Torchwood: Divergence
Book Three: Rheoleiddiad
Chapter 4
Things had been rough for the whole Team the past few weeks. It was nice to finally have things settling to an even keel once more.
"You honestly didn't have to clean the house and change out everything in the bedroom," Gwen told her passenger as they headed for the store Rhys normally did the shopping at. "Or set out clothes for me. I really appreciate that you did, but it wasn't necessary you know."
"Seemed the best way to help out," Ianto replied truthfully. "And it kept me occupied."
"It was still way beyond anything most people do," Cooper insisted. "And really sweet. Thanks for doing so much to help me get straight again."
"Our mother shut down like that when Dad died," Ianto murmured, starting to feel very uneasy for some reason. "Rhi and I tried everything, didn't want her to end up in Providence Park for another six months. Finally, we resorted to getting her riled up, which lead to the hysterical breakdown and same slap or douse choice. I stuck her in the bath, Rhiannon came to handle helping her clean up and dry off after. Scary thing having to deal with our own mother like that. And I'm sorry the Scieron stepped in… that was a cruel way to make a point. They apparently did something like that to Jack a while back too. He said it was enough to give him nightmares."
"It was scary effective though," his companion admitted. "It was like I was you, seeing and feeling what you did in little bursts. I can't believe you've endured all those things and are still sane… and still taking the blame for things you have no control over. Your Shadows said you've only ever wanted to help and protect, that what you do and suffer is all for love. Now I really understand that. Which is why I don't want you feeling badly on my account… regardless of what I said when I was off on my personal pity party. Your only part in what's happened in my life lately, has been efforts to help and soften some pretty hard blows. And I'm really sorry I bashed you in the face."
"Pull over," Ianto whispered hoarsely, all the events of the morning finally catching up and setting an all too familiar constrictive ache in his chest. "Somewhere quiet…"
The former PC swung into the carpark of a closed business and stopped, releasing her safety belt and turning toward her young countryman as he began to choke for air, both shaking hands gripping the shoulder strap of his seat restraint.
"What can I do?" Cooper asked worriedly.
"N… nothing…" Ianto gasped, his muscles jerking as his spine started to stiffen. "D… Don't… panic…"
The Changeling's head went back with the first convulsion, wringing an involuntary strangled cry from him, the world retreating into void for several long minutes as the seizure ran its course. When reality started to bleed back into his consciousness, he could feel a small, cool hand stroking his forehead, heard his friend's voice telling him everything was alright. Tear blurred vision finally returned and he found the raven-haired woman sitting half on the centre console to face him, her expression clearly concerned.
"You doing okay, sweetheart?" she queried quietly, using a tissue from the glovebox to wipe the cold sweat and tears from the young Welshman's face, and dab fresh blood from his split lip. "I loosened your tie, but I wasn't sure how else to help."
"That was fine," Ianto breathed, still somewhat unsteady and now very tired. "Sorry about that… haven't managed to avoid the whole neural overload thing yet. It's been a rough morning."
"Don't apologise," Gwen insisted firmly, leaning close to kiss him on the forehead. "You've still got months of adjusting left according to your Shadows, and God knows I had you plenty stirred up this morning. It's fine, sweetheart, as long as you're feeling better now."
"Tired, but yeah… I'm okay," Ianto nodded, reaching up to tighten and straighten his tie.
"You want to have a rest in the car when I get to the market?" Cooper offered, shifting to resume her seat and prepare to get back on the road.
"That would be terribly rude of me," the twenty-six-year-old frowned, adjusting his safety belt and trying to relax in spite of the strange unease that he hadn't been able to shake since leaving the Hub for Penarth at 7:00 that morning. "I'll be fine."
"Then you can have a bit of a lie down when we get to me Mam's house," Gwen suggested determinedly. "I know Jack usually sees you through these, and you're always exhausted after. So, I won't make you stay put when I go in for lunch things, but I will be a pest until you've gotten some rest."
"You sound like Rhiannon," the young Archivist half-smiled. "Guess you're taking the surrogate sister thing seriously with this."
"Too bloody right," Cooper chuckled, circling around in the empty carpark and pulling back out onto the road.
They made their way to the small local market Rhys had turned Gwen onto many months ago, popped in for a pre-cooked roast chicken meal and several side dishes which Ianto insisted on paying for, then headed off for Mrs. Cooper's little place in Mumbles. Everyone was inside when they arrived, having volunteered to entertain the baby or help Rhys get the recently delivered replacement for the kitchen table assembled. They were in fact just cleaning up and scrubbing off the tabletop when Gwen and Ianto came in. Mary went to hug and kiss her daughter, who then gave her husband a solid "thanks for putting up with me" snog before greeting the rest of the team and picking up Ebrill. Ianto slipped away to put the lunch items on the table or in the microwave to reheat, only to get snagged by his partner and escorted from the room.
"Gwen said you had a pretty bad seizure in the car," Jack stated evenly, gently touching the bruised area just below the younger man's mouth. "And you're still shaking all over. You need to get your head down for a while, no arguments."
Mrs. Cooper suddenly appeared; her expression concerned.
"Not feeling well, dear?" she queried, reaching out to take hold of the young Guardian's nearest hand. "Come on. You come upstairs with me, sweetheart, we'll get you away from all the racket for a bit."
Ianto cast his partner a "help me" look, but the older immortal simply grinned and waved. Mary led him up to her bedroom, had him take off his boots, field jacket and tie, and undo his shirt's top three buttons. Then she insisted that he lie down on the bed so she could cover him with a heavy quilt from the cedar chest at the end of the old four-poster. She smoothed his hair and kissed him on the forehead as though he were her own child, gave him a reassuring smile.
"You rest, sweetheart," Mary soothed, sounding very much like her daughter. "Feels like you've got a touch of fever, so some sleep will do you good. I'll save you a plate for when you're feeling better. Shall I close the door?"
"Open's fine," Ianto murmured, feeling embarrassed, strangely happy, and unaccountably frightened all at the same time. "Thank you, Mrs. Cooper."
"You're very welcome, dear," the aging blond smiled. "And it's the least I can do for how much you've helped my family recently."
Then she was headed back downstairs, leaving the young Scieron Changeling to close his tired eyes for a span. This truly had been a hard day, and it wasn't even noon yet. With luck, all would be much improved when Ianto rose from his unwanted but much needed nap.
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AN: Hopefully the day in Mumbles will turn out to be a good one for the team… but what's making Ianto feel so uneasy?
Thank you to those reading the story. And thank you to those who have followed, favourited, and reviewed. NM