Title: Not Ready To Lose You

Author: badly-knitted

Characters: Jack, Ianto

Rating: PG

Spoilers: CoE Day Four.

Summary: A mini fix-it for the events of Day Four.

Word Count: 526

Written For: saral_hylor's prompt 'Any - any - he/she still had so much to live for,' at fic_promptly.

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood, or the characters. They belong to the BBC.

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OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

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He still had so much to live for, this couldn't be happening!

Jack held his lover in his arms, watching him struggle for every breath. This was wrong, just so wrong. Ianto was barely twenty six, had hardly begun to live, and yes, they'd joked about it, about how Torchwood agents died young, how it would be a miracle if he reached thirty…

Something inside Jack snapped. He couldn't let this happen, not now, maybe not ever. Ianto didn't deserve this, he shouldn't have let the young man come with him on this fool's errand, should have made him stay behind at the warehouse, where he would be safe, or at least safer. There were things he could have done there that might have been helpful. Dying shouldn't be on the agenda.

"No. This is not going to happen!"

He'd done it before, saved Ianto when he should have died. He could do it again. Pulling Ianto into a kiss. Jack forced his breath and some of the vortex energy that filled him into his lover's lungs. He had more than enough life for the both of them, even though he could feel the 456's virus starting to do its deadly work on him as well. Because of the vortex energy, it was taking longer to affect him, longer to kill him. That had to be good enough; he wasn't about to lose someone else he cared for. No, not 'cared for'. Someone he loved.

Jack was still trying to share some of his excess life force with Ianto when the virus ended his own life. His last thought was a prayer to every deity he'd ever heard of that it would be enough.

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OoOoOoOoO

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Waking without his customary first gasp of breath, Jack turned to the covered body beside him, pulling back the red cloth to reveal Ianto's face. He was so still, so pale, and Jack caught himself holding his breath, waiting, hoping for Ianto to wake. Seconds ticked past, turning to minutes, and still there was no sign of life.

If at first you don't succeed…

As he had back in Thames House, Jack leant over to try once more. He could feel the life coursing through his own body; it always seemed more abundant just after resurrection, like he was overflowing with it. As he breathed into Ianto, golden tendrils slipping from one mouth to the other, he felt Ianto's lips warm and soften beneath his own, but he didn't stop until arms wrapped around him and Ianto started kissing back. He let the kiss last a little longer, just to be sure, then finally pulled back.

"Jack? What happened? I thought I died."

"You did, but I'm not ready to lose you, Ianto Jones. I love you, so I brought you back. Now, what d'you say we go kick some 456 butt?"

"I say lead on, Captain, we have a battle to win! Oh, and Jack?"

Jack turned to look at him.

"Just for the record; I love you too."

They might have the mother of all battles ahead of them, but just at that moment, Jack felt like he'd already won.

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The End