Torchwood: Divergence
Book Two: Adferiad

Chapter 24

Harkness slowly nodded, the true depth of his fatigue showing as he relaxed slightly. The situation seemed to be on the up-swing at last.

[Gwen…]

The former PC had forgotten she was still wearing her headset, until Ianto's voice spoke in her ear and she jumped in surprise. The she chuckled and keyed the device to reply.

"Out of bin liners?" she queried, making herself keep smiling when she heard her friend's strained response.

[I… I need a few minutes alone… in the room…] Ianto panted, sounding to be in a good deal of pain and obviously heading for a seizure. [Keep Jack there, yeah…?]

"No problem," Cooper reassured, hearing the channel disconnect and quickly improvising. "Just leave the comm outside, yeah?"

"Something wrong?" Jack frowned, looking torn between going to check and staying slouched in his chair.

"Call of nature," his companion explained vaguely, figuring he'd assume she meant a trip to the loo. "He'll be a few minutes and didn't want us wondering what happened to him bringing a bin liner."

Gwen paused for a moment, then reached up to touch their leader's cheek.

"You look like shit, you know," she observed. "I haven't seen you look this pasty and done in since you faced Abaddon."

"I've definitely felt better than I do right now," the immortal Captain shrugged. "But I'll be fine in the morning. Though I don't guarantee any Rift alerts will get answered tonight, so be ready for possible fallout tomorrow."

"I think we'll manage," Gwen half-smiled, silently worrying about Ianto and his being alone across the Hub, possibly doing himself serious injury if the seizure hit before he could get somewhere soft and safe. "Let me go do something constructive. I'll grab a bin liner so poor Ianto doesn't feel rushed, then you and me will get the rest of this cleaned up. Surprise him by picking up after ourselves for a change."

"Good idea," Harkness nodded, briefly rubbing at his eyes. "I'll gather everything together, and I know which wall pocket here he keeps disinfectant wipes in so I'll do a quick clean on the table."

"Won't be a minute," Cooper stated, bouncing up from her crouch and heading out the door. "Sorry in advance for all the crumbs 'round my spot."

She hurried down the hall, cut across the Hub, up into the office and through to the bedroom beyond. Ianto was on the end of the hastily made-up bed, half curled on his left side, sobbing for breath and too weak to lever himself up into a sitting position. His friend came to check on him, saw panic in his eyes as he quickly looked past her.

"It's just me," Gwen reassured. "God, Ianto… you should let me tell him. You're not doing good at all, sweetheart, and it'll just upset you both again if he finds you like this later. You're fevered and sick… he knows you're hurt because of him and he's already feeling so guilty over it. It'll be worse if he thinks you're hiding this from him now."

"He…" Ianto choked, gulping air and swallowing hard. "He needs me to help him… I want to be there for him… Please… I can't disappoint him, Gwen… not when he's so… so hurt and afraid…"

"He won't be disappointed," the former constable tried to persuade the young Welshman. "He knows you're not well and putting on a brave face. And he really appreciates what you've done to help him tonight, but he's going to want to know you need to rest now. Please, let me tell him."

"Help me up…" the twenty-six-year-old requested tightly, finally managing to push up onto one elbow though it was obvious his left side was protesting strongly. "Just… let me wash up so he doesn't see me like this. A few minutes… that's all I ask."

Gwen aided her friend in sitting up, then got him on his feet, steadied him as he limped to the ensuite to lean against the basin and turn on the cold water.

"I'm going to help him clean up the Boardroom," she stated firmly. "Then I'm going to tell him the truth and make sure you two get settled before I go home. We'll be back in a few minutes."

Cooper headed out after she was certain the ailing Changeling wasn't going to fall as he shakily washed his face and hands. She quickly snagged a bin liner from the broom cupboard on her way and hurried back to the Boardroom.

"Here we go," she announced, shaking out the plastic bag so the pizza boxes and other rubbish could go into it.

"He had a seizure, didn't he?" Jack asked immediately, his expression both worried and strangely proud. "And he doesn't want me to know, because he's trying to be strong like you said."

"The poor thing wants so badly to be your support in this the way you're always there for him," Gwen nodded. "But he's really not up to it. He begged me not to tell you, didn't want you upset or worrying about him because he thinks you should worry more about yourself right now."

"Then I let him be as strong as he can," Harkness stated decisively. "I won't baby him or make him feel weak. We'll take care of each other tonight and hope tomorrow is a better day."

"Tomorrow's Christmas Eve," Cooper offered, quickly helping to bag the various boxes, bottles, and paper napkins needing thrown out. "You should both be feeling more yourself and you can have a nice cosy Holiday together once the rest of us go home."

"Go home and stay home," the American insisted. "I always let the team have Christmas Day off, this year isn't any different. It's usually London that gets the alien invasions and weirdness at this time of year. Nothing's ever come up here in Cardiff that I couldn't handle in the past, and now I won't be working alone. So, no showing up at the Hub unless it's to bring us yummy leftovers for dinner, yeah?"

Gwen gave him her best police salute, and they both left the room. The black bag of trash went to the kitchenette for later disposal, then the two proceeded to the room behind the office. Sick as he may be, Ianto had changed the linens and reversed the new duvet, turned on the net of lights above the bed, and put all the loose clothing from earlier in the day into the ensuite's built-in hampers. He was now sitting on the side of the mattress near the night table, trying hard not to show how much pain he was in or how unsteady he was. Jack came over to sit beside him, simply took up his nearest hand and laced their fingers together.

"Gwen's getting ready to head home," the Captain announced equitably. "She just wanted to be sure we were okay before she left."

The former PC came to kiss each of her friends on the forehead, then pulled off her headset and started out the door.

"I won't come hunting if you decide to have a lie-in tomorrow," she promised with a smile. "Both of you get some rest."

Gwen closed the bookcase door behind her, and after a few minutes the two Hub residents heard the big cog-wheel door open then boom closed shortly after. Time to turn in for the night.

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AN: I think we all kind of expected the stress would catch up to Ianto sooner rather than later. Now the boys just need to settle in and get some well deserved rest.

Posting Saturday and Sunday until New Year's Day… You'll still be getting the actual Christmas chapters after the Holiday… Hope that's okay.

Thank you to those reading the story. And thank you to those who have followed, favourited, and reviewed. NM