Interdependent - Chapter Six

Author: Milady Dragon

It was the fifteenth day after Ianto's rescue that the shit hit the fan.

Up until that point things had been quiet. The holiday cottage had been isolated enough that they didn't receive any visitors, and the other, similar cabins had remained empty, it being out of season for most tourists. The company Ianto had been keeping was pleasant; Martha had been a bit reticent toward Ges'ryth for a couple of days, but had warmed to the symbiote after she'd been reassured that Ianto wasn't under any sort of duress and that he could retake control at any time.

Mickey had been different. He'd taken to Ges'ryth almost immediately, him and the Tok'ra bonding over a love for tech and some shared experiences…Mickey had also once been a part of a resistance, only he'd been up against the Cybermen and not the Goa'uld.

Ianto had also decided that he liked Mickey. He hadn't met Martha's previous fiancé, Tom, so he didn't have any sort of preconceived notions. Still, he couldn't have imagined Martha being with anyone else.

Ges'ryth also liked them both, which was a bonus.

The longer he stayed blended with the Tok'ra, the more he just couldn't imagine her not being with him. He could tell that she felt the same way, and Ianto was glad of it. He'd pretty much decided that, wherever the pair of them ended up, they would be staying together.

There were many advantages to staying blended. Ges'ryth knew so much, and was willing to share all that with him, just as Ianto was willing to share his own knowledge with her. She was also good company, and pleasant to talk with. Ges'ryth also claimed that his calm nature helped keep her own bit of a temper in check, while that very hot-headedness leant Ianto a bit more passion in his actions that he hadn't had before.

It made Ianto wonder what Jack would think about his having a passenger inside his body. The immortal would most likely think of it as having a threesome.

That was, if they found Jack.

He could have gone anywhere. The chances of them finding him were very slim. Even with Ges'ryth's contacts within the Tok'ra Ianto didn't hold out much hope.

Still, one of the many advantages of remaining blended was that he'd have much more time to search. Having the symbiote meant that Ianto's own lifespan would be increased, barring catastrophic injury.

"We will find your one," Ges'ryth swore, one night when Ianto's thoughts were too noisy to let him sleep.

He believed her.

They'd also heard from General Landry a couple of times. The American had let Ianto know that, while he'd be able to get people into Wales past the security that UNIT had put in place, it would have been next to impossible to get him out and to the States. That left one more option to get Ianto offworld…and that came from space. The general claimed to have made contact with people who could help, but that it would take a while to get them to Earth. Ianto just had to have patience, and everything would be taken care of.

Mickey, using his computer skills, and managed to keep track of some of UNIT's shenanigans. Apparently there was a kill order out on Ianto…not under his name, of course, since Dexter couldn't admit that Ianto Jones of Torchwood had somehow survived Thames House…despite the current bad reputation Torchwood had. Too many people had seen the 456 footage, and had seen Ianto die a supposed hero. There wasn't any way that Dexter wanted to appear to be the bad guy.

So the order had gone out identifying Ianto as an "unknown terrorist" with an armed and dangerous warning attached, making it more than likely that whoever found him would shoot first and ask questions later. Ges'ryth would be able to heal most injuries, but if someone took a head shot then both of them would be killed instantly.

Ianto wasn't about to risk either of them like that.

Although, as good as Mickey was, getting into UNIT's servers after his rescue should have told Ianto something.

The night had been as quiet as every other one during their stay at Aberaeron. Dinner had been burgers and chips, thanks to Mickey's culinary skills – Martha had teased him, saying that was the only reason she'd married Mickey, to which Mickey gave her a pout worthy of Jack Harkness – and the TV in the cottage's small lounge was on. Ges'ryth had become enamoured of Earth's entertainment programs, and it had taken Ianto a bit of time explaining to her that no, Wife Swap wasn't a documentary.

Ianto had been dozing when Ges'ryth suddenly stopped her running mental commentary of the programme they'd watching. That sudden lack of white noise had Ianto sitting up in the chair he'd claimed, asking her what was going on.

"I believe I heard something."

Since she was using his ears at first Ianto wasn't certain she wasn't blowing something out of proportion, because he hadn't heard anything. But then, he'd been coasting toward sleep while letting her words soothe him, so it was very possible he'd missed it.

"What is it?" Martha asked. She and Mickey were curled up on the sofa, and both of them were now watching him. Ianto felt vaguely uneasy under their scrutiny.

"Ges'ryth says she heard something," he answered, coming fully alert.

Mickey was up off the sofa and heading into his and Martha's bedroom. Seconds later he was back, carrying the big, alien gun he'd brought with him. He tossed Ianto a handgun, which he easily caught.

He could certainly agree with his friend's caution. While they'd been extremely careful in the time they'd been hiding out, there was still that chance that UNIT could have somehow found them. And, if Ges'ryth really had heard something, then it was possible they'd been discovered.

Martha had the TV muted, her head cocked as if she was listening for something. It had gone quiet outside the cottage; even the evening insects that had been going at it outside were silent, and that set off alarms in Ianto's mind.

Something had to have disturbed the bugs into silence. That could mean one of two things: an animal was outside the house…or human beings were.

He tried to muffle the sound of him racking the slide of his weapon, but it was still loud in the unnatural quiet. Mickey made a motion toward the kitchen, and Ianto nodded, understanding him instantly. The back door had been locked when they'd left the kitchen after dinner, but it still needed to be checked.

Padding into the kitchen on socked feet, Ianto made his way toward the back door, gun held at the ready. Ges'ryth's presence in his head was practically vibrating, and the combination of her nerves and his own was sending Ianto into what felt like adrenaline overdrive.

The overhead light was off, and only the clock on the microwave glowed in the darkness. Ianto blinked to adjust his vision, which seemed a bit better than before; Ges'ryth pointed out almost absently that it was her being a part of him that was increasing the strength of his other senses. It would explain how she'd heard a noise outside when Mickey or Martha hadn't.

There was a crunch of gravel outside the back door, and Ianto froze where he was, standing next to the small kitchen table. He extended his weapon toward the closed door, arms steady despite his heightened nerves, and he took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down.

It seemed to work a little as time stretched out, Ianto waiting to see if anyone was going to attempt an entry into the cottage through the door he was covering, or was it going to come from somewhere else. He trusted Mickey to take care of the front of the house; both he and Martha would have Ianto's back, even though he'd learned that Martha wasn't all that fond of deadly weapons. She had other ways to defend herself.

The doorknob rattled slightly. Someone was testing it to see if the door was secured.

Ianto shifted his right foot forward slightly, eyes focused on the back door. His attention funnelled down to that one point, knowing they'd most likely try to break both doors down at the same time in order to create the most chaos. They might also attempt to enter through one of the windows, and Ianto thought that was a distinct possibility.

He and Ges'ryth were both ready when the intruders slammed a heavy ram into the door, splintering the wood and leaving a large hole in the panel.

Ianto was firing before the first man could enter the house.

He really didn't want to kill anyone, but he wasn't about to let them kill him and his friends, either. Ianto aimed at legs and arms, knowing that the troops would be wearing body armour and possibly helmets of some kind, so head and body shots wouldn't penetrate far enough to do anything. While he was firing he flipped the table onto its side and took cover, even though the wood really wouldn't be much protection but not willing to give anyone a free shot at him.

Bullets punched into the tabletop, and it was sheer luck that the first couple of rounds didn't punch through the wood. It was only a matter of time before they would, but there was no way he was going to give up easily.

Ianto could just make out the loud whine of the energy weapon Mickey had from out at the front of the house. He was most likely holding his own, and Ianto turned his attention away from his friends in the other part of the cottage and concentrated on the soldiers coming in through the door.

Luckily for him, the door was narrow and the UNIT troops were bottlenecking, allowing Ianto to take them out one at a time. Still, shots were getting through, and he had to keep ducking behind the table to keep from getting shot.

Still, he was only able to take disabling shots. None of his assailants were going to stay down for long, and when they managed to regroup Ianto and Ges'ryth were going to be in serious trouble.

Wood chips were being blown off the table, and one of them struck Ianto across the cheek in a bizarre parody of the wound he'd received when the Hub had blown up. Distantly he could already feel the skin knitting back together, thanks to Ges'ryth's healing ability. He was going to be out of bullets soon, and then he'd be overwhelmed.

"I do not wish to be taken by them again," Ges'ryth snarled.

Ianto was of the same mind, but honestly he didn't think UNIT was out to bring them back into custody. Their usefulness was at an end with them, and there had already been a termination order out on them as it was. He really didn't think either of them were going to survive this.

A part of Ianto was strangely relieved by the idea. He'd been meant to die at Thames House, and had somehow survived long enough to be forcibly blended with Ges'ryth, who also should have died with her previous host. The two of them still living seemed as if they'd been tempting fate all this time, and maybe it was time to just let go.

Jack would never know that Ianto had come back. His ex-lover would still be out there, and he wouldn't have to deal with the pain of Ianto dying once more, when it was his time. It might have been better that way.

The only thing that kept Ianto from accepting their deaths was that Mickey and Martha would also be killed. UNIT couldn't allow them to live, now that they knew about Ianto and Ges'ryth. They would die there as well, their only crime being that they'd cared enough to try to save a friend who should have been dead anyway.

There had to be something they could do to stop UNIT…

A sudden, very bright light illuminated the kitchen, causing Ianto to wince away in pain as his eyes tried to adjust.

The gunfire ceased as the soldiers were just as stunned as Ianto; they'd all been wearing night goggles, which meant the flash of light was even worse for them. Peeking over the lip of the heavily damaged table Ianto watched as the soldiers began ripping off their headgear in an attempt to be able to see properly.

"PUT DOWN THE WEAPONS!" A loud voice boomed outside. "IF YOU DON'T DROP THEM NOW I WON'T HESITATE TO BLOW YOUR ASSES AWAY."

Ianto didn't recognise the voice, but it was somewhat distorted by whatever communications system it was using. It was a man, that much he could tell, and obviously American.

"This must be the ones General Landry claimed would be coming," Ges'ryth said, sounding relieved.

Ianto had to agree with her. He was equally relieved, his knees feeling like jelly now that he wasn't under constant fire. He wasn't sure he could even rise from the crouch he'd been in behind the table, to be honest.

He could hear someone outside the cottage, but Ianto couldn't make out what they were saying. It must not have been what their rescuers wanted to hear, because there was a loud whining sound and then an explosion that made Ianto flinch in response.

"I like these people and I have yet to meet them."

That comment made Ianto laugh. Anyone that was coming to save them was going to be alright in his book.

"I TOLD YOU I WAS GONNA BLOW YOURS ASSES AWAY IF YOU DIDN'T PUT THE GUNS DOWN," the voice went on. "I REALLY ENJOYED THAT, JUST SO YOU KNOW."

"YOU JUST LOVE BLOWING SHIT UP," a second voice chimed in, sounded exasperated.

"SHUT UP DANIEL, I'M TRYING TO BE INTIMIDATING HERE."

"AND YOU'RE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB DEAR."

Ianto couldn't help the belly laugh that had him sitting down hard on the floor. Every bit of stress he'd been through in the last months was suddenly overwhelming him, and the laugh turned somewhat hysterical as he listened to the two voices bantering back and forth over the intercom or whatever they were using to threaten the UNIT troops. They sounded like an old married couple.

"What is this 'old married couple'…oh, I see. Yes, this is indeed what they sound like. And you should be breathing, Ianto. I understand that your form of biological life requires oxygen to function."

Ianto took a deep, whooping breath, trying to calm down the hysterics. Ges'ryth was right, but it was really hard to get enough air when you were too busy laughing your arse off.

"Ianto!"

Martha was suddenly beside him, kneeling on the floor and putting a hand on his shoulder. He reached up and grasped it, squeezing it to acknowledge her.

"Looks like we won, mate," Mickey added.

Ianto glanced up toward the sound of his voice. Mickey was standing there, his gun cradled in his arms like a little child, and there was such a smirk on his face it almost set Ianto off laughing again.

Mickey shifted his gun and held out a hand, which Ianto gratefully accepted. The other man hauled the Welshman to his feet, and Ianto wobbled a bit before steadying.

The UNIT troops were gone. The kitchen was wrecked, bullet holes peppering the walls, ceiling, and floor. Blood had splattered the broken door frame from the soldiers Ianto had hit, the men themselves having been either dragged or helped out of the house. "Do we know who just saved us?" he asked.

"Not yet," Mickey answered, "but whoever they are, I'm gonna kiss 'em when we meet."

"I'm not the jealous type," Martha snarked, "but one of them might be, and I just broke you in the way I want you."

"I don't think you're going to be getting your deposit back on this place," Ianto replied, the tidy part of his soul weeping at the destruction.

"Not so sure that's important at the moment," Mickey returned. "Why don't we go out and see just who we need to thank?"

"Mickey shows good sense," Ges'ryth put her two pence in.

She asked him what pence was, and Ianto showed her as they all headed out of the destroyed back door. In the bright light Ianto could see that the troops had all gathered by a pair of transports that had managed to sneak up on the cottage; that must have been what Ges'ryth had heard while Ianto had been dozing. They were getting looks from the soldiers that would have dropped them dead if looks could really kill, and Ianto snorted as Mickey flipped them the bird in response.

There was a spaceship parked on the lawn.

From Ges'ryth Ianto understood that this was a tel'tak, like the ship that had Ges'ryth and her last host had been using when they'd been taken by the Rift. It was a squat thing, vaguely triangular, bronze coloured and back swept, crushing the grass that it had landed upon. There was a hatch on the side, which was opening as they watched, and a trio of men stepped out.

Ianto instantly recognised Brigadier General Jack O'Neill. He had only spoken to O'Neill over the phone, but he'd seen the man's file and the picture that had been attached. He was a handsome older man, wearing a tight t-shirt and khakis, and obviously armed.

The second man was Dr Daniel Jackson. Once again, Ianto had never met him in person, but he knew that, where Brigadier General O'Neill was, Dr Jackson wasn't far behind. Besides, the voice – now that he thought about it had been O'Neill – had mentioned 'Daniel' during his announcement, so it simply made the most sense.

The third man…

All the breath left Ianto's body. He felt as if he'd been punched in the chest.

"It's Jack," Martha spoke for him, for which Ianto was grateful because he wouldn't have been able to say a thing past the hard lump in his throat.

"Trust Captain Cheesecake to make an entrance," Mickey said sarcastically, although it was obvious he was very glad to see Jack standing there.

Jack was staring at him. Ianto could feel his ex-lover's eyes on him, examining him, scrutinising everything about him. Ianto was suddenly aware of the weight he'd lost, or his longer-than-usual hair, and how tired he must have looked. He felt himself fidget under that heavy gaze, doubting that Jack would want him anymore.

"You are an idiot, Ianto Jones," Ges'ryth chided.

Maybe he was.

And then, Jack was in front of him. He hadn't changed except for the shadows under his eyes, making their blue seem even darker. They glittered, and Ianto was shocked to see tears in them. "You really are alive," Jack whispered. A hand rose, but stopped just short of touching his face.

Ianto couldn't say anything to that, so he simply nodded. Any of his usual snarky comments simply wouldn't come to mind as he stood there, looking at the man he hadn't been certain he would ever see again.

Jack surged forward, his lips crushed against Ianto's, and he lost himself in the familiar feel and taste of his ex-lover…no, no longer ex. They were together again. Ianto wrapped his arms tight around Jack, and the embrace was returned.

"Well, this is certainly pleasurable," Ges'ryth interrupted. "I can understand why you would miss this."

Ianto couldn't help the laughter, but it emerged as a sort of choked-off sob as he broke the kiss. Jack looked surprised at Ianto's reaction, and he shook his head to let Jack know it wasn't anything he did.

The look of understanding on Jack's face clued Ianto in that he knew exactly what had caused the sudden burst of hilarity. "The symbiote?"

"She's being ridiculous," Ianto admitted, glad that he seemed to accepting of Ges'ryth.

"I am not!"

"Not that all this is sweet," O'Neill sarcastic drawl broke into their reunion, "but we should really be going before UNIT sends more of their bully boys. Not that I wouldn't mind kicking their butts too…"

"What about Martha and Mickey?" Ianto was worried that UNIT might bring retribution against them for breaking him out.

"I'm sure General Landry can find something for them to do," Jackson offered, joining them. "If they're interested, of course."

"Working with the Stargate?" Mickey considered, his head cocked to one side. He glanced over at Martha, and there was a silent conversation between them.

"We understand the pair of you travelled with the Doctor," O'Neill added. "That sort of experience is hard to come by."

Martha rolled her eyes then headed toward the tel'tak's open hatch. "Bring your gun, Mr Smith," she called over her shoulder. "We have a universe to make safe for the good guys."

Mickey grinned. "God, I love that woman." He hoisted his gun onto his shoulder and followed.

"Ianto." Jack held out his hand, his face expectant.

"Well, I don't know…" Ianto teased.

"You are insufferable," Ges'ryth laughed, her good humour twisting through his brain like sunlight. "I knew there was a reason we got along so well."

Ianto accepted Jack's hand, and together they headed toward the spaceship, following O'Neill and Jackson. "I hope you don't mind if I keep Ges'ryth around."

"Mind?" Jack echoed. "Are you kidding? This is going to be like having a threesome!"

"Why did I think you were going to say that?" Ianto sighed.

Jack stopped just outside the hatch. He took Ianto by the shoulders, gazing into his eyes. "Because you know me, Ianto Jones. And you love me."

The soft smile was there and Ianto couldn't stop it from appearing even if he wanted to try. "I do, Jack."

"I love you, too. I'm only sorry I didn't say it before."

It was all that Ianto had wanted to hear, even if Jack was just a bit late in admitting it. "Then let's get the hell off this world."

Jack laughed, a free sound that sent Ianto's heart fluttering. "You got it." He motioned the Welshman into the ship. "And I'm really looking forward to meeting this Ges'ryth. I need to thank her for saving your life."

"I'm not so sure I want that to happen, the pair of you are going to cause nothing but trouble."

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

Ianto smirked. He was really looking forward to spending the rest of his life with these two. He had the feeling it was never going to be boring.

Fin