Torchwood Fic: Matters of Trust (Jack/Ianto, R, part 6/6)

[marita_c]

Title: Matters of Trust

Rating: R
Spoilers: Up to 2x12 "Fragments".
Disclaimer: Not mine, no profit.
Summary: Trust is a crucial part of a relationship. Apparently, so are lies, pretence and deception.

 

Notes: Takes place sometime in late season 2, before "Fragments". This idea struck me as I was leaving work one day, and made me grin like a crazy person all the way home. I can't help it – angst makes me happy (they're just so pretty when they're miserable…)

 

Thanks: To Stella, my wonderful beta ( smtfhw )

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5

Chapter 6

 

"Breathe, will you?" Owen tells the couple staring horrified at the little screen. "He's wearing a vest."

 

Gwen shakes her head. "At this range…" she trails off.

 

"Do you see any blood?" Owen asks, exasperated.

 

"No blood," Jack says shakily, yet he's still unable to take his eyes off Ianto's unmoving form on the floor.

 

Jack's earpiece crackles as Jay calls him again. "You will tell me how to fix the distorter, or I will kill these people one by one," he says coldly. On the screen, his expression looks completely insane.

 

Behind Jay, Jack sees Ianto stir, his eyes opening fractionally. He releases a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Jay, you must calm down. I'm getting the blueprints for the transporter now. I'll tell you how to repair it, but if you hurt anyone else, we're through. Are we clear?" Jack speaks with a confidence he doesn't really feel.

 

Jay stops right in front of the camera and glares up at Jack. "I suggest you hurry," he answers, and disconnects the phone.

 

"Blueprints?" Owen asks sceptically.

 

Jack rolls his eyes. "I had to buy us some time. Do you have the photos we took of that thing?" he asks.

 

"Here they are." Gwen reaches behind her and hands him a manila envelope.

 

On screen it looks as if Ianto is trying to reach into the back pocket of his trousers. "What is he doing?" Owen mutters, staring at the screen.

 

Jack and Gwen squint at the screen as well. "Hey, Tosh?" Jack speaks into his earpiece.

 

"I'm right here," comes her reply.

 

"Can you enhance the picture? Zoom in on Ianto?"

 

The picture shifts quickly, and they see Ianto pull something small and metallic from his pocket.

 

"Is that a… paper clip?" Gwen asks.

 

Jack leans back in his seat and shakes his head in amusement as he sees Ianto starts working on the handcuffs. "I taught him everything he knows, you know," Jack tells them smugly. "His record with those is nineteen seconds. Timed him myself."

 

Owen rolls his eyes. "We really don't want to hear about your sex games right now. Or ever, for that matter."

 

Jack just grins, and returns the picture to its original state. They are relived to see that Jay still has his back to Ianto, and is completely unaware of what is going on. It takes Ianto nearly a minute to get free of the handcuffs, and they see a pained expression cross his face as he gingerly pushes himself up.

 

"We need to distract him somehow," says Gwen.

 

Jack nods and takes the pictures out of the envelope. "Tosh, call Jay," he says as he flips through them.

 

"Do you have it?" Jay's voice asks after a moment.

 

"Yes, I do," replies Jack.

 

In the background, they see Ianto pulling out the black 'pen' from his shirt pocket as he slowly gets to his feet.

 

"Jay, I need you to hold the distorter close to the camera, so that I can see the markings on the shell," Jack says.

 

Jay complies, taking a couple of steps closer to the camera and holding the transporter in front of him. They all hold their breath as they see Ianto taking advantage of the opportunity to sneak in behind him. Ianto snakes an arm around Jay's chest and grabs him tightly as he plunges the needle into his neck. Jay struggles and manages to knock Ianto to the floor, but collapses almost immediately, his gun clattering to the ground and sliding away from him.

 

"Let's go!" Jack says, and they scramble out of the SUV and run into the café. Gwen hurries to check on the hostages, as Owen and Jack kneel next to Ianto and Jay.

 

"You okay?" Jack asks Ianto. Ianto nods shakily, but moans in pain as Jack helps him to his feet.

 

Owen takes Jay's pulse and looks up at Jack. "He's stable for now, but we need to get him in a cell asap. I don't know how long he'll stay down."

 

***

 

Back at the hub, Ianto is on the bed in the autopsy bay, curled slightly on his side. His eyes are closed and he's taking shallow, painful breaths. Owen steps in, holding two x-rays up to the light and frowning. "Four fractured ribs," he mutters, shaking his head. "That must hurt like a bitch."

 

Ianto opens his eyes and glares at him. "You think?" he says.

 

Owen tsks at him, and reaches for a syringe. "Now, now… no need to get snarky." He draws liquid from a vial into the syringe, and then takes a different vial, and draws some more. "When this kicks in, you'll be singing a whole different tune."

 

He tugs on Ianto's waistband and sticks the needle in his hip. After disposing of the syringe, he sits down on the small swivel chair by the bed and picks up the x-rays again, studying them closely. Ianto's breathing slows and his body visibly relaxes in a matter of minutes. "Can you sit up?" Owen asks.

 

Ianto pushes himself up slowly, pleasantly surprised when instead of excruciating pain there is only mild discomfort. "I think I love you," he says as Owen helps him out of his t-shirt.

 

Owen snorts. "Save it, sweetheart." He runs his hands across Ianto's side and back, poking lightly in a few spots and making Ianto twitch. "This one could use taping," he says mostly to himself, and reaches for tape. When he's done, he takes out a bottle of pills from a drawer and places it on the metal tray by the bed. "You can take one of these every four hours," he tells Ianto, scribbling something on a chart. When there's no reaction he looks up to see Ianto staring off into space. He snaps his fingers in front of Ianto's face. "Hey, you with me?" he asks.

 

Ianto turns to looks at him, a little dazed and says "Hmm?"

 

Owen rolls his eyes. "Brilliant." He reaches for a black marker. "I've rendered you brainless." He scribbles the dose on the pill bottle instead.

 

Jack shows up at that moment, looking down at them from the upper railing. "How's he doing?" he asks Owen.

 

Ianto sends Jack a dazzling smile. "Wonderful," he replies before Owen does.

 

Jack raises an eyebrow, amused. "Hell, Owen… what did you give him?"

 

Owen turns in his chair to look at Jack. "The good stuff. I might've overdone it a little bit." He puts the pill bottle back on the tray and stands up. "Give him a week off, yeah? His ribs are a mess." Jack nods and Owen comes up to stand beside him. "What's up with our guest?" He asks.

 

Jack frowns lightly. "Tosh is about to use an electromagnetic pulse on him because the scanners showed increased levels of…" He pauses, seeming unsure. "Okay, she tried to explain it to me but it sounded mostly like gibberish. Go help her out, will you?" Owen shrugs and leaves.

 

Jack comes down the stairs and advances on Ianto, who's looking at his mangled suit jacket on a nearby chair. "I paid four hundred quid for that suit," Ianto says with a frown.

 

Jack smiles a little. "I'll get you a new one. We can put it on this month's expense report." 

 

Ianto looks back at him, his eyes somewhat glazed over. "Alright," he says.

 

Jack's eyes rake over Ianto's bare torso, and he scowls as he sees the bruises already forming on the younger man's ribcage. He comes even closer, and rests a hand on Ianto's leg, just above his knee. Ianto blinks fast a few times, and moves his hand to rest on top of Jack's.

 

"It almost killed me, when he shot you," Jack says quietly, looking at Ianto steadily.

 

Ianto holds his gaze, and his mouth curves slightly upwards. "It almost killed me too," he retorts.

 

Ianto reaches out a hand and traces one of Jack's braces with the tips of his fingers. His hand moves slowly down to until it reaches Jack's waistband. He snakes a finger into one of the belt loops and uses it to pull Jack forward to stand between his legs, then leans in and kisses him.

 

Jack parts his lips willingly beneath Ianto's. He makes a contented noise in the back of his throat, and deepens the kiss, his hand coming to rest on the back of Ianto's neck, caressing gently.

 

They're both lost in the kiss and it takes a moment for the sound of a throat clearing to penetrate. They break apart and Jack looks up to see Owen leaning on the rail.

 

"Tosh's idea worked. We have one dead alien and one very confused officer Murphy downstairs," he tells them.

 

Jack nods. "Good."

 

"I'll need to run some tests before we retcon him and send him home. That means you two need to continue your happy reunion somewhere else." Owen tries to sound gruff and reproachful, but Jack detects a hint of a smile.    

 

"That's fine. Go get him," Jack tells Owen. He looks back down to see Ianto reaching for his t-shirt. "Come on, I'll drive you home," he says.  

 

Ianto hops down from the bed, and puts his shirt back on. He takes Jack's offered hand and they leave the hub, together. 

Author's note: I'd like to thank all of you who've been reading and commenting on my stories so far – your wonderful feedback is what motivates me to keep writing!