Disclaimer: I own nothing, though I could care less about the money. I'd rather have Jack and Ianto :-)

This is my take on what could have happened after Children of Earth. Yes I realize the hub was destroyed, I forgot. I wrote this in about a half hour, it was all very stream of consciousness, bear with me. One day, I'll re-write to account for the hub no longer existing. It's also been a while since I saw Children of Earth, so my timeline might be off. C'est la vie.

The Spark

Ianto dead. It wasn't fucking fair, and didn't I just sound like a child whining about what was fair and what wasn't. I wanted him back so much it was like a rotting hole in my chest. I wanted to see his face, hear that beautiful voice speak to me. I wanted to kiss him until we couldn't breathe.

Maybe it was a good thing he died when he did. I could never have sacrificed Steven otherwise, not knowing I would have to look into Ianto's eyes afterward, and face his judgment. I've done horrible things in my life, things I could never expect to be forgiven for. Ianto was the one good thing, the spark that made everything right. I never thought about settling down, but with him, I could see . . . a spark.

Sparks. Rose's voice drifted to me from so many years ago.

Nanogenes.

And the doctor, the first one I'd known and loved. What's life, life's easy. Nothing to a nanogene.

I shoved back from my desk, sending my chair flying into the opposite wall. Where the hell were those things? I'd had them so long, I'd forgotten about them. An emergency, last resort life saving measure. Something any time agent with a half a brain would have.

I ran down to my bedroom, scrambled through my clothes, magazines, junk I never used. The metal vial rolled into view across the carpeted floor as if it had only come into being at that moment. Had just appeared out of nowhere. I snatched it up and ran down to the morgue.

So many things might go wrong. It could all blow up in my face. The nanogenes might have gone inactive. Ianto's body might be too far gone. Nanogenes could do a lot, but even they had their limits. Still, if there was some hope, a single spark left.

I was running so fast, I slammed into the wall of metal drawers. I scrambled for Ianto's. Number 11. Fumbled with the catch, yanked it out with a whine from the wheels. Ripped away the body bag. And cried.

He lay there, the grey pallor of death thick over his skin. This was not Ianto, he was gone. I lifted the metal vial in my shaking hand. If these damn things didn't work, I was leaving. I couldn't stand staying here any longer. Not without Ianto.

I thumbed the catch on the vial. With a soft click, the top sprang open. Nothing happened.

I wanted to scream, and fling the damn vial across the room. Thank the stars I didn't. A quick flash, as the first nanogene zipped out, followed by two dozen more. Enough to fix the worst injuries any person could expect to get out in the field.

They ignored me, perhaps sensing on some level that I was beyond their abilities. They flowed over Ianto's body and lit him with a golden glow that put me in mind of some religious painting. Flowed around and over him, some slipping into his mouth, ears and nose.

I braced myself on the rack, and waited. Tears pricked my eyes and the urge to throw up left me weak kneed and dizzy. If it didn't work, I was leaving.

The nanogenes faded. They were programmed only to respond to one injured body then shut off. To prevent any time agents from setting rampant immortality loose on some backward planet. Ianto remained still, though I could have sworn there was a bit more color in his cheeks.

He had been dead too long. To for gone for the nanogenes to help. I leaned over and kissed him one last time.

His lips warmed mine.

His first gasp of air reminded me of my own resurrections. He hands gripped my arms, then flailed, then grabbed at me again. I just kept kissing him, afraid that if I pulled away it would turn out to be my imagination. Tears poured down my cheeks, wetting both our faces.

Ianto kissed me back, finally, and his arms wrapped around me. I dragged him off the body rack and into my arms, holding him up and never once breaking the kiss. He was the one who pulled away, and looked into my eyes.

Maybe looking into his eyes is what I was really afraid of. Looking and not seeing him there. Just a living body, but not Ianto. No spark.

But there he was. My Ianto. Staring at me with a look of pure confusion and terror. "I died." He gasped. He was shaking.

"Yes." It occurred to me then how bloody cold the damn morgue was and that he was completely naked. I tucked an arm around his waist and led him back to the office. I fetched a blanket to wrap him in and left him sitting on the couch while I went to make a pot of strong coffee.

My head swam at what I'd just done. He was back. The nanogenes worked and I had him back. The closest thing to a miracle I would ever have. It didn't feel real.

I poured a cup of coffee and carried it up the stairs, terrified that when I walked into the office he would be gone. The dream would end and Ianto would be in the morgue again.

He sat up in my chair, blanket tight around his shoulders, eyes blank and staring. I set the coffee on the desk and knelt in front of him. "Hey. Look at me. Are you okay?"

He stared at me like I'd grown two more heads. "I was dead. Why am I not dead?"

"I brought you back." I owed him more of an explanation than that, but now was not the time.

He drew in a shuddering breath and nodded. "Right. Thanks." He ignored the coffee.

After a few minutes, I stood and pulled him up with me. I led him down to my room, and tucked him into bed. He didn't resist, too shaken to do much of anything. I remembered my first resurrection, waking up alone in the middle of a damn desert, my last memory of blazing sun and my skin feeling like it was cooking on my body. I remembered it took me days to form a coherent word. Ianto was doing pretty well considering.

I stripped down to my pants and climbed into the bed facing him. He looked into my eyes and tears glittered in his. I drew him close to me, and he pressed his head to my chest and cried. I held him all night, listening to his sobs, his gratitude at being alive again and his endless fears of what would happen next. I was afraid too, but so glad to have him back.