Twos and Blues...20/?

[zazajb]

Title: Twos and Blues: 20/? 
Author: zazajb
Rating: R - N/C-17 overall, adult concepts, occasional language, M/M
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, [past]Jack/John, Tosh/Owen, Gwen/Rhys, Andy, Gareth, Harris, Nick, Pete, Mica, Rhiannion
Spoilers – none – totally AU

Warnings: angst amongst the smut/fluff!
Summary:  Jack is the Station Commander of a retained* fire station. This is the story of their adventures. Words:  this chapter 4350

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

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters – anything you recognise is owned by RTD & BBC, even if they don’t know how to look after them properly...
With thanks to the wonderful fjorda77 for the awesome banner *hugs*

A/N So, I’ve finally gone completely AU...new departure for me – thank you for all the comments so far...and please excuse the liberties I’m taking with Welsh geography! Updates will now be posted to both LJ and DW

A/N1 Retained stations are crewed by part-time firefighters who live and work locally, responding to a bleeper signal when the fire appliance is needed – in all other respects they are the same as whole-time firefighters... SWFRS= South Wales Fire and Rescue Service PDA= pre-determined attendance [the minimum number of appliances sent to a particular premises no matter what the call]

A/N2  So, back to school and my writing time is seriously curtailed. Yet another Parent’s evening this week... but 4 days to New York and then 3 x JB concerts to come home to! xxx

Cross posted so you might get this more than once – sorry!

Twos and Blues 20/?

 

Chapter 20

Jack woke Ianto just before seven o’clock, stroking the young man’s hair softly as he stirred and his eyes fluttered open.

“It’s almost seven, sweetheart...” Ianto nodded sleepily, pressing for a kiss which was gladly supplied before they headed through to the bathroom for a shared shower. Jack washed Ianto’s hair for him, knowing how much the Welshman enjoyed the intimacy of this simple act and it was with regret they turned the water off before things progressed to the massaging of other areas..!

They dried quickly and dressed casually in jeans and t-shirts, sharing a succession of minty-fresh kisses pressed up against the bedroom door, tongues sweeping possessively through the familiar territory of each other’s mouths as they melted against one another...

Breaking apart, somewhat breathless after their enjoyable snogging session, they reached for their coats, Jack sliding into his as Ianto held it out for him, leaning into the familiar and reassuring touch as the young man smoothed the heavy wool over his shoulders... Suitably attired, they headed down the stairs and out to the SUV.

The Captain’s Wife was a traditional pub, lots of stone and beams, an open fire and cosy armchairs with an amazing view out over the sea... Ianto hadn’t been here before and the view of the sun sinking down into the distant horizon across the water, setting the sky ablaze with hues of fiery reds and golds, took his breath away. They stood, gazing seaward, in the darkened garden, Jack’s arm resting around Ianto’s shoulders, the reassuring weight and warmth filling him with a sense of calm and security...

They were still there ten minutes later when Tosh and Owen joined them, Tosh hugging them both tightly, not needing any words to express how relieved she was that they were both okay. “I’ll go and find us a table...” she smiled and headed inside, knowing Owen wanted to speak to the two men about the physical threats Hart had made...

Owen waited until Tosh had gone inside before planting his hands on his hips as he fixed Jack with a searching stare “Okay, Jack, what are you going to do about this psychopathic ex of yours? Now he’s out on bail there’s no telling what he might do? You know what he was like last time and there’s no way I’m going to stand by and watch him destroy the station – and you – again...”

Ianto felt Jack tense, a flicker of recognition in his head as he recalled the same reaction to something Hart had said earlier when he was in the shop...what aren’t you telling me Jack?

Jack stepped away from Ianto, shrugging his shoulders, turning his face away “What do you want me to say? If I’d done it right last time, maybe he’d be different?” He spun round, that all too familiar haunted look returning to his eyes “I don’t know what to do, okay? I fucked it up last time, so if you’ve got any bright ideas, now’s the time...” his voice, harsh and full of pain, dropped to a whisper “It’s not just me at risk now...” He hauled Ianto into a fierce hug, inhaling the fresh scent of ginger and lime shampoo alongside the unique aroma that was just Ianto, as his pleading eyes met the medic’s over the Welshman’s shoulder.

Owen sighed and nodded “Don’t worry...we’ll come up with something...” He stepped closer and put a hand on each man’s shoulder, squeezing gently “we’ll keep you both safe...” He turned and headed back towards his car “now get your arses over here, I’ve got something to show you before Tosh comes out looking for us...”

Reassured and intrigued, Jack released a bemused Ianto, linked their hands and followed the wiry shadow to the car park. Owen had the boot open and what looked like a shoe box in his hand. Jack ginned, “your new ballet slippers, eh Owen?”

The acerbic doctor stuck his tongue out before pulling the lid off the box to reveal a rag doll nestled in pink tissue paper. “What d’you think?”

“Nice dolly...oh!” Jack broke off, a huge grin lighting up his face as realisation dawned “is that..?”

Nodding, Owen lifted the doll’s head and they got a glimpse of a blue velvet box underneath. He settled the doll back carefully and replaced the lid. “It’s the same doll...if I ask her tonight would you film it on my phone so I can send it to Tosh’s mum – I promised her when I asked her permission...” He handed his phone over and Jack slid it into his pocket.

“I’m so pleased for you, Owen...both of you...” Jack’s voice cracked and he dragged the medic in for a bone crushing hug as Ianto grinned, watching as Jack spun them round, finally depositing a dizzy and flustered Watch Commander back on his feet.

Throwing an arm around both men’s shoulders, Jack chuckled, “let’s go find the bride...”

“Sshh, Jack! She doesn’t know she’s the bride yet! She might say no...” his face fell, “shit...what if she says no!”

“I would! But for some obscure reason she loves you!”  Laughing, they made their way towards the entrance, spotting Tosh settled comfortably in an armchair at a table by the fire.

“Here goes...” Owen’s face paled.

Jack lunged forward and cupped his face, pressing their lips together briefly, “for luck!”

“Eww, yuk, Harkness...save that for the tea boy!” Owen spluttered, dragging his sleeve over his lips.

Jack shrugged, grinning at a smiling Ianto “See, I knew that would work...he’s suddenly restored to the snarky son-of-a-bitch we know and love!”

Owen turned and gave a single fingered gesture, Jack and Ianto sniggering as they moved closer to capture the proposal on Owen’s phone.

Owen approached the table, the box behind his back. Leaning down, he kissed Tosh lightly, his free hand cupping her lovely face as he brushed his thumb lovingly over her cheek. “You’re so beautiful, Toshi...” he whispered as she blushed prettily. He sank to one knee in front of her, presenting her with the box, much to her surprise.

Tugging the lid off, her face broke into a smile, “it’s Annabelle!” she looked at him, puzzled. “Why’s she here?” she frowned “what’ve you done to her?”

“Maybe you should check her over...just to be sure she’s not damaged..?” Owen grinned crookedly, holding his breath as Tosh lifted the doll from the tissue paper and her eyes widened at the sight of the small box underneath her treasured rag doll.

Owen reached in and took the velvet box with a hand that trembled, reaching for Tosh’s other hand as he pushed the box open with his thumb to reveal a single glorious diamond set in platinum. “I love you Toshiko Sato, with everything I am...” he gulped nervously “...will you marry me?”

Her sudden shriek made him jump before she threw herself into his arms and kissed him passionately, to cheers from the tables closest to them who’d sussed out what was going on. They came up for air, Owen gasping breathlessly, “...is that a yes?”

“yesyesyesyes!”

Jack and Ianto moved closer to capture the moment as a teary-eyed Owen slid the ring onto his fiancée’s finger and they gazed each other, applause ringing out around them. Tosh suddenly noticed Jack and Ianto, beaming up at them “you knew? Of course you knew!” she waggled her hand at them, the diamond sparkling in the light.

“Wave at your mum, Tosh...this recording is for her...” Jack chuckled as the petite computer genius went off into a stream of excited Japanese, holding both the doll and her engagement ring up to the phone, finally dragging Owen in for a steamy kiss and finishing with a happy wave...

The barmaid approached with a bottle of champagne and four glasses “congratulations to you both!” she smiled “Landlord says it’s on the house...” She put the tray down as Owen stood on his chair and shouted a loud thank you in the general direction of the bar.

Owen poured the drinks as Jack and Ianto hugged and kissed a blushing Tosh, and they toasted the newly engaged couple. The evening flew by in a blur of love and laughter, good food and good company and it was way past midnight when they pulled into the yard at @Yanno and made their way up the stairs to the flat.

Ianto kicked off his trainers and flopped on to the bed, still fully dressed and more than a little tipsy. Jack, on duty and on water after one glass of champagne, gazed down at him with a smile, loving the flirtatious looks and provocative squirms a rather uninhibited Ianto was giving him.

Ianto propped himself up on his elbows and pouted. “You going to stand there and smile or you going to rip my clothes off and love me into tomorrow?” He tilted his head to one side and licked his lips, giggling as Jack hurriedly shrugged off his coat, dropping it onto the bed, and scrambled out of his clothes...

Jack bent down to check his trackie bottoms and battered old trainers were safely on the floor by the bed in case of a shout; years of experience hammering home the fact that it was far easier to check before you went to sleep than it was to be scrabbling around for a lost shoe at three in the morning with the bleeper shrilling in your ear! One trainer had slipped under the bed so he ducked down to retrieve it, finally assured that he was prepared...

Straightening up, he turned to look at Ianto and his mouth fell open, his entire blood supply racing to stand proud... Ianto had stripped, flinging his clothes wildly to the four corners of the room by the looks of it, and was now naked apart from Jack’s coat, his eyes smouldering with wild desire as he gazed longingly at his Captain, the pale smoothness of his skin gleaming against the dark roughness of the heavy wool...

Ianto arched his back and moved his hips invitingly “Jack...cariad...I’m yours...”

With a growl of pure passion, Jack threw himself into Ianto’s arms, their mouths crashing together in a frantic kiss, wet and hot and messy as they gave themselves to an inferno of feral want, the twin sensations of harsh wool against soft skin sending their senses soaring...

Jack’s hands ran hungrily over Ianto’s body, fingers spread to cover as much of his lover’s silky smooth flesh as possible as the Welshman moaned and writhed beneath him, urging him on with tiny gasps and pants as his Captain slid first one, then a second cool, lubed finger into him, adding a third as Ianto pushed back hard against him...muttering streams of unintelligible Welsh as Jack’s fingers brushed that magic spot sending electric pulses racing through his body....

Ianto thrashed on the bed, arching, moaning and panting, his body lost in blissful sensations as he immersed himself totally in everything that was Jack...it was heady and exhilarating and simply fucking amazing and he cried out as Jack reached for him, pumping in time to his slow, deliberate thrusts; thrusts that intensified as they approached the precipice and finally exploded together in exquisite release and wave after wave of perfect pleasure washed over them to leave their bodies deliciously tingling...  

Jack slumped heavily onto Ianto’s chest, their skin slick with a light sheen of sweat, hearts pumping rapidly as they came down from their orgasmic high and revelled in the sated warmth of the afterglow. Shifting so they were side by side, Ianto wrapped the coat around them both as they fell into an exhausted sleep...

The bleeper split the early morning air, dragging Jack from a most enjoyable dream where he was watching a repeat of their coat session on a giant screen in the park... Groaning, he swung his legs out of bed, grabbing his track trousers with well practiced ease, even half asleep. Shoving his feet into his trainers and hauling the previous night’s t-shirt over his head, he planted a swift kiss on Ianto’s lips and was thudding down the stairs before the Welshman had even registered the noise.

The downstairs door banged shut and Ianto rolled over, moving to cuddle into Jack’s pillow, no recollection of when they’d discarded the coat and moved under the covers... He reached out and hauled the coat up from the floor, draping it in place of his Captain’s body. A soft smile curving his lips, he was asleep again in moments...

Jack drove steadily to the station, hoping it wasn’t anything major as he turned into the yard and jumped out. Running in through the door he hit his name on the board and the little wooden ball dropped into the chute, rolling down to rest alongside the seven already in situ. He yawned widely and breezed into the watch room to find a sorry-looking Owen wilting in the chair as he waited for the computer to load. The fire appliance pulled away as they watched, two-tones silent, but blue lights flashing, lighting up the shadows as it hurtled away down the road.

“What we got?” Jack dropped into a chair and dragged the turnout instructions towards him, glancing at the description with a casual, somewhat bleary eye “Fuck! Oh shit! That fucking bastard!” Tiredness forgotten, Jack leapt at the phone, talking urgently to the control operator as Owen stared at him, the medic’s heavy head retreating to the farthest confines of his brain when he, too, read the address on the printout...

The appliance arrived at number ten Marine Parade to find two wheelie bins well alight, set close enough to the house to be a worry for the building itself to have caught light if they’d been left too much longer. Fortunately, a neighbour on shift work had seen the smoke from his bathroom window as he’d prepared for work... Jack had been lucky...a few more minutes and who knows what might have happened...

The phone rang and Jack snatched up the receiver, talking to Pete on the appliance mobile. He listened for a few moments and sighed with relief, they’d caught them in time and the only damage, aside from his and the neighbours’ bin, was some smoke damage to the window frame nearest to where the bins had been left. “Thanks Pete...yeah, will do...”

The printer sprung into life and spat out the stop message.

Jack pulled out his mobile and stared at it, wondering if he should call Ianto...Ianto...fuck, he’d left him alone...unprotected... “Owen, can you handle it here? This is Hart’s doing, I know it is...and Ianto is alone at home...I have to go...”

“Get the hell out of here, Harkness...and Jack...” the Captain paused at the door, attention caught by the urgency in his second-in-command’s tone, “make sure you get it fucking right this time...”

“I promise...” The watch room door closed behind him and seconds later the SUV was racing the short distance back to @Yanno. Jack checked that the back door to the shop was secure and nothing looked out of place or suspicious before tapping the keycode in and making his way quietly up the stairs to the flat. He listened intently for any sounds of disturbance as he let himself in, locking the door securely behind him.

Heart pounding uncomfortably in his chest, he crept through the flat, room by room, satisfying himself there was no-one else there before ending up in the bedroom and his heart leapt at the sight of his gorgeous Welshman, sound asleep with his arms wrapped around Jack’s coat and pillow, a tiny smile on his softly parted, still kiss swollen lips...

Heaving a huge sigh of relief, Jack stood and gazed at him, love, fear and guilt crashing over him in alternating waves and he staggered to the bathroom to throw up as the implications of the fire sank in. It was starting all over again...and this time it wasn’t just him in the firing line...

After cleaning his teeth and sloshing with mouthwash, he felt a little better, checked to make sure Ianto was still asleep and returned to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea, chucking in two heaped spoons of sugar in a vain attempt to beat the sudden weariness that washed through him as the adrenalin ebbed away. He took his tea into the sitting room and opened his laptop. This time he was going to do it right...he’d promised Owen and Ianto was his key concern now...he had to protect him...

Logging into his email, he began to type...

Outside the sun rose slowly over the horizon...

By five thirty, Jack had completed a detailed report to Fire HQ, copying in Sergeant Stone using the address on his contact card and had opened a personal log, detailing dates, times and incidents. He’d found details of a firm to install CCTV and sent an email to a security contact he used at TW Engineering asking for an urgent call back. He felt a little better for the steps he was taking, yet was unable to completely shake the gnawing fear that gripped his insides and left him with a constant feeling of dread...Ianto...I have to protect him...

Checking for the umpteenth time that the Welshman was still safely asleep, he made his way down to the shop and threw himself into preparations for the day. A gentle tapping on the door made him jump and he swung round in alarm, relaxing as he approached to find Nick and Pete in their running gear. He opened the door with a smile; one they didn’t return... Jack’s heart dropped...it was starting...the fear, and the slow destruction of everything he held dear...

“Sorry Jack...you need to see this...” Pete said grimly without preamble. “Nick, get inside and make sure nothing else is disturbed...we’ll be back in a moment...”

The younger man nodded and went in, squeezing his Captain’s shoulder reassuringly as he passed, before locking the shop door behind him. Jack stepped out on to the pavement and turned, following Pete’s gaze. “Fuck!”

“Sorry Jack...but you had to see it...”

Green spray paint had been used to graffiti the large windows, the words Fuck you Jones scrawled in large letters across the glass. If Nick and Pete hadn’t stopped by, Jack wouldn’t have seen it until they’d opened the blinds and then it would’ve been too late to stop Ianto seeing it too...as it was, he had time to get rid of it before Ianto woke up...

“I’m glad you showed me. I’ll get a picture for the evidence file and then I need to get scrubbing before Ianto wakes up...can’t  let him see this – he’s unsettled enough already...”

“We’ll help...Hart can’t get away with this Jack...”

“I know...and I’ve sorted a few things out this morning...I just hope it’s enough...” he sighed heavily, nodding his thanks as Nick let them back into the shop.

Three energetic soap-filled sponges were soon washing the offending paint away and the glass was returned to its previous pristine condition. Nick and Pete grinned as Jack hauled them in for a grateful hug before they continued their interrupted morning run, both promising to call in later for an update...

Jack locked the door behind them and made his way back upstairs where Ianto was yawning and stretching as the alarm serenaded him with 10 cc’s Good Morning Judge...rather apt in the circumstances, but Jack couldn’t raise a smile this morning...

Ianto reached his hand out, a worried frown creasing his forehead “what’s wrong, cariad...”

Jack forced a nonchalant shrug “nothing’s wrong...I’m just tired...not been back to bed after the shout...”

“C’m here..!” Ianto reached out with his other hand, tugging his Captain into his arms to wrap him into a tight embrace as he pressed light kisses over any scrap of skin he could reach. Jack clung on tightly, the reassuring scent that was just Ianto grounding him as it hammered home just what he was in danger of losing...

Jack pulled back, cupping the Welshman’s face tenderly as he captured his lips to kiss him into oblivion. They parted softly, lips just millimetres apart as they shared warm breath, Ianto threading his fingers through his Captain’s hair.

“Talk to me, Jack? Please share it with me, whatever it is...” His eyes fixed determinedly on the older man’s troubled blue grey depths as they swirled with worry and uncertainty “please..? We’re in this together cariad and if you won’t share it with me then he’s won already”

“That shout last night was at my house...oh, don’t worry, the house is fine...” he added hurriedly as Ianto’s hand flew to his mouth in horror “but me and next door need new wheelie bins and I need to get the window cleaner round to polish the smoke marks away from the UPVC...that’s all there is...”

“No it isn’t...but you pretend that’s all there is...” the Welshman sighed “I’ve only just scraped the surface haven’t I? There’s a lot more to Hart - and your history with him...”

Jack dragged himself out of Ianto’s arms and stomped moodily over to the window. “You know all you need to know!” he snapped, shoving his hands deep into his pockets as he glared idly out of the window, suddenly realising that a worryingly familiar figure was stood some distance away, binoculars trained on the very window he was stood at... A chill shiver ran down his spine, shocking him from his mood and he strode back to the bed where a sombre Welshman was now sat up, his feet resting on the floor as he studied his bare legs and the tears dripped silently down his face.

Flinging himself to the floor, Jack shoved his way into the gap between Ianto’s knees and tugged him into a tight hug “I’m sorry...I’msorrysosorryandIloveyousomuch...” the hoarse, whispered words running into each other in his haste to get them out. “You’re right – there’s lots more, but it’s me coming apart at the seams as I struggle to do the right thing and end up doing it all wrong...and Hart hurts people I care about...it was my fault and I don’t want you to know how pathetic I really am...your dashing brave Captain in his pretty hero coat and it’s all just a front...a cover-up...”

“I don’t care...whatever it was, it’s in the past Jack and you have to let it go... Now is what matters...you and me...what we have...and I intend to fight for it and Hart..? he can sod off into the sunset and leave us alone!” Ianto spoke with a passion and determination that brought tears to his Captain’s eyes, the Welshman kissing them away as he stroked Jack’s face and his tone softened “The Face of Boe is mine and I’m not prepared to share him!”

Their mouths crashed together, all their pent-up emotions coalescing into this one desperate kiss and they rested their foreheads together, panting softly when they finally came up for air. “So..? Now tell me the rest...” Ianto’s voice was soft...persuasive, with a glimpse of steel to it and Jack was reminded of something Rhi had said when they’d had their little chat as he’d taken her and her shopping home “he’s calm and controlled and has a heart of gold...but piss him off at your peril..!” He hoped it was Hart and not him who would be on the receiving end of the Welshman’s ire...

“He sprayed graffiti in green paint over the shop windows...it’s gone now – me and Nick and Pete got rid of it...they saw it as they were going past on their morning run...”

Ianto stood up, leaving Jack knelt on the floor gazing up at him “he sprayed graffiti on my shop?” that steely edge was very evident now, the Welshman’s eyes flashing dangerously as he repeated his words in the softest of tones “He. Graffitied. My. Shop?”  He held his hand out to pull his Captain up from the floor. “That man will wish he’d never been born...no-one messes with my shop...no-one..!”

Jack nodded emphatically, unable to speak as the sight of an incensed Ianto, chest out, eyes coolly determined and Welsh tones rolling expressively off his tongue, shot straight to Jack’s groin, the throbbing heat of his arousal standing out starkly in his jogging bottoms...

Ianto paused, grinning as his eyes trailed over Jack’s body. “You want me to help you with that?”

Jack nodded again, managing a hoarse croak “yes please..!” before he had an armful of passionate Welshman and they tumbled back onto the bed...

tbc

 

 

Comments

[zazajb]

*grins happily* Glad you enjoyed it - I always try to visualise it first then write what I see!
Next chaps up later today - out of time now as have to leave for work!
D xxx