Fic: Vizzini's Rule (91/105)
Nov. 24th, 2008 06:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
buttononthetopTitle: Vizzini's Rule, Chapter 91
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Nope
Spoilers: Season One thru Captain Jack Harkness (1x12)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around! All ©’s to Catherine Tregenna for dialogue and situations borrowed from Captain Jack Harkness – no infringement, only worship intended.
Summary: In which Jack worries about possible fallout from Owen opening the rift…
Notes: Here is the tip of the fallout iceberg – more to come! This story is always for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
thrace_adams, but tonight it’s also for doctor_addicted who asked so nice. *hugs* :o)
Previous Chapters
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Ninety-One
The next morning, Ianto awoke alone. He stretched luxuriously and then curled onto his side with a smile, thinking of Jack as he dozed for a little while longer. When he finally got up, he headed directly to the shower and washed up as he began to plan his day. He dressed quickly in his spare suit, glad that Jack had talked him into leaving some clothes at the Hub so he didn’t have to run home every morning after he spent the night.
He climbed up the ladder and found Jack working at his desk.
“Morning,” he called softly.
Jack finished signing his name to a document and then looked up to smile at Ianto. “Morning, sleep okay?” Ianto nodded as he joined Jack behind the desk. He leaned down for a quick kiss and Jack stroked his cheek. “You sure?” Jack asked. “You tossed and turned for quite a while. I was afraid you were having nightmares again.”
“Really?” Ianto was surprised. “I don’t remember anything,” he shrugged. “I didn’t keep you up, did I?”
“Nah, you didn’t start until I was already up.”
“Well, that’s good. Do you know who we’re expecting in today? I was going to run over to Kemi’s and grab some breakfast.”
“I’m sure Gwen will be in and I’ll bet Tosh will too, but I’d be surprised if we see Owen.”
“Sounds about right,” Ianto agreed. “You want anything in particular?”
“Oh, one of those chocolate croissant thingies you always get would be great. You make the most obscene noises when you eat those,” Jack said with a smile.
“I do not!” Ianto protested, blushing furiously.
“Oh yes you do. I’m an expert on your obscene noises and those are particularly good ones.”
Ianto rolled his eyes and headed up to the Plass. When he got back to the Hub, Tosh had already arrived. She was sitting in Jack’s office going over the reports from the day before. Ianto went up to the kitchen area and brewed a fresh pot of coffee. He washed out the carafe and refilled it, setting it on the tray with two mugs, Tosh’s muffins and Jack’s requested chocolate croissant. He took the tray to Jack’s office and set it quietly on the corner of Jack’s desk, not wanting to interrupt.
“Thanks, Ianto,” Jack said as he glanced up.
“Yes, thank you,” Tosh added. “I really need a muffin today.”
Ianto squeezed her shoulder and murmured, “Thought you might like a treat.”
He left them to their discussion and made his way back to the kitchen area, straightening up the Hub as he went. Gwen arrived a few minutes after he had sat down with his coffee and his own chocolate croissant.
“Morning, Ianto,” Gwen yawned as she walked through the door.
“Long night?” he asked. When she nodded, he added, “Coffee’s fresh and I picked up some pastries.”
“Oooh,” she said appreciatively. “Did you get any of those chocolate ones? You always look like you enjoy them so much.”
Ianto choked on a bit of croissant and felt his cheeks grow pink again. Apparently I need to stop eating chocolate in front of the team. He coughed and nodded, waving at the plate of pastries as he took a sip of his coffee. Gwen smiled her thanks and hurried up the stairs to pour herself a cup as well. When she came back down, she took a seat near Ianto.
“What are they discussing, you think?” she asked with a nod towards Jack’s office.
“Going over the reports from yesterday again,” Ianto replied. “Jack’s worried about possible long term effects.”
“But we did the right thing, right? Opening the rift? Getting them back?” Gwen sounded worried.
Ianto shrugged and reached for another pastry, almond this time. “Jack’s not so sure.”
“But… but what else could we have done?”
“It’s not your fault, Gwen. Owen opened the rift and I didn’t stop him,” Ianto said regretfully. “If there’s any lumps to take, they’re mine and Owen’s, not yours.”
“Oh please!” Gwen huffed. “You did everything you could to convince him. I heard you.”
Ianto looked at her sharply, a question in his eyes.
“Your comm was still on,” she explained. “What Owen did was practically mutiny. The things he said? You had no choice.”
“I could have stopped him, I… I just couldn’t –”
“Kill him?” Jack asked.
Gwen and Ianto started and turned to see Jack standing behind their chairs. Ianto flushed and got to his feet.
“Jack, you should have heard him defending you, defending Torchwood. You would have been so proud,” Gwen said, grabbing Ianto’s hand as he began to move away.
Jack regarded Ianto for a moment with a serious look on his face. “I am proud,” he said softly. Then he turned back to Gwen. “What things?” he snapped.
“What?” Gwen parroted.
“What things did Owen say?”
Startled, Gwen glanced up at Ianto. He looked down at her, begging with his eyes. Please don’t tell him, please, please don’t!
“You know… just… things. Guy insult things… you know,” she faltered and took a drink of her coffee, looking up at Jack over the rim of her mug with big, innocent eyes.
“Like what?” Jack pressed.
“Oh come on, Jack,” Ianto said lightly. “You know Owen, he called me a tea boy and the like. Nothing earth shattering.”
Jack’s eyes flashed in anger. “What else? Did he mention Diane?”
Ianto sighed, glad to be off the topic of himself. “Yes, a few times. But it’s not surprising really, since she –”
“If I can’t trust Owen around the rift, then we’re going to have a big problem on our hands,” Jack said seriously.
“Jack!” Gwen exclaimed.
“Really, sir,” Ianto said at the same time. “I think he was just caught up in the possibilities of the moment. I can’t imagine he’d sneak behind our backs and try to open it again on a whim.”
Jack still looked unconvinced. He started to speak but then stopped himself. Grabbing a pastry from the plate, he stalked back to his office grumbling under his breath.
Gwen blew out a long sigh. “He’s in a state,” she observed.
Ianto looked down at her for a long moment and then said quietly, “Thank you.”
“For what?” she asked, turning her big eyes on him.
Ianto had to chuckle. She really does do that awfully well. “For not repeating any of Owen’s more… colorful comments. I wouldn’t want Jack to think –”
“Don’t be silly, pet. Like I’d repeat any of those nasty things.” Gwen stood up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Let’s get to work,” she said firmly, linking her arm through his and pulling him over to her desk. “Have you seen anything like this before? I was thinking there might be something in the archives…”
Ianto smiled again and got to work.
TBC in Chapter Ninety-Two
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Nope
Spoilers: Season One thru Captain Jack Harkness (1x12)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around! All ©’s to Catherine Tregenna for dialogue and situations borrowed from Captain Jack Harkness – no infringement, only worship intended.
Summary: In which Jack worries about possible fallout from Owen opening the rift…
Notes: Here is the tip of the fallout iceberg – more to come! This story is always for
thrace_adams, but tonight it’s also for doctor_addicted who asked so nice. *hugs* :o) Previous Chapters
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Ninety-One
The next morning, Ianto awoke alone. He stretched luxuriously and then curled onto his side with a smile, thinking of Jack as he dozed for a little while longer. When he finally got up, he headed directly to the shower and washed up as he began to plan his day. He dressed quickly in his spare suit, glad that Jack had talked him into leaving some clothes at the Hub so he didn’t have to run home every morning after he spent the night.
He climbed up the ladder and found Jack working at his desk.
“Morning,” he called softly.
Jack finished signing his name to a document and then looked up to smile at Ianto. “Morning, sleep okay?” Ianto nodded as he joined Jack behind the desk. He leaned down for a quick kiss and Jack stroked his cheek. “You sure?” Jack asked. “You tossed and turned for quite a while. I was afraid you were having nightmares again.”
“Really?” Ianto was surprised. “I don’t remember anything,” he shrugged. “I didn’t keep you up, did I?”
“Nah, you didn’t start until I was already up.”
“Well, that’s good. Do you know who we’re expecting in today? I was going to run over to Kemi’s and grab some breakfast.”
“I’m sure Gwen will be in and I’ll bet Tosh will too, but I’d be surprised if we see Owen.”
“Sounds about right,” Ianto agreed. “You want anything in particular?”
“Oh, one of those chocolate croissant thingies you always get would be great. You make the most obscene noises when you eat those,” Jack said with a smile.
“I do not!” Ianto protested, blushing furiously.
“Oh yes you do. I’m an expert on your obscene noises and those are particularly good ones.”
Ianto rolled his eyes and headed up to the Plass. When he got back to the Hub, Tosh had already arrived. She was sitting in Jack’s office going over the reports from the day before. Ianto went up to the kitchen area and brewed a fresh pot of coffee. He washed out the carafe and refilled it, setting it on the tray with two mugs, Tosh’s muffins and Jack’s requested chocolate croissant. He took the tray to Jack’s office and set it quietly on the corner of Jack’s desk, not wanting to interrupt.
“Thanks, Ianto,” Jack said as he glanced up.
“Yes, thank you,” Tosh added. “I really need a muffin today.”
Ianto squeezed her shoulder and murmured, “Thought you might like a treat.”
He left them to their discussion and made his way back to the kitchen area, straightening up the Hub as he went. Gwen arrived a few minutes after he had sat down with his coffee and his own chocolate croissant.
“Morning, Ianto,” Gwen yawned as she walked through the door.
“Long night?” he asked. When she nodded, he added, “Coffee’s fresh and I picked up some pastries.”
“Oooh,” she said appreciatively. “Did you get any of those chocolate ones? You always look like you enjoy them so much.”
Ianto choked on a bit of croissant and felt his cheeks grow pink again. Apparently I need to stop eating chocolate in front of the team. He coughed and nodded, waving at the plate of pastries as he took a sip of his coffee. Gwen smiled her thanks and hurried up the stairs to pour herself a cup as well. When she came back down, she took a seat near Ianto.
“What are they discussing, you think?” she asked with a nod towards Jack’s office.
“Going over the reports from yesterday again,” Ianto replied. “Jack’s worried about possible long term effects.”
“But we did the right thing, right? Opening the rift? Getting them back?” Gwen sounded worried.
Ianto shrugged and reached for another pastry, almond this time. “Jack’s not so sure.”
“But… but what else could we have done?”
“It’s not your fault, Gwen. Owen opened the rift and I didn’t stop him,” Ianto said regretfully. “If there’s any lumps to take, they’re mine and Owen’s, not yours.”
“Oh please!” Gwen huffed. “You did everything you could to convince him. I heard you.”
Ianto looked at her sharply, a question in his eyes.
“Your comm was still on,” she explained. “What Owen did was practically mutiny. The things he said? You had no choice.”
“I could have stopped him, I… I just couldn’t –”
“Kill him?” Jack asked.
Gwen and Ianto started and turned to see Jack standing behind their chairs. Ianto flushed and got to his feet.
“Jack, you should have heard him defending you, defending Torchwood. You would have been so proud,” Gwen said, grabbing Ianto’s hand as he began to move away.
Jack regarded Ianto for a moment with a serious look on his face. “I am proud,” he said softly. Then he turned back to Gwen. “What things?” he snapped.
“What?” Gwen parroted.
“What things did Owen say?”
Startled, Gwen glanced up at Ianto. He looked down at her, begging with his eyes. Please don’t tell him, please, please don’t!
“You know… just… things. Guy insult things… you know,” she faltered and took a drink of her coffee, looking up at Jack over the rim of her mug with big, innocent eyes.
“Like what?” Jack pressed.
“Oh come on, Jack,” Ianto said lightly. “You know Owen, he called me a tea boy and the like. Nothing earth shattering.”
Jack’s eyes flashed in anger. “What else? Did he mention Diane?”
Ianto sighed, glad to be off the topic of himself. “Yes, a few times. But it’s not surprising really, since she –”
“If I can’t trust Owen around the rift, then we’re going to have a big problem on our hands,” Jack said seriously.
“Jack!” Gwen exclaimed.
“Really, sir,” Ianto said at the same time. “I think he was just caught up in the possibilities of the moment. I can’t imagine he’d sneak behind our backs and try to open it again on a whim.”
Jack still looked unconvinced. He started to speak but then stopped himself. Grabbing a pastry from the plate, he stalked back to his office grumbling under his breath.
Gwen blew out a long sigh. “He’s in a state,” she observed.
Ianto looked down at her for a long moment and then said quietly, “Thank you.”
“For what?” she asked, turning her big eyes on him.
Ianto had to chuckle. She really does do that awfully well. “For not repeating any of Owen’s more… colorful comments. I wouldn’t want Jack to think –”
“Don’t be silly, pet. Like I’d repeat any of those nasty things.” Gwen stood up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Let’s get to work,” she said firmly, linking her arm through his and pulling him over to her desk. “Have you seen anything like this before? I was thinking there might be something in the archives…”
Ianto smiled again and got to work.
TBC in Chapter Ninety-Two
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Date: 2008-11-25 01:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-29 01:43 am (UTC)