silver_sun: (Default)
[personal profile] silver_sun
Title: Long Hours Since.
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG
Word count: 875
Warnings/Spoilers: Exit Wounds.
Summary: In the aftermath of Gray's attack on Torchwood, Ianto tries to cope.




Ianto swirls the remains of the whiskey in his glass, staring at the amber liquid with red, tear swollen eyes.

It’s been six hours since his world fell apart, since everything that he’d managed to put together since Canary Wharf and his life in London had disintegrated around him.

Five since he and Gwen had managed to get Jack to let go of Toshiko.

And four since Jack had yelled John Hart to get out of the hell out of the Hub and he’d deal with him in the morning.

Three long hours since he’d walked a still tearful Gwen to Rhys’ car and told him to take good care of her.

Two hours since he’d started to clean the Hub, desperate to have something to occupy his mind.

One hour since he’d thrown the mop and bucket across the Hub, the utter futility of it overwhelming him. The scale of devastation in the Hub, in the city about and in his life too great for him to be able to find any thought that it could ever be alright again.

It’s been just over half an hour since he’d walked past Jack and taken his decanter of whiskey. Taking it from Jack who’d been asleep or passed out across his desk, an old takeaway menu stuck damply to cheek where the tears hadn’t yet dried.

Drinking heavily on an empty stomach, the remnants of the painkillers that Owen had given him for his shoulder still running through his body, is a bad idea. But the need to forget is too strong and Ianto can’t bring himself to care.

The neat whiskey had burnt, almost choking him as he gulped down the first glass. It had burnt less on the second, and the third had barely been noticeable. He’s not sure how many glasses he’s drunk since then.

Not that it matters, nothing matters, his life has been ripped apart again. Tosh and Owen are gone, Gwen wants to leave, and Jack seems, for want of a better word, broken.

And here he is, surviving, making lists for rebuilding, living while so many people - better people, his exhausted mind supplies – are not. There must be a reason why he has survived, he doesn’t think there really can’t be any other explanation why he’s not one of the dead, it doesn't seem fair.

He looks towards Jack's office, wondering if maybe his reason is there; Jack and Torchwood. To be there, to be the one who makes sure everything keeps going, no matter what. Jack had always said that the twenty-first century is when everything is going to change.

It seems to make some kind of twisted sense now, and Ianto decides that is going to have to be enough.

He'll start by getting Jack to bed, to let him sleep, so that he'll be ready to deal with what tomorrow will bring. Then he get on with everything else that needs to be done.

Standing up, dizziness threatening to overtake him, Ianto leans against the wall taking deep breathes until he's sure he can make it to the office without falling over.

Jack is still asleep and he mumbles, but doesn't wake as Ianto tries to rouse him.

Pain flares through his shoulder as he tries to move Jack, but he not about to let that stop him. Gritting his teeth he tries again, this time opting to drape one of Jack's arms round him shoulders.

It hurts, but Ianto decides it's bearable, as he manages to get Jack on his feet.

They’ve only gone a few steps toward the sofa, Ianto having discounted getting Jack down the manhole to his room, before a wave of dizziness strikes him, and Ianto stumbles, the weight of Jack carrying them both the floor.

The sudden impact with the ground startles Jack awake, and he looks around panicked, struggling away from Ianto, barely seeming to realise where he is.

Clutching his arm, trying to lessen the fresh wave of agony surging through his shoulder, Ianto lies where he has fallen, unable to do anything other than try to breathe through the pain.

Ianto is still lying on the floor, trying to find the energy to go to Jack, when Jack moves over to him, and carefully helps him to sit up.

“Ianto? Tell what's wrong?” There's something vulnerable in Jack's voice, the loss and sorrow from the days events clear in his eyes.

“I can’t do this on my own.” Ianto knows he’s crying, grief, exhaustion and pain stripping him of his usual reserve.

“Neither can I,” Jack whispers, wrapping his arms around him, letting Ianto rest his head against his shoulder. “Not any more.”

Eventually, supporting each other, they manage to get into Jack’s bed without any further injury. Too weary to anything more than attempt to sleep, they lie held tight in each others arms, drawing comfort in the fact that for tonight at least they aren't alone.

Date: 2010-10-23 12:31 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] candi-apple-red.livejournal.com
I think I love you.

I'm balling my head off right now, but I still love you for this.

Date: 2010-10-23 01:13 am (UTC)
ext_76727: (Jack despair Black and White)
From: [identity profile] remuslives23.livejournal.com
That last bit brought tears to my eyes. Beautifully done.

Date: 2010-10-23 01:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] evalentine99.livejournal.com
Wow beautifully done

Date: 2010-10-23 02:10 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] alt_universe_me.livejournal.com
So sad! Very well done, I especially liked the beginning with the hours countdown thing :)

Date: 2010-10-23 02:12 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nancybrown.livejournal.com
:( So sad!
From: [identity profile] pingback-bot.livejournal.com
User [livejournal.com profile] abrokencompass referenced to your post from Friday, 22 October, 2010- Happy Birthday Torchwood!! (http://community.livejournal.com/torchwood_three/373053.html) saying: [...] by (Jack/Ianto | G) Long Hours Since [...]

Date: 2010-10-23 04:20 am (UTC)
From: [personal profile] jo02

This is a beautiful piece of writing.

Date: 2010-10-23 06:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] idamus.livejournal.com
Oh wow, sad and beautiful

Date: 2010-10-23 06:42 am (UTC)
ext_401263: (owen_sad)
From: [identity profile] mv-girl.livejournal.com
Heart breaking and beautiful!!
Thank you!!!

Date: 2010-10-23 07:12 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fiwen1010.livejournal.com
Beautiful. I love seeing them clinging together, even if it is heartbreaking. Poor Ianto, he tries so hard
Gxxx

Date: 2010-10-23 09:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lyryk.livejournal.com
To be there, to be the one who makes sure everything keeps going, no matter what.

I love that.

This was beautiful and painful.

Date: 2010-10-23 01:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] beesandbrews.livejournal.com
Sad, but just a little hopeful at the end. Nice job.

Date: 2010-10-23 02:17 pm (UTC)
bk_forever: (Check This Fic Out)
From: [personal profile] bk_forever
Heartbreaking. Poor Ianto, trying so hard to keep going and deal with everything, despite his own grief, pain and exhaustion. He always pushes himself too hard. At least he and Jack can take refuge with each other for a few hours before starting to pick up the pieces, together.

Date: 2010-10-23 06:20 pm (UTC)
ext_422268: (Lost in Time)
From: [identity profile] ravenja1170.livejournal.com
sad and beautiful! A wonderful story!

Date: 2010-10-23 09:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] aviv-b.livejournal.com
Love the hourly countdown - all the little things that Ianto does to try to establish normalcy. And the end - got to go wipe my eyes now.

Date: 2010-10-24 02:22 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lisamariedavis.livejournal.com
That was wonderful. Very emotionally raw. Well done!

Date: 2010-10-24 05:51 am (UTC)

Date: 2010-10-24 07:37 am (UTC)
ext_3966: ("Adam" kiss)
From: [identity profile] lone-star-woman.livejournal.com
This is very sad, but I agree that it is hopeful. They have each other.

Date: 2010-11-01 01:36 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rosie012.livejournal.com
That's nice. That's real. That's everybody's life at one time or another. Really great putting such depths of despair into such a short piece. I like the hopeful but not everything is fixed ending.

Date: 2010-11-18 09:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hab318princess.livejournal.com
*sniffs* great fic

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