zazajb | Lost inside of you Part 25[a]/? Sequel to No place to hide

Title: Lost inside of you Part 25a/?
Author: zazajb
Rating: NC-17 overall, adult concepts, occasional language, M/M
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Martha/Tom, The Doctor [10] Lois/Peter
Spoilers - TW anything is possible - via memories, inc DW
Summary: Sequel to No place to hide. Sometimes I don't know where I end and he begins...

Previous chapters: http://zazajb.livejournal.com/6286.html

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters - just like to dabble with them from time to time
This is for the wonderful wise_n_witty

A/N Sorry it’s late – was manic last week and the bunnies kept distracting me with oneshots... Warning – repeated and multiple character death: Exit Wounds episode

A/N 2 Too large so posted in three - ggrrr make that four -bits! This is part [a] All parts have links to the next one at the bottom [let me know if they don't work!]

X-posted Jantolution & jackxianto
Thanks to wykling for the awesome banner *hugs*

Chapter 25

Sat with fresh mugs of coffee, Ianto pulled out his list and carefully crossed off the-year-that-never-was and Gwen.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. “You sorted that one out..?”

Ianto nodded. “Yep, we’re good...” he looked at the list, deciding... “can we do Gray today? I know nothing about him other than he tried to kill us all and blew up half the city...before...” he shivered, “...before Tosh and Owen and whatever happened to you...” He reached for Jack’s hand as he felt the tidal wave of sadness and grief surge through him, entwining their fingers and squeezing gently...lovingly...

Jack squeezed back, “...you might get more than you bargained for...” he warned

“Then I definitely want to do this one...”

Jack looked at the Doctor who was following the exchange...he nodded and they followed him into his mind space, the familiar and reassuring sense of all there was and infinite possibilities burned in the velvet black sky...

The air was filled with the hauntingly beautiful melody of the Ood song and they immersed themselves in it until each had had their fill, before Jack let his memory out and the images swirled across the sky...

The building cluster stood tall in the distance, almost castle-like with turrets and imposing sand stone battlements... Before that the grassy sand dunes and beaches stretched for miles. The sun dipped in the early evening sky and the sound of children’s laughter filled the air... They watched as two boys ran across the sand, the older boy catching his young brother and spinning him around, both laughing with glorious abandon...

“Gray...I’m so sorry...” Ianto felt the sorrow cut through him and clasped his lover’s hand tightly, squeezing reassuringly...

The boys ran after the silhouette of a fair haired man some way ahead of them across the sand, still laughing, “...wait for us, dad...”

The images dissolved, swirling across the sky until they reformed...it was daylight and the mood was tense, there were people running across the sparse landscape, fear palpable as they fled, the sound of screeching drawing closer... Jack’s father held his elder son’s shoulders “...I have to go save your mother...look after Gray, keep him safe...” He touched his cheek lightly, “...go, son...”

Jack took hold of Gray’s hand. “Don’t let go!” he told him, “...now run...” Stumbling over the uneven ground, Jack needed both hands to stop himself falling. He didn’t notice Gray had fallen over...

His heart pounding, Jack scrambled under the cover of a bush as the screams grew louder...screams that made his blood run cold and he trembled violently as he listened to the sounds of death... It was over in moments but he remained hidden, eyes clamped shut as he shook with fear for long minutes after the onset of silence. “Gray..!” he whispered, panicking when no answer came... ”Gray...Gray...”

His panic hit them like a physical blow, driving the air out of both Ianto’s and the Doctor’s lungs, leaving them gasping... Jack was distraught...he checked every single body...terror mounting as Gray was nowhere to be seen... “Gray...Gray...GRAY...” he ran towards the distant building cluster, his heart pumping painfully in his chest, stitch burning in his side...desperation driving him on...”Gray...”

As he approached their living quarters he could see someone laying on the ground...he pushed harder...his breath coming in heaving pants...he fell to his knees, tears coursing down his cheeks, “...dad...no...dad...” he shook his arm...pleading... “dad...wake up...” he knew he wasn’t asleep...his eyes open and staring, blood-stained shirt...

He started at footsteps behind him and threw himself into his mother’s arms... She stroked his hair, holding him close... ”...where’s Gray?” she asked him. He froze, guilt and fear crashing through him in violent waves... “...where’s Gray, son..?” fearful, trembling...

“I thought he was right behind me...I let go of his hand...he’s...he’s...gone...I can’t find him...mum...I let go of his hand...Gray...” he wrenched himself out of his mother’s arms and ran, finally collapsing in a corner of an ancient outbuilding, sobbing, huge wracking cries like a wounded animal... Gray...

The kaleidoscope shifted and the scene reformed. Jack had just returned from his time with the Doctor to the chaos that was Captain John Hart...

Ianto scowled, reminding himself why he disliked the man, “...we were partners...”

“In what way?”

“In every way”

I hate this bastard..!

Captain Hart was leaving, going back through the rift at the same point he’d emerged...time reverting to the moment of his arrival...they were going to have to avoid themselves for twenty four hours...just what he needed on top of his team’s already seriously-pissed-with-Captain-Jack mood... As he left, Hart had pressed the buttons on his wrist strap... “Oh, by the way, I found Gray...” he vanished into the energy patterns and was gone, leaving Jack gaping like a goldfish...

The patterns shifted again, reforming with the team dusty and battered outside the remains of an exploded building... “Jack, who’s done this..?” Gwen broke off as Jack’s wrist strap beeped – always an ominous sign...

“Captain John Hart...say hello to the family...been a while since you’ve seen your brother, eh, Jack?” the hologram showing the rogue Captain and another man...

“No...it can’t be...Gray?” You found him...after all these years...I searched...I did...years and years...I never stopped looking...until...until I was sure he’d been killed...it was too late...I murdered him...I let go of his hand...it was the worst day of my life...after all this time...Gray...I’m so sorry...can it really be you...[pause]...what’s he done to you...why aren’t you speaking...Gray..?

The SUV was gone...John had taken it back to the hub...there were rift spikes showing all over the city...John was back and with hostile intent...

Ianto growled...he couldn’t help it...there was just something threatening about this man...his mind jumped back to their first encounter...John was stroking a gun across Ianto’s face as he had him cornered in an elevator... ”...what a joke, eye candy...now see if you can save them...if you come back here I’ll kill you...” The gun had pressed menacingly against his forehead – John meant it... Thumping the side of the elevator, Ianto had left...he had to warn Jack...his phone had rung...and rung...too late...but he had found the others...Tosh pistol whipped, Owen shot and Gwen poisoned with paralysing lip gloss...remind me again why I hate this bastard...

Jack swung into commander mode...God this was serious...fuck John, what are you doing...what have you done with Gray..?

“Rhys, drop Owen at the hospital, Tosh, Ianto you cover the central server building, Gwen, police station and then take me to the hub...I’m going to find out what he’s doing...if he hurts my people I’ll kill him with my bare hands...what has he done with Gray..?

“Why’s he doing this, Jack?” Owen was understandably pissed as they squeezed themselves into Rhys’ car.

“That’s what I’m gonna go ask him...” What fucking agenda do you have this time, John...what have you done with my brother..?

Arriving back at the hub he was greeted with a blast of Hot Gossip and the ludicrous ‘I lost my heart to a starship trooper’ John proclaiming it as their song...

“We don’t have a song – and if we did it wouldn’t be this song...”

John smirked. “I’ve been here quite a while...what kept you?”

“We all survived – if you’re gonna set explosives you need to be more efficient...” baiting him...

“Oh, them...they were just prototypes,” shit, he’s manic...what is he doing here...the others are walking into traps...if he hurts them...Ianto...if he hurts Ianto...what has he done with Gray..? “I had to test a theory...how are they..? ...your little team?”

Uh-o, that’s his jealous tone...he really means to hurt them...Ianto...be careful... “What do you want?” measured, calm...

“I want you to know that I love you...”

“Funny way of showing it...”

“...no, seriously...you have to understand...” he turned away, “...I really do love you...because this is going to get nasty...” as he swung back, two automatic machine guns firing, fuck, John, what’re you do... hitting Jack repeatedly in the chest and he pitched headfirst into the splash pool at the base of the tower, dead.

on to part b
http://zazajb.livejournal.com/13490.html