Isn't Worth Living: Chapter 9

[galadriel1010]

Author's Note: OK, this is so far from what I intended it's not even funny. It just sort of happened...

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Jack raised his gun and pressed himself against the wall, gesturing at the others to wait for him. He tested the door handle and was reassured to find it locked, it was less likely to be a trap if they’d locked the door, they wouldn’t be expecting anyone. Pulling a set of highly illegal lock picks from his pocket he unlocked the door silently and pushed it open gingerly; when there was no gunfire, no sound of any sort, he pushed it further and beckoned to the others to follow him. The light inside was dim, but bright enough to see the boxes stacked all around. He indicated that Owen and Gwen should watch the door and that Tosh should check the boxes whilst he covered her, the building was silent, in a deserted part of the docks.

They’d found it with Guron’s help, he’d done a scan for alien tech, “very spock” as he had been told once upon a time. The scan had indicated a few items here, so they’d come to investigate. Guron had been determined to come, but Jack had persuaded him to stay behind with Ianto, monitoring their situation from there.

Tosh’s excited whisper attracted his attention to the boxes and he hurried over to take a look. Inside were weapons, lots of them, mostly human but some recognisable alien. He whistled quietly as he turned an AK-47 over in his hands, then put it down when he noticed how nervous it made the young woman. She gave him an embarrassed smile and pulled out a 51st Century sonic blaster, “So what do we do with this little lot?”

Jack looked astonished when he saw the blaster, but then shook his head in amusement, “One hundred years ago and that must be the fifth or sixth time I’ve thought about that night in the last week.” He thought to himself.

“Right, well here’s what we do… We take the alien weapons back to the hub, deal with them when we get back there, and we tip the police off about this place. I know it’s not our field, but I don’t want these weapons on the streets of Cardiff or London or wherever any more than the next man.” He took the blaster form Tosh and smiled at it, speaking into his coms, “Ianto, can you get me a crate of bananas?”

Half an hour, and two false alarms, later, Jack helped Owen to lift the crate of assorted confiscated alien weaponry into the boot of the SUV and grinned at him. The medic simply rolled his eyes, checked that it wouldn’t slide about when they were on the move and took the proffered car keys from Ianto. They had spent the last half hour sorting what was alien from what was human and packing everything alien into one of the crates. Once they’d done that they were down by one crate, which would be noticed, so Jack had substituted a crate of bananas. He wouldn’t tell them why, but he seemed to find this highly amusing, as did Guron by the sounds of it. The alien had come out there with Ianto, God only knew where the lad had got a crate full of bananas at this time of night, and was talking earnestly with Jack as they surveyed the warehouse. Owen shook his head to himself as he took the SUV around the corner. Apparently Jack had a plan, which involved the SUV being out of sight from the Warehouse, and which also involved giving Guron quite a large gun. Owen was more than slightly worried, it had often been said that there was madness to Jack’s method, Owen disputed that; occasionally there was method to Jack’s madness.

When he returned, Jack had gathered the team and they were waiting for him. As soon as he was close enough, Jack clapped his hands and started explaining his plan, “OK, so Gwen has called the police, and they’re on their way. In the meantime we’re going to watch the place and make sure that whoever’s behind this doesn’t get away with it. If they go in we’re going to keep them there, if they don’t before he police arrive we’re going to help them to bring them in?”

“That’s not our job.” Owen pointed out.

“Is it not? Our job is to protect people, and maybe by doing this we can save someone’s life. Maybe even help to stop the flow of guns to the teens of London. But we can’t just let them slip away.”

“Agreed.” Gwen glared at Owen

“Hey, I wasn’t saying we shouldn’t. Just that it’s rare for us to overstep our bounds.”

“That’s cos they’re already set so wide.” Ianto quipped and Jack grinned at him. Owen was sure there was something going on there, but he wasn’t quite brave enough to ask. Mainly because he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.

“So, any arguments?” there was silence, so Jack clapped his hands again and started gesturing to locations, “Owen and Gwen, I want you two over there and there, watching those two streets and that side of the building, Guron, Ianto and I will take that side, Tosh I want you to monitor the police movements and keep us informed, let me know as soon as they get close. Everyone armed?” They all nodded in confirmation and he continued, “They’re not to be used, unless they engage us in a fire-fight. Whatever happens, stay safe. If you need to shoot someone to protect yourself or someone else then don’t hesitate, but don’t shoot on sight. Getting this lot may help to bring down a network, and I don’t want the chance to escape. Plus, I’m sure Ianto could do without the follow up that a Torchwood death invariably brings.”

“And there was me thinking you didn’t care.”

“It’s not that he cares, tea boy, it’s just the fact that every time you have to clean up after a death you put something in his coffee as payback. Can we go to our positions now Jack? Before someone walks in on us.”

“Go, and remember: don’t use your weapons unless you have to.”

As they moved to their positions together, Guron asked Jack and Ianto the question that had interested him since the day he met them, “I don’t mean to pry, but are you two…”

They smiled at each other and at him, “No, we just live together.”

“Share a bed.” Ianto added helpfully, “You know, normal stuff like that. I’m…” he struggled to find words for a moment before looking away towards the corner of the building, “I lost my girlfriend, not long ago. We help each other, I guess.” Jack smiled at him compassionately and Guron got the impression that the Captain would quite like there to be more to the relationship than there was.

Feeling suddenly uncomfortable he turned and surveyed the surrounding area, “Any preferences for where you’d prefer to be? There’s a few skips up there that could be used for cover,” he pointed, “streetlight out on the corner there and a tree over there.”

“Good thinking.” The Captain nodded, “I’ve no preference, although it would make me feel better if I was at the pointy end, so to speak.”

“Why is that?” Guron looked mildly offended, he wanted to be there to get his revenge on his wife’s killers after all.

Jack shrugged, “I’m immortal, it makes more sense for me to be in possible danger than you two.” He could tell that Ianto was shocked that he’d told Guron, it was a secret he kept close, fearing the effect it would have on people. The only people who knew about it apart from the two of them and now Guron were Gwen, who had seen it, and Jane, who had found it in the records. Jack didn’t tell anyone about it, until now. It must have been even more out of the blue as Ianto could only hear his half of the conversation, he smiled apologetically at the younger man, and then wondered why

“You’re impossible, mad and impossible.” The Watulah told him, “But I believe you. So you will stay by the tree, has Ianto any preference?” When Jack passed on the question and ascertained that he didn’t mind, they agreed that he would wait by the skips in the middle and Guron would take the furthest point in the shadows under the street non-light. As they parted they activated their coms and heard Tosh’s voice giving instructions to Owen and Gwen,

“The police will be here in fifteen minutes, Gwen, you’ll need to be somewhere you can slip round to them without being seen from the warehouse, just in case.”

“OK Tosh, I’ve found somewhere, there’s a garden, I can get from here onto the next street and the along the back if I need to. If they arrive around the other side then Jack will have to deal with them.”

“Are you there yet Jack?”

“Present and correct marm!” he laughed quietly, “Any sign of anyone coming?”

“Nope, and I’ve hacked into their CCTV system and the door lock control, if they go in and shut the door I can lock them in.”

“Good work Tosh, I don’t pay you enough.”

“Watch it Jack, I might just remind you of that.”

“Yeah well, annual reviews are coming up soon, I might remember on my own.”

“What’s put you in such a good mood Jack?” Owen asked

“Don’t ask questions Owen, just make the most of it.” He grinned back, thoroughly glad to be a part of his team. “Now, we’ve only got a few minutes to wait, so can we try radio silence? I know it’s not strictly necessary, but it would make me feel better about your safety.” He took the ensuing quiet for agreement

“Jack.” Ianto’s voice whispered in his ear a couple of minutes later, “Jack, I’ve got a van here, it’s not the police.”

“How many?”

“Two men, they’re heading your way up this side of the building.”

“OK, stay out of sight guys, Tosh, can you tell the police to arrive quietly?”

“On it Jack.”

“Captain.” Guron muttered, “They have just passed me.”

“I can see them, hold your positions.” He watched them moving in and out of the patches of light down the side of the building. They didn’t appear to be taking any care about not being seen, apparently they had no idea they weren’t alone. The two men were similar in appearance, tall, muscular and dark haired, and were speaking quietly. One of them walked slightly in front of the other and appeared to be dominating the conversation, but it wasn’t an argument.

Jack didn’t move as they passed him, experience having told him that a) he was well hidden enough as it was and b) they would notice the movement. He held his breath as the leader of the two stepped into the shadows by the door, then disappeared inside, closely followed by the other man, and he swore when they left the door open.

“Jack, I can’t seal them in, the door needs to be closed.”

“I know, Tosh. Bare with me. How far off are the police?”

“Five minutes.”

“Damn, that’s too far off.” He looked around and realised there was no alternative. Without a word of warning he’d dashed across to the side of the building and was peering in through the open door. One of them men spotted him instantly, and he only just had time to grab the door and slam it shut as a shot and a cry rang out, “Shit, Tosh lock it, now!” He bit his lip and clutched his arm, aware of blood soaking his shirt sleeve but not of pain. Not yet. “Fuck.” Now the pain had hit home, he leant against the wall and let his head fall back as he tried to cope, then regained awareness of his surroundings; the hammering on the door of the two men trapped inside, Guron and Owen at his side, three worried voices coming over the coms. “I’m fine, don’t worry about me. Back to your positions, we don’t know if there are any more to come.”

They were interrupted by squealing brakes and flashing lights that heralded the arrival of Cardiff’s finest; he swore again and advanced on the first car, extending his hand to the officer in the lead, “Glad you could make it,” he greeted him sarcastically, “we’ve got two men locked in there. Torchwood has requisitioned an unspecified quantity of weaponry. That’s exactly what it’s going to say in your report. Now, we’ll leave it to you. Good night.” He was being shorter than he would have liked, but God his arm hurt.

“You’ve been shot.” The officer looked horrified

“Yeah, I’d noticed, so we’re leaving.”

He turned and stalked towards the SUV where the rest of the team were waiting for him. Owen glared at him and shoved him down to sit on the edge of the open boot, pulling his coat and shirt off to bandage his arm more roughly than necessary, “What was that about Jack? Who was it who was worried about us taking unnecessary risks?”

“The first word I heard when I got to the door was bananas, “he gasped as Owen yanked hard on the bandage, “Do you have to do that? I had to get the door shut, they’d figured out that something was wrong and I didn’t want them coming out on the alert and shooting any of you.”

“So you let them shoot you instead.” The medic shook his head as though he didn’t believe any of it

“Yep, it was worth it.” His eyes finally met Ianto’s and he relaxed, feeling reassured by the amusement shining there. “Any idea what they’re doing?”

“Armed police are on their way, and they would quite like us out of the way, sir.”

“Right,” he flexed his shoulders slightly and immediately regretted it, “OK, let’s call it a night, Ianto, you and Guron can get straight off home as your car’s here. I don’t think I’ll be coming back tonight. The rest of you can go straight from the Hub, or from here if you don’t need to pick anything up.”

The ride back was silent and quite painful because Owen was driving. Jack tried hard to keep his injured arm from bashing against the door but when Owen took corners like that… he hissed and shot a glare at the younger man but decided it would be wisest not to say anything. He knew he was in trouble for taking the gamble with the door, but he was still sure he’d done the right thing.

Owen went straight from the car park, assuring Jack that he wouldn’t need to check the bandage until the next morning and muttering something about getting a drink. Gwen and Tosh both had to pick things up from the Hub, so the three of them went in together through the TI office. Jack sank into Ianto’s chair, knowing that the young man wouldn’t mind, and propped his head on his uninjured arm with his chin in his hand, watching Tosh hang his coat up as she chatted happily with Gwen.

“Jack?” his attention snapped back to the present at Gwen’s voice, although he wasn’t entirely sure where it had been before, “You told Ianto that you didn’t think you’d be going back to his tonight. I don’t mean to pry but…”

He chuckled, “I’m living with him, that’s it. We’re just very good friends who got fed up of living alone and discovered that our talents compliment each other’s.” The expression on her face was priceless, “By which I mean that I’m a great cook and he makes the best coffee in the known universe. Besides, he needed looking after, after Lisa.”

Gwen looked shocked, and he understood why, it was the first time Lisa’s name had been mentioned since she’d nearly killed them all. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about the whole thing, or who she blamed. She knew that Jack was watching her carefully, taking note of her reaction so she nodded carefully and turned to leave, “Take care of your arm, I’ll see you in the morning.” Tosh simply smiled and followed her out of the cog door, not needing to say anything.

As soon as they were gone he got up again and headed for the bunker beneath his office. It was hard work getting down the ladder when he couldn’t properly use his arm, but he was emotionally and mentally exhausted. He tried to remove his shirt but it hurt far too much. Sighing he rested his head in his hand and ran his hand through his hair distractedly. He felt strangely desolate at being alone tonight. Since Guron had come to stay over a week before, he had spent every night with Ianto curled against him warm and protective. It wasn’t something they’d talked about, it wasn’t even something he’d seriously thought about until now, it was just what they did. That way, when Ianto woke sobbing in the middle of the night Jack was already there holding him and soothing him, and when Jack needed reminding in the middle of the night that there was a reason he got up in the mornings there was one lying in his arms. And that was so true, so true it was breaking his heart, because he was rapidly falling in love with Ianto Jones.

He felt like he was falling without a parachute, and he of all people should know what that felt like, and how much it hurt when you landed, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His quick humour, almost gentle sarcasm and how good he looked in a suit were all factors, that was true, but it was the little things that meant the most. The big things were important, like the way he always knew what to say to help matters, like when they’d come back from the incident with the fairies and the others had blamed him for letting Jasmine go, as though they couldn’t see how much it hurt him to let her go, as if it wasn’t bad enough having to let one go but with that name? And Ianto had brought him coffee, and then held him when he broke. Yes, the big things were\pretty damn important, but really it was the little things that were getting to him most. It was the way he smiled slightly whilst he made the coffee, the adorable way he ran his fingers through his hair when he was at a loss, the way he smiled over his shoulder when Jack found him in the kitchen first thing in the morning, the way his face lit up whenever he got a message from Jane in London.

And that was what was breaking Jack’s heart the most, because even as he felt himself falling in love with Ianto, he could see Ianto falling in love with Jane. He hadn’t realised it yet, but the little clues were all there, the way he was getting defensive of her, the way he’d be happy for hours after talking to her, even if it had just been a request for information.

He stood up and tried to take his shirt off again, but it was still too painful, 21st Century painkillers had never really been enough with his physiology, and because he hadn’t died the wound would heal slowly, for him at least. He closed his eyes and allowed a grunt of pain to escape as he moved his shoulder in just the right way to send lances up and down his arm and across his shoulders. Before he’d recovered, however, he felt gentle hands pulling at his shirt, sliding it gently off his shoulders and helping him to get his arms free. He didn’t need to open his eyes to know who it was, the mixed scent of coffee and coconut only served to confirm what his instincts were telling him, so he kept his eyes closed, “I thought you’d gone home.” He sighed with a smile

“I did, then I came back. You need me more than Guron does, but I had to pick up a change of clothes.”

“Are you staying?” he finally opened his eyes and smiled gratefully at his friend, confident that the pain he’d been feeling would be safely hidden again now

“If you are.”

“Thanks” he whispered, not needing to speak any louder in the confined space. Suddenly, on a whim, he pulled Ianto into a hug, and as he felt Ianto relax into him and wrap his arms around Jack’s waist, the immortal breathed in the scent of the coffee, of coconut and of Ianto, absorbing himself in a moment that was just him and the man he loved.