SquidgeWorld Archive

Companions of the Sword
by Lilithangel
http://www.livejournal.com/users/lilithbint

As she walked away from Jack's team, Martha grabbed her phone. "Doctor, it's Martha, I'm bringing you back to earth."

The TARDIS materialised in the Plass and the Doctor wandered out. He didn't know why Martha had called him to Cardiff; she had just said that Jack needed him.

Not wanting to land in Jack's hideout he picked a spot where he figured he would be seen and waited. The area was quite interesting anyway; he had to wonder where they had got Gatafarlian artwork for the sculpture.

"Doctor," Jack appeared at a run around a corner and skidded to a halt before he ran into the Doctor, "what's wrong?"

"That's my question I think, at least according to Martha. What have you done Jack?" the doctor rocked back on his heels and tilted his head to consider Jack.

Jack managed to look equal parts annoyed, defiant and worried at the question and then he just seemed to deflate.

"I couldn't let him be dead," he said, "You understand don't you? Not while I had the chance to fix it, but I may have made it worse."

"What did you do?" The Doctor was alarmed now.

"Owen, one of my team, he was dead but I knew of a way to bring him back, just for a while, two minutes I thought. There was this glove..."

"A Resurrection glove, you found a Resurrection glove?" The Doctor was horrified. "I thought I got rid of all of them."

"You know about them?" Jack said in surprise.

"Know about them? I created them," the Doctor replied taking a deep breath. "Not my best idea I admit, well... actually that wasn't what they were for, well it was sort of a side effect of what they were actually for. Well Arthur was supposed to be the only one to ever use them and me of course. Two you say? That means you found the prototype as well." The Doctor's eyes widened, "nobody got hurt did they?"

"Well Martha but we fixed it, well Owen fixed it and we blew up the glove. What do you mean prototype and Arthur who?" Jack was happy to let the Doctor ramble if it kept his mind off what Jack had done.

"Never you mind. So this Owen is still around then? Who told you about the glove anyway?"

"We found the first one and destroyed it to break the link it had made between the living and the dead. That time the dead person stayed completely dead. But Owen didn't, he's still dead but he's kind of walking around."

"That's why it was the prototype and why it was locked away." The Doctor narrowed his eyes, "who told you about it?" he repeated.

"A contact, a girl I've known for a long time," Jack said evasively.

The Doctor snorted. "Of course it was who else would it be? Not even Nimue could resist you."

"Who?"

"Nobody," the Doctor replied just as evasively.

"Do you know of anyway to fix him?" Jack said anxiously.

"I'll have to meet him and see. Messing with the fabric of time and space is never a good thing, you of all people should know that, Jack," the Doctor said.

Jack shifted uneasily and then grinned. "It's good to see you Doc."

The Doctor grinned, "Always good to see you Captain. Right then, time's a wasting, Allons-y."

"He'll be at his apartment," Jack said leading the way, "he's not been coping with the whole being dead thing."

They reached Owen's apartment and he buzzed them up. To Jack's surprise Ianto was standing in the living area.

"I came to retrieve the Pulse," Ianto said at Jack's quizzical expression, holding up the alien device.

"A Verekian Vilocal," the Doctor said with enthusiasm, "I haven't seen one of those for ages."

"You know what it is?" Owen said.

"Well yes," the Doctor tugged at his ear, "they're a wordy bunch the Verekian which isn't really surprising considering their language, well... their song really. It has three thousand individual notes so when you want to send a message it's a bit hard to fit on a card. So they invented the Vilocal to send to each other."

"So you're saying it's an alien greeting card?" Owen asked.

"Yup, more or less, well less than more. A greeting card to the universe. They tossed them out like humans used to toss bottles into the sea. No idea whether anyone would find them, they just thought it was a nice idea to see if anyone answered." The Doctor was staring at Owen in fascination as he talked.

"That's exactly what we thought it was," Owen said triumphantly.

"Owen, Ianto, this is the Doctor," Jack said, "Doctor, Ianto Jones and Owen Harper."

"Your Doctor?" Owen said shooting a glance at Jack.

"The Doctor?" Ianto added looking at the Doctor.

"One and the same," Jack said fondly.

"The one that used to be Torchwood's number one enemy, the reason for our existence until Canary Wharf when somebody," Ianto looked at Jack, "changed the mission statement?"

"That's me," the Doctor said cheerfully.

"The Doctor may be able to help," Jack said to Owen.

"You can fix me?" Owen said, "You didn't do a very good job with Jack."

"Jack's a constant," the Doctor said exchanging apologetic glances with Jack, "can't change a constant. You, you're something else. The glove was never meant to be used as resurrection tool that was just a side effect." This time he glared at Jack, "it was to be used with something else, something that was lost long ago."

"Fat lot of good that does me then," Owen said.

"Ah but you've got me," the Doctor said cheerfully, "that makes all the difference."

"Are you just naturally attracted to arrogance?" Ianto said to Jack.

"I like to think of it as confidence," Jack said, "and you should know."

Ianto smirked and the Doctor blinked while Owen just rolled his eyes.

"Back to the matter at hand," Owen said, "me."

"I see what you mean," the Doctor said to Ianto and this time Jack blinked. "We'll have to go see a lady and I can't guarantee anything," he added. "I don't know if it will work or what the ramifications will be."

"But there's a chance?" Jack said.

"There's a chance," the Doctor said.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Jack smiled at the room, "Let's head out."

"I'm coming with you," Ianto said firmly.

"Don't we need to know a little bit more before we swan off with this guy?" Owen demanded.

"You can trust him," Jack said, "or at least trust me." He looked intently at Owen who finally nodded and grabbed his jacket.

"Where are we going then?" Ianto asked.

"A place, outside of Cardiff, if it's still there," the Doctor said, "and it should be, I doubt she'd let anything happen to it."

"Who's she?" Jack asked as they headed down the stairs.

"Don't even start with her," the Doctor warned, "she's older than you can imagine and won't take it kindly."

"You know Doctor," Jack rolled his eyes; "I don't flirt with everyone you know." Now everyone rolled their eyes. "I don't," Jack insisted.

"We're not all going to fit in my car," Owen said when they reached the street.

"We'll take the SUV," Jack said, "and leave a message for the girls so they don't worry."

"Now he's willing to leave messages," Owen muttered and Ianto elbowed him.

The Doctor gave directions, but was otherwise silent which had Jack worried. The Doctor was never silent so this, whoever whatever it was, was serious and probably deadly.

Well as deadly as a small lake in the middle of the Welsh countryside could be anyway.

"Did I mention how much I hate the countryside?" Owen said, peering suspiciously at something on his shoe.

"Only a dozen times," Ianto replied. "I know this place," he added looking around, "it's called the Lady of Tears." The water was dark and still surrounded by trees and rocks and almost too perfect to be natural. "It's been like this for decades, centuries if you listen to the legends. Nobody has ever tried to develop around it."

"She wouldn't let them," the Doctor said, he looked nervous. "Last time I saw her I was very different, younger and a little bit mad with grief," his eyes were shadowed with a pain Jack recognised, "thought I could change the world rather than just save it."

"What is this place Doctor?" Jack asked.

"A memory, an echo, a place in time waiting to happen again."

"Well I'm glad that's cleared up," Owen said irritably.

The Doctor glared at Owen and then turned to Jack. "You'll have to ask for her help, I don't think she'll do anything for me." He tugged on his ear. "We didn't really part on good terms."

Before Jack could say anything in reply the Doctor waded into the water up to his knees. Jack could almost hear the eye roll as the Doctor began to speak.

"Lady I beseech audience, this worthy knight requires your aid."

There was a long silence and everyone shifted uncomfortably, but then the surface of the water stirred swirling in a spiral that rose up like a water spout. It reached ten feet above the surface of the lake, which suddenly seemed much larger than before, and then it cascaded down drenching all of them.

As they blinked water out of their eyes they saw a woman standing in the centre of the spiral. The water rippled over her body forming robes that concealed nothing and everything of the flesh below. If there was flesh, as she seemed to be made of water.

"Who calls for the lady?" she asked her voice trickling out like a cold mountain stream. "Merlin..." now it was like a glacier flow. "What the hell do you want?"

"Morgan," the Doctor said apologetically as the three men looked on in shock.

"Merlin?" Owen mouthed to Ianto who simply shrugged.

"My lady Morgan," Jack stepped into the water to stand next to the Doctor. "I come to ask a boon of you. I used the Resurrection Glove unwisely and one dear to me now suffer from my selfishness." He gestured to Owen and when she turned to look at him he almost staggered at the sheer otherness of her gaze. "Can you assist him?"

She turned her gaze on Jack and then the Doctor, and smiled. "I knew you would find him again," she said and then she looked at Jack again. "The glove was meant only to hold It and only It can decide." She gestured and a second waterspout rose up and within it was a sword. It was very simply looking, just a blade with a hilt and plain crosspiece. Just a purely functional weapon that seemed to glow with the purity of that function.

"Tell me that's not Excalibur," Owen said.

"Why would I tell you something that isn't true?" Morgan looked at Owen, "the land shudders at your footstep," she added, "Excalibur and the land must decide how to end that. He may live or he may die," she said turning to Jack, "or he may completely join the In-between lands."

The Doctor made a movement at her words. "You can't mean that," he said urgently, "humans are not made for that place."

"He isn't human anymore Merlin, anymore than your knight is and he is only granted time here because he is made of life not death. This one makes the land hurt."

"Thank you so much," Owen said, "just what I wanted to hear."

"You are a doctor, committed to preserving life," she said gravely, "living death cannot be what you chose."

Morgan looked at Owen and Jack and then turned her gaze onto Ianto for the first time. He swallowed nervously but met her gaze as best he could.

"Excalibur will decide the outcome and the price of your request," she said to Jack, "but you will all abide by what happens. There can be no second thoughts, no second chances. It will look into your hearts and souls and judge your motives. Love must wield the blade, honour must sheath it and justice must accept it."

"We accept," Jack said and looked at the two men standing on the edge of the water, "whatever it takes." Excalibur moved into Jack's hand and he closed around the hilt automatically. He stepped out of the water to face the two men.

"It may be possible for Excalibur to kill you," she said to Jack, "permanently. Or there may be another price."

Jack nodded his understanding, "now what?" he asked her.

"Now love must kill you," she said, looking at Ianto.

"No," Ianto said, shaking his head, "I can't."

"You have to Ianto," Jack said offering the hilt of Excalibur to him.

"I can't Jack," Ianto whispered, accepting the sword reluctantly and hanging his head.

"Do you trust me Ianto?" Jack said, lifting the point of the sword to rest against his chest.

"Of course I do," Ianto said, looking at him.

"No, this isn't right," Owen said suddenly, "not for me Jack."

"We have to do this; it's the right thing to do." Jack stepped forward and impaled himself on the sword until he reached Ianto.

"Oh god," Ianto gasped stepping out of Jack's embrace to pull the sword free.

Excalibur tumbled from Ianto's grasp as he crumpled to the ground with Owen beside him. Jack dropped to his knees as his blood dripped onto the ground.

Owen's eyes snapped open as the wound in Jack's chest closed, but Ianto didn't move.

"No, this was my mistake," Jack said pulling Ianto into his lap, "Ianto shouldn't die for my mistake." He looked at the Doctor imploringly, "We have to fix this."

"Fixing is what brought us here in the first place," the Doctor said sadly.

"I should be dead," Owen said glaring at Morgan, "this is his breath not mine." Jack looked at Owen who pulled open his shirt to reveal a chest clean of wounds. "This is bollocks," Owen added and he picked up the sword. "Sorry Jack, but Ianto doesn't deserve this."

Before Jack could say anything Owen thrust the sword through his chest.

"Bring Ianto back," Owen demanded before collapsing to the ground.

"Oh hell," Jack said pulling the sword free and falling beside Owen.

"You always find the stubborn ones," Morgan said to the Doctor, "he hasn't changed one bit."

"Don't blame me," the Doctor replied, "I just found Jack. He picked up the other two all by himself."

"Kings always have companions," she said with a mischievous smile.

"Cut that out," the Doctor said, wading out of the water. "And don't mention it to Jack; he's already got far too many ideas."

Jack came back first with a gasp to find the Doctor standing over him with a very familiar look. "What did I do this time?" he asked plaintively.

"It's what you all did," the Doctor replied drawing Jack's attention to the other two who were slowly stirring.

Jack rolled over onto his knees and crawled over to Ianto who blinked up at him in confusion. Jack kissed him firmly. "I'm so sorry," he said in relief.

"Sorry for what?" Ianto struggled up onto his elbows.

"You died, you were dead," Jack said.

"Oh," Ianto said, "but I'm not dead now?"

"Nope," Jack said with a grin. He turned to Owen and reached out to grasp the thin wrist, "and neither is Owen." He smiled blindingly into the dazed eyes staring up at him. "You stabbed me, is this going to be a habit with you?"

"Only if I have to," Owen said, "so hopefully never again."

Jack laughed and pulled Owen in for a hug which somehow turned into a kiss that left them both panting and staring at each other in shock. Jack turned to Ianto, only to find the other man watching with pleasure and arousal.

"You are Companions of the Sword now," Morgan said to the three men, "bound together as mates and companions for the rest of your lives. Open your shirts."

Jack looked down ruefully at his torn shirt and pulled it open to reveal Excalibur tattooed onto his chest with three rings linked behind it and a fourth surrounding them all. Owen and Ianto opened their shirts to expose the same pattern over their hearts.

"The rest of our lives?" Owen said.

"How long will that be?" Jack asked.

"Who knows," Morgan said with a shrug. "The land recognises you as protectors and will do what it can to keep you. I was mortal once and the land still keeps me. You are bound to the land and must protect it to your last breath."

"Hang on," Owen said, "What do you mean mated?"

"Excalibur sees what is in your hearts; the rings indicate your choice was acceptable."

"All three of us?" Ianto asked.

"We wanted to be mated?" Jack added. He looked at the tattoos again. "What does the fourth ring mean then?"

Morgan smiled mischievously. "Ask Merlin." With that she held out her hand and the forgotten Excalibur returned to it and they both became just water again.

Jack turned to the Doctor. "Doctor?" he asked quizzically.

"No idea what she's talking about," the Doctor said as he dragged a hand through his already dishevelled hair.

"Merlin?" Jack asked, guessing the Doctor wasn't ready to explain Morgan's words but almost certain he knew anyway.

"Superstitious times," the Doctor said with a shrug, "they called me a madman, bard and magician, and well... it was easier that way."

"Yes, but Merlin... does that mean Arthur really existed?" Jack teased.

"Didn't she call you Merlin's knight?" Ianto said to Jack. "That would make you Arthur wouldn't it?"

"Like I said," the Doctor interrupted, "superstitious times, don't pay her any attention." He sputtered as the water in the lake pushed him onto the shore. "Cheeky woman," he muttered, picking himself up. "Right then, time to move on." He said brightly.

"Fine," Jack said, getting to his feet and helping the others up, "but we will talk about this later." All three stood close, hands clasped without them even realising it.

"Come on then," the Doctor gestured, "I think your next actions would be a lot more comfortable inside."

"Next actions?" Owen said blankly and then he blushed as he realised he was holding Jack and Ianto's hands.

"Well if we're mated..." Jack said with a grin.

"Excalibur saw it in our hearts?" Ianto said with amazement.

"Who are we to argue with that," Jack said and he pulled them towards the car where the Doctor was already waiting.

Jack gave them both lingering kisses as he helped them into the SUV and then went around to the driver's seat, stopping only to bestow a quick kiss on the Doctor as well. "Merlin hey?"

The Doctor huffed at him but smiled. "We are not going to talk about it Jack," he added as they headed back to Cardiff.

"I've got eternity Doc," Jack said, "I can wait... we can wait," he added in hope. "But we will talk about it one day."

When they reached Cardiff Jack looked at the Doctor who nodded slightly and they stopped next to the TARDIS. Ianto and Owen waited in the SUV as Jack walked the Doctor to the door.

Jack placed a hand over the tattoo and placed his other on the Doctor's chest. He felt the tattoo warm under his hand and felt similar warmth on the Doctor.

"Goodbye Doctor," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "we'll see you after the honeymoon." It wasn't a question and the Doctor smiled.

"Look after them and the earth," he said as he opened the door to the TARDIS, "couldn't be in better hands, but I'll be around."

"Thank you," Jack said, happy this time to watch the TARDIS leave.

He returned to the SUV and drove them back to the Hub where Gwen and Tosh waited impatiently.

Finally, after celebrating Owen's return to life and Owen having a small breakdown as he realised he was alive again, the three men were finally alone.

"Mated..." Jack said taking their hands.

"All three of us..." Owen said, holding tight.

"For the rest of our lives..." Ianto said with a small smile.

"However long that might end up being," Jack finished.

"This is going to be interesting," Owen said and he pulled Ianto in for their first kiss.

"And very enjoyable," Jack said with pleasure, waiting for his turn.

They took their time exploring each other, learning new skin, new breath and just how the three of them would fit together.

After all, it appeared all they had was time.

END