Living The Dream 115/?

[missthingsplace]

Title: Living The Dream
Author: missthingsplace
Parings/characters: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Andy, John, Martha, Owen, Tosh, Myfanwy,
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: Orphaned at the age of seventeen Jack is sent to live with his uncle and cousins he barely remembers until he's eligible for his inheritence when he reaches twenty one, unbeknown to him his uncle has plans to get his own hands on the money.
Spoilers: Probably not, but you never know ...
Warnings: Slash, Angst ... the ususal!
Rating: NC17 for the series.
Word count to date: 158,227

A/N: This series is very AU and i haven't written anything like it before! For the purposes of this story Jack is seventeen and mortal. I have absolutely no idea where this came from but i hope you like and enjoy. Written for wrianojune

“No sign of her.” Jack yelled out to Ianto frustratedly when they met up again after separately checking out all the hangers at the flying school. “Where the hell is she!”

“We'll find her, come on, lets go and check the farm barns and fields.” Ianto suggested, not wanting to contemplate that something bad had happened to their youngest daughter.

“Where do we start?” Jack asked, flinging arms out and spinning around indicating the miles of surrounding countryside. “She could be anywhere.”

“Panicking won't get us anywhere Jack.” Ianto replied, grasping his hand a squeezing it gently. “If I know Lizzy she won't have gone far, just somewhere she could be alone.”

“You're right, I know you are.” Jack sighed.

“I always am.” Ianto told him with a wry smile. “Come on, I've just had a thought.”

“Why are we heading back towards the manor, we need to check out the barns?” Jack asked, letting Ianto pull him along by the hand.

“Because I think I know where she's hiding.” Ianto told him. “I just have this feeling we're going to find her with Myfanwy.”

“Of course!” Jack exclaimed, breaking into a run, now tugging Ianto with him until they parted hands and sprinted back to the manor.

Myfanwy snorted loudly at their arrival as if they were disturbing her, panting softly he headed into her stall and spotted Lizzy curled up on one of the horse blankets at the back of the stall.

“She's cried herself to sleep.” Ianto said softly, brushing her hair gently off her face where it had fallen.

“Lets get her indoors.” Jack whispered back, carefully sliding his arms beneath Lizzy and lifting her into his arms then following Ianto out the stables. “When did she get so big? I still think of her as a little girl?”

“When we weren't looking.” Ianto smiled, opening the kitchen door for them and following them in.

“Where was she?” Owen asked as they carried her into the living room and lay her down on the sofa as she began to stir.

“In the stables with Myfanwy, she must have cried herself to sleep.” Jack replied while Sarah moved to kneel down on the floor beside Lizzy.

“Sarah?” Lizzy asked, slightly confused.

“It's okay sweetheart, you got upset remember and ran off?” Sarah asked her.

Lizzy sat up abruptly and promptly burst into tears again.

“He's going to die, my brother is going to die and I'll never see him again.” She sobbed into Sarah's shoulder.

Ianto sat beside her as stroked his hand comfortingly across her shoulders as Jack knelt down on the floor beside Sarah who was holding her as she cried.

“Not everyone who contracts TB dies, why would you think that?” Ianto asked carefully.

“Henry, at school his father got it and died.” She told them. “Henry and his mum didn't catch it or they would have all died, Henry said so.”

“Lizzy, Henry's father was just very unlucky.” Jack told her. “They've caught it very early in Thomas, he'll get better.”

“You don't know that!” Lizzy told him stubbornly, lifting her head and glaring at him. “I can't lose my brother!”

“Lizzy, calm down, please.” Ianto said softly. “We all have to be strong for Thomas.”

“What if we have it?” She asked, eyes wide with fear. “We could all die!”

“The chances are we don't.” Owen told her. “But we have to check.”

“I'm going to my room.” She growled at them, pushing everyone away from her and running out the room, hearing her footsteps as she ran up the stairs and then her bedroom door slam.

A few minutes later Eirween and Roberta arrived back, finding the others all in the living room but without Lizzy they feared the worst.

“She's not at the cottage.” Eirween began.

“We've found her, she's so scared that Thomas or all of us will die.” Jack explained, cutting her off. “She stormed off to her room a short while ago.”

“I'll talk to her.” Eirween said, leaving the room before they could object.

Ianto went to chase after and stop her but Roberta stopped him.

“Let her, she's good at calming her down.” Roberta told him. “It can't do any harm.”

“Okay, okay.” Ianto conceded, moving back to sit on the sofa beside Jack.

“I guess all we can do now is wait until tomorrow and the tests.” Jack sighed at Owen who nodded in agreement, then remembered the letter and pulled it from his pocket. “I forgot all about this, I think it's from Thomas.”

Ripping open the envelope Jack pulled out the single sheet of paper and began to read it out loud to them all.

Dear Jack, Ianto and everyone else,

It seems I have escaped the armed forces after all, when I had my medical they found that the glands in my neck were swollen and they were concerned when they listened to my breathing.

After putting me into isolation I didn't see another person until I was sent for an x-ray, no one told me what they were looking for but it was a bit of a shock to see they were all wearing masks and that scared me.

I got really scared when they told me what I had and how it could kill me if I didn't get the right treatment and then before I knew it I was shipped off here, to this place which I'm told in a sanatorium and almost everyone here has the same thing.

After this letter don't be surprised if there aren't any more for a while as there are lots of rules I have to follow in order to get well:

I have to have absolute rest of both my mind and body, I can't even take a bath and I am only allowed to get out of bed once a day to use the toilet facilities, the rest of the time I have to use bedpans, how embarrassing is that?

I'm not allowed to lay flat or sit up straight, just semi recline on piles of pillows, in fact it's as if I have to live like a log and writing is frowned upon, hence my saying not to expect any more letters in the near future.

What I am allowed to to is read, sleep and get lots of fresh air, the windows are wide open no matter what the weather is and now and then they take people outside in wheelchairs, I hope it'll be my turn so and I am so bored.

I haven't developed more than a slight cough, they tell me if it gets worse or I cough up blood then the treatment isn't working, they haven't said what they'll do if that happens and it scares me to think about it so I don't.

Also I have to eat lots of nourishing food and when I say lots I mean mountains! I've never eaten to much in my life, I have no idea where they must get it from.

I'm reading the newspapers to try and keep up with the outside world, despite it being so depressing but I'm determined to try and stay positive and have decided I will make it out of this place alive although they tell me it could be months before that happens.

I've been told I've been writing for long enough now and I have to go, I'm told I'm in Cambridge and that the name of the place is Papworth Everard Hospital. I know it's a long way from Wales and I don't expect you to visit but I would love if you would all take the time to write to me.

Lots of love

Thomas.

Jack's tears dropped on to the letter as he finished reading, Ianto took it from his hand while his own tears slid down his face, handed it to Owen and pulled the Captain into his arms.

They never noticed the others leave the room, letting them alone to comfort each other.

TBC

Comments

[pinkfairy727.livejournal.com]

Just caught up again. Hugs for everybody! It sounds like they're going to need them.

[stargazer60.livejournal.com]

Sounds like Thomas is getting cared for very well...now fingers crossed everyone else is healthy!

[frakkin-addict.livejournal.com]

Oh dear - That would be unimaginably hard for any parent. Great chapter.

[idamus.livejournal.com]

Yay, got home early and found this, it's great.

[jacksgirleen.livejournal.com]

Awww... Myfanwy helps again. God help them, what a fright re Thomas, imagine how upsetting it must have been for people, especially facing that the whole family could have it. Great update.

[tezgold.livejournal.com]

It looks like Thomas is well care for. Hope the rest of the family will be fine.

[belindacorwin.livejournal.com]

I hope Thomas is in one of the places that cures people and not a death house. I do have a question when removed the children from the cities, during the war, did they do so in Wales?

[cjharknessgirl.livejournal.com]

Oh poor Thomas, I'm glad he's getting the best care and hopefully the treatment works! My fingers are crossed that no one else has it! *worries*

[thrace-adams.livejournal.com]

GAH it was so much better once they had antibiotics for TB - to think people actually thought treatment like that worked....*iz scared for Thomas* Great update!

[truenorth7.livejournal.com]

Oh great chapter! What a heartbreaking letter to have to read from your child! Excellent update!

[blossomlegs.livejournal.com]

Poor Thomas hope he is getting the right care, but back then that was the treatment for TB, he has got to be terrified and poor Lizzy she is so scared, very rough for Jack and Ianto, "hugs for all"!
Thanks for sharing!

[xennie-b.livejournal.com]

*sniffles*
*hugs everyone*
I hope Thomas will be ok...

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

another great update

[r2d2antics.livejournal.com]

No wonder he's got a bloody cough,the windows are wide open :/

[bandgeek01.livejournal.com]

So I'm a bit backwards in commenting :)

Lovely chapter.