What are the Odds?
A Torchwood Fic

By Tenshi-Chan

Notes:
Not really a CoE fix-it.

Set during Miracle Day

Hints of events that take place in the series "Mine, All Mine"

Mention of something that happens in "Almost Perfect" by James Goss

Mentions of the audio drama "House of the Dead"

Jack sauntered into the bar, intending to get very drunk. Since he was no longer immortal, that was finally possible for the first time in decades. He had forgotten what it felt like. It had been the main reason why he never drank alcohol before. There was no point in throwing money away when he wouldn't even get the payoff. He moved through the bodies that were gyrating to the music and up to the bar.

He grinned as he sipped the drink and made some small talk with the bartender. He was about to offer a button from his RAF coat when a hauntingly familiar voice spoke up next to him.

"You harm that coat, I'll have to deck you for it." A hand slapped the bar. "Two beers!"

Jack slowly turned and felt his blood freeze in his veins. It was impossible. There was just no way that it could be happening, but there was no denying it. As Jack studied the profile of the speaker, he felt his eyes prickle. If he didn't know better, he would swear he was looking at Ianto Jones, although he looked a little younger.

The other man turned to him and quirked his eyebrow in a way that almost broke Jack's heart. "You all right?"

Someone from another table shouted. "Oi! What's taking you so long?"

The Ianto look-alike let out what could only be an exhasperated breath and turned. "Shut it!" He then paid for the drinks and headed for the table, pausing to give Jack a once-over and smiled in a way that wrenched Jack's already aching heart. "Love that coat."

Jack followed him like a moth drawn to a candle flame. He paused when the fellow with the young man noticed him.

Ianto's twin turned and slowly smiled. "Care to join us?"

Jack found himself smiling. "Oh yeah." It hurt like hell, but he could pretend Ianto was back. He had loved Ianto's voice, and he would go to almost any length to listen to it again.

The young man with the object of Jack's attention hissed. "Are you a loony? You don't know this guy! We didn't take the trip from Wales so you could pick up homocidal maniacs."

There was a snort in response as Jack sat down. "Oh, really, Thomas? And you're such an expert at starting relationships, are you? What was the opening line of that twink you tried to set me up with?" He tilted his head and then rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah! 'My dad owns the town!' he said. That was the most interesting thing he said all night. After that, there was nothing at all. I finally had to settle for hanging out with some birds on a girls' night out. Thought he'd make a move then, but no! No small talk, nothing!" He took a sip of the beer. "And WHY did you introduce us?" He turned to Jack. "Not because he thought the two of us would really hit it off, but because he needed a character referance because he was caught smuggling tortoises." He shook his head. "Made me feel like a rent boy! And, to top it all off, he wasn't even legal yet!"

His friend let out a sound of indignation. "He was a few hours from his sixteenth birthday! He would have been legal then."

"Oh, yeah! That would have sounded just peachy to a PC! 'I know he's only fifteen, officer, but his birthday is tomorrow. My mate decided to give me to him as a birthday present in return for putting a good word in for him.' They would never have charged me with statutory rape." He tilted his head at Jack. "You keep staring at me like you know me." He grimaced at the beer. "This is as weak as piss water. Why can't Americans brew a decent beer?"

Jack shook his head. "Sorry, but you just look exactly like someone I used to know." He smiled and held out his hand. "And since we're apparantly sharing a drink now, perhaps we should be introduced. Captain Jack Harkness."

The young man took his hand after a moment and shook it. "Nice to meet you. This prat is Thomas Richards, and I'm Yanto. Yanto Jones. Spelled with a 'Y'. I always have to mention that. So many times my mail has gone missing because the name is usually spelled with an 'I', which is a right nuisance." He frowned after a second. "You sure you're all right? You went a funny color."

Jack swallowed and gave a weak chuckle. "Would you believe his name was Ianto, with an 'I'?"

Blue eyes regarded him a moment, and there was something in his expression Jack couldn't place, then the Yanto he was sitting with shrugged. "I suppose stranger things have happened in this world. That whole business with the kids not too long ago, for instance. So what happened to him, then?"

Jack looked down at his drink and sighed.

Yanto's friend, Thomas, slapped him upside the head. "Don't be daft, Yanto. Considering how he's looking at you and his reaction to your name can only mean that the bloke died." He turned to Jack. "My condolences, mate!" He lifted his beer. "To the dearly departed. Lucky sods."

Jack managed a small smile and tried not to stare at Yanto. The young man seemed to be in his early twenties. There was a small gold hoop through his left earlobe. He was wearing a red button-down shirt and a faded pair of jeans. It looked as if red was Yanto's color as well. Yanto shifted a little, and Jack felt guilty for making the young man uncomfortable. "Listen ... maybe I should just leave. It's obvious that you're here just to have a few beers."

Yanto blinked. "Oh you are not getting away that quickly. You stay put." He took a sip of his beer before speaking again. "You know ... I remember something I once read. That everyone in this world has a double. Might just happen that my double had my name. Improbable, but not impossible." He waggled his fingers. "Perhaps it's destiny, and we were supposed to meet."

Jack chuckled and shook his head. "You believe in destiny?"

Yanto nodded. "It's the sort of thing my boyfriend and I used to argue about. He thought that line of thinking was bollocks."

Jack relaxed with a smile. "Well you have his name and looks, but not his attitude." If this Yanto had been quiet and reserved, it would have been too hard to talk to him. Then, again, Ianto had been a little more sure of himself closer to the time of his death.

"Glad to hear it."

Jack sipped his own drink. "So what else did you and your ex fight about?"

Thomas snorted. "Right, then! I know when you're going to start going on about your theories and suppositions, so I'll bugger off. Give me a ring when you're ready to head back to the hotel."

Yanto waved him off. "Get going! I'll be a while. I can get a cab just as easy as the next bloke."

Thomas glanced at Jack. "Right, then. Cheers, mate."

Yanto shook his head before shrugging as his friend made his way through the crowd towards the bar, which was slow-going since the place was packed. "I believe in life on other worlds, he didn't. Bet he's feeling daft now after everything that's been happening these past few years." He glanced over to where his friend had gone and a strange look came over his face. "Has he gone?"

Jack was confused and looked over. Thomas was just leaving through the front of the club with some blonde in a short skirt. "Yeah. He's cleared ..." Jack couldn't continue because he was suddenly seized and pulled into a kiss that was too familiar to be a coincidence. "Wha...?"

"Thought he'd never leave. He's all right, but he's so annoying with his match-making attempts that it's an effort not to deck him at times."

Jack shook his head. "I don't understand." It was like a switch had been thrown, and a different Yanto was making himself known.

Yanto snorted. "Years working for Torchwood and watching a rift that's capable of who-knows-what, and you don't understand?" He sat back. "I got sent back to the year 2000!"

Things started to fall into place, and if Jack hadn't been sitting down already, the shock would have floored him. "IANTO?"

Ianto winked at him and grinned. "I don't know whether to be pleased or pissed at you. You cleared off world before I could make my way to Cardiff to tell you that I wasn't trapped in the rift." He sat down. "I suppose you'd like to know how."

Jack couldn't form the words, so he simply nodded.

"That box I took from you did the trick, as you well know. Closed the rift, and all that. However, it sent me back in time to the year 2000. I don't have to tell you how hard it was not to contact you, since I knew you were already in charge of Cardiff at the time. So I moved to Swansea, changed one letter of my name because I was damned if I was going to be called anything else but Ianto, or a reasonable variation, and steered clear of myself and everyone else. Easy enough since I knew where everyone was going to be. Living through the Ghost Shifts again was a nightmare, though. Got a job as a barista at a local coffee shoppe after leaving school, and bided my time. Took a few economics classes, learned Italian, and waited for the right time to rise from the dead, so to speak."

"Had a boyfriend as well?" Jack wasn't jealous, but he wanted to hear juicy details.

Ianto chuckled. "I just let Thomas think that I had one so he would stop trying to shove me off on random friends of his. Seriously! I move down three doors from him, on my own, and he thinks it gives him the right to try and run my life. Granted, I had somehow regressed to being a bloody seventeen to twenty year old, not entirely sure, so I guessed 17 at the time. Real pisser, that was. I knew exactly who I wanted, but wasn't able to do a thing about it."

Jack couldn't help it. He started to laugh. "I don't even want to imagine." He suddenly didn't feel like drinking anymore. "Does your sister know?"

Ianto nodded. "I went to visit her about a fortnight ago. She had a cow." He pursed his lips. "I'm really worried about how Gwen will react, though."

Jack shuddered. "Anything's possible with her. What with everything going on and Anwen isn't even a year old yet and Gwen is so far away from her and Rhys, there's no telling." He held up a finger before Ianto could say anything. "I know your memory is from before the incident with the children. Gwen was pregnant when ..." He made a motion with his hand to indicate the desire to skip the particular topic, and continued. "She had an adorable little girl." He chuckled. "When we found out, you asked me if it was a good time to let me know the car had gotten stolen."

Ianto gaped in horror. "Oh, Bloody Hell, I didn't take it to the estates, did I?"

"Let's not worry about that now. It's in the past." Jack stood up and held out his hand. "Come on. Let's go someplace where we can really talk."

Ianto stood and grabbed the lapels of Jack's coat. "I hope you have more in mind than talking. I've been waiting years to see you again."

Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto, and relished the sensation a moment. He was even able to ignore the twinge of pain the movement caused his bruise. "Let's just say talking will only take up a fraction of the time." The pair of them left to the sounds of wolf whistles.

It was all Jack could do to keep his hands to himself as they rode to the hotel. They'd gotten one warning from the cab driver about fooling around in his cab, and had done their best to be discreet afterwards.

Once the door to Ianto's hotel room was closed, however, Ianto's hands were at Jack's clothes, and vice-versa. They barely paused in their kissing as they stripped each other.

Then Ianto saw the bruise, and his hands froze. "What the ...? Jack ... what happened to you?"

"Had an argument with a fountain. I lost." He'd barely gotten Ianto's shirt off.

Ianto narrowed his eyes. "And how long ago was this?"

Jack bit his lip and sighed. "Several days ago." He spread his arms out helplessly. "Looks like I'm still one of a kind. You're looking at the only man on this entire planet who CAN die."

Ianto sat down. "Well that's just great, isn't it?"

Jack knelt in front of him. "Hey ... we'll fix it! We're Torchwood! Fixing things is what we do." He took hold of Ianto's hands and held them.

"Do you want to?" Ianto looked unsure. "It's just that you've been alive for centuries, and have died in so many painful ways. Wouldn't it be a relief for you just to finally be able to rest? Not that I want you to speed up the process, mind you, but wasn't this what you wanted?"

Jack had to think about it before getting off the floor and sitting next to Ianto. "There was a time when I would have been jumping for joy at this prospect. That time passed long ago. I came to accept what I was and who I was." He caressed Ianto's face. "I'm not ready to die. Not yet. Especially not now that I have the one I love back." He smiled at Ianto, who smiled back. "Now ..." He reached forward and started undoing the button on Ianto's jeans. "Where were we?"

Jack practically bounced into the impromptu Torchwood base the next morning. "Good morning! How are all you gorgeous people today?" He filled a cup of water and drank it in one gulp. It would have to do until Ianto got there with the coffee. The Welshman had wanted to give Jack a chance to warn Gwen about his arrival, so had gone to Starbucks.

Gwen beamed happily at Jack. "We got a brief connection to Rhys and Anwen!"

"That's great! Nice to see loved ones we miss, isn't it?" He filled his cup again.

"You're awfully chipper for someone who went out to get drunk last night!" Rex snarled as he took a couple of painkillers.

Jack shrugged. "And you're really grouchy for some reason."

Rex grimaced as he rolled his shoulders. "You weren't impaled on a long pole!"

Jack chuckled. "No, but you should talk to the other guy." He chuckled when Gwen rolled her eyes. As Rex gave him a look in disgust, Jack couldn't resist the dig. "Oh-ho! Rex doesn't like his jokes gay!" With that, he balled up his paper cup and tossed it, neatly, into the wastepaper basket. "At any rate! I got the most pleasant surprise last night!"

Before anyone could ask what he meant, the sound of footsteps approaching made him groan. He had honestly hoped for more time. "Put the gun away, Rex. Not a threat." He shot Gwen a sheepish smile and opened the door.

Gwen's scream had Rex and Esther pulling guns again, this time on the newcomer.

"It's only coffee. Granted it's Starbucks, but I left my coffee maker back in Swansea, so it'll have to do." His tone was dry, and Jack could tell he didn't feel threatened.

Jack peeked around the door. "You have a coffee maker?" This bit of information made Jack smile.

Ianto placed a cup in front of a flabbergasted Gwen. "Naturally." He frowned a moment, and sighed. "You didn't explain?" He handed Esther a cup.

Rex was holstering his weapon. "Flyboy was too damn busy boasting about the great time he had last night." He took the cup Ianto handed to him.

"Is this everybody, then?" When Jack nodded, Ianto walked over to lean against the wall after giving Jack his coffee and taking his own from the holder. "Then I suppose now is the time to be explaining."

Jack hung his head a little before starting. He explained to Rex and Esther about the rift that ran through Cardiff so they would understand and, hopefully, accept what was being said. Then he went on to tell the three about the events that occurred within the most haunted pub in Wales.

At that point, Ianto took over and explained what had happened to him afterwards. As he got to the end, Gwen stood up and walked over.

"So ... you're REALLY Ianto? Not just someone who looks exactly like him?"

Ianto quirked a grin at Gwen. "You could always test me. I could go on and on about that shopping trip we went on when I got turned into a woman. You called me a cow several times, if I remember correctly." With that, Gwen hugged him.

"Wait a second ... you got turned into a woman?" Rex was looking at Ianto in disbelief.

"I can not believe I am quoting Monty Python, but I got better."

"You are not EVER allowed to do that again!" Gwen pulled back and gave him a shake. "Do you hear me? Never ever do that again."

Ianto looked a little indecisive for a moment. "I, er, doubt that will be a problem."

Esther spoke up. "The turning into a woman? Or the quoting of Monty Python?"

Gwen sighed. "The part about him dying." Then she smiled at Ianto. "I'm just kidding, love. With you in our corner, we have a better chance. You were always the brains of the group once we lost Tosh. We'll fix this."

Ianto sighed. "Gwen ... how old would you say I was? If you looked at me without knowing me, what would you guess as my age?"

Gwen narrowed her eyes. "You do look a bit younger. I'd say ... early twenties?"

Ianto nodded. "Physically, I have not aged a day since the rift spit me out years ago." He sighed. "I get a paper cut, it's gone in ten minutes. My guess is the rift did something to me when I went through it."

Jack felt his stomach drop to the floor. "Oh no ..."

Ianto turned to him. "I am not going to push my luck, if that's what has you worried. If I'm immortal, then it's no big deal right now since everyone else is. When we fix it so everything goes back to normal, and I'm pretty sure I'll stay immortal, at least I'll have someone around who will help me deal with it. Either way, we'll take it as it comes. Nothing I can do about it, after all, except help to put things right."

Rex was glaring. "So, what is it you do besides act as a glorified go-fer?"

Ianto groaned. "Oh dear Lord! Last thing I wanted to deal with was an American with Owen's attitude." He held up a finger. "If you call me coffee boy one time, I don't care who you work for, I'm decking you. Are we clear?"

Rex narrowed his eyes. "I know people who could make you disappear."

Ianto snorted in response. "That's nothing. Making people disappear used to be in my job description. I don't need anyone else."

Ester spoke up. "Now now, boys. Behave, or you'll go to bed without supper."

The twin looks of disbelief was enough to break the tension, and everyone was soon laughing.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks to Keara for reading this through and helping me out.

If you haven't seen "Mine, All Mine," or the clip of Yanto Jones, this is how the conversation goes ...

Yanto (To Thomas as Leo approaches): I said "I'm not sitting here all day watching the bloody Telly Tubbies".
Thomas: There you are! I was about to give up! Yanto, this is Leo Vivaldi! Leo, this is Yanto, Yanto Jones!
(Insert awkward silence)
Yanto: Hi!
Leo: Yeah.
Thomas: Well, that's my cue to bugger off! (takes a drink) Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Then, again, I wouldn't do anything you two do, anyway. (leaves)
(Insert VERY awkward silence)
Leo: My dad owns the town!
Yanto: Yeah? (Takes a drink with an "Oh, Dear LORD!" Look on his face)

Gotta wonder if Ianto introducing himself as "Jones, Ianto Jones" was for his fondness of James bond, or as a head nod to Mine, All Mine. Maybe a bit of both.

Anyway, I decided to play with the idea that Ianto had a long lost twin before I heard "House of the Dead", then I heard the audio drama, and my muses caught me in a choke hold.

I might come back to this universe later on. In fact, I'm pretty much sure I will. I want to play here a while, but I have other things I must finish first.

For those of you who have been waiting for my other stories, here's the order I hope to finish them in:
- Shades of Grey (Season One)
- Shades of Blue (Season Three)
- Shades of Steel (This will cover the year of the Toclafane, because, sorry, they have to show up. I consider this event a fixed point, or Ianto would be doing everything in his power to stop Saxon during SOG)
- Perturbation
- Skeletons in the Closet
- Last Man Standing
- Entwined
- Who Guards the Guardians

There are other stories playing around, like the sequel to "Ianto Lives", but I want to concentrate on things I have posted.

I'll try to keep up with writing, so don't worry that anything is being abandoned. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. Even if I only get one person reading my stories, it makes me happy.