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buttononthetop) wrote2015-06-11 07:10 pm
buttononthetop) wrote2015-06-11 07:10 pm
Entry tags:
Fic: The Sea After a Storm (82/?)
Title: The Sea After a Storm, Chapter 82
Rating: R
Warnings: None really, just Zombie!Owen ;-)
Spoilers: Season Two thru Dead Man Walking (2x07)
Pairings: Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: Torchwood, Doctor Who and all their wonderfulness belong to the Mighty Beeb and He Who Must Not Be Named. All ©'s to Matt Jones for situations and dialogue borrowed from Dead Man Walking. No infringement, only worship intended!
Summary: In which the team takes a breath after the events surrounding the glove and Death...
Notes: Hiya! Thanks ever so if you're still reading! You can find all the previous chapters of The Sea After a Storm here. This is a sequel to Vizzini’s Rule and To The Pain. Thanks again and forever to my amazing beta and wonderful friendthraceadams for all the help and support and beta work; any mistakes are mine!
The Sea After a Storm: Chapter Eighty-Two
Previously on The Sea After a Storm: Owen beat Death and saved Martha...
Jack left Gwen in charge at the hospital to oversee the return of the patients and answer any questions from the staff that might come up. The official story involved a contagion of unknown origin that could only be transmitted by touch and killed within seconds. Jack assured them that the bodies of the unfortunate victims posed no threat and that there was no danger of any further outbreak. When the rest of the team left, Gwen was in deep conversation with the head of the hospital, spinning the tale with great conviction.
Other than a quick retelling of Owen's heroics facing down what may have been Death itself, it was quiet in the SUV as Jack drove them back to the Hub. Martha was still weak from her encounter with the glove and Owen was deep in thought while the others were just too tired to make idle conversation. Ianto couldn't actually remember the last time he'd slept. At the Hub, Owen went straight down to the medbay with Martha following more slowly. Ianto headed for his workstation and double checked that all connections between the St. Helen's computer system and the Hub were severed. The last thing they needed was for someone to stumble across his remote login information and start poking around.
"Jack?" Owen called from the medbay, distracting Ianto from rubbing his eyes which felt like they had rocks in them.
Jack stepped over the railing while Ianto moved to Tosh's workstation where he could hear better. Toshiko was obviously eavesdropping as well, so he didn't feel the need to camouflage his actions.
"People died because you brought me back," Owen said. "We owe them, you and me. I'm still a doctor. Let's put me to work, see if we can't even that score."
Jack was silent for a moment and then he said, "We'll see," and continued into his office.
Tosh and Ianto shared identical looks of surprise at Jack's cold response.
"That was strange," Ianto observed, watching Jack through the cloudy glass.
"You don't think he thinks Owen is still a danger, do you?" Tosh asked worriedly.
Ianto just shook his head. "I can't image why he would. It sounds like Owen is the only reason we can sleep peacefully tonight."
"He's a hero," Tosh agreed with a soft smile. "But then why did Jack –"
"To be honest, Tosh, I'm too exhausted to even start trying to figure out what Jack's been thinking since he showed up with that damn glove."
Tosh grimaced. "Good point. Goodnight, Ianto. Get some rest."
"You, too," he said. He crossed the Hub and stuck his head just inside Jack's office but didn't enter. "I'm heading home unless you need me for anything, sir," he said.
Jack looked up and gave him a saucy grin. "I can always think of something I need you for." When Ianto didn't respond to the teasing with anything other than a tired smile, Jack grew serious. "No, it's fine, Ianto. Go home. Sleep well."
A thought suddenly occurred to Ianto, and he reluctantly stepped inside, walking slowly to Jack's desk. "Will Martha be staying on?" he asked.
Jack looked surprised. "I don't know, why do you ask?"
"I can find her a more permanent residence than the hotel if she's staying and since you've just effectively told Owen that he can't work, and I assume we'll still need a medic...?" He let his voice trail off, letting Jack fill in the blanks.
"I didn't say that... exactly," Jack muttered.
"You've been trying to shut him out since you brought him back to life, Jack," Ianto scoffed. "And you haven't been particularly subtle about it. Do you not trust him or something?" Ianto knew he shouldn't be starting this conversation whilst he was so tired, but Jack's attitude towards Owen had been bothering him all day.
"And exactly why should I trust him?" Jack asked coldly. He threw his pencil down and crossed his arms over his chest. "He was possessed by Death, Ianto. He's responsible for the deaths of twelve people."
"He's responsible?" Ianto stepped forward, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You're the one who brought him back, Jack. Made him vulnerable to whatever that thing was. You went out and found that glove and used it all by yourself. Owen never asked for any it."
Jack flushed darkly and dropped his eyes. "I needed that code."
Ianto gaped at him. "You're really going to cling to that bullshit excuse? With me? What the fuck is going on with you, Jack?"
"What is this?" Jack stood up and began to pace the office floor. "Usually you're the one supporting my decisions when everyone else is pissed at me."
"Usually your decisions make sense!" Ianto shouted. "They may be hard decisions and people may suffer because of them, but they're still the right call. What happened tonight, to Martha and those twelve dead people you're so anxious to lay at Owen's door, all of it is your fault. And now you're trying to fob me off with an obvious lie!"
"It's not like I planned any of this," Jack backpedalled. "I didn't know what the glove would do."
"That's exactly my point. You didn't take the time to think things through or talk to us or do any research until after the fact. You brushed us all off when we asked you not to use the glove after what happened with Suzie. I believe your exact words were 'it's not up for discussion.' You just charged in with complete disregard for anyone but yourself!"
"I was trying to save Owen's life!"
"For two minutes! For a code you know damn well I already have!"
Jack crossed his arms again, his expression shuttered and blank. "You know, Ianto, I really don't recall asking for your opinion on how I run things," he said coldly. "Why don't you stick to making the coffee and leave the hard decisions to me?"
Ianto jerked as if Jack had struck him. After a long moment of painful silence, he straightened his jacket and inclined his head toward Jack in a slight bow. "You're absolutely right, Captain. My apologies, sir. May I be excused, sir?" he asked in the same cold voice Jack had used.
There was another moment of silence and then Jack nodded curtly.
Ianto turned and strode out of the office without another word.
"Is everything okay?" Tosh asked as Ianto grabbed his coat and pulled it on almost violently.
"Fine," he replied. Tosh looked like she was about to say something else, but Ianto cut her off with a crisp, "Goodnight," and headed for the cog door.
He clenched his car keys in his fist as he climbed the stairs to the Tourist Office, eschewing the lift in favour of burning off some of his anger. However, with every step he replayed Jack's words in his head, unable to turn his thoughts towards anything else. When he reached the top of the staircase, he was more furious than ever. Wishing he had his gear to run home instead of driving, never mind the cold, he made his way to the car park and threw himself behind the wheel. The engine of the BMW revved satisfyingly and Ianto took advantage of the early morning darkness to speed through town with little regard for traffic laws or his own safety.
Once he arrived at his flat, in less than half the time it normally took, he showered and changed into some flannel sleep pants mechanically. Normally after a case that dragged out over several gruelling days, Jack would give them time off to relax and recuperate – and he would spend that time with Ianto, either at the flat or his quarters at the Hub. Don't see that happening, Ianto thought as he opened and closed cabinets in his kitchen, not sure what he was looking for. He started to make coffee and then stopped when he realised he didn't want to drink it. Instead, he reached for a bottle of whisky and a glass.
He watched the sun rise through his French doors as he drank, still hearing Jack's words and Jack's cold tone over and over in his head. There were several emotions churning through him and he couldn't pinpoint which one was the worst: anger at Jack's actions and his callous disregard for the lives those actions had taken, worry over Owen's current state, offense at Jack's blatant lies, or a simple, deep pain that after all their time together, Jack would pull rank on him and treat him with so little respect.
His phone buzzed, skittering on the coffee table and startling Ianto out of his thoughts. It was a group text from Jack, telling them all to report back to the Hub the day after tomorrow. There was no additional message just for Ianto. He finished his glass of whisky, recorking the bottle and trying not to notice how much he'd drunk before staggering to his bed and collapsing. The whisky did its job well and he slept without dreaming.
TBC...
.
Rating: R
Warnings: None really, just Zombie!Owen ;-)
Spoilers: Season Two thru Dead Man Walking (2x07)
Pairings: Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: Torchwood, Doctor Who and all their wonderfulness belong to the Mighty Beeb and He Who Must Not Be Named. All ©'s to Matt Jones for situations and dialogue borrowed from Dead Man Walking. No infringement, only worship intended!
Summary: In which the team takes a breath after the events surrounding the glove and Death...
Notes: Hiya! Thanks ever so if you're still reading! You can find all the previous chapters of The Sea After a Storm here. This is a sequel to Vizzini’s Rule and To The Pain. Thanks again and forever to my amazing beta and wonderful friend
thraceadams for all the help and support and beta work; any mistakes are mine!The Sea After a Storm: Chapter Eighty-Two
Previously on The Sea After a Storm: Owen beat Death and saved Martha...
Jack left Gwen in charge at the hospital to oversee the return of the patients and answer any questions from the staff that might come up. The official story involved a contagion of unknown origin that could only be transmitted by touch and killed within seconds. Jack assured them that the bodies of the unfortunate victims posed no threat and that there was no danger of any further outbreak. When the rest of the team left, Gwen was in deep conversation with the head of the hospital, spinning the tale with great conviction.
Other than a quick retelling of Owen's heroics facing down what may have been Death itself, it was quiet in the SUV as Jack drove them back to the Hub. Martha was still weak from her encounter with the glove and Owen was deep in thought while the others were just too tired to make idle conversation. Ianto couldn't actually remember the last time he'd slept. At the Hub, Owen went straight down to the medbay with Martha following more slowly. Ianto headed for his workstation and double checked that all connections between the St. Helen's computer system and the Hub were severed. The last thing they needed was for someone to stumble across his remote login information and start poking around.
"Jack?" Owen called from the medbay, distracting Ianto from rubbing his eyes which felt like they had rocks in them.
Jack stepped over the railing while Ianto moved to Tosh's workstation where he could hear better. Toshiko was obviously eavesdropping as well, so he didn't feel the need to camouflage his actions.
"People died because you brought me back," Owen said. "We owe them, you and me. I'm still a doctor. Let's put me to work, see if we can't even that score."
Jack was silent for a moment and then he said, "We'll see," and continued into his office.
Tosh and Ianto shared identical looks of surprise at Jack's cold response.
"That was strange," Ianto observed, watching Jack through the cloudy glass.
"You don't think he thinks Owen is still a danger, do you?" Tosh asked worriedly.
Ianto just shook his head. "I can't image why he would. It sounds like Owen is the only reason we can sleep peacefully tonight."
"He's a hero," Tosh agreed with a soft smile. "But then why did Jack –"
"To be honest, Tosh, I'm too exhausted to even start trying to figure out what Jack's been thinking since he showed up with that damn glove."
Tosh grimaced. "Good point. Goodnight, Ianto. Get some rest."
"You, too," he said. He crossed the Hub and stuck his head just inside Jack's office but didn't enter. "I'm heading home unless you need me for anything, sir," he said.
Jack looked up and gave him a saucy grin. "I can always think of something I need you for." When Ianto didn't respond to the teasing with anything other than a tired smile, Jack grew serious. "No, it's fine, Ianto. Go home. Sleep well."
A thought suddenly occurred to Ianto, and he reluctantly stepped inside, walking slowly to Jack's desk. "Will Martha be staying on?" he asked.
Jack looked surprised. "I don't know, why do you ask?"
"I can find her a more permanent residence than the hotel if she's staying and since you've just effectively told Owen that he can't work, and I assume we'll still need a medic...?" He let his voice trail off, letting Jack fill in the blanks.
"I didn't say that... exactly," Jack muttered.
"You've been trying to shut him out since you brought him back to life, Jack," Ianto scoffed. "And you haven't been particularly subtle about it. Do you not trust him or something?" Ianto knew he shouldn't be starting this conversation whilst he was so tired, but Jack's attitude towards Owen had been bothering him all day.
"And exactly why should I trust him?" Jack asked coldly. He threw his pencil down and crossed his arms over his chest. "He was possessed by Death, Ianto. He's responsible for the deaths of twelve people."
"He's responsible?" Ianto stepped forward, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You're the one who brought him back, Jack. Made him vulnerable to whatever that thing was. You went out and found that glove and used it all by yourself. Owen never asked for any it."
Jack flushed darkly and dropped his eyes. "I needed that code."
Ianto gaped at him. "You're really going to cling to that bullshit excuse? With me? What the fuck is going on with you, Jack?"
"What is this?" Jack stood up and began to pace the office floor. "Usually you're the one supporting my decisions when everyone else is pissed at me."
"Usually your decisions make sense!" Ianto shouted. "They may be hard decisions and people may suffer because of them, but they're still the right call. What happened tonight, to Martha and those twelve dead people you're so anxious to lay at Owen's door, all of it is your fault. And now you're trying to fob me off with an obvious lie!"
"It's not like I planned any of this," Jack backpedalled. "I didn't know what the glove would do."
"That's exactly my point. You didn't take the time to think things through or talk to us or do any research until after the fact. You brushed us all off when we asked you not to use the glove after what happened with Suzie. I believe your exact words were 'it's not up for discussion.' You just charged in with complete disregard for anyone but yourself!"
"I was trying to save Owen's life!"
"For two minutes! For a code you know damn well I already have!"
Jack crossed his arms again, his expression shuttered and blank. "You know, Ianto, I really don't recall asking for your opinion on how I run things," he said coldly. "Why don't you stick to making the coffee and leave the hard decisions to me?"
Ianto jerked as if Jack had struck him. After a long moment of painful silence, he straightened his jacket and inclined his head toward Jack in a slight bow. "You're absolutely right, Captain. My apologies, sir. May I be excused, sir?" he asked in the same cold voice Jack had used.
There was another moment of silence and then Jack nodded curtly.
Ianto turned and strode out of the office without another word.
"Is everything okay?" Tosh asked as Ianto grabbed his coat and pulled it on almost violently.
"Fine," he replied. Tosh looked like she was about to say something else, but Ianto cut her off with a crisp, "Goodnight," and headed for the cog door.
He clenched his car keys in his fist as he climbed the stairs to the Tourist Office, eschewing the lift in favour of burning off some of his anger. However, with every step he replayed Jack's words in his head, unable to turn his thoughts towards anything else. When he reached the top of the staircase, he was more furious than ever. Wishing he had his gear to run home instead of driving, never mind the cold, he made his way to the car park and threw himself behind the wheel. The engine of the BMW revved satisfyingly and Ianto took advantage of the early morning darkness to speed through town with little regard for traffic laws or his own safety.
Once he arrived at his flat, in less than half the time it normally took, he showered and changed into some flannel sleep pants mechanically. Normally after a case that dragged out over several gruelling days, Jack would give them time off to relax and recuperate – and he would spend that time with Ianto, either at the flat or his quarters at the Hub. Don't see that happening, Ianto thought as he opened and closed cabinets in his kitchen, not sure what he was looking for. He started to make coffee and then stopped when he realised he didn't want to drink it. Instead, he reached for a bottle of whisky and a glass.
He watched the sun rise through his French doors as he drank, still hearing Jack's words and Jack's cold tone over and over in his head. There were several emotions churning through him and he couldn't pinpoint which one was the worst: anger at Jack's actions and his callous disregard for the lives those actions had taken, worry over Owen's current state, offense at Jack's blatant lies, or a simple, deep pain that after all their time together, Jack would pull rank on him and treat him with so little respect.
His phone buzzed, skittering on the coffee table and startling Ianto out of his thoughts. It was a group text from Jack, telling them all to report back to the Hub the day after tomorrow. There was no additional message just for Ianto. He finished his glass of whisky, recorking the bottle and trying not to notice how much he'd drunk before staggering to his bed and collapsing. The whisky did its job well and he slept without dreaming.
TBC...
.
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