Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ianto watched the stars. He was unable to sleep that night, even after all the running around he did that morning. His mind was working overtime; nothing new there. Since he was a child his parents had noticed how he only needed to see or hear something only once to remember. And he had learned some extraordinary things.

When he was barely 3 years old he had found a not so imaginary friend in the face of a huge, bat like and green creature that kept whispering in his mind whenever he went out in the family garden to play, unlike his own sister Rhiannon who only liked her dollies. Then that green friend brought others and he kept playing with them, listening to tales of how the earth was created and how heroes strove to save it but none could defy them. Then they had asked him to join them but little Ianto had loved his mother too much to make her cry, so he had waved them goodbye but never forgot about them. Even now he stopped and listened at the trees and sometimes he swore he could feel the earth turning, the winds changing. It was a very strange feeling that made Ianto feel even more alone and apart from his peers.

The twenty two year old had then focused at school mostly after that, learning all he could. Until his teens and a rebellious stage he had entered, a stage he tried to forget. It was full of pain, sadness and regrets, too many to count. He still wondered how he managed to get into University after all that. His mind was still miles away when the wind changed and a curious noise was heard. Ianto felt lazy, but his curiosity won out and he stood.

He never expected to find a Blue Police box not two feet away from him, a man leaning on the door.

The stranger wore a suit and a coat, with trainers. His hair was a right mess. The weird look was rather loopy but Ianto shrugged that thought off. He had met people with stranger and more horrid fashion sense. He was debating whether to talk to the man or just leave, go back to his room and sleep; he would need to be well rested in the morning.

Then the stranger talked to him.

Rose had missed her mother. That was enough for the Doctor to agree to take her home for a visit. He hated seeing the blonde woman morose when she was homesick. He had been invited to stay of course, but her mother did not like him, that Mickey guy either. And the Doctor wanted Rose to experience being a normal human. She was his most favourite companion yet, but soon she would grow older, too old to travel with him and all would be over again. He was doing this so she never lost touch with her true time.

That left him alone for that duration though and he hated travelling alone. The TARDIS was not meant for one person, never meant to be so empty.

“Right girl,” the Doctor addressed the TARDIS. “What to do?”

The TARDIS gave a small pulse.

“Really?” the Doctor hummed. “That’s not too far away, time wise or space wise,” he agreed. “Let’s see this then. Shall you do it or should I take control?”

The TARDIS gave another pulse and it jerked, making her Time Lord stumble a bit. It only took a few seconds before they reached their destination and the doors opened.

The alien with the two hearts jumped out without hesitation.

Here he was, the man the TARDIS had brought him to meet. He was star gazing too. A smile broke out on the Doctor’s face. Then the human noticed him and the Doctor saw it: Potential.

“Hello,” he said.

“Hello,” the strange human replied. “Who are you?”

“Me? I’m the Doctor.”

“Doctor?”

“Just Doctor. You?”

“Ianto. Ianto Jones.”

“Do you like star gazing Ianto Jones?”

“I’m not just star gazing,” the young man replied.

“Oh?”

“I feel the Earth move.”

That was one answer the Doctor had not expected to come from a human. Then he caught some movement from the corner of his eye. There was something there, near the human, watching, protecting. The Time Lord had heard the old legends and now he decided he needed to revisit some of the old books he had.

“How does that feel? The Earth moving?” the Doctor asked.

“Alive.”

The Doctor smiled. “How would you like to feel the Universe move?”

The movement at the corner of his eyes stopped. The air blew lightly.

“I think it’s okay for me to do so.”

“You don’t think I’m crazy?” the Doctor asked.

“Do you think I am?” Ianto challenged.

“No. I think that’s fantastic,” the Doctor grinned.

tbc...

Chapter Text

“It’s bigger on the inside.”

The Doctor fought the urge to do a dance on the spot when he heard that phrase. Oh, how he loved hearing it, never tired of it. He in fact expected people to be suitably impressed by the TARDIS.

“Is it?” the Doctor asked. “I never noticed!” he lied. He was really giddy. One more person to know, a whole new adventure to have. He started fiddling around with the controls while thinking which era and which planet would impress Ianto. Nothing too dangerous, nothing too boring.

“How?” Ianto asked. The human was looking around, still in awe at the sight of this odd occurrence.

“Time Lord Technology, big mess, mind boggling and really complicated stuff,” the Doctor waved him off. “Don’t trouble your mind trying to understand.”

The youth did not tell the alien that he had read a book once with theories as to how that was possible. His childhood friends had deposited the book on his desk back when Ianto was still in high school. The twenty two year old gave another look around, touching the walls, looking out the door, peering at the controls but not touching anything there. His eyes were lit up. This was definitely an alien ship then. Ianto was definitely excited. At first he had thought the man, alien, dangerous. But then he felt Them, his childhood friends. They had been there. He had seen them, just in the corner of his eye. They had not been angry, just curious. They had not been hostile either, just wary. Apparently they did not think the Doctor a threat so Ianto would not think him a threat either.

He had decided to follow this strange person on a whim. He could feel it. Change. Adventure. Danger. This person thrummed with their energy and the promise of something more. Ianto knew what it was, it was time and timelessness. It was battle and healing. He grew up feeling this and this Doctor was familiar just as he was new. He did not ask why Ianto had followed him, like he knew the man would, like it was the natural thing to do, follow after a stranger. Ianto knew this man would make him or break him. And that he should live this trip. So he addressed the Doctor.

“Does TARDIS stand for something?” Ianto asked.

“Why yes! It does!” the two hearted alien replied. “It means Time and Relative Dimension in Space.”

“A mouthful.”

“Exactly! Hence why I call her TARDIS. Shorter and rolls off the tongue easily.”

Ianto nodded while he tried to get his mind around what he was seeing. Then he considered the words that made up this ship’s name.

“So what is TARDIS? Besides a space ship?” the youth asked.

The Doctor grinned. “It’s so much more! Tell me Ianto. If there was one time you would like to visit, when would it be?”

“It’s a time machine?” Ianto exclaimed.

The Doctor winked.

“The eighteenth century,” the youth decided. “I always liked hearing stories of pirates. I would like to meet one.”

“Pirates! How come I never thought of that?”

“You can take us to the Caribbean? For real?” Ianto asked.

“Oh! Yes! Hold on tight to anything you can grab!”

Ianto barely had time to find somewhere to hold onto before the TARDIS jerked and the journey began.

“This is not the Caribbean,” Ianto said from the door of the TARDIS.

The Doctor was spluttering. “Of course… Oh. Oh!”

“What?” Ianto asked.

“This is the Belt of the Caribbean. In space!”

Ianto looked around. “Space pirates?”

“Yes! There this one pirate that made history in the year 40.000.”

“We are in the year 40.000?” Ianto inquired.

“Let me… Yes! We are! Want to go to Tortuga?”

“The port?”

“The Planet,” the Doctor grinned. “Well, it’s a port as well, a planetary port. Nice, eh?”

“I guess… but…” Ianto looked at his twentieth century clothes.

The alien got the message.

“I see. Well then, first a tour of TARDIS is needed,” the Doctor offered. “Let me show you my closet.”

Ianto went. The Doctor’s closet was way bigger than his house.

“It’s bigger than a mall!”

The Doctor grinned. “Of course. Any and all the clothes you need!”

Ianto started checking the place out. On one side it was clothes for men and in another for women. There were furs, leather clothes, modern clothes, futuristic, clothes he had no idea what they were made of. And shoes and accessories. He was not a fan of shopping but this was too amazing not to be moved or awed.

“Is that a toga?”

“Mm, yes… I wore it in Nero’s court. That was a lifetime ago.”

“The clothes… so many.”

“Of course.” The Doctor replied. “So, we need to blend in with the pirates. Come here, yes… Absinthian leather and Orvinal cotton.”

“They look like clothes I’ve seen in pirate movies,” Ianto commented but as he touched he could feel the difference in the material.

“Well, get ready! We have an adventure to catch,” the Time Lord told Ianto before whistling and walking away.

“Won’t you change?” Ianto yelled after him.

“Don’t need to!” the Doctor replied with a grin.

“I know I’ll regret this,” Ianto muttered to himself as he undressed and pulled on the leather like dark pants, the soft shirt, the vest and a pair of comfortable boots.

He was debating what else to put on when the stand with the accessories glowed.

“TARDIS?” Ianto asked.

Another glow.

“Okay. So I need a sash you think? Cool! A sword too? This is brilliant!” Ianto mused.

The Doctor was waiting for him.

“We are in Tortuga, here,” he told Ianto, handing him a small credit card in gold colour.

“What’s this?”

“Money, never know when you might need them. They work in every timeline and every planet.”

Ianto blinked. “Thank you. Do I need to pay you back or…?”

“Just have fun.”

“Then I’ll buy you a drink. It’s your money but…”

“No it’s not,” the Doctor hurried to assure Ianto.

“It’s not?”

“No.”

“Then how…?”

“You are a curious one, aren’t you?” the Doctor asked. “Always asking questions, demanding answers.”

“I cannot get my brain to shut up,” Ianto admitted.

“Me neither, imagine that!” the alien replied. “Now, enough chit chat.”

He pushed the doors open and stepped out.

Another thought came to the twenty two year old human just then. In another time, another planet. They were bound to speak a different language.

“What about language?” Ianto asked the Doctor but he was already out there. Ianto took a deep breath and followed.

Ianto was amazed. Everywhere he looked, there were bars and brothels and armour shops and hotels and casinos. Tall towers acted like ports for various shuttles and space ships. He nearly cricked his neck trying to take everything in. the Doctor looked like a small child as well. There were stalls with various goods there and Ianto, like the tourist that he was browsed and asked after various things, making the Doctor smile in approval. He tasted some foods that were offered by the vendors in the street. The card the Doctor had given him was dead useful.

“What is this again?” Ianto asked his alien host.

“Hm, it’s called gladroug,” the Doctor replied, munching on a caramel coated banana he had purchased. “It’s basically nuts that are similar to peanuts, fried in oil from banana trees and covered in caramel.

“Wicked,” Ianto smiled and took another bite.

They were walking down the street when a door opened and a man was thrown out and in front of their feet.

“And don’t come back!” a creature with a goldfish like head yelled and shut the door.

The Doctor and Ianto stared at each other and then at the man that was slowly getting to his feet. He was tall, taller than Ianto and the Doctor. He looked human enough if one ignored his eyes. They were blue, both the irises and the space where the white ought to be.

“My good man,” the Doctor asked. “What seems to be the problem?”

Ianto would have stopped the doctor if he knew what would follow.

The man the Doctor addressed was called Max Blue, from the Planet of Orvinal II, captain of the ship Plague of Orion’s Belt. An honest to god pirate captain of the year 40.000. Ianto was rather under-whelmed by the drunk and pathetic image of the man. Still, curious about his story and reckless enough not to second guess the Doctor, he followed Max along with the Doctor to a nearby pub. After the Doctor’s suggestion, he tried a mead from the catalogue. Then he spent the next two hours listening to Max and his life’s story. Max had a crew of ten. There had been a mutiny and he had been left to die on an outpost near Villengard.

“There used to be a factory there but now it’s just banana’s,” Max complained and Ianto found the Doctor trying to look innocent and failing.

“So, the ship?” the Doctor asked.

“I heard a rumour that it’s here. Viane Tragosa, my former first mate, planned to rob the convoy coming from the Vegas Galaxies full of rich merchants and cash,” Max glowered. “I need to get my ship back.”

“And stop the robbery?” Ianto asked.

Max stared. “Are you an idiot? I need my ship back. Then I will kill those worms and … well, robbing the convoy sounds good actually, but I need a new crew.” He paused and eyed the Doctor and Ianto. “Say, how would you two like to join a pirate crew?”

“I cannot believe this!”

“I heard you the first time.”

“Did you?”

“Of course I did! I’m not deaf.”

“That was sarcasm before, but I really need to question your hearing anyway,” Ianto seethed. “You made me a pirate!”

“I am one as well you know.”

Ianto gritted his teeth. “You really have no sense of right and wrong? He plans to rob that convoy!”

“I heard.”

“And you are not worried?”

The Doctor scoffed. “We’ll be long gone by then. Relax, nothing can go wrong.”

Ianto moaned in pain when his back met the cold steel wall. The Doctor was thrown after behind him and then Max joined them.

“You were saying Doctor?” the human asked the Time Lord.

“Well, you don’t have to rub it in!”

Ianto rolled his eyes. “Tell me that at least you have a plan.”

“Not yet,” the Doctor grinned. “But I will soon.”

Ianto’s shoulders slumped.

They had managed to get untied. Not by themselves of course. No, one of Max’s old crew, a little boy called Xyl, was still loyal to the captain and he had seen them get imprisoned. He had followed their captors. It had taken a while but he had set them free. Ianto had been all in favour of leaving, but the Doctor somehow roped him into helping Max steal one of the escape pods. Then with Xyl had given them a treasure map he had stolen from Viane Tragosa. Thus the hunt for the treasure began. And Ianto, despite his fears and protests, was having the time of his life.

They spent a week with Xyl and Max. Ianto was taught how to pilot the small shuttle and Xyl had went further and taught him a few things about mechanics of this particular ship.

At first Ianto had wondered about the TARDIS.

“She will find us, don’t worry,” the Doctor had assured him.

“You brought her along, didn’t you?” Ianto asked.

“She’s in my room,” the Doctor admitted.

“I knew it,” the human muttered.

Their first stop had been one of the moons of Planet MQ-97. They had come out of the shuttle then, near some ruins. Max had decided they would then walk as the map showed a city was under all this sand and the entrance was nearby. So here they were, trudging across a desert that reminded Ianto of Sahara, but with Antarctica’s temperatures. Thankfully they had all found appropriate clothes before braving the cold.

“There’s nothing on this planet but desert,” Ianto muttered.

“And worms,” Max replied.

“Are they slimy and tiny?” Ianto asked.

“Try slimy and huge,” the Doctor told him.

The twenty two year old winced.

“Captain!” Xyl called out. “I found it!”

Max smirked and they all run after Xyl.

“Haven’t found a city in ages,” the Doctor confided in Ianto. “I’ve met a number of archaeologists in my time you know.”

“I bet you have,” Ianto admitted.

The entrance was easy to find but it was tough for grown men to fit inside. They managed to widen the passage and squeezed inside one after the other.

The buried city was unlike anything Ianto had ever seen. The city had a force field around that kept the sand and the cold out. The building reminded Ianto of reverse pyramids made of grey and black material. There were odd plants in red and purple hues and Xyl informed him that some were poisonous and a couple were carnivorous so the human was on alert. Max was guiding them again. With that map of his, full of squiggles and lines, he was able to tell which building used to be a bank.

“What are we looking for?” Ianto asked the Doctor. “I know it’s a treasure, but what kind of treasure. Is it money? Gems? What?”

“Spices of course,” Xyl had replied, leaving Ianto shocked.

“Ah, yes,” The Doctor muttered. “In this time and part of the universe, spices are a luxury, more precious than money, water and even oxygen. There’s an embargo I think, no, I know. The To’wol Group have banded together with the Ailma Alliance and they control the flow of spices. Cinnamon, vanilla, peppers, everything is controlled by them.”

“Reminds me of a book I once read, or was it a movie?” Ianto conversed.

“Humans always had great minds,” the Doctor said with fondness.

But Viane Tragosa caught up with them just before they found the building the spices were stored in and what followed was a battle that Ianto and the Doctor firmly had no part in. in fact they even took Xyl along so the kid would not need to fight.

“Max is doing quite well without our help,” the Doctor told Xyl.

“He’s my captain!” the kid insisted.

“And I’m headstrong,” the Time Lord told him and dragged him behind a building.

However Ianto was rather worried about being buried alive.

“All these blasts are tearing apart the buildings and smashing into the force field. Will it last?” he asked the Doctor.

The Time Lord had no idea and told him as much.

Then Xyl managed to escape the Doctor and went to join the fray. Doctor and Ianto both looked worried.

“Should we interfere?” Ianto asked.

“The lore says that Max Blue managed to beat his enemies and his trusted comrade and bring prosperity to Tortuga, that in the next century is going to be the biggest market place for spices.”

“So we just watch?” the human asked.

The Doctor smiled. “Oh, we lend a hand. What do you smell Ianto?”

“Cinnamon,” Ianto replied. “And it’s coming from there!”

“Well, let’s find the treasure!” the Doctor told him with a smile.

Parting with Xyl and Max was bittersweet.

They had beaten Viane Tragosa, gotten back Max’s ship and the Captain along with Xyl had recovered the lorry of spices with Ianto and the Doctor’s help. They had parted as soon as they got back to Tortuga, where Max was going to search for a new crew. He had asked Ianto and the Doctor but both had declined.

“I tend to go where time takes me,” the Doctor told Max.

“I like that attitude,” the Pirate had told him.

“Have fun travelling space,” Ianto said.

“Same to you,” Max replied.

Xyl waved at him and the Doctor.

Then, it was just Ianto and the Time Lord.

“So, tired of me Mister Jones or are you up to one more trip?”

“You intrigue me Doctor.”

“Is that a yes?”

Ianto grinned.

Chapter Text

…Barcelona, the Planet, 35^th Century AD …

Ianto was staring. Next to him the Doctor had to give him a jab to the ribs to start him out of it.

“Don’t stare,” the Doctor berated the human.

“I’m sorry, it’s just… the dogs have no noses,” Ianto squinted at a poodle that walked by.

The Doctor giggled. “Amazing, isn’t it? That’s Barcelona for you!”

“I still cannot believe that they named a planet after a city,” Ianto shook his head. “Does this mean that the dogs have no sense of smell?”

The Time Lord frowned. “I had not thought of that!”

Ianto rolled his eyes. “Well, as long as they play ‘fetch’…”

“Let’s try that!”

… The Portuguese Inquisition, 1578 AD …

They were running again. And it was not an easy thing to do. The cobbled stone street was slippery with snow and grime.

“That way! They went that way!” the guards were yelling.

The two companions picked up their pace.

“Quick! In here!” was all the notice they had.

It was a split second decision. They entered the house. The door closed behind them and they came face to face with a large family.

“Hello,” the Doctor waved at them.

The children shrank away.

“Stop smiling,” Ianto told the Doctor. “All those teeth.”

“Right,” the alien replied. “You know, I still cannot believe you managed to convince me to tour Europe during the Inquisition.”

“I said Asia! Not Europe!” Ianto told him.

“Oh! My bad. Still, real witchcraft!”

“Really?” Ianto asked. “I thought you said magic was impossible, that it’s really all science.”

“It is,” the Doctor confirmed. “I bet there’s an alien stirring up trouble again.”

“I know what that means,” Ianto sighed.

“Aren’t you glad I made you wear trainers?”

Ianto was too tired to glare.

“So!” The Doctor asked the people. “I’m grateful for your help, even though the Inquisition is after us. Lots of bravery. But I cannot help but wonder… Why? Unless you are also wanted by them. So, what is it you did? Witchcraft? Bigamy? Refused to be converted? What?”

“Will you shut up?” Ianto asked the Doctor. “My head is killing me.”

The alien frowned. He saw Ianto reach up to hold his hand and the palm coming away bloody.

“Oh, dear,” the Doctor muttered. “That’s not good at all,” he said worriedly.

… TARDIS…

The Doctor hated having his Companions hurt. Ianto with his sarcasm and teasing comments and Welsh accent was a lot of fun. Seeing the youth bedridden made the Doctor feel guilty.

“It’s just a concussion,” the young human had assured him. “I’ve gotten one before.”

Still the Time Lord worried. And he continued worrying even after Ianto was on his feet, healthy again and ready for more.

…The Banana Groves in Villengard, 51^st century AD…

“Really?”

“Really.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s difficult to believe,” Ianto told the Doctor.

“You really like opposing me, don’t you?”

Ianto shrugged. “It makes a vein pop on your forehead.”

The Time Lord glared at Ianto but the human shrugged it off. They both knew they were using teasing comments to rile each other up. Ianto would mock the Doctor, the Doctor would respond and the fun would begin.

“I cannot believe you blew up a reactor. People could have died.”

“I had the factory evacuated!” the Doctor defended himself.

“I believe that. But how come a banana grove grew here? And for that matter, how come bananas exist in other planets?”

“You didn’t think Earth is the only place in the universe that has bananas, did you?”

Ianto shrugged. He knew it was a silly thing to think so he let this go. “So, do they taste any good?”

The Doctor’s eyes lit up. “Boy do they?” he said. “Come on!”

Ianto ran after him.

…The Library of Carsus…

The planet of Carsus was hot and humid. The solar system it belonged to was much smaller than the solar system Ianto’s Earth was part of. It has five planets, Minerva, Schyllus, Tessus, Lakertya, Molinda, and two more, lifeless outer gas planets named Hollus and Garrett. What really made Ianto love this place was pentagonal Library of Carsus.

“It’s beautiful,” Ianto commented.

“Yes,” the Doctor agreed, a sad look on his face.

“Have you been here before?” his companion asked.

“Hm, a lifetime ago. I had a friend here once. Professor Rummas. Great man.”

“Human?”

“No, Time Lord.”

Ianto wisely did not mention that the Doctor was a Time Lord as well. He had learned by now that the Doctor was the last of his kind. The particulars were not known to Ianto yet, but the youth knew the reason had to be really bad, so he left his friend alone, no pestering or asking questions.

“What kind of guy was he?” Ianto asked instead.

The Doctor smiled and started telling a story involving Rummas, one of the moons of Korpal, a party and plenty of alcohol.

They stayed in the Library for a while. The Doctor remembering the past while Ianto explored one of the best libraries in the universe.

…TARDIS...

They were laying low for a while. Ianto had caught a cold of all things and had a light fever. The Doctor had decided his adventures could wait and was keeping him company. The young human had asked the Doctor if he was the first companion he had. It was how the Doctor told Ianto about Rose. Then he recalled all the others. It was how the TARDIS had provided the two males with a photo album. The Doctor sat next to Ianto, looking at pictures. His past incarnations were in them as were all his companions.

Amy and Tony Baker.

Ben Jackson and Polly Wright.

Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.

Dear old Marmaduke.

Liz Shaw.

Sarah Jane Smith. That wonderful journalist with a sharp mind and a taste of adventure, much like Rose.

Romana, in a couple of her incarnations.

Nyssa of Traken.

Thomas Brewster

Tegan Jovanka.

Melanie Bush.

Peri Brown.

Roz Forrester.

Kroton, the only Cyberman the Doctor did not outright kill.

Grace Holloway.

Samson and Gemma Griffin.

And there were many more. Dear friends. Sad moments. Happy times. Bitter memories. Regrets. Love and Friendship.

“And this is Rose, Rose Tyler,” The Doctor told Ianto. She travelled with me through my ninth incarnation. We had company at some point. There was Adam, nice lad, not too bright I’m afraid. He did a stupid thing. And of course, Jack. Oh! I never knew I had a picture with Jackie and Mickey. This is Rose’s mother and Mickey… boyfriend, of a sort.”

Ianto smiled at the dislike and fondness that were on the Doctor’s face when he mentioned the last two.

“Jackie hates me. Mickey too,” the Doctor said. “They think I put Rose in danger.”

“After meeting you, Doctor,” Ianto told the alien. “I would follow you to the end of the world. And I bet Rose would too.”

The Doctor smiled.

…Kill Devil Hills, North Caroline 1901 AD…

Ianto was positively jumping with excitement. Next to him The Doctor was not any better.

“I cannot believe Wilbur,” Ianto commented.

“I know!” the Doctor replied. “They are way ahead of schedule.”

“It better not crash,” the human sighed. “Still, the Wright Brothers never thought I’d meet them.”

“That’s what you do with a time machine Ianto, meet people.”

“I thought one saved the world.”

The Doctor smiled and bounced on the balls of his feet. “That too, that too.”

… The Crinoth Rock Sea Belt…

The space ship they were riding on was a merchant ship that had been hit by the space debris. The Doctor had stayed to help the captain and the crew.

“The least I can do,” he had told them.

Ianto, unable to help, had just sat by and watched the beautiful sight of the debris circling the sun.

Later, after the ship was fixed and Doctor and Ianto were back on the TARDIS, the human had asked the Time Lord about it.

“I was much younger then,” the Doctor commented. He had been on his fourth incarnation then, travelling along with one of his kind, a Time Lady, Romanadvoratrelundar, Romana for short.

“How old are you?” Ianto asked then.

“Sometimes, I feel like I’m ancient. Others… like a little child.”

“Today then…”

“Ancient,” the Time Lord replied.

…TARDIS...

“I haven’t been in the kitchen in ages,” the Doctor admitted.

“I can tell,” Ianto told him. He opened another cupboard. “Found them!” he exclaimed and pulled two cups out. “Rinse them please?”

The Doctor complied. “I’m still not sure. I like tea.”

Ianto gave him a small smile. The coffee was soon ready and he poured two cups. He liked his with one sugar and he knew the Doctor had a sweet tooth so he added three sugars for him and banana syrup. The Time Lord tasted it reluctantly. After that he had Ianto make him a second cup.

…Jewel of Staa Crafell, 27^th century AD…

“It’s beautiful,” Ianto breathed.

The Doctor smiled.

They were standing in the TARDIS. The door was open and they were looking at the view of the space outside.

“Are we going there?” Ianto asked.

The Doctor thought back on the Sycorax and their Armada invading the Earth not long ago and the way he had defeated their champion and ordered them not to approach his favourite planet.

“I’d rather not,” the Doctor told him.

“What did you do Doctor?”

“Protected the Earth, made an enemy, the usual.”

“Onwards then?” Ianto asked.

“Onwards!” the Doctor called out.

…Cotter Palluni's World, 32^nd century AD…

“Lightning Skies,” the Time Lord sighed at the sight.

They were standing under a dome. The sky was alight.

“I never even imagined something like this existed,” Ianto whispered. “The universe is really beautiful.”

The doctor smiled.

Right then a scream was heard.

The two men looked at each other.

“The Professor is dead!” followed soon after.

“I thought we were in lockdown,” Ianto said to the Doctor.

“We are until the electrical storm passes,” the Time Lord agreed. “Let’s go see, shall we?”

“I feel like Watson,” Ianto said as he followed after the Doctor.

“Funny you should say that,” the alien with the two hearts said, a small smile on his face.

“What?” Ianto leaned closer.

“Let’s figure this mess out and you will find out my curious Mister Jones,” the Doctor promised.

…London, Earth, 1900 AD…

“No!”

“Yes!”

“No!”

“Oh, yes!”

Ianto let a whoop of joy and hugged the doctor. “You are the best!”

“I know!” the Time Lord replied. “Now will you ring the bell?”

“Wait! What time is it?”

“Ten in the morning.”

“Not that! I meant year.”

“Hm, the century just turned so… 1900,” the Doctor replied.

“He hasn’t written ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ yet,” Ianto smiled. “The last thing he wrote was Sherlock and Moriarty falling to their deaths at Reichenbach Falls.”

“You really are a nerd,” the Doctor commented.

“Should I mention your obsession with Banana’s?”

“I’m not obsessed!”

Ianto snorted. “Right.”

“Will you please ring the bell?” the Doctor asked.

“Just, let me gather myself. How do I look?”

“Your suit is great, relax.”

“Thank you,” Ianto told him. He raised a hand to knock but backed down again. “You know. There’s still an outcry from him deciding to stop writing Holmes’ adventures. I still wonder why he started writing again if he made his mind.”

“Will you please knock on the door?”

Ianto sighed and knocked twice. Ten minutes later they were allowed to meet with Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle.

… Meta Sigma Folio, 73^rd century AD…

“Oil on water you said,” Ianto yelled.

“I’m sorry!”

“Bursts of star fire you said.”

“Ianto!”

“You never mentioned giant fire breathing lizards.”

“They’re dragons actually,” the Doctor replied.

“And we’re food!”

“Just run!”

“I am!” Ianto yelled.

The two men, along with Syndra, from the dragon reservation were running as fast as their feet could carry them through the thick foliage, trying to escape with their lives.

… Knossos, 1690 BC…

“I feel odd, like I’m too dressed up,” Ianto told the Doctor.

The Time Lord eyed the Minoans. “I’ve met cultures that were completely nude. This is nothing.”

“You know, I’ve never been to modern Crete in Greece. I wanted to after college but … never mind. This is a fantastic opportunity. The palace is standing. The volcano has not destroyed everything yet. We get to see the labyrinth, right?”

“What myth was it again?” the Doctor asked.

“The Minotaur.”

“Was it half man half bird?”

“No, half man half bull. The head being the part bull.”

“Oh! It reminds me of this race, the Uxtolags…”

“Wait! You don’t think that the Minotaur is in fact an alien, do you?” Ianto asked the Doctor.

“One way to find out.”

Ianto sighed. “I knew you would say that.”

…TARDIS...

“Ianto?”

“Hm?”

“Still reading that book on the Shadow Proclamation’s rules?”

“It’s interesting,” Ianto replied turning another page.

The Doctor nodded absently. The human had eidetic memory already and he could ready pretty fast. Whenever they were not running and saving people Ianto was reading. Nothing too incriminating about the future either, that was why the Doctor was not stopping him.

Ianto looked up from his book.

“You want something,” he eyed the Time Lord curiously.

“Ah! You see I kind of miss your coffee.”

The twenty two year old smiled. “I’ll get right on it.”

The Doctor grinned. “Don’t forget the syrup.”

“Like you would ever let me.”

…Geornean Market Place, Orion’s Belt, 49^th century AD …

“A market place?” Ianto grinned.

“I figure you might find something not so blatantly alien from here. You have yet to buy any souvenirs or asked me to make your cell phone capable of dialling elsewhere in time and space.”

“No one to call,” the twenty two year old replied.

The Doctor lost his smile for a split second. “Well, this one is on me. Now come on! That stall has sonic gadgets. I forbid you to buy a gun by the way.”

“I don’t want or need one,” Ianto replied.

They started browsing stall again when Ianto found ‘it’.

“Good eye,” the Doctor approved.

“What is it?” Ianto asked.

“A sonic key.”

Ianto held the seemingly normal key. It was made of metal but the metal pulsed with a blue electrical light every now and then.

“It opens doors, locks them again, breaks codes on computers and makes light for the holder. Not good as my sonic screwdriver but it will do for you.”

Ianto accepted the gift with a smile.

… Jurassic Park, California, Earth, 23^rd century AD…

“That… Why am I surprised?”

“I really can’t answer that,” the Doctor replied.

“They really made dinosaurs out of old genetic material?” Ianto sighed. “That’s crazy. And stupid. The movie was enough.”

The Doctor shrugged. “All races try playing gods at some point. eugenics. Immortality. Eternal youth. Giving life to prehistoric creatures is hardly on top five.”

“You want to visit the park,” Ianto told him.

“Oh, can we? Last time I saw a dinosaur it was ages ago. During the Triassic period and then during Jurassic once. Not much fun, dinosaurs, especially when they hunt.”

“I guess we can go. They better have Pterodactyls,” Ianto muttered.

“I always liked the Stegosaurus,” the Doctor commented.

… KL-8X9 Space Station, 53^rd century AD…

“Ah! The artificial air of space stations. Got to love this!” the Doctor stretched as they exited the TARDIS.

“Why are we here again?” the twenty two year old man inquired as he took in his surroundings. He wore jeans this time and a pair of trainers just like the Doctor. He felt giddy, like he knew something big was about to happen. “Weren’t you aiming for Suleiman’s court?”

The Doctor looked troubled. “I was but the TARDIS brought us here. That’s way off. Centuries off.”

“Something big is about to happen then,” Ianto realized.

The Doctor checked with his watch. “Oh!”

“Is that a good ‘oh’ or a bad one?” the youth demanded.

“Let’s find a window,” the Time Lord told him.

Ianto jogged after him.

“What planet is that?” he asked after he caught up with the alien.

“Earth.”

Ianto blinked. “That fog, you can hardly see the planet!”

“That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“What exactly?” Ianto asked.

“The sun is expanding,” the Doctor explained. “That’s early. Much too early.”

“Okay, then how do we stop the sun from expanding?” Ianto asked.

The Doctor turned to his companion. “You don’t think that’s impossible?”

“The only impossible thing in this universe is you Doctor. And I mean that in every good way possible.”

The Time Lord smiled.

… Egypt, New Kingdom, 1425 BC…

The Doctor and Ianto was watching, partly horrified, partly interested as Pharaoh Tuthmosis III was being readied for his burial, or more accurately, the man’s mummified body.

The priests of Amun Ra were all around them. Ianto kept an eye on the ceremony. Their party was soon going to begin the trek from the Temple in Karnak they were in towards the nearest pyramid.

“Hello,” the Doctor muttered as he took in a wall of hieroglyphics.

“What?” Ianto asked with a bit of dread.

“That right here is Haitian.”

“Is that supposed to mean anything to me?”

“Explorers of space. I never knew they had reached earth, not before now,” the Time Lord admitted.

“Good explorers or bad explorers?”

“Well, they had the bodies of humans and heads of animals, usually amphibians, like toads…”

“Or crocodiles?”

“Yes, but some of them were bird like.”

Ianto pointed at a picture of Amun Ra.

“Oh,” the Doctor said. “That’s not good.”

“I was afraid you would say that.”

…TARDIS...

“I need a vacation,” Ianto declared after he collapsed against the TARDIS’ closed door alongside with the Doctor. “First I’m running away from hungry dinosaurs then from a strange fire creature that nearly fried your brain. Now, we had Attila at our heels. And before all then we had that Minotaur…”

“He was an Uxtolag,” the Doctor corrected.

“Him,” Ianto agreed. “Trying to eat us. Then those dragons escaping the reservation, the Judoon going on strike before that…”

“Wasn’t really a strike just…”

Ianto sighed. “My point is that we nearly died today. Again.”

“You were fast. What about me? That sword nearly got my head,” the Doctor complained. “Ruined my haircut!”

“That’s the last thing you should be worrying about,” Ianto told him.

“Alright. You need a slow planet, not much drama. I think I’ve got just the place. How does GAIA XIV sound?”

“Like an RPG game,” the Doctor’s companion quipped.

“It’s a solar system. The jewel of it is a planet called Idryll IV. With a race that is monastic, none aggressive and telepathic.”

“Sounds interesting,” Ianto agreed.

“I’ll set the course then,” the Time Lord told him. “But first, a pick me up?”

“Fine, after my feet are done killing me I will start a new coffee pot.”

“Bless you!”

Chapter Text

The soft hum of the TARDIS was like a lullaby to the only human on board.

Ianto was resting, and quite frankly he was trying to relax and forget all about his latest adventure or misadventure. Still, the doctor had promised this trip would be different. Ianto could only hope. He had been on board the TARDIS for close to three months now, or at least that was what the Doctor was telling him. Still, the time seemed like nothing. If anything, Ianto felt not a day had passed. All that running, the danger, the people, he loved this. There was something about travelling with this man, alien, something that had changed Ianto. Not like he had not been different already, but now it was not just the Earth he had felt move. Now he had seen places in the universe he had only dreamt about. Met people long dead or not yet born in his time. And as he wished, the twenty two year old felt his tiny footprint in space and time, nothing big or substantial, just memories in people he met.

“Ianto!” the Doctor’s voice carried because the TARDIS allowed it.

“Coming!” the human yelled back, focusing on the present again as he took off, trying to follow the alien that had changed his life.

Little did he know that this trip would turn his world upside down!

Blue. That was the colour of Idryll IV. The sun was white, smaller than Earth’s sun, which was what Ianto was used to. The trees were different shades of blue, the earth as well. The place was a forest as far as he could see and the smells…he thought he smelled lemons and strawberries but that had to be his imagination.

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

Ianto turned to the Doctor. “It is beautiful, so alien but so… simply beautiful. Are all alien planets like this? What is this place? Where are we exactly, when are we?”

The Doctor pointed at a sign behind him. With the TARDIS translating Ianto was able to read.

“The Temple of the Five Sages?” the youth from Earth read.

“Yes, big religion this one, spreads across fifteen galaxies,” the Doctor mused. “And we are on the year sixty billion…” he eyed his watch. “Sixty billion and fifty six. You’re a long way from home Ianto,” he told the bewildered youth. He then looked around him and started beaming. “And unless I’m wrong then we are right on time.”

The human looked all around as if expecting to see what the Doctor was waiting for. “For what?”

His question was answered in the next minute. A large group of people approached, all of them dressed in luminous white clothes, heads bowed. Their mouths were not moving but Ianto could hear it, voices, chanting in his head. His jaw dropped slightly.

“It’s beautiful,” Ianto whispered when he recovered enough to speak. For some reason he could not find himself to speak louder than this, recalling that he was in a temple and manners kicked in. “But what is it?” he asked the male he accompanied in his travels.

“You can hear it?” the Doctor asked, sounding impressed.

Ianto could only nod, too taken over by the sensation. He felt that he stood there for seconds and ages at the same time and then the Doctor was gently shaking him.

“Back with me? Good.” The Time Lord looked relieved at that and Ianto realized that he had worried the traveller a bit.

“What? How?” Ianto asked. “It felt…”

“Like the universe opened up for you?” the Doctor whispered in a knowing tone.

“Exactly!”

The response made the Doctor consider him more carefully. Ianto, used to the scrutiny from this man did not flinch even though he wanted to.

“You know, I never thought to mention how receptive you are to telepathy. That’s a rare skill for a twenty first century human to have.”

“Good strange or bad strange?” Ianto asked.

“Brilliant strange,” the last of the Time Lords replied with glee.

That reassured the youth. “So, nothing to worry about?”

The Time Lord agreed even though he privately made plans to later scan Ianto, on the sly of course, no need to worry the boy, and find out more about his companion and why he was unlike most humans of his age.

The ceremony was supposed to have been simple, according to the Doctor. The two of them as visitors had been allowed into the temple along with the rest of the pilgrims that had made it to the planet before the asteroids cut off the pathways for at least two days. The Igragil people were just happy to share. Ianto and the Doctor were given flowers and served a sweet liquid.

“Wine,” the Doctor explained to Ianto. “Made from Igmas roots with a bit of pepper and a dash of Unothian blood.”

Ianto nearly spat the stuff out but the Doctor was quite adamant he did not.

“That would have been rude you know,” the Time Lord commented.

However the human that accompanied him did not share his views. Ianto was horrified and disgusted at the idea of drinking blood.

“I don’t bloody care! It might be the norm in space but back on planet earth we are taught not to drink blood.”

“It has been fermented!”

Ianto stared. “Fermented blood?” he was incredulous.

“Like that’s the weirdest thing you have ever come across,” the Doctor told him. “Remember those lovely girls at Ractor 5DR.”

Ianto grimaced at the reminder of the race that thought spitting was an appropriate greeting custom.

“Every trip is an experience with you,” he dryly commented but the Time Lord ignored the sarcasm, he had learned to do that early on since he took Ianto as a Companion to his travels.

“I will take that as a compliment.”

“It was not intended to be one,” Ianto pointed out.

“Well, you really are mouthy.”

“And you act like a kid on sugar rush.”

“I do not!”

Ianto arched an eyebrow.

“Well, maybe I do,” the Doctor amended before giving Ianto his trademark grin that had the human smiling back. “But that’s fun!”

Ianto did not want to admit that while he might moan and protest, he loved the Doctor’s attitude. The way he barged in, the way he talked. The youth had never met anyone that could be so rude to people and at the same time had nice intentions and want to help. Oh, he had seen some of the Doctor’s darker moods, particularly when lives were at stake, but half the time Ianto was fooled along with everyone else by the face the Time Lord presented to people.

“Come on! Different culture! Have I told you about the Ionian’s?”

“That’s an earth name.”

“They were from your earth, well… kind off,” the Doctor smiled. “Human colonists of the 30th century that intermarried with the people of planet Cloxtaln. A whole different race came from them. They had this habit of thinking people who ate sugar were dangerous.”

Ianto blinked. “No sugar?”

“Nothing even containing it.”

The twenty two year old shuddered. Then a small smile came onto his face and the Doctor wanted to groan.

“Did you perchance meet them, Doctor? If so I can understand and commiserate as to why they would abhor sugar.”

“Ianto! Stop teasing me! Seriously!”

A gong sounded and the two travellers were instantly alert.

“It’s starting,” the centuries old alien said. “Look! They opened the doors. Shall we?”

Ianto shrugged and followed. So far he had been to one ancient Egyptian ceremony, a wedding on a 49^th century planet and a funeral in the Bronze Age. What was one more ritual, one more religion? The human was interested and curious. Whenever they would just stay in the TARDIS Ianto would put his eidetic memory to good use.

The Doctor was fascinated by how extensive Ianto’s memory was and enjoyed their verbal spars. He also liked Ianto himself. The youth was not greedy about the knowledge, not like a certain stray Rose had picked up. He was also quite good at running, despite the never ending complaining. And the youth while he liked suits and had great taste for them was not afraid to adapt and try new clothes and blend in with the locals.

The main room they were led into was huge, easily holding two thousand people though only a couple of hundreds had made it, all looking alien. In fact, he and the Doctor were the most human looking. What Ianto really cared about was the music that he was hearing. It was what kept his attention from wandering to the beautifully carved walls of the brightly lit room. What kept him from wondering about the various plants and flowers growing inside here and how while it was day outside he could see the stars up above his head.

“Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! That’s a unique way to apply the TDMW, that stands for Temporal Displacement Mirage Window by the way. Not that this is a window but it does not really matter.”

“That’s science, right?” Ianto whispered in the lowest voice.

“It is,” the Doctor confirmed.

Then the youth pointed at the mass of chanting people filling the room. They were all looking serene and otherworldly. They travelled around the pilgrims before all gathering in the middle of the amphitheatre like room and the chanting suddenly stopped, leaving Ianto feeling sad.

“In the Name of the Five Sages we welcome you,” one of the choir said.

It took Ianto a few minutes to realize it was a man. The hair was a long violet shade, the skin such a light blue that was almost translucent really and he wore garments that made the twenty two year old think of the Lord of the Rings movie he had watched a few years back.

“I am Yil Lagela,” he said. “And I will have the honour to perform tonight’s festivities.”

“That’s a typical Unothian,” the Doctor murmured in a low tone to Ianto. “It was his blood we tasted. Part of the ritual that is going to follow. Don’t try to fight it.”

Ianto wanted to ask what he was not supposed to fight but the Time Lord brought a finger to his lips and then gestured with his eyes.

The chanting started again, only this time Ianto could not just hear the music and feel it, but he could also see the song brought to life. It spoke of the dawn of time and how this planet was formed. It talked of the seasons the planet had, the beauty, the wars. And as the song went on Ianto felt a bit more tired but very happy to be there, eager for the song to reach its goal. How he knew that he did not know. What that goal was, he did not know either. But it was three hours later that the chanting toned down and he was able to think again. All the pilgrims were shown to tents then and were told to rest. Ianto and the Doctor followed that example.

“That was…” Ianto trailed off as he paced the tent. It was spacious and white. It had two beds and a small dresser and what looked like a cubicle but Ianto knew was a bathroom, complete with a loo and a shower.

“Amazing?” the Doctor said. “And beautiful and dangerous and so very disturbing?”

“Yes! How do they do that?”

“Mild hallucinogens and telepathy. Also, the head priest is said that for one year can hold the shared and complete memory of the priests before him.”

“But he had memories of a time the planet had no life forms on it,” Ianto protested.

“You are absolutely right!”

“You sound excited.”

“Oh, I am!”

Ianto winced. “I take it that was not supposed to happen?”

“No!” the Doctor replied, sounding obnoxiously happy about this.

The youth groaned, all his hopes about a quiet trip shot to oblivion. “This was supposed to be a quiet trip!” Ianto told him.

The Doctor smiled and Ianto wanted to groan.

“Okay,” the Time Lord’s companion said. “Now what?”

“Now? We wait and see. And afterwards, I will snoop around.”

“And me?” Ianto sounded resigned and at the same time expectant. All the running around and fighting for their lives; Ianto hated admitting it but he kind of liked it and he knew that the Doctor knew it as well, looking past Ianto’s protests and nagging. After all he still had Ianto along with him.

“You can meet the locals, check out the local gossip,” the Doctor assured him. “Nothing too dangerous.”

“Thanks,” Ianto blandly told him.

“I detect sarcasm Ianto.”

“Finally. It only took you three months.”

Dinner was a big affair that day. There was more food and wine and other things served and Ianto tried a bit of everything he saw and recognized and then some things he did not. The Doctor was not with him. He had gone to snoop around and the young man hoped that nothing big was happening this time. So he blended in and asked questions about the planet, the Temple, the priests and the songs. And he got answers back.

The planet used to have a lot of factories and mines at some point, around the time the Time War happened but after the Daleks got defeated the mines were no longer needed. The survivors decided to take control and they reshaped the planet, closing down anything war related. The Igragil were pacifists so recovering the ecosystem and establishing peace had been their first priority. Being of the few lucky ones to not be completely exterminated by the Daleks, people like the Unothian's looked up to them. The religion of the Five sages formed around that time. Five people from planets the Daleks had annihilated gathered together. They had been the last of their kinds. They taught Igragil how to bring life to plants and it was they that started the process of healing the planet and then the people. They had introduced new technologies on agriculture and like little gods gave life back to the people.

“It is a festivity of life!” Uro, one of the Igragil women there told him. “We celebrate the planet being a life. That’s what gives us life. And we celebrate our fortune. Without the Five Sages this solar system would have been abandoned. The Daleks…” she shuddered. “The population used to be ten billion. The survivors of the mines were only three hundred thousand and a number of them died of malnutrition and illnesses those first few years. It has been nine hundred years since then but we still remember. I do not think we will ever let ourselves forget. Now… now the Igragil span across many solar systems and our ideas touch other galaxies. All this hoping that another threat like the Daleks won’t arise soon.”

“A noble cause,” Ianto agreed.

“Uro,” a gentle voice cut the conversation between Ianto and the female short.

The twenty two year old human noticed the priest from before had come to join them; and that Uro was apparently crushing on Yil Lagela if the darkening of her already deep blue skin was any indication. He also looked more ethereal up close and his voice. It was like he was not completely there with them but not completely gone. The energy from the chant surrounded him and his voice was still hypnotic.

“Yil Lagela,” she breathed and bowed her head a bit. “The ceremony was beautiful today.”

Yil Lagela smiled. “So I hope. How is the food? And the accommodations? Not too bad, right? With the meteorites and other space garbage littering the immediate space we hit a snag and the supply caravans had a hard time reaching us. In fact this man here and the other that was with him were lucky to arrive.”

“Lucky? Try crazy,” Uro said to Ianto. “Two ships had to be rescued.”

“Yes, both lucky and crazy,” Ianto confirmed.

“To be fair, Bad Wolf Plane, this location we are in right now has a nasty weather,” the priest commented. Then he presented himself to Ianto. “I am Yil Lagela.”

“Ianto,” he offered and smiled at the alien.

“You are Human,” Yil Lagela commented.

“Um, yes. Is that a problem?” Ianto asked cautiously. One could never be sure and the Doctor was known to mix up his facts on occasion; it was bound to happen, all that information cramped in one brain.

“No, no,” the Unothian priest said. “Just curious. Not many Humans follow our religion.”

“Not many humans around?” Ianto asked.

“Plenty,” Yil Lagela replied. “None of them pacifists however.”

“Never liked violence myself,” Ianto offered.

“That is very good news. Will you be around for the Morning Rite?”

Ianto blinked. “I believe so, yes.” Unless the Doctor did something to piss people off or an apocalypse came upon them.

“I hope you get to chant with us then,” Yil Lagela said and left after that, leaving Ianto confused.

That night Ianto fell asleep before the Doctor returned hours after he had planned. The alien had not found anything worrying or suspicious and he had not wanted to wake Ianto to find out if the youth had any information. They nearly overslept next morning and Uro, who had taken a liking to Ianto, had come to wake them up. They chatted on the way to breakfast and that’s how the Doctor learned about the offer they had made to Ianto.

“Aren’t you coming?” he asked the Doctor.

“No, I have to snoop around a bit more.”

Ianto frowned, face filled with worry. “Doctor, what are you worried about.”

The alien shrugged. “I don’t know,” he admitted to Ianto. “Ever had the feeling that something’s just…wrong.”

Yes, Ianto had. In fact back when he was a child he had been followed home from school by an adult male. His Friends had protected him though, the man had been scared away from him and his wrongness had not approached Ianto again. In the end, Ianto’s silence was answer enough for the Doctor.

“Just, be careful,” Ianto asked of his alien friend.

“When am I not?” the Doctor replied. “You take care as well. And remember, I’m a step behind, just holler if you need me.” He made to go but stopped short and turned back to face Ianto. He gave Ianto a good look and smiled, leaving only after the younger male smiled back.

Ianto exited the tent wearing the robes Uro had given him. He enjoyed the feeling of the foreign fabric, marvelling on the alien texture and how he now looked like the majority of the people around him. He absently sought out the Doctor but the Time Lord was nowhere to be seen. Ianto was not worried about the alien and decided to enjoy himself. He met another pilgrim during breakfast, a Haxalian alien by the name Hector, something that had Ianto suppressing sniggers. The alien had proper antennas that moved according to his emotions. He engaged Ianto in a conversation about coffee of all things and told some very funny jokes that had Ianto and Uro laughing along.

Before long came the call that had all of them head for the temple. Yil Lagela was there to welcome Ianto when the Earth boy reached the temple. Uro was there as well and she stuck close to Ianto and started explaining the ceremony, how each of the pilgrims got there, chanted, gave life and took life from the planet. She was pretty excited and Ianto was drawn into her excitement. He joined the robe clad people easily, eagerly. When the ceremony first started, Ianto realized that it was a bit like Thanksgiving. They, meaning the priests and the believers, certainly mentioned all the things they were grateful about, peace being the most prominent. They celebrated peace, life, death, birth. Then the words eased into chanting. Ianto had no idea how much time passed when he joined in the song that had no lyrics, only impressions and feelings. He had never gotten high but he guessed this was what being high felt like. He was still feeling the sensation of the energies inside him and he never realized when the ceremony took a different turn.

Yil Lagela took out a box made of a black metal and started moving among the people. Ianto never noticed when the violet haired, blue skinned alien stopped near him or when the box glowed, circles appearing on its smooth surface.

“Come new brother,” he said in a hypnotic voice. A few of the other priests were there to help a disoriented Ianto to his feet.

The twenty two year old shook his head, feeling as if he was waking from a dream. “What?” he tried standing straight but he felt drunk.

“You’ve been chosen,” was the only response they gave him and led him away, not forcefully but rather decisively and Ianto had no chance to react before he was shown out of the room, never even got to shout for the Doctor.

The Doctor was watching, vigilant, attentive, yet he somehow missed it and when he recognized the feeling it was too late. He had kept true to his word, not leaving Ianto out of his sight but it all happened too fast. And the Doctor tried to be fair to himself, the last time he had seen and felt something even remotely like this was centuries ago, back when he was a child. At the age of eight years old he had felt it, Time. And not simple time, but the essence of the Vortex and the one thing he had thought had disappeared with his home planet. The Untempered Schism, the opening in the space and time continuum, the Rite of Passage for young Time Lords. He started running through the room after Ianto and the Priests, desperate to catch up with them, fearing the worst, dreading what would happen and at the same time hoping, hoping desperately that he was not alone, not the last one, because the only way the Schism was there was for a Time Lord to be close by.

He nearly slipped through the corridors in his haste. His trusted Sonic Screwdriver on hand and opening the doors behind which the priest and Ianto had disappeared to. When he at last reached the final room, both his hearts thundered in his chest. He burst through the twin doors, the inner sanctuary of the temple he had discovered the day before even though he had not noticed anything off at the time.

What he saw made his eyes go wide.

“No!” he yelled. “You idiots! Stop this!” he called out.

The room was open from the sides, the garden spilling in. three priests aside from Yil Lagela stood around Ianto. The box was on the floor and the Seal of Rassilon was glowing on the floor. The Schism was open, swirling and pulsing, its energies making the Time Lord’s blood pump, an opening into the vortex contained in a simple box. And Ianto was placed before it, unable to look away from the opening and staring straight inside the chaos.

End of chapter.

Chapter Text

The Doctor stared, too horrified by the sight.

Looking into the Schism was a trial that bordered on torture. If Time Lords had a barbarous tradition, it was this one. So many Time Lords had been driven insane, too many for the Doctor’s taste; the Master being only one of them and one he knew best. The Doctor himself had been overwhelmed. He had been one of the lucky ones too; he had run away from it, run and never stopped running since, becoming a wanderer, an explorer of the universe, chasing the next adventure. But he was a Time Lord, after billions of years his people had learned to harvest the energy to a degree; their TARDIS’ were powered by the Vortex energies and travelled inside the Schism. Humans however could not carry the vortex, never supposed to look inside it. Rose had seen a glimpse of it when she looked into the heart of his TARDIS and it had nearly killed her. When the teen absorbed it he had had to regenerate or die, he chose to regenerate.

But Ianto…

That bright, argumentative, opinionated lad was staring at the entire Vortex. And he was too late, so late to help. Still, sitting by and watching this happen was not him. He acted fast, tackling the priests and reaching Ianto any way he could. The Time Lord was soon on his knees in front of the young human, hands pressed on either side of Ianto’s face. The Doctor could see the Vortex in Ianto’s dark blue eyes and did everything in his power not to look into the Schism lest he lost his own mind.

“What are you doing?” Yil Lagela demanded and the other priests made to stop him but the Doctor turned and glared at them, the look in his eyes, the sheer fury making them stop short.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” the Doctor demanded.

“He’s a Time Traveller, he has travelled the Vortex, he is one of the Chosen ones, the Children of the Mara. He can be our champion.”

“Why do pacifists need a champion?” the two hearted alien demanded.

“There’s a war brewing,” Yil Lagela told the Doctor.

“Well, dear priest, it seems that you are not exactly honouring your rank.” The Doctor’s voice held venom.

He gathered an unresponsive Ianto to him and with his voice deep he spoke in Old High Gallifreyan, his voice commanding and firm, knowing the words to close the Schism. He ignore the shouts from the priests as the Schism was contained in the box again, a box he belatedly realized to be Time Lord technology.

“Ianto,” he called out the young man’s name and his only response was silence.

The Time Lord placed his hands on either side of Ianto’s head and looked into the unresponsive eyes of his Companion.

“Ianto!” he called again and then dived in, using his telepathy to touch Ianto’s mind, something he had not really attempted before. The intrusion had Ianto screaming in pain, a loud, inhuman scream that held something truly other worldly. The Time Lord pulled out, feeling horrified for causing the boy so much pain. Gathering Ianto in his arms he lifted the human. He turned and gave the aliens a hard glare.

“I have to say just one thing to you: Run! Because when I catch you, you’ll rue the day you crossed a Time Lord,” he told them.

Yil Lagela and the others looked shocked. “Time Lord?” the blue skinned alien gasped but the Doctor was already out of the room.

The TARDIS was humming when the Doctor threw her doors open and entered with Ianto in his arms. The youth was screaming in pain, eyes shut tight and face scrunched with pain. The Doctor headed for the medical bay with urgency driven by need. It was one room that had not been used in ages, yet Ianto had already used it once while travelling with him. The Doctor fumbled around with the various medical instruments of the room and started checking Ianto’s vitals and mind waves. The human had stopped screaming but his body was still spasming and his brain waves were off the charts. Whatever was taking place was not done working on the young Earth boy and the Time Lord had no idea when the process would be completed. He had no idea what would happen when the energies of the Time Vortex were done with him, so he continued prodding at Ianto’s biology, hoping he might get a clue. After ten minutes he pulled away from the unconscious youth, a look of frustration over his face.

“I’m sorry… So sorry,” he whispered, his face showing all his regret. He then turned to look at the box containing the Schism; he had received it from the temple. He was itching to throw it in the Vortex and leave it to be lost forever, but he knew the chances of it falling into wrong hands would create chaos. And this device had already ruined enough people.

“You are getting locked up,” he told the box as he cradled it with equal amount of care and distaste. He shot one last look at Ianto and left the medical bay, trusting the TARDIS to call for him should the human need his help, before going to hide the box in the deepest nooks and crannies of the spaceship/time machine, where he would hopefully forget the darn thing ever existed.

Ianto felt like his skin was stretched too thin, like his mind was not just his own any more. A scream erupted from his throat and seconds later a cool hand was on his burning forehead and his name was being called in a voice that was very familiar. Between the pain and disorientation he felt lost and afraid.

“Doctor?” he struggled but finally placed it.

A disembodied, “I’m here” reached him and soon a familiar face was in his line of vision, blurry but there.

“Burns…” Ianto gasped out, throat hurting from all the screaming he had done.

He, mercifully, blacked out soon enough, but not before he caught sight of the concerned eyes of his alien friend.

Ten days. Ten impossibly long and filled with screams of pain days and as far away from Idryll IV as the Doctor could get the TARDIS, Ianto Jones finally woke up. That day he found the Doctor at his side, reading a book on a chair by his bed.

“Doctor?”

The Time Lord dropped the book and was on his feet the moment he heard his name called. “Ianto! How’s the pain?”

Deep blue eyes stared at the Time Lord. “Why am I in the medical bay?”

The Doctor stared. “You don’t remember?” he asked with worry. Before Ianto had the time to react, a Sonic Screwdriver was scanning him and the Doctor was then muttering things to himself. The few words Ianto managed to overhear were not in English at all and the human knew that meant the TARDIS was not translating them on purpose.

“Doctor!” Ianto raised his voice and the alien with the two hearts started.

“Right! Sorry, busy mind, buzzing with thoughts,” the Doctor said. “So, how are you feeling?”

Ianto sighed. “I’m feeling fine. My whole body hurts; feels like I’ve run a marathon.”

“Yes, you are fatigued, muscles strained… What’s the last thing you remember?”

“Last thing I remember… the ceremony …” Ianto shook his head, as if trying to lift the fog from his mind. “Why are drums thumping in my head? Did I get drunk? I don’t recall drinking?”

“No… not drunk, not really…” at Ianto’s look the Doctor sighed. “Something happened…”

Ianto groaned. “Something happened. What was it? Did we save a princess? Prevent a war? Save a kitten?”

“Good plans all of them,” the Time Lord joked, “But no, unless you’re a prince, in which case you’ve been holding back on me Mister Jones.”

Ianto’s jaw dropped a bit. “Come again.”

“You looked into the time Vortex, don’t you remember?” the Doctor asked.

The human blinked. “Time Vortex… Schism… Why do they all sound so familiar?”

The Doctor frowned. “So it did do something,” he said and started scanning Ianto again, much to the youth’s irritation.

“Doctor, will you stop doing that? It’s annoying.”

“Can’t help it,” the Doctor said as he finally pulled away. “It’s changed; your brain.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s like mine now.”

“Oh God have mercy!”

“Hey! That’s not necessarily a bad thing,” The Doctor shouted and Ianto gave him a smile to show he had not really meant it seriously.

“So… new brain? I never thought it possible.”

The Time Lord sighed. “Not a new brain, don’t be so literal! Just… upgraded… and by the gods I’m sounding like a bloody Cyberman.” He shuddered.

“Upgraded?” Ianto repeated.

“Mm, yes. Let me check one more thing,” the Doctor said and to Ianto’s surprise he took out a stethoscope and started listening to his heart. “One heart down…”

“I’ve only got the one!” Ianto exclaimed but the Doctor ignored him and checked the right side as well.

The Doctor blinked. “Yes, just one heart.”

“Why you … You were actually expecting a second, heart” Ianto realized. “Like you have two hearts,” he added. “Why?”

The Doctor sighed. “You better sit down for this.”

Ianto sat; knowing what the Time Lord wanted to tell him would be big. So when the alien that had his own TARDIS started explained about Time Lord Science and history and the way they brought up their kids, Ianto listened with horror and attention.

“… So you see, the Vortex changes people,” the Doctor was finishing up his narration. “Rose, bless her big heart, absorbed the Time Vortex once. The Bad Wolf spoke through her, became her… and defeated the Emperor of the Daleks.”

“Bad wolf?” Ianto repeated. “What does that remind me of?”

The Doctor glanced at Ianto.

“That’s it!” the youth exclaimed.

“What?”

“I was talking to Uro and Yil Lagela…”

The Doctor glared at the name and Ianto noted the fury but decided to get to his point sooner rather than later.

“Yes well, one of them said something about the area the Temple was in, was called ‘Bad Wolf Plane’.”

The Doctor started. “No…”

“Yes.”

“No!”

Ianto nodded.

“This so weird!” the Doctor muttered.

“Does that mean this was meant to happen?” Ianto asked.

“I have no idea,” the Time Lord replied, looking lost. “Not the faintest clue.” He frowned. “I’m not sure I like this.”

The human nodded. “Okay, I’m fine with not knowing. Considering things are fine now…”

‘I’m not,’ the Doctor inwardly thought. He hated not knowing the results this could have on Ianto. The fact that he had not sprouted a second heart, not impossible to happen, just improbable, therefore he needed to make sure that the boy was still human, meant that the changes just were not biological. The different brainwaves were another matter altogether.

“Ianto,” the Doctor spoke up. “Back when we met, you said you could feel the earth move. How?”

The youth blinked. “Um, believe it or not, my childhood friends played a big part.”

“Friends? What species?”

“Green, but they took the forms of fairies,” Ianto told the alien.

The Doctor looked sceptical. “Fairies, Faeries… Sound familiar…”

“They said I was one of their chosen ones,” Ianto offered more information to the Doctor. “They wanted me to follow them to their home, where time and space don’t matter…”

“Creatures of the Vortex?” the Doctor commented.

Ianto shrugged. “I only learned of the Time Vortex after meeting you. There’s actually life inside the Vortex?”

“Yes,” the Time Lord replied, his voice dropping as he recalled the various creatures he had encountered. “Whenever time is disturbed they appear. Reapers, Chronovores, the entity called Bad Wolf… some of the few I’ve known. Even I can’t enter the Vortex without the TARDIS, it’s lethal.”

“You said I absorbed the energy. I’m alive.”

The Doctor eyed Ianto. “Yes, you are. And I have no idea how or why. But I might know of a place where we might find some answers. I’ll be in the control room, you don’t move,” he ordered Ianto.

“You’re not a real doctor you know,” the human told him.

The Doctor grinned. “Actually, I am. I even got a degree in human medicine. The name’s not just a random title you know, give me some credit.”

Ianto groaned and the Time Lord left the room with a smile and an expectant gleam in his eyes. He was already planning on a detour, to take care of those who had thought to mess with the Time Vortex; Ianto would never know this side of him, the fury that burned under his skin and he wanted it that way.

Answers were not easy to find even in the Library. Ianto had no idea how long he was to stay in the medical bay; the Doctor was certainly not taking any chances with him. He had left Ianto and paid a visit to the largest library in the world, a planet that served as The Library, built in the fiftieth century. The youth was bemoaning how bored he was when the Doctor returned, looking triumphant.

“Good news?” Ianto asked.

“Great news!” the Doctor replied. He was holding papers in his hands, a stack of them.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, these? Copies, can’t really take books out you know. Here, extracts from various books concerning fairies. This one from Estelle something or other, an enthusiast about them. There are stories, diagrams and even pictures of lights in the air. Poppycock if you ask me but this here…”

Ianto managed to wrestle the papers away from the Doctor’s excited hands and take an actual look. “This looks like an official document. What agency has a ‘T’ as an initial?”

“I have an idea or two but never mind now,” the Doctor told Ianto, “Look at the report.”

The human complied.

“Says here that ‘T’ Agent T10131181 encountered them in Lahore in 1909, then again in the twenty first century when they killed Estelle Cole…”

“The lady from before I bet,” the Doctor mused.

“And they took a girl, Jasmine Pierce, with them,” Ianto read on. “Faeries are beings with the ability to choke people, change the weather, anything to protect their Chosen One. It makes them sound like serial killers,” he frowned.

“In a way they are…Asphyxiation with rose petals,” the Doctor read. “Rings any bells?”

Ianto winced. There had been a paedophile around his school area. Ianto did not recall this but he did remember a body turning up not far from the school, a man with rose petals stuck down his throat. It had been gruesome and the press had been rather interested in the case. “Many,” he finally replied in a grave voice.

“And look here…”

“That a Cottingley photograph?”

“Yes, from 1917. I’m surprised you recognized it,” the Doctor said. “I had it enlarged so the fairies’ faces were shown…” he passed the pictures to his companion.

“This one here, I know this face! This is Alma!” Ianto said pointing at one of the Faeries near the top. “She’s my childhood friend.”

“And according to this file, this is her other look…”

A fierce looking being with fangs was later shown to Ianto.

“That’s one of Alma’s friends. I’ve been friends with aliens for my entire life,” Ianto said in a shocked tone.

“Not aliens,” the Doctor replied. “These green creatures… They’re called Mara or Maracalayan. Time Lords had myths about them. They are Vortex creatures but they also live outside it. The Chosen Ones are called Mara Cadulayan, roughly translated as children of the Time Vortex. They feed the energies, protect the time line, join the Mara ranks since the Mara are a sterile race, like Time Lords.”

Ianto stared at the Doctor, taken by surprise by the man’s admission.

“Only through traditional methods at least. Technology solved the rest for my race, but the Mara… no saving them,” the Time Lord commented. “You are a Chosen One. Meaning you are of the very few individuals throughout Time and Space that is born with all the traits Vortex inhabitants have, like…”

“Telepathy,” Ianto realized and the Doctor nodded.

“Yes, and I would not be surprised if your intelligence is also part of it.”

“Still, I am human, right?” Ianto asked.

“Before you looked in the Schism… I’d have said yes. Now though, that’s anyone’s guess. Still, you’re much more human than me.”

“You’re human enough Doctor.”

The Time Lord smiled. “Thank you!”

End of chapter.

Chapter Text

They were back to where they first met and somehow Ianto felt uncomfortable. The noisy Earth was so different than the quiet of Idryll IV. And with his new sense of being, Ianto felt the earth move even more out of place. Yet it was the Welshman who had insisted he was fine now, that he missed Earth and his time and that he wanted to return. The Doctor had complied, looking worried and guilty and now they were here, on Earth, in Ianto’s time. The Time Lord was leaning next to his TARDIS and eyeing him like he was about to fall apart. It was morning and the campus was busy.

“Here we are,” the Doctor announced. He looked around, trying to look anywhere but at Ianto.

The human looked around, feeling so very different that he was cringing at the normality of the setting. “Yes… that’s good.”

“Good?”

“Great!” Ianto lied with faked enthusiasm.

The Doctor nodded. “Fancy another trip?”

Ianto perked up. “Really?”

The Time Lord smiled and Ianto returned it.

“Yes!” Ianto replied. “I’d love another trip.”

The alien smiled and the two males got back inside the TARDIS. They both made a dash for the consol.

“Time? Place?” the Doctor asked as he busied himself with setting the coordinates of their next adventure; hopefully nothing too life threatening.

“Well… you still owe me a vacation,” Ianto commented and the Doctor smiled.

“No place like the Vegas Galaxies then!” the Time Lord exclaimed and set the course for the playground of the universe at its prime. “Sixtieth century, here we come!”

...Vegas Galaxies, Sixtieth century...

They were giggling, standing side by side; clothes rustled and ties askew.

“You are drunk,” Ianto told the Doctor who was hiccupping at the moment.

“We are drunk,” the Time Lord corrected after he had some control back. Then he burst into giggles and Ianto followed.

“We are bad,” the human said.

“Very, very bad!” the Doctor added amidst more laughter.

The two collapsed into their respective chairs near the bar.

“You know, I’ve never really been drunk as much as now. Certainly not with this face! And to tell the truth, it’s my handsomest face to date.”

“Handsomest?” Ianto laughed. “Someone’s feeling vain.”

“I’d have liked being ginger,” the alien confided, “But I can live with this.”

“Doctor, you are being very random. Anyway, do you know how many people have been eyeing you all night?”

“I have no idea,” the Doctor commented.

“How can one guy as smart as you are be so oblivious when flirting is concerned,” the Welshman sighed. “Those shots that guy with the military get up sent us? He was flirting with you.”

“Time Agent,” the two hearted alien commented. “Yes, has to be, those wrist thingies… hate them.”

“The wrist thingies or the Time Agents?” Ianto asked.

The buzzed Time Lord paused. “Um, both.”

“Really?”

The alien nodded emphatically. “Knew a Time Lord once, flashy, pompous…”

“More than you?” Ianto teased.

“Stop ganging up on me!”

“There’s only me here.”

“I knew that,” the Doctor replied fast. Ianto looked disbelieving. “Really. And about flirting, I know when people flirt with me, really. I’ll have you know that once I even snogged Madame de Pompadour…” At Ianto’s snort he set about proving he was not joking. Ianto took great pleasure teasing and riling the Time Lord and neither of them cared about the strange looks they received from the people around them, content with having a good time.

...TARDIS...

Hangovers were a nightmare, for Time Lords and humans alike. It took the spaceship blaring her alarms to rouse the two males from their beds. They both stumbled out of their rooms looking a mess.

“Can you make it stop?” Ianto pleaded the Doctor who looked like a hoard of Judoon had trampled him.

“Telepathic ship, I bet she’s angry with us.”

“Would promising not to drink so much again help?”

“Might,” the Doctor replied. “If all else fails, we beg.”

Ianto nodded in agreement. It was another hour before the TARDIS let up and by then Ianto and the Doctor were ready to get back to bed.

“Just as soon as my head stops pounding I’ll get you home, alright?” the alien asked Ianto.

The youth shrugged.

“Or…”

They shared a look, both trying not to show how excited they felt at the prospect of one more trip, one more adventure. The camaraderie the Doctor had with Ianto was not like his relationship with Rose, though he felt connected with the male human on a different level. Ianto had a flare of uniqueness, that was what had made the Doctor keep him around, despite his argumentative nature and quirky humour he was fun and reliable. Remembering Rose, back in London with her mother, the Doctor felt a niggling of regret that she was not with him, had not been for the months he had been gallivanting across time and space with the Welshman.

“One more trip,” Ianto agreed.

“Last one,” the Time Lord nodded even though he knew that he would not be keeping his word this time.

…Rome, Earth, 44 BC…

“Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant!”(1)

The Doctor and Ianto were in the stadium, not the Coliseum but this place was big enough. They had prime seats as well. Julius Caesar, newly risen to power was seated a few seats away from them, dressed in Roman clothes and a golden crown and looking like a movie star, in Ianto’s opinion.

“Blood sports Doctor?” the Welshman teased.

“When in Rome…” the Time Lord hinted, making Ianto roll his eyes.

…112 Mercer Road, Princeton, Earth, 1933…

“Dinner was lovely Elsa,” the Doctor told the woman. She smiled and blushed a bit by the praise.

Ianto, after looking ornamental for the first few minutes in the Einstein household had snapped out of it and had joined in the conversation with Albert Einstein and his wife. Whatever he had expected of the Doctor, meeting the theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, the father of modern physics, had been it. However the surprise was rather pleasant, as well as eating a home cooked meal after so long. The Welshman realized he had missed human cuisine while he travelled with the Time Lord. The two Time Travellers bid their hosts goodbye and exited the house the two German immigrants stayed in, walking down the street and towards the park where they had parked the TARDIS.

… Clom, Year One Billion Sixty Nine...

“Here we are,” the Doctor bounced on his feet.

“And where is here?” Ianto asked.

The Doctor smiled. “You said you wanted to learn the Galactic standard,” he reminded the youth.

Ianto sighed and looked around with apprehension. The TARDIS would not be translating for him for this trip, not since the Doctor had decided to help him in his latest Academic pursuit. So the Welshman looked around, trying to spot any signs.

“Clom?” he finally asked.

“Clom,” the Doctor agreed.

“And where is Clom?”

“Considering it’s the twin planet of Raxacoricofallapatorius, I’d say… Isop Galaxy. The closest galaxy to Mutter's Spiral, as we Time Lords used to say.” He turned to Ianto. “What’s the other name for Mutter's Spiral?”

“The Milky way,” Ianto replied.

“Bravo!” the Doctor approved. “Now, let’s explore, find something interesting.”

“Here, there are posters,” Ianto showed. “Look, there’s a conference. How to properly cook alien delicacies.”

“Sounds fun,” the Time Lord laughed and took off, Ianto running after him.

…Florence, Earth, 1609...

“Galileo, I am telling you, that is not a moon!” the Doctor was yelling.

“I’ve already seen Ganymede, Callisto, Io, and Europa!” the Astronomer declared.

“Good for you!” the Time Lord cheered. “Now drop it!”

“But that could be the next moon…”

“That is not a moon,” the alien maintained.

On the sidelines Ianto was sighing. How on Earth they had gotten into such a position he did not know. One moment they were partying on a space cruise ship that toured Jupiter’s sixty four or so moons and the next the Doctor was cursing to high heaven and dragging Ianto away from the cute Thal that had been flirting with him. The Doctor had said something along the lines of:

“Too much like Jack” in a near groan but Ianto had not paid him any mind. He had lost a perfectly nice dancing partner because the Doctor upped and left. Apparently the space ship had been seen by a man from Earth centuries before it was supposed to happen. That would mess up the time lines, something the TARDIS had picked up and decided to alert the Doctor about. Hence the mad dash towards Earth to try and contain the mess.  

“Will you stop pouting?” the Time Lord asked his companion, finally looking away from Galileo Galilei. “Help me out here? Jupiter is supposed to have four moons until E.E. Barnard observes Amalthea in 1892.”

The Welshman sighed just as Galileo stared at them as if he thought they were mad. For once Ianto did not feel like correcting that assumption.

“Galileo, can I call you Galileo?” Ianto sauntered up to the man. “Well, excellent finding those four moons. Are they like Earth’s moon?”

The Astronomer paused. “I had not thought of that,” he mused. “I could go about finding their orbits,” he agreed with Ianto’s suggestion.

The Doctor gave thumbs up at Ianto who continued keeping Galileo occupied, while mouthing ‘You owe me!’ making the Doctor grin.

…Anura, 100294 AD...

Water, water and more water and Ianto loved it, the Doctor as well. Planet Anura was the home planet of Anurans. Their planet consisted mostly of water, with a few tiny islands to show for land. The two travellers finally had the vacation they had been seeking in this planet, where they could frolic in the water. Ianto for one, got a tan, despite the sun cream the Doctor had provided with strict instruction to put it on every two hours.

“It might be water proof, but your human skin is too sensitive to the sunlight,” the Doctor said, pointing at the bluish light that came from the nearest sun. Three of the eight moons were visible during the day, giving the planet an other worldly look. Ianto loved it.

…Earth...

Rose was carrying groceries back to her house, her mother had insisted. It was the day the Doctor had promised to return for her, after giving her a week to enjoy with her mother and even Mickey. Jackie had been happy and half dreaded the alien would return sooner than they had agreed, before she had the chance to catch up with her daughter, enjoy being at her side again. After a week of peace and quiet, the two Tyler women heard the TARDIS and hurried to the spot the Time Lord usually parked it. Both of them were surprised when the man who exited the space ship was not the Doctor, but a younger man that could not have been much older that Rose herself.

“Who are you?” Jackie demanded.

Rose was a bit shaken. “Did you regenerate again?”

The man smiled. “What? No! I’m not the Doctor. My name’s Ianto Jones.”

“Love the accent,” Rose commented, her heart back in its place. “Where’s the Doctor?” she asked next.

This time the man turned mischievous. “He was in the library, searching for something or another when he fell into the pool.”

Jackie’s jaw dropped. “There’s a pool in the library?”

“Yes,” Rose and Ianto both answered.

“It used to be in the kitchen,” Rose commented.

“Except on Wednesdays,” Ianto added. “Then it’s in…”

“The wardrobe,” Rose and Ianto both said, cracking up and making Jackie stare.

“You lot are crazy,” the eldest Tyler commented.

“Rose! Jackie!” the Doctor left the TARDIS soaking wet and with a smile on his face.

Rose tackled him in a hug, not caring he was so wet. Jackie, though she was rolling her eyes, smiled at the man.

“I see you’ve met Ianto,” the Time Lord said. “He’s been keeping me out of trouble.”

“Really?” Rose shot the Welshman a look.

“Complete lies,” Ianto answered her and she smiled.

“That’s the Doctor,” she said. “So, how long have you been with him?” she asked, knowing just by seeing him that he had been travelling with the Doctor. What she did not know is how long it had been for the doctor since he last saw her.

“A few months,” Ianto replied. “I’m studying in Uni but he showed up and…”

“I know the rest,” she assured him. “Got time for some tea?”

“Ask him to make you coffee,” the Doctor piped in. “Trust me on this, best coffee in ten galaxies.”

“Really?” Rose asked.

Ianto took her bags. “Show me the kitchen,” he told her and Rose nodded with a smile. Behind them followed Jackie and the Time Lord, bickering about how the Doctor would drip water all over her house.

End of chapter.

Chapter Text

''Ah. London air. How I missed it,'' Ianto mused. Behind him, Rose and the Doctor were just exiting the TARDIS. After making coffee for Jackie and her daughter Ianto had gone into the TARDIS one last time, one last trip, for real this time. It was a pity, because Rose was so much fun, the Doctor with Rose at his side even more so. He had not wanted to get between them and it was also getting too dangerous, his need for adventure. If he did not return to his life, his studies, the boring Earth or else it would be too late. Rose, she was already past the point of no return and Ianto feared becoming like her, getting too attached to the Doctor. So he decided that this trip, one visit to the Police Galactic Quarters, one more chance to save the universe and now he was on Earth soil again.

''Ianto, are you sure?''

The Welshman looked back on Rose.

''Yep, enough travelling for me,'' Ianto assured her.

''Got your new and improved phone with you?'' the Time Lord asked.

Ianto took out his phone, a tweaked Blackberry, with universal reception and a phone he would never again need to pay the bill for. He had a suitcase with him, a few knickknacks, nothing blatantly alien. It helped the suitcase had a perception filter on it, the Doctor had insisted.

''I need to settle in,'' Ianto told them. ''Rest a bit.''

''Greet your friends,'' the Doctor commented. ''I can feel their buzzing.''

‘‘The bugs?'' Rose asked.

''Not bugs, they are Mara, creatures of time,'' the Doctor told her. ‘‘You know them as fairies.''

''You are having me on!'' Rose told him, thinking the Doctor was teasing her at first. Then the Time Lord shook his head and she faltered. “Fairies are real? Okay, first werewolves now fairies, are vampires real too?”

The Doctor shrugged. “Who knows!”

Rose went back to staring at the dancing lights.

''Never mind them,'' Ianto told her. He hugged her and said his goodbyes. Then he turned to the Doctor.

‘‘Do you want your hug?'' the Welshman teased the Time Lord who made the move and hugged the man. They did not linger, but the Doctor made Ianto stay still for a moment, and looking into his blue eyes he told Ianto seriously.

''If you find out anything at all...''

''I'll call you,'' Ianto promised.

''Good boy.''

''Take good care of him,'' he told the blond woman. ''And you Doctor, take good care of her. She deserves a nice outing too, a restaurant or something.''

''Ah! The Twin Gea has wonderful restaurants,'' the alien mused. ''I'll take her straight there.''

''Good,'' Ianto approved. ''See you whenever.''

He did not stand around to see them disappear, but he did pat the exterior of the Police Box once the duo got back inside.

''Travel safe,'' Ianto told the TARDIS and the space ship brushed her presence against his mind before disappearing in the Time Vortex.

It took Ianto a month to stop craving the action and even then he held onto his self imposed rules by the skin of his teeth. He applied himself more into his studies and he was soon enough facing his graduation when it happened. The blue eyed man could honestly say that he had not been looking for trouble, though he had met with Jackie and Mickey a couple of times since he tried to be normal. He never asked after the Doctor, never rubbed it in their faces that he had been with the Doctor. With Jackie he went shopping for a suit, for his graduation ceremony. With Mickey he grabbed a pint and watched a few games, normal stuff.

So when he saw a team of men dressed in a military style uniforms taking down what looked like an alien. A van was parked nearby, the logo 'Torchwood' on the side.

The whole scene gave Ianto pause. Humans battling aliens. This one looked like a mercenary, a Blowfish. He had seen a couple of them in one of the clubs in the Vegas Galaxies. Gangsters of Space the Doctor had called them; red cacti Ianto had dubbed them.

The Welshman's sixth sense, the one attuned to danger, adventure and trouble, started tingling. Ianto knew a sensible person would have walked away, run the moment he saw them. The man he had been months ago would have walked away but not Ianto Jones post Doctor; he lingered.

A week later Ianto was contacted by Torchwood Institute of London.

“If Its Alien, it’s ours.”

The phrase that summed up Torchwood One, the largest branch of the Institute Queen Victoria had founded back in 1879. When Ianto found out the cause behind the birth of such an organization, he felt the urge to flee. These people, these ignorant, pompous bunch who thought they could control the universe were prepared to fight the Doctor, the one person in the history of Earth that had bled more than the humans living on this planet to protect it. Ianto had been furious too. Torchwood was making Earth an even bigger target than it already was to passing aliens.

Ianto’s conscience was not fine with him being so close to the wolf’s mouth. He feared they might learn he had been with the Doctor, or worse yet, that he had been in an accident involving alien technology. Still, he stayed, because Torchwood was the closest to space he could get, it was not normal by most people’s standards, then again Ianto was not normal now. Torchwood was cold, clinical and at its core evil. Having met the head of the branch he was working for Ianto had felt that Yvonne Hartman was not all that sane. He had learned from other workers that she had plans, restoring the British Empire they had whispered. Ianto kept his opinions to himself on that subject and did his job as best as he could, that meant perfectly.

He had been drafted to work for the Torchwood Archives. It was a glorified librarian’s work, handling the vast amount of information, both electronic and on paper. Ianto’s sort of eidetic memory worked wonders for him. He could cross reference things easily, he knew where everything was. He slowly but steadily established himself in the eyes of his colleagues and the eyes of his superiors. It took six months for him to be the person they turned to when they wanted information not easily found in databases. It was how his file dropped on Hartman’s desk. Ianto had been working for Torchwood shy of fourteen months when his big promotion came in. it got him out of the Archives and made him a go between for all the alien catching organizations, like UNIT and other Torchwood branches.

His work was fulfilling, though demanding. He started working long hours, all work and no private life for a while. He drew even further apart from his family and any kind of social life. Not that he did not get his lucky breaks. Ianto’s sense of humour and young looks got him many admirers within Torchwood London. He tried not to get tangled up with many people; that would have made things awkward at work; something the Welshman could do without. One of the first people that caught his eye was Albert, a guy from Torchwood’s retrieval team. He had been a fun distraction for Ianto for a month. It ended because Albert was killed by one of the aliens his team had been trying to take down. Ianto was sad about it but did not mourn for long. He started dating not long after, a girl from his favourite coffee shop, a guy he met in a pub, then Lisa from the technological department of Torchwood. She was fun and witty and he could have fallen for her very easily, he had begun to in fact, when his work hours, so much longer than hers, wore them down. Then he came, and Lisa never stood a chance.

End of chapter

Chapter Text

The room had a stiff air about it. The expensive furniture and sombre look all but screamed that laughter was frowned upon.

Ianto Jones, just turned 25, was very self conscious. He was dressed in a fine suit in black and grey. He was trying to dress the part and compensate for his young age; he knew that and thought it necessary if he were to survive in this crowd. He was a member of Torchwood One for the past three years now. He had climbed the ladder with a lot of work, he had strived for the position and title he now owned but people would still question him or dismiss him and he hated that. Out of the whole room Ianto could only recognize the leader of Torchwood Two, Archie. The rest were only names and faces he had read files on, like the UNIT leader, General Johnson and his secretary, Sergeant Brown, Archie’s right hand, Madame Hills, the Prime Minister and two of his advisors. And as Torchwood Four was still unaccounted for, only Torchwood Three remained and the black sheep of the Torchwood Institute, Three’s leader, Captain Jack Harkness.

Boisterous laughter made heads turn, Ianto’s included. His eyes sought out the newest arrival. Dark, messy hair, clean shaven face, mischievous blue eyes, wide grin, blue RAF coat and an American accent. It could only be the infamous Captain Harkness of Torchwood Three. And Ianto thought the man was everything he was told and then some.

Jack loved being the head of Torchwood Cardiff. After his long, enforced employment under the institute he was his own man, finally answered to no one, had the chance to boss around his minions (meaning his three person team) and he looked good doing it; after all the Rift was still active and the world had not ended so he was doing his job. It was a bonus that he got to annoy the head of Torchwood London, Yvonne Hartmann and the only drawback was these annual meetings with the other Torchwood branches, the government and UNIT. Torchwood three was operating with the bare minimum personnel and he could not afford to send anyone away. Plus there were some things he was not going to trust his team with so he had to attend these meetings on his own.

‘Same old, same old,’ the immortal thought after glancing at the occupants of the room. While he liked Archie he could not spend much time in the man’s presence, not without getting a headache; good guy but his mind was filled with his work and not much else. And he absolutely hated the bureaucrats and the black and red dressed soldiers from UNIT. He also dreaded meeting Yvonne after their latest shouting match, or worse, one of her stuffy cronies. So he was pleasantly surprised by her newest boy. His heart (and crotch) stirred at the youngest presence in the room. His eyes travelled up and down that suited body, lingering an extra moment on that wonderful butt.

‘Yum!’ was all he could think. ‘Better I go introduce myself.’

But he was held up by the PM’s people, the boring bastards. He laughed at something they said, being as loud as possible and he noticed the young morsel was now looking at him, as his momentary plan had intended. The boy was speaking with Archie, meaning he was either brave or ignorant of the Scotsman’s ways; better he go and save the poor soul.

“… the interplanetary plexus with a sub sonar patented sonar,” Archie’s Scottish accent though endearing to Jack only heightened his dislike for meeting the man in person.

But Ianto scoffed. “That’s rubbish. Brown and Jones are complete twats. They just scavenge the artefacts and make up a tale to go with them. The other day they classified a sonic-comb as a mass murder weapon.”

Archie laughed. “Okay, if you say so lad, then I won’t trust that theory.”

Ianto nodded. “Not unless you want Torchwood 2 blown up.”

Archie blushed. “That would be bad,” he agreed.

“Archie old boy!” Jack stepped in.

The two men turned to look at him. Archie, the head of Torchwood 2, beamed at him and hugged Jack jovially. He was probably the only man that liked Jack in this nest of vipers. The immortal hugged the Scotsman back with equal warmth.

“Haven’t seen you in quite a while,” Archie scolded Jack.

“Been busy,” the American replied.

“Yes, that rift of yours,” Archie sighed. “Troublesome thing.”

Jack stifled a chuckle. He knew that if it where up to Archie he would never leave the headquarters of his branch.

“Jack, you have to meet this lad, he’s brilliant!” the Scotsman said then and he clapped Ianto on the shoulder. “He’s from Wales but you can’t have everything.”

Jack offered a hand to the young man and a winning smile to go with it. “Captain Jack Harkness,” he said.

“Ianto Jones,” the Welshman replied.

“Love the accent,” Jack smirked at Jones.

“Yes, Jack has a thing or two about accents,” Archie piped up.

“Archie old pal, you wound me,” Jack joked.

Ianto considered the man before him. He had heard a lot about the leader of the branch in Cardiff. In the start of the century the previous team all died under odd circumstances and Harkness had been the only one to survive. For a while Yvonne Hartman ranted that the man had been behind it, betraying them all, but then the brash man had brought in a report, verified by Torchwood 2 and even UNIT, so the head of Torchwood London had no choice but to back down and accept it. Harkness had seniority over his branch so when London tried to interfere with Cardiff it led to nowhere.

As the genius studied the captain he found there was just something that was not quite human about him. Ianto caught sight of a wrist watch he had seen once a few years ago, when he was travelling across the universe in a police box.

“Like the watch?” Jack asked him.

“It is rather nice,” Ianto agreed.

Harkness smiled. “Had it for years. It’s one of a kind.”

Ianto mentally agreed. ‘At least until the thirtieth century,’ he thought.

“So, Mr. Jones, which body do you represent?” the American asked.

“Torchwood 1, London,” Ianto replied proudly.

“Aren’t you a bit young?” Harkness asked.

“I’m twenty five and I’ve been part of Torchwood for three years,” Ianto told the man. He knew that few people could access London’s mainframe, much less the personnel info, especially those high up like Ianto.

“Ianto here is a brilliant lad, Jack,” Archie commented. “I would be proud to have him in my time. I tried as well but Yvonne was a bit territorial.”

“A sharp mind and gorgeous looks then,” Jack complimented the Welshman.

Ianto offered a genuine smile at the honest compliment (and blatant come on). Archie seemed to realize what the Head of Torchwood Cardiff was up to something and quickly excused himself to look for his secretary.

“So, Mr. Jones, how is my dear Yvonne? Still breathing?”

Ianto coughed a bit to disguise a laugh that wanted to escape him. “Sends her regards,” he replied politely. Had it been anyone else from Torchwood London they would have glared the captain but the Welshman actually had a sense of humour and it showed in his eyes.

“I just bet she does,” Harkness commented.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” a secretary from the PM’s office made an appearance and the gathered group headed for the conference room.

Ianto took his designated seat and waited for the rest of the group. He felt a bit odd being the youngest person in the room. He had noticed the looks he was given. The new PM kept shooting glances at them. Ianto knew why. He had probably just learned about Torchwood Institute and what it really was. The Welshman suppressed a smirk he wanted to give the man and focused on Jack Harkness instead; the handsome man was a much better view and it seemed that he hated these meetings.

“Since Torchwood 4 seems to be missing still,” Jack drawled, “how about we start the debriefing. The Rift doesn’t care for political meetings.”

That earned him a lot of glares but it started the meeting all the same.

It was four hours later that they finished debriefing the Minister on each branch’s status and condition. The whole ordeal was like trying to pry an answer from a sphinx and the politicians in the room were very aggravated at this but the heads of Torchwood (Ianto as well) did their best imitation of a clamp and went on.

Ianto enjoyed the sensation that stretching his limbs gave him when Archie clapped him on the shoulder and wished him a good night. Then a few others nodded at him before Harkness approached him all smiles.

“Mr. Jones, what a wonderful performance,” he told him.

“I could say the same about you,” Ianto returned.

“Say Mr. Jones, would you be interested in dinner with me?”

“Are you?”

“I would not ask if I wasn’t,” said the captain.

Ianto considered it in his head and finally nodded.

“How about tonight, after the last briefing?”

The Welshman smiled. “Like a celebration of our independence?”

The handsome man laughed. “Exactly!”

“Name the place captain Harkness.”

“Call me Jack.”

“We’ll see.”

Chapter Text

Ianto was nervous when he entered the restaurant. It was a small place but obviously exclusive. The maitre’d greeted him and then directed him to the table Jack Harkness was already seated. He wore that RAF coat again and it made him look handsome and classical and at the same time mischievous. And did he say handsome?

“Ianto!” the Captain stood and they shook hands.

“Sir…”

“None of that when it’s just the two of us, Ianto. Call me Jack.” He gave one of his wide, big smiles that were infectious.

The Welshman smiled back. “Okay, Jack,” he replied.

“Glad you could make it,” Jack told him and showed him to the seat, finally breaking their handshake and releasing Ianto’s hand after a soft caress. It was a smooth, well practiced move and it made Ianto smile and feel rather flattered. It was also now more obvious than ever that Jack Harkness, the notorious leader of Torchwood 3 was trying to seduce him; and succeeding.

“I took the liberty to order the menu,” Jack told him. “I’ve been here a many times already so…”

“It’s fine with me,” Ianto assured the man. “Red wine?”

“I’m more of a vodka guy but the situation called for wine,” Jack offered him a smile.

“I don’t really mind,” Ianto replied. “And thank you for the invitation.”

“I was surprised you accepted,” Jack told him. “Weren’t you warned off about me?”

Ianto chuckled. “Oh, I’ve heard the rumours. All of them,” he said meaningfully.

“And?”

“Are you really that good? Or that gifted?”

Ianto’s eyes were challenging and it pleased the rogue Time Agent.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Jack teased.

“I know I would,” was Ianto’s reply and it made the Captain smirk.

The atmosphere between them was sizzling and slowly growing warmer. Ianto looked unfazed but Jack was willing to bet that if he took the man’s pulse, he would feel his heart racing.

“And you looked so prim and proper in the meeting…” Jack teasingly accused the younger man.

“I could hardly walk in dressed in jeans and leather.”

“You know, that comment was open to interpretation in so many ways.”

The younger man grinned, a cheeky grin that lit up his face and made his eyes sparkle with mirth. “A gift from me for you.”

Jack laughed then. “Oh, you’re really something else, Ianto Jones. How on earth did Yvonne end up with you? You are not as bland as her usual employees. And you’re so young…Sane. And with that accent… you should have been mine.”

Ianto tried to pretend that Jack’s gaze was not smouldering when his possessive streak showed and the tone of that voice did not go straight to his crotch. He took a sip from his drink to calm his racing heart and when he spoke, he sounded composed.

“Hm, that I am, young that is,” the Welshman admitted. “Torchwood approached me personally. It helped that I’ve got a degree in cybernetics and languages, plus I’m a genius.”

Jack nodded. “So, you were qualified, that I believe. But why join?” his face was grave when he said this.

The reasons were plenty and Ianto was not going to share them, not with another member of Torchwood. So he gave the answer he usually gave.

“The money was good.” the Welshman shrugged. “Torchwood turned out to be a very interesting place, opened up a whole new world for me. Now I can’t imagine a different life.”

Yes, Jack could relate. Adventure and mystery was in his blood. Torchwood was in his blood. Now that the young man passed the threshold, there was no going back; he was ruined for regular work. “I know exactly what you mean,” Jack told him and picked up his glass. Ianto followed his lead. “A toast. To Yvonne and the only choice she made that I approve.”

“What is that, Jack?”

“Hiring you of course.”

They took sips from their drinks, eyeing each other over the rim of their glasses. Ianto was no stranger to seduction games and this one was as blunt as a Dalek invasion.

Ianto carefully set his glass down. “Are you after something Captain?”

Jack laughed. “I’m always after something.”

Their food arrived soon and the talk left the Torchwood Institute, at least the administrative subjects. There were plenty of anecdotes with funny incidents, not enough personal information shared but enough wordplay to make the air between the two men thicken. Ianto learned that Jack Harkness was very suave man, knew a vast topic of subjects to talk about and could make everything and anything sound suggestive, from the table cloth to the weather. He had a certain charm that Ianto had only encountered once before, in a certain time travelling alien with two hearts.

“I’m paying,” Jack insisted once the dishes were cleared and Ianto made to take his wallet out. “I insist.”

Ianto nodded and let Jack do his thing.

“Just to be clear though,” Harkness said as they get up. “You do understand I have plans for you.”

“Do they involve morning coffee?”

Jack smirked. “Only if you drink coffee.”

“So, my place or yours?”

They ended up in Jack’s hotel. They nearly did not make it inside the room. Inside the lift they used to get to the right floor, Ianto was all over the older man, mouth over soft lips, hands clutching at Jack’s shirt. The Captain kissed back with equal desire and passion. He opened his mouth for Ianto’s tongue to invade and the two were tangled up in each other. When the elevator doors opened they nearly missed it but Jack, being more aware, tagged Ianto’s tie and had them stumble out into the hall, laughing and kissing.

“That was close, Mister Jones,” the Captain teased.

Ianto smiled and drew him back down for a kiss, teeth lightly gazing the man’s lower lip. “Just get us in the room, Captain,” he tells the older man who just smiles.

“Keys are in my pocket,” he tells Ianto.

The Welshman was up to the challenge, his hands travelling on Jack’s body, caressing the man’s sides and slowly travelling from his shoulders down to his hips, checking front and back pockets, hands lingering more than politely supposed to be but neither man complained about this. In fact, Jack’s body was rather responsive, especially when Ianto lingered over the man’s bulge, teasing the cock hidden underneath the fabric.

“Got it,” Ianto finally announced, producing the key to the room.

Once they got inside the hotel room Jack took off his coat, hands then falling on Ianto’s shoulders and taking off the Welshman’s upper layer. Their shirts followed and in Ianto’s case his tie too. Mouths met again in a hard kiss as they tasted each other and fought for dominance. They never made it to the bed. Ianto takes Jack in his mouth, the older man lying on the floor, and the Welshman comfortably lies between his spread legs, lavishing him with attention, expertly taking him in his mouth, teasing him and pleasuring him until Jack comes undone.

And then it is Ianto’s turn and Jack makes sure he pays back the youth. He brings the Welshman to his bed and does everything in his power to drive the blue eyed youth out of his mind. He has had decades to perfect his style and it pays off. He drives Ianto to his knees as he plays with the man’s neck and nipples. When he prepares Ianto he torments the youth at the same time until he has Ianto threatening and begging him to enter him, to make the wait come to an end. Jack gives in, finally, taking Ianto gently, slowly, drawing the game out despite the man’s urging to go faster, stronger. They collapse against each other, breathless and speechless, the intensity having left them both surprised.

Then Ianto laughs. It is a loud, happy sound that makes Jack chuckle. It earns the Captain a kiss from Ianto.

“That was brilliant,” the Welshman tells him and kisses his lips, cheeks, neck. He finally bites Jack’s earlobe, sucking on the wound and repeating the action, making Jack’s flaccid cock stir again with interest.

“Ianto…” he tried to warn the youth.

“Again, I want you again,” he demands of the Torchwood Three leader. “Only this time, I want it fast, hard. I want you to make me forget my name, Jack,” he demands, voice deep and rough, with a hint of darkness in it. And it turns Jack on, this not so tame side of the younger man.

“Ianto…” Jack groans the name.

“Just tell me one thing,” the youth demands even as he reaches for the drawer Jack had earlier taken out a condom. He takes out another and Jack’s eyes darken. “Do we have enough of these?”

Jack laughs. “Ambitious, Mr. Jones?”

“Are you balking on me, Captain Harkness?”

The challenge is there.

Jack flips them, pressing Ianto to the mattress and kissing him harshly. “Careful what you wish for, Ianto,” he warns before he sets out to do exactly what the Welshman asked of him.

End of chapter.

Chapter Text

He woke up immediately, not quite believing how he could have fallen asleep. He then felt tired muscles and changed his mind. It was actually no wonder he had fallen asleep when his body was so deliciously tired. But it was worth it, he mentally decided even as he reluctantly stirred, eyes opening and almost immediately zeroing in on the sleeping figure next to him. Jack had to blink twice but the image did not change. Sure, he recalled the previous night, having sex with the blue eyed Welshman from Torchwood London. He revisited the thought because it still shocked him that anyone from under Yvonne’s management could break the mould and be so passionate.

Last night, Harkness had not realized how young the boy was. Ianto looked only slightly older than eighteen and Jack was for once feeling uncomfortable and a bit self conscious of his age. He was trying not to panic when Ianto’s eyes opened and after a while the younger man focused on Jack.

He smiled at Jack and the Captain found himself smiling back. And then Ianto rose a bit and kissed him. Not on the mouth, not on the face but on his neck, gently lapping at the veins there, making Jack shiver as desire was stirring inside him again. This was ridiculous, the fifty first century man decided, ridiculous and amazing and heady because no one had been as delectable as the younger Torchwood agent he had bedded the night before. It was the best time Jack had in a long while as there had been no inhibitions the night before. Ianto had not been shy and reluctant. He was just like Jack in bed but at the same time he still had the excitement of his age and so much creativity… Jack’s mind ignored that train of thought as the younger man managed to gain his complete attention, body and mind.

“Ianto…” the leader of Torchwood Three moaned completely unashamed as to how he might sound.

The youth stopped what he was doing, much to the immortal’s regret and gave him a beaming smiled. Jack absently though that no one should be so cheerful in the morning without at least some caffeine in their system.

“Morning Jack. Got a spare toothbrush?”

That killed some of the mood he had built up. Jack realized he would have liked for Ianto to stay in bed with him, the day was still young and they did not have to meet with the stuffy bureaucrats and military personnel until noon. Too much time to kill until then, and another round or two in the sheets was a more than acceptable way to pass the time. He had been hoping Ianto would be game for it but apparently it was not meant to be.

“Bathroom,” the Captain responded easily.

Ianto nodded. “One last question then, is the bathtub big enough?”

Jack’s day had gotten better once again and he replied immediately, “By the Gods and Goddesses yes!”

The younger male stood, naked and smiling and so obviously well sated from the previous night but eager for more than morning. The picture he made had Jack licking his lips at the possibilities he knew were in their immediate future, bathtub included. He followed after Ianto, reining himself in some as to not appear too eager, before he finally joined the younger man. When he was pressed to Ianto’s back his hands and mouth got to work, enjoying the groans he created and the way he had Ianto so very eager for him.

Getting dressed was a bit of a struggle that morning. Ianto had never had a lover quite like Jack Harkness of Torchwood Three. The Time Agent was a very skilled, very generous lover and Ianto felt disappointed that they were situated in different towns. He was tempted to request a transfer to Cardiff (he was willing to bet Harkness would even approve), but Yvonne would never agree. He was tying his tie, stealing looks at Jack, who was pulling on his trousers.

“You made us late,” Ianto half-heartedly accused the older man.

It got him a wink. “You weren’t complaining all that much earlier.”

“I had my mouth otherwise occupied.”

Jack looked smug, making Ianto roll his eyes.

“Worse than a teenager,” the Welshman muttered. He looked briefly at the mirror, to see whether he was presentable.

“Never seen anyone from One looking this good in a suit,” Jack told him.

“And even if you did, I bet they were stuffy and old,” Ianto told him.

“Age doesn’t matter, much,” Jack replied.

‘I bet,’ Ianto thought as he approached the man from the future. He pulled Jack close, claiming his mouth for a kiss. The Captain was enthusiastic as he returned the favour.

Soon, they broke apart.

“I better get going or you’ll never get dressed,” Ianto commented.

“I look good naked,” Jack boasted.

“I completely agree but not everyone shares my views,” the younger man told him.

“Yvonne is very lucky to have you.”

“Well, yes, but she’ll never have me quite like you did, Jack,” Ianto told him.

Jack pulled on his tie lightly and had Ianto fall up against him and meshed their mouths in a heated kiss. He soon could feel arousal stirring and he broke the kiss. The former Time agent would have loved to start undressing the younger man again, but sadly they had the meeting to return to.

“You are amazing Ianto Jones,” Jack whispered against Ianto’s lips.

He felt more than saw them, curl into a smile.

“You are amazing as well, Jack Harkness,” Ianto said and pecked his lips once, before stepping away. “See you downstairs.”

Jack nodded and watched Ianto pick up his suit jacket and walk out of the room. He shook his head and resumed getting dressed.

The final meeting was both boring and anticlimactic. Jack sat next to Ianto and Archie for the duration. He was pleasantly surprised to realize that there was no awkwardness from Ianto’s part. The younger man did not seem to have any hang ups for having spent the night with Jack. If anything the Captain was paying even more attention now that he knew the clever young man was not just another usual employee from Torchwood London. If Archie noted that Jack was much more open to Ianto he did not say anything to the Captain. By the time noon came, the meetings were wrapped up and Jack was back on his way to Cardiff.

End of chapter

Chapter Text

It was a typical Wednesday morning. Ianto had been back for a week and he was walking to the lifts with one very excited Lisa recounting the night before.

"... and then Janice decides to go for it..."

"Was this Janice from Human Resources or Janice from Logistics?" Ianto interrupted.

"Logistics," Lisa promptly replied.

"That poor sod," Ianto commiserated. "She once smacked my arse when we were in the lift together."

A snicker escapes Lisa.

"With Yvonne," Ianto adds and his co-worker bursts into laughter. With a small smile Ianto presses the button for sub level 10. Lisa eyes the floor with a bit of a wince.

"They had a bit of a trouble yesterday. Amorphous smoke mass caused a mess," Lisa informed him. "One of the retrieval teams lost an operative."

"Yes, I got the memo," the Welshman told her. "Along with the circular on the new tests management wants us to take."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "I get it, we hunt aliens. But ESP? Bit of a stretch. What's next? Mediums? Wizards?"

"I know a good tarot reader if you're ever in Cardiff. She's disturbingly accurate and she usually favours that new age vibe," Ianto tells her as the lift comes to a stop. "She'll give you a discount."

"Thanks," comes her half heartedly reply. As usually she has a bit of trouble discerning whether he is joking or not. His sarcasm makes it hard to tell when he is telling the truth.

Ianto in turn ignores her eye roll and punches in his code, then he and Lisa enter an empty white corridor. The lights flicker to blue, just long enough to scan them, and then turn regular again. Passing the biometric scanner is the first of two more doors they need to cross. Inwardly Ianto is calming his nerves for what he is going to see in a few minutes. Because Sub Level 10 is just one more reason that Torchwood London makes his skin crawl. His position had many responsibilities and they kept adding as time went on and Yvonne Hartman seemed to trust him even more. It was not something he enjoyed all that much. Seeing proof of how Torchwood treated aliens made his stomach turn and had him itching to call the Doctor and have him put a stop to all of this.

"Sub level 10," Lisa muttered just before the last door opened.

At the same Ianto's mind thought 'torture chamber' but did not dare utter it out loud. He made sure his face was blank and stepped out.

They both walked in a brisk pace, past the armed guards stationed by the doors, ignoring the various labs all around them. Lisa entered one of them half way through but Ianto kept walking. After all, he was supposed to see a new arrival today. Further down was the prison, were various cages containing all manner of creatures. The Welshman knew that whatever they kept alive, for as long as they wanted was only for the purpose of studying it. Once the various aliens outlived their usefulness, or proved unmanageable, were killed.

Currently, Ianto was supposed to help one of the scientists determine what species their newest arrival was, but as he passed one particular cage, he felt a small probe at his shields, almost gentle. A bitter smile formed on his face as his feet came to a stop. Soon he could hear his name called in Universal Galactic, echoing only in his mind from the occupant of the cage.

/ Ianto Jones/ the alien that was inside looked so familiar the Welshman felt his throat tighten.

/Voela/ he greeted the male, trying to stop any emotion showing on his face. He was a humanoid alien with orange-ish skin and feathers covering the upper body. He had come across this kind before in a market place with the doctor. Their species was naturally telepathic as their spoken tongue was too much like bird trills and hard to communicate with other species. The Doctor had nicknamed them 'Harpies' but without the tragedy and mayhem. Their species were usually merchants, dealing in space fabrics. Ianto had been there when his space ship had crashed. That was two months ago and he had thought the man had fixed the ship and was back out there. It was the first time Ianto came face to face with someone he knew in these cages.

/You are him. I felt your consciousness but did not dare think it really was you/

Ianto swallowed the lump in his throat. /How are you holding up? What happened? Last I saw you.../ He trailed off. /You never contacted the number I gave you. I thought you fixed the ship/

/The ship is fixed/ Voela confirmed. /I was gathering supplies when I was found/

/What of your clan? / Ianto asked, dreading the answer.

/The ship is safe/ Voela confirmed, making the man outside the cage just a tad more relaxed. /However the supplies must be running low. The eggs must be ready to hatch if they have not yet/

/Eggs?/

Ianto was then assaulted with memories and emotions.

/I understand/ he told Voela when the alien stopped sending him information. The Welshman could see that the mental link was taking a toll on the already tired alien because Voela was now trembling and looked like he had trouble breathing.

/Please. It is far too late for me/ the male said and Ianto knew exactly what he was saying.

/I will take care of them/ the Welshman promised. He saw one of the guards coming his way, looking curious.

"Mister Jones, something the matter?"

"No, just ... Impressive specimen," Ianto commented and prayed his composure did not slip. "Best get going; Doctor Fletcher said he had something even more special." He forced his face into a bland smile and walked away briskly, already planning on how he would keep his promise.

Tension was running high in Torchwood three, and more specifically in the medical bay where all the members except for Toshiko were gathered around Jack's latest find.

"Could you please, stop with the creepy smile?" Owen Harper demanded of his boss. "Especially seeing as I'm about to dissect a corpse."

"You're not usually so spirited," Suzie added, her eyes firmly on the body on the autopsy table. "Especially after the Summit. You usually whine for days."

"If it isn't obvious," Doctor Harper muttered, "He got laid."

Suzie groaned. "Jack!"

"What? Would you rather have me whining?"

"Just promise me it was no one from the PM's office," his second in command pleaded. "Last time we had to use ret-con to get rid of your stalker."

"She was not a stalker..." Jack tried to deny but both Owen and Suzie glared him. The former Time Agent sighed. "Fine! No, no one from the Minister's office. Or UNIT," he added before Suzie could add that organization into the list about 'Jack Harkness' Disastrous Dalliances'. He paused, briefly amused that such a list actually existed (Toss kept an electronic copy on the server). He also pondered whether he should tell them to include dalliances he remembered from his stint as a Time Agent and later a con artist.

"Good," the brunette told Jack, breaking him from his thoughts. "Now let's allow Owen to tear into his cadaver lest he gets snippier."

"It's like a kindergarten," the doctor muttered as he set about performing an autopsy.

Jack grinned. "Well, you kids have fun!"

"Don't go pestering Toss! She's working on an encryption!" Suzie called out.

Jack did not reply, just climbed the stairs to the main area of the Hub. He passed Toss's station where the young genius had her eyes glued to the screen, her fingers moving fast over the keyboard. He toyed with the idea of distracting Toshiko (she could really use a break, some sun perhaps and fresh coffee) but then he recalled Suzie's words and went on to his office. He was just inside when his phone rang and he pressed his wrist device to answer.

"Captain Jack Harkness," he said.

'Hello Jack. It's Ianto.'

A smile crossed Jack's face as a familiar voice reached him.

"Well, good day to you too, my dear Welshman. Are you perhaps in my area? Or even had Yvonne approve of a transfer?"

'Nothing quite so pleasant I'm afraid,' the Welshman said and had Jack frowning.

The former Time Agent closed his office door and walked to his desk. "Anything I could do to help?" he asked, curiosity piqued. He did not know Ianto Jones well enough for the young man to be asking any favours. He also toyed with the idea that Hartman actually had him call, but another look at the screen, and a brief search at the unregistered number calling him (which got him nowhere), and he quickly squashed that train of thought.

'Word in the street is that you're the man to talk to about search and rescue missions.'

"Do you need saving?"

Ianto's snort echoed in the office. 'No, but I know of a couple of eggs that need it.'

Jack blinked. "Did you say eggs?"

Jack pulled his car up; in front of the address Ianto gave him merely two and a half hours later. He rang the doorbell and when the door opened he took the stairs. Toshiko followed behind him, looking exasperated.

"Jack! At least wait up," she called out. "I think I'm still car sick. If it was so urgent why did you not have a helicopter take us to London? For that matter why use your own car?"

"Sorry Toshiko," he sheepishly told her. "Hopefully all will be explained better soon."

The young woman rolled her eyes and started walking again.

Ianto Jones was waiting for them, door open, when they reached the third floor. He was dressed in a suit, obviously worn all day and he looked just as attractive as the last time Jack saw him. He toyed with the idea of greeting him with the kiss, but held back, since apparently the Welshman had called him here for a rescue mission.

"I don't even want to know how you're still in one piece. How fast were you going?" Ianto asked.

"Too fast," Toshiko answered before Jack could open his mouth.

Ianto smiled and motioned for them to step inside. Jack smiled and went in first, Toshiko following behind. Once inside, Ianto offered them seats on the sofa.

"Would you like some coffee? You are probably going to need it," the Welshman told him.

"Yes, please," Toshiko nodded eagerly.

"Jack?"

"Yes, and then you can tell me how even though you're under Yvonne you want to lead a search and rescue for alien eggs."

Ianto shrugged. "Not that difficult to believe, is it?" he asked as he busied himself making three mugs of coffee in the kitchen adjacent to the living room.

Jack stood instead and started perusing the room around him. "Nice place you have here."

"Torchwood pays well," was Ianto's come back. "You can snoop all you like Jack!"

Toshiko smiled. "How do you two know each other?"

"The 'Anti-Alien Summit' or if you prefer the 'Annual Posturing Summit'," Ianto answered her. "Through in politicians and alien catching organizations and you get a very prissy and explosive mix."

Jack and Toshiko laughed.

Ianto stepped back into the room. "Your coffee," he said and extended the mugs."

Jack arched an eyebrow.

"I've heard rumours on how Three distributes retcon, but worry not. I need you."

"So we're safe," the ex Time Agent muttered and took a tentative sip. Then he took another, letting out a rather suggestive moan.

"Jack!" Toshiko exclaimed, shocked.

"It's the coffee," the Welshman said, looking smug.

Toshiko eyed her mug before tasting hers. Her eyes closed and she took a deeper gulp of the scalding hot liquid.

"Oh, gods please marry me," she moaned.

Ianto snorted while Jack gave her a glare.

"I've known him longer," the leader of Torchwood Three told her. "I've got dibbs."

"Dibbs?" Ianto asked.

Jack gave him a roguish smirk. "And don't you forget it Mr Jones."

The younger man laughed.

Toshiko watched the by play with interest, as well as the small talk the two made. She had never before seen Jack as relaxed around one of Torchwood London's people. This man was something special to them. She already had some suspicions about the person that managed to make Jack drive like a maniac from Cardiff to London.

"So, Jack said we were on a rescue mission," Toshiko hedged.

"As you may both know, Torchwood London in particular has a very, lets say possessive, attitude regarding all things alien to this planet."

Jack's derisive snort and Toshiko's disbelieving stare are fun to take in. Usually Ianto would continue with his sarcastic comments and wordplay but he needs help and they have a time limit to reach. The longer they wait the lesser the chances that the eggs will go undiscovered. So the Welshman sums how he met Voela. He does not gloss over the holding area of Canary Warf, even though he sees how Jack's face becomes a mask of cold rage. Toshiko looks obviously shaken as Ianto recounts how Voela will probably not last the week.

"Where was the space ship last sighted?" Jack asks. "And are you certain those vultures at One have not found it yet?"

"Positive," Ianto replied.

"What do you need," Jack asks and Ianto feels the tension he felt in his gut uncoil. He had already concocted a plan to help the eggs. Now that he has two sets of extra hands and two more brains to help him, Ianto feels much less afraid of what he is about to do. It is not the first time he has undermined Yvonne Hartman and Torchwood London's decree, but it is the first time he has decided to do so on the fly. And the first time he has accomplices.

End of chapter

Chapter Text

After Jack and Toshiko drunk Ianto’s coffee, they sat down and started planning the rescue and hide away mission. Ianto Already knew about the eggs in the location of the spaceship. Apparently, he had only called Jack for manpower.

"What species are the eggs? " Jack asked.

"Space harpies is the closest I can describe them, " Ianto replied. "Voela, the father, is a humanoid alien with orange-ish skin and feathers covering the upper body. "

"Space harpy, " Toshiko agreed.

"I never could pronounce the name of his species, " Ianto replied.

Jack arched an eyebrow. "If they are the species, I think they are, then they’re most probably telepathic, " he stated, eyes focused on Ianto.

"I know, " the younger man replied.

"I know Torchwood one wants to question all such species and harness their powers. If they knew they had a telepathic species in their holding cells…"

"They don’t know about the telepathy. Voela cannot speak any of the earth tongues. And so far, he has not given into the torture. He’s dying, " Ianto stated in a grave tone. "And all he wants is for his family to be safe. I cannot get him out from the sublevels. But I can make sure his family lives. "

"Why do you need our help? " Toshiko asked. "You know where the ship is."

"There are over a dozen eggs, " Ianto stated. "Most of them just about ready to hatch. I can help one or two newly hatched little ones. But a dozen? " He shook his head.

Jack nodded. "I know a couple of people who can help long term. Is the spaceship able to fly? Because if yes, we might actually be able to get them off planet as soon as they are able to travel. "

Ianto nodded.

Jack stood up. "Then I better make some calls. You two get ready. We are leaving right after. We’ve space harpies to rescue. " he stormed past them, ready to exit the apartment when he stopped cold and turned to Ianto, an imploring look on his face.

The Welshman laughed. "Yes, I’ll get more coffee ready and some to go. "

Jack grinned. "Be right back! " he yelled and left them alone.

Ianto shook his head and set about doing just that, making more coffee for Jack.

"Toshiko? Do you need anything? "

"More coffee as well. When Jack got us in the car, I was already coming out of an overtime Rift monitoring duty. The car trip over might have woken me some, but I need more caffeine, " the young woman replied.

"I really appreciate this, " he told her. "And I’m sorry that all I can offer is coffee, and take out after, " he promised.

Toshiko grinned. "Make it Indian and consider any dept repaid. "

Ianto grinned. "Consider it done," he promised and went to the kitchen.

Toshiko stood from the couch and stretched a bit, looking around the apartment.

"It is a nice place you’ve got here. A bit empty. "

"I know. I keep meaning to decorate but I never get the time. London might not have a Rift but it’s like we have a huge sign that declares ‘Come invade us!’. It’s getting ridiculous really, " Ianto said from the kitchen. "I know things are crazy for your lot in Cardiff as well. Archie was telling me about sludge aliens the other day. One has a whole other division dealing with that kind of thing. I’ve seen them come back from missions looking like walking tar humanoids. "

"Don’t let me get started. It’s a good thing Torchwood pays well. Even someone like me, " Toshiko muttered the last part in a lower tone. Then louder, "Do you know how many pairs of shoes I’ve ruined? Books and trainers of course, but do you know how expensive a nice pair can be? "

Jack chose that moment to come back. He took one look at her face and laughed.

"Alien gunk on shoes? " he hazarded a guess.

"The bane of every Torchwood employee’s existence, " Ianto added, coming back with a new cup of coffee which he promptly handed over to Jack. "You drink that while I go and get ready. "

Jack nodded, his mouth already inhaling the coffee.

Toshiko glance at Ianto’s retreating back. "Is he the reason you were so darn chipper? "

"Perhaps, " Jack replied. But the suggestive grin on his face was a blatant tell.

The younger woman huffed. "You are going to be flirting all the way to the ship, aren’t you. "

"It be a crime not to.  Did you hear his voice? That sarcasm? "

"I thought you’d be more appreciative of his bum, " Toshiko retorted.

Jack just winked. "And you have not even seen him in a suit. He looks good enough to eat. "

"Well, he did promise me Indian. After that, you are free to do whatever you want. I want my Malai Kofta and my naan Jack. "

"I’m not getting between a girl and her naan, " he replied with a grin.

They took Jack’ car on the way to the space ship. The leader of Torchwood 3 drove like a maniac. Ianto had only know one other male drive like this and the similarities between the Doctor’s driving technique and Jack’s was so similarly bad that he was having flashbacks.

"Does he always drive like this? " he asked Toshiko.

"We’re in a hurry, " Jack defended.

"I swear he thinks speed limit signs are suggestions, " Toshiko replied.

"Good thing my Will is up to date, " Ianto deadpanned.

"What a comedic duo you make, " Jack snarked as he pulled up in front of the warehouse Ianto had set in the GPS. He parked and was out of the car is seconds.

Ianto and Toshiko scrambled after him.

"This way, " the Welshman said and led them around the back.

A bit of climbing and after picking a couple of locks they entered the warehouse where the space ship was parked.

The dark panels of the ship looked like a mat black colour under the dim lights.

Jack whistled when he took a good look at the ship. "She’s gorgeous!"

Toshiko came to a stop next to him, her face lighting up at the sight.

Ianto let them admire the space ship while he walked up to the door. Jack made an aborted move to stop him, possibly to explain how to open the ship. But Ianto had already been inside, and he had helped Voela with the repairs. The ship was low level telepathic, and that meant that as soon as Ianto touch the door panel, the ship recognized him and granted him access. He was already making his way inside and he missed the speculative look he got from Jack.

Meanwhile, the immortal turned to Toshiko. "Get your weapon ready and keep and eye out. I’ll join Ianto inside. Anything enters, shoot first ask questions later. "

She complied, getting her weapon ready.

"And careful with the ship, " Jack added. "It’s well, I use the moniker telepathic broadly, but it kind of is. One touch and it could think you are a danger and…"

"Kill me? "

"Stun, most certainly. Kill… Not so sure. "

"I’ll keep my hands to myself, " Toshiko promised, inwardly dying to know how Jack always knew so much about alien technology. "

Jack found Ianto in front of the ‘nest’ containing the eggs. A quick calculation and he saw about eighteen of them.

"Do you think they will imprint on us like ducks? " Ianto asked.

"Hopefully we can get them to safety before they hatch, " Jack replied.

Ianto turned to face him.

"I know some people, " Jack shrugged, keeping his hands in the pockets of that ridiculous (-ly dramatic and handsome) coat of his.

"Aliens? " Ianto hazard a guess.

"They’ve spent so much time on Earth that I consider them locals. "

"I trust you. "

Jack shot him a startled look.

"I trust that you will do anything in your power to keep the eggs safe, " Ianto clarified. "It’s why I called you in the first place. "

"You could have also called Archie, " Jack pointed out.

Ianto laughed. "Archie barely manages to leave Torchwood 2 to attend the meetings in London. If he could, he would not step foot out of his headquarters. "

"True. So, how will we do this? "

Ianto turned to look at the eggs again. "They look like they won’t hatch today. "

"And you know this how? "

Ianto bit his lip. "Telepathic information transference. And memories, " he admitted.

Jack made an odd sound in his throat. "That’s… dangerous. Ianto, human brains…"

"I’m not like most humans, " Ianto replied, a small smirk on his face.

The look he got in return was suspicious.

"I’m not going to spill all my secrets Jack. "

"I am trying really hard not to get turned on right now, just so you know. "

"Jack! "

The former Time Agent shrugged. "Keep your secrets. I enjoy a good mystery. "

"You’re willing to just let that comment hang out there? "

"I may not know you long, " Jack told Ianto, "But I can read people. You are not like Yvonne’s lackeys. You care about the aliens that turn up on this planet. You do not automatically think they are all out to invade and harm. I’m here because you are a good man Ianto Jones. And I want to help."

Ianto nodded.

"And I’d love to question you, " Jack continued, but this time, with a suggestive look on his face.

"Is everything an innuendo with you? " Ianto asked.

"Always, " Jack replied. He stepped away from Ianto and started looking around the ship, cataloguing things. "Such a nice ship. "

"Could you fly it? " the Welshman asked. He knew he could not. Not well at least. He had not seen a similar system before. If he could, he would have flown the vessel to safely by himself.

Jack shook his head. "I wish, " he replied. "It’s low level telepathic. Even if I could get the engines on, I would not be able to steer this. It’s not unusual for telepathic species to use their talents for steering. You said the eggs are safe? "

Ianto nodded.

"My contact was in the area. They can cloak this and smuggle it out of London. There are a couple of ‘space harpies’ planet bound and my contact confirmed they can care for the eggs. Once they hatch they can fly back to where they came from, " Jack explained.

Ianto nodded.

The Leader of Torchwood Cardiff checked his watch. "We’ve got an hour or so before they arrive. "

Ianto shot one last look at the eggs and nodded. "Let’s go wait with Toshiko, " he suggested.

They soon walked out of the space ship. The young woman lowered her gun when she saw them.

"All quiet here. The eggs? "

"Safe for a while more. No baby space harpies to report, " Ianto told her.

"Tosh, you could go wait outside, in the car, " he suggested. "Maybe nap, " he added.

She seemed to think it over before agreeing.

"Will you two be okay? "

"We’ll keep watch, " Jack assured her. "Anything happens and I’ll notify you," he told her.

"I’ll go bring the thermos from the car, " Ianto suggested as he followed Toshiko out the way they came from.

Jack nodded and while he waited for the Welshman to return send another message to his contact. Who was, as Ianto had guessed, an alien. He sent them the coordinates and then took another look around the warehouse. This was not what he expected to be doing next time he was alone with Ianto. He had entertained thoughts of maybe a drink first, but definitely a bed or wall, or couch, or carpet, he was not picky. Rescuing alien eggs from under Hartman’s nose had not even been on his radar. Ianto had been brief in his phone call and Jack had been a bit suspicious that the young man was lying, hence why he had brought along as back up. Because he had expected a trap of some short. One did not reach Jack’s age and not develop paranoia and a healthy (or unhealthy) habit of suspecting the worst from everyone he encountered.

He was still contemplating his inner turmoil regarding the Welshman that had caught his interest when said man walked back inside. Just as he received a short message from Tosh that she was in the car safe and the sensors showed nothing around the area. He acknowledged her and turned to accept the coffee.

"I have no idea what to think of you," Jack commented as he took a sip. "You have a lot of secrets Ianto. "

"No more that you have, Jack," the younger man replied.

Jack grinned. "You intrigue me and thrill me at the same time. "

"The intrigue I understand. Why the thrill? "

"You’re dangerous," the immortal told Ianto.

"I don’t understand how…" the Welshman started saying, but Jack moved. He abandoned his coffee and reached for Ianto, telegraphing his moves as he reached for the man’s face and pulled him close, noses touching.

"You are dangerous because I don’t care enough about your secrets, " Jack muttered against his lips.

"Jack… You are dangerous too. "

"I’m about to indulge my thrill seeking side, " Jack told him. He pulled back a bit, giving Ianto enough space to back off.

The younger man merely rolled his eyes and pulled Jack forward by the lapels of his coat, bringing their lips together.

Jack responded immediately, returning the kiss eagerly, lips moving together and hands pulling each other closer.

Then Ianto pulled back, chest panting for breath, face flustered. "This is a bad idea," Ianto whispered against Jack’s cheek. Then his lips brushed against the other man’s skin, almost as an afterthought.

"You started it, " Jack replied, leaning closer to the younger man. "And it is. The worst idea," he agreed and then he was the one kissing Ianto, lips firm and talented and managing to get a moan out of the younger man before breathing was once again an issue.

"There’s a spaceship right there," Ianto said as he pulled back. "And eggs. Alien eggs. "

"And Tosh is just outside, in the car," Jack added, his eyes on Ianto’s lips, enjoying how they were slightly red from their earlier kisses.

"Yes. "

"We can be quick, " Jack said and Ianto was nodding and they were kissing again.

Toshiko’s alert that help had arrived found them just as they finished setting their clothes right. Ianto had one more shoe to tie and Jack was slipping on his coat.

And a few minutes later Toshiko was approaching, along with tall woman who held a remarkable resemblance to humans, but her yellow and green hair sported an ‘other’ like quality that had Ianto immediately short her as alien, instead of simply thinking she dyed her hair this way.

"Captain Harkness, " she intoned, a hint of accept on her words. "You called for assistance. "

Ianto was startled to realise that the ‘accent’ was the Galactic Standard. It had been a while since he last heard it spoken.

"Therania, " Jack greeted back in the same language. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. "

She merely nodded and looked at Ianto. "Therania Goodman," she introduced herself in English. "I believe you wanted assistance for a rescue mission. "

"We have eighteen eggs that need to be safe until they hatch and be repatriated at first opportunity. Telepathic species," Jack told her.

"I can see that from this space ship, " Therania replied. "The parental units?"

"Caught by Torchwood London, " Ianto replied. "Rescue is impossible. "

Therania nodded. She explored the ship and even went inside with Jack and Ianto, looking around and mentally cataloging things.

"I have a Harpy on the payroll. I can move this by noon tomorrow. And I can cloak the area to provide protection until then, " she told them.

"Standard fee? " Jack asked.

"Of course, " she replied.

They had finished with arrangements and a written agreement of payment method and the human were about to leave when Ianto posed the question he wanted to ask.

"Are you of the Argolin? Your hair colouring… It’s quite distinctive. "

"Only a quarter. It’s a recessive gene, " she replied. She then shot him a more inquisitive look. "You are not one of the Captain’s team. "

"He’s with me all the same, Therania, " Jack cut in. He knew how she would react if she learned that Ianto was Torchwood 1. Most aliens were scared of the London branch.

The woman just nodded, and they finally said their goodbyes.

They were about to get back in the car, when Toshiko said to Jack in a low voice, so Ianto would not hear them.

"Really Jack? A warehouse? " with incredulousness colouring her tone.

Jack winked at her.

"At least it was not the car, " she muttered.

End of chapter

Chapter Text

The Monk Statue

The call from Torchwood Three came on a dull Wednesday afternoon and at the end of work hours. Ianto had said his farewells to most of his colleagues as he stayed behind, working overtime in order to finish dealing with sensitive mission details. He was going over reports, making changes were needed and editing out information he thought should remain outside Torchwood’s knowledge. Retrieval of recording equipment was always an arduous task and most field operatives often lost or damaged their equipment beyond repair. Were that was impossible, Ianto was not above sabotaging the equipment when he got his hands on it. There was a running joke across Torchwood London that no equipment survived the field and the Welshman had worked hard to make than happen.

It was his work phone, which made it difficult to ignore. The number was from Cardiff and he had a hunch that this particular call would not be recorded.

“Jones speaking.”

“What do you know of Monks?”

Ianto blinked at the phone. “Jack?”

“Yes, Ianto, Now … Monks. Tell me if you know of anything.”

“I am going to assume that you are not talking about regular Catholic, Orthodox or Buddhist monks. This is not some leading question about a roleplaying or some short of weird kink, correct?”

Several people from Jack’s end of the call sounded like they were choking and Ianto could make out Toshiko’s clear voice as she laughed in the background.

Ianto huffed. “Since I am on speaker, then we are talking about the alien species unimaginatively coined ‘Space Monks’? Tall, red robbed. Slight case of zombie face? They like to invade and overtake primitive planet systems. Those type of Monks?”

“I do love smart Welshmen…”

“Jack, are we being invaded?” Ianto demanded. “And I just heard how that phrase sounded, so do not follow up with a sex joke or innuendo. Because I will punch you at a later date.”

“I don’t think so, but we did have one of the Monk statues they use to invade come through the Rift. Looks a lot like a monk praying, but the material is not native to this planet so…  It could be Rift junk, but it could also be a scout.”

Ianto pinched the top of his nose. When that did not help, he started massaging his temple. This was not the first time Jack called him since the rescue of the ‘Harpy’ eggs. It was probably in the double digits by now. While London was usually the target of invasions, Cardiff got some pretty weird cases and artefacts because of the Rift they stood upon. Often enough the cases were simple. He spoke mainly with Toshiko, exchanged information about this gadget or another. A couple of times he got a direct call from Jack, while the man was in the middle of an operation (or a bar brawl, he could never tell with the man).

“Does Torchwood London even have a file on this species?” Toshiko’s voice came from the line. “I could not find anything in their files.”

“You would not find anything because this is an Alien Race that has never graced this planet. Trust me, if they had visited, we would know,” Ianto replied.

“But you know of them. Jack usually has weird knowledge like that. How do you know them?” Toshiko asked.

“I have friends in weird places,” the Welshman replied. And he thought back to a trip he took with the Doctor. “Usually their statues are made with a material pretty close to the marble one will encounter on our planet. Just Google what can damage or dissolve marble and you are good to go. Usually they are slow to invade a planet, but I would suggest you get right on it.”

“One of these days, Ianto, you will tell me how you know all these things,” came Jack’s voice again.

“Not today Jack. Let me know what happens with the Monk Statue, will you?”

The Charrl

Ianto was on his laptop at home, scrolling through his personal emails and weeding out any spam and promotional emails. It was mind numbing and boring but just what he needed after an explosion took place in the labs earlier. His ears were still ringing, and Ianto had a headache. He was on medication and strict orders to stay off his feet, drink fluids and not come into the office for at least a day.

Then an email popped up from one Toshiko Sato, with a picture attached.

“This ought to be either hilarious or dangerous,” he muttered to himself. It was always a gamble when dealing with the female genius.

He clicked on it and soon after he physically recoiled. He grabbed his phone and dialled Jack’s number as fast as he could.

“Captain Jack Harkness.”

“Either you started celebrating Halloween late this year or your team really came face to face with a bloody Charrl. How on earth did you manage that?”

“Hello gorgeous! Always a pleasure to hear your voice!”

“Jack, please focus on the telepathic, carnivorous, insectoid alien coming from a hive world,” Ianto demanded.

“Well, I’ve got one word for you, my Welshman. It’s called ‘Rift’.”

Ianto cursed, quite colourfully, making the Time Agent on the other end of the line laugh in genuine mirth.

“You kiss your girlfriend with that mouth Jones?”

“One, I have no girlfriend at the moment. And two, is the Charrl the Rift spat out alive or dead?”

“Alive and under sedation in our cells.”

“Jack, you know I am pro alien, right? So, when I tell you with extreme urgency to kill that prisoner before it sends a signal to its Queen and we have the whole Hive invading, I trust that you will take me seriously,” Ianto stated.

“Just wanted a second opinion Ianto,” came Jack’s voice, sounding serious and tired. “I have never come across a Charrl. Read about them? Sure. But I have never seen one before.”

“Trust me when I say that they are a dangerous race.”

“Thanks for the advice, Ianto Jones.”

“Don’t mention it,” the younger man replied.

“You sound tired.”

“Got caught up in the blast of an explosion today,” the Welshman admitted. “My ears are ringing, but thankfully no concussion. Just a simple headache.”

“No other injuries?”

“None.”

“Take care of yourself Ianto. I would hate if you got seriously injured. And watch your back.”

“Same to you Jack. And kill that alien as soon as possible. They can infect a host so burn the remains and check anyone who came into contact with it.”

“Yes sir! Now rest Jones. I’ll check up on you tomorrow. Stay home if you can for a few days. The tower will survive a couple of days without you.”

Juddoon

“Jack Harkness! Why on earth is a Juddoon space courier docked in Cardiff?”

Jack took his phone further from his ear. “Ianto! You are the last person I expected would call about this. How is the weather in London?”

“Jack. Focus on the Juddoon please. Are they here to arrest you?”

“I am appalled to think so lowly of me Jones!”

“You are smiling. I can practically see the smug look on your face. Your words only mean that they have yet to catch you breaking laws, not that you have not broken them.”

“I plead the Fifth.”

“This is not America, Jack.”

The immortal laughed. “Your insight about me is frightening. And a slight turn on.”

“Jack…”

“I’m safe. The whole team is. The Juddoon space craft had a small problem with the air filters. They are doing basic maintenance. They should be back in space in about an hour,” Jack replied. “Where you worried about me?”

“Don’t be an idiot Jack. Of course I was worried.”

“Are you hacking the video feed at Three?”

“There seems to be a problem with the network. I can’t hear you Jack!...”

The line went abruptly dead and Jack Harkness started chuckling.

“Jack?” Ownen came at his side. “Tosh is ordering lunch. Do you want anything?”

“Sure, I’ll tell her myself,” the former Time Agent said and left his office.

Catkind

The pub was loud and his mostly drunk colleagues even louder. Ianto was thankful he was only one beer in and not pleasantly buzzed when he felt his phone ring. He subtly took it out of his pocket to check the caller and paled a bit when he saw it was Tosh this late at night.

“Ianto!”

He looked up and mustered a smile for Lisa.

“Are you checking on your phone? You just left the office!” Lisa remarked, exasperated on his behalf. She was always berating him over his long hours. Lately she had roped in a few other people from work and they had started a valiant effort to take him out of the office with him pulling minimum overtime hours. They thought they were being sneaky, but Ianto was onto them. And he felt touched by their concern.

“Yes, but it’s not work related. I’ll answer this as fast as I can. Get me another pint?” he asked her, using his best ‘innocent’ face.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Lisa told him.

Ianto thanked her and was quick to dodge out as fast as he could.

“Tosh? What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Ianto! Thank whoever is listening. Listen. We had a bit of a situation. There is a mixed race couple in the area. Father is Catkind, mother human. Anyway, they were in a car accident. Jack and Owen run interference with the Hospital. Suzie is dealing with the police and witnesses and I’m left with their litter!”

Toshiko sounded panicked, but Ianto felt himself relax. It was something as simple as that.

“First things first. Are they humanoid?”

“They are kittens. Four, frankly gorgeous, kittens.”

“Well, don’t give them milk. They might be lactose intolerant. If they are bigger than your head, size wise, that means that they can chew food so, chicken breast should be a good option. Nothing with bones, nothing with spices. They are omnivores, for the most part. Don’t try fish. That one is a hit or miss, depending on the person,” Ianto instructed.

“You have no idea how much you just helped. I was about ready to start crying along with them! I tried calling Jack but they are running ragged already.”

“Happy to help. And Tosh? I want pictures of those adorable kittens.”

End of chapter