He's Gone...

456

"A virus has been released into your air systems. Everything in this building will perish. This is what you wanted, Captain. Let the fight begin."

Watching Ianto's reflection draw his gun from his leather holster, Jack spun around on his heels to face the large containment cell and the Welshman facing down the large creature inside. Marching over to Ianto, gun drawn, bullets sprayed from both barrels. Barely scratching the surface of the glass cage.

"You are dying. Even now."

Every part of him that had hopped that Ianto was going to make it out of this alive, was slowly being crushed under the weight of reality. "We've gotta get you out of here. I can survive anything, but you can't."

"It's too late. I breathed the air." The Welsh accent lapped at the males words.

It hurt him. More deeply than he thought. All his beloved had to do was breathe and his life was pulled from him. Slowly. But as sure as a bath would drain once the plug had been pulled. "There's gotta be something. There's gotta be an antidote." He could feel panick tightening around his heart, constricting his chest.

"You said you would fight."

"Then I take it back, alright? I take it all back, but not him!" He didn't have time to plead. Out of his peripheral gaze, his head whipped around in horror as he watched Ianto slumped down to greet the cold floor. Tossing his gun to the side, he reached desperately for his lover. Hooking his arms around him, he cradled the limp body to his chest. "No! No no no no no, no. Ianto!" Tightening his hold on the slouching body, he felt his eyes prickle and burn, tears gathering along his lower lid. "It's all my fault."

"No its not."

"Don't speak save your breath." Raising his hand to his lovers cheek, he gently caressed to soft skin as a sob tried to break free of his throat.

The man's face broke and tears streamed down the sides of his face, azure hues locked onto the brown ones of Jacks. "I love you.-"

"Don't." His word was firm along with the shakes of his head. It could couldn't happen like this. They needed time. This couldn't be goodbye. He wasn't ready to let him go. Feeling his head loll in his hands, he swallowed thickly. "Ianto?" Pausing briefly, he gave him a tender shake as though trying to wake him from a sleep. "Ianto. Ianto, stay with me. Ianto stay with me." Giving him another shake, this one more firm, he called out to him desperately. "Stay with me, stay with me please, please." The tears then proceeded to spill over their boundaries and along his cheeks as the eyes fluttered opened once again.

After a heavy pause, he spoke.
"Hey...it was good, yeah?"

Smiling softly down at the man in his arms, he nodded. "Yeah." He couldn't manage anymore. His throat tight with emotion.

"Don't forget me."

Shaking his head, he liked his lips to speak. The taste of salt hitting his taste buds. "Never could."

"In a thousand years time, you won't remember me."

"Yes I will." Steadying himself to give him a decent response he nodded once more. "I promise, I will." With the pad of his thumb sliding over the cooling skin, he watched his precious Ianto gasping for air. Only to fall still in his arms. "Ianto?" His voice was no more than a whisper as he gently pulled him closer to his figure. "Ianto? Don't go...don't leave me please. Please don't...-" His face grew hot from wet tears, his hands grappling at his extinguished flames waistcoat. Leaning down, his vision blurry from the tears and virus, he delicately pressed his lips to Ianto's in a last attempt to save his life.

Nothing.

Having no energy or will to sit back up, he let gravity do the work for him and he crumpled to the floor. One arm still draped over Ianto's body. Blinking tears from his eyes, he gives into the chemicals effecting his body. He was gone. Why fight anymore. Letting his eyes shut, he waited for death like an old friend.

At least he'd be in a place where he didn't have to live with out him. Where he didn't have to acknowledge the pain that was tearing through his heart like a serrated blade.

Gone. Ianto was gone.