Title: To Live Afresh
Author:
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto Jones, Gwen Cooper
Warning: Spoilers for Children of Earth
Word Count: 155
Rating: General
Summary: A conversation that never was.
Notes: For , who wanted a fix-it drabble.
“To regret deeply is to live afresh.”
— Henry David Thoreau
“He’s over there,” said the solider in the black UNIT uniform, pointing the way for Gwen. It was easy to recognize Ianto’s narrow, waistcoated back even though he sat with his hands dangling between his knees and his head down. Gwen crossed the room and pulled over a chair to sit beside him, and wrapped an arm around his back.
“I couldn’t help them,” Ianto whispered. “Dozens of them, banging on the glass and screaming. I couldn’t open the doors. I couldn’t break the glass. I watched them die.”
Gwen stroked his back and leaned her chin on Ianto’s shoulder. “You did what you could.”
“It wasn’t enough.” He looked up at her at last, eyes red and damp, and then nodded down the hall. “Jack’s in there.”
“We should fetch him.”
Ianto nodded but didn’t move. “I can’t face the other bodies just yet.”
Gwen patted his back as he hung his head again.
End.
OHHH! Just the idea of Ianto living hurts. I can’t look at the CoE homepage because every time I do, I want to cry. (Means something when a TV show can get to you like that.) Loved the fic, though.
Thank you!