I have posted my Torchwood stuff on another site, I just want to try a new audience perspective. Plus I want to turn my head back to writing some of my unfinished stuff and need a kick start to do it.

Ianto had to crawl. It was too painful to walk now; his feet felt like they were burning. But he didn't have far to go, he could see the light just on the street corner. For a moment he stayed in the dark shadows, looking around fearfully, as he tried to survey the scene his vision blurred painfully and he sagged against the wall. It was cold and damp, the sensation pressing through the thin material of his clothes, but his skin burned as he felt it. He almost went down, sliding down the wall to land prone on his face, but at the last moment he stopped himself. He knew if he dropped now it would all be over.

So much of it already was. He didn't even know if what he was about to do would help him. Ianto had to do it though; he had no other avenue to take, except lying down on the floor and just dying right here and right now. Jack might hear of it. Ianto didn't know if Torchwood 3 were still looking for him. He guessed that Jack had planned to retcon him. Ianto had run away, for two weeks he had been free of Jack, and Torchwood, and all the mess he had created. Another one had found him soon after.

Ianto whimpered and pushed himself forward. He tried to focus on his hands as he crawled along towards the light, his breathing was coming out in frantic heavy gasps and his heart shuddered if he tried to move too swiftly, it was pounding and now and again seemed to skip along the way. Ianto had to stop, but he had nothing to rest against, he couldn't stay still for long, he had to move, he had to reach his goal.

He almost went down again as his head rapped sharply against something. He swayed reaching out to grab hold of something that would steady him. His palm pressed against something solid and he tried to grip, but his hand slid several times before he caught the edge of the phone box. He held it and shuffled forward, looking up he could see the black plastic of the receiver, he tried to grab for it and he wobbled again pitching down onto the floor.

With the world spinning so hard he had to lay there for a while to wait until it passed. As he looked at the floor his eyes burned as he saw something glistening. Screwing up his eyes, an action that sent burning pains through his head, he realised it was a puddle. Ianto hefted himself towards it feeling the disgust rise from somewhere in his mind as he put his face to it and licked at the liquid.

It made him gag, as it slid down his throat. Ianto didn't consider how he must have looked, lying on the floor, licking at a puddle of water like a dog. The liquid, as he got it down and kept it down, eased his pain a little and somehow strengthened him to pull himself up again. His knees were starting to ache now, but he couldn't stand and he had to reach the phone. He fumbled to grab for it, pulling it off the rest and it dropped down, smacking him on the head on it's way down. It swung gently as he slumped down against the side of the cubicle and his hand reached out to try and find it. One hand latched on clumsily and he used the grip to pull himself up, his other hand seeking out the wire and Ianto pulled up, his focus on the phone.

With one shaking hand he put the receiver to his ear and the other fumbled for the buttons. He couldn't look up, he had to rely on his sense of touch, finding the top row and then he paused. He had no money, but he could use the emergency protocols. Any Torchwood operative could use the code and then call through to their controlling officer. Ianto whimpered, he knew that, but he couldn't remember the number he needed. He was supposed to know everything. He hung for a moment, indecision rippling through him. Then he reached up and dialled and waited.

Ianto looked up in panic as nothing happened, the phone gave a dull tone and then the impersonal voice announced the number was not correct. Ianto scrabbled up his hand and yanked on the cradle to disconnect. The dialling tone sounded again and Ianto took a deep breath, he looked up and tried to focus but still remained reliant on his sense of touch. Slowly he worked out the keys and pressed again, dialling the eight digit number.

A second later a different, but bored sounding voice calmly asked.

"Please dial the extension or phone number you require."

Ianto blinked and focussed again. He couldn't afford to get this wrong. It was Jack's number he needed, he had to get it right. Ianto found each button, hearing the beep each time he pressed. That made him focus, he steadied his breathing and dialled the number that he had known long before he met Jack, and had never forgotten. Ianto gave a little whimper of fear and relief as it rang and as it was answered the voice, although wary, was wonderfully familiar.

"Hello."

"Jack!" Ianto breathed. There was a pause. Ianto's eyes widened. Maybe Jack didn't remember his voice. Ianto opened his mouth to identify himself and then he realised why there was a pause as Jack answered.

"Ianto?" Jack voice was flat, questioning and unfriendly. Ianto couldn't blame him, but it sent his shivering body into an even colder state.

"Jack, I… I used the emergency protocol," Ianto said, stuttering over the words.

"Yes, I got that. How did you know it?"

"From Torchw…" Ianto coughed, his breath hitching violently. "One."

"Oh, yes," Jack said.

"They came and… they tried to make me tell… and I don't remember…" Ianto stammered, his tongue felt so thick and it hurt to talk. Ianto sagged down against the side of the phone booth, there was only one coherent thought in his head.

"Jack, please help me… please…" Ianto tried to ask for help again but his voice gave out, he couldn't talk anymore and he felt so tired. He could sleep now, couldn't he, now Jack knew.

"Ianto!" Jack snapped him back to attention. He whimpered in pain. "Okay, we've got a fix on the phone box, we're coming to your location."

Ianto whimpered in relief, he tried to think of something to say, to say anything, but it was too hard.

"I want you to stay near the phone but not where you can be seen, is there somewhere you can hide?"

"Yes," Ianto said, not even looking. It didn't matter, hiding he could do. He could always manage that.

"Okay, we're on our way, stay out of sight until we get there."

"I will… Jack?" Ianto frowned, realising Jack had hung up on him. Ianto sat back, stunned by that. Then it occurred to him; that was because Jack was coming. He had to hide, Jack had told him to. Ianto let the phone go and looked around, and then he turned back. He scrabbled for the receiver again; hiding meant leaving nothing out of place. He had to tidy up.

His hands scrabbled for the plastic of the phone, missing it several times until he latched on. Grabbing it in both hands Ianto lifted it up to put it back. It was only by sheer luck he hit the cradle first time. The handset lay at an angle, but it was up there. With that done, all Ianto had to focus on was somewhere to hide.

He looked at the shadows across the road. That was promising. Shunting forward on his hands and knees he moved, his head up, eyes fixed. However much the world blurred and darkened around him, Ianto didn't stop, even when the branches of the shrubbery scratched him, tearing through his already badly damaged skin. He had to hide, Jack told him so, and then Jack would come. Ianto fell onto his side, the world darkening around him, he thought to pull his legs in, curling up into a foetal position, before the dark oblivion of unconsciousness took him completely.