Parasitism 16/?

[missthingsplace]

Title: Parasitism
Author: missthingsplace
Parings/characters: Jack/Ianto, Gwen, Andy
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: A simple lapse of judgement leaves one of the team battling for their life.
Warnings: Slash, angst, horror
Spoilers: Anything is fair game
Rating: NC17 for series

This is a sequel to 'Predation', the master List for this can be found here: http://missthingsplace.livejournal.com/324094.html

Previous chapters: http://missthingsplace.livejournal.com/356611.html#cutid1

A/N: Please note this fic may soon be heading into 'Thrace Warning Level Two' terrority!

Gwen arrived back just as the Pizza delivery kid was leaving the Tourist Office and caught up with Ianto, following him through the secret door before it closed again.

“Are you sure you ordered enough pizza's?” Gwen asked, eyeing up the six boxes he was carrying.

“Until we get those things out of Jack's body I guess his appetite is only going to grow,” Ianto answered. “I thought it was best to be prepared, at least pizza tastes okay cold.”

“That's true,” Gwen shrugged, stepping into the lift and closing the door behind them.

“I have no idea how he's staying conscious, with all the extra doses of painkillers he's had and the pain he must be in,” Ianto said sadly. “anyone else would have passed out hours ago.”

“Determination I guess,” Gwen sighed and shook the bottle of sea water in her hand. “I'm really hoping this works.”

“You have no idea just how much I'm wishing for that right now,” Ianto told her, letting her open the door and followed her through the cog door and back into the main hub.

“Are you still with us?” Ianto asked softly, placing the pizza boxes down on the small coffee table beside Jack where he was lying plat on the sofa.

“Yeah, I'm really beginning to wish I wasn't though,” Jack replied quietly and without opening his eyes he pulled up the hem of his shirts to show them the state of his body and couldn't miss the audible gasps it caused.

“Fuck Jack, these things are growing more and more quickly,” Ianto said, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. “and we have no idea how long their gestation period is or how they ...”

“It's best if we don't think about that for now,” Gwen said, cutting him off. “Ianto, you stay here with Jack and I'll go and test this on Magenta.”

“We should help you,” Jack mumbled, attempting to sit up and with a yelp of pain gave in and stayed where he was.

“No, I'm perfectly capable of stunning the little bastard and injecting it with this stuff,” she told them, shaking the bottle and trying not to think about whatever the little particles were that were swirling around in the sea water. “you need to rest Jack and Ianto need to take care of you.”

“And it's not like you are actually capable to helping is it?” Ianto added.

“No,” Jack grumbled. “fine, go run the test.”

“Good to know you're so grateful!” Gwen retorted, but there was no malice in her voice and leaving them alone headed off to the autopsy bay.

First she found the biggest syringe they possessed and filled it to the brim with the collected sea water, not caring about any bubbles that might have gotten into it and then picked up the stun gun and moved slowly towards the containment box.

She had been feeling brave when she'd told Jack and Ianto that she didn't need any help, but the actual act of managing to stun the creature without it escaping was worrying her a little.

Very carefully she unclipped the lid and slowly lifted it, dropping it down again suddenly when Magenta lunged upwards and whacked it with it's head.

After waiting a moment and taking a deep breath to steady her nerves Gwen tried again, this time when the creatures head shot up she she was prepared and had the stun gun to it's head before it had a chance to realise what happened and knocked it clean out.

With a loud sigh of relief Gwen picked the syringe up from where she had left it on the counter top and plunged the needle into the alien without a second thought, pressing the plunger and injecting every drop of the water into it.

“Lets see just how much you like that!” Gwen told the creature before closing the lid as a precaution and then dumping the syringe into the right bin.

*~*~*

“Be honest with me Jack, do you really think this is going to work?” Ianto asked. “injecting it with the sea water?”

“I really hope so,” Jack replied, reaching out for the nearby pizza for his third slice.

“That's not what I asked Jack,” Ianto said, picking up the same piece of pizza for the second time and then putting it down again without so much as one bite.

“You really should eat something,” Jack admonished him, waving what was left of his current slice in his direction.

“I'm not hungry and you're avoiding the question,” Ianto retorted.

“Okay, if I'm honest then I'll have to say that I really want this to work but something is telling me that it's not going to,” Jack told him quietly. “and I so want to be wrong about that.”

“You're not the only one,” Ianto said, getting up from the floor where he was sat to perch on the edge of the sofa so that he could re-examine Jack's body again.

“I'd say these things were about two inches long now,” Ianto told the Captain, the sight of them wriggling under his lovers red and purple mottled skin.

“And they're not just in my arm and torso now,” Jack admitted. “I can feel them in my other arm and my thighs.”

“You should have said earlier!” Ianto exclaimed.

“What difference would it have made?” Jack retorted.

“I don't know ... I just ... I feel so bloody useless!” Ianto grumbled. “I can't stand seeing you like this.”

“It's not much fun for me either,” Jack said with a hint of a smile. “but no matter what happens, just remember I will be okay in the long run.”

“I know, it's just what you might have to do first,” Ianto said sadly.

*~*~*

Gwen wandered around the autopsy bay for a while, not wanting to go back up to the main hub so that Jack and Ianto could spend some time alone and ended up pulling out the contents of one of the cupboards and rearranging it.

When she'd finished that one she started on the next until she had tidied them all and then made a start on the drawers, it was some while later when she was returning the contents to the second drawer that she heard the noise behind her.

Turning slowly with her eyes closed she listened and waited for the sound again, praying that she had imagined it and when the containment box clonked quietly on the counter top again she knew she hadn't.

Opening her eyes she moved across the room and stared in disbelief at the way it juddered and bumped about, her hand flying up to cover her mouth as she gasped in horror at the full meaning of the creatures survival.

Very slowly she crossed to the stairs and made her way up, hesitating at the top for a few seconds before heading towards her Captain and team mate knowing exactly the effect her news was going to have on them, Ianto in particular.

“Gwen?” Jack said, spotting her first.

“Please tell me it worked?” Ianto asked, trying to ignore the look in her eyes.

“I'm sorry ...” Gwen began but found she couldn't finish her sentence and watched the way Ianto's face crumbled before adding quietly. “I'm so sorry.”

Before Jack could say anything to even attempt to comfort his lover they were interrupted by the sound of the rift alarm sounding.


TBC

Comments

[iantosgal.livejournal.com]

Oh no! *whimpers* This is not going to end well!! Poor boys xx

[missthingsplace.livejournal.com]

Probably not ...

Thank you :D