Hell Revisited

Ianto stood in the small kitchen at Torchwood Three, waiting for the coffee machine to do it's magic. It spluttered and gurgled until the amber nectar finally filled the coffee pot and permeated it's coffee goodness through the Hub. Once done, Ianto put 5 cups, a jug of milk and a sugar bowl on a silver tray, then the coffee pot and took it up to the boardroom. Placing it on the table, he sat down, looking around at the other four members of Torchwood Three.

It had been a rather slow week. The Rift had been quiet and most of their days was spent stocktaking, translating documents, liaisoning with the local constabulary, or in Ianto's case, filing in the archives.

Jack had caught up on a backlog of paperwork that needed to be sighed, photocopied and filed.

"So what do you want to do today, guys?" Jack asked. leaning back and lacing his fingers behind his head. "Rift Alert is quiet. Tosh says it'll be that way all today." He signed. "All paperwork is up to date."

Owen leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. "I could do with a day off, Jack."

Gwen and Tosh giggled.

"Not going to happen, Owen," said Gwen. "Trust me."

That even brought a smile to the ever serious Ianto Jones' face.

"We could go on that field trip," said Ianto, clearing his throat.

All eyes fell on him.

"Field trip?" asked Jack, his brow turning into a frown.

"We've been meaning to go back to that village.…the cannibals, remember? You said we should."

"Yeah, I remember." Jack looked around the table. "I wasn't sure if anyone else wanted to come with me. Given what you all went through." His eyes roamed the room and came to rest on Ianto.

For all his bravado, Ianto didn't really want to go back there. Not after the last time.

He could still feel that meat cleaver at his throat. Smell her foul breath on his face. He swallowed, trying to keep the bile down.

"It has to be done, sir." He stood up, poured their coffee.

"Yeah." Jack replied. "It does."

TWTWTW

It had been almost a month since that fateful day.

People were mysteriously vanishing on the Breacon Becons. Torchwood went to investigate.

They weren't quite sure if the Rift extended that far.

Ianto remembered the smell….the countless shoes….the pain of being beaten and the bite from her. Tasting his flesh….licking his skin….

He wanted to know what turned a whole village into cannibals. What made them want to eat human flesh every 10 years.

Gwen asked. The reply. "Because I enjoy it."

After what happened to Lisa, Ianto's first few months at Torchwood had been quite eventful, for all the team..

It made him think twice about wanting to stay.

In his drawer back at his flat, Ianto had his resignation all typed out, ready to give to Jack.

One day he thought, One day

TWTWTW

After ten minutes, they had all finished their coffee.

Jack looked around the table. "So, who's comin' with me?"

Three hands were raised in the air. Gwen. Tosh. Owen. Ianto sighed, reluctantly half raising his hand, too.

"Right then, we better get a move on. I want to be there and back, today," Jack said, looking at them.

Ianto went to pick up the tray, but decided to leave it. He'd have something to do when they got back later on.

He was trembling, deep inside. Hoping no one would notice.

Loading up the SUV, the five Torchwood members got inside the car. Jack drove, with Owen beside him and Tosh, Gwen and Ianto in the back seat.

They drove to the Breacon Becons in almost total silence.

Each member was remembering their own experience at the village from hell.

Gwen had been shot by one of the survivors.

Owen had been chased and taken prisoner.

Tosh had been terrified and had eventually escaped - with the help of Ianto - only to be captured again.

Ianto nearly had his throat cut and was mercilessly beaten and bitten by the cannibals. But he had taken on one of them to allow Tosh to escape.

Jack had waded in, guns blazing, saving his team.

Each had their own reasons for not wanting to go back. But they had to face their demons and get the job done.

Ianto didn't want to go because it terrified him. Coming so close to death can do that to you. He wanted to kick himself for mentioning it in the first place. He wanted to bite his tongue. Turn back the clock. Erase his memory. Anything, but go back to that village.

As the SUV drove through the grass covered countryside, Jack looked in the real view mirror and spied Ianto. Eyes closed, head slightly bent backwards.

"Ianto, you okay?"

Shaking his head, Ianto opened his eyes and glanced into the mirror, meeting Jack's gaze. "Sir? Er, yes, I'm fine." He forced a smile.

Liar, Jack thought.

Coming up on the village, Jack parked the SUV and they sat in the car, staring out at the buildings before them.

Gwen felt a shiver go through her body, as she put a hand to her side where she'd been shot.

Owen glance back at Gwen, remembering the shotgun pellets he'd removed from her side.

Tosh touched Ianto's hand, remembering what he'd done, so she could get away, not even giving a thought to his own safety.

Ianto just sat there, cold creeping up his spine. His eyes not wanting to focus on the buildings. Bile threatening to choke him. He swallowed hard. That cold feeling was rising in his spine again.

Jack sensed each one of his teams misgivings at being here again, as his hand reached for the door handle.

"Let's get this over with."

As they all exited the car, Jack opened the back door and waited for Owen and Ianto to join him. Taking a large box out of the back, Ianto carried it to the first building, placing it on the ground. Owen carried a similar box to the next building. Jack got a bundle of fuse wire and followed the two men. Gwen and Tosh stood together, as if supporting each other. Watching.

Going into the first building, Ianto pulled sticks of dynamite from the box and took them inside. He placed them strategically around the lower floor for maximum damage. Owen did the same in the other building. Jack took the fuse wire from the main box to both buildings, attaching it to a stick of dynamite, before they all went back outside to stand by the girls.

They were all well back from the buildings.

Putting the two fuse wires from the buildings in the main box, Jack pulled up the plunger and turned to Ianto. "Be my guest." He smiled, weakly.

Stepping forward, Ianto went down on one knee and pushed the plunger down.

Both buildings were blown sky high.

The Torchwood Team stood back and watched as the bricks and wood were thrown into the air.

Hopefully, memories of the village from hell erased a little.

TWTWTW

UNIT had moved in the day after Torchwood had left, a month ago, taking all the human remains and shoes with them. The village had been left to the elements. Now deserted, it got what it deserved….annihilation!

Let's hope the inhabitants of the village got what they deserved….a life behind bars….with no meat.

TWTWTW

Driving back to Cardiff that afternoon, the Torchwood Team felt better.

The village from hell was no more.

They had fought their personal Beacon demons and won.

"Shall I order food for when we get back?" asked Ianto.

Jack smiled. "Good idea."

Ianto got his phone out.

TWTWTW

Sitting in the boardroom, takeaway Chinese carton on the table, the members of Torchwood Three ate in total silence. Then….

"I was thinking of going to a club near my flat," said Ianto, to no one in particular. "They're open til 6am. Anyone care to join me?"

Jack smiled.