Title: The Queen's Magicians: Past Grief (Coda)

Author: Emma
Characters: Canonical Torchwood Three members… sort of.
Rating: Some chapters definitely not safe for work.
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: Jack is back, but trouble arrives in the form of one of his oldest enemies

Author's Note: the title comes from A Winter's Tale, Act 3 Scene 2: What's gone and what's past help Should be past grief.

Author’s Note: Yggdrasil, or Odin’s Horse, is the Word Tree. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yggdrasil.  Lethe is one of the rivers of Hades. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethe

Part One is here; Part Two is here; Part Three is here; Part Four is here

Jack made a slow turn, taking in the gigantic sectional with matching ottomans facing the fireplace, the octagonal glass table near the French doors that looked out to the balcony and the bay beyond, and the small but efficient kitchen tucked in at the far end. The room was a perfect blend of his and Ianto’s tastes. His small collection of antiques and family heirlooms were beautifully displayed against the backdrop of the modern Italian furniture Ianto had chosen. Deep blue and silver predominated, and large, exquisite floral watercolors graced the walls and the fireplace mantel.

“Beautiful art. Where did you find it?”

“They’re Rhi’s.”

“Your sister? I didn’t know she painted.”

“She used to in school. After Gareth died she started again. She says it kept her sane.”

Jack remembered that Rhiannon’s husband, Gareth Evans, had died at Canary Wharf. “I’d say it’s progressed beyond therapy.”

“She’s having her first show in the fall at the Cardiff Academy gallery.” Ianto touched Jack’s shoulder gently. “Coat?”

Jack shrugged it off and let him take it. “Thanks.”

Ianto hung up the coat next to his in the tiny closet near the front door. “I’ll make us some tea.”

“No coffee?” Jack pouted.

“It’s nearly two in the morning, Jack. If we drink coffee now we won’t get any sleep. Why don’t you explore the rest of the flat while I get the tea?”

“All right.”

He blew Ianto a kiss as he headed for the door that led to the library. Smiling, Ianto mimicked grabbing it in midair and putting it in his pocket. It was a silly, romantic gesture they had indulged in hundreds of times, but Jack had to fight a desperate need to cry. His world was back to normal. He was safe.

The library was exactly as they had planned it. Big fireplace, deep club chairs, glass-fronted barrister bookcases lining the wall, and his own one indulgence, an antique billiard table. A gentleman’s club, Ianto had teased him, but he had finished it exactly as Jack had envisioned it. It made Jack realize that what Gwen had told him earlier was the absolute truth. Ianto had always believed he would return.

He felt a sudden rush of happiness at the thought. Whistling, he opened the discreet door to one side of the fireplace. The rooms beyond had been designed as their sanctuary. Walking in was truly coming home.

His bed, a gift from his Cashel cousins, was the only piece of furniture in the room. On either side of the headboard, elegant niches provided space for personal items and a book or two. Pot lights in the ceiling could be positioned in any direction. It was calm and peaceful and suddenly he felt very tired. He knew that the two doors to the left of the bed led to the bathroom and the dressing room, but he had no more energy left for exploration. Sitting down on the bed, he stroked the cool Egyptian linen sheets and duvet. In white, of course, as Ianto insisted that was the only proper color for sheets. Yawning, he removed his boots, socks, shirt, and braces, and leaned back. He would just close his eyes for a moment, until Ianto came in with the tea…

The sound of rain hitting the windows woke him. He was startled to see daylight, even though murky and dull from the storm. He was even more startled to realize he was nude under the sheets. Ianto must have…. Oh God. Ianto had seen him.

He started to sit up only to find himself held down by a gentle hand on his arm. “Be careful. Owen said you could be a little dizzy from the medication.”

“What happened?”

“I found you asleep. I thought it was best if I just got you comfortable and let you rest. When I saw the damage I called Owen. Good thing, because you started to twist and throw yourself about so hard I could barely hold you. He gave you something for the pain and a very strong sedative.”

“How long have I been out?”

“Three days.”

Jack made a quick inventory of certain biological imperatives. “My bladder should be bursting.”

“You’ve gotten up several times. Went to the bathroom, had some tea and toast.”

“I don’t remember any of it.”

“Owen told me it was quite normal.” The hand on Jack’s arm move hesitantly to his chest. “Jack. Do you want to talk about it?”

“Have you had any rest yourself?”

“Yes. Rhys and Andy have both been here and banished me to one of the guest suites for several hours at a time. And last night you were much calmer. Jack…”

“It’s… just hard to talk about it. Help me sit up.”

Ianto put an arm around Jack’s shoulders and gently pulled him to a more or less vertical position. With his free hand he piled cushions and pillows against the headboard. “Shuffle back. That’s it. Comfortable?”

Jack nodded, not looking up. Ianto resumed his position at the edge of the bed. “Talk to me, cariad. What did this to you?”

“Not what. Who.” Jack took Ianto’s hand in his. “What do you know about the Sleeping Ones?”

He could feel Ianto shiver, but when he answered his voice was steady. “When the great Norse gods lost their followers to Christianity they refused to cross over into the next world to join the souls of their worshippers. They sealed themselves away in Valhalla, used powerful magics to maintain their physical forms, and then went to sleep, waiting for the time when new worshippers would arise.”

“A few months ago the Doctor started hearing rumours that someone was trying to wake the Sleeping Ones. He knew there was only one person mad enough to attempt it. The Master of Souls.”

“Duw, Jack.” This time Jack could hear the tremor in Ianto’s voice. “If he had managed to absorb the essence of a God…”

“Yeah. It was a race, and we lost. By the time we reached Valhalla, the Master had woken up one of them. Not that he enjoyed his triumph.”

“Who did he wake up?”

“Odin himself. It was a disaster. Odin took control of the Master’s Souls, put him in a cage, and played with him like a cat plays with a bird. We tried to get him out… there was no way we could leave him there, not like that, even if he was… who he was. The Doctor and I were captured, and brought into Odin’s presence.” It was Jack’s turn to shiver. “He was utterly insane. Even the Doctor was scared… He was going to put us in cages too, but the Doctor distracted him with an offer of new followers. They bargained. The Doctor would go find those new followers and I… I would stay behind as a hostage against the Doctor’s return.”

“Jack!”

“We had to stop him, Ianto. A mad God would be a thousand times worse than Abbadon. At first it wasn’t terrible, but one day, in a fit of rage, Odin decided to teach the puny little mortal his place. He hung me on Yggdrasil. He wrapped me in Yggdrasil’s branches and left me there.” He rubbed his face until he left red streaks on his forehead and cheeks. “It hurt. It hurt so much. Yggdrasil is alive, Ianto, and it’s in constant agony, and when you touch it you can feel the pain in your own bones. And it is wise, wisest beyond anything you can imagine, and its wisdom pours into your mind until you go mad with it.”

Ianto scrambled into the bed and took Jack in his arms. “Shush, cariad. You’re safe now.”

“I don’t know how long I hung there. When the Doctor showed up, I was past caring. I think I was going blind and deaf, I don’t know…”

“How did he stop Odin?”

“He and Martha managed to get some water from Lethe. Martha nearly died in the process, and the Doctor wasn’t much better… It makes a mortal forget but it puts a God to sleep. Martha tricked him into drinking it. Once he was asleep, we sealed him back up in Valhalla and came home.”

“I’m glad to have you home.” Ianto pressed soft kisses into Jack’s hair. “Why don’t you get a little more rest? I’ll make us some lunch and wake you when it’s ready.”

Jack clutched at him. “No. Don’t go. I want us… I want…”

“Jack, you should rest…”

“No! I want… I need… touch. Your touch. On the way back, Martha kept me from slipping back by cuddling me at night. But it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t you!”

Ianto tilted Jack’s head until he could press their mouths together. “All right, cariad.” He began to kiss Jack, moving from lips, to neck, to shoulders, to chest. Jack could feel his skin start to tingle as arousal washed through him. He reached for Ianto but found his hands pressed firmly on to the mattress.

“No. Part of you is still back there. Let me bring you home.”

With a sigh, Jack surrendered to his lover. He had survived. He was alive. He was home.