Title: The Leaving Tears

Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Captain Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones

Warnings: Angst/Fluff

Summary: One Shot, Jack's back from the year that never was but Ianto has had enough of the waiting. (Jack && Ianto POVs) Inspired by the songs 'The Leaving Song' By AFI and 'Tears Don't Fall' By Bullet For My Valentine.

Author Notes: The Leaving Song inspires Ianto's POV and Tears Don't Fall inspires Jack's. When my iPod was on shuffle, The Leaving Song came on and I was like…hmmm Ianto much…then Tears Don't Fall came on and hmm…even better!

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood, Ianto, Jack, AFI or Bullet For My Valentine, which sucks 'cause it'd be awesome to own any of them.

The hub was empty of everyone but Jack and I. I was about to leave, sick of being stuck in the hub. He left and I'd finally had enough. I waited and waited. The worse part of all was that he left moments after waking from a week long death. He was the one to walk away in my mind and I had decided to simply reinforce his choice. Jack started heading in my direction and I walked towards the door.

"Ianto?"

I sighed and stopped in my tracks. I turned around and tried to keep on my business mask.

"Sir?"

"Stay back a little while, please?"

The pained sound of his voice almost broke me but I held firm. I wouldn't let him stop me from making this decision.

"I can't do this anymore Jack." I let the mask slip, let him see how much it hurt.

"What are you talking about?" Jack took a few steps forward and I closed my eyes, hanging my head a little lower.

"This, us. It's too hard. It's hard to find the good in this."

I turned away and walked towards the cog door. I felt the tears stinging at my eyes at the thought of leaving him but I had to. It was for both of our sakes. I thought of all the happier times in that moment, what I was going to miss. It's hard to notice what's passed us by at the time. Seems like our hearts are cursed, or at least mine is. I'm falling apart as I walk away from him but I know it's the best thing for both of us.

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This can't be the end. I've never felt this way about anyone. I watch him while he sleeps. As he walks away I can feel myself slowly becoming numb, I need him here to feel anything. Everything seems worthless without him.

"Wait, Ianto!" I call his name but I don't know if he really, truly hears it and I want to tell him where I was but I don't know what he'd say.

Would he stick with me if he knew my shame? I never wanted to leave, Ianto was the one that I thought of most. I grabbed his hand and tugged him back.

"Please don't do this Ianto." I begged.

I felt the tears stinging at my eyes and I wanted to wrap my arms around him but I knew that Ianto would only fight it.

"You did this Jack, not me. You were the one that left." Ianto pointed out.

"I didn't want to leave you, it was the only way."

"And a note was too much to ask for?"

"I didn't realize, I'm sorry."

Ianto shook his head, shutting his eyes tight and I could see he was fighting back tears.

"It's too late for that Jack, you had your chance."

The memories and moments we shared are fading as he stood there, throwing it away.

"Why Ianto?"

"There's always something going wrong, why do we always have to save the world? Why did you have to leave?"

"Do you honestly want to know?"

"Yes! I'm sick of lies and half truths Jack, tell me!"

"I left because the Doctor was my last hope at becoming mortal again and if I was mortal, I could have a full life with you. I don't want this…curse."

Ianto stared at me, seeing the tears in my eyes. I wanted him to know how much this hurt.

"Jack, I waited for months, for months I cried myself to sleep. You weren't there, I thought about you, I dreamt about you but it was never you. No dream can compare to you and I can't take feeling so unsure."

"Ianto, look at me." I cupped his face in my hands, "I was gone for a year and everyday, I thought about you. You were what kept me going, the thought of coming home to you. Don't let this screw everything up. I've been walking in the wrong direction for so long but I know that I need to be with you. How do I make things better?"

Ianto whimpered and I hugged him to me, trying to comfort him as he finally let out the pain. He cried into my shoulder as I rubbed soothing circles on his back. I cried too. I cried for the pain I had caused him and for the even worse pain ending this would bring.

"I'm so sorry Jack." Ianto pulled away and turned to leave.

I feel so much guilt but I don't know how to make it better. I've seen this pain before and I can't take it from Ianto. I died for him all those hundreds of times in the year I was gone. He was the one on my mind. If Ianto leaves, I'll die more than ever before. I will be walking dead.

"Ianto." I grabbed his arm and turned him back to face me, "I died so many times while I was gone and you were always on my mind. I thought 'Will this ever end? Will I ever see my Ianto again?' and then I died one more time. Please, please don't let it end like this."

Ianto stared into my eyes for a moment and I said the first thing that came to my head.

"I know I'm not a perfect person. I need to keep learning. I never meant to hurt you. You're the reason I keep fighting."

Ianto hugged me to him and I wrapped my arms firmly around him. I held his head to my shoulder, breathing in his beautiful scent. I missed him so much. To be so close was amazing and I felt like all the moments we shared before I left were short lived, were taken for granted.

"I won't take you for granted ever again Yan." I murmured.

He pulled away just enough to look me in the eyes and I wiped the lone tears from his face.

He smiled up at me, "Do you promise?"

"I would promise you the world Ianto."

Ianto grinned and pushed forward, kissing me tenderly. God, how I've missed those soft lips. I promised at that moment to look after the Welshman, to never leave him unless I absolutely had to. I haven't broken that promise yet and I never intend to.

Hope you liked. Review and I'll be forever grateful hehe.

Cheers,
Gabz
xx