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Torchwood Fic: Bred in the Bone (7/?)
Title: Bred in the Bone (7/?)
Author: Emma
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Andy Davidson, Toshiko Sato, others
Rating: Starts PG, but hey, it’s got Jack and Ianto in it!
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?
Summary: Andy Davidson must embrace his inheritance in order to protect Jack and Ianto’s daughter Gwen
Author's Note: This is an AU where Gwen and Owen were killed by Gray. So if you want to know why Martha is married to Rhys and Jack and Ianto have a CP and two adopted daughters, you may want to read Evolution first
Author’s Note: The title is shamelessly stolen from Robertson Davies’s magnificent novel. It’s also an old saying: what’s bred in the bone will out in the flesh
Part One is here; Part Two is here; Part Three is here; Part Four is here; Part Five is here; Part Six is here; Interlude is here
I handed Ianto a staff. “Here. I know you’ve been practising.”
He examined it curiously. “Rowan?”
“Our word for it is rudh’an. The bands are silver polished with crushed rowan seeds.” He cocked his eyebrow at me and I sighed. “Yes, I know. Protection against witches and evil spirits. It works, yeah? And no, all the other stuff is superstition. Just rowan.”
We were packing the unmarked SUV. Jack was hovering in the background, looking as thunderously unhappy as only Jack could. He didn’t like the idea of this expedition. No, that’s not quite right; he didn’t like the idea of this expedition leaving without him.
After Robin left, we had discussed our options. Jack was all for starting out right then and there. When I told him that he would have to stay behind and Tosh would have to come along, he gave me a long look.
“Explain.”
The sheer amount of energy in his voice sent shivers skittering along every nerve ending. Most people think Jack’s power rests on his personality and his position as head of Torchwood, but there’s much more to it than that. When the Blaidd Drwg brought Jack back from the dead, she used energy from the
“Ianto has to go because he’s the only one with the power to summon my aunt. Tosh has to because she’s probably the only mortal other than Ianto who could.”
“Me?” Tosh nearly squeaked. “Why?”
“Among our people there’s a great deal of magick associated with being a child’s birth-mother,” I said gently. “You can argue on Gwen’s behalf and Achren is almost obliged to listen. And you have to stay here, Jack, because you’re the only one who can coordinate the research into whatever is happening inside the Rift. Nobody, not even Tosh, understands mainframe’s capabilities the way you do, and you can draw on information and training the rest of us don’t have.”
Rhys cleared his throat. “No offense, mate, but I would have thought you of all people wouldn’t have too much confidence on all this… cold iron stuff.”
I shrugged. “Tools are tools. I’m not very good with them, my brain doesn’t work that way. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the results.”
Jack groused and whinged a bit more, but he was too good a tactician not to see the logic of it. Now he hugged Tosh tightly and whispered something in her ear that had her giggling and nodding. He patted my shoulder, giving me a look that said get it right or else; somehow Jack still thinks he can intimidate us into keeping safe. With Ianto, it was just a quick clasp of fingers and a brush of lips on the back of the hand. The gesture was more romantic and intimate than a bag full of Mills and Boon paperbacks.
We set out for Dynogoddeu with the sunrise. Ianto and Jack had shown up with coffee and an ample supply of fresh-baked banana and cinnamon muffins. We were out of the city and on the road to Pontypridd before the real morning traffic got started. From Pontypridd I followed Ianto’s directions and took a country road down past Graigwen and Ynysybwl. A couple of miles past that, he pointed to a dirt trail leading even further down.
Tosh had been following the trip on the interactive map on her laptop. “Ianto, there’s nothing down there.”
“What do you mean, Tosh?”
“Well, look! Some farms and then maybe another dirt road up to Ynysboeth.”
Ianto seemed puzzled. “Tosh, I visited a couple of times with my tad. On the last trip I brought his ashes home. That’s the way to Dynogoddeu.”
I Searched the area and twice in two days was left nearly sputtering. The road crossed a wooden bridge over a small stream and led down into a shadowed little valley hedged with large trees. About halfway between the bridge and the hedge someone had kinked space to create a pocket of Reality. As far as I could See it extended for several miles in every direction.
“No wonder it doesn’t show up on your map, Tosh. Dynogoddeu is not in
Ianto stared at me as if I’d grown horns. “What are you talking about?”
“You heard me. I’ve never heard of this being done, ever.” I pulled up to one side of the trail and parked the SUV. “Ready for a hike?”
“We can drive in,” Ianto said. “I’ve done it.”
“Yes, and you’ve only seen the glamour. If we walk, you’ll see Reality.” I grabbed my sword. “It’ll be more dangerous, too. Maybe I should go…”
“Ahead first?” Ianto ended my sentence. “Dream on.”
“All right. Tosh, lead. Ianto, in the middle. And don’t give me that look. At this point, we lose you we lose the whole match. Which may include the Earth.”
He gave in grudgingly. We crossed the bridge single file. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew something would happen as soon as Ianto’s Binding came in contact with the wards Achren had placed around Dynogoddeu. I wasn’t disappointed. The moment we reached the other side of the bridge the wind kicked up, hammering us with rocks and branches. The tywyl wanted us beaten to a pulp before moving in and moping up.
I shoved Tosh at Ianto. “Cover each other’s backs!”
Nodding, they positioned themselves back to back. I Cast a shield over them; it wouldn’t stop the tywyl, but it would make them have to fight without magickal aid, and they were not that fond of taking on warriors armed with cold iron. As it started to pulsate, the wind died down and there was nothing, not even the sound of birds, to break the silence. I stood just outside the shield, sword drawn, waiting.
Suddenly I remembered something my father had taught me when I was very small. The littlest magick, he called it. I switched my sword to my left hand and started to Cast with my right. As I moved my fingers tiny water spouts started kicking up from the stream, shooting off in every direction. It was a provocation, nothing more, but it did succeed.
They swept in, screeching in their thin, raspy voices. I waited until the last minute, then rolled under the shield and stood, back against Ianto and Tosh. We were now three, facing in three different directions, one of the most powerful of battle magicks. I fed power into the configuration and felt Ianto’s geas reach out to reinforce it.
The tywyl crashed into the shield. I had no time to look at the others; I had to trust their training would hold. Soon green and gold ichor ran down the blade to make my grip dangerously slippery. I heard Ianto grunt once and there was a sprinkling of red mixed in with the green and gold. And the tywyl kept coming. Sweat plastered my jumper to my back. My arms were getting heavy and my muscles ached. My whole world had narrowed down to cut, slash, parry, cut. Just when I thought I couldn’t hold any longer, there was a whistling high over the trees. It repeated once, twice, three times. The tywyl cowered. We waited, still at the ready, not daring to relax.
A young woman appeared at the side of the trail. She was a little taller than Tosh, with a figure that curved in all the right places, and long, flowing dark hair. She seemed familiar. The tywyl flew high up and circled, but did not dare attack.
“Leave.” Her voice was low and soft; one had to strain to hear her. “You aren’t welcome here. He is not for you, nor is his child.”
“We’ll see. We’ll see. The darkness is coming and then we’ll see.”
“Maybe so, but not today. Go!”
The tywyl disappeared, leaving behind their usual debris. The young woman came closer. Now, when I could see her face, the deep blue eyes that looked a thousand years old, I knew why she was familiar.
She looked like Ianto.
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I like the little intimate encounter between Ianto and Jack.
I also liked that Jack draws his powers from Rift and all his resurrections make him stronger.
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My take on Jack and Ianto is that, outside of a few kisses, they demonstrate their love in public in small gestures. Of course, once in a while Jack has to act out... but mostly it's private.
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And argh, now I'm going to be late!
Worth it though =D
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Great chapter as usual. I really wish I had your imagination!
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And Andy is made of win NO MATTER WHAT.
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