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blucougar.livejournal.com posting in antigwenallies May. 10th, 2014 03:57 pm)Title: Adaption
Chapter Eleven: Family Matters
Author: blucougar57
Summary: A new rift victim proves to be a revelation to the Torchwood team, and then some.
Rating: T
A/N: In which Gwen gets another verbal smack-down, Jason finally gets to leave Flat Holm, an unexpected proposal takes place, and Gwen gets another verbal smack-down. Did I mention that one twice? Trust me, it’s not a typo.
Chapter Eleven
That evening
Tosh found Gwen at the back of the launch. She wasn’t sulking, but she clearly wasn’t happy, either.
“It’s not easy to accept that someone you’ve been at loggerheads with was right all along, is it?” Tosh said lightly. Gwen continued to stare out into the darkening evening, though Tosh wasn’t entirely sure what she was looking at. Flat Holm was no longer visible, not even a speck in the distance.
“I have to believe there’s a better solution, Tosh,” she said finally. Tosh could have screamed, and wondered that she managed to restrain herself.
“Why, Gwen? Why can’t you accept that what Jack is doing for those people is the best thing for them?”
Gwen shook her head stubbornly.
“It’s not right, though. We should be doing more.”
“We want to do more,” Tosh corrected her. “We can’t do more than what we’re already doing. None of us like it, Gwen. Don’t you think it’s time you stopped behaving as though you’re the only one who cares?”
Gwen snorted.
“Jack doesn’t care. He didn’t even care enough to keep looking for his own brother.”
“That is an incredibly offensive thing to say, and I would have expected much better from you.”
Both women started and turned at the sound of Ianto’s voice, and a shudder went through both of them at the anger on the young man’s face. To her credit, Gwen looked immediately contrite.
“God, I’m sorry,” she said in regret. “I had no right to say that.”
“No,” Ianto agreed. “You didn’t. Just be thankful that Jack isn’t where he could have heard you.”
“I’m just frustrated,” she offered, but there was no sympathy to be found in Ianto’s expression.
“Do you think Jack’s not frustrated? Don’t you think he would like to do more? Of course he would. He just understands what the reality is, and that is making life as safe, easy and comfortable as possible for the people in that facility. While you refuse to accept that reality, the subject of Flat Holm is just going to continue to cause grief. You might also want to keep in mind that if you continue carrying on like this, Jack may well ban you from Flat Holm altogether.”
Gwen’s reaction was as predictable as it was shrill.
“He can’t do that!”
“He’s the Director of Torchwood, Gwen,” Tosh reminded her wearily. “He answers only to the Queen and the Doctor. Of course he can do that.”
“It would be a last resort,” Ianto said, “but don’t think he won’t do it if you push hard enough. He’s tired of fighting you over this, Gwen. We all are.”
She looked from Ianto to Tosh, put out by their apparent solidarity against her.
“All of you?” she echoed sceptically, sounding very much as though she didn’t really believe that they could all have an opposing opinion to hers.
“Yes, Gwen,” Tosh said with a sigh. “All of us.”
“What do you want me to do?” Gwen burst out, an all-too-familiar defensiveness in her voice that had both Ianto and Tosh cringing and hoping Jack didn’t overhear. “I can’t just stop believing that I can do more. That would be like giving up, and I can’t do that.”
“Which is where it would have been good if you’d been able to work with Jason,” Ianto said with a sigh. At the boy’s name, Gwen’s expression went into shut-down, prompting Ianto to lift an eyebrow quizzically.
“What was said between you and Jason that’s put you so badly off-side? You might as well say, because I guarantee Jack will ask Jason about it when we visit him next.”
Gwen flushed red and laughed awkwardly.
“It was nothing, really. He misunderstood something I said and he thought I was insulting Jack.”
Ianto’s brow lifted higher still.
“You may as well give up the details.”
With a frustrated huff, Gwen finally capitulated.
“He said he hoped that he’d have a chance to pay Jack back some time, and I said he didn’t need to bother.”
“And?” Ianto pressed.
“I might have mentioned something about Jack having a big enough ego already. I didn’t mean anything by it but Jason blew it right out of context. He accused me of insulting Jack, and things just went south from there.”
Far from being angry, Ianto chuckled and visibly relaxed.
“He does have quite an ego, doesn’t he?”
“I suppose Jason just doesn’t know Jack like we do,” Tosh agreed with a smile.
A soft sigh escaped Gwen.
“I don’t like it, but I’ll try to stop pushing.”
Ianto nodded. Her concession was less than he’d hoped for but more than he’d expected. He just hoped that she would stick to her resolve.
“Thank you.”
* * * * *
It was a month almost to the day from when they’d found Jason. There had been tests, psyche evaluations, counselling... Whilst occasionally showing an understandable frustration, he’d still weathered all of it with relative patience and good humour. Now, though, the evaluation period was at an end and Jack did not need a written report to know that Jason was fit to leave Flat Holm. That was not an issue. The issue lay with what was to be done with the teen.
As far as Gwen, Tosh and Owen knew, nothing had been decided. What they didn’t know was that Jack and Ianto had set up their spare room for Jason, enrolled him at a nearby high school as Jack’s nephew and were planning to let him help out at the Hub in a limited capacity. They didn’t think that Tosh and Owen would object too strenuously. Gwen, however, was another matter.
While she had ceased her open objections to Jack’s running of Flat Holm, it was obvious that there were still tensions simmering beneath the surface. Every time the subject of Flat Holm came up, Gwen would get a look on her face like she desperately wanted to say something, only to change her mind at the last second.
Jack, in particular, was under no illusion about how Gwen would react to having Jason in the Hub. He just didn’t know if it was because she genuinely felt it was not the right place for a boy not yet out of school, or because she’d gotten a right dressing-down from the boy and was still smarting from it.
He suspected it was the latter, though he would never say so out loud. Not out of courtesy to her, mind, but rather to avoid making things uncomfortable for Jason. Ultimately, it didn’t matter. The decision had been made. He was officially Jason’s guardian and uncle, thanks to some creative hacking by Ianto.
It was Friday morning. The rift was predicted to be relatively quiet for a couple of weeks – an almost unheard of, but nonetheless a welcome respite. He and Ianto had headed straight out to Flat Holm to get Jason. Jack hoped the rift was true to predictions because he and Ianto had plans to take Jason shopping for clothes and other necessities, and also to show him around and familiarise him with Cardiff.
The teen was scheduled to start at the local public high school in a couple of weeks’ time. Jack had given him a choice of exclusive private schools to attend, but Jason had shied away from those. He was an average guy, he’d said, and didn’t belong in a fancy school for rich kids. When Jack had expressed concern, knowing that the reputation of the local high school was pretty tough, Ianto had merely chuckled and said that between Jason’s inoffensive attitude and his knowledge of karate, he would be just fine.
Jack hoped so. After dealing with so many lost souls, he desperately needed to see at least one rift victim regain a life for himself.
* * * * *
Unsurprisingly, Jason was with Jonah when they arrived. Out of respect, they waited patiently for Jason to emerge. When he did, the youth looked sombre.
“I hate leaving him,” he said simply, before either Jack or Ianto had a chance to ask. Jack slung an arm across the teen’s shoulders.
“You’ve been a good friend, and you’ll continue being a good friend. No, you won’t be able to see him every day but at the very least we’ll make sure you get out there once a fortnight.”
“In the meantime,” Ianto pointed out, “there’s the roster you’ve organised with the staff so that Jonah will always have someone with him at each end of the cycle. You’ve achieved a remarkable thing there, and we all appreciate it. Jonah, most of all.”
Jason, however, couldn’t bring himself to smile.
“This is going to sound selfish,” he admitted, “but I’m kind of worried about how I’m going to manage away from here. Whenever I’ve felt things were getting on top of me here, there’s been something… or someone else to focus on. I won’t have that once I’m away from here.” He paused, suddenly looking nervous. “I’m kinda shooting myself in the foot here, aren’t I?”
Jack chuckled.
“No, you’re not. We all have coping methods. There’s nothing wrong with that, and we might have a solution for you as far as finding a new focus. There’ll be plenty of time to talk about that later, though. Let’s get everything sorted out and then we’ll take you home.”
* * * * *
“I was wondering,” Jason said tentatively to the Captain as they headed away from Flat Holm Island in the launch, “would you mind if I called you Uncle Jack?”
Jack looked surprised and more than a little bit pleased.
“I wouldn’t mind that at all. I’d be honoured if you did. Besides, for all intents and purposes now, I am your uncle.”
Red-faced, Jason attempted to explain.
“I never had an uncle. Both Mom and Dad were only children. One of my friends had an uncle, though, and they were always doing stuff together. He wasn’t just about having fun, though. He took care of my friend as well, when his folks couldn’t. He was like a second father to him and that… that’s kind of how I see you.”
“I do appreciate that,” Jack said finally ina subdued voice, “and I hope you’ll always feel like you can trust me and rely on me… but Jason… I’m not a good man. There are things I’ve done… things I’ll have to do… that might make you think twice about me.”
Jason regarded Jack thoughtfully.
“After I became a Power Ranger, I had a long talk with Zordon. You see, I was worried that I’d make mistakes, overstep the boundaries… I was scared that I’d let it go to my head and that someone would end up getting hurt, or killed, as a result. After all, a lot of powerful men have gone that way. Zordon told me that the difference was that I was worried about those things. He said that when I stopped worrying about it all, then that was when there was a real problem. It’s the same for you. You admit that you haven’t always done right and you know you’re capable of… questionable things. The fact that you know and accept that about yourself tells me that you’re a much better man than you say you are.”
Overwhelmed, Jack pulled Jason into a ferocious hug.
“I will be honoured if you call me Uncle Jack.”
Jason smiled across at Ianto, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
“I guess I’ll have to wait for the wedding before I can officially call you Uncle Ianto.”
Ianto went beet-red in the space of a few seconds and Jack looked like he’d just been caught in the cross-hairs.
“We… uh… We don’t…” Jack stammered. The mischievous grin on Jason’s face faded to make way for something much more sincere.
“Maybe it’s none of my business and I am over-stepping the boundaries here, but I’ve watched you guys and you’re the same with each other as my parents. I know there are probably lots of things that I’m not aware of that make it complicated from where you stand but from where I stand? You obviously love each other. Why not get married, if you’re legally allowed to do it here? Wouldn’t you rather have a lifetime of memories together, than a lifetime apart wondering ‘what it’?”
Ianto and Jack exchanged wondering looks. Jason’s logic was simple but pragmatic and, as they stood there staring at each other, Ianto could see a new realisation dawning in Jack’s eyes. It was, he imagined, not dissimilar to what was going through his own mind.
Jack had always kept his lovers at a proverbial arm’s length, with a view to protecting himself from heartache when they inevitably died and left him behind. He was rarely successful, though. Ianto knew for a fact that Jack loved too freely and too deeply not to attach himself to his lovers. That had been all too obvious when Estelle had died. Jack’s devastation had been painfully clear to all, though only he and Gwen had recognised it for what it was.
Jason was right, and his observations were almost frightening in their clarity.
“Would you?” Jack asked, with more than a hint of nerves. “If I asked, would you?”
Ianto knew he could have responded in any number of ways but in the end, it was the sincerity and love that he saw in Jack’s face, heard in his voice and could feel practically radiating out from the Captain that prompted Ianto to respond with equal sincerity.
“Yes,” he answered softly, ignoring the blush that threatened to overwhelm him. “Yes, I would. I suppose the next question is, was that a proposal or are you only testing the waters?”
Jack uttered a short laugh that was very slightly tinged with nervous hysteria.
“Pun not intended. But in answer to your question…” He took a small step back, reached out and took Ianto’s hands in both of his. “I don’t have rings for us yet but I promise to rectify that. For now, all I have to give you is a promise to devote myself to you for the rest of your life. Ianto Jones, will you marry me?”
Ianto leaned in to kiss Jack soundly.
“Yes,” he answered simply. “I will, cariad.”
“Cool,” Jason said with enthusiasm.
“Cool?” Jack retorted amusedly. “That’s it? Just ‘cool’?”
“Well,” Jason said with a delighted grin, “I was just thinking. I’ve decided I don’t want to wait. I want to call you Uncle Ianto right now.”
Laughter erupted and Jack pulled Jason into a three-way hug.
“Having you around is going to be good for all of us, I can tell,” Jack enthused. “You’re amazing, kid.”
“I’m about as far from perfect as you can get,” Jason said dismissively, "but I think I’m gonna like being here. If this had to happen, then I’m glad this is where I ended up.”
Jack hugged him fiercely and when he spoke, it was for both Ianto and himself.
“So are we.”
* * * * *
The afternoon passed in a blur of activity. Taking Jason shopping had been a surprisingly pain-free experience. Jason had been very easy-going with his choices and Ianto had found himself having to encourage the teen to choose at least some popular brand clothes, with a mind to making his transition into a new school as smooth as possible. Bemused, Jason had given in but Ianto strongly suspected that it was more for his sake than Jason’s that the teen had allowed a selection of expensive, trendy clothing to be bought for him.
The longer the afternoon wore on, the more Ianto was certain that Jason cared not one jot about fashion trends or the latest popular teen technology, and that he considered such things to be shallow and unimportant. Despite his own liking for well-tailored suits, Ianto couldn’t help but find himself approving of Jason’s disregard of all the trappings of teen obsessions.
Jack, for his part, had been suspiciously well-behaved, reining in all the lewd and suggestive comments that Ianto was sure kept crossing his mind. In fact, with the exception of a half hour gap when Jack disappeared without a word as to where he was going, Ianto felt as though it had been a near perfect afternoon.
During that time, Ianto couldn’t help but fantasize that he was a regular bloke out for an ordinary day’s shopping with his boyfriend and their nephew. Reality would intrude soon enough, as was the case when Jack’s phone rang.
“Gwen,” Jack said with a resigned sigh.
“You’d best answer it,” Ianto said. “It may be something important. Besides, you know she’ll make a fuss if you don’t and I don’t fancy her turning up at the door tonight in the middle of tea.”
Rolling his eyes in a gesture eerily reminiscent of Ianto, Jack answered the call.
“Gwen. What’s happening?”
“Oh, Jack! I didn’t think you’d answer.”
“And yet she still called?” Jason muttered in a deliberately low voice. Jack concurred and decided he was in no mood to sugar-coat his reply.
“Then why did you call?”
The momentary silence on the other end told Jack that she hadn’t expected him to be quite so blunt.
“Well, I was just wondering where you were.”
Jason snorted, and threw a hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter. Glancing in bemusement at the youth, Jack answered with admirable restraint.
“We’re with Jason in Cardiff,” he answered, prompting a grin from both of his companions, and an indignant huff from Gwen.
“Obviously, but where in Cardiff? It’s quiet here, so I thought maybe I could join you. After all, don’t you think Jason could use a motherly influence?”
The sudden, stricken look on Jason’s face told Jack that he’d heard and was not at all pleased with her words. Stepping right away from Ianto and Jason, Jack spoke in a low, terse tone.
“A motherly influence, Gwen? Don’t you think that’s a little insensitive?”
The pause on the other end of the line could have been either good or bad, and he could almost hear Gwen mulling it over.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think. Of course, that was the wrong thing to say but I didn’t mean it to sound like I was wanting to replace his mother. It’s just that he is still a boy, after all, and children do need a mother figure and father figure in their lives. He’s lost both and no offence to you or Ianto, but neither of you is exactly capable of being a mother to him.”
Jack felt himself go cold at her words. He knew well enough that twenty-first century Earth people had a tendency to be blinkered and ignorant but he’d thought his team were better than that. It was a disappointment, to say the least, to hear those words coming from Gwen.
“Get back to work, Gwen,” he told her tonelessly. “I know you have a pile of paperwork to fill out. I suggest you get started because I’ll expect it complete and on my desk when I get in there tomorrow morning.”
“Jack, I…”
“Goodbye, Gwen.”
He snapped his phone shut and slipped it back into his pocket, ignoring it when it started ringing again almost straight away.
“Are you okay?” Jack asked Jason as he re-joined them. The teen nodded, though he still looked a little upset.
“Yeah. I know she probably didn’t mean that the way it sounded, but all I could think was that she thought she could replace my mom.”
“No one can do that,” Ianto reassured him. “Jack, are you all right? What did she say to you?”
Forcing a smile, Jack shook his head.
“Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”
Hurt though he felt, he didn’t want to reveal Gwen’s thoughtless words to Jason or Ianto. At some point, the teen would probably end up working alongside Gwen in some capacity and Jack didn’t want to make things worse between them than they already were. As far as Ianto was concerned, he didn’t want the young man’s working relationship tainted by what he hoped was just a moment of thoughtlessness on Gwen’s behalf.
The looks shared between Ianto and Jason told Jack that they both knew he wasn’t being honest with them but to his gratitude and relief, neither pushed for an answer.
“C’mon,” Ianto encouraged. “One more stop, and then we’ll head home.”
* * * * *
The last stop turned out to be a martial arts supply store and Jason was rendered speechless and on the cusp of tears when Ianto requested a complete outfitting for him, along with whatever equipment that Jason wanted. Encouraged by his new guardians, Jason selected a range of gear that would enable him to work out either alone, or with someone else.
“There are a number of karate schools around Cardiff,” Ianto said as Jack paid for everything. “When you’re ready, you can choose one and we’ll get you enrolled.”
“Thank you,” Jason said, sounding suspiciously choked up. “I really appreciate everything you’re doing for me but this… This is beyond amazing.”
“Clearly karate was a big part of your life,” Jack said. “If this helps to make it a less difficult transition, then that’s a good thing.”
“It’ll help,” Jason confirmed, clutching the bag that held his new gi and belt. There were, in fact, two gis – a white one to wear to whichever dojo he chose to join, and a jet-black one to wear when he was training in private. Part of him was a little disappointed that he hadn’t been able to get a red one but a larger part of him felt that maybe that was for the best. That part of his life was lost to him now. It was time to let go and move forward.
Both Jack and Ianto noted the emotions on Jason’s face and recognised them for what they were. Neither said anything, though, giving Jason the space and privacy that he needed. He’d be okay, they were both confident of that, but nor were they under any illusion that he wouldn’t experience periods of depression over the life that he was being forced to say goodbye to. He would be okay, but it was going to take time and patience, and that was something Jack, in particular, had in spades.
* * * * *
to be continued....
Chapter Eleven: Family Matters
Author: blucougar57
Summary: A new rift victim proves to be a revelation to the Torchwood team, and then some.
Rating: T
A/N: In which Gwen gets another verbal smack-down, Jason finally gets to leave Flat Holm, an unexpected proposal takes place, and Gwen gets another verbal smack-down. Did I mention that one twice? Trust me, it’s not a typo.
That evening
Tosh found Gwen at the back of the launch. She wasn’t sulking, but she clearly wasn’t happy, either.
“It’s not easy to accept that someone you’ve been at loggerheads with was right all along, is it?” Tosh said lightly. Gwen continued to stare out into the darkening evening, though Tosh wasn’t entirely sure what she was looking at. Flat Holm was no longer visible, not even a speck in the distance.
“I have to believe there’s a better solution, Tosh,” she said finally. Tosh could have screamed, and wondered that she managed to restrain herself.
“Why, Gwen? Why can’t you accept that what Jack is doing for those people is the best thing for them?”
Gwen shook her head stubbornly.
“It’s not right, though. We should be doing more.”
“We want to do more,” Tosh corrected her. “We can’t do more than what we’re already doing. None of us like it, Gwen. Don’t you think it’s time you stopped behaving as though you’re the only one who cares?”
Gwen snorted.
“Jack doesn’t care. He didn’t even care enough to keep looking for his own brother.”
“That is an incredibly offensive thing to say, and I would have expected much better from you.”
Both women started and turned at the sound of Ianto’s voice, and a shudder went through both of them at the anger on the young man’s face. To her credit, Gwen looked immediately contrite.
“God, I’m sorry,” she said in regret. “I had no right to say that.”
“No,” Ianto agreed. “You didn’t. Just be thankful that Jack isn’t where he could have heard you.”
“I’m just frustrated,” she offered, but there was no sympathy to be found in Ianto’s expression.
“Do you think Jack’s not frustrated? Don’t you think he would like to do more? Of course he would. He just understands what the reality is, and that is making life as safe, easy and comfortable as possible for the people in that facility. While you refuse to accept that reality, the subject of Flat Holm is just going to continue to cause grief. You might also want to keep in mind that if you continue carrying on like this, Jack may well ban you from Flat Holm altogether.”
Gwen’s reaction was as predictable as it was shrill.
“He can’t do that!”
“He’s the Director of Torchwood, Gwen,” Tosh reminded her wearily. “He answers only to the Queen and the Doctor. Of course he can do that.”
“It would be a last resort,” Ianto said, “but don’t think he won’t do it if you push hard enough. He’s tired of fighting you over this, Gwen. We all are.”
She looked from Ianto to Tosh, put out by their apparent solidarity against her.
“All of you?” she echoed sceptically, sounding very much as though she didn’t really believe that they could all have an opposing opinion to hers.
“Yes, Gwen,” Tosh said with a sigh. “All of us.”
“What do you want me to do?” Gwen burst out, an all-too-familiar defensiveness in her voice that had both Ianto and Tosh cringing and hoping Jack didn’t overhear. “I can’t just stop believing that I can do more. That would be like giving up, and I can’t do that.”
“Which is where it would have been good if you’d been able to work with Jason,” Ianto said with a sigh. At the boy’s name, Gwen’s expression went into shut-down, prompting Ianto to lift an eyebrow quizzically.
“What was said between you and Jason that’s put you so badly off-side? You might as well say, because I guarantee Jack will ask Jason about it when we visit him next.”
Gwen flushed red and laughed awkwardly.
“It was nothing, really. He misunderstood something I said and he thought I was insulting Jack.”
Ianto’s brow lifted higher still.
“You may as well give up the details.”
With a frustrated huff, Gwen finally capitulated.
“He said he hoped that he’d have a chance to pay Jack back some time, and I said he didn’t need to bother.”
“And?” Ianto pressed.
“I might have mentioned something about Jack having a big enough ego already. I didn’t mean anything by it but Jason blew it right out of context. He accused me of insulting Jack, and things just went south from there.”
Far from being angry, Ianto chuckled and visibly relaxed.
“He does have quite an ego, doesn’t he?”
“I suppose Jason just doesn’t know Jack like we do,” Tosh agreed with a smile.
A soft sigh escaped Gwen.
“I don’t like it, but I’ll try to stop pushing.”
Ianto nodded. Her concession was less than he’d hoped for but more than he’d expected. He just hoped that she would stick to her resolve.
“Thank you.”
It was a month almost to the day from when they’d found Jason. There had been tests, psyche evaluations, counselling... Whilst occasionally showing an understandable frustration, he’d still weathered all of it with relative patience and good humour. Now, though, the evaluation period was at an end and Jack did not need a written report to know that Jason was fit to leave Flat Holm. That was not an issue. The issue lay with what was to be done with the teen.
As far as Gwen, Tosh and Owen knew, nothing had been decided. What they didn’t know was that Jack and Ianto had set up their spare room for Jason, enrolled him at a nearby high school as Jack’s nephew and were planning to let him help out at the Hub in a limited capacity. They didn’t think that Tosh and Owen would object too strenuously. Gwen, however, was another matter.
While she had ceased her open objections to Jack’s running of Flat Holm, it was obvious that there were still tensions simmering beneath the surface. Every time the subject of Flat Holm came up, Gwen would get a look on her face like she desperately wanted to say something, only to change her mind at the last second.
Jack, in particular, was under no illusion about how Gwen would react to having Jason in the Hub. He just didn’t know if it was because she genuinely felt it was not the right place for a boy not yet out of school, or because she’d gotten a right dressing-down from the boy and was still smarting from it.
He suspected it was the latter, though he would never say so out loud. Not out of courtesy to her, mind, but rather to avoid making things uncomfortable for Jason. Ultimately, it didn’t matter. The decision had been made. He was officially Jason’s guardian and uncle, thanks to some creative hacking by Ianto.
It was Friday morning. The rift was predicted to be relatively quiet for a couple of weeks – an almost unheard of, but nonetheless a welcome respite. He and Ianto had headed straight out to Flat Holm to get Jason. Jack hoped the rift was true to predictions because he and Ianto had plans to take Jason shopping for clothes and other necessities, and also to show him around and familiarise him with Cardiff.
The teen was scheduled to start at the local public high school in a couple of weeks’ time. Jack had given him a choice of exclusive private schools to attend, but Jason had shied away from those. He was an average guy, he’d said, and didn’t belong in a fancy school for rich kids. When Jack had expressed concern, knowing that the reputation of the local high school was pretty tough, Ianto had merely chuckled and said that between Jason’s inoffensive attitude and his knowledge of karate, he would be just fine.
Jack hoped so. After dealing with so many lost souls, he desperately needed to see at least one rift victim regain a life for himself.
Unsurprisingly, Jason was with Jonah when they arrived. Out of respect, they waited patiently for Jason to emerge. When he did, the youth looked sombre.
“I hate leaving him,” he said simply, before either Jack or Ianto had a chance to ask. Jack slung an arm across the teen’s shoulders.
“You’ve been a good friend, and you’ll continue being a good friend. No, you won’t be able to see him every day but at the very least we’ll make sure you get out there once a fortnight.”
“In the meantime,” Ianto pointed out, “there’s the roster you’ve organised with the staff so that Jonah will always have someone with him at each end of the cycle. You’ve achieved a remarkable thing there, and we all appreciate it. Jonah, most of all.”
Jason, however, couldn’t bring himself to smile.
“This is going to sound selfish,” he admitted, “but I’m kind of worried about how I’m going to manage away from here. Whenever I’ve felt things were getting on top of me here, there’s been something… or someone else to focus on. I won’t have that once I’m away from here.” He paused, suddenly looking nervous. “I’m kinda shooting myself in the foot here, aren’t I?”
Jack chuckled.
“No, you’re not. We all have coping methods. There’s nothing wrong with that, and we might have a solution for you as far as finding a new focus. There’ll be plenty of time to talk about that later, though. Let’s get everything sorted out and then we’ll take you home.”
“I was wondering,” Jason said tentatively to the Captain as they headed away from Flat Holm Island in the launch, “would you mind if I called you Uncle Jack?”
Jack looked surprised and more than a little bit pleased.
“I wouldn’t mind that at all. I’d be honoured if you did. Besides, for all intents and purposes now, I am your uncle.”
Red-faced, Jason attempted to explain.
“I never had an uncle. Both Mom and Dad were only children. One of my friends had an uncle, though, and they were always doing stuff together. He wasn’t just about having fun, though. He took care of my friend as well, when his folks couldn’t. He was like a second father to him and that… that’s kind of how I see you.”
“I do appreciate that,” Jack said finally ina subdued voice, “and I hope you’ll always feel like you can trust me and rely on me… but Jason… I’m not a good man. There are things I’ve done… things I’ll have to do… that might make you think twice about me.”
Jason regarded Jack thoughtfully.
“After I became a Power Ranger, I had a long talk with Zordon. You see, I was worried that I’d make mistakes, overstep the boundaries… I was scared that I’d let it go to my head and that someone would end up getting hurt, or killed, as a result. After all, a lot of powerful men have gone that way. Zordon told me that the difference was that I was worried about those things. He said that when I stopped worrying about it all, then that was when there was a real problem. It’s the same for you. You admit that you haven’t always done right and you know you’re capable of… questionable things. The fact that you know and accept that about yourself tells me that you’re a much better man than you say you are.”
Overwhelmed, Jack pulled Jason into a ferocious hug.
“I will be honoured if you call me Uncle Jack.”
Jason smiled across at Ianto, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
“I guess I’ll have to wait for the wedding before I can officially call you Uncle Ianto.”
Ianto went beet-red in the space of a few seconds and Jack looked like he’d just been caught in the cross-hairs.
“We… uh… We don’t…” Jack stammered. The mischievous grin on Jason’s face faded to make way for something much more sincere.
“Maybe it’s none of my business and I am over-stepping the boundaries here, but I’ve watched you guys and you’re the same with each other as my parents. I know there are probably lots of things that I’m not aware of that make it complicated from where you stand but from where I stand? You obviously love each other. Why not get married, if you’re legally allowed to do it here? Wouldn’t you rather have a lifetime of memories together, than a lifetime apart wondering ‘what it’?”
Ianto and Jack exchanged wondering looks. Jason’s logic was simple but pragmatic and, as they stood there staring at each other, Ianto could see a new realisation dawning in Jack’s eyes. It was, he imagined, not dissimilar to what was going through his own mind.
Jack had always kept his lovers at a proverbial arm’s length, with a view to protecting himself from heartache when they inevitably died and left him behind. He was rarely successful, though. Ianto knew for a fact that Jack loved too freely and too deeply not to attach himself to his lovers. That had been all too obvious when Estelle had died. Jack’s devastation had been painfully clear to all, though only he and Gwen had recognised it for what it was.
Jason was right, and his observations were almost frightening in their clarity.
“Would you?” Jack asked, with more than a hint of nerves. “If I asked, would you?”
Ianto knew he could have responded in any number of ways but in the end, it was the sincerity and love that he saw in Jack’s face, heard in his voice and could feel practically radiating out from the Captain that prompted Ianto to respond with equal sincerity.
“Yes,” he answered softly, ignoring the blush that threatened to overwhelm him. “Yes, I would. I suppose the next question is, was that a proposal or are you only testing the waters?”
Jack uttered a short laugh that was very slightly tinged with nervous hysteria.
“Pun not intended. But in answer to your question…” He took a small step back, reached out and took Ianto’s hands in both of his. “I don’t have rings for us yet but I promise to rectify that. For now, all I have to give you is a promise to devote myself to you for the rest of your life. Ianto Jones, will you marry me?”
Ianto leaned in to kiss Jack soundly.
“Yes,” he answered simply. “I will, cariad.”
“Cool,” Jason said with enthusiasm.
“Cool?” Jack retorted amusedly. “That’s it? Just ‘cool’?”
“Well,” Jason said with a delighted grin, “I was just thinking. I’ve decided I don’t want to wait. I want to call you Uncle Ianto right now.”
Laughter erupted and Jack pulled Jason into a three-way hug.
“Having you around is going to be good for all of us, I can tell,” Jack enthused. “You’re amazing, kid.”
“I’m about as far from perfect as you can get,” Jason said dismissively, "but I think I’m gonna like being here. If this had to happen, then I’m glad this is where I ended up.”
Jack hugged him fiercely and when he spoke, it was for both Ianto and himself.
“So are we.”
The afternoon passed in a blur of activity. Taking Jason shopping had been a surprisingly pain-free experience. Jason had been very easy-going with his choices and Ianto had found himself having to encourage the teen to choose at least some popular brand clothes, with a mind to making his transition into a new school as smooth as possible. Bemused, Jason had given in but Ianto strongly suspected that it was more for his sake than Jason’s that the teen had allowed a selection of expensive, trendy clothing to be bought for him.
The longer the afternoon wore on, the more Ianto was certain that Jason cared not one jot about fashion trends or the latest popular teen technology, and that he considered such things to be shallow and unimportant. Despite his own liking for well-tailored suits, Ianto couldn’t help but find himself approving of Jason’s disregard of all the trappings of teen obsessions.
Jack, for his part, had been suspiciously well-behaved, reining in all the lewd and suggestive comments that Ianto was sure kept crossing his mind. In fact, with the exception of a half hour gap when Jack disappeared without a word as to where he was going, Ianto felt as though it had been a near perfect afternoon.
During that time, Ianto couldn’t help but fantasize that he was a regular bloke out for an ordinary day’s shopping with his boyfriend and their nephew. Reality would intrude soon enough, as was the case when Jack’s phone rang.
“Gwen,” Jack said with a resigned sigh.
“You’d best answer it,” Ianto said. “It may be something important. Besides, you know she’ll make a fuss if you don’t and I don’t fancy her turning up at the door tonight in the middle of tea.”
Rolling his eyes in a gesture eerily reminiscent of Ianto, Jack answered the call.
“Gwen. What’s happening?”
“Oh, Jack! I didn’t think you’d answer.”
“And yet she still called?” Jason muttered in a deliberately low voice. Jack concurred and decided he was in no mood to sugar-coat his reply.
“Then why did you call?”
The momentary silence on the other end told Jack that she hadn’t expected him to be quite so blunt.
“Well, I was just wondering where you were.”
Jason snorted, and threw a hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter. Glancing in bemusement at the youth, Jack answered with admirable restraint.
“We’re with Jason in Cardiff,” he answered, prompting a grin from both of his companions, and an indignant huff from Gwen.
“Obviously, but where in Cardiff? It’s quiet here, so I thought maybe I could join you. After all, don’t you think Jason could use a motherly influence?”
The sudden, stricken look on Jason’s face told Jack that he’d heard and was not at all pleased with her words. Stepping right away from Ianto and Jason, Jack spoke in a low, terse tone.
“A motherly influence, Gwen? Don’t you think that’s a little insensitive?”
The pause on the other end of the line could have been either good or bad, and he could almost hear Gwen mulling it over.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think. Of course, that was the wrong thing to say but I didn’t mean it to sound like I was wanting to replace his mother. It’s just that he is still a boy, after all, and children do need a mother figure and father figure in their lives. He’s lost both and no offence to you or Ianto, but neither of you is exactly capable of being a mother to him.”
Jack felt himself go cold at her words. He knew well enough that twenty-first century Earth people had a tendency to be blinkered and ignorant but he’d thought his team were better than that. It was a disappointment, to say the least, to hear those words coming from Gwen.
“Get back to work, Gwen,” he told her tonelessly. “I know you have a pile of paperwork to fill out. I suggest you get started because I’ll expect it complete and on my desk when I get in there tomorrow morning.”
“Jack, I…”
“Goodbye, Gwen.”
He snapped his phone shut and slipped it back into his pocket, ignoring it when it started ringing again almost straight away.
“Are you okay?” Jack asked Jason as he re-joined them. The teen nodded, though he still looked a little upset.
“Yeah. I know she probably didn’t mean that the way it sounded, but all I could think was that she thought she could replace my mom.”
“No one can do that,” Ianto reassured him. “Jack, are you all right? What did she say to you?”
Forcing a smile, Jack shook his head.
“Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”
Hurt though he felt, he didn’t want to reveal Gwen’s thoughtless words to Jason or Ianto. At some point, the teen would probably end up working alongside Gwen in some capacity and Jack didn’t want to make things worse between them than they already were. As far as Ianto was concerned, he didn’t want the young man’s working relationship tainted by what he hoped was just a moment of thoughtlessness on Gwen’s behalf.
The looks shared between Ianto and Jason told Jack that they both knew he wasn’t being honest with them but to his gratitude and relief, neither pushed for an answer.
“C’mon,” Ianto encouraged. “One more stop, and then we’ll head home.”
The last stop turned out to be a martial arts supply store and Jason was rendered speechless and on the cusp of tears when Ianto requested a complete outfitting for him, along with whatever equipment that Jason wanted. Encouraged by his new guardians, Jason selected a range of gear that would enable him to work out either alone, or with someone else.
“There are a number of karate schools around Cardiff,” Ianto said as Jack paid for everything. “When you’re ready, you can choose one and we’ll get you enrolled.”
“Thank you,” Jason said, sounding suspiciously choked up. “I really appreciate everything you’re doing for me but this… This is beyond amazing.”
“Clearly karate was a big part of your life,” Jack said. “If this helps to make it a less difficult transition, then that’s a good thing.”
“It’ll help,” Jason confirmed, clutching the bag that held his new gi and belt. There were, in fact, two gis – a white one to wear to whichever dojo he chose to join, and a jet-black one to wear when he was training in private. Part of him was a little disappointed that he hadn’t been able to get a red one but a larger part of him felt that maybe that was for the best. That part of his life was lost to him now. It was time to let go and move forward.
Both Jack and Ianto noted the emotions on Jason’s face and recognised them for what they were. Neither said anything, though, giving Jason the space and privacy that he needed. He’d be okay, they were both confident of that, but nor were they under any illusion that he wouldn’t experience periods of depression over the life that he was being forced to say goodbye to. He would be okay, but it was going to take time and patience, and that was something Jack, in particular, had in spades.
to be continued....
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Where did Jason disappear to for that half hour?
I can't wait for the next update.
More soon ... Please!
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That was a typo - it was supposed to read "Jack", not "Jason". I've fixed it now... :/
Thanks, and yes - next update will be next weekend.
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I bet I know where Jack went for that half an hour... *grins*
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And yes, it's going to be quite the showdown....
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And Gwen - what an annoying git! You write her so well, without exaggeration yet on the point - although it would be almost impossible to exaggerate her stupidity, I'm afraid. *g*
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I enjoy Gwen-bash that is deliberately exaggerated but, as we all know, anyone who wants to bash the character in their fics needs only to write her exactly how the writers portrayed her.
And I always liked the character of Jason - someone once said of the Power Rangers characters that they had the depth of a bathtub, and we just added to it. Jason has always been a great character to add depth to.
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Yay, for Tosh & Ianto, smacking down Gwen. Where does she get off thinking she knows Jack does not care enough about his brother? Tosh & Ianto have known him longer & know that is not true. That women will never learn, until it's too late. That is evidenced by her insensitive remarks in the phone call with Jack.
Can't wait for the fireworks when Gwen finds out that Jason will be staying with Jack & Ianto & that he is enrolled in school & will be helping out at the Hub. Also, that Jack & Ianto are engaged.
Now Jack needs to stop wimping out & formally assign an official Second In Command. I guess that may be too much to ask. Anyway, loving this story.
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And you might be interested to know that Tosh isn't done putting Gwen in her place...
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Love the update! :)
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