Adventfic Day 12 - Christmas Songs

[silkendreammaid]

Title:  Christmas Songs
Author: silkendreammaid  

Disclaimer: I do not and never will own Torchwood or the characters within.
Rating: PG13 
Warning: Language
Characters:  Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness

Note: Written for the 2011 Advent Challenge. Prompt #11 taken from the 2011 prompt list.

Author’s Note: Twelfth in the series that started in Cold …  

Summary:   December is starting off unseasonably cold. Torchwood has one dead alien and another one missing. There’s also the sudden disappearance of Cardiff’s rats.  

In this chapter Owen complains

 

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Christmas Songs
 

“Hey teaboy!”  Owen’s voice was suddenly tinny in Ianto’s ear. 

“Yes, Owen?” Ianto replied after tapping at his com. 

“Tosh is your friend. Get her to change the damned music!” There was testy irritation in the Cockney voice and Ianto smiled slightly. Owen in a snit was usually good fun and God knew they needed something to lighten the mood. 

“What music are you referring to?” Ianto queried, his head tilting as he tried to pick up the background sounds. 

“She had the idea of having continual music playing so as soon as it stops I’ll know I’ve lost contact with the Hub,” Owen grudgingly explained.

Ianto nodded. Proof again that Tosh was smarter than most. “You want me to go to Tosh and tell her that you have a problem with one of her ideas?” Ianto stated calmly. 

“Well, not quite like that. Tosh would have my balls on a platter. No, just get her to change the music.” 

“What music is she using?” 

“Fucking Christmas songs!” Owen spat the words through the com. “And not just carols but every fucking novelty song she could find!” 

Ianto struggled to keep from laughing. “It’d be more than my life is worth to ask her that,” he managed to say. 

“I’ll give you the good drugs next time you’re injured,” Owen offered. 

“You always give us the good drugs, Owen,” Ianto pointed out. 

“Well, I’ll give you two doses then,” Owen tried again. 

“Bribing Ianto will get you nowhere, Owen,” Tosh suddenly entered the conversation. “You’re nearing the point where we lost contact with Jack and Gwen.” 

“Can’t wait,” Owen said flatly. 

“There’s no pleasing you Dr Harper,” Ianto said blandly, casually as he studied the screens in front of him. 

“You’d better have the good coffee waiting on my return,” Owen snarled. 

“I always have good coffee,” Ianto snarked back lightly. 

“Oh no. I mean the real good stuff that you only…” 

Owen’s voice cut off and the computer beeped. Ianto and Tosh immediately began scanning the screens, typing in commands hurriedly. 

“It’s the same place that Jack and Gwen dropped out at,” Tosh murmured.  

“Running through the exchanges, there seems to be a mile wide dead spot there now for all mobiles and wireless networks,” Ianto told her. 

Tosh frowned. “That wasn’t there last time. Only our equipment was affected.” 

“And all our equipment is extremely sensitive Tosh. That means …” 

“It’s getting stronger,” they both said together. 

“… and if you two are ignoring me on purpose I will make sure I use the bluntest needles I have,” Owen’s voice returned and they both grinned at the acerbic medic’s rant. 

“I always ignore you, Owen. That was the most blissful two minutes and 23 seconds I’ve had all day,” Ianto responded easily. 

“Ha ha teaboy. If that’s how long I was without that bloody music then it wasn’t long enough.” 

“Ditto,” Ianto murmured just loud enough to be heard and was rewarded with Tosh’s giggle and Owen’s curse. 

“Alright Owen, you and Ianto can play again later,” Tosh said firmly with the trace of a smile remaining. “You obviously reversed back and regained the signal, so that’s a start.” 

“There was no crackle, the music just stopped. There’s nothing visible here. Although there are some heavy clouds ahead. But they look strange, they’re just sitting there and I think … yes it’s snowing.” Owen sounded puzzled. 

“What do you mean Owen?” Tosh queried as Ianto brought up several weather satellites. 

“I mean it’s a mass of cloud, there’s no wind that I can see and the ground is white under the cloud. It’s just falling straight down.” 

“What’s the temperature like?” 

“Cold. I’ve got the heater on high.” There was a pause. “Jack and Gwen and probably under that cloud.” 

“Yep,” Ianto replied.  

“I’ll see you soon then. And I want the expensive coffee waiting,” Owen said. “And hey Tosh, you might as well leave that music playing. Just so I know when we get back into range again.” 

“Of course Owen,” Tosh agreed solemnly and when the computer’s alarm went again, she let out her breath and met Ianto’s eyes. 

“We need to fix this,” she said determinedly. 

“We will,” he assured her.

 

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Continued in Arguments

 

 

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