madbottoms | The Ties That Bind

Title: The Ties That Bind - Epilogue

Beta:Blackcat1000
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Donna, John Hart, Owen and James Harper, Mickey/Martha, Toshiko/Tommy, Claudia, Phillip, Suzie, Saxon, Rhiannon, OCs
Rating: NC-17
WordCount: 75K+
Warnings/Contains: Explicit sex (does that need a warning?), witchcraft, horror, supernatural themes, minor character death.

Summary: Ianto is a powerful magical warrior, one which Jack Harkness has never been able to resist. Once enemies, then almost lovers, he broke his heart. Years later, Jack must return to his hometown and seek help before it is too late. Jack and Ianto must now put aside their past and work together to defeat an evil threatening to overwhelm and take control of Jack because of his unique bloodline. Secrets and foretold prophecies will plague them and in this paranormal battle, they will need more than magic to survive.

A/N: And here we are at the end. Hope you enjoyed their journey. Thanks to everyone who read and commented. Cheers all!

Epilogue

Torchwood House, Torchwood Estate

It was, without doubt, the biggest wedding celebration Ianto had ever been to. In the past month, seven other couples from Jack’s unit had exchanged vows, and now they were throwing a huge bash in honour of the auspicious occasions. The party was being held in the gardens of the Torchwood Estate, the magnificent grounds that was now officially their headquarters. A jazz band played from one of the upper balconies, the crowded dance floor surrounded by linen-covered tables with stunning floral centrepieces. The caterer had outdone herself with a sumptuous array of dishes, while the open bar provided an endless supply of wine and champagne and other tempting libations.

Everywhere Ianto looked, people were smiling and laughing, and his head was spinning as he tried to keep track of all the new faces and names. He’d met most of the other people in Jack’s unit the week before, when they’d joined them for their own wedding, and he liked them all. The men and women of the team were rugged, gorgeous and loyal who knew how to play as hard as they worked, and their husbands, wives and partners had been so welcoming, Ianto knew it wouldn’t be long before he’d make some lasting friendships. A first for him, since he’d never been able to make any close friends; other than John, but he was looking forward to the getting to know them all much better. After all, he was going to be spending a lot of time with them.

As the jazz band began to play ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’, Jack took Ianto’s hand, pulled him away from their chattering tablemates and led him onto the dance floor. As Jack pulled him into his arms he gave him one of those wickedly sexy smiles that always sent tingles through his body, then held him close as they moved slowly to the music.

Ianto closed his eyes and smiled as he thought of all the new unions during the past weeks and couldn’t help think it was almost fairy-tale like. “Everyone is so much in love Jack. I’ve never seen so much love before,” he said. “It’s like magic.”

“We’re magic,” he murmured, nuzzling his temple, his big hands pressed possessively against his back. “And you are, literally,” he added.

“We are, and I am.” Ianto smiled and gave a blissful sigh, remembering how incredible their wedding day had been. John had shown up to serve as Jack’s best man, which the demon had gotten a kick out of. And Brandon had stuck around, just as he’d promised, looking handsome in his tux, standing by his side.

After the ceremony, the reception had been held at the Noble House, and he knew the whole parish would be talking about it for years to come. At one point, Owen and John had danced shirtless on one of the tables and nearly sent the older ladies into a swoon, while their friends had all laughed so hard there’d been tears in their eyes.

And true to his word, Jack had let him pull him away from the fun to sneak off to one of the refurbished cottages, where he had his wicked way with him. Of course, he’d demanded to have his wicked way with him as well, devastating his senses with pleasure until his throat had been raw from his husky cries. By the time they’d made it back to the reception, they were flushed from the mind-shattering orgasms, and it had been time to cut the cake.

They’d postponed their honeymoon so that they could attend the rest of the weddings of the tight group. But they would be leaving for Donna’s private Caribbean island the week after next, and would be staying for three weeks. They’d invited Jack’s brother, Thomas and his family to come and stay with them the last week they were there, and Ianto was looking forward to getting to know them better. His brother had offered to buy Jack’s bar back in New York, and he’d been happy to agree, saying he wanted to spend his time working with the yet unnamed unit and helping Ianto with his cases, since he didn’t plan on letting him out of his sight.

It still amazed him whenever he thought about the depth of Jack’s devotion to him; a miracle that at times he feared was simply too good to be true. Of course, whenever he asked him to pinch him, to prove that he wasn’t dreaming, he would smile that sexy crooked smile of his, and drag him away to their bedroom. Then, once behind closed doors, he would spend hours showing him in overwhelming, explicit detail just how real he was.

“I’ve had a wonderful time tonight,” Ianto told Jack, lacing his fingers behind his neck. “Your friends are great.”

Jack grinned. “They’re a bunch of smart-asses most of the time, but they’re a good group of people.”

“Get your facts straight,” Owen complained, a huge grin on the Lycan’s face as he swirled by with a laughing Katie in his arms. “We’re not good, Harkness. We’re the best.”

Jack laughed at Owen, then moved his mouth to Ianto’s ear. “Not that this isn’t fun,” he rasped, giving a playful nip to his earlobe, “but I’m dying to get you alone.”

“Me, too,” Ianto whispered, trembling with desire. “Addiction can sometimes be a good thing, Mr. Harkness. And I am so addicted to you.”

Ianto could feel him smile against his temple. “You’ve got it all backwards, baby. I’m the one who’s addicted to you.”

Ianto’s breath caught as Jack pulled him closer, dancing him into the jasmine-scented shadows at the edge of the dance floor. A pale shaft of light from one of the flickering sconces illuminated his gorgeous face as he stared into his eyes, and Ianto shivered under the raw force of his gaze. Then moved closer, covering his mouth with his, and he lost himself in the incredible depths of his kiss, his tongue stroking his. The kiss became deeper, more urgent, heat layering upon heat until he couldn’t hear anything but the frenzied racing of his heart.

Ianto pressed one hand to the centre of Jack’s chest, against the soft linen of his shirt, wanting to feel his pounding heartbeat. Donna’s leather pouch pressed against his palm, and he experienced a sharp pang of relief at the fact that he was still wearing the charm. It had been decided that both Harkness brothers should continue to wear the charmed pouches, until they were certain all the Pharis had been destroyed. Jack and his friends didn’t believe the Pharis shades that had escaped with the Master would be able to switch their hosts as easily as the Master had, but they weren’t taking any chances.

The band took a break and Jack reluctantly ended the kiss, his dark whisper in Ianto’s ear promising untold hours of erotic pleasure once they’d headed up to their room. Then he took his hand, leading him from the dance floor. He stifled a snort as he caught sight of the proper-looking jazz band heading toward the bar, wondering how they would react if they suspected they were playing to a crowd that consisted of far more clansmen and women than it did humans. There were even a few vampires in attendance, thanks to Phillip and Claudia. The Kindres vampires had only just made the event having just returned that evening from some mysterious emergency.

When he and Jack rejoined their table, they were just in time for a fresh round of champagne. As the bubbling glasses were passed around, Toshiko, who Ianto noticed had been drinking iced water all evening, suddenly said, “I’ve had another dream.”

From what Jack had told him, Ianto knew that the psychic bear-shifter could see visions of the future in her dreams. And from the sparkling look of happiness in hers and Tommy’s eyes, her latest dream had undoubtedly been a good one.

Glancing at his friends’ expectant faces, Toshiko grinned and said, “We’re going to have a baby!”

“Holy shit!” someone blurted with excitement, while one of the others slapped Tommy on the shoulder and said, “Congratulations, mate. That’s so freaking cool.”

“More like bloody terrifying,” Tommy rumbled, looking a little pale.

Toshiko rolled his eyes. “He’s already worrying himself sick, but I’m going to be perfectly fine.” She leaned over, placing a tender kiss against her husband’s grim mouth. “I promise.”

Tommy pulled her closer, whispering something in her ear that made the usually shameless Seer blush, and Ianto couldn’t help but smile. These people obviously weren’t afraid of public displays of affection, but then neither was Jack. And that was perfectly fine with him.

James moved his chair back and stood up on the far side of the table, drawing everyone’s attention. “I’d like to make a toast,” the Lycan called out, a smile on his handsome face as he gave his lovely wife, Diane, a sexy wink, then looked around the table and lifted his glass of champagne. “To new friends, new beginnings and a future we can all look forward to!”

They all lifted their glasses, clinking them together for good luck, then tossed back the cold champagne. As the flutes were set back on the table, Tommy cleared his throat and said, “Toshiko, uh, had another dream, as well.”

“What was this one about?” Mickey drawled, his brawny arms wrapped possessively around his wife’s narrow waist as she sat perched on his lap.

Toshiko tapped a finger on her bottom lip. “I know what name is going to be chosen for the new organisation after the votes come in next week from the other units.”

When Jack and several of the others asked what it was, their deep voices overlapping, Toshiko took a deep breath and told them what he’d seen in the dream. “We’re going to be collectively referred to as Torchwood.”

There were several gasps, and more than a few smiles as they all looked at Jack, whose eyes went wide with disbelief.

“You’re making that up, Bear,” Jack said, calling her by her shifter name.

With a smile, Tommy said, “Trust me, Jack, that’s the name that’s going to be chosen.”

“But why?”

“For one, our headquarters is already named Torchwood Estate and it seemed only fitting that the name be taken as the name of the organisation.” The others at the table murmured their agreement as she continued. “But also in honour of your family and the sacrifices they have made over the last millennia, including your own. Without your contribution and your amazing donation of this estate to the organisation, we wouldn’t be here today. And everyone in this group here and around the world knows it. Thank you, Jack.” Toshiko smiled and leaned across the table and squeezed Jack’s hand, as the others applauded.

Jack could only squeeze Toshiko’s hand back but then eventually smiled widely. “Cool!” he finally said but immediately turned to look at Ianto when he heard a groan and stared at him questioningly.

“Now you’ve done it.”

“Done what?” Owen asked.

“As if his ego couldn’t get any bigger,” Ianto bemoaned. “He’ll be preening for weeks and we’ll all suffer.”

While the others groaned, Owen threw back his head and howled with laughter, the husky sound echoing loudly through the warm summer night. And then one by one, the others joined in.

With Jack’s long arm wrapped around his shoulders, Ianto looked around the group and smiled. He knew that life with Torchwood would often be difficult, not to mention dangerous, and at times even deadly. But as he listened to them laugh and rib each other with good-natured humour, he also knew it was going to be a hell of a lot of fun.

And as Jack suddenly pulled him close, kissing him as if he’d die without the taste of his lips against his, there was only one way Ianto could think of to describe the future….

Perfect.

*~*

That's all folks...