Title: Fly Away
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Ianto Jones/Tenth Doctor
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Rating: PG
Table: 1, 50scenes
Prompt: 28, Fly
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own Ianto Jones or the Tenth Doctor. Please do not sue.

***

Ianto stood on the balcony of his flat, looking up at the sky. When would he and the Doctor be back out there among the stars again? It felt as though it had been far too long, and he was eager to find some new advernture to embark on.

It felt as though it had been forever since they'd come back from their last foray into space; even though in actuality it had only been a bit over a week, to Ianto it felt as if time was standing still. It all seemed to move so much faster when they were out there ....

The Doctor had told him that this would happen -- warned him, actually. He'd said that life on Earth might seem slow and dull to Ianto after he'd experienced being out there in the Tardis, and told him that it wasn't as exciting a great deal of the time as it might appear to be.

But he still wanted to be back out there. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he felt he could cast away all his responsibilities to be with the man he loved, sharing their time and their lives in a way that they couldn't when they were here.

A thought came to him, popping into his mind with such force that it made him gasp aloud. Was that why the Doctor seemed to be reluctant about taking him along on his trips into space at times? Did he not want Ianto to get too used to being there?

It would be all too easy for him to get tired of his life on Earth, if he thought that he could have a more exciting one in the stars. Jack had told him when they were involved that it was one reason he'd decided to stay grounded, more or less, with Torchwood.

"It's too easy to get caught up in being out there and not want to come back to a real life," he'd said, his voice sounding sober and quiet. "I know from experience."

Ianto sighed, leaning his elbows against the railing around the balcony and resting his chin on his hands. Jack would know about that, if anyone would. He'd led the life that Ianto was leading now, in a way -- and he'd turned his back on it, given it up to stay on Earth.

But then, Jack hadn't been in love with a Time Lord.

Or maybe he had been. Ianto sighed again, a frown crossing his features. He didn't hold it against Jack or the Doctor that they'd once been lovers. How could he? He hadn't known the Doctor then, or Jack. He couldn't be jealous of something that had happened in the past.

Jack may have loved the Doctor, but it couldn't have been like what the two of them shared. Ianto was convinced that no one had ever loved another person in the way he loved and was loved; it didn't seem possible for any other relationship to be as committed, as intense as theirs.

Of course, everyone probably thought that about their relationship with the person they loved, he told himself, smiling a bit. Hadn't he thought it before, with Lisa, and then with Jack? But they had only been an entr'acte to the life he had now.

He looked up at the sky again, raising a hand to shade his eyes. Every time he looked up, he found himself wanting to be there. Out there, in the Tardis, with the man he loved. Not here on Earth, dealing with the mundane activities of everyday life.

It wasn't that he didn't appreciate his life here, he told himself hastily. He wasn't ungrateful for all that he had, especially for the advent of Torchwood in his existence. If it wasn't for that, he'd never have met the Doctor. He owed Torchwood -- and Jack -- a lot.

But did he owe them his complete loyalty? He frowned again, turning the question over in his mind. In some ways, yes, he did. Torchwood had done a lot for him; working for the organization had given him a freedom that he'd never had before, and chance to grow and discover himself.

Though he knew, if it came down to a question of Torchwood or the Doctor, that the Time Lord would always be his first priority, no matter what.

There was a soft sound behind him as the sliding glass door that led from the living room of the flat to the balcony opened, and the Doctor came out to stand beside him. The other man leaned on the railing just as Ianto was doing, looking over at him with a smile quirking his lips.

"What are you doing, standing out here all by yourself?" he asked, his voice sounding just a little reproachful. "I thought you were coming inside to help me make dinner. I may know where all the things are in the kitchen, but I've never been a very good cook."

Ianto wanted to laugh at the Doctor's words and tease him about his culinary skills -- or rather, the lack thereof -- but he didn't. Instead, he decided to tell the Doctor what was on his mind; maybe his lover would be able to give him some words of advice for how he felt.

"I was just .... thinking," he began, looking at the Doctor, and then up at the sky again. "Thinking that I wish we were out there instead of here, at least most of the time. Thinking that I can't wait for the day until we can fly away again."

"Aren't you happy with your life here, Ianto?" the Doctor asked, sounding serious, though just a moment ago his voice had been teasing and playful. "I would have thought that Torchwood would be something you'd be glad to come back to."

"I do like the life I have here," Ianto said, looking down at his hands, so close to the Doctor's on the railing. "But the life we lead out there is so much more .... exciting."

Now it was the Doctor's turn to sigh as he looked over at Ianto and shook his head. "You can't let yourself think that, Ianto," he said, looking concerned. "I know the life we lead on the Tardis is an adventure for you. But you can't turn your back on the life you have here."

"I don't intend to!" Ianto protested, feeling a bit guilty. If he had the choice, he probably would turn away from his life on Earth. But only because what he thought of as his "other" life had so much of the Doctor in it, he told himself fiercely.

"What you do here, at Torchwood, and even away from it, is just as important as being out there," the Doctor said, glancing up at the sky before his dark eyes met his young lover's gaze. "They're both facets of your life. And I wouldn't want you to give up either of them."

"It just .... doesn't seem like you're as much as part of my life here as you are there," Ianto mumbled, looking down, unable to meet the Doctor's eyes. "I know you're here with me, but -- you could leave any time."

"Do you think I would just fly away alone and leave you?" the Time Lord asked softly, turning to Ianto and taking both of the young man's hands in his. "Don't ever think that, Ianto. Any time I'm out there, you'll be with me. I promise you that. I won't leave you behind. I couldn't."

"I know you won't," Ianto said, twining his fingers with the Doctor's and giving the other man's hands a gentle squeeze. "But there's a part of me that can't help worrying."

"You've no need to worry, Ianto," the Doctor said softly, returning Ianto's grip. "I'm not going to go anywhere without you. I've learned from experienced that I'm not happy unless you're with me. Even if I'm going into danger, I'd rather have you there than not."

"Maybe being with you is like flying too close to the sun -- but I'll take the risk of getting burnt," Ianto told him, his voice husky with emotion. "I'd rather be given the choice than be left behind. And if I'm with you, at least I know what's happening and I'm not left wondering and worrying."

"Yes, you're right about that. It's better for you to know what's happening," the Doctor agreed, turning his head and squinting into the sky again. "I think we may be heading for the stars again sooner than you might have thought."

"Why is that?" questioned Ianto, curious as to why the Time Lord was ready to leave Earth again. Had something happened that he didn't know about yet? A message? Someone who needed help? Or just a feeling the Doctor had?

"I've .... been feeling restless lately," the Doctor admitted, taking a deep breath and regarding his young lover with a smile. "And when I feel that way, I know it's time for us to go. That is, if you're ready for it," he added, a slight teasing note in his voice.

"I'm always ready," Ianto replied, feeling his heart jump a little at the prospect. Those were the words he'd wanted to hear for a while now -- and the prospect of flying away into the stars with the Doctor was more exciting than ever.

"Good." The Time Lord turned towards the sliding doors, raising an eyebrow at Ianto. "Now, are you going to help me in the kitchen or not? You don't want me accidentally burning down the flat."

"No, definitely not that," Ianto laughed, turning to follow the Doctor back inside. He felt more at ease now that he knew that they'd be going on another adventure sometime soon, and he was certain that it couldn't start soon enough for him.

***