Chapter Text
Ianto watched Jack with a trembling smile, until unshed tears blurred his figure. He never would've known hearing those three words coming from Jack was something he had needed and now, maybe, he could die as a happy man. Or he should, but he still hesitated. He clutched to the bomb in his hands, so hard, it prevented them from shaking, his thumbs hovering above the switch.
"You did the right thing, son." Thaddeus said as he stared at the shattering pub with Ianto. "You would have disappeared."
"I know, but I didn't do it for me. I did it for him. He might think drifting along with the rift would be a good idea now, but... that's not for Jack. He's always moving, always wanting to see and experience more." Ianto tore his eyes away from Jack, to smile tightly at his father standing there beside him. "You should go now, before the rift sucks you too."
"It didn't sound like he was moving on..." Thaddeus muttered out loud, looking towards Jack, before he turned to look his son. "What are you planning to do?"
"I-I don't know, Dad. He seemed so lonely and- He is lonely. I wish we could've had more time, even though it still would've been just a blip in time. I wish we could've more." His voice broke and he lowered his head to look at the bomb, heavy in his hands. "This, Dad, this is my last chance to be by his side again. It may not work. I just have this hunch, that maybe the rift can't be sealed completely. Maybe it will explode to the other side, I don't know." He wiped the tears away and turned to look at his father. "But what's the worst thing that could happen? I'm already dead you know." Ianto tried to laugh but failed, the noise escaping his mouth like a suffocated hiccup.
Thaddeus looked at his son and slowly nodded. He knew how he felt and there was nothing he could do to stop him now. The time was running out.
"I'm proud of you, son." Thaddeus reached out his hand and tapped Ianto's shoulder.
Ianto was surprised but nodded. Never in a million years he would've thought he'd hear those words from his own father's mouth. He wanted to say something, anything, to tell him how he felt: the anger and affection battling inside his head, but there was nothing to say. It didn't matter anymore. "Goodbye, Dad. " Ianto felt tears streaming down his face. "Please say hi to Mum and Lisa for me. And… to Tosh and Owen."
His father smiled and nodded before he disappeared. ”Goodbye, son.”
Ianto stared at the space where his father had occupied, before he turned to look at the bomb once more. He wiped his face and sent a little prayer. To who? He didn't know. Maybe to Jack. Maybe to Jack's Doctor. It didn't really matter. He just hoped that someone would hear it.
Ianto took a deep breath…
…and pushed the button.
--
First thing he felt was a horrible headache, splitting his head in two.
Then he felt a cold and hard floor underneath him.
Next thing he recalled was that his knees were sore, probably covered with bruisers.
Over all he didn't feel like a dead man at all. That's when he felt the courage to open his eyes.
The first thing that greeted him back to life was a bright light, shining right into his eyes. Ianto grumbled and covered his eyes with his hand. His headache was unbearable. Ianto tried to remember what was the last thing he had done? Then he remembered Jack's tear filled eyes and a horrible feeling, like suffocating. The Thames house.
But there was something more, a strange feeling like something had happened after that. A switch. He remembered looking at a bomb. Yes, that was it. The most haunted pub on Wales! He had pressed the switch and hoped that he would survive, and here he was. Breathing and feeling quite normal if the headache didn't count. But where exactly was here?
Ianto slowly sat up and looked around. He was at a long corridor which seemed to go on forever. He saw no windows, so it was impossible to determinate was it day or night or was he on Earth at all. The ceiling was high and round bright lamps lighted the hallway. A light hum seemed to go on and off every two minutes, probably air-conditioning.
Ianto tried to stand up but everything started to spin around him. He searched support from something, anything around him and tried not to throw up. The feeling passed away quickly. He shook his head and tried to gather his thoughts. He leaned towards the nearby wall, but just as his hand touched the cold surface, the wall turned transparent, like a large window appearing to it. Ianto startled and quickly withdrew his hand away, but when he saw what was out there, he slowly walked back. Staring out of the window, not quite believing his own eyes.
"Just my luck…" He whispered to himself as he stared outside to a never ending space. He could see hundredths of stars against the dark surface, but no Earth, no home, in anywhere within his sight. He saw only small spaceships floating around. He was probably in a similar one right now.
Slowly he lifted his hand to touch the window again. At the same time his fingertips brushed the cold glass, the window disappeared again, leaving only solid wall to its place.
Where the hell was he?
Just as he contemplated on touching the surface again, to examine the outside space a bit more, he heard a familiar and terrifying voice echo down the corridor, which send shivers down his spine (and not in a good way).
"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"
”Shit...” Ianto breathed out.