Heroes

[missthingsplace]

Title: Heroes
Author: missthingsplace
Parings/characters: Jack, Ianto, Gwen
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or Doctor Who or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: It's Armistice day and Ianto has a suggestion for Jack.
Warnings:None
Spoilers: Anything is fair game for both programmes
Rating: G

A/N: My father having served in the Army - National Service - is very involved in the events of today, he saw action and lost those he fought along side. This is for him and everyone else who has lost someone to war.

Ianto glanced over at the small, digital clock on the computer monitor and grabbed the brown paper bag from where he'd stashed it earlier out of sight under a pile of files and headed up to Jack's office.

He tapped lightly on the door frame to alert the Captain of his arrival and entered the room as the older man lifted his head and gave him a weak smile before turning his attention back to the document on his desk.

“Can I get you anything?” Ianto asked softly.

“No, thanks,” Jack answered without looking up. “I need to pop out for a few minutes soon, maybe a coffee when I get back to warm me through?”

Ianto closed the door softly to give them some privacy, he knew Gwen was past bursting in on them but if Jack rejected his suggestion he'd rather she didn't overhear.

“Jack, I was thinking,” Ianto said, moving around the desk to perch against the edge beside the Captains chair. “I know what today means to you and it breaks my heart a little each time when I think of you alone up on that roof … mourning lost heroes … our lost colleagues and I think we should celebrate their lives, what they did for this country, this planet even if just this once.”

Jack looked up at the younger man, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“Tell me,” Jack said, sadness evident in his voice.

Ianto help up the paper bag and then pulled out the contents, two large packets of red balloons and a reel of narrow red ribbon, a packet of white cardboard labels and a small bottle of helium gas.

“I know you lost may friends, colleagues and lovers to the war,” Ianto answered. “and we've both lost those we've worked with, our colleagues and friends in the fight to keep this planet safe. I know you still remember all their names Jack, I thought we could release a balloon for each of them at eleven, to honour each of them.”

Jack sat quietly, not saying a word as he mulled the younger man's words over.

“It was just an idea, we don't have to,” Ianto added when Jack hadn't responded a few minutes later.

“I think it's a great idea,” Jack replied, trying to give the other man a smile and failing. “would you like to write the cards for Owen and Toshiko?”

“I would, thank you,” Ianto nodded, opening the packet of cards and extracting two before passing the rest to the Captain and then moved around to the other side of the desk to take a seat, picked up a pen and began to write his first message.

Jack pulled out all the cards from the packet and placed them in a pile on his desk, reached for a pen and took the top one, taking a deep breath he began to write a his message for the first person on his memorised list.

While Jack wrote Ianto placed his cards to one side and filled the balloons with helium, tied a length of ribbon to the sealed end and then let them loose to float up to the ceiling of the office, he was finished moments before Jack wrote his last card.

“I'll help you attach them to the balloons,” Ianto said, attaching his own two cards before reaching for Jack's pile, noting the names of long lost soldiers as he did so, then the familiar names of lost Torchwood members.

“It's almost eleven,” Jack stated, looking at his watch. “we should head for the roof.”

Ianto helped Jack on with his coat then dashed down to the main hub to retrieve his own, donning it quickly he buttoned it up against the harsh weather he knew awaited them and then went back to the office to help Jack with the balloons.

“I think we should include Gwen in this,” Ianto suggested. “she lost Owen and Toshiko too.”

“You're right,” Jack said softly. “holding bunches of balloons tightly in both hands while Ianto grabbed the rest.

Gwen looked up in bemusement when they came down from the office with the balloons and when they told her their intention and that they wanted her to participate she readily agreed, grabbing her coat and then relieving them of some of the balloons.

“Where are we going, up on a roof?” Gwen asked.

“No, the bay,” Jack said, surprising them both. “the wind is blowing out to sea, it'll carry the balloons higher and further.”

“Okay,” Ianto smiled softly, leading the way through the hub to the cog door and out into the wild weather, the rain beating down on their heads while the wind whipped around them until the reached the spot that Jack declared was perfect.

“One minute to go, everyone ready?” Ianto asked, his emotions beginning to build inside him.

Jack and Gwen nodded and Ianto watched the final second pass on his watch until it was eleven o'clock.

“Now,” he said softly.

The three of them lifted their arms into the air, all of them saying their silent prayers as they let go of the balloons and watched them float upwards, bright spots of colour against the grey of the sky, their silence marking the sad occasion until they were barely in sight.

“I just need ...” Gwen trailed off and hugging her arms around her walked away from them, along the way to stop some feet away and gaze down into the turbulent waters.

“Thank you,” Jack said softly to Ianto, his voice barely audible above the sound of the wind and pulled the younger man into his arms to hold him close. “you're right as always, we shouldn't just be mourning them, they were heroes and we should celebrate that too.”

“I miss Toshiko and Owen so much,” Ianto said quietly. “I can't even imagine how much pain you feel at times like this.”

“I just have to keep moving forwards, I'll never forget them but …” Jack broke off and kissed Ianto softly, pouring his unspoken words into it as it deepened into something more before they pulled apart panting softly.

“Yeah,” Ianto said simply. “I know.”

Without another word they pulled apart and walked to where Gwen stood, pulling her into a three way hug before heading back to the hub in silence.

The End.