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Title: Reunion
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: It's all as innocent as a summer rain... if Jack and Ianto were playing outside
Summary: After seven years, Jack and Ianto meet again
Disclaimer: Oh, please. If I owned them, would I let some of those idiots write the scripts? And if I were making any money off them, would I be where they could find me?
Author's Note: During my recent writer's brick wall (writer's block doesn't quite do it justice) I did manage to write something. This stand-alone was written for torchwood-fest.livejournal.com/. As usual, I forgot that livejournal and dreamwidth do not pick up the formatting in a .doc. My fault, I should have coded it properly, but, considering how many meds I was on, I doubt I could have been successful. Therefore, here it is. BTW, I do encourage you to go read the stories, especially the one written for me by tonjavmoore: torchwood-fest.livejournal.com/49611.htm
Part one is here; Part two is here; Part three is here
CHAPTER SEVEN: GWEN
The shuttle jerked slightly as it decoupled from the launching tower. Gwen grabbed at the safety webbing that held her against the seat and watched as the Earth dropped away. She was glad the shuttle's temperature had been set to t'Li standards; the cold kept her from sweating into her dress uniform.
They had spent three days helping Toshiko nail the evidence to an unshakeable timeline. Gwen had always thought of Andy as detail-minded, but she was awed by Toshiko's ability to chase down even the smallest contradiction and beat it into submission. They had located and taken statements from every Person who had even the smallest contact with the Ambassador or his retinue. They had tracked down every piece of paper, no matter how irrelevant. Andy had prepared supporting documentation until he was ready to scream.
Meanwhile, the t'Li Owen and Suzie were closeted in the lab working on forensic evidence. Reams of data would emerge at random intervals and be integrated into the timeline. Meals were casual affairs, usually brought in by Rhys, who had taken over the job of, as he put it, making sure they didn't just collapse from low blood sugar. They napped on the couches in the staff lounge and woke up to protein drinks and more paperwork. At some point, Gwen realized that she hadn't seen the Captain or professor Jones for more than a few minutes at the time. She had asked the t'Li, and had gotten the t'Li equivalent of a snort and a phrase the translation box rendered as excavating bovine feces.
After it was all over Gwen was more than ready to grab the day off with pay her boss had offered. She had dragged Rhys off to their favorite b&b at St. David's, where they had spent their time walking along the cliffs and making love. Like every other person on Earth, she was intensely aware of the approaching deadline, but she was sure her direct role in the crisis was over, and, if she were to be honest, she felt nothing but relief at leaving it in Torchwood's hands. The feeling lasted until her phone had rung in the late afternoon and the Captain had instructed her to present herself at the spaceport the following morning.
And now here she was, seated between Andy and Suzie, watching the Alliance freighter get bigger and bigger, until it filled the ports. Next to her, Andy swore quietly.
“How big is that thing?”
“Actually,” the t'Li Owen answered from his perch, “that's a mid-sized freighter. Permanent crew is about fifty-one hundred, mostly Kanagh and t'Li.”
Gwen swallowed down her panic. Kanagh gave humans the creeps. They looked human – two arms, two legs, one head on top of a torso – but instead of human-like features they had two rows of sensors on either side of a sharp ridge that ran down the center of the head from the back of the neck to where the human chin would be; when open, the sensors resembled almond-shaped eyes that glowed a phosphorescent green. Their skin was covered in scales, and their arms ended on multiple tentacles instead of hands. It was like looking at a horror ficvid version of humanity.
“This is another test, isn't it?” she asked the t'Li Owen.
The harp glissando laughter filled the small space. “Everything in life is a test, child, as Jack says when he's at his most annoyingly philosophical.”
Another slight jerk signalled he shuttle's docking. A few more thunks and the airlock slid aside. The t'Li Owen led the way out. Gwen found herself in a cavernous hangar lined with shuttle bays. Captain Harkness was waiting for them; next to him was a Kanagh in Alliance uniform. It – Gwen remembered the Kanagh were always referred to as It – had its upper four sensors uncoverered, giving It the unsettling, to a human, look of having four large green eyes.
“Gwen, Andy, Suzie, welcome to the Alliance ship Xijxe.” Jack gestured towards the Kanagh. “This is Captain...” he rattled off a word that seemed mostly composed of mms and sss.
The Kanagh offered Gwen a tentacle. “Call me Mssmo.”
Its voice was a deep baritone that reminded Gwen of some of the singers in Rhys's church choir. She concentrated on the sound as she grasped the appendage. It was warm and dry, and she could feel a gentle pulse beat under the unexpectedly delicate surface. “I'm Gwen.”
“Welcome to the Enterprise, Gwen.” It chuckled at their surprise. “Yes. It seems the Person who got to name her,” one of the tentacles pointed at Jack in a parody of subtlety, “is a fan of classic Terran ficvid. But it is also suitable as an Inabraxan name, so it was allowed to stand.”
It shook Andy and Suzie's hands, then offered Gwen its arm. She took it. They led the group out of the hangar and down a wide corridor lined with doors.
“These are the living quarters for VIPs,” the Kanagh rumbled in her ear. “The whole place has been buzzing like one of your beehives since the delegations started arriving yesterday.”
“Delegations?”
“Didn't Jack tell you? Torchwood has requested, and got, mind you, a full Council meeting.” Gwen stumbled and found herself being held up by a discreet tentacle pressing against her back. “It's a very unusual move, but Jack is known for his, shall we say, oblique approach. And his successes, of course.”
Gwen shivered. “Does that mean that the decision has been made?”
“I would say some sort of decision has been made,” Captain Mmso said. “But there's no need to panic yet, dear Gwen. If I were a betting Person I would place all my retirement credit on Jack.” There was a low rumble exactly like human laughter. “I actually did that once. And doubled my little nest egg.”
She looked up at the phosphorescent green “eyes” and suddenly saw past Its ugliness to Its kindness. She felt a little ashamed of her provincialism. “Thank you.”
“You are quite welcome.” It stopped in front of a door guarded by four Alliance soldiers. “Here we are.”
The door opened and they stepped into a large oblong chamber. Twelve large stools were placed in a semicircle at the far end. She recognized the occupants as the current ministers plenipotentiary to Earth from the other Cultures. The eeulinaali chair was empty, as was the one that would usually be occupied by a Terran minister in another planet.
Three circles were etched on the deck plates in front of the chairs. Two faced each other from either side of the chairs; the third was set at a distance, directly in front of the chairs. The eeulinaali delegation occupied one of the two circles closest to the chairs. Captain Mmso led Gwen to the other one. She looked at It in surprise.
“It is not necessary for a Culture's representatives to be government officials and suchlike. The murder happened in Cardiff, and you, as citizens of Cardiff, are deemed to be the ones most closely affected.”
It waved her into the circle and repeated the gesture with Andy and Suzie. Gwen watched as the Torchwood team entered the circle that faced all the others. Captain Mmso returned to the door. Locking it, It stood with Its back pressed against it.
“The Alliance Council is in session,” It announced. “The matter of the death of Ambassador iilaaila'inali is under consideration.”
“Captain Harkness,” the Inabraxan minister's hood flared above her triangular head. “have you come to a determination on the matter?”
“Yes, Madame.” Jack answered. “We find that the Ambassador's death was an internal clan matter. We further find that the iil acted precipitately in claiming blood price from Earth.”
“That is not acceptable!” A tall, queenly eeulinaa with brown, gold, and green feathering challenged him. “Captain Harkness is obviously influenced by his genetic ancestry and his relationship with the Human Jones.”
Jack stared directly a her, something Gwen knew was absolutely taboo behavior towards an eeulinaali female. “Madame, currently the investigation files are under seal. I can unseal them if you wish.”
She seemed as taken aback by the offer as she was by his contempt. The impasse was broken by a young eulinaa who pushed her way to the front of the group. She wore a delicate cloak and face veil and kept her eyes downcast.
“There is no need, Captain Harkness. I freely confess to the killing of my uncle, the Ambassador iilaaila'inali.”
Gwen's heart stuttered with relief. She grasped Andy's hand and squeezed hard. They had known that even with the documents they had gathered there was a good chance that the iil could get away with it. A confession made everything else moot. Earth was safe.
She looked at the ministers. Most of them seemed to have relaxed; the Onemi minister was openly smiling. The Inabraxan minister spoke again.
“Child, the files are under seal. That includes the details of the matter. You might avail yourself of the protection afforded by the determination, if you wish.”
She shook her head. “I do not want doubt cast on the decision, Your Excellency. When I was asked by my uncle to travel with him, I was overjoyed. There are few opportunities for ones such as I to see the galaxy, and I had always yearned to do so. It was not for some time that I noticed by uncle's behavior was... odd. He flew into ungovernable rages with his body servants. He seemed obsessed with certain events in our history, and forced those around them to act them out. But there would be long periods of clarity and then he was the uncle I remembered from my childhood. When we got to Earth he took time to escort me to see the sights.” A sound much like a human sob emerged from behind the veil. “Then two nights before... before that night... he invited me to go with him to visit a very special place. That's what he called it, a very special place. When we got there and I saw what it was... I tried to run. I tried to fight, but he was very strong and I...” They could all see the agitated beating of her wings under the cloak. “Then, after the concert, he said we would go back that night. I couldn't, I... I had a hat pin he had bought me as a souvenir. When he stumbled walking across the Plas, I saw my chance and I took it. I couldn't let him... do it again.”
The Inabraxan looked at the other Councillors; some sort of communication seemed to pass between them. The Onami nodded firmly. The Inabraxan turned back to the waiting groups. “Very well. Judgment is that the killing was self-defense under the accepted meaning of the word in Alliance jurisprudence. As to the matter of the claim against Earth, we judge that the Humans have a retaliatory claim.” Her coils rustled as she rose to approach Gwen's group. “All we ask is that you consider the circumstances.”
She swept towards the door, followed by the other councillors. Captain Mmso bowed as It opened it, waiting for them all to be safely out of sight before turning to the Persons remaining in the room.
“The Council meeting is ended.” Gwen thought she could detect amusement in Its voice. “From now on, all procedures are considered confidential and no records will be kept. I will be outside...”
Impulsively, Gwen spoke up. “No, wait. Is it acceptable for us to ask for a witness?”
“It is.”
“Then please stay. It is my understanding Kanagh have eidetic memories. If something goes wrong in the future, it would be useful to both sides to have someone who can recite the encounter word for word.”
It inclined his head and resumed Its previous position. Gwen looked at Jack and found him smiling widely at her. His obvious approval steadied her nerves.
“What is a retaliatory claim?”
One of the cloaked eeulinaali stepped forward. “It means that, since our claim against Earth has been considered precipitate instead of simply mistaken, Earth's representatives have the right to impose the penalty.” The cloak’s hood fell back and Professor Jones smiled at her. “The Council did ask that you take mitigating circumstances into consideration.”
The older female screeched and lunged for him. She was held back by several of the younger males. The young female grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.
“Stop liilia. Stop! He protected our secret. Would you rather those files were unsealed and the whole Galaxy knew that the iil had been so desperate to save itself as to attempt incest?” She turned back to professor Jones. “What is our penalty?”
He shook his head. “It's not as easy as that. I am not here as a Human but as an eeulinaali.” He gestured towards Gwen, Andy, and Suzie. “It's up to them.”
The three looked at each other.
“You do it, Gwen.” Andy whispered. “You understand people much better than I do.”
Suzie nodded in agreement. Gwen looked at Jack, who nodded slightly. Taking a deep breath, she approached the young eeulinaa. “Why did you need to resort to something that would bring disgrace to your clan?”
“Three aalli ago,” the girl stopped and seemed to be thinking, “forty of your years, I think, my grandfather and several other senior members of the family realized that our clan's fertility was running skewed towards females. They were afraid we would not birth enough warriors to protect the clan. It took all of our reserves, but they contracted with an Anachron geneticist to find a solution. He did.” She made a sound that even to Gwen's inexpert ear had a bitter ring. “A cocktail of drugs was added to the females' food. It worked. Two years later, more than half the children born were males. Unfortunately, they were born sterile. Ever since then, no matter what we have tried, the iil males are born sterile. As the males born before the drugs die, the clan is dying with them.”
Gwen studied the young Person standing meekly before her. “Take off your hood.”
The girl's head snapped back. “Why?”
“Because I think we'll find that your feathers do not match the ones we found in the nest of defilement. I think your uncle and your grandmother conspired to impregnate a very young girl. Perhaps in first estrus? Your younger sister? And when you found out about it, you appointed yourself executioner, not just for your uncle, but for your whole clan.”
Suddenly the meekness was all gone. “She is fourteen! Fourteen! But her estrus came on early, as it sometimes it happens in our family. And that bastard raped her, hoping to get himself a son and reinforce his position as Heir. Don't expect me to be sorry I did it.” She tore off the cloak and veil, displaying gorgeous brown and silver plumage. “So tell me, human. What is my penalty?”
Gwen turned to professor Jones. “May I speak to your brother?”
A tall Person with palest green and brown streaks through his wings stepped forward and bowed. “I am ielosailai'eiilai, at your service Madame.”
“Can you speak for your people?”
“I can.”
Gwen closed her eyes and prayed she was doing the right thing. “Are there single males among your clan that would go without mates?”
His eyes widened in shock, then his beak clicked softly. “There are.”
Gwen looked at the young eulinaa. “This is your penalty. You and your sister will chose mates from the ielosa clan and live as ielosa for the rest of your lives.” She turned to the older female. “And this is the penalty for the iil. If the ielosa chooses to accept, you will adopt young males from their clan to be mates to your young females. The iil name and genes will be carried into the future, as it would not do to lose them, but it will be as part of a new genetic line.”
The older female shrieked, her wings fanning out and knocking some of her retainers to the ground. “We will not accept!”
“Then we request that the Captain unseal and release the files. Your clan name will be a hissing and a byword for all Persons and Cultures. Is that what you want?”
The eeulinaa suddenly deflated. An elderly male bowed to Gwen. “Now that my cousin is dead, I am Heir to the War Leader of my clan. We accept.”
“As do we,” the Professor Jones's brother said.
Gwen was suddenly shaking, partly in elation and partly in terror. “Captain Mmso...”
“I do witness and offer my name-seal as a guarantee,” the Kanagh said. “If there are no more objections or proposals, this meeting is adjourned.”
The room was suddenly so silent Gwen could hear people's breaths. She smiled at Captain Mmso, then turned once again to Jack. His grin had reached incandescent levels, and she could see the pride in his eyes. She tried to move and found that she couldn't. She felt light-headed with relief. She heard Professor Jones's concerned Gwen? as if coming from miles away. She reached for his outstretched arms as she collapsed in a dead faint.
CHAPTER EIGHT: IANTO
“Tad?” Anwen whispered. “Have I been a bad girl?”
Ianto knelt at his daughter's bedside. 'Now what brought that on, cariad?”
“I asked Santa for something very, very special, Tad.”
“And you're afraid you won't get it?” At her nod, he touched her cheek gently. “It wasn't a toy, was it?” She shook her head. “Sweetie, Santa brings presents to good boys and girls. He can't make things happen just because you want them to.”
“Not even if it's really, really important?”
“I'm sorry, cariad. Can you tell me what you asked for?” When she shook her head. “All right. Sleep well, sweetheart.”
He waited until her breath had deepened and her long lashes fluttered against her cheeks as she dropped into sleep. He wondered if she had been thinking about Lisa. He knew the twins remembered their mother, and he had made an effort to keep her memory a part of their lives. He turned off the light; the small seashell nightlight Tosh had given both the children as a birth-welcome glowed gently amber in the darkness. Neither Anwen nor Dai could be persuaded to sleep without them.
Leaving the door slightly open, he crossed the landing to check on Dai. He found his son sprawled across his mattress, as exuberant in sleep as he was reserved when awake. A book lay open on his chest and another on the floor beside the bed. He removed them, placing them on top of the pile on the bedside table. When he turned back to the bed, he found Dai awake and looking up at him.
“Hey,” he said, yawning, “I was reading.”
“You were sleeping. Did you brush your teeth already?”
“Yeah.” The drawled syllables, composed equally of assurance and dismissal, made Ianto think of Jack at his mischievous worst.
“All right, then, under the duvet.”
Dai scrambled into place, then propped himself up on his elbows. “Papa, can I ask a question?”
Ianto sat down at the edge of the bed. Dai only called him Papa when he was serious about something. “Sure.”
“Can you love more than one person?”
“Of course you can. You love me, and your sister, and Aunt Rhi…”
The small head shook. “No, I mean…. I loved Mama. I loved her a lot.”
“I know, bachgen.”
Dai looked away. ”But is it all right to love someone else like that too? I wouldn’t forget mama,” he hastened to reassure his father. “It’s just that…”
The voice trailed away. Ianto took his son’s hand. “I understand, Dai. And no, of course it’s all right. Love doesn’t diminish. You don’t stop loving one person because you love another.”
“That’s what Aunt Tosh said.” Dai flopped back onto his pillow and rolled to his side. “Thanks, Tad. Night!”
Ianto kissed the boy’s forehead lightly, “Night, kiddo.”
He located Dai’s nightlight under a pile of dirty clothes – his son was a slob, Ianto acknowledged ruefully – and made sure it sat on the study table, where Dai would see it the moment he opened his eyes, then went downstairs. As he wandered around picking up toys and books, he thought about the conversations he had just had. It was obvious the twins had bonded with the members of his former team in ways they hadn’t with their own family. In the days following the adjudication of the eeulinaali claim, while the team waited for new orders, they had spent almost every waking moment at Ianto’s house. Dai had developed a quietly romantic crush on Toshiko, and had spent hours with her, learning Onemi-Ia and Japanese. Anwen had divided her time between Owen and Jack, but mostly because the t’Li had seduced her away from her idol by teaching her to make crystal thread nests. Now that they were gone, the twins’ anxieties about their place in their new friends’ lives were surfacing.
Ianto sighed. He had returned to Earth because he had thought of it as the safest place to raise a family, but the danger had followed. On top of that, his children were as fascinated with the wider Universe as he had been at their age. Neither Dai nor Anwen were going to be stay-at-home types. If he faced truth squarely, neither was he. Maybe it was time to reconsider.
He looked at the few dishes in the sink and shrugged. They could wait. Pouring himself a glass of wine, he decided to spend a few hours reading over some of his students’ papers. This year he had a good crop of prospects; the First Contact office was already scouting some of them. He needed to make sure his recommendations were sound.
He started to go back upstairs, but the soft knock on the door made him turn back. He wondered who would be calling so late at night. Rhi and her family were on vacation in Greece, and he wasn’t one of those professors who brought their students into their personal lives. He hesitated a moment, then set down his wine and picked up Dai’s cricket bat.
“Who is it?”
“Jack.”
Shocked to the core, Ianto unlocked the door. Before he had a chance of opening it, it had been wrenched from his grasp as Jack pushed in, sailing past Ianto into the living room. Calmly, Ianto closed and locked it again, then turned back to face the other man, waiting silently for an explanation.
“Happy Christmas, Ianto.”
“Nadolig llawen, Jack. Did you forget something?”
Jack flushed. “I will always feel a little guilty for Gray’s death, and I will probably not make the best father in the world. Hell, not even in Cardiff. But I’m willing to try, if you will let me.”
Ianto tamped down the sudden wild hope. “What about Torchwood?”
“We have been permanently assigned to Earth for five years. In fact, all the teams have been assigned to permanent status on specific planet. I’ve offered jobs to Gwen, Andy and Suzie, so the team will be at full strength.” He took a deep breath and launched again. “It doesn’t mean we won’t be asked to take on missions to other places or that circumstances won’t change. And it does mean that there’s a good chance that at the end of the five years we will be asked to go somewhere else. Are you willing to take the chance?”
“I don’t know.” He put the bat down and moved to stand much closer to Jack. “If I understand you correctly, you want me only for my children. What’s in it for me?”
He found himself being yanked into an embrace that bordered on the painful. He wrapped his arms around Jack and pulled him even closer. Their mouths met. Jack’s hands stroked upwards to wrap around Ianto’s neck, holding him in place as he was devoured. He indulged the power play for a few minutes, then he seized the initiative, pushing Jack against the wall. Jack’s lascivious grin and grinding hips told him how much he enjoyed Ianto’s move. Ianto kissed his way from Jack’s jaw to his temple.
“What’s in it for me, Jack?” he whispered. “What are you offering?”
“My life, my name, and my substance, in good times and in bad, forsaking all others, for as long as you will have me.”
The words of the Boeshane binding ritual made Ianto’s heart soar. “I accept you, Jack Harkness, and I offer you my life, my name and my substance, in good times and in bad, forsaking all others, for as long as you will have me.”
This time the kiss was gentle, a sign and a promise. When they resurfaced for air, Ianto grinned cheekily at his forever love. “How did you manage it? And don’t try the innocent look on me, Jack Harkness.”
Jack shrugged. “We have been talking about it for a while. Living on the Game Station feels transient and unsettled. It’s always been the largest reason for resignations among experienced agents like you, not to mention at least two suicides. Finally, the Team Leaders decided to take their concerns to the Council, and they agreed that it was time for a change.”
“And when was this?”
“A few months ago. I didn’t ask for a specific assignment then.” Jack looked into Ianto’s eyes, willing him to understand. “I thought there was no way to get back what I had lost, but being here, meeting the kids, falling in love with them, wanting them to be mine as much as I wanted their father, I knew I had to take the chance. I spoke to Owen and Tosh and they were more than willing to go along, so as soon as we got back to the Xijxe, I made the request.” He chuckled. “It turned out Earth was going to be our assignment anyway.”
Ianto released Jack and stood back, holding out one hand. “Come upstairs with me.”
They climbed the stairs, hands clasped, neither wanting to let go. When they entered the master bedroom, Jack looked around curiously.
“It’s very much you,” he said.
“It’s all new,” Ianto answered the unspoken question. “Last summer, I was finally ready to let go. Rhi helped me choose furniture and linens.” He brought Jack’s hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the palm. “I loved Lisa. It was different, but not less real or important. But I never forgot you and I never stopped loving you.”
Jack returned the gesture, “If I’d come to Earth and found you married, I would have respected it. I am sorry the children lost their mother, and I don’t want ever you or them to forget her or minimize her place in your lives. But I am glad we’re free to choose each other again.”
Ianto helped Jack out of his coat and tossed it on the reading chair positioned a comfortable arms’ reach distance from the bookcases. They undressed each other and tumbled into bed as if coming home. They spent time rediscovering their bodies, reacquainting themselves with once-familiar territory, driving each other into a quiet frenzy. It was deeper and richer, Ianto thought, because they had come so near to losing it forever. He wrapped his legs around Jack’s waist, holding his lover tightly, arching under his thrusts as they reached for climax together. Afterwards there was talking and planning and finally sleep, settling into their old comfortable position, Jack on his back and Ianto draped over him with his head on Jack’s shoulder.
It was the slight yelp that brought Ianto awake.
“Santa did it!”
“It can’t have been Santa,” he heard his son say, “Christmas is not until next week.”
“I wished it and he’s here,” his daughter answered firmly. “Now we get to keep him.”
The slight shaking of the shoulder beneath his cheek told Ianto that Jack had heard the exchange.
“No wonder you made me put the sweat pants on, “ Jack whispered.
Ianto rolled away and sat up, looking sternly at his children. “What have I said about coming into the bedroom?”
“That we should knock first,” Dai answered promptly. “I’m sorry, Tad, but we…”
“We couldn’t sleep,” Anwen interrupted him. “We were sad and we wanted to cuddle a little. But we’ll go to bed now.”
“Hold on,” Jack said, pushing himself up on one elbow. “Why were you sad?”
“Because we had asked Santa for you as a Dad, and Tad said that Santa didn’t make things happen but he did because you’re here and now we’re not sad anymore.”
Ianto stared at his daughter, utterly dumbfounded. Two sets of identical blue eyes stared back unwaveringly. Jack chuckled.
“I’m glad you want me to be your Dad, because I love you both very much,” he told them. “And I think cuddling is in order. Come here.”
The twins climbed onto the bed. After much giggling and maneuvering, they managed to get themselves comfortable, Anwen next to Jack and Dai with his back pressed to Ianto’s chest. Jack reached over them to take Ianto’s hand. As their fingers entwined, Ianto could have sworn he heard all the parts of his life falling into place at last.
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: It's all as innocent as a summer rain... if Jack and Ianto were playing outside
Summary: After seven years, Jack and Ianto meet again
Disclaimer: Oh, please. If I owned them, would I let some of those idiots write the scripts? And if I were making any money off them, would I be where they could find me?
Author's Note: During my recent writer's brick wall (writer's block doesn't quite do it justice) I did manage to write something. This stand-alone was written for torchwood-fest.livejournal.com/. As usual, I forgot that livejournal and dreamwidth do not pick up the formatting in a .doc. My fault, I should have coded it properly, but, considering how many meds I was on, I doubt I could have been successful. Therefore, here it is. BTW, I do encourage you to go read the stories, especially the one written for me by tonjavmoore: torchwood-fest.livejournal.com/49611.htm
Part one is here; Part two is here; Part three is here
CHAPTER SEVEN: GWEN
The shuttle jerked slightly as it decoupled from the launching tower. Gwen grabbed at the safety webbing that held her against the seat and watched as the Earth dropped away. She was glad the shuttle's temperature had been set to t'Li standards; the cold kept her from sweating into her dress uniform.
They had spent three days helping Toshiko nail the evidence to an unshakeable timeline. Gwen had always thought of Andy as detail-minded, but she was awed by Toshiko's ability to chase down even the smallest contradiction and beat it into submission. They had located and taken statements from every Person who had even the smallest contact with the Ambassador or his retinue. They had tracked down every piece of paper, no matter how irrelevant. Andy had prepared supporting documentation until he was ready to scream.
Meanwhile, the t'Li Owen and Suzie were closeted in the lab working on forensic evidence. Reams of data would emerge at random intervals and be integrated into the timeline. Meals were casual affairs, usually brought in by Rhys, who had taken over the job of, as he put it, making sure they didn't just collapse from low blood sugar. They napped on the couches in the staff lounge and woke up to protein drinks and more paperwork. At some point, Gwen realized that she hadn't seen the Captain or professor Jones for more than a few minutes at the time. She had asked the t'Li, and had gotten the t'Li equivalent of a snort and a phrase the translation box rendered as excavating bovine feces.
After it was all over Gwen was more than ready to grab the day off with pay her boss had offered. She had dragged Rhys off to their favorite b&b at St. David's, where they had spent their time walking along the cliffs and making love. Like every other person on Earth, she was intensely aware of the approaching deadline, but she was sure her direct role in the crisis was over, and, if she were to be honest, she felt nothing but relief at leaving it in Torchwood's hands. The feeling lasted until her phone had rung in the late afternoon and the Captain had instructed her to present herself at the spaceport the following morning.
And now here she was, seated between Andy and Suzie, watching the Alliance freighter get bigger and bigger, until it filled the ports. Next to her, Andy swore quietly.
“How big is that thing?”
“Actually,” the t'Li Owen answered from his perch, “that's a mid-sized freighter. Permanent crew is about fifty-one hundred, mostly Kanagh and t'Li.”
Gwen swallowed down her panic. Kanagh gave humans the creeps. They looked human – two arms, two legs, one head on top of a torso – but instead of human-like features they had two rows of sensors on either side of a sharp ridge that ran down the center of the head from the back of the neck to where the human chin would be; when open, the sensors resembled almond-shaped eyes that glowed a phosphorescent green. Their skin was covered in scales, and their arms ended on multiple tentacles instead of hands. It was like looking at a horror ficvid version of humanity.
“This is another test, isn't it?” she asked the t'Li Owen.
The harp glissando laughter filled the small space. “Everything in life is a test, child, as Jack says when he's at his most annoyingly philosophical.”
Another slight jerk signalled he shuttle's docking. A few more thunks and the airlock slid aside. The t'Li Owen led the way out. Gwen found herself in a cavernous hangar lined with shuttle bays. Captain Harkness was waiting for them; next to him was a Kanagh in Alliance uniform. It – Gwen remembered the Kanagh were always referred to as It – had its upper four sensors uncoverered, giving It the unsettling, to a human, look of having four large green eyes.
“Gwen, Andy, Suzie, welcome to the Alliance ship Xijxe.” Jack gestured towards the Kanagh. “This is Captain...” he rattled off a word that seemed mostly composed of mms and sss.
The Kanagh offered Gwen a tentacle. “Call me Mssmo.”
Its voice was a deep baritone that reminded Gwen of some of the singers in Rhys's church choir. She concentrated on the sound as she grasped the appendage. It was warm and dry, and she could feel a gentle pulse beat under the unexpectedly delicate surface. “I'm Gwen.”
“Welcome to the Enterprise, Gwen.” It chuckled at their surprise. “Yes. It seems the Person who got to name her,” one of the tentacles pointed at Jack in a parody of subtlety, “is a fan of classic Terran ficvid. But it is also suitable as an Inabraxan name, so it was allowed to stand.”
It shook Andy and Suzie's hands, then offered Gwen its arm. She took it. They led the group out of the hangar and down a wide corridor lined with doors.
“These are the living quarters for VIPs,” the Kanagh rumbled in her ear. “The whole place has been buzzing like one of your beehives since the delegations started arriving yesterday.”
“Delegations?”
“Didn't Jack tell you? Torchwood has requested, and got, mind you, a full Council meeting.” Gwen stumbled and found herself being held up by a discreet tentacle pressing against her back. “It's a very unusual move, but Jack is known for his, shall we say, oblique approach. And his successes, of course.”
Gwen shivered. “Does that mean that the decision has been made?”
“I would say some sort of decision has been made,” Captain Mmso said. “But there's no need to panic yet, dear Gwen. If I were a betting Person I would place all my retirement credit on Jack.” There was a low rumble exactly like human laughter. “I actually did that once. And doubled my little nest egg.”
She looked up at the phosphorescent green “eyes” and suddenly saw past Its ugliness to Its kindness. She felt a little ashamed of her provincialism. “Thank you.”
“You are quite welcome.” It stopped in front of a door guarded by four Alliance soldiers. “Here we are.”
The door opened and they stepped into a large oblong chamber. Twelve large stools were placed in a semicircle at the far end. She recognized the occupants as the current ministers plenipotentiary to Earth from the other Cultures. The eeulinaali chair was empty, as was the one that would usually be occupied by a Terran minister in another planet.
Three circles were etched on the deck plates in front of the chairs. Two faced each other from either side of the chairs; the third was set at a distance, directly in front of the chairs. The eeulinaali delegation occupied one of the two circles closest to the chairs. Captain Mmso led Gwen to the other one. She looked at It in surprise.
“It is not necessary for a Culture's representatives to be government officials and suchlike. The murder happened in Cardiff, and you, as citizens of Cardiff, are deemed to be the ones most closely affected.”
It waved her into the circle and repeated the gesture with Andy and Suzie. Gwen watched as the Torchwood team entered the circle that faced all the others. Captain Mmso returned to the door. Locking it, It stood with Its back pressed against it.
“The Alliance Council is in session,” It announced. “The matter of the death of Ambassador iilaaila'inali is under consideration.”
“Captain Harkness,” the Inabraxan minister's hood flared above her triangular head. “have you come to a determination on the matter?”
“Yes, Madame.” Jack answered. “We find that the Ambassador's death was an internal clan matter. We further find that the iil acted precipitately in claiming blood price from Earth.”
“That is not acceptable!” A tall, queenly eeulinaa with brown, gold, and green feathering challenged him. “Captain Harkness is obviously influenced by his genetic ancestry and his relationship with the Human Jones.”
Jack stared directly a her, something Gwen knew was absolutely taboo behavior towards an eeulinaali female. “Madame, currently the investigation files are under seal. I can unseal them if you wish.”
She seemed as taken aback by the offer as she was by his contempt. The impasse was broken by a young eulinaa who pushed her way to the front of the group. She wore a delicate cloak and face veil and kept her eyes downcast.
“There is no need, Captain Harkness. I freely confess to the killing of my uncle, the Ambassador iilaaila'inali.”
Gwen's heart stuttered with relief. She grasped Andy's hand and squeezed hard. They had known that even with the documents they had gathered there was a good chance that the iil could get away with it. A confession made everything else moot. Earth was safe.
She looked at the ministers. Most of them seemed to have relaxed; the Onemi minister was openly smiling. The Inabraxan minister spoke again.
“Child, the files are under seal. That includes the details of the matter. You might avail yourself of the protection afforded by the determination, if you wish.”
She shook her head. “I do not want doubt cast on the decision, Your Excellency. When I was asked by my uncle to travel with him, I was overjoyed. There are few opportunities for ones such as I to see the galaxy, and I had always yearned to do so. It was not for some time that I noticed by uncle's behavior was... odd. He flew into ungovernable rages with his body servants. He seemed obsessed with certain events in our history, and forced those around them to act them out. But there would be long periods of clarity and then he was the uncle I remembered from my childhood. When we got to Earth he took time to escort me to see the sights.” A sound much like a human sob emerged from behind the veil. “Then two nights before... before that night... he invited me to go with him to visit a very special place. That's what he called it, a very special place. When we got there and I saw what it was... I tried to run. I tried to fight, but he was very strong and I...” They could all see the agitated beating of her wings under the cloak. “Then, after the concert, he said we would go back that night. I couldn't, I... I had a hat pin he had bought me as a souvenir. When he stumbled walking across the Plas, I saw my chance and I took it. I couldn't let him... do it again.”
The Inabraxan looked at the other Councillors; some sort of communication seemed to pass between them. The Onami nodded firmly. The Inabraxan turned back to the waiting groups. “Very well. Judgment is that the killing was self-defense under the accepted meaning of the word in Alliance jurisprudence. As to the matter of the claim against Earth, we judge that the Humans have a retaliatory claim.” Her coils rustled as she rose to approach Gwen's group. “All we ask is that you consider the circumstances.”
She swept towards the door, followed by the other councillors. Captain Mmso bowed as It opened it, waiting for them all to be safely out of sight before turning to the Persons remaining in the room.
“The Council meeting is ended.” Gwen thought she could detect amusement in Its voice. “From now on, all procedures are considered confidential and no records will be kept. I will be outside...”
Impulsively, Gwen spoke up. “No, wait. Is it acceptable for us to ask for a witness?”
“It is.”
“Then please stay. It is my understanding Kanagh have eidetic memories. If something goes wrong in the future, it would be useful to both sides to have someone who can recite the encounter word for word.”
It inclined his head and resumed Its previous position. Gwen looked at Jack and found him smiling widely at her. His obvious approval steadied her nerves.
“What is a retaliatory claim?”
One of the cloaked eeulinaali stepped forward. “It means that, since our claim against Earth has been considered precipitate instead of simply mistaken, Earth's representatives have the right to impose the penalty.” The cloak’s hood fell back and Professor Jones smiled at her. “The Council did ask that you take mitigating circumstances into consideration.”
The older female screeched and lunged for him. She was held back by several of the younger males. The young female grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.
“Stop liilia. Stop! He protected our secret. Would you rather those files were unsealed and the whole Galaxy knew that the iil had been so desperate to save itself as to attempt incest?” She turned back to professor Jones. “What is our penalty?”
He shook his head. “It's not as easy as that. I am not here as a Human but as an eeulinaali.” He gestured towards Gwen, Andy, and Suzie. “It's up to them.”
The three looked at each other.
“You do it, Gwen.” Andy whispered. “You understand people much better than I do.”
Suzie nodded in agreement. Gwen looked at Jack, who nodded slightly. Taking a deep breath, she approached the young eeulinaa. “Why did you need to resort to something that would bring disgrace to your clan?”
“Three aalli ago,” the girl stopped and seemed to be thinking, “forty of your years, I think, my grandfather and several other senior members of the family realized that our clan's fertility was running skewed towards females. They were afraid we would not birth enough warriors to protect the clan. It took all of our reserves, but they contracted with an Anachron geneticist to find a solution. He did.” She made a sound that even to Gwen's inexpert ear had a bitter ring. “A cocktail of drugs was added to the females' food. It worked. Two years later, more than half the children born were males. Unfortunately, they were born sterile. Ever since then, no matter what we have tried, the iil males are born sterile. As the males born before the drugs die, the clan is dying with them.”
Gwen studied the young Person standing meekly before her. “Take off your hood.”
The girl's head snapped back. “Why?”
“Because I think we'll find that your feathers do not match the ones we found in the nest of defilement. I think your uncle and your grandmother conspired to impregnate a very young girl. Perhaps in first estrus? Your younger sister? And when you found out about it, you appointed yourself executioner, not just for your uncle, but for your whole clan.”
Suddenly the meekness was all gone. “She is fourteen! Fourteen! But her estrus came on early, as it sometimes it happens in our family. And that bastard raped her, hoping to get himself a son and reinforce his position as Heir. Don't expect me to be sorry I did it.” She tore off the cloak and veil, displaying gorgeous brown and silver plumage. “So tell me, human. What is my penalty?”
Gwen turned to professor Jones. “May I speak to your brother?”
A tall Person with palest green and brown streaks through his wings stepped forward and bowed. “I am ielosailai'eiilai, at your service Madame.”
“Can you speak for your people?”
“I can.”
Gwen closed her eyes and prayed she was doing the right thing. “Are there single males among your clan that would go without mates?”
His eyes widened in shock, then his beak clicked softly. “There are.”
Gwen looked at the young eulinaa. “This is your penalty. You and your sister will chose mates from the ielosa clan and live as ielosa for the rest of your lives.” She turned to the older female. “And this is the penalty for the iil. If the ielosa chooses to accept, you will adopt young males from their clan to be mates to your young females. The iil name and genes will be carried into the future, as it would not do to lose them, but it will be as part of a new genetic line.”
The older female shrieked, her wings fanning out and knocking some of her retainers to the ground. “We will not accept!”
“Then we request that the Captain unseal and release the files. Your clan name will be a hissing and a byword for all Persons and Cultures. Is that what you want?”
The eeulinaa suddenly deflated. An elderly male bowed to Gwen. “Now that my cousin is dead, I am Heir to the War Leader of my clan. We accept.”
“As do we,” the Professor Jones's brother said.
Gwen was suddenly shaking, partly in elation and partly in terror. “Captain Mmso...”
“I do witness and offer my name-seal as a guarantee,” the Kanagh said. “If there are no more objections or proposals, this meeting is adjourned.”
The room was suddenly so silent Gwen could hear people's breaths. She smiled at Captain Mmso, then turned once again to Jack. His grin had reached incandescent levels, and she could see the pride in his eyes. She tried to move and found that she couldn't. She felt light-headed with relief. She heard Professor Jones's concerned Gwen? as if coming from miles away. She reached for his outstretched arms as she collapsed in a dead faint.
CHAPTER EIGHT: IANTO
“Tad?” Anwen whispered. “Have I been a bad girl?”
Ianto knelt at his daughter's bedside. 'Now what brought that on, cariad?”
“I asked Santa for something very, very special, Tad.”
“And you're afraid you won't get it?” At her nod, he touched her cheek gently. “It wasn't a toy, was it?” She shook her head. “Sweetie, Santa brings presents to good boys and girls. He can't make things happen just because you want them to.”
“Not even if it's really, really important?”
“I'm sorry, cariad. Can you tell me what you asked for?” When she shook her head. “All right. Sleep well, sweetheart.”
He waited until her breath had deepened and her long lashes fluttered against her cheeks as she dropped into sleep. He wondered if she had been thinking about Lisa. He knew the twins remembered their mother, and he had made an effort to keep her memory a part of their lives. He turned off the light; the small seashell nightlight Tosh had given both the children as a birth-welcome glowed gently amber in the darkness. Neither Anwen nor Dai could be persuaded to sleep without them.
Leaving the door slightly open, he crossed the landing to check on Dai. He found his son sprawled across his mattress, as exuberant in sleep as he was reserved when awake. A book lay open on his chest and another on the floor beside the bed. He removed them, placing them on top of the pile on the bedside table. When he turned back to the bed, he found Dai awake and looking up at him.
“Hey,” he said, yawning, “I was reading.”
“You were sleeping. Did you brush your teeth already?”
“Yeah.” The drawled syllables, composed equally of assurance and dismissal, made Ianto think of Jack at his mischievous worst.
“All right, then, under the duvet.”
Dai scrambled into place, then propped himself up on his elbows. “Papa, can I ask a question?”
Ianto sat down at the edge of the bed. Dai only called him Papa when he was serious about something. “Sure.”
“Can you love more than one person?”
“Of course you can. You love me, and your sister, and Aunt Rhi…”
The small head shook. “No, I mean…. I loved Mama. I loved her a lot.”
“I know, bachgen.”
Dai looked away. ”But is it all right to love someone else like that too? I wouldn’t forget mama,” he hastened to reassure his father. “It’s just that…”
The voice trailed away. Ianto took his son’s hand. “I understand, Dai. And no, of course it’s all right. Love doesn’t diminish. You don’t stop loving one person because you love another.”
“That’s what Aunt Tosh said.” Dai flopped back onto his pillow and rolled to his side. “Thanks, Tad. Night!”
Ianto kissed the boy’s forehead lightly, “Night, kiddo.”
He located Dai’s nightlight under a pile of dirty clothes – his son was a slob, Ianto acknowledged ruefully – and made sure it sat on the study table, where Dai would see it the moment he opened his eyes, then went downstairs. As he wandered around picking up toys and books, he thought about the conversations he had just had. It was obvious the twins had bonded with the members of his former team in ways they hadn’t with their own family. In the days following the adjudication of the eeulinaali claim, while the team waited for new orders, they had spent almost every waking moment at Ianto’s house. Dai had developed a quietly romantic crush on Toshiko, and had spent hours with her, learning Onemi-Ia and Japanese. Anwen had divided her time between Owen and Jack, but mostly because the t’Li had seduced her away from her idol by teaching her to make crystal thread nests. Now that they were gone, the twins’ anxieties about their place in their new friends’ lives were surfacing.
Ianto sighed. He had returned to Earth because he had thought of it as the safest place to raise a family, but the danger had followed. On top of that, his children were as fascinated with the wider Universe as he had been at their age. Neither Dai nor Anwen were going to be stay-at-home types. If he faced truth squarely, neither was he. Maybe it was time to reconsider.
He looked at the few dishes in the sink and shrugged. They could wait. Pouring himself a glass of wine, he decided to spend a few hours reading over some of his students’ papers. This year he had a good crop of prospects; the First Contact office was already scouting some of them. He needed to make sure his recommendations were sound.
He started to go back upstairs, but the soft knock on the door made him turn back. He wondered who would be calling so late at night. Rhi and her family were on vacation in Greece, and he wasn’t one of those professors who brought their students into their personal lives. He hesitated a moment, then set down his wine and picked up Dai’s cricket bat.
“Who is it?”
“Jack.”
Shocked to the core, Ianto unlocked the door. Before he had a chance of opening it, it had been wrenched from his grasp as Jack pushed in, sailing past Ianto into the living room. Calmly, Ianto closed and locked it again, then turned back to face the other man, waiting silently for an explanation.
“Happy Christmas, Ianto.”
“Nadolig llawen, Jack. Did you forget something?”
Jack flushed. “I will always feel a little guilty for Gray’s death, and I will probably not make the best father in the world. Hell, not even in Cardiff. But I’m willing to try, if you will let me.”
Ianto tamped down the sudden wild hope. “What about Torchwood?”
“We have been permanently assigned to Earth for five years. In fact, all the teams have been assigned to permanent status on specific planet. I’ve offered jobs to Gwen, Andy and Suzie, so the team will be at full strength.” He took a deep breath and launched again. “It doesn’t mean we won’t be asked to take on missions to other places or that circumstances won’t change. And it does mean that there’s a good chance that at the end of the five years we will be asked to go somewhere else. Are you willing to take the chance?”
“I don’t know.” He put the bat down and moved to stand much closer to Jack. “If I understand you correctly, you want me only for my children. What’s in it for me?”
He found himself being yanked into an embrace that bordered on the painful. He wrapped his arms around Jack and pulled him even closer. Their mouths met. Jack’s hands stroked upwards to wrap around Ianto’s neck, holding him in place as he was devoured. He indulged the power play for a few minutes, then he seized the initiative, pushing Jack against the wall. Jack’s lascivious grin and grinding hips told him how much he enjoyed Ianto’s move. Ianto kissed his way from Jack’s jaw to his temple.
“What’s in it for me, Jack?” he whispered. “What are you offering?”
“My life, my name, and my substance, in good times and in bad, forsaking all others, for as long as you will have me.”
The words of the Boeshane binding ritual made Ianto’s heart soar. “I accept you, Jack Harkness, and I offer you my life, my name and my substance, in good times and in bad, forsaking all others, for as long as you will have me.”
This time the kiss was gentle, a sign and a promise. When they resurfaced for air, Ianto grinned cheekily at his forever love. “How did you manage it? And don’t try the innocent look on me, Jack Harkness.”
Jack shrugged. “We have been talking about it for a while. Living on the Game Station feels transient and unsettled. It’s always been the largest reason for resignations among experienced agents like you, not to mention at least two suicides. Finally, the Team Leaders decided to take their concerns to the Council, and they agreed that it was time for a change.”
“And when was this?”
“A few months ago. I didn’t ask for a specific assignment then.” Jack looked into Ianto’s eyes, willing him to understand. “I thought there was no way to get back what I had lost, but being here, meeting the kids, falling in love with them, wanting them to be mine as much as I wanted their father, I knew I had to take the chance. I spoke to Owen and Tosh and they were more than willing to go along, so as soon as we got back to the Xijxe, I made the request.” He chuckled. “It turned out Earth was going to be our assignment anyway.”
Ianto released Jack and stood back, holding out one hand. “Come upstairs with me.”
They climbed the stairs, hands clasped, neither wanting to let go. When they entered the master bedroom, Jack looked around curiously.
“It’s very much you,” he said.
“It’s all new,” Ianto answered the unspoken question. “Last summer, I was finally ready to let go. Rhi helped me choose furniture and linens.” He brought Jack’s hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the palm. “I loved Lisa. It was different, but not less real or important. But I never forgot you and I never stopped loving you.”
Jack returned the gesture, “If I’d come to Earth and found you married, I would have respected it. I am sorry the children lost their mother, and I don’t want ever you or them to forget her or minimize her place in your lives. But I am glad we’re free to choose each other again.”
Ianto helped Jack out of his coat and tossed it on the reading chair positioned a comfortable arms’ reach distance from the bookcases. They undressed each other and tumbled into bed as if coming home. They spent time rediscovering their bodies, reacquainting themselves with once-familiar territory, driving each other into a quiet frenzy. It was deeper and richer, Ianto thought, because they had come so near to losing it forever. He wrapped his legs around Jack’s waist, holding his lover tightly, arching under his thrusts as they reached for climax together. Afterwards there was talking and planning and finally sleep, settling into their old comfortable position, Jack on his back and Ianto draped over him with his head on Jack’s shoulder.
It was the slight yelp that brought Ianto awake.
“Santa did it!”
“It can’t have been Santa,” he heard his son say, “Christmas is not until next week.”
“I wished it and he’s here,” his daughter answered firmly. “Now we get to keep him.”
The slight shaking of the shoulder beneath his cheek told Ianto that Jack had heard the exchange.
“No wonder you made me put the sweat pants on, “ Jack whispered.
Ianto rolled away and sat up, looking sternly at his children. “What have I said about coming into the bedroom?”
“That we should knock first,” Dai answered promptly. “I’m sorry, Tad, but we…”
“We couldn’t sleep,” Anwen interrupted him. “We were sad and we wanted to cuddle a little. But we’ll go to bed now.”
“Hold on,” Jack said, pushing himself up on one elbow. “Why were you sad?”
“Because we had asked Santa for you as a Dad, and Tad said that Santa didn’t make things happen but he did because you’re here and now we’re not sad anymore.”
Ianto stared at his daughter, utterly dumbfounded. Two sets of identical blue eyes stared back unwaveringly. Jack chuckled.
“I’m glad you want me to be your Dad, because I love you both very much,” he told them. “And I think cuddling is in order. Come here.”
The twins climbed onto the bed. After much giggling and maneuvering, they managed to get themselves comfortable, Anwen next to Jack and Dai with his back pressed to Ianto’s chest. Jack reached over them to take Ianto’s hand. As their fingers entwined, Ianto could have sworn he heard all the parts of his life falling into place at last.
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