FIC: Torchwood (drabble) - The Key

[fajrdrako]

Title: The Key
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack/Ianto
Challenge: tw100, challenge: recovery
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, no claims, all property of the BBC.
Notes: Spoilers for Torchwood 1x04, "Cyberwoman" and 1x08, "They Keep Killing Suzie". Cross-posted to my LJ and to tw100.


The Key

After Ianto witnessed Lisa's inevitable, necessary death, helpless to save her - he believed he would never recover.

He tried to find relief in his Torchwood work, but darkness dogged him. It wasn't just Lisa's death that hurt: it was the colossal depth of his failure.

Then one day he realized that his flirtatious boss really cared about him. He remembered sparks they had shared - joking, teasing moments of connection. Was there something worth living for still? Someone?

Kisses. Tenderness. A stopwatch. Warm laughter. In Jack's arms, Ianto felt his strength returning.

Jack's love was the key to recovery.

Comments

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Lovely!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I was feeling the need for something optimistic in spirit.

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

A perfect little gem. It ties in with 2x05 "Adam" nicely.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for your lovely comment.

It ties in with 2x05 "Adam" nicely.

By no surprise, the Jack/Ianto scenes in "Adam" are among my favourite scenes in series 2 Torchwood.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

Yep. Like a tender plant turning to face the warm sunshine.

the colossal depth of his failure.

Good point. Lover? Failed. Bystanders? Hideously killed. Boss? Betrayed. Team? Betrayed. Self? Betrayed. Fail, fail, fail. God. :-(


Thank you as always for your insight.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Like a tender plant turning to face the warm sunshine.

Such a nice image for those two.

failure

Ianto was ready to sacrifice anyone and anything to save Lisa. Not only did he not save her, she was already destroyed before he managed to do anything. He endangered and betrayed his world and his friends and then failed even to protect the Cyberwoman... And all the time his plans were as carefully and intricately set up as Suzie's in "They Keep Killing Suzie". He prides himself on a job well done, and he's careful over details. And what happened? He totally failed.

This is one of the reasons I love "Cyberwoman" so much. Ianto was doing his best and it almost destroyed him.

Thanks so much for the nice comments.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

Stunningly lovely.

In Jack's arms, Ianto felt his strength returning.

I've felt that way.

It wasn't just Lisa's death that hurt: it was the colossal depth of his failure.

The most painful scene to watch in that episode -- no, one of the two most painful -- was when Jack forced Ianto down onto his knees and had him put his hands behind his head, which Ianto did instantly and without any protest at all (fully aware of how much he was responsible for), and then... as Jack interrogated him, Ianto answered every question, weeping uncontrollably all the while. Which Jack ignored. And which Ianto also ignored. It was brilliant, painful, stunning.

And you captured that, here.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your wonderful comments. As you know, I love that episode, because I love the beautiful complexity of Jack's and Ianto's feelings.

Which was the other 'most painful' moment of the episode?

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, that second line just says it all really.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

When Jack ordered Ianto back down there to kill the cyberwoman, and Ianto followed orders even though he was weeping too hard to see straight... and then Jack shot her instead. That entire sequence. Ai.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think so. Ianto - his intentions so good, his planning so careful, his situation so bad.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes. "Most painful" indeed but still among my favourite Torchwood sequences.

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

My favorite is the one where Jack kisses Ianto on the forehead. I've already seen it as an icon.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

My favorite is the one where Jack kisses Ianto on the forehead.

Yes, wasn't that wonderful? It's my second favourite moment. My very favourite moment was when Ianto said to Jack, "You gave my life meaning."

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

absolutely. It was brilliant and horrible and exquisite.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

I'm with you. It was deep and amazing. The characters were pure and raw. Did you notice the expression on Toshiko's face, for instance, for poor Ianto? This was perhaps the first (how can I phrase...?) the first thing I noticed that she emotionally paid attention to? Yes, that's good. That says it.

One of my other favorite "real" moments in the series was the entire episode "Out of Time," which I found too painful to watch, the first time you showed it to me, but which I thought was brilliant. And still do. I have yet to watch it again on the DVD. I want to write an alternate version of it....

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Did you notice the expression on Toshiko's face, for instance, for poor Ianto?

I like the way Toshiko (for all she's a science geek and seriously work-oriented) feels such compassion for those around her. Of course it showed strongly in the episode with Tommy ("To the Last Man") but also even back in "Greeks Bearing Gifts", when she talked about the alien's letter to his son.

What would happen in your alternate version of "Out of Time"? Did you read the story I wrote about that episode?

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

Tommy? "To the Last Man"? Second season...?

Hm... in my version, considering that I am a time-travel buff from 40+ yeas ago, and also deeply compassionate... the older gentleman would not end up in the garage. Not so immediately, at any rate. And... other things. (Good, now I'm motivated to think about it and write it. Thank you!)

I do not recall your story... although I'm pretty sure that I did read it. I've been having memory stuff happen for the past seven or eight months, sorry. Do you still have it?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Tommy? "To the Last Man"? Second season...?

Yes, second series. Sorry, I half-forgot you hadn't seen it. Wasn't thinking.

Good, now I'm motivated to think about it and write it. Thank you!

Yes, go for it! I'd like to see John Ellis survive.

I do not recall your story... Do you still have it?

Yes. It's here: John Ellis (http://fajrdrako.livejournal.com/565554.html#cutid1).