When Jack finally woke up in his cell again, he had lost track of time. As Ianto wasn't with him, he had been able to heal for the past few days – weeks? – and they had taken advantages of that. They had hit, and cut, and tortured, and marked, and drowned, and hung and killed him. He had said nothing and guessed that they had given up after a while. But it hurt. It hurt because he didn't understand how human beings could do that, and because dying was hard. Dying was painful, he could feel the life leaving his body, and worst, he could feel it coming back. The first breath he took when he revived was the worst torture possible. And, alone in this cell, he cried. Silently, facing the wall, but still, he cried. He couldn't show them how he was affected by their torture but he couldn't hold back any more. He had already been tortured – a lot considering how young he was – but it had never been so violent and emotionless.
When he heard the door opened, he jumped on his feet and almost tried to escape, or anything, but they pushed Ianto in and Jack had to run to catch him before he could collapse on the floor. By the time he had Ianto in his arms, the door was closed. He felt the weakness come back while touching Ianto but he fought against it and managed to push it away. He carried Ianto to his own bed and carefully put him down. His skin was hot, way too hot, when it usually felt so cold. As the kitchenette and cupboard was closed for him – actually it could be opened with Ianto's prints but he didn't want to move him – he ripped a sleeve from his shirt and put some water in it then carefully put the wet cloth on Ianto's forehead. He then lied down next to him and waited for him to wake up.
He accidentally fell asleep and found himself on the ground when he next opened his eyes. He had known better way to wake up. He knew Ianto had just punched him then pushed him away, but he didn't really care and tried to catch his arms to calm him down. He knew he was hurting him while holding him, but Ianto wouldn't stop moving and fighting back. When he finally stopped, he looked up at Jack in puzzlement.
"Wha- Who are you?"
Jack didn't answer. He stared at him open-mouthed. When Ianto pushed him away again and turned his back on him, he didn't even try to prevent him. He felt Ianto's power coming out of him, and he had no real force left to fight it back. He was emotionally drained, and he now understood why they had put him back in his cell. They somehow knew he had grown attached to the young man, and they were using this against him, because their physical torture was going nowhere.
He fell on his knees and felt his breath leaving his body. What was happening to him? Even when Ianto had touched him the other day, it hadn't felt that way. It was hard to breath and he put an arm on the ground and clenched his other fist on his chest, trying to fight the feeling back. There was no way he could, he knew. He groaned as the pressure on his chest grew bigger and panted when it suddenly disappeared.
"Are you okay?" A shy voice asked him.
Jack looked up at Ianto from the floor and weakly nodded before passing out.
"Who are you?"
That was the first thing Jack heard. He didn't even open his eyes. He wasn't ready for this. He didn't want to know what they had done to Ianto.
"I know I should know you. I want to remember."
"What happened to you...?" Jack managed to whisper through his tears. He opened his eyes to see Ianto sitting against the opposite wall from his bed. He was playing with a small ball and stopped when he caught Jack looking at him. He didn't look back, though.
"I... It's called retcon. At least I think they did that."
"Retcon?"
"Yeah. They use it a lot. Not on me, though. I've been here for too long. But you already know that, don't you?"
"Are they brainwashing you? Are there others?"
"Plenty. They're not... I don't know. Were we close?"
"I made you a promise," Jack said after a couple of seconds of hesitation.
"Did you break it?"
"Not yet."
"Good."
"Are you... Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." And he was lying. Jack knew he was. Well that was a stupid question, he must admit. He sighed and rubbed his forehead, noticing he wasn't feeling as weak as before. So Ianto was back at restraining his powers, then.
"I'm Jack Harkness. I told you I'd get you out of here."
"Why would you promise that?"
"I just did, okay?"
"What are you, for me? Why would they do that? The others..."
"Never bothered talking," Jack finished for him. "Or tried to kill you. I know. I know who you are, I know what you are, Ianto. And I won't hurt you, I won't kill you. You've asked me to, remember? But I didn't. I couldn't."
"Who are we?"
He could see that Ianto was lost and trying so hard to remember. He sat up and put his elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands to think.
"I don't know," he finally answered, honestly.
"What do you mean you don't know? I don't know, are we friends?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Really?" Ianto asked genuinely surprised.
"Why so surprised? We're in this together, we have to stick together. They want us to kill each other. We won't."
"They don't want me to kill you, they need you. And... I've never had a friend before. Not here."
"Ianto, where are you from?"
"Cardiff."
"Good. I'll bring you back to Cardiff, okay? You said you had your parents, right? Got any other relatives?"
"I don't remember only a few days. I can tell. I remember who I am..."
"I know, I know you do. I'm just trying to help. And I've never really asked."
"I've got a sister."
"Good, that's good. Tell me about her."
"Why?"
"I told you, I'm trying to help."
Ianto seemed to hesitate but began talking. Very little, because he didn't know nor remember a lot about his sister, but he talked anyway. Jack carefully listened, then asked questions, going further and further into the near past. When Ianto couldn't answer him any more, Jack told him what they had done, together. It was quick, because they hadn't done that much, but Ianto was carefully listening. Jack didn't mention kissing him, and wondered if he would ever feel that again.
He actually learnt more about Ianto than he had the few days they had spent together. Then he ordered Ianto to rest because he could see and feel the man struggling to stay awake. When he was doing that, Jack felt weaker. Maybe he should mention the kiss later, he wasn't sure how much time he could stay like that, always feeling weaker when Ianto wasn't able to restrain his power enough.
When Ianto started having nightmares, Jack stood up to do something, but the gravity called him back on the floor. He could hardly breath once more and Ianto was out of reach so he couldn't wake him up. He tried calling his name, but it just seemed to make Ianto's nightmare worse. When he finally woke up, screaming, the feeling got far worse and Jack felt sick. He managed to reach the toilets before throwing up.
Slowly, the sentiment grew weaker until it disappeared, as Ianto's breath calmed. He had to do something. And ask him.
"Do you remember?"
"What?" Both of their voices were weak and filled with emotions.
"What they do to you, every time."
Ianto didn't answer and Jack looked up to see him crying. He probably was since his nightmare, but Jack felt his heart aching and knew it wasn't Ianto's power. He took a deep breath and scrambled to his feet, then quickly washed his mouth and knelt in front of Ianto. Ianto didn't move, he kept staring at the wall and crying. Jack sat purposely where he was looking, but he still didn't make a move. Even when Jack carefully took his left hand, he didn't move an inch.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. That drew Ianto's attention as he eventually looked up from the ground, not understanding. "They... did that because of me." Ianto shook his head but Jack put his finger to his mouth to shush him – though he hadn't talked – then carefully wiped the tears away. "I... We... I kissed you. They must have..."
"I betrayed you," Ianto cut him off.
Jack stared at him in puzzlement. What?
"I told them everything you told me. There are no cameras, no micros here. They just take me when they think I know something. I remember. I know what you did. What we did. But I told them in order to end it. They weren't pleased enough with my answer."
"I..."
"They did the same to you. I know they did. I can see it in your eyes. They tortured you," Ianto said sadly. He raised his free hand to stroke Jack's cheek and smiled weakly. "And that's on me. I'm sorry. I won't betray you again, even if I have to die. But they won't kill me... They can't kill either of us..."
"That's why I'm gonna get you out."
Ianto didn't answer but new tears ran down his face. Jack took a deep breath and straightened to rest his forehead against Ianto's.
"I don't want to die. I don't want to suffer," Ianto eventually sobbed and Jack opened his eyes to look at him. He ran his hand in his hair and pulled him close to him. Ianto gasped and tried to push him back, but he quickly gave up and put his arms around Jack's body. Not caring about their uncomfortable position.
Jack smiled as he felt the same warmth he had felt the last time he had hugged Ianto, spreading through his chest. He stroked Ianto's hair and whispered to him to go back to sleep. Jack let him go when he was sure he was asleep – he must have been really tired to fall asleep sitting. He kissed his forehead and sat more comfortably on the floor, watching him. What if there was no soft spot or weakness in the walls and the door, no way of getting out with hitting or scratching or anything, but Ianto? Ianto could be a solution. He didn't want to use Ianto to get out, but it wasn't using him if it was saving Ianto as well, right?
Ianto had told him he was stronger than he thought, but Jack was convinced that Ianto was the one with abilities he couldn't possibly imagine. Because nobody had helped him with his power. They must have tortured him enough so he wouldn't leave, wouldn't even think about it. Jack knew he had a huge scar all along his spine, and it seemed really old, and Jack really didn't want to know how he got it. Or how old he was when he had gotten it. He had to help him, help him escape this place, and help him control his power, because he clearly didn't. At least, Jack was sure he had more than the ability to suppress one's power around him. He had to, because Jack had no other way of getting out.