Disclaimer: Dr. Who and Torchwood do not belong to me.

In this chapter: The First Doctor, the TARDIS and Ianto Jones

Ianto was fourteen when he first met the Doctor. He had escaped to the woods surrounding his house, sketchpad in hand, intent on gaining some peace. Since school had ended, he'd discovered that this was the one place he could feel calm, where he didn't feel like he was losing his mind. For the latter half of the school term, he had found himself feeling emotions that were most decidedly not his. It had taken him a while to realize what he was feeling, mostly because his newfound ability had started intermittently. About four months ago he had finally discovered a name to put to the ability he cursed - empathy. He hated not knowing whether what he felt was his own emotions or those of the people who surrounded him. He had felt battered by the emotions of his classmates and even worse by those of his family. But the woods were peaceful and isolated and Ianto loved disappearing within them to sketch and keep his mind clear.

He sat against a tree, his sketchbook propped up against his knees as his pencil moved against the page, sketching the scenery before him, getting lost in the rhythm and motion. No emotions to feel but his own.

"That looks very nice," he heard next to him, startling him out of the light trance into which he had fallen. He looked up to see a man dressed somewhat oddly in fashions that seemed decades out-of-date: he wore a black frock coat with plaid high-wasted trousers, a white shirt and a skinny black cravat while leaning against a distinctive looking cane.

"Thank you sir," Ianto said shyly. He looked at the man, baffled, knowing something was different about him, but unable to discern what it was exactly. His eyes widened as he realized he couldn't feel the man's emotions. "But how?" he breathed in shock. It had been so long since he had been around someone and not felt what they felt. The man seemed to ignore his question and instead looked at him as if were some puzzle to decipher.

"Let's go then," the stranger said. Ianto looked at him in confusion. What did the man mean?

"Excuse me sir, but who are you? Go where?"

"The Doctor. Now let's go. The TARDIS felt your distress and sent me to find you," the stranger explained, a little sourly.

"TARDIS?" Ianto asked, bewildered. "Help me?" He was half-hopeful that this stranger could provide him with some means of halting what he was feeling, but he didn't dare believe it. It was almost enough for him to ignore the rather outdated clothing the man wore. He had done what research he could at his school's library and whilst he could put a name to what afflicted him, he had not found a way to prevent him from feeling others' emotions. He was afraid he was headed towards being sectioned if he did not gain control over it soon.

"Time and relative dimensions in space," the Doctor told him. "My granddaughter named her. Now up you go. Don't want to remain here for long, best get you sorted out as quick as possible." He shuddered a bit, looking down on the boy the TARDIS had sent him to find. He didn't understand what was so special about him; these… humans were barely evolved. Look at this one! Sitting there, gaping at him as if he were speaking a foreign language. He snorted, wanting nothing more than to return to the TARDIS and forget all this. He loved the TARDIS but sometimes she had these notions and no amount of cajoling could convince her to give up her idea. This was one of them. She had insisted they come to this time and place to find this boy. He was not pleased.

Ianto frowned as he looked at the stranger. "Why should I go with you?" he asked belligerently, just a bit frightened at the man who expected him to just go off with him. His parents hadn't raised him to be an idiot and he knew better than to just follow a stranger god knows where on his say so.

The Doctor sighed. He just didn't deal well with these humans. His granddaughter was so much better with them and he wished he could have brought her. Susan had wanted to remain in London though, not wanting to miss a day at school, even though the TARDIS was a time machine and could bring them back the minute after they left. "You need to learn how to shield," he informed the boy. "Without solid shielding, you will lose control."

"So you know what's wrong with me?" Ianto asked, hope entering his voice despite his continued wariness towards the stranger.

"You're an empath," the Doctor told him, bluntly, confirming Ianto's own research. "You've been feeling the emotions of others, for a few months if I read you right. You look about the age it starts to appear. Nice gift but dangerous if untrained." He didn't even want to think of the havoc this boy could create if he remained untrained. He assumed the boy's gift was strong or else the TARDIS wouldn't have got involved, though he still thought it ludicrous that the TARDIS would force him to come here and convince the boy to come with him. "Now let's go. I don't have all day." He held out a hand to the boy, determined that if the boy ignored his offer yet again, he would just leave him here and damned be the TARDIS. She couldn't expect him to kidnap the boy, could she?

Ianto's desire to learn how to control the thing the Doctor called a gift warred with his natural caution to not trust strangers, especially crotchety strangers who seemed quite put out to even be speaking with him, never mind to actually help him. The Doctor seemed innocuous enough, even if he was a bit curmudgeonly. He tried to sense the Doctor's motivations, and was surprised when the Doctor did something and he suddenly appeared to his "sense." He looked at the Doctor, felt him and came up with nothing that screamed dangerous. He decided that it seemed safe enough and really, he needed to get control over whatever was going on with him before he was driven insane. It was the reason he spent as much time in the woods as possible after all - anything to remain away from others and their emotions. He carefully stood and warily followed the man as he tromped through the woods, heading towards Ianto's house. He clutched his sketchbooks in his hand, certain that he could outrun the man should he have need. Yes, his empathy seemed to indicate he wasn't in danger, but his mam hadn't raised a fool. He watched as the Doctor walked to an old-fashioned bright blue police box that had most certainly not been there when Ianto had entered the woods this morning.

"Well come on! She's anxious to meet you, young man," the Doctor said from the doorway, a scowl on his face. "What is your name?" he asked as if suddenly realizing he had no idea what to call this boy.

"Ianto Jones," Ianto replied as he looked with no small amount of bewilderment at the Doctor and the police box.

"Well then let's go Ianto Jones," the Doctor said impatiently, gesturing for Ianto to enter.

"What? But why?" he asked, confused.

"This is the TARDIS," the Doctor explained, as he continued to hold the door open for the young teen.

Ianto walked up to the box cautiously, eying both it and the man with some curiosity as he entered the door. The room was large, gleaming white, and pulsing with light. A warmth touched his mind mind, soothing the strained he had been feeling for months. He did not feel threatened or frightened, only comfort and kindness and love. His sketchbook fell from suddenly nerveless fingers as he felt nothing but peace.

"What is this?" he gasped.

"This is the TARDIS. She's my ship," the Doctor said. He was surprised at the feelings emanating from the TARDIS. She didn't take to just anyone, being a bit of a rebel herself, just as he was.

"With her, I travel through time and space," he couldn't help but brag.

"Time travel?" Ianto asked with some incredulity. He didn't think such was possible, but then this whole conversation seemed pretty insane. The teen he was thought the idea of time travel was fantastically cool.

"Oh yes," the Doctor said with a small grin, unable to stop himself. He inwardly frowned at that.

"You humans, so unimaginative. I can go anywhere in the universe. The TARDIS though, she wants me to take you to a planet where you can learn to control your gift." He shrugged, hoping the teen would stop asking questions so they could get going.

Ianto was tempted. Like many teenage boys, the idea of space travel was the stuff of dreams. That the Doctor also claimed he could help Ianto deal with his gift - empathy his mind supplied the correct term - made the man's offer almost impossible to turn down. "What about my family?" he asked, knowing that it would set off a panic if he just disappeared without a word. He somehow didn't think his parents would just let him go off traveling with a stranger.

The Doctor humphed. Every time he thought they could leave this place the boy had another excuse. Did the boy just not want the help he offered him? He peered at the boy, who in turn looked at him with anxious eyes. "I'll talk to them," he found himself grudgingly offered. The TARDIS pulsed happily in the back of his mind. Apparently this was something else she wanted him to do. He ignored the look of skepticism that now graced the boy's face. "Well come on. Let's go speak with your parents."

Ianto had no idea how the Doctor would convince his parents to let their son go off with him. But if the Doctor could - his heart beat faster in excitement and joy. God! Not only would he get to travel through space and maybe even time if the Doctor wasn't lying about his ship having that capability - but just the ability to gain control over this thing the Doctor called a gift! That was something Ianto did not want to lose. He nodded slowly. "Thank you sir. If you could convince my mam and tad, I would gratefully accept your offer."

The Doctor grunted as he stalked out of the TARDIS and headed down the path to the cheerful house where Ianto's parents presumably were. He didn't think it would be too difficult to convince them to allow Ianto to accompany him. At least he hoped not, as he was getting rather tired of all this trouble. Not for the first time, he wondered why the TARDIS was so uncommonly insistent that he aid the teen.

***

Soon after, without realizing exactly how, Ianto found himself on the TARDIS, a small rucksack full of clothes and a larger artist's satchel clutched in his hands. "Come on then, let me show you to your room," the Doctor said as he impatiently led the young teen down a hallway that had most assuredly not existed before then. With not small amount of curiosity, Ianto followed his host.

He was led to a fairly large room, complete with drafting board and lots of light, perfect for any artist. He looked around with a sense of awe. "This is amazing!" he gushed, astounded with what little he had already seen of the Doctor's ship. Far from being an unassuming police box, the ship - TARDIS he remembered - was simply breathtaking. The room surpassed all his expectations.

The Doctor smiled a bit forcefully. "The TARDIS likes her passengers to feel comfortable. We'll get you set up and then we'll be off." It had been a while since he had had anyone on the TARDIS besides Susan and had forgotten how much the TARDIS liked to spoil her passengers. If this room was an indication of anything, the TARDIS definitely liked this boy, this Ianto Jones and wanted to spoil him. The Doctor only wished he knew why because he doubted it was simply because the boy was an empath at a time in Earth's history when they were exceedingly rare.

"Excuse me sir, but where will we go?" Ianto asked politely, startling the Doctor out of his thoughts.

"There's a planet, just full of beings with mental powers like yours. They will love the chance to help you out. And then we'll see what the TARDIS wants to do with you," the Doctor told him. He somehow suspected that the TARDIS would insist Ianto stay with them for a while. He sighed. He just didn't understand this fascination with humans that both Susan and the TARDIS seemed to have.

"But won't I have to return in two months time for school? I don't think we'll have the time to help me, especially if this planet is far from Earth," Ianto asked, suddenly afraid that this was all for naught.

"This is a time machine. We'll get you back in time for school, no matter how long we're gone," the Doctor told him, carefully omitting that the TARDIS didn't always go where he wanted. He hoped that her liking for the boy would extend to dropping him off at the appropriate time.

"Oh, of course. I had forgotten you said the TARDIS was a time machine," Ianto said, embarrassment on his face.

"Don't worry lad," the Doctor said gruffly. "You'll get used to it all, soon enough." He clapped Ianto on the shoulder, smiling a bit. Ianto returned the smile, a bit uncertain. The Doctor's current behavior certainly seemed at odds with his earlier behavior. "Well then, come and find me when you're done. The TARDIS will help you." With that, the Doctor exited the room and headed elsewhere. Ianto watched him leave with no small amount of uncertainty. He didn't understand the Doctor, not at all. He didn't seem to want Ianto on board his ship or to help him with his gift. And yet, at the same time, the Doctor had convinced his parents that Ianto was attending an exclusive art camp over the summer and that he had to leave right now in order to partake of the offer. It confused Ianto.

Ianto shrugged before moving deeper into the room. He looked around with curiosity. The room was far larger than his own at home. The bed looked huge and was covered with a dark blue duvet. He opened his rucksack and carefully took out the clothes he had hastily packed, despite the Doctor's assurances that the TARDIS would provide him with anything he had forgotten. He hadn't wanted to take the chance of relying on the stores of the TARDIS, especially since the Doctor seemed so reluctant to even bring Ianto with him. He turned around and saw a lovely armoire, stained a dark cherry against one of the walls of the room. He hastily placed his clothes away before grabbing his toiletries and dropping them off in the en suite bathroom. With a great deal of care, he unpacked his art supplies. Finally, armed with one of his smaller sketch pads and a couple of pencils, he hesitantly took a step outside of his room.

He found himself in a brightly lit hallway. Ianto swore that he could feel something caress his mind in welcome. It felt similar to what he felt when he had followed the Doctor inside his ship earlier. He wondered if it was the ship. He didn't think she was sentient, but then the Doctor had referred to it as a "her" and seemed to imply that the only reason he had even found and brought Ianto with him was because his ship had demanded it. He snorted and wondered if the Doctor and his ship went around helping people with the things the Doctor named gifts but what seemed a pain in the arse. He started as he thought he felt amusement.

He hesitated a moment longer before giving into the feeling that urged him to find the Doctor. He slowly walked down the hallway, hoping it would lead him to the correct path. He felt nervous as he made his way; on the one hand, he was thrilled that he was receiving help on his little problem. On the other hand, he had just agreed to travel to a different planet with a man he had just met. Ianto frowned a bit in thought. He didn't even know if the man was actually human. His heart beat a bit faster as he took in the implications of that before straightening his shoulders and soldiering on. He didn't think the Doctor mean to harm him. He certainly hadn't picked anything like from what little he sensed from the man: annoyance, impatience, and a small amount of bewilderment, yes. But an intent to harm Ianto? No. Nothing of the sort. Taking a deep breath, he left the hall and entered what he supposed was the main chamber.

"There you are," the Doctor said, looking up briefly as he fiddled with buttons and levers at the console. "Well, we're off then." Ianto watched with no small amount of amazement as the TARDIS began to pulse with a golden light, a high-pitched whining sound assaulting his ears as the Doctor pushed and pulled various accruements on the console before him. He gasped as the TARDIS seemed to shake and he stumbled against the wall. "Careful Ianto," the Doctor commented, seeming to enjoy the look of astonishment on the young teen's face. Ianto smiled back at him hesitantly, feeling the TARDIS reach out to him and soothe his mind, warning him that they were about to land. He braced himself against the wall as they came to a shuddering stop.

The Doctor strode towards the door of the TARDIS. "Come on young man. Let's go and meet the natives," he said as he gestured for the boy to follow him. He watched as Ianto came after him moving cautiously through the door. He couldn't help but smile at the look of astonishment and delight as Ianto took in the view of the planet Kevla. "My God," Ianto breathed out, his sketchbook clutched to his chest as he turned in a circle, just taking in the alien scenery. He turned to the Doctor. "It's beautiful!"

"Come along then, let's get you sorted," the Doctor replied, heading down the path that would take them to the main temple on Kevla. There, the priests and priestess would hopefully train Ianto on his gift. Ianto followed eager, embracing the chance for adventure. Little did he know what the path on which he had stepped by agreeing to go with the Doctor would bring.

As the Doctor - or any Time Lord - could lecture you, time is made up of all sorts of events. Sometimes you can go back and change things and the overall picture of history doesn't change. But there are some events that are fixed points in time and can't be changed once they occur. It was their duty, in part, for the Time Lords to make sure that these events didn't change, even if it was something they wanted more than anything else in the world. Changing a fixed point brought nothing but grief and the destruction of the universe. This was a lesson the Doctor would have to impart to the young Rose Tyler many regenerations in the future, even as she cried while holding the hand of the father she never knew.

In agreeing to join the Doctor on the TARDIS and receive the training on Kevla, Ianto created a fixed event. It would take many years before either realized what had happened and by then, it would be too late to change anything. In the end, the Doctor would discover the real reason the TARDIS was so insistent he find Ianto and it would horrify him. But for this moment in time, as the Doctor, leaning heavily on his cane, walked down the path leading to the main temple on Kevla, the young teen following him with eyes wide open and drinking in the scenery, neither had a care in the universe or knew what was to come. Thus began Ianto's journey with the Doctor.