So Different Yet So Alike

Chapter 5

Chapter Five

“Bye.” I told her grabbing Jack’s ear and towing him behind me into the TARDIS. No way was I going to let him make a stupid move and hurt his relationship with Ianto even more.

            “Ow, what was that for?” Jack complained rubbing his ear once we were inside the TARDIS.

            “Nothing,” I told him putting up an innocent face. “I just didn’t want to wait on you while you were flirting.”

            “I think we’re going to be good friends,” Ianto said as close to a thank you as he’d go in front of Jack.

“Better stay just friends.”  Jack said speaking from both his over protective brotherly feelings about me and his love for Ianto.

            Even as I shuddered at the thought of ever being romantically involved with Ianto, the Doctor echoed Jack’s sentiment bringing a smile to my face.

“Oh God don’t even think about that! That’s just wrong.” Ianto said sounding completely disgusted by the prospect.        

“How’s it wrong? She’s a beautiful young lady.” Jack stated as he winked flirtatiously at me.

Needing to draw attention away from what Ianto and I were to each other I said, “I’m actually not that young by now I’m one hundred and nineteen.”

“Really?” Ianto asked his head snapping upright suddenly.

As I nodded to his the TARDIS landed resulting in the Doctor and Jack rushing out of the door looking like little school boys instead of the hundreds of years old that they were.

“Are you okay?” I asked as Ianto buried his head into his hands. “What’s wrong?”

“Everyone I love is going to outlive me.” He whispered as his epiphany sunk in.

I was distraught by the way this realization seemed to be affecting his and as my emotions surged my eyes flashed golden and the TARDIS doors slammed close.  She understood that I wanted to talk to Ianto alone and took s back to the Hub in the year 2000.

Once the TARDIS had set down I glared at Ianto and demanded, “Talk!”

“What’s there to say?” He snapped. “Jack’s never going to die, you and the Doctor well you’ve got hundreds of years left to live. Eventually my life won’t be anything but a blip in time you guys.”

“Never, Ianto. You mean so much more to us than that.” I told him wondering just what Torchwood had done to him to make him think this way.

Ianto spoke in an eerily calm tone this time as he said, “Even if I do Rose, everyone I love is still going to outlive me by so long they won’t remember me properly.”

“Stop saying that!” I yelled tears trickling out of the corners of my eyes.  He’d changed so much never had he been an optimist but he’d definitely never been this pessimistic. I finally decided to switch tactics if he wouldn’t believe I wouldn’t forget him I could at least get him to acknowledge not everyone would out live him. “What about Rhiannon, huh, are you saying she’s not a loved one? You’ll grow old with her, she could never forget you.”

Softly he smiled at me pity in his eyes, “Don’t Rose. We both know that’s a lie. I won’t grow old Torchwood will take me in the end, Just like it did with Tosh and Owen, just like it did with Lisa.” 

I began to sob outright as I realized the high probability of this happening and that nothing I said could comfort him. Wordlessly Ianto gathered me into his arms and let me cry myself out.

Once I was done and wiped my nose and said, “Let’s just head back before they begin to wonder where we are.”

The TARDIS took off jerkily and I asked quietly, “So you love Jack then, it isn’t just some fling?”

“Yeah I guess I do,” He answered after giving a short bark of laughter.

Before I could say anything else the TARDIS door swung open and the Doctor’s head popped in.  “What happened?” He asked looking at my puffy red eyes warily.

Jack rushed over to Ianto’s side and pulled him in close asking, “Are you alright? WE saw the TARDIS start to fade out but halfway through it faded back in.”

Ianto peeked at me over Jack’s shoulder and on his face I read that the cover story was my responsibility.  However he bought me a few more seconds by answering Jack’s question with a simple, “I’m fine.”

“Yep, must have been some kind of Bad Wolf thing where I got to excited and the TARDIS reacted.” I told them settling for a half truth.

“Okay then.” Jack said his eyes still busy searching Ianto’s face though what for I couldn’t tell.

The Doctor clapped his hands together and ushered us out the door saying, “Come on we can’t be late to this. It’s said to be one of the best Anti-grav Olympics to have ever happened.”