Blue Moon Ch. 2

Bluemoon

Title: Bluemoon
Rating: pg-13
Genre: Angst, Drama
Summary: When Ianto is abandoned by his father, he has no one left to turn to. His mother is gone and there is no one else that he feels close to. Can Jack break through the cold exterior to the warm and caring Ianto inside? Or will Ianto refuse his care and go off on his own?

A/N: Okay okay, I know that I said that I would post faster but I didn’t. I know that I let you down, but here I present you with the next part so read on and leave review.

Welsh word for mother is “fam.”

Chapter 2

Looking up again, hoping to see the boy while knowing he was gone, Jack found himself looking at the handkerchief as he walked back to Jimmy. From looking at it more carefully, he could tell that it had once been well pressed before it had been used. The stitching had been done in a lovely shade of pea green. It made him wonder what kind of kid carried a handkerchief these days.

His thoughts were once again interrupted by Jimmy but this time through the com, "Jack did you get him?" He sounded angry and Jack couldn't be angry with him. Jimmy Evans was never really a prick like he was at the moment. Even Jack would be angry if he had been pulled away from his two year anniversary dinner that had been rescheduled for the third time that week.

"No, sorry Jimmy," he said regrettably through the com. He could hear Jimmy curse more to himself than to Jack. "I know, don't worry about him for now. I've found something that could help me find him but the kid could wait. Let's get the Blowfish back to the hub and you back to your wife. Just come and pick me up first."

~*~

Ianto found himself pressed against the door, the rapid pounding of his heart in his ears. He wanted so much to move, to go to sleep and forget the he had ever seen anything, but he found himself frozen to the spot. Even after his legs began to tremble under his own weight, threatening to collapse, they wouldn’t respond. His mind urged, pleaded, to go but his body refused to take a single step. It wasn’t until Ianto found himself on the floor that he wondered how long he had been there. Had it been minutes, hours? He took in a long shaky breath, before deciding that it didn’t matter how long. All that mattered was that he kept his mouth shut so that no one else would know what he saw.

                 Getting up from the floor, the first thing he did was go back to his routine. He straightened his clothes, ran a hand through his hair, and proceeded to retrieve his handkerchief from his pocket only to find nothing there. The familiar cloth that would normally have been in his grasp by now was not there. Ianto let his hand drop. He could feel his heart sink at the very thought of his beautiful white cloth lying outside on the ground, forgotten. Or worse, being torn apart and completely defiled by any stranger who found it.

                Too afraid from what happened earlier to go back outside, Ianto was lost at what to do. He knew that he had five more but each and every single one was very dear to his heart. All of them were made by his mother just for him and for him alone.  They were the last reminders he had of her and to lose even one was heartbreaking.  Despite the fact that losing the hanky created an uneven number began to nag to him; another part of his mother leaving him. Little by little her kind touch would leave him. Ianto knew that he couldn’t forget what he had read or seen but what he did forget were smells and touches. He was afraid. He was terrified that one day the beautiful scent and warm touch of his mother would soon start to fade until eventually, she would leave him completely. He didn’t know if it was possible but he felt lonelier than before without his handkerchief.

                The small boy sank back down to the floor as tears began to stream down his face, distraught at the fact that would probably never see that item ever again. That night, Ianto cried himself to sleep on the cold, wood floor.

~*~

                Jack found himself in Alex’s office being yelled at for letting the kid get away. If the kid had just seen the blowfish it would have been fine. The boy may have just thought it was a guy in a mask but because he had seen Jack come back, it had become a different problem. The boy would talk and many wouldn’t believe a word he’d say but if someone who knew better overheard the kid, they would come looking for trouble.

                He hadn’t intended to let Alex know that he had screwed up on the field, not like it really mattered since he was just a free lancer anyway, but he’d rather be on the safe side of Torchwood. If Alex hadn’t overheard Jack’s conversation with Colin Finnegan, the handsome Irish scientist who had moved to Wales long ago, he could have probably pulled the DNA off the handkerchief without any problems.

                But of course Alex had overheard as walked pass behind them  and Jack had to tell him everything.  The Head of Torchwood Three did not look pleased. Jack couldn’t help but hold his breath as Alex stayed silent when all was told. Times like these worried him. Despite Torchwood Three not getting along with Torchwood One in London, they did sometimes obey the rules. Well, the ones they couldn’t bend. Matters such as Jack’s immortality however didn’t fall under that distinction.

                Yes, there were rumors every now and then of how Captain Jack Harkness never aged, or that he was an alien, a time traveler, or just another man from the Harkness line that had joined Torchwood Three. No matter what theory-of-the-day circulated around, in the end, they were all just rumors. Only a select few knew of Harkness’ secret and kept it safe for a variety of reasons, whether they were friends of his, out of respect for the man, or simply because they knew he was the only hope many had.    Alex didn’t have a problem with them. They knew all about Torchwood, Unit, aliens, and all that stuff because they lived with it every day. The boy didn’t. He knew nothing about Jack’s world and what it encompassed. If this boy talked, a majority of people would just brush off his stories as either his imagination or craziness. But if the information was passed along to just the right person, it would cause a great deal of trouble for them. It was too much of a risk to leave him alone. Jack however, knew the boy was just some innocent kid that had shown up at wrong time.

                So Jack had the right to hold his breath. He knew for a fact that because of the new information the boy had acquired, it would mean he would be recont. This was not something Jack wanted for the kid. Not only that but he also hoped to return the hanky, the one that seemed to have been made with care and love, to its rightful owner. If the boy was forced to go through recont, he hoped that the hanky would at least help him through it.  Otherwise, the boy might have a worse fate.

                After what seemed an eternity of suspense, Alex finally let out a long sigh as he rubbed his temple, trying to relieve the headache that had bothered him all morning. His hand dropped and his eyes looked up at the immortal being before him. “Find the kid and recont him,” Alex ordered. “If he remembers anything, we’ll have to give him a stronger dose or get him relocated. We can’t have leaks, Jack, and you know that so, fix it. Or I will.”

                Jack’s exhale of breath became a burst of laughter. He knew of Alex’s soft spot for kids and he was thankful it was present now. After all, they could have easily just relocated the kid right away but Alex was willing to be lenient on the kid. Alex was being hard on Jack however, giving him one more chance to take care of business and set things right. Jack was relieved that Alex had given him this opportunity.

                “I mean it Jack,” Alex said with a cold tone, unfazed by Jack’s reaction. “Don’t give me a reason to regret my decision.” With that, Alex walked into his office and slammed the door shut. Jack smiled. Despite Alex’s grumpy moods, Jack could do nothing more than admire him. Even though he was older in age, Jack stayed the same. Alex was already growing gray hairs and aging just like nature had intended. He hadn’t grown weak however. Despite the old age, Alex could still handle matters just as good as any man half his age.

                Jack stood in his spot a few moments longer, arms crossed, a large smile reluctant to leave his face as he was left in reverie of the director of Torchwood Three. Through his peripheral vision he could see Colin with an incredulous look on his face at what he had just witnessed. Jack had gotten away with his mistake without as much as a yell. It confounded Colin. As quickly as he could, the immortal pulled the Irishman into a big hug and ruffled his hair. Surprised, Colin gave a loud yell before trying to squirm his way out of Jack’s tight grasp. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop messing with my hair?” Colin yelled out as soon as he was away from his attacker.

                The immortal just smiled and winked in reply. Jack had always found it amusing to push Colin Finnegan. His personality reminded him of the dog he had once.  Red Soldier was his name and he had copper red fur just like Colin’s hair. The dog was always on its own with his head up high, even on the worst days. Both of them were all bark and no bite. The first time Jack had seen the dog was when it was just a puppy, being chased away from the food stands in the market, darting down a busy dirt street riddled with mud and brown puddles. No one even turned their head when the puppy shot past them, much less stop to help it. Even Jack hadn’t stopped that day. He himself had been in a hurry, on the trail of someone that had caught Torchwood’s interest. However three days later, after his work had been done, he found himself walking through the same street just so he could clear his head. He heard a man yelling in front of a bakery but what had really got his attention was the fact that a tiny bark was giving its reply.

                Approaching the bakery, he couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of a man preventing the small copper furred puppy from entering. It was then that Jack took pity on the little guy and scooped him up from the floor. Nodding at the baker who was still shouting insults, he walked in with puppy and all, buying the first thing he saw for them to split with each other outside. The baker had grudgingly handed the pastry over; more willing when a bit of incentive was added. When the two were outside, the puppy scarfed up the roll, Jack decided to keep the little guy. He never regretted it.

                Red had always been there for him just as Colin was, whether it was just listening to his problems, distracting him from something that had gone wrong, or just making him smile with just being himself. There was much of Colin that reminded him of Red that sometimes Jack would just space off and get lost in his memories, like now. A soft cough pulled Jack out of his reminiscing, a file handed to him by Colin. His eyes lingered a bit longer on the loyal man before Jack gave him a quick nod in thanks as he took the file and walked away.

~*~

                On his way to school the next morning, the Welsh boy went through the same area from last night to look for his missing hanky. Alert from what had happened last night, he looked over his shoulder constantly, watching out for the two men. However he was short on time and he knew he couldn’t spend the rest of his time on it. He’d just have to go back later and search. Regretful, Ianto ran to school but kept his eyes on the ground in case he managed to spot it. He was disappointed however when he arrived at the building without finding it.

                Once at the school, he straightened his shirt and fixed his hair, before he walked into the classroom and took his seat. Once again the Welsh boy found himself sitting in class and looking out the window. The birds were nowhere to be found in the gloomy skies. They hid away from it, waiting for the sun to peek out from the skies and shine on their lovely wings. He didn’t know if it was possible but the gray life that he lived was starting to become a darker shade. Any color it had was being slowly drained away the longer he was without his hanky. A restless feeling fluttered within him, fear slowly creeping through his veins. The six year old closed his eyes tightly like a child making a wish on his birthday. Except, this was not something Ianto simply wanted like a new bike. It was something he sorely needed right now. Light, he needed the little bit of light and warmth that his hanky provided. He needed the sun to dispel the growing storm within him. If it broke out, if it rained, the few precious memories he held dear would wash away like chalk on a sidewalk. The colors would be washed out and become gray and eventually disappear. His memories of his Fam would disappear. He would disappear.

                 However at the same time, he wished the sun would never come out. The sun was gone from his world and he was resentful for it. Nothing could replace that light and warmth. Anything that tried was fake and cheap and stupid. Nothing could replace the sun. He could not accept an imitation. He would not accept it. It would be a toy, a cheap lamp, a stupid lamp. Nothing could replace the sun. Nothing could replace his Fam.

                He missed Fam. He wanted nothing more than for her arms to hold him once again. For her to take him to the park and watch the sun come up again. Watching it alone just wasn’t the same without her. Sometimes he missed her so much that he couldn’t help but imagine her walking through the door as though she had always been there. He would talk to her and tell her about his day and how he missed her and how she should never leave again. Then, he would open his eyes and his heart would break all over again.  

                It was when he felt something hit him on the side of his head that Ianto regained his focus on reality. He turned to see what it was and was instantly aware of Will’s eyes watching him. Ianto turned back around but a white flash caught his eyes. He looked over and saw it was a note being handed to a brown haired boy who sat next to Anna, Penelope’s best friend. Her eyes met his and she shot him a venomous glare before turning her eyes back to Miss Miller. Ianto’s own eyes followed the note as it was passed to half the class quietly. Those who received the note looked back at Ianto with looks of disbelief, indifference, or disgust. He just quietly stared back until the note moved again, Ianto following the chain of mixed reactions until the note landed in the hands of Will.

                Despite their falling out, Ianto never wanted to disappoint Will any further than he already had. He had known of Will’s crush on Penelope. He knew that it had started since the beginning of the year. He had been aware that his best friend found her sweet and kind nature so loveable. He believed that in Will’s eyes, Penelope could have no fault or flaw. Many others thought so as well but Ianto had always had a different opinion. She was often involving herself where she wasn’t needed and always seemed to be digging for intimate details no one should have to provide. It was supposed to be because she cared but Ianto believed she was simply being nosey.

                The note was crushed in his hand, Will glaring at him. The hate in those eyes made Ianto want to duck his head until everyone was gone. That would have proved useless though. The issue had to be addressed and Ianto had to speak to the boy. But, he had to remind himself not to refer his friend as Will during the discussion. Only his friends were allowed to call him that.

                When the bell rang for lunch everyone left the room in a rush, even Miss Miller. Ianto was the last to get up from his seat. Seeing how half the class was angry with him, he didn’t see the need to follow close behind the group. As he made his way to the cubby room located in the back of the class, William blocking his path. And why wouldn’t they? Their cubbies were right next to one another.

                Ianto opened the thin wooden door to grab his jacket and his lunch. Another granola bar waited for him on the empty shelf, his stomach already squirming at the unsatisfying lunch. When he closed the door he found himself face to face with his ex friend. The anger in William’s eyes there made him flinch and step back unknowingly. Seeing his chance, William didn’t hesitate to push him against the closed cubby doors. “I don’t understand why you stopped being my friend and I don’t know why you stopped being everyone else’s but I’ve had enough! You’ve changed and not into a good person,” William spat, Ianto noticing that the boy was a few inches taller than him. Ianto also recalled that he had been a natural in sports and was stronger than most of the boys in the class. He never used it on any of his friends though. It wouldn’t have been right. In fact, the only fights he ever got in were with his older brothers and even then, most of the time it was self defense. Ianto had been prepared to no longer call him Will but he hadn’t been prepared to fight William.

                “And now you’ve made Penelope cry, why?” William yelled, Ianto finding it difficult to respond as he tried to loosen his companion’s grip from his shirt. Will’s grip loosened and Ianto squirmed away, trying to get out before his friend decided to attack again. He didn’t even take a step however before he was forcefully pushed against the cubbies again.

                 “I want to know why Ianto,” William demanded.  The small welsh boy pushed the taller boy back with all his force, desperate to leave, but the boy only stumbled a few steps back before regaining his balance. He lunged for Ianto and threw out his fist, hitting him in the jaw which knocked the Welsh boy to the floor. William got to his feet and angrily glared at the boy on the floor.

                “You know, ever since your mom was sent away you started to act like everything is about you. I was there for you Ianto. I tried to be a good friend like I always have whenever your mom had bad days or when your dad got mad at you. But then you stopped talking to me one day. I never knew why. But you know what, now that I think about it, I think that if your mom was sent away it was because she finally got ill from being around you all the time. And I think that your dad yells at you because you sent her away. You want to know why? Because you’re nothing but a big horrible person on the inside that likes to hurt people and if you ever make Penelope cry again, I’ll do more than just punch so stay away from her and me. We don’t need you."

                Upon releasing his anger on the Welsh boy, William began to feel guilt smother the rage he felt inside. Ianto crumpled onto the ground like a rag doll someone had just thrown across the room. The taller boy fidgeted, waiting for a response, but Ianto didn’t even move. The taller boy frowned, guilt now smothering him. He could sense the younger boy was frightened but also dwelling among the pits of sadness and guilt and Will knew exactly why.

                They had been friends since kinder and back then, they used to tell each other secrets. Will never possessed terrible secrets. Mainly his were about where he had hidden his favorite crayon or which girl he would like for about a year. Ianto though would sometimes tell him about how his father would yell at him when his mother would have a bad day or the times he would hit him when he had too much to drink. It was also last year when his father had broken his leg. It took days before the Welsh boy would admit to what had happened and even then it was only because Will had confronted him when he had put the pieces together. William had wanted to tell the teacher about it immediately but Ianto had made him promise not to. After that, Mr. Jones never laid a hand on Ianto again but he never really stopped yelling at the poor kid. It wasn’t that the Jones family didn’t have pleasant days because Ianto would talk about it and actually smile but over the summer, everything just started to go south. After that, there was nothing natural about Ianto’s smile.  Things weren’t going to get better but Ianto refused to stop pretending they would. William could always tell when he was lying but never told Ianto. He simply faked a smile too and tried to be as good of a friend as he could be.  It wasn’t until a few months before Ianto’s mom was taken (he assumed it was to Providence Park because Ianto had mentioned once the possibility of his father placing her there but never mentioned it again) that he became so distant.

                Despite the guilt, William didn’t take anything back. Instead, he got his lunch from his cubby and went to the cafeteria, leaving Ianto alone in his misery. When his footsteps receded and finally disappeared, the Welsh boy slowly picked himself up before grabbing his coat with shaking hands. Tears began to flow down his cheeks as he pulled on the coat and within moments, he was fleeing the class room. At first, he had no idea where he was going. He just wanted to run, to get away from it all. His teacher, his classmates, Will… Ianto wanted distance from it all. It wasn’t until he was halfway home that he realized he couldn’t continue like this. His steps slowed as rain began to pour, grabbing force as the moments went on until they began pounding on the small frame, unable to find shelter in the unfriendly streets. He considered the park briefly but it was no refuge in a time like this. Besides, the park meant nothing if he couldn’t watch the sun from his favorite spot. Having no other options, the Welsh boy made his way home instead.  

                ~*~

Within seconds of picking the lock, Jack was inside the empty Jones home and looking about the place for clues as to the inhabitants of the household. The first thing when he tried turning on the lights was that there was no power in the house. The immortal sighed as he began snooping around, deciding to dismiss the lights for now. He wanted to find out more about the small boy, to see the same eyes who had been unafraid when Jack had come back to life. Most people would have run away, shrieking and cursing him. The boy had not. He had not even made an attempt to run away. The idea of the non-working lights nagged at him, making him worry about the health of the boy who lived here. What else did the boy live without? Didn’t he have parents who were supposed to take care of these things?

                 As the immortal made his way to the living room, he noticed the strange neatness of the items in the room such as the movies, records, a-tracks, cassettes, and the few CD’s. Each group of items had its place on a shelf and arranged in alphabetical order. Jack raised an eyebrow but moved on to examine the others items in the living room. Everything in the room was spotless, free from dust or any clutter. The only things out of place were a few imprints on the banana yellow walls which had once held pictures and a red pillow that seemed to be taken from someone’s bed, the deep red out of place with the dark blue of the couch. Everything else was neat and clean that it made Jack suspicious of the place. There was no light yet the place seemed so well kept and organized that it was impossible for whoever had done this to have forgotten to pay the electric bill. It was not normal.

                Picking up the pillow, Jack found a photograph of a beautiful woman with long, dirty blond hair holding a small dark haired boy on her lap. The woman rested her head on the boy’s shoulder as they both smiled at whoever was holding the camera whom Jack assumed was probably the father.  The immortal placed the picture back where he had found it and made his way into the kitchen. Just like the living room, he found the kitchen in the same conditions but things got really weird as soon he turned his attention to the table.  There were a series of letters that had been neatly stacked and categorized on the table as if waiting for the owner to return. The weird thing was, none of the mail was recent. Jack could tell they had been lying there for quite some time and the dates and warnings on the letters alerted him.  A shiver went down his spine as he continued to search the house…

TBC…