The concluding chapter ...

Stitch in Time

Chapter Eleven

The train was sat alongside the platform but Jack and Ianto had an excellent view from the mouth of the tunnel where they were standing. A short, blonde woman in tweeds and a more stylishly dressed and taller brunette were greeting Edgar Tredegar-Smith, the Head of Torchwood. A respectful distance away stood the stationmaster, resplendent in a uniform covered in more gold braid than an admiral's, and lined up were half a dozen young men and women. The only people moving were Tredegar-Smith's two minions who were unloading his suitcases and other belongings and putting them on a trolley; the man was obviously intending to stay.

Ianto recognised the woman in tweeds as Emily Holroyd and marvelled at her small stature, so at odds with her reputation even a century later. She was talking with Tredegar-Smith, the only two people that were saying anything, the rest were listening in respectful awe. Ianto's gaze went to the other people lined up on the platform, the Torchwood Three operatives. He couldn't quite believe that they were doing the same job as him. How did the women cope in their long skirts and corsets? He smiled as a picture of Toshiko and Gwen dressed in a similar way running after Weevils came to mind.

"They're moving at last," whispered Jack. "Thought they'd be there all night!" Emily was leading Edgar Tredegar-Smith along the platform in the company of the tall brunette. His minions trailed along behind with the bags. "We'll just wait until everyone else leaves too."

"I recognise Emily Holroyd, but who are the others?"

Jack snorted. "So Emily's reputation lives on, does it? Not surprised. Her constant companion is Alice Guppy, sadist of the first order." He shuddered theatrically. "She loves inflicting pain." He went on to name the others. "Only Charlie Gaskell missing, wonder how he managed to get out of it?"

"And you. Won't you be missed?" Ianto turned to look at Jack, having to peer into the darkness to see more than just a vague impression. The tunnel was very dark in comparison with the well-lit platform.

"Nope. I'm freelance, don't have to bow and scrape to visiting dignitaries."

He watched as two porters trundled the crates to the hoist where they would descend to the lower levels. The operatives were finally moving off, in ones and twos, and the train burst into life and inched away to the end of the line and the loop where the engine turned around. The stationmaster lingered a few more minutes, surveying his domain, before locking his office and walking importantly after the train to collect the journey logs from the driver, Tom.

"This is our chance," said Jack, taking Ianto's elbow. "Come with me, we'll be going down a level before heading back up." He led them up some shallow steps onto the platform and hurried across to the first staircase. They went down quickly but cautiously, making as little noise as possible. At the next level, Jack led them along a corridor and then into another until coming to a narrow staircase and heading up. They saw and heard no one and this made them careless.

They were sauntering along a damp corridor and Ianto's thoughts were far away, on the imminent parting from this version of Jack whom he would miss, miss a lot. Jack was a pace ahead when a man stepped from a shadowy alcove and grabbed Ianto. An arm was wrapped round his neck and a gun placed against his temple immobilising him completely. His gasp of surprise and alarm was the first Jack knew of it and he was several steps down the corridor before he turned round, hand reaching for his gun.

"Don't do it, Jack." The man holding Ianto spoke softly and with a cultured accent. "What are you up to?"

"Charlie." Jack smiled at the dark-skinned man, settling into a relaxed stance, hands well away from his gun. "Me? Up to something?"

"You always are." Charles Gaskell tightened his hold on the stranger. "Who's this and what's he doing here?"

"His name's Ianto Jones and he's my latest squeeze." Jack shrugged. "Ma's cutting up a bit rough about the number of people I take back to her place so I brought him here."

Ianto's heart was pounding. The pressure on his windpipe made it hard to breathe and the gun hurt where it was pressed hard against the side of his head. This was not good. They had come so close to success it was not fair that he had been discovered when about to complete his mission. Visions of being locked in a cell and tortured filled his mind and panic assailed him blocking out all else, he could not even concentrate on what Jack and the other man were saying.

"Rubbish! Ma Humphreys would do anything for you." Charles tightened his grip once more and Ianto stood on tiptoes to keep from choking, hands desperately clawing at the arm that held him but unable to move it; the man was strong.

A slow smile crept over Jack's expressive features. "Ah, should never have taken you back to meet her. Might have got away with it then." He moved a little closer.

"Stay back! I think I'll put you both in the cells, should loosen your tongues."

"Really, Charlie, thought you'd come up with something better than that." Jack took another pace forward. His eyes flicked from Charlie's face to Ianto and his gaze rested there. "Why don't you just kill him?"

In an instant, as their eyes locked, Ianto's mind cleared. That tone of voice was so familiar, conveying a suggestion though no one else would have recognised it as such. Continuing to struggle against the arm that held him, Ianto let one arm drop and reached into the pocket where he'd put his Glock. Jack and Charles Gaskell were speaking but Ianto tuned them out, concentrating on getting the gun out without attracting attention to himself. Only when it was clear of the pocket did he wonder what he would do with it. Should he kill Gaskell? What would that do to the timeline? He hesitated, looking across at Jack and listening to what was being said.

"Last chance, Jack. What did you do in London?"

"Went for a walk in the park, I told you. Can't think why you won't believe me." He was pleased Ianto had understood his message about the gun and could see it resting in the Welshman's hand. What he could not understand was why Ianto hadn't used it. Jack could distract Charlie for only so long.

Gaskell snorted with laughter. "Sneaking on and off the train? Wandering about the Hub with a stranger? All to enjoy a walk in the park! And the boss just happens to choose the same day to come and audit us? Pull the other one! "

"It's the truth. I have no idea what Tredegar-Smith is doing here." Jack spread his hands and shrugged to indicate his innocence, flicking a glance at Ianto who was still doing nothing. "You worried about an audit? Been cooking the books?" The flash in Gaskell's eyes told Jack that he had hit on something. "You have, you naughty boy!"

Ianto felt Gaskell's momentary loss of concentration and twisted violently loosening the arm round his neck. With one arm he knocked away the gun held to his temple and trained his Glock on Gaskell, drawing in a much needed draught of air and filling his starved lungs. Jack moved at the same time, taking charge of Gaskell's gun. In moments, he had one of the dark-skinned man's arms bent behind his back and his chin held so he could not cry out. They didn't want to attract any more attention.

"You took your time!" accused Jack, looking at Ianto.

"Sorry." Ianto lowered his gun and rubbed at his throat. "Now what?"

"Now we take Charlie to a quiet spot and he tells me all about whatever scheme he has going because I want to know why I didn't get a slice of the action." Jack's smile was feral. "I don't like being left out."

"We don't have time for that. Can't we just tie him up or something?"

"And have him blabbing about you? No, we're going to have to come up with something more permanent than that." Gaskell struggled on hearing this and Jack held him even tighter. "However, until then tying him up sounds like a good plan. And get a gag too."

It took five minutes to find an empty room, tie Gaskell to a metal chair and gag him. Only then did Ianto have a chance to pull Jack to one side for an urgent word. He was concerned that Jack was going to kill this man and he didn't want that to happen. Not only to protect the timeline but because he didn't want the death on Jack's conscience.

"Jack, I can't let you kill him."

"What are you talking about?" Jack looked at the young man in astonishment.

"You said you wanted a permanent solution. The only one is -"

"That forgetting pill of yours," interrupted Jack. "You've got more than one." He had seen them when Ianto had transferred them to the money belt.

"Oh." Ianto felt ridiculous; he had misjudged Jack again.

"You think I'd kill him? Am I that much of a monster in your time? Is that what's going to happen to me?" Jack turned away and took a few paces into the room. The more he discovered about his future self the more he dreaded the next century.

"I'm sorry, cariad," said Ianto coming up behind Jack, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder. "It's all I could think of; you always have much more sense than me." He was relieved when Jack turned to face him but the hurt in the older man's eyes was painful to see especially as he – Ianto – was the cause. "Retcon it is."

Over the next hour Jack interrogated Charles Gaskell, getting all the details of a small time fraud involving the hire of horses and other means of transportation. Ianto fretted over the time it was taking but said nothing as he didn't want to upset Jack again. He felt awful for implying the man was a wanton killer and wanted to make it up to him. Finally Jack had all he needed, written on a scrap of paper so he would remember it later.

"Right, time to get on," Jack said. He knew Ianto had to leave but he was finding it very hard to let go of the precious day of happiness he had known with this man. Not only was he losing Ianto, he was losing all memory of him too. "How does this pill work?"

Aware of Jack's feelings, Ianto smiled reassuringly. "Once swallowed it'll make you sleepy. When you wake, in a few hours, you'll have forgotten the last day."

"How long after it's taken before you lose consciousness?" By concentrating on the details Jack hoped to get through this parting without breaking down and begging Ianto to stay. Or knocking him out and disabling the man's teleport.

"About half an hour."

Jack stared at the floor as he considered their options. "Okay. We don't have time to get you back to Ma's, you'll have to go back as you are."

"But my suit …" interrupted Ianto.

"Will be a mystery I'll have plenty of time to mull over." Jack took Ianto by the upper arms and gazed into his eyes. "We can't leave Charlie here, it's too risky: he'll either be missed or someone will find him. You have to get out now while the coast is clear. We'll give Charlie his pill. I'll take one just before you leave and have time to get him upstairs." He smiled, trying to be his normal assured self. "It'll look like we were sleeping here. Okay?"

Ianto hesitated but then nodded, it was the sensible way forward. "Okay."

They administered the drug to an unwilling Gaskell and left him where he was before returning to the place where Ianto had arrived. They did not speak, both men lost in their own thoughts, annoyed their time together had been cut short by Gaskell's intervention. Ianto was storing up impressions of this place and time and the man walking beside him. He wanted, somehow, to make Jack feel better about himself but he didn't know how, not when he was going to forget all that had occurred over the past twenty four hours. Ianto sensed Jack distancing himself, pulling away into a safe place where he could endure the separation and the next hundred years.

All too soon they arrived.

"I'm going to miss you," said Ianto, enveloping Jack in a fierce embrace.

Jack chuckled, able even in his own distress to see the humour in the situation. "You're going to see me again in a few minutes."

"No, not you. The same face, the same body but not you as you are now." Ianto hoped he was making some kind of sense. "You change."

"Gotta a lot of living to do, bound to change a man." He patted Ianto's back then eased out of the embrace. "Let's have that pill." He held out his hand and pulled a face when Ianto placed the small, while pill in his palm. "Such a little thing."

"I'm sorry you have to take it but ..." Ianto couldn't complete the sentence.

"But I have to. I know. It's been good, knowing you and I ..." He sighed and took a deep breath. "It's helped, knowing there's a future for me. And someone to share it. Think I might remember that much?"

"Perhaps." It was possible. Gwen had thrown off the effects of the Retcon altogether and Jack was as strong if not stronger than her. He could well remember something of this day. He watched as Jack dry-swallowed the pill. "I love you," Ianto said, kissing Jack with all the passion he possessed.

Jack was unable to say anything. Not only was he enjoying this last embrace but he found his throat was thick with emotion. He gently pushed Ianto away. "Quick now, before I change my mind and kidnap you."

Ianto laughed, blinking back tears. He retrieved the teleport from the money belt and held it in his hands. "Be seeing you." Even saying this, Ianto hesitated, unwilling to activate the teleport and leave this man behind.

"Go! Got the Orb?"

"Yeah. Bye then." He resolutely slid his thumbnail over the activation panel.

-ooOoo-

So much happened in the hours after Ianto's return to 2008 that he didn't get a chance to talk to Jack privately until late at night. Gwen and the other hostages had been recovered and she was now at home with Rhys. Owen had left too, off to get drunk after seeing the Dellans on their way. Toshiko was at her desk, studying the scans she had made of the Orb, so involved in her work she didn't notice Ianto as he walked through the work area with mugs of coffee. In the office, Ianto placed the blue striped mug before Jack and sat on the visitor's chair.

"Back to normal I see." Jack smiled as he spoke, reaching for the coffee.

Ianto looked down at his modern suit. He'd only just showered and changed out of his 1900s gear. "Yes."

"You took a hell of a risk today." Jack leant back in his chair, coffee held in both hands before him.

"Not really. I knew you'd help me." He smiled at the older man, remembering the storm of anger from this Jack when he'd learnt what Ianto had done and heard about his adventures.

"You were lucky!" Jack sighed deeply and took a sip of coffee. "I always wondered what happened back then. Lots of ... tantalising reminders that something had."

"I did wonder if the Retcon would work on you." He shifted uncomfortably, not sure what Jack remembered of that very special day. He had told him and the others the main points but not about the private times between the two men. "The Hub was different back then. Can't believe this was the stationmaster's office," he continued, smiling, "or that there was a lake out there." He nodded towards the lower level. "I did some checking, seems it all changed in the earthquake of 1908."

"Lots of things changed then, lots of people died."

"Were you there?" Ianto shivered as he thought of Jack buried under tons of rubble.

"No. I was in India. Came back to find most of my friends dead."

They were silent for a moment or two before Ianto spoke again. "I was checking on some people, those I met. Couldn't find any trace of Edgar Tredegar-Smith, there's nothing about him in any of the records."

"He was Torchwood's biggest scandal - which is saying something! - and his successors wiped him from the records."

"What did he do?"

"He was a traitor, gave alien technologies to the Germans and helped start the war. First World War, that is. Without him it may never have happened."

Ianto was stunned. "So he was executed?"

Jack smiled grimly, opened his mouth to say something and changed his mind. "That's right," he said finally. No need for Ianto to know that the man had been held captive and used for experimentation for years.

"I found that Wally Jenkins and Charles Gaskell died at the Somme."

"Yeah, them and a lot of other good men."

Jack sipped his coffee and watched Ianto who was obviously affected by what had happened to men he had met only hours earlier in his personal timeline. The Welshman needed cheering up. Placing the mug on the table, he pulled out his gold watch and chain from a waistcoat pocket. "See this?" He pointed to something round and metallic hanging from the chain.

Ianto leant forward and took a closer look. "A coin. A pound coin."

"Found it in my room later that year. Never understood how I got a coin from 2008."

"Oh my God, it was mine!" Ianto gasped, remembering Jack putting it in a bowl with some other useless currency. He explained what had happened. "I'd forgotten all about it."

"Forgot your suit too. It was hanging behind my door."

"We were going back for that," explained Ianto, "but were jumped by Charles Gaskell and had to leave it behind." He explained what had happened. "I'm a lousy time traveller."

"So don't try it again!" Jack had already secured the Newok teleport in his personal archives behind triple locks so no one else could use it.

"I won't. Makes me sick." Ianto had been copiously sick in the work area after his return, much to Toshiko's alarm. "Time-travel sickness," he added with a smile.

"Affects people that way sometimes."

"Did I leave any other reminders of my visit?" Ianto asked before finishing his coffee.

Jack smiled, too relieved to have Ianto back safely and the Dellan threat removed to be really angry at the risks the boy had taken. "Not a reminder as such, more a consequence." He reached into a drawer of his desk and took out a tin. Rifling through the contents he handed Ianto a photograph in a paper folder.

"Can't be us, I'd remember if we'd had our picture taken," he joked. Opening it he gaped. "Oh my God," he said eventually. The photograph was a wedding photograph of Jack and ... "Lally Prendergast! You married Lally!"

"Yes. She told me I owed her for her help, me and 'my young Welsh friend'. Didn't know what she was talking about, of course, but I never turn down advances from a pretty woman."

"I tried to trace her but couldn't." Ianto was staring, trying not to be hurt that Jack had been married and not told him. "What happened to her?"

"She died. In 1907, scarlatina. That's why I went off to India, anything to get away." He smiled weakly at Ianto. "I'm glad someone else remembers her now."

Ianto stood and walked round the desk, perching on the edge close to Jack. "I'll do that. And I'll remember a very kind man who looked after a stranger when he was dire need. A man took me to Kew Gardens for a wonderful day out. A man who made love to me in the luggage rack of a railway carriage," he added very quietly.

Jack's bark of laughter rang round the Hub. "I got you up there?"

"You did. Was wearing these at the time." Pushing aside his tie, Ianto opened a couple of shirt buttons and revealed the long johns underneath. "Want to see how good I look in them?"

"You know I do." Jack reached out and pulled Ianto onto his knee.

Outside in the work area, Toshiko had looked up when Jack laughed and now saw that it was clearly time for her to depart. Very quietly she slipped out of the Hub leaving Jack and Ianto to get reacquainted.

Many thanks for reading this story - Jay