missthingsplace | Heaven And Hell 58/?

Title: Heaven And Hell - Sequel to One Week In Cardiff.
Author: missthingsplace
Parings/characters: Jack/Ianto. Gwen. new team members.
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately.
Summary: Set after series 2.
Spoilers: None.
Rating: pg13

Fourth connected series, links for the three previous series can be found in my Fic Master List with a complete list of all my fics and are in the following order:

Mother's Day
Celebrations
One Week In Cardiff

A/N Monday evening, January 28th, 12 days before Civil Partnership.

Jack had been sat with Ianto since his talk with Gwen after getting back to the hub after John had left, talking quietly to him as he held his hand, stroked his hair and planted small kisses on his forehead and lips. So far Ianto had remained stable, his heart rate still slow and breathing as shallow as ever but he hadn't gone into cardiac arrest again.

Jack was also clock watching, it had been over two hours since John had vanished. For the first hour or so he had been constantly shouting to Damien, asking him if there was any sign of John again yet till eventually Chloe had told him he needed to try and calm down a little or she would have to sedate him before he made himself sick.

Now he just paniced inside his head, worried Chloe would carry out her threat. The clock on the wall seemed to be getting slower and slower and Jack knew he was only torturing himself by watching it, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from it. Finally Jack had to give into his bladder and leave Ianto's side to visit the bathroom, kissing him softly on the top of his head he raced off, firstly out of the need to be away for as little time as possible, the secondly because he had really left it till the last minute.

As Jack washed his hands he stared at his reflection in the mirror, he looked a mess. His eyes were still tinged pink from earlier in the day and he had a very dishevelled look about him. He splashed water on his face, which did nothing really but made him feel better and after one last glance in the mirror made his way back up to the main hub.

Getting back to the autospy bay he found Chloe checking Ianto's vitals again, she told him he was still the same and stable as far as she could tell. Jack resumed his position on the stool next to Ianto and gazed into his face, Ianto looked like he was just sleeping and would wake at any moment, Jack wished that was true.

Ianto looked so young, Jack thought to himself. Too young to die, it was all his fault, he should never have allowed him to work in the field. But he knew in his heart that Ianto was too good at his job to keep him hidden in the archives. The thought crossed his mind that maybe Ianto would be better off without him, without Torchwood, with a normal life.

But Jack also knew as soon as he thought it that he couldn't be without Ianto, he loved him completely and utterly and he was scared that whatever John wanted in return for him helping to save Ianto might rip them apart. No, whatever it was he couldn't let it that happen, he would never forgive himself if he did something that would hurt Ianto.

It was nearly three hours when appeared at the railings at the top of the autopsy bay shouting down to him.

'Jack, he's back, same place he left from.'

Jack kissed Ianto's hand before releasing it and ran from the hub and out the tourist office entrance, practically running straight into John.

'You got it?' Jack asked breathlessly.

'Yeah, you owe me big time.' John smirked.

'Just give it to me, now.' Jack raised his voice.

'When we've discussed payment.'

'Fucking give it to me, there's no time for that.' Jack was yelling now, causing heads to turn in their direction. He dragged John into through the tourist office door.

'Okay, keep your knickers on, Eye Candy will be fine.'

John pulled several vials of a clear liquid from the pocket on the inside of his jacket and held them out to Jack, Jack reached to take them and John moved them out of his reach.

'Not even a thank you?'

'John.' Jack practically growled his name.

'Fine, fine, here.' He handed them over to Jack.

Jack opened the secret door that led through the the hub and ran, John hot on his heels. He nearly slipped down the steps to the autopsy bay in his hurry to give the antidote to Chloe, thrusting the vials into her hands. John watched from above.

'How much to I give him?' Chloe asked.

'One vial full now, another in four hours.' Jack replied franticly. 'Inject it into his bloodstream.'

'Will it take long to work?'

'Nothing much will happen in the first four hours, but after the second injection he should start to show signs of recovery.'

'There's four vials here?'

John shouted down from where he was standing. 'Thought it better to be safe than sorry.' Then shrugged.

Jack looked up at him and for a moment thought John looked concerned, but John's face soon soon took on the smirk Jack was used to seeing. He turned his attention back to Chloe and Ianto, watching at Chloe drew the liquid into the syringe and then injected it into Ianto's blood stream via his arm. Damien and Gwen were watching from up with John.

'All we can do it wait now.' Jack told her sadly.

'We need to ... talk.' John called down suggestively.

'Can't it wait?' Jack asked hopefully.

'Now!' John glared down a him, hands on his hips.

Jack kissed Ianto softly on the lips and turned to Chloe. 'Let me know if there's any change.'

'Of course.' She touched his arm reassuringly as he turned to leave.

Jack walked slowly up the stairs and told John to follow him, leading him into the conference room. He closed the door behind him and turned to a smirking John.

'What do you want?'

'You!'

Jack's brain was trying frantically to come up with some other meaning that what he thought John meant.

'What exactly do you mean by that?'

'One last fuck, for old times sake. We really were good together.'

This was the main thing Jack had been sure John would ask for, he wasn't at all sure he could go through with being unfaithful to Ianto, even if it had been to save his life. He knew deep down that as much as Ianto loved him, he would never forgive him for fucking John. He would save Ianto's life but lose him forever, he knew he could never keep it from him, if he did what John wanted he would have to tell him the truth.

'I can't do that.'

'You promised me anything, this is what I want.'

'I can't be unfaithful to Ianto, I love and respect him too much.'

'You loved me once.'

Jack shook his head. 'No, I never loved you. It was just sex, we were stuck together in that time loop and it was fun, not love.'

'I loved you, I still love you.' John's face dropped the smirk.

'Then you know how I feel about Ianto.'

'Unfortunately, yes.'

'Then don't ask me to betray him, I'll lose him.'

John closed the space between them and put a hand on Jack's face, stroking his cheek.

'I thought your promise was too good to be true, you really do love him don't you?'

'Yeah, more than anyone else I've ever met.'

'Then consider this my last act of my love for you, I won't make you keep your promise to me.' John told him sadly.

A tear of relief slipped down Jack's face. 'Thank you.'

'But, you really do owe me big time.' John added, the smirk returning to his face.

'I know.'

John pulled Jack's face towards his and kissed him tenderly on the lips.

'I'm not completely without a heart you know.'

'Thank you.'

'Well, don't go getting all soppy on me, I'm leaving now, this place, this planet and this time.'

'Where you going?'

'Somewhere I can have some fun, drink, drugs, sex.' The cocky smirk was plastered over his face again.

'I'll see you out.'

As they walked from the conference room to the invisible lift Jack could sense Gwen's eyes were on them, he knew she was wondering what he had done or promised to do as payment. When they reached the top of the lift Jack didn't know what to say to John, goodbye just didn't seem enough. In the end he pulled him into a hug and told him thank you again.

John took advantage of the situation and kissed him hard on the mouth as he grabbed his arse, Jack let it go on a few seconds before struggling out of his clutches and glared at him.

'Sorry, couldn't resist. Bye Jack, and if you need me, you know in the future, just ask.'

John stepped off the slab of the lift and walked off across the Plass without another word, not even a glance back. Jack watched till John was out of sight and activated the lift again, descending back down into the hub. He didn't want to think about John's last words, he knew exactly what he meant by them.

TBC