Reoccuring Visions

Chapter four:

One Month later…Ianto is becoming more agitated and distant by the day, and no one can figure out why.

There was a large loud crash coming from the board room, everyone got up and ran toward it, thinking a Wevill got out and got into that room. Jack led the group, pistol in hand. Jack slowly opened the door and saw papers everywhere and the sounds of heavy breathing, anger rising. Jack stepped in, drew his gun and looked around for where the sound was coming. He didn’t have to look far, Ianto was standing right there, breathing heavily and shaking in anger.
“Ianto…what’s wrong?” Jack said putting his gun down, and waving for everyone else too. “Ianto please tell me what happened?” Ianto didn’t even recognize Jack’s voice, he looked at all of the books and drawings for the furniture and systematically threw them across the room, screaming at the room. Jack recognized something in that scream, it was fear. Jack told everyone to stay behind, as he closed the door softly.
“Ianto…” Jack said. Suddenly Ianto turned around with a gun in his hand, pointing it right at Jack. He recognized who it was and put the gun down.
“Jack…I’m…” He straightened up, “I am sorry for the mess, sir I am on it right now, would you like me to get you anything? Coffee? Tea?” He said, beginning to pick up all of the papers.
“What happen Ianto? You have been becoming more and more agitated every day…I am worried about you that’s all.” He walked over to Ianto, took the things out of his hand, set them on the table and wrapped his arms around him.
“I still haven’t gotten a call for the house, I am trying still to pick out designs for the furniture, and every night I have had the same dream…the one were I see you die and no one believes that I am me. I keep waking up in a sweat; you are still lying there, pretending to sleep. So I get up, go work out then come back and get ready for work; doing my daily routine…then we either go hang out with the hub or go out to eat, then we come back, watch some thing, make love and I am asleep by midnight and up by three.”
“Take all of this, go down to the bed room and lay in bed, sleep when you want to, look at this stuff when you want to and watch what ever you want when you want to, that does include the porn collection if you need to blow off some steam. I need you at the top of your game, Ianto. I will keep you down there as long as it takes; you may come out for working out, and if the realtor calls for you to sign papers. Suddenly Ianto’s phone went off.
“Hello?” He answered. “Oh hello Bronwyn, yes this is he, doing good, still picking out furniture, you did, how did you like it, thank you, what can I help you with? Oh you are, what time do you want me there? I can be there in a second, see you in a bit Bronwyn, thank you, goodbye.” With that Ianto hung up and looked at Jack.
“Going to sign papers?” Jack asked before Ianto could speak.
“Yes, which means I need to pick out the furniture today!” He picked everything up and laid it out on the table. Ianto closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then as deftly as a Zen master, Ianto picked out everything, even down to the throw pillows and curtains. Jack watched in amazement as he did this. He thought he knew everything about him but Ianto never failed to amaze him. Ianto came out of his trance and looked at everything, only changing a few things, like a hot pink leather couch to a black one and changing the bed to a more comfortable one. Then Ianto got up, picked up the things he needed and left, giving Jack a kiss goodbye before leaving. On the way to the office, he called Mr. Clarke, giving him a list of the things he wanted to put in the house and what design he wanted them in.
“Ok, I’ll put the order in, oh by the way some one had already put your electronics in, I have to say nice touch Mr. Jones.” He said. Ianto knew what the electronics were for, besides entertainment but it was also for work.
“Thank you; when should I expect the rest of the house done?” Ianto asked
“End of the week.”
“Ok, I am coming by your office today, to make sure we have everything correct.”
“Ok, Mr. Jones, look forward to seeing you again. Bye.”
“Good bye, Mr. Clarke.” Ianto hung up and pulled into the office. Bronwyn came out to meet him, shaking his hand as they walked back into the office. Once in her office, Bronwyn pulled out all of the paper work and began to sort it.
“Can I get you something to drink, coffee, tea, liquor, water?”
“The best whisky that you have.” Ianto answered. Bronwyn ordered it and then began to explain everything in the packets she was handing to him. Ianto signed and signed and signed as his whiskey was brought to him. He took a sip, smiled and continued to sign. Once he finished the drink, he sighed the last piece of paper and was handed the keys to him along with the title and deed to house. Ianto stood up shook her hand, grabbed his things and left. He made a stop at the bank and deposited the deed and title in his safety deposit box. After he did that Jack called him.
“Ianto Jones.”
“It’s Jack. Where are you?”
“I am on my way to the interior designer to make sure everything is going to look good.”
“Ok, I need you back here ASAP, need you to take a look at some things, no one here can figure them out.”
“Link it to my nav screen.” Ianto said.
“Linking now.” Jack said. Ianto’s screen popped up as he pulled into the interior design building parking lot. “House of Leaves, it’s based on the writing style of Mark Z. Danielewski, there should be a copy of it behind the tourist office front desk. There should be a section like that, it may be a copy of it or it’s in an alien language and we have no idea of what it says. We may need to try and contact the Doctor, Jack.”
“We have no idea of where he is, besides Rose is pregnant, I don’t want to take the risk of it.”
“Jack, she has been time traveling pregnant for at least 4 months with a baby, I think she will be fine. Did you find the book?”
“Yes, just looking for it. Ianto do you have this book memorized?”
“Mostly, being up at the front desk gets boring every once and I while so I read.”
“Remind me to get you out more…” Jack said.
“Yes sir. I am going to run into the office now, call if you can’t find it. Ianto out.” With that he hung up, saved the nav screen so he could have a better look at it when he went back to the hub. Mr. Clarke was standing at the front desk when Ianto walked in.
“Hello Silis, how are you doing today?”
“Doing well actually, come on back Ianto. Is it cold out there?” He looked at Ianto’s gloved hands.
“No, I have to wear gloves to stop the staring.” He said, placing all the papers on the design table.
“Ok, were people asking too many questions?”
“Basically, now shall we begin?” Ianto asked.
“Sure.” Silis said. Ianto and Silis looked over the design and the furniture, making a few tweaks here and there. Once they were done and Ianto said goodbye and left the building Jack called.
“Ianto Jones”
“Ianto, I need you here right away, we have a situation.”
“What kind of situation Jack?” He said slamming on the gas and racing towards the hub with his lights flashing.
“Linking it to you now!” Jack said, in a trying not to be scared. Ianto looked at his nav screen and realized what it was. It was welsh, mirrored and upside down.
“Shit…I am almost there.”
“Good because none of us here can really understand it, Gwen could figure out a little bit of it, mainly that it was welsh, upside down and mirrored.”
“I got that already…” He parked his car and ran full tilt to the tourist center, down the hall way, to the lift and then through the last security door. “Put it on the big screen, please.” Ianto said in a dark welsh voice. Jack could help but be a little turned on by it. Ianto grabbed a piece of paper and pencil and looked at the screen. Word by word he wrote it down. Hours it took until he finished what it said.
“Well what does it say?” Gwen asked in the board room, the image was on the screens. Ianto looked pale as he began to speak.
“I shall be the divider, the imposter among you. I shall kill you one by one when you least expect it.” Ianto started, as he pushed down the memories of the dream. “You will never know when I start but it will be too late when you figure it out. You will loose some one great and some one you realize after it’s too late that you really need him. I will tell you this, I am not among you now, but soon. Say your goodbyes now.” Then all the hub went black for a minute then came back on.
“Everybody ok?” Jack asked. Everyone stood up, except for Ianto; he was in a corner in a fetal position, rocking back and forth. Jack knelt down and touched his gloved hand to Ianto’s, pulling him close. “I shouldn’t have let you read that…I should have known…Ianto please wake up…please snap out of this…” Ianto’s face suddenly contorted into a silent scream and then he shot up off the ground sitting next to Jack. Tosh rushed over to him.
“Are you alright Ianto?” Tosh asked.
“Yeah I’m fine…just need to stand up…” Ianto said, trying to stand up but began to fall as soon as he stood up. Jack grabbed him and placed him in a chair. Ianto tried to rub his eyes but his gloves were getting in the way. Ianto took them off and rubbed his eyes and face. He heard gasps from Tosh and Gwen.
“What the fuck happen to you mate?” Owen said, Ianto could tell he was staring right at his hands. Jack saw this and took off his own gloves, the vines scrawling across the front and back of his hands. Ianto took his hands away from his face and set them down on the table before getting up and looking for the whisky. He poured Jack one and then himself. He sat down as the stares continued.
“Please have a seat everyone…” Jack said as Ianto fiddled with his ring on his finger, god how much he loved this man, but he wondered if he would loose him forever, he worried that the dream he had was actually going to come true.
“So what’s with the hands?” Owen asked.
“It’s the tree tattoo that we got, apparently it spread on most of out body, any where you don’t see it, that’s where it won’t go.” Jack said.
“So that’s why you two have been wearing gloves for the past month.” Gwen said. Ianto sat there quietly, trying not to think of everything that had just happened. He suddenly stood up and walked out, not saying a word, while he put on his gloves. Suddenly they saw a book fly across the hub, along with papers and the coffee and tea kettles, before they saw Ianto walk out of the building. Jack just stood there and watched him go. Everyone else ran out to see the mess, Tosh ran after Ianto, finding he was no where to be found in the hub. Jack slowly walked out and saw the carnage of papers, books, glass, coffee and tea.
“Tosh, get CCTV going, start looking for Ianto’s car, I need to go after him.” Jack said.
“Yes sir, if you don’t mind me asking what is wrong with Ianto?”
“Have any of you stopped to ask him? Or did you all assume it was just stress?”
“I tried to talk to him but he wouldn’t talk Jack…That message really got to him didn’t it Jack?” Gwen asked.
“Following him, he is heading towards the bay.” Tosh said, Jack grabbed his coat and gloves as he ran out of the hub up the lift.
Ianto got into his car and drove to the bay, leaving his com, house keys, stop watches, his gun and his badge in his car. He looked at his gloved hands; he took them off as well and set them in the driver’s seat along with his wedding ring on top of them.
“Jack, he is putting his things into his car, I think he is going to jump, do I need to arrange for Owen to pick you up in case?” Tosh asked, fear coming through her voice.
“Yes, I promise you this, I will not let him die…I will not allow it. Jack out.”
“Owen I need you to take the SUV and go down to the bay, keep a link on Jack at all times, so you know where to pick him and Ianto up, Jack asked me to tell you, please go do it Owen?” Tosh said, trying to contain her tears.
“I’ll go with you Owen.” Gwen said piping up. Owen nodded, trying not to worry himself. They climbed into the SUV and sped off after Jack. Ianto walked to the cliffs over looking the bay and stood there thinking.
‘All I have to do is fall…then the hub will be safe, then everyone will be safe, then Jack will be safe…’ Ianto collapsed onto his knees thinking of Jack. He never meant to hurt him, never meant to put him in danger…but he could save him from that if he just fell over. He heard a car drive up, standing up he saw it was Jack, walking towards him. Ianto stepped back to the fence, leaning back wards.
“Ianto! Ianto!” Jack yelled desperation in his voice. “Ianto, come towards me, please Ianto…I love you, come toward me…”
“No, I can’t Jack…all it will do is cause you more pain, you will die Jack, and you might not come back.”
“I won’t come back if you are not there Ianto, please just come to me, we can handle this…”
“But it’s me Jack, I have seen it in my dreams, I am the one who shoots you, I am the one who betrays you.”
“No you don’t Ianto, you save my life, you protect me.” Jack said walking closer.
“I’m so sorry Jack…I never meant to hurt you.” Suddenly, in a blink of an eye, Ianto jumped over the fence and into the bay waters.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Jack yelled as he watched Ianto fall, down into the icy depths, but he came back up, unscathed and drifting away. Jack saw Owen driving up, he took off his coat and jumped in after Ianto. Jack quickly swam to him, grabbed him around the waist and began pulling him to the shore. Ianto opened his eyes.
“Why did you do that Jack, why did you save me, why did you bring this upon yourself?” Ianto asked.
“Because I love you, Ianto, more than anything, stay with me Ianto, come on stay with me!”
“So sleepy, so warm and inviting.” Ianto said as Jack slapped him across the face. Ianto woke up fully and began to try and help paddle. It seemed like hours but it was only a few minutes when Owen and Gwen got to them and into the SUV. Ianto was border line hypothermic and Jack wasn’t looking to hot.
“Need, to get, Ianto’s car…” Jack said before collapsing beside the SUV.
“I’ll go get it Jack.” Gwen said as they helped him in to the SUV. Owen drove around to the car, Gwen got out and got in, and taking a moment to look at the things he left inside. Owen had already left to take them back to the hub. Gwen soon followed, parking the car and carrying things inside. Jack was up and around with pair of pajama pants on and a white t-shirt.
“Hello Gwen.” Jack said smiling, his eyes looking in the direction of Owen, looking over the body of Ianto.
“Here are his things Jack…I know Owen is trying his best.” She said, handing everything to him. Jack nodded, walked into his office and closed the door. He sat down at his desk, laid everything out and began to cry, as he held Ianto’s wedding ring. He didn’t know how long he had been there…there was no true outside light source to truly tell the time, but all he had done was sit there looking at the things he left behind. Suddenly he saw the lights go off in the main hub as everyone left. He continued to sit there; he could still smell Ianto in the office. He closed his eyes smelling the scent, when the scent got stronger. He opened his eyes and saw Ianto standing there, wrapped in a blanket, looking at Jack.
“I saw the darkness Jack, the never ending darkness, I felt the glass scraping against my body…and I was scared Jack, there was something moving in there.” Ianto began to cry. “All I wanted was to come back to you, because I love you, I need you, I realized that no matter what happens from now on, and I will always love you.” Jack stood up, wrapped his hands gently around Ianto’s neck, to hold him close, and kissed him softly, passionately, warmly. His hands roamed down and held Ianto close as he broke away.
“Come, let’s go to bed Ianto, we can deal with everything tomorrow.”
“Ok.” Ianto said, as Jack helped him down stairs and into bed, keeping the warm blanket on top of him. Ianto fell asleep almost instantly; Jack slowly got up and made his way to his office. He sat down at his office chair and looked at the things he left again, tears falling slowly. He had to do it, he had to help Ianto, he had to help the team, and they all needed some one to talk too. Jack took all of Ianto’s things, went down stairs and began to lay them out. He laid out his gun, his badge, his stopwatches and his gloves on the dresser next to the closet. He then took his keys and laid them next to Ianto on his nightstand and then slowly slipped on Ianto’s wedding ring on his hand. Ianto stirred a little but never woke up. Jack stripped down and climbed into bed with him holding him close, to protect him from his troubles.