

"I'm stopping you from making a mistake," Ianto replied quietly. "You should take the job, I told you that already."

"And I told you I wanted to be with you, that's more important!"

"If the Doctor hires me, then we'll be together, " said Ianto. He turned toward the Doctor. "I may not have the experience of a general manager, but I've no doubt I could do it, and do it well. You know what I'm capable of."

The Doctor was nodding his head thoughtfully. "I do, Mr. Jones. I certainly do. And I can't believe I didn't think of it myself. I think you'd be a brilliant manager." He paused. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure," said Ianto, and he meant it.

"Amy?" asked the Doctor, and she shook her head.

"Take it, please!" she said. "Then he'll stop badgering me!"

"Fantastic!" the Doctor exclaimed, until Jack stepped in, sounding confused and hurt.

"What about me?" he asked softly.

"Say yes, Jack," Ianto replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You've already been offered the job."

"And I already turned it down," Jack pointed out. The Doctor waved his hand.

"Water under the bridge, Jack! I wanted you from the start. If I get you both, we'll have the best restaurant in town!"

Jack still looked hesitant. He glanced from the Doctor to the others and back to the Doctor. "Excuse us for a moment?" he asked, and he pulled Ianto away for some privacy.

"What's wrong?" asked Ianto.

"I don't understand why you're doing this," Jack replied. "Last night you said you didn't want to start over, that it was too hard to leave everything behind."

Ianto sighed. "It will be hard, I know that. But at least I'm not going on my own, or unemployed. It'll be like you said last night, starting something new together."

Jack searched his face as if trying to find answers to something he didn't understand. "But why? What changed your mind? It's not just adrenaline talking, is it?"

Ianto laughed. "No, I don't think so. I didn't know I was going to say it until I said it, but it feels right now that I have. I don't regret it."

"It's only been five minutes," Jack pointed out.

"I've been thinking about it all morning," Ianto replied. He led Jack to a nearby bench and motioned him to sit down before joining him. "Ever since you left. I thought you might go to the Doctor to talk about it, although I didn't expect you to turn him down so quickly."

Jack leaned forward and kissed him. "You're more important to me." He paused and took Ianto's hand. "Though to be honest, I had worked it out so that I could still be involved in the project without moving to New York. Consulting, training, those sorts of things."

"That's…that's amazing," said Ianto, glancing down at their hands. "But I still can't believe you'd give up so much for me."

"Why not?" asked Jack. "Aren't you offering to do the same?"

Ianto smiled to himself; Jack would see it that way. "I suppose. Perhaps if I'd followed blindly, with no job, no prospects, nothing. But it's different now." He took a deep breath and plunged on. He'd done a lot of thinking over the last several hours and needed to share some of the things he'd realized in their short time but eventful time apart.

"I went to the cemetery," he started, and felt Jack squeeze his hand in sympathy. "It was hard, yet at the same time it wasn't. I had so much I wanted to tell her." He shook his head, still amazed at how different it had turned out from what he had expected. "I took several extra handkerchiefs and everything, but as I sat there, I found that I was…well, I was all right."

Jack didn't say anything. Ianto glanced at the others, who were talking quietly with a police officer. He decided he needed to finish with Jack first before returning to them.

"I still miss her and I did need one of those handkerchiefs," Ianto said, glancing away, "but then I started telling her about the trial, and a strange feeling came over me. It's as if yesterday really did help me find closure."

"Even if they're not convicted?" Jack asked hesitantly, and Ianto nodded.

"Even if they're not convicted," he repeated. "Though I've no doubt they will be found guilty of their crimes. I think testifying yesterday gave me the strength to put it all behind me. Not to forget, but to move on and not let it dictate my life any longer."

"I'm so glad for you," Jack murmured, and Ianto actually laughed.

"Oh, it gets better!" he exclaimed. "I told her about you, all about you."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "About me?" Ianto nodded, waiting for Jack's natural curiosity. "So what did you say?"

"I told her I'd met this bloke," Ianto replied casually. "That he was a bit of all right and sort of into me and a pretty good cook—"

Jack growled and Ianto couldn't help but laugh. "A bit of all right?" he demanded.

Ianto leaned forward to kiss away Jack's frown. "Fine, I told her you were gorgeous, smart, and kind." He paused for a breath and grew very serious. "I told her how you'd helped me through the most difficult time of my life. That I'd somehow fallen in love with you. And that I wanted to be with you, no matter where we were."

Jack looked moved by his simple speech, but before he could reply, Ianto continued.

"And you know what? I didn't feel guilty. I thought I'd feel so guilty for moving on after losing her, but I didn't. I don't. I feel stronger." He gazed into Jack's eyes and tried not to choke up. "I feel whole. Coming home, to Cardiff, gave me meaning again. You gave me meaning."

Jack's eyes were definitely bright with tears, which made Ianto chuckle as he continued. "That's when I realized it's you, Jack. Only you. It's not where I live or what I do for a living. It's the people we love, and I love you. I want to be with you. And when I was on that train this morning and everything was going to shit, all I could think about was seeing you again."

"I'm so glad you're all right," Jack said, sounding both relieved and in awe. "What you did today was amazing."

"Not really!" Ianto laughed out loud. "I'm not sure either one of us had any idea what we were doing. But I felt stronger when I left the cemetery. I knew what I wanted. And that helped me stand up to the man on the train."

Jack nodded. "You not only stood up to your attackers in court, but you stopped it from happening again on that train, you know. That's amazing in my book."

"You don't read enough, then," Ianto replied, and they both laughed.

"Are you sure about this?" asked Jack, still sounding unsure. Ianto nodded again.

"Think about it. What are the chances that I would meet Rory Williams on this train? That his fiancé works for the Doctor? That he's asked her to move to New York only she doesn't want to go?"

"Astronomical," murmured Jack.

"It's not a coincidence," said Ianto. "It's destiny, fate, call it what you will. It's a sign and I'm reading it loud and clear. We're going to New York."

"Together," said Jack.

"Together," Ianto replied, relieved to have made it through his impromptu speech without making a complete fool of himself. Jack glanced down and nodded, then grinned suddenly and reached into his pocket.

"Then there's nothing for it," he said, pulling out a black box. "I was going to do this with a bit more flourish—picnic in the park, wine, romance—but if you can move us to New York just like that, then I can do you one better."

He pulled out a black box.

"Jack…" Ianto started, his heart in his throat. It couldn't be. It wasn't possible. Now? In the middle of London, with police everywhere and news cameras recording everything? Jack grinned again.

"Marry me."

Author's Note:

This was so different than what I originally wrote. But I wanted a small snag, and this sort of hit the spot with all the Doctor Who connections. I'm not very familiar with Rory and Amy, so hopefully they are not too off. There are one or two more chapters, though I'm not sure how far to take it. I'm pretty sure the next one will require a toothbrush to clean up the fluff. It is shamefully self-indulgent so far. If you want darkness and angst, read 'A Different Life'! Anyway. I want to finish this up and tackle one of the half dozen other ideas brewing away, so I'll try to do that quick. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, thank you for still reading!