Another Life by a_silver_story | Part 23

[a_silver_story]

Title: Another Life
Chapter: 23 | 23
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Author: a_silver_story
Genre Alternate Universe, Romance
Rating: NC-17 just to be safe.
Warnings: A bit of angst, and some tentacles and d/c in the future.
Disclaimer: If I owned anything in this, I'd be a rich rich rich bitch. However, I am not a rich rich rich bitch so you may all, therefore, assume I own nothing. Which I don't. It all belongs RTD and the BBC, in case any of you didn't know.
Summary: Ianto finds himself heartbroken and alone, but eventually learns that no matter what point in Captain Jack Harkness' life he finds himself, they will always fall in love.





Torchwood Index/Masterlist

First Part















Another Life



Another Life XXIII

Giacomo returned notably more chipper than when Ianto last seen him. After a moment of shyness, they'd both closed up away from each other, before Giacomo let out a squeak and ran over to Ianto as he got down on his knees, arms open wide to hug him.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!" Giacomo whispered.

"Me too," Ianto assured him. "Me too."

Jack had a hushed conversation with Rhys, who left without speaking to Ianto, and then sank into the settee. "At least Giacomo is being mature about this."

"I wasn't exactly polite," Ianto reminded him, shifting the sofa as Giacomo tried to climb on top of him and onto his lap.

"He could at least talk to you," Jack replied.

"Mm," Ianto shrugged. "It's up to him, innit? Oi, don't you get comfortable, you." Ianto poked Giacomo. "You're not going to sleep there."

"Tired," Giacomo mumbled.

"I'll make your bed up - Jack, shift."

The Captain decided not to wait pointedly for a 'please' and got up. He got Giacomo washed and changed as Ianto made up the sofa bed, and took a moment to crouch in front of him while they were alone to talk.

"How're you feeling?" Jack asked.

Giacomo shrugged. "Okay."

"I mean ... I mean about what happened today. How do you feel about that?"

Giacomo averted his eyes and started tugging at the hems of his sleeves. "Bad."

"How 'bad'? What do you mean? You can tell me what you're feeling, can't you?"

Fidgeting, Giacomo stared at his bare feet and wiggled his toes. "It's my fault. And now Rhys and Ianto aren't friends. I'm sorry, Dad."

Jack sighed and reached out to squeeze his shoulder, but instead Little Jack fell forward into his arms and gripped as tightly as he could. The Captain patted his back gently as he returned the hug. "They'll sort themselves out," he reassured him. "They always do."

"Is Ianto still mad at me?"

"No, no. He's more mad at himself."

"I never meaned it," Giacomo sniffled into Jack's shoulder.

"Neither did Ianto. We don't always mean what we say, and more often than not we don't say what we mean."

Giacomo pulled out of the hug to give Jack a watery smile.. "Did Ianto teach you that?"

Jack shrugged. "Maybe," he replied, nonchalant. "Come on - let's get you tucked into bed."



~*~*~*~



After being grudgingly forced to agree to forgive and forget, Ianto and Rhys were not only back on speaking terms, but helping each other with the final preparations before they were scheduled to climb aboard the buses and wave goodbye to the School for good.

"Do you know what they're going to do with the building?" Rhys asked, taping up a box and sticking a red-coloured label on the top with Giacomo's Stuff written on it neatly to each side.

Ianto shrugged. "No idea. Jack won't talk about it and since I got effectively fired after my breakdown I have no idea what's going on."

"I've got my fingers crossed it becomes whatever today's equivalent of a Spearmint Rhino might be. Never got to go to ours, and I'd love to say someone 'Yeah - I used to live in the Spearmint Rhino, but ... times moved on, y'know'?"

Ianto laughed. "You never went to the Spearmint Rhino?"

"Did you?"

"I used to live in London. Myself and a few others from Research, a couple of guys from Archives, one or two from HR and a fair few from the labs tried it out one weekend."

"Did it live up to the hype?"

"Not really," shrugged Ianto. It did, but he didn't want Rhys to feel like he'd missed out. "I missed that week's Battlestar Galactica. Not cool."

Rhys sniggered. "Not from my perspective."

"My girlfriend went with us ..." - She was dancing on the tables - "... kinda stunted things."

"You never went again?"

"Nope," shrugged Ianto, carefully stacking books in alphabetical order from Giacomo's rather chaotic pile of them. "Well ... I went to a strip club again, but not that one. Have you never even been to a strip club?"

"I met Gwen at college and ... well ... I didn't really feel the need. What was the point of going out to pay for a lap dance when ... y'know ..."

Ianto's eyeline drifted off into the middle distance, and Rhys frowned at him. Ianto tilted his head to the side. "I'm seeing ... lots of ... lace ... and a basque and stockings ..."

"Oi! Stop fantasising about my missus!" Rhys demanded, though his tone was playful.

"Only if you promise to stop fantasising about mine."

"Ugh!" Rhys grimaced. "I do not fantasise about Captain Jack Harkness ..."

"Whatev-oh?" Ianto had picked up a book from Giacomo's pile, and several sheets of loose, folded paper had dropped out. He recognised Giacomo's large, shaky, child's messy handwriting covering them, as well as a slightly neater but equally child-like hand. Ianto picked them up and unfolded the first one. "Oh dear Lord ..."

"What? What is it? What's he been writing?"

Ianto's face split into a wide grin. "Love letters! They've been passing notes in lessons! Oh my God - I think I suddenly have true understanding of the verb to 'squee'!"

Rhys snatched the paper, and started grinning, too. "Well, well. Ophelia Hunt, the little vixen."

"They're mostly pictures," Ianto was saying, unfolding the other pieces of paper. "Stickboys holding hands with purple stickgirls, and love hearts and kisses and sunshines. This. Is. So. Cute."

Rhys 'aww'ed accordingly, then started folding the notes back up again. "We shouldn't be looking at these," he said.

Ianto shrugged. "What's he got to hide? If anything, we have every right to read these - make sure he's safe and that."

"He might only be six, but he needs his privacy. You don't want to become the parent that everybody dreads and demand to know every detail of his life, do you?"

"Mmmm. You're right," Ianto replied grudgingly. "But-"

"No."

"Fine," Ianto pouted, and started folding everything back up again and tucking it back into the book. "Are you sure we can't read them through prop-"

"No. I'm surprised at you, Ianto!"

"But I really need for Giacomo and Ophelia to get together. I've already decid-"

"He's six, and you're matchmaking ..."

"Never too young to start!"

Rhys shook his head pityingly. "That poor child."

They carried on packing away Giacomo's things, pausing only when the front door banged open and a very muddy Giacomo followed by a highly amused Captain noisily bustled in.

Ianto was quick off the mark. "Don't you dare throw yourself down on that couch, young man!" he absconded. "Take your muddy shoes and clothes off first!"

Jack was giggling as he found a plastic bag for the filthy clothes and shoes to be put in. Giacomo threw himself down onto the settee just as dramatically as he would have done a moment before, but without bothering to have gotten dressed again. Ianto had a feeling any excuse to wander around naked was a genetically inherited trait for the Harkness lineage.

"Go on," sighed Ianto. "Why are you giggling," he asked of Jack, "and why is Giacomo pouting?"

Jack sat down next to Ianto on the floor, properly sniggering. "We decided to play football, since there was no one else to hog the grass. I was in goal, and when he started losing the penalty shoot out said it wasn't fair me being in goal because I was so big I blocked any chance of the ball going in."

"It wasn't fair!" Giacomo called over from the couch, still naked, arms folded and grumpy.

"Woteva," Jack called back to him. "Anyway," he got back to the story. "I was fine with that, so we switched."

"You were fine with that because you would never let him win," muttered Ianto.

"Hey! I tried to let him win!" Jack defended himself. "I -" He burst out laughing again. "I kicked the ball right at him, it got him in the tummy and knocked him over, and-" He paused to laugh gain. "- and he fell into the muddy bank by the stream!"

Both Ianto and Rhys' faces look rather startled.

Jack huffed. "Well I thought it was funny ..."

Ianto hurried over to Giacomo, taking his suit jacket off to wrap around him. "How long were you wet? Are you shivery? Is your tummy okay?"

Giacomo basked in the attention. "He was mean."

"It was an accident, love," Ianto assured him.

"He laughed!"

Rhys was holding his tongue by the packing. He leaned into Jack conspiratorially. "I promise to laugh when Ianto's gone," he whispered, and they both sniggered.

Ianto narrowed his eyes at them, and added the moment to his mental 'Things To Get Out of Jack at a Later Date' filing cabinet, though it wasn't red-flagged to the 'During Intercourse' section.

"C'mon, Giacomo," he said, carrying on regardless. "Shower, then pyjamas," he ordered. "Big day tomorrow, so you need to be well rested."

Giacomo groaned. "I don't wanna move."

"Nobody does, love. But we are," Ianto sighed, for what felt like the millionth time.

"That doesn't change the fact I don't want to," Giacomo pointed out, chancing a cheeky grin.

"Giacomo?" Jack called from the box of books Rhys and Ianto had been packing, and Ianto glanced over, too, to find Rhys looking a little bit shocked and Jack unfolding a piece of paper from a book open on his lap. "What's this?"

Giacomo turned a little bit pink, and Ianto noticed that the book Jack had open was a different one to the book he and Rhys had found. The piece of paper Jack was holding up was very different, too. Giacomo was steadily getting pinker. "I ... I was given it."

"Ianto ... I think you should look at this."

Jack extended his hand and Ianto took the paper, reading the definitely adult's handwriting carefully covering one side. After about three lines, his eyes were as wide as they could go, and he raised his gaze to Jack, then Giacomo. His mouth opened and closed a few times.

"Who gave you this?" he demanded. "Who?"

"The ... a ... it was in the pile of cards and presents at my birthday."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"It says not to!" Giacomo's eyes were filling up, and Jack was getting to his feet, his expression solemn.

"Ianto, we should go home. Giacomo needs to go to bed."

Ianto folded up the paper and put it in his pocket. "Yes. Yes I think ... yes, you're right."

Rhys was staring at the open book in which Jack had found the paper, dumbfounded. "I'll ... I'll put him to bed," he eventually managed to say.

Ianto stooped and gave Giacomo a hug and a kiss goodbye, but the Captain could barely look at him, despite knowing it wasn't really his fault. He kissed the top of his head, and guided Ianto from the room with a hand on the small of his back, leaving Rhys and Giacomo behind, still wearing Ianto's jacket.

They climbed the stairs quietly, neither speaking until they were in their bedroom, resulting with them both trying to speak at the same time.

"He didn't meant to be bad!"

"We need to submit it as evidence."

Ianto stared at Jack a moment. "Evidence of what?"

"Hmm ... let's think ..."

"He hasn't even done anything wrong yet! We should keep it ... and ... and if he still ... if he still ... y'knows ... then we can turn it over to the police!"

"Ianto," Jack sighed, folding his arms. "The crime hasn't happened for him yet, but it already has for you. The police need to keep a record of every bit of evidence indicating he might commit the crime. I think this falls into that category."

Ianto paled. "Not if I destroy it, it doesn't!"

"Ianto!" Jack gaped, then snapped his mouth shut, taking a deep breath. "I know you want to protect him, I know you think that keeping him away from ... from the 'authorities' and believing vehemently that he doesn't grow up to ... to ... well ... that's not protecting him at all, Ianto. That's worse! Can't you see that's worse? If we can get help for him, then maybe he won't do ... y'know ... but if we don't?"

"He won't. He won't," Ianto insisted.

Jack looked like he wanted to pull his own hair out. "Ianto, I know you want to believe that, and I do, too. But we need to at least try and be objective. We need to prevent this before it gets to punishing it - we need to get all the help we can. This evidence will ensure that. Can't you see that this is how we need to protect him?"

Ianto sagged. "I think this is 'denial', because I still don't want to do it," he admitted before sitting down on the edge of the bed and leaning down to start taking off his shoes, tugging out the laces carefully and pulling them from his feet.

Jack sighed with a heavy heart and sat down on his own side of the bed, leaning down to follow suit. "There's a part of your heart screaming at you to keep it secret, that keeping him safe, that not letting people know that he might do this terrible, terrible thing is what's best. It drowns out your head telling you it isn't."

Rolling his socks and setting them next to his shoes on the floor, Ianto remained silent for a moment, then started unbuttoning his waistcoat. "What happened?" he asked, and sensed Jack tensing.

"That transparent, huh?" Jack bit his lip, slowly unbuttoning his shirt.

Ianto smiled to himself - it wasn't difficult to hide it from Jack when they were sat on opposite sides of the bed with their backs to each other. "You learn from your mistakes, is all. Well ... you usually do." Ianto slid his waistcoat from his shoulders and folded it before putting it on the bed beside him and starting on his belt.

Until he'd slipped his shirt off, Jack remained quiet as he thought about how to word it. He cleared his throat. "Her ... her name was Lola."

Ianto figured it must be emotional upheaval that made him want to laugh and quip, 'she wasn't a showgirl, was she?'. But he managed not to.

"She was twenty-five. She didn't know I couldn't die. She racked up a load of debts, thought she'd claim her inheritance after my brutal murder. Her other Dad had left ... years before. Divorced, no claims. So she would have gotten everything."

Ianto bowed his head, partly because he was upset, and partly because he needed to see the buttons of his shirt. He felt the bed move as Jack pulled his undershirt over his head with a little more force than necessary. "I'm guessing ... it didn't go to plan."

"Nope. I came back. Of course, I ... I 'protected' her. I kept her safe, and I never told anyone. I paid off all her debts. But ... well ... by the time she was thirty, she'd tried again three times and succeeded once more. I slowly learned."

Jack stood as he pulled his trousers down, then his boxers, leaving them in a pile on the floor as he crossed to the open suitcase in the corner with their pyjamas for tonight and their travelling clothes for tomorrow inside. He pulled out his and Ianto's, tossing Ianto's to him and tugging his own up his legs.

"You sure you need those on?" Ianto asked, leaning back across the bed so that he could prop himself up on his elbow, still wearing only his trousers and with his other clothes folded neatly in front of him. "Help me out of mine, I'll help you out of yours?"

Jack crossed the room and sat down on his side of the bed, leaning back on his own elbow so that he mirrored Ianto's position, facing him. He ran the tips of his own fingers softly over the skin of Ianto's bicep, over his shoulder and 'round to the back of his neck, cupping his head. He leaned forward and pressed their mouths together, Ianto's hand coming up to rest on Jack's shoulder as they kissed.

They both laughed when in unison they applied pressure to each other's shoulders in an attempt to push him back. Ianto tried pushing Jack again, a little harder.

"Hmm," Jack murmured. "You're in that kind of mood, are you?"

Ianto pushed again, and this time Jack lay back with it. Ianto followed, throwing his leg over Jack's body and pressing himself down on top of him, burying his head in Jack's neck to kiss and bite.

"Unfortunately," Jack muttered into the skin of Ianto's shoulder. "I'm in that mood, too ..."

Without warning (and with slight yelp of surprise), Ianto found himself flipped onto his back and Jack between his legs, picking up where he left off and kissing his way from Ianto's shoulder to his neck, skipping his mouth and then beginning to work his way straight down, no dallying, to zip-undoing.

Ianto couldn't complain when he had his cock in Jack's mouth, so decided to let this one go and enjoy himself for a bit. "Y'know ..." he muttered. "... we still haven't had sex in your office ..."



~*~*~*~



Jack's office was too far away, Ianto realised as he tried to get up the stairs before Jack himself could simply take him where he stood. He made it there a few feet ahead of the Captain and barely managed to shove the two boxes of stationary supplies from the desk to the floor before grunting in pain as a hand forced him to bend over the hard surface, another pushing his thighs further apart.

The only preparation they'd really done was those few moments when Jack had been sucking his cock and pushing two fingers up inside Ianto's body ...

Ianto hissed through his teeth, cold lubricant hurriedly poured over Jack's cock before he began pushing forward as slowly as he could restrain himself. Ianto tucked his elbows in close to his body, Jack's hand resting on his head and pressing the side of his face into the grain of the desk.

"Okay?" Jack managed to ask, and Ianto nodded as best he could. Jack pushed inside that bit further and groaned when the skin of his thighs met Ianto's body. "Sure you're okay?"

"I've been more comfortable," Ianto replied through gritted teeth. Jack decided that was confirmation enough and grasped Ianto's waist, putting pressure down on him as he leaned forward slightly to improve his angle. He pulled out and pushed back in again. Ianto relaxed around him, the movement becoming easier and pace picking up.

After a few minutes or so, Ianto groaned in frustration as Jack slowed until he was at a gentle rock. Without warning, Ianto pushed down on the desk and shoved himself backward, hearing Jack groan then feeling him stumble backward and slip out of him. Ianto hated Jack for pulling out of him for more than a second of time during the act, but he doubted there could ever be anything better than pushing Jack Harkness down onto his own desk, straddling him and taking him deep inside.

Jack still looked a little confused as to how he's wound up on his back, but was quickly not caring as Ianto kneeled over him, rested a hand on each of his shoulders and began to ride him, setting a pace he wouldn't possibly be able to keep up.

Running hands up Ianto's chest, Jack watched Ianto's face as they both revelled in each other's bodies before moving his hands to trail lower and lower, down past Ianto's hips until he could grip the back of Ianto's knees.

Ianto tired too quickly, and Jack tugged at his knees. "Crouch over me," Jack panted. "That's what I want. Crouch over me ..."

Ianto was at the stage where he would do anything Jack asked him to at that particular moment, and complied without question no matter how undignified or inelegant the request might seem. He held onto his knees, finding his balance as he brought his feet forward and got up so that he could crouch. Ianto screwed his eyes shut, feeling Jack raising his hips and pushing up inside him, trying to concentrate on sensation as well as not falling off the desk.

Jack gripped Ianto's waist, pushing him up a bit, trying to make him move himself up and down. He controlled Ianto's pace, making him move slowly, watching him gasp and groan as both lactic acid and pleasure built up in his body. Ianto's legs were beginning to ache and strain, and he let out a moan that was more pain than pleasure as his thighs and calves began to make his legs shake.

Ianto could see Jack's lungs working hard and fast beneath his chest, the muscles in his stomach contracting and relaxing as he breathed and panted. Finally Jack began to take over, drawing his knees up so that he could dig his heels into the desk and lift himself up and inside Ianto's body toward the final throes.

His hands moved to rest on Ianto's neck.

People often put sex and death together, associating the two. For some reason, people find death sexual, though Ianto never had. Maybe he'd seen too many grizzly deaths, or too many painful ones, or too many grieving families.

But with Jack's hands resting as they were, somewhere between a caress and a challenge, he understood something. Death was, in no way at all, sexual. The threat of it, on the other hand ... something about the threat, the danger ... going over the edge into the unknown ... And the threat was there, beneath Jack's fingers. Jack's thumb traced down over Ianto's throat, feeling Ianto swallow and his Adam's apple bob beneath it.

He would never squeeze - Jack never played with death - but the point was that he could.

Ianto's body tensed entirely, the nerve-endings that had suffered the ache of his position blanketed and soothed with warm pleasure.

Jack was still hard inside him, and now that Ianto had his faculties back he could properly concentrate on making him come. Ianto lifted himself off Jack's body, and the Captain made an almost desperate sound that might have been the word 'No!'. Ianto smirked at him, turning so that he was straddling Jack but facing his feet. With one hand, he lined Jack up, and the other he set behind him to lean back on as he lowered himself back down.

Groaning, Jack reached up, resting his hands on Ianto's shoulders and trying to tug him to lie back. Trying not to laugh at his eagerness, Ianto lay back flat, his back pressed to Jack's torso as arms wound around him to hold him tight. He tipped his head back over Jack's shoulder, turning slightly to kiss the corner of his mouth, feeling the tension of Jack's body below him thrumming and growing. With is feet flat on the desk, Ianto lifted himself minutely, just enough so that he could move his lower body around in a circle.

Jack was holding him far too tightly, his nails digging in and his muscles so tense the veins stood out.

There was a yell of surprise.

Ianto's head snapped around to the office door.



~*~*~*~



Coming inside Ianto's body was supposed to be an intimate and savoured moment (at least, this time it was. In private). It was a moment for just them, that other people weren't supposed to see.

Let alone Rhys Williams.

Ianto was making him a very strong coffee, since his ability to pull on clothes matched Jack's ability at getting out of them. Jack was still in the bedroom, taking his time cleaning his stomach and pulling on his pyjama bottoms. Ianto had told him in plain terms that he was to wear them, even if Jack didn't see the point now that Rhys had seen everything.

"Just be lucky Giacomo had dropped his crayons in the corridor and was too busy picking them up to see anything!" Ianto had snapped in a stage-whisper.

The scent of strong, strong coffee drifted through to Jack's nostrils, and he poked his head around the door to see Ianto, wearing his full three-piece suit, including jacket, and serving coffee. Giacomo was lying on his tummy with Shirley sat patiently on his sheet of paper as he drew around her front paws.

"Jack?" Ianto called, his face still pale. "Could you walk Giacomo back down to Rhys' flat, please?" His head snapped up suddenly, as if he'd thought of something. "Actually ... erm ... I'll get him to sleep in our bed, and then carry him down later."

Jack shrugged. Giacomo was already in his pyjamas, but didn't look too happy about being told to go to bed. Jack and Rhys were left to sit and talk awkwardly as Ianto tucked him in, Jack leaning back on the couch topless and tanned, Rhys sipping his strong, hot drink and carefully avoiding eye contact.

"I ... erm ..." Rhys began, clutching his coffee cup. "I couldn't help but notice ... Ianto ... erm ... didn't seem ... uh ... 'excited' at the ... y'know ... was ... y'know ..."

"He'd already come," shrugged Jack.

"Oh. Oh, I see. That's okay then." Rhys gulped some coffee.

"So ... what brings you up here?" Jack asked.

"Oh! ... well ... I would have rang ahead, y'know, but the phones were disconnected this morning and ... and y'know ... I figured if we made a lot of noise on our way down to the flat then you'd have warning enough, but ..."

Jack laughed. "Ah."

"After you'd gone," Rhys continued. "Giacomo took me through all the books he'd hidden things in. And ... I figured I should show you something else he had."

Jack's face had turned serious. "Oh? What would that be?"

Rhys tugged a folded sheet of artist's cartridge paper from his jeans pocket and grimly handed it over. Jack unfolded it, and found a highly detailed drawing - graphite and charcoal - that was clearly not done by Giacomo's hand.

Well, at least not yet, anyway.

It depicted a knife, similar to an ornate letter opener that Jack already had in his office, and it had been drawn in a hurry and a rush, that much Jack was certain. Underneath, in a flowing script made jagged by the charcoal stick used to write it, were the words, 'This Is The How ...'

"When did he get this? How did he get this? Is there more?"

"Just this," Rhys replied, passing him the piece of squared paper he'd pulled out while Jack had been examining the first.

It was covered in calculations, angles and notes in the same handwriting as beneath the drawing. Jack recognised the references to architecture and the weak points of a building, and the memories of the school buildings crashing down came back with full force. He turned the paper over to find a list of names and numbers, then in red pen at the bottom, 'You'll understand when you're thirteen.'.

Jack shuddered. "It's like ... it's like he's ... grooming himself ..."

"What?"

"Oh ... erm. Nothing. Just talking to myself," Jack said hurriedly, mentally kicking himself for nearly ... well, for 'nearly' many things. He folded up the papers. "I'll have to show them to Ianto."

Rhys nodded. "I'll be off then ... erm ... is he staying here, or coming with me?"

"I'll carry him down for you, if you like. If he's asleep. We'll wait for Ianto to give us the 'okay'."

Rhys nodded again. "Safer idea. Erm ... I was ... I was wondering .... what are you going to do with the ... the drawings, and stuff? 'Cause, I doubt they mean anything or anything, right? Probably just some weirdo sending him stuff, making it look like ... I dunno. Maybe tryna ... throw the limelight on Giacomo a bit ... and ... make him look suspicious ... like ... as he grows up?"

Jack bit his lip and rubbed his chin. "Maybe," he replied cagily. Aside from the fact Ianto saw him and the Doctor knows. "The police will figure it out."

"The ... the police? You're gonna ... y'know?"

"Definitely."

"Oh. But ... he's a good kid. He is. He'd never ... he wouldn't. I know he wouldn't."

"Rhys," Jack said, as gently as he could.

"Innocent until proven guilty," Rhys cut him off.

Jack swallowed, and glanced down at the papers in his hand. "Rhys," he repeated. "I will do anything and everything in my power to protect my son and my family. Do you doubt that?"

Rhys sniffed. "No. Funnily enough, I don't doubt that," he admitted. "Bu-"

Ianto crept back into the room, closing the bedroom door behind him before turning and almost tasting the atmosphere in the room. He didn't have to say anything; he simply raised an eyebrow.

Jack held out the papers. "From inside more of Giacomo's books."

Ianto unfolded them, his eyes widened, and then he schooled his features into a stoic mask. He read over them quickly. "I think ... I think we should see how his handwriting develops and ... erm ..."

Rhys nodded. "That's what I was thinking!"

Jack threw his hands up. "Ianto, Rhys: you're both wrong. Yes Ianto, even you. I'm taking charge of this whole situation. Give me the papers." Ianto held them out solemnly. "Good," Jack huffed. "These are going to the police tomorrow, as well as the first one."

He snatched them from Ianto's hand and held onto them safely.

He'd never say it out loud, but he really did hate how love could make the most level-headed and sensible people stop thinking straight and do stupid things.

Even Ianto.



~*~*~*~



"NO! I don't want to go!" Giacomo yelled, his fingers clawing into the doorframe leading to the lobby.

"Well ... we ... have ... to!" Ianto grunted, trying to drag him along without damaging his Captain Coat. Everyone else was on the bus, and they were just waiting for the Captain and his family.

"No! No! No, no, no!"

"Fine!" sighed Ianto, giving up. "Stay here on your own, then. There's no electricity, no water, no phones - no Shirley, since she had no qualms getting on the bus - no me, no Dad, no Rhys. Only empty fishtanks and - hang on!"

Ianto glanced around, as if expecting an answer to his sudden thought to jump out at him.

"Where is your father?"

Jack had been stood behind him only a moment ago, watching the wrestle with amusement. He was now gone.

"That's it!" Ianto snapped, and hauled Giacomo up onto his shoulder. Giacomo started kicking and struggling. Ianto managed to get him out to their huge bus, one of the same type as had come only a week or so before to collect the first lot of passengers, hovering over the lawns. Ianto spotted their seat numbers on the front row of the bus, and strapped Giacomo down into the middle of the three.

"Sit there, and behave or else you're going to just embarrass yourself in front of everybody. I need to find where your father has wandered off to."

A young woman on the next set of seats volunteered to keep an eye on Giacomo while Ianto found the Captain, batting her eyes a little flirtatiously and laughing when colour rose in Ianto's cheeks at her obviousness.

It took him nearly fifteen minutes to find Jack, stood on his own in a dark room near the centre of the building, his big, black coat given to him by Ianto fastened to the neck.

"This was part of the original building," Jack explained, not needing to turn to see who had found him. "This was the living area. There were ... there were five of us. This didn't used to be rural landscape - this was part of a town. I bought a house here, a cheap one, and ... took in a couple of people. Of course ... I never stopped taking them in."

Ianto stood in front of him, squeezing his hand but not saying anything.

"This was two thousand years ago," Jack smiled. "But I remember ... I remember there were five. And I remember thinking 'Lord - this place ain't big enough', and building a whole dormitory with state funds especially for the time refugees. That dormitory became the east block ... and the markets ... and the school rooms. The west block grew from my en suite."

Ianto laughed, and pulled Jack into his arms. "I can't even imagine how hard this is for you."

Jack hugged him tightly. "It's not as hard as it could be. It's just ... the same as before, really. Shedding one life, beginning another. At least this time I won't be doing it alone." He drew his head back so that they could smile at each other.

"We have to go," Ianto sighed. "The bus is waiting, and I left a flirtatious blonde keeping her eye on Giacomo."

"You better go and save her before he turns on his masculine charms," grinned Jack, before his expression softened. "Just give me a moment longer, okay? I'll be right behind you."

Ianto nodded, and made his way back out to the bus. The driver droid gave him a rather annoyed look. "He'll be two minutes," he reassured it. It gave a very good huff of disapproval as Ianto went to sit by the window next to Giacomo. "Has he been good?" he asked the blonde.

"Good as gold, haven't you, sweetheart?" she beamed.

"Raia taught me a new game!" Giacomo said enthusiastically.

"Oh?"

Giacomo cleared his throat. "Why are you called 'Ianto'?"

"Erm ... because I am?"

"But why, though?"

"Because that's what my mam and dad called me, love."

"But why, though?"

"Because ... they did."

"But why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

Ianto sighed, then turned in his seat and raised his voice. "Does anybody want to buy a little boy? He talks a lot, but he's good at scrubbing kitchen floors!"

There was a titter of laughter, and Giacomo let out a squeal. "No, no, no! Don't sell me!"

"I'll swap you!" Elaine called from a few rows back, Annabel sat by her side and her wife by the window, holding Ian. There were a few more laughs.

"I'll be good, I'll be good!" Giacomo insisted. "I'll be good! Raia made me do it, Daddy! Raia made me do it!"

There were a few 'aww's, so Ianto sighed thoughtfully. "Well ... I suppose we could keep you a little longer. If you promise to be good."

Giacomo gave him his best pout and puppy eyes, and Ianto smiled fondly. He really did look far too much like Jack.

The doors to the bus hissed open.

Speak of the Devil, thought Ianto, and Jack spotted and them and grinned, almost throwing himself into the seat beside Giacomo.

Ianto raised his eyebrows. "You're suddenly rather chipper."

Jack sighed, then grinned so wide Ianto was dazzled by him. "I just have such a good feeling this time," he said, his eyes twinkling. "Such a good, good feeling."

The doors hissed shut again and the engines cranked up from a purr to a roar as they began to pull away from the School.

"Yeah," smiled Ianto, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Me, too."

Giacomo stared between them from his seat in the middle. "You two might," he huffed, folding his arms and scowling as the bus began to speed away. "But I don't!"

Neither of his parents replied.

With shadows momentarily in their eyes, Jack and Ianto glanced at each other.





THE END















What? The END? But ... so many unanswered questions - you can't leave unanswered questions!


... actually, yes. Yes I can. Especially if there's going to be a second part. (Can't really call it a sequel ... a sequel comes after a complete story. A volume, perhaps?)

Sequel: 'To Another'

Begins here


Previous Part | Torchwood Index | Request a Convo/Prose Fic

Comments

[squirrelytonks.livejournal.com]

awwwww for endings.. but YAY for second parts!!!

i had hot chocolate and smut... i just need yummy biscuits and then things would be perfect!

[amuly.livejournal.com]

Hahaha. I was about to kill you for ending it there, even though it's already epically long!! But then I read the note, so I'm happy ^.^

Also: Poor Rhys. Kekeke.

[elanor12.livejournal.com]

Thank god for your note at the end, because I was ready to throw at fit at 'THE END'. Whaat?

I'm looking forward for more of this...as any of your story really. ;-)
It is a good place to end a part though.

[middler2008.livejournal.com]

Wow what an ending...Yes for the next part.. When is it coming please don't make us wait too long.

[rosy5000.livejournal.com]

I saw the Chapter: 23 | 23 in the header and was like "WHAT???" So happy to read the notes about another part. :D There are waaaay too many questions needing answered, especially after the part about all the notes!

[alt_universe_me.livejournal.com]

This is really incredible. I am so sucked into this world, and I got totally scared for everyone when they kept finding the creepy notes. I got shivers! As everyone else said, thank goodness for second parts. Can't wait!

[firefly-124.livejournal.com]

Wow. You throw in layers of intrigue and foreshadowing and then say "The End"? Relieved to see there'll be another part/volume/sequel/thing. Also, you may be amused to note that the filter at work objected to me trying to find out wtf a Spearmint Rhino is. (I mean, from the context, it seems to be a strip club, but you can live there?) Anyway, point is, I was thrilled to see this chapter, loved it, and am eagerly anticipating the next bit!

[kholran.livejournal.com]

*Gigglesnort* Poor Rhys...thinking that noise would be enough of a warning *shakes head*

And yaaaaay for more!

[jadis-88.livejournal.com]

My heart just stopped, when I read the note about this being "the end" of the story. I'm so looking forward for more <333

[alchemistpotion.livejournal.com]

What! The End?

Oh,well, if there's going to be another part then,I suppose It's alright.

[xrai-namere.livejournal.com]

I almost had a fit seeing "THE END", so thank god for your note.
Poor Rhys! (though I certainly wouldn't mind walking in on Janto XD) And an interesting development on the mystery surrounding Giacomo's futures self- can't wait for the next part!

Thank you for sharing this awesome AU! *worships at Silver's feet*

[tori-santa.livejournal.com]

OMG that's the greatest icon ever.

[xrai-namere.livejournal.com]

Um, thanks! :)
The quote isn't mine though, I saw it on a few others and then stole it for my own use. *shifty eyes* So you can steal it and make it your own too. Spread the love.
Love your icon too. Squee indeed. ;D

[chironsgirl.livejournal.com]

Jack can always start up a new sanctuary.....he started with 5,he can start again.
XOXOXO

[aviv-b.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you are going to continue this. So many things in motion - will G grow up to be a monster? What will happen with J&I's married status? And Rhys, will they all come together or will new stesses tear this little family apart? Can't wait!

[meshell-mybell.livejournal.com]

Okay, you officially rock! I love this story and am now so invested in, well, all your stories that the idea of this continuing in some way makes me very happy.

Your writing is addictive and engrossing and it kills me a little at the same time. It's the characters and the things you do to them that keeps me coming back for more and more.

Keep it up! You'll always have a stalker in me.

[celstaredflower.livejournal.com]

Ah! I read "THE END" and my brain stopped.

Yay for a second part!!! :D I can't wait. Also, I think the ending fit well with the title of your story--"Another Life" where at the end Ianto is about to enter another new life since getting thrown into the future by the Rift. :) (Gah. Excuse my shaky grammar/punctuation, I've got a nasty chest infection. Not thinking so clearly. @__@)

[lone-star-woman.livejournal.com]

"I ... erm ..." Rhys began, clutching his coffee cup. "I couldn't help but notice ... Ianto ... erm ... didn't seem ... uh ... 'excited' at the ... y'know ... was ... y'know ..."

Aww... Rhys is concerned about Ianto's enjoyment. How sweet. :-)

And I love how quickly that scene becomes creepy.

I'm glad you've decided to continue this story. Looking forward to more.

[deathbymutation.livejournal.com]

I'll take this as the end (until later) as long as I get my aphrodisiac IM drabble.

[delennbr.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize it was the end in the beginning, I only saw the 23/23 later. But I'm ok with it since there's going to be a second part, yaaaaay :D

[i-own-ianto.livejournal.com]

*cries* I can't believe it's over, but as long as there is a second "volume".
I love it, I love you, we all love each other...
That was amazing (sorry how long it has taken to review, i just moved across the world and am not enjoying London summer...you call this summer????????????)
anyway, next volume soon please,
i love it *kisses*

x

[eebee-07.livejournal.com]

AH! -flails-

I just read the whole thing of this like, over the last day and a half. It was AMAZING and you're BRILLIANT and now I would like some more. Please? Pretty please?

-not above begging and/or bribery- >.>

[hauntingblood.livejournal.com]

This is one of the best stories I have ever read! (and Ive read alot too...) but its just gives you that Awww factor but the Ahhh factor (if that makes sense) and the Charaters developed so well and its just like perfect (in literaure terms but also in the fandom terms)
Wonderful Writer you are!
muchlove
xx
And im proud to say that I read this plus like 8 other longg novel-y-storis in two days(or three if you count that it just past midnight) hehehe=P

[a-silver-story.livejournal.com]

awww thank you! I'm glad you liked it, and took the time to comment XD

[codename-sherry.livejournal.com]

How come I only found this fic two days ago?! *gasp* It was brilliant, I couldn't stop reading, I only did to sleep, eat or go to work. Speaking of work, I really have to go now or I'll be late. But let me just say one more time: I absolutely adore this fic and your writing style. I loved how you developed the characters and the story and if there's a second part, I'll be there to read it *gives you a big hug*