3
"In a thousand years, you will not even remember me" Ianto said softly as he snuggled in the bed, the hatch to Jack's office above them.
"A thousand? Ianto… a thousand and a thousand more" Jack whispered back as his hand rubbed lazy circles on Ianto's hip "Each year on the date of your birth, regardless of where I am or what I am doing, I shall stop. Get one of those fat candles and place three coffee beans on top around the wick, and then light it. Then for a moment the entire world will smell of you … for a moment"
"You sappy bastard, stop making fun of me" Ianto laughed, rising to one elbow to look down at him "Don't let your mouth write cheques that you know you can't cash."
"I will never forget you Ianto."
.
.
Ianto woke to a voice. He had fallen asleep listening to the radio and he sat up as Toshiko spoke to someone who he could not hear. Too far away. Were they getting farther away?
He was stuck.
He had started the truck only to find a pack of Monsters nearby who had responded to the sound by rushing to find him. They had known all along he was there and been waiting to get him, to get at the opened garage door and get into the food. It had been a crap shoot, he had half-pie expected it but it was still disappointing to know any form of engine was still a no-go. He had been forced to leave the truck and run for a nearby bank where there was little to nothing of worth for him and Emma. He was stuck.
The noon sun was going to give him a small window of opportunity to get out and he was now watching for them to slide off for their afternoon nap or whatever the hell they do. They reminded him of Neanderthals, their weird gait almost Weevilish and their aggression so territorial and the men were worse than the women. No talking but a common agreement sort of thing.
The women just wanted to kill the children of anyone else whereas the men wanted to kill the world. They looked human still, apart from the glassy eyes that didn't seem to focus properly and the inhuman strength coupled with the speed of a bloody Olympic sprinter. More than once Ianto had been thankful for his mad running skills learned on the job.
The rain clouds were covering the sun, making it grey and dreary out there. Bugger. He cursed softly as he settled in knowing he would not be able to go anywhere today. They were not to going to leave him, they wanted him and the baby who had been smelt. She actually didn't cry, this had been a rare thing that otherwise might have got them both killed. He was starting to accept that she was mute.
He would have to wait until dawn. Fuck it, he was running out of time to meet up with Torchwood and no way of telling them that he was on his way. They would not wait for him, he might not get another chance.
Goddamn it.
.
.
Emma was quiet like she knew it was bad news that her new Taddy was muttering to himself as he paced the bank. He had broken into the vending machines the staff lounge and had filled up on crisps and snack bars. He had also wanted some of the other foods but knew that the power had been off so long that not everything was safe so he stuck to the junk food.
He knew he was not going to get her to settle this way so he tried to calm down, the chair pulled up to the sofa to form a strange crib for her also meant he could hopefully sleep too. One thing about it being a bank, he knew it was secure once he put the huge bolt across the door.
He settled to place the fresh batteries he had found in the supply closet into the radio and then he could hopefully listen in the hopes that Toshiko might broadcast again.
.
.
Knocking.
He walked to the side door and peered out to find a man there in disarray looking frantically behind him as he slid around the bank banging on the glass windows. Damn it. Ianto looked him over and knew he would be no better than the things out there if he didn't let him in so he drew back the bolt and the man rushed in, helping push the door shut as he gasped for air.
He had clearly been running and was so relieved as he slid down the wall and then sobbed softly. "thank you… god... thank you. I saw a light like a torch … I was so hopeful."
Ianto sighed as he crunched and took in his sorry state, then nodded "Come on. They can still smell us near the doors. We have to go into the staff room where it's far from the windows and doors. Come on… there is food and drink."
The man nodded and staggered after him along the semi darkness of the corridor to the room where a small snuffling noise alerted Ianto to Emma being woken by the noise. Ianto rushed to collect her up and croon as he got the bottle of milk from his inner shirt.
"Holy shit… a baby?"
"Yeah. Her mother died, left her all alone in the street and I couldn't leave her" Ianto said as he adjusted the bottle. "I called her Emma after I decided she was going to live."
"Yeah. Crazy that" the man agreed as he sat and opened a candy bar to eat with moans of delight.
"Hmmm?" Ianto hummed "Crazy what?"
"The immunity thing. So few of us didn't get sick or just got like… a flu. So few. I don't know why I was spared when my entire family wasn't. Ya know? My parents, sister and her kids… all gone. I mean, if it was something in the DNA then… one of them would be spared too right?" the man said once he had downed an entire can of Pepsi.
"My niece almost made it. I thought she would but then on the fourth day she started to get the fever and I could only hold her. Lie to her. Burry her" Ianto agreed softly "My sister's phone call on the second day was all I needed to know that her and her son didn't make it either."
"It just came so fast. The weird dust, then the sickness. Then the deaths. Those body bags piling up on the news, like it was some horror movie" the man sat back "Daryl. My name is Daryl."
"Nice to meet you Daryl, I'm Ianto" Ianto smiled, hopeful that finally he was starting to get a break here. Two of them would have a better chance of getting Emma to safety.
Right?
