Fic: Vizzini's Rule (39/105)
Aug. 12th, 2008 07:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
buttononthetopTitle: Vizzini's Rule, Chapter 39
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Not really, maybe some vague mentions of violence
Spoilers: Season One thru They Keep Killing Suzie (1x8)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around! All ©’s to Paul Tomalin and Daniel Mcculloch for dialogue and situations borrowed from They Keep Killing Suzie.
Summary: In which the team waits for Suzie to wake up...
Notes: Still forthrace_adams cuz she rocks. :o)
Previous Chapters
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Thirty-Nine
Suzie was still alive, but she hadn’t regained consciousness since Gwen broke contact with the glove. Owen likened her condition to someone in a coma and couldn’t give Jack any more definitive answers than any doctor in that situation.
“Alright then,” Jack said, running a hand through his hair. “We have an un-dead ex-colleague who may or may not have the answers to a murder investigation. I don’t want her left alone for a second. Owen, you take the first shift. Ianto!”
“Yes sir? Something in the way of food and drink, I assume?”
“You read my mind.”
“I’ll be back as quick as I can, sir,” Ianto said as he pocketed the stopwatch and headed up the short flight of stairs to the Hub. He grabbed his jacket and glanced at his watch. It was late for a lot of places, but if he hurried he could get to the sandwich shop he frequented. He knew that he could charm the owner into opening up and making a few sandwiches, even if he missed official closing time.
Luckily, the traffic gods were with him. Flirting with Tegan wasn’t strictly necessary, but Ianto didn’t see any reason to waste an opportunity to inveigle some extra thick sandwiches for the team. He left the shop just after closing time, laden with three heavy bags of food: the sandwiches and cold drinks he’d ordered, plus several bags of crisps, half a cheesecake and a few tubs of fruit, coleslaw and potato salad (“oh take ‘em, luv, they’ll only spoil”).
Since someone had to stay with Suzie, Ianto didn’t set up the food in the conference room like he usually did. Instead he cleared off a table close to the medical bay, so no one was completely left out of the meal. Tosh and Gwen came up from the interrogation room just as he was finishing opening up the containers of coleslaw.
“Looks lovely, Ianto, thanks sweetheart,” Gwen called as she walked to the table.
Jack came out of his office as soon as he heard her. He headed down to the med bay to relieve Owen, who came up for a sandwich immediately. Ianto held back as the other three started on the food, not wanting Jack to have to eat alone. He declined politely as Tosh tried to get him to sit down and grabbed a Coke. He strolled over to the med bay and leaned on the observation rail. Jack was standing at the head of Suzie’s cot, arms crossed over his chest, looking down at his former protégé with an expression of disappointment, confusion and fear all mixed together.
“It’s not your fault, you know,” Ianto said as he cracked open his can of Coke.
Jack harrumphed but didn’t look up. “Which part? The fact that she’s dead? Or the fact that she’s alive again?”
“Both,” Ianto said. “Or would it be neither? She killed herself, Jack, and it was Gwen’s idea to use the glove.”
“I could have said no,” Jack replied in that same deadened tone.
Knowing Jack couldn’t see him, Ianto allowed himself to roll his eyes as he took a sip of cola. Yeah right, he thought, I’d like to be there the day you say no to Gwen Cooper. To Jack he said, “Still, the plan was to bring her back for a minute or two. No one could have foreseen this.”
Jack merely grunted again.
“Jack, what did she mean when she said–” he broke off as Owen came back into the room.
“Thanks Jack, I’m good for a bit,” Owen said as he walked down the stairs.
Jack finally looked up. He said, “About an hour?” When Owen nodded, Jack finished, “One of us will be back to relieve you then.”
Ianto waited at the top of the stairs for Jack to reach him. He put a hand on the older man’s shoulder for a brief moment. Jack paused and gave him a quick smile before heading to the table.
“Alright, Gwen, Tosh – hit the sack. Owen’s got the first shift and either Ianto or I will take the next. If we need you, we’ll wake you later.”
“Jack, I can stay up with you really. I’m not tired at all,” Gwen said. It would have sounded more convincing if she hadn’t had to stifle a yawn at the end of the comment.
“You look like hell, Gwen. I know that glove can really take it out of you, so listen to me and go rest. That’s why we set up the cots.”
“C’mon,” Tosh said as she led Gwen towards interrogation. “We can braid each other’s hair if we can’t sleep,” she joked, giving Ianto a martyred look as she passed, making him laugh quietly.
He wandered over to table and grabbed a sandwich. “Jack? Can I make you a plate?” he asked.
Jack smiled. “That’s a change. Usually it’s me trying to get you to eat.”
Ianto grimaced. “Yeah, well, here – have a sandwich,” he said, shoving a plate at Jack.
“Join me?” Jack asked quietly as he sat down on the sofa.
“Of course, sir.”
They ate in companionable silence for a while.
“Hey, what were you saying when Owen came in?” Jack asked after a bit.
Ianto had to think for a moment. “Oh that, I was just wondering what Suzie meant when she said ‘didn’t I kill you?’ when she first woke up.”
Jack stilled and then shrugged. “No idea.”
Ianto gave him a hard stare. “You know, Jack,” he said conversationally, “I don’t appreciate being lied to any more than you do.”
“What?” Jack asked, choking on a bite of roast beef.
“Being lied to. You’re not very good at it, you know. Or at least, I’ve gotten to know you well enough to tell when you are lying.”
“Ianto…” Jack said in a sad voice.
“What is it, Jack?” Ianto set his plate on the low table by the sofa and turned to face Jack. “If it’s something you can’t tell me, something you need me to take on faith, then just say so. But please don’t lie to me.”
Jack finished his sandwich with a contemplative look on his face. When he was done, he wiped his mouth and set his plate on the table as well. He turned to face Ianto. “What are you saying, Ianto?”
“I’m saying that I can handle secrets, God knows I couldn’t work for Torchwood if I couldn’t, but I can’t handle lies. Not from you, not anymore.”
The look on Jack’s face was unreadable. When he spoke, it was in a very careful voice that Ianto couldn’t remember hearing before. “You want me to be honest with you about everything?” Jack asked.
“Where you can,” Ianto said. “If you can’t tell me something, then I’ll accept that. I just… After all we’ve been through…”
“Ask me again,” Jack said.
“What?”
Jack smiled. “Ask me again,” he repeated softly.
Ianto took a breath. “What did Suzie mean when she said ‘didn’t I kill you’?”
“I can’t tell you, Ianto, not right now.”
Ianto nodded. “Did she hurt you?”
“No.”
“Okay then.”
Jack was still staring. “You are an amazing man. Have I told you that before?”
“You may have mentioned it once or twice,” Ianto said with a small smile.
Jack reached an arm across the sofa to pull Ianto close. Ianto tensed up, ready to bolt if anyone came by, but Jack shushed him. “Just c’mere for a second.” Jack placed a tender kiss on Ianto’s forehead. “Thank you,” he said simply.
“For what?” Ianto asked.
“You really don’t know?” Jack asked. When Ianto shook his head, Jack drew him into a loose hug. “You just asked me to be myself with you. No one has done that in…” Jack sighed. “No lies, no stories, no excuses, no judgments, just me?”
“That’s all I want,” Ianto whispered.
“And that’s what makes you amazing, Jones Ianto Jones,” Jack said, holding him tight for a moment. “Okay, I’ll tidy up the food, why don’t you get a little rest?”
“I can do that. You don’t have–” Jack looked at him with the stop-trying-to-take-care-of-everyone-else expression that Ianto was privately starting to think of as The Look. He smiled. “I mean, thanks Jack.”
“That’s better,” Jack said as he stood up. He leaned down to give Ianto a quick kiss. “Try to sleep. I have a feeling we’re in for another long day.”
TBC in Chapter Forty, Part One
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Not really, maybe some vague mentions of violence
Spoilers: Season One thru They Keep Killing Suzie (1x8)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around! All ©’s to Paul Tomalin and Daniel Mcculloch for dialogue and situations borrowed from They Keep Killing Suzie.
Summary: In which the team waits for Suzie to wake up...
Notes: Still for
thrace_adams cuz she rocks. :o) Previous Chapters
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Thirty-Nine
Suzie was still alive, but she hadn’t regained consciousness since Gwen broke contact with the glove. Owen likened her condition to someone in a coma and couldn’t give Jack any more definitive answers than any doctor in that situation.
“Alright then,” Jack said, running a hand through his hair. “We have an un-dead ex-colleague who may or may not have the answers to a murder investigation. I don’t want her left alone for a second. Owen, you take the first shift. Ianto!”
“Yes sir? Something in the way of food and drink, I assume?”
“You read my mind.”
“I’ll be back as quick as I can, sir,” Ianto said as he pocketed the stopwatch and headed up the short flight of stairs to the Hub. He grabbed his jacket and glanced at his watch. It was late for a lot of places, but if he hurried he could get to the sandwich shop he frequented. He knew that he could charm the owner into opening up and making a few sandwiches, even if he missed official closing time.
Luckily, the traffic gods were with him. Flirting with Tegan wasn’t strictly necessary, but Ianto didn’t see any reason to waste an opportunity to inveigle some extra thick sandwiches for the team. He left the shop just after closing time, laden with three heavy bags of food: the sandwiches and cold drinks he’d ordered, plus several bags of crisps, half a cheesecake and a few tubs of fruit, coleslaw and potato salad (“oh take ‘em, luv, they’ll only spoil”).
Since someone had to stay with Suzie, Ianto didn’t set up the food in the conference room like he usually did. Instead he cleared off a table close to the medical bay, so no one was completely left out of the meal. Tosh and Gwen came up from the interrogation room just as he was finishing opening up the containers of coleslaw.
“Looks lovely, Ianto, thanks sweetheart,” Gwen called as she walked to the table.
Jack came out of his office as soon as he heard her. He headed down to the med bay to relieve Owen, who came up for a sandwich immediately. Ianto held back as the other three started on the food, not wanting Jack to have to eat alone. He declined politely as Tosh tried to get him to sit down and grabbed a Coke. He strolled over to the med bay and leaned on the observation rail. Jack was standing at the head of Suzie’s cot, arms crossed over his chest, looking down at his former protégé with an expression of disappointment, confusion and fear all mixed together.
“It’s not your fault, you know,” Ianto said as he cracked open his can of Coke.
Jack harrumphed but didn’t look up. “Which part? The fact that she’s dead? Or the fact that she’s alive again?”
“Both,” Ianto said. “Or would it be neither? She killed herself, Jack, and it was Gwen’s idea to use the glove.”
“I could have said no,” Jack replied in that same deadened tone.
Knowing Jack couldn’t see him, Ianto allowed himself to roll his eyes as he took a sip of cola. Yeah right, he thought, I’d like to be there the day you say no to Gwen Cooper. To Jack he said, “Still, the plan was to bring her back for a minute or two. No one could have foreseen this.”
Jack merely grunted again.
“Jack, what did she mean when she said–” he broke off as Owen came back into the room.
“Thanks Jack, I’m good for a bit,” Owen said as he walked down the stairs.
Jack finally looked up. He said, “About an hour?” When Owen nodded, Jack finished, “One of us will be back to relieve you then.”
Ianto waited at the top of the stairs for Jack to reach him. He put a hand on the older man’s shoulder for a brief moment. Jack paused and gave him a quick smile before heading to the table.
“Alright, Gwen, Tosh – hit the sack. Owen’s got the first shift and either Ianto or I will take the next. If we need you, we’ll wake you later.”
“Jack, I can stay up with you really. I’m not tired at all,” Gwen said. It would have sounded more convincing if she hadn’t had to stifle a yawn at the end of the comment.
“You look like hell, Gwen. I know that glove can really take it out of you, so listen to me and go rest. That’s why we set up the cots.”
“C’mon,” Tosh said as she led Gwen towards interrogation. “We can braid each other’s hair if we can’t sleep,” she joked, giving Ianto a martyred look as she passed, making him laugh quietly.
He wandered over to table and grabbed a sandwich. “Jack? Can I make you a plate?” he asked.
Jack smiled. “That’s a change. Usually it’s me trying to get you to eat.”
Ianto grimaced. “Yeah, well, here – have a sandwich,” he said, shoving a plate at Jack.
“Join me?” Jack asked quietly as he sat down on the sofa.
“Of course, sir.”
They ate in companionable silence for a while.
“Hey, what were you saying when Owen came in?” Jack asked after a bit.
Ianto had to think for a moment. “Oh that, I was just wondering what Suzie meant when she said ‘didn’t I kill you?’ when she first woke up.”
Jack stilled and then shrugged. “No idea.”
Ianto gave him a hard stare. “You know, Jack,” he said conversationally, “I don’t appreciate being lied to any more than you do.”
“What?” Jack asked, choking on a bite of roast beef.
“Being lied to. You’re not very good at it, you know. Or at least, I’ve gotten to know you well enough to tell when you are lying.”
“Ianto…” Jack said in a sad voice.
“What is it, Jack?” Ianto set his plate on the low table by the sofa and turned to face Jack. “If it’s something you can’t tell me, something you need me to take on faith, then just say so. But please don’t lie to me.”
Jack finished his sandwich with a contemplative look on his face. When he was done, he wiped his mouth and set his plate on the table as well. He turned to face Ianto. “What are you saying, Ianto?”
“I’m saying that I can handle secrets, God knows I couldn’t work for Torchwood if I couldn’t, but I can’t handle lies. Not from you, not anymore.”
The look on Jack’s face was unreadable. When he spoke, it was in a very careful voice that Ianto couldn’t remember hearing before. “You want me to be honest with you about everything?” Jack asked.
“Where you can,” Ianto said. “If you can’t tell me something, then I’ll accept that. I just… After all we’ve been through…”
“Ask me again,” Jack said.
“What?”
Jack smiled. “Ask me again,” he repeated softly.
Ianto took a breath. “What did Suzie mean when she said ‘didn’t I kill you’?”
“I can’t tell you, Ianto, not right now.”
Ianto nodded. “Did she hurt you?”
“No.”
“Okay then.”
Jack was still staring. “You are an amazing man. Have I told you that before?”
“You may have mentioned it once or twice,” Ianto said with a small smile.
Jack reached an arm across the sofa to pull Ianto close. Ianto tensed up, ready to bolt if anyone came by, but Jack shushed him. “Just c’mere for a second.” Jack placed a tender kiss on Ianto’s forehead. “Thank you,” he said simply.
“For what?” Ianto asked.
“You really don’t know?” Jack asked. When Ianto shook his head, Jack drew him into a loose hug. “You just asked me to be myself with you. No one has done that in…” Jack sighed. “No lies, no stories, no excuses, no judgments, just me?”
“That’s all I want,” Ianto whispered.
“And that’s what makes you amazing, Jones Ianto Jones,” Jack said, holding him tight for a moment. “Okay, I’ll tidy up the food, why don’t you get a little rest?”
“I can do that. You don’t have–” Jack looked at him with the stop-trying-to-take-care-of-everyone-else expression that Ianto was privately starting to think of as The Look. He smiled. “I mean, thanks Jack.”
“That’s better,” Jack said as he stood up. He leaned down to give Ianto a quick kiss. “Try to sleep. I have a feeling we’re in for another long day.”
TBC in Chapter Forty, Part One
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Date: 2008-08-14 12:36 am (UTC)Thanks so much for reading and commenting! I'm so glad you're enjoying.