Human Nature 36/?

[missthingsplace]

Title: Human Nature
Author: missthingsplace
Parings/characters: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Owen/Toshiko, John Hart, Mary, Lisa ... maybe others!
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: When a new boy arrives in his class in his final year of high school Ianto Jones world is knocked out of kilter ...
Warnings: AU, Slash, angst, humour, fluff *mentions of attempted suicide*
Spoilers: Anything is fair game
Rating: NC17 for series

Previous chapters: http://missthingsplace.livejournal.com/329824.html

To Jack's surprise Ianto didn't object when he took his hand in his as they walked into the hospital behind Lisa and her mum, waiting to one side while she spoke to the receptionist.

“We're looking for Mrs Carys Jones, she was brought here a couple of hours ago,” Lisa's mum enquired. “would you be able to tell us where to find her?”

“Are you a relative?” The receptionist asked with out even looking up at her.

“No, a neighbour but I have her son with me, he's obviously concerned about her,” Lisa's mum replied, trying to keep her calm with the rude woman.

“I'll just check for him,” she said, pressing a few buttons on the computer keyboard and scanning the new admissions pages. “she's still under observation in A & E, I'll let them know she has a visitor.”

“Thank you,” Lisa's mum said.

“Take a seat it could be a while,” The woman told them, finally looking up and acknowledging their presence.

The small group of four headed towards the uncomfortable looking plastic seating, Lisa sat down next to her mother while Ianto led Jack to the far end of the room by the large picture window that looked out on the car park.

“What if she's dying?” Ianto asked Jack in hushed tones.

“If what Lisa said is right and that she called the ambulance so soon after taking the pills I'm sure she will be okay,” Jack replied trying to reassure his boyfriend. “if they were in a plastic pot do you think she tried to overdose on her antidepressants?”

“We don't have any other pills in pots in the house so I guess so,” Ianto shrugged sadly. “what if they're one of those drugs that starts to harm straight away if you overdose on them, like paracetamol?”

“If that was the case I don't think they'd be making you wait to see her,” Jack said softly. “and if she called an ambulance so soon after taking them she either changed her mind or it's cry for help.”

“A cry for help?” Ianto asked frowning.

“Perhaps she's realised how badly she's treating you and this was the only way she could think of to get someone to listen to her?” Jack suggested.

“And pigs might fly!” Ianto scoffed while his eyes shined with unshed tears.

“Hey, come on,” Jack said softly, brushing a tears that escaped his eye and ran down his cheek away with his thumb. “whatever happens I'm here for you, just like Lisa and her mum.”

“You haven't met my mam yet,” Ianto groaned.

“If you can stand up to her than I sure as hell can!” Jack retorted.

“Ianto Jones?” A female voice called out into the room.

Ianto turned around to see a young woman with red hair dressed in a white coat standing by the receptionists desk.

“That's me,” Ianto said a little shyly, moving across the room with Jack towards her, Lisa and her mum joining them. “how is she, my mam?”

“She's going to be fine, physically anyway,” the doctor told him. “would you mind if we had a word in private?”

“I ... can I bring someone else with me?” Ianto asked her nervously.

“Of course,” the doctor smiled at him.

“Would you like me to come with you?” Lisa mum asked him.

“Thanks Mrs Hallet but I'd like Jack to accompany me if that's okay?” Ianto replied politely.

“Of course love,” she told him with a smile, moving back to her seat.

“We're here if you need us,” Lisa told him, pressing a kiss to his cheek before rejoining her mother.

“I'm Doctor Noble, if you'd like to follow me,” the woman told them, leading them through a door into the A & E department, along a corridor and finally into a small office where she closed the door behind them and offered them a seat.

“I'd like to ask you some questions about your mother, will you be comfortable answering them in front of your friend?” Doctor Noble asked Ianto.

Ianto nodded, thankful for the way Jack reached over and took his hand again.

“I can see from your mothers medical notes that's she's been taking medication for depression for some while now but that it seems she hasn't had a reassessment of her treatment in almost a year, is that correct?” she asked.

“We don't really talk much but knowing my mam, yep,” Ianto replied.

“How is she, on a day to day basis?” Doctor Noble continued.

Ianto glanced sideways at Jack.

“Tell her the truth,” Jack told him.

“She doesn't take her medication properly, I don't know if she does it deliberately or forgets but when she forgets ...” Ianto paused for a moment, looking at Jack again before continuing. “she's not a nice person.”

“In what way?” the doctor pushed.

“She can be very argumentative and sometimes ... sometimes she's ...” Ianto's voice hitched as he tried to suppress a sob which escaped despite his efforts.

“She hits him,” Jack finished.

“Is that true Ianto, does your mother use violence against you?” Doctor Noble asked gently, passing him a tissue.

Ianto nodded. “She slaps me ... have you ... did you ... does she blame me for this?”

“For the overdose, why would she do that?” the doctor asked.

Ianto blushed instantly confusing the woman and retreated back into his shell.

“He told her he was gay, last night he stayed at my house which was why he wasn't home when she did this,” Jack explained.

“She's not blaming you Ianto,” the woman told him. “she told me that she was feeling bad, upset over some things she had said and done and felt like it would be best if she ended it all.”

“Then why call an ambulance?” Jack asked.

“She had second thoughts, you'd be surprised how many people attempt suicide as a cry for help, not because they actually want to die,” Doctor Nobel replied. “she wants us to section her.”

“Section her? What does that mean?” Ianto asked, blowing his nose in the tissue.

“Detention under the mental health act, so that she can get the treatment she needs,” the doctor explained. “I've been considering her request because of the attempted overdose and now I've spoken to you I think incarceration in a psychiatric facility would be the best thing for her.”

“Here, at the hospital?” Jack asked.

“Here for now, but we would transfer her to Providence Park if we felt she needed more intensive help,” she told him solemnly.

“Providence Park? But that's where they send mad people!” Ianto retorted.

“No, it's not, I promise you,” Doctor Noble told him. “and she might not need to go there anyway, she'll stay here for a month and we'll see how she progresses.”

“What about me?” Ianto asked. “Will they make me go into a home, or foster care?”

“How old are you Ianto?” she asked him.

“I'll be sixteen in less than two weeks,” Ianto replied.

Doctor Noble smiled. “Do you think you're capable of living alone for a while?”

“Yep,” Ianto nodded furiously. “I take care of myself for the most part anyway.”

“I can't promise anything but considering your age I don't think it should be a problem, social services will probably want to check up on you and make sure you are still attending school but I think they'll let you stay in your own home,” she replied.

“Really?” Ianto asked, a little relief flooding through him. “I mean my best friend and her mother live over the road and I know they will keep an eye on me if they insisted and Jack's already agreed that I can stay at his house if I need to.”

“You're Jack I take it?” Doctor Noble said to the other boy with a smile.

“Yeah, the boyfriend,” Jack grinned causing Ianto to blush again.

“Well Jack, Ianto here is going to need all the support he can get over the next month at least, do you think you're up to that?” she asked him.

“I'll do everything I can, whatever he needs me for,” Jack told her earnestly.

“Okay, then I think you should go and see your mother now Ianto and then I'll discuss the idea of her being sectioned with her again,” Doctor Noble said. “do you want Jack to accompany you?”

“It's about time my mam met my boyfriend,” Ianto said with a small smile.

“Then follow me,” she replied, getting up from her seat and leading them from the room.

TBC

Comments

[jacksgirleen.livejournal.com]

Oh that is great that his Mum realises she's wrong, not him. And yippee for Ianto and Jack being so open about their relationship...

[missthingsplace.livejournal.com]

She's had a moment of clarity ...

Thank you :D