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fandomweekly2024-06-28 05:29 pm
badly_knitted) wrote in fandomweekly2024-06-28 05:29 pm
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[#225] The Other Ianto (Torchwood)
Theme Prompt: #225 – Alibi
Title: The Other Ianto
Fandom: Torchwood
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes.
Word Count: 1000
Summary: The police take Ianto in for questioning about a bizarre incident, but fortunately, he has a rock-solid alibi, so he couldn’t have been involved. Or could he?
Getting arrested wasn’t particularly unusual for anyone associated with Torchwood. It was something Ianto Jones considered an occupational hazard, although most of the time the one getting himself arrested was Jack. In fact, when Ianto thought about it, prior to today, every time he himself had been arrested, it had been in association with Jack, mostly because Jack had an insidious way of undermining Ianto’s better judgement and persuading him to do things that he would normally never consider.
Unfortunately, this time Ianto wasn’t able to blame his arrest on Jack, at least not yet, since so far he hadn’t been filled in on all the facts. When he did find out the details of whatever he was being arrested for, he would probably discover that Jack did have something to do with it, but for the moment he’d have to reserve judgement.
Technically, at least according to Andy, he wasn’t being arrested, although that could still change. He was simply helping the police with their enquiries by voluntarily going to the station to answer a few questions and take part in a line-up. He was going along with it because he couldn’t think of any reason not to, and anyway, cooperating with the police was something that in most cases would be in Torchwood’s best interests. He was trying to lead by example. Hopefully it wouldn’t land him in worse trouble.
So, first the line-up, in which he was identified by two separate witnesses as the man they had seen. Not particularly surprising considering how often he was out and about around Cardiff, with or without other members of the team. Next came the questioning, which left him even more baffled than before.
“Sorry, what?”
“According to several witnesses, you were seen streaking across City Hall lawn on Wednesday, June fourteenth, shortly after seven in the morning, before plunging through the fountains, past the South African War Memorial, and into the trees at the far side of King Edward VII Avenue,” the investigating officer, DI Spencer, repeated.
“Well, that doesn’t sound at all like me.” Like Jack, maybe, although when Jack streaked through any part of Cardiff it usually wasn’t strictly by choice. Bizarre things tended to… happen to clothing, especially when exposed to certain alien substances.
“The descriptions the witnesses gave match you, Mr Jones, and you were positively identified in the line-up, although we were told you had longer hair and a goatee.”
“Someone is definitely mistaken then. I’ve never had a goatee, or any kind of beard, and I have my hair trimmed every two months, to keep it short. In fact, I went to the barber just last week.”
“We will, of course, check into that, if you’ll give us the name of your barber, and the time and date of your appointment.”
“Not a problem.” Ianto paused, frowning. “You said this happened Wednesday the fourteenth?”
“I did.”
“In that case, it definitely couldn’t have been me, I was in London. I took the train down Tuesday evening for a breakfast meeting with His Majesty, and stayed at the Palace overnight. Breakfast was at seven-thirty sharp. The King is a stickler for punctuality, so while this person who resembles me was taking his morning run, I was being escorted to the King’s dining room. I’m sure if you check with Buckingham Palace, they’ll confirm I was there.”
Spencer looked a little taken aback, as well he might. “Ah, well, we will of course check your alibi, so I’d suggest you don’t leave town for the time being, but if it all checks out, it would appear that you have a lookalike. Sorry for taking up your time.”
“That’s quite alright, Detective Inspector, happy to help, even if all I’ve done is leave you with more questions. I must admit I’m curious about my doppelganger, and why he decided to run naked through Cardiff in June. The weather’s been somewhat chilly recently; I wouldn’t have thought stripping off and playing in a fountain was especially advisable. That would be a good way to catch a chill. You might want to check local hospitals, see if anyone’s been treated for exposure since Wednesday morning.”
“I’ll have that looked into. You’re free to go.”
With everything that had happened so far, Ianto wasn’t overly surprised to arrive ay the Hub and find himself already there, albeit with longer hair and sporting a goatee. It rather suited him. He raised one eyebrow, looking from the other him, to Jack, and back again.
“Since I’ve already supplied myself with an alibi for last Wednesday, perhaps someone might fill me in on what’s going on?”
“He’s you. From the future,” Jack explained, drawing eyerolls from both Iantos.
“I’d gathered that much,” Ianto said. “What I’d like to know is why future me was running naked through fountains on Wednesday. It’s really not the weather for it.”
“I know,” said the other Ianto. “It was bloody freezing, but necessary. You got yourself into this, you had to get yourself out of it, cause and effect. I remembered your side of the event, from my point of view, it had already happened, so, I had to make sure it did. Jack… his future self, that is, brought me back in time to the right date and dropped me off a few hours early. I was waiting for the right time when there was a Rift flare. A Gorshuk came through, attacked me, and you know what that’s like. It spat corrosive saliva all over me, melting my clothes, so I ran for the nearest water to neutralise the effects. Only just avoided being seen by the rest of the team when they came to deal with the Gorshuk.”
Jack was grinning. “Imagine my surprise when I discovered a very naked future you hiding in some bushes. Naturally, I had to keep him hidden until after you were questioned to keep from messing up the timelines.”
“Oh of course,” Ianto agreed. “That explains everything.”
The End
Unfortunately, this time Ianto wasn’t able to blame his arrest on Jack, at least not yet, since so far he hadn’t been filled in on all the facts. When he did find out the details of whatever he was being arrested for, he would probably discover that Jack did have something to do with it, but for the moment he’d have to reserve judgement.
Technically, at least according to Andy, he wasn’t being arrested, although that could still change. He was simply helping the police with their enquiries by voluntarily going to the station to answer a few questions and take part in a line-up. He was going along with it because he couldn’t think of any reason not to, and anyway, cooperating with the police was something that in most cases would be in Torchwood’s best interests. He was trying to lead by example. Hopefully it wouldn’t land him in worse trouble.
So, first the line-up, in which he was identified by two separate witnesses as the man they had seen. Not particularly surprising considering how often he was out and about around Cardiff, with or without other members of the team. Next came the questioning, which left him even more baffled than before.
“Sorry, what?”
“According to several witnesses, you were seen streaking across City Hall lawn on Wednesday, June fourteenth, shortly after seven in the morning, before plunging through the fountains, past the South African War Memorial, and into the trees at the far side of King Edward VII Avenue,” the investigating officer, DI Spencer, repeated.
“Well, that doesn’t sound at all like me.” Like Jack, maybe, although when Jack streaked through any part of Cardiff it usually wasn’t strictly by choice. Bizarre things tended to… happen to clothing, especially when exposed to certain alien substances.
“The descriptions the witnesses gave match you, Mr Jones, and you were positively identified in the line-up, although we were told you had longer hair and a goatee.”
“Someone is definitely mistaken then. I’ve never had a goatee, or any kind of beard, and I have my hair trimmed every two months, to keep it short. In fact, I went to the barber just last week.”
“We will, of course, check into that, if you’ll give us the name of your barber, and the time and date of your appointment.”
“Not a problem.” Ianto paused, frowning. “You said this happened Wednesday the fourteenth?”
“I did.”
“In that case, it definitely couldn’t have been me, I was in London. I took the train down Tuesday evening for a breakfast meeting with His Majesty, and stayed at the Palace overnight. Breakfast was at seven-thirty sharp. The King is a stickler for punctuality, so while this person who resembles me was taking his morning run, I was being escorted to the King’s dining room. I’m sure if you check with Buckingham Palace, they’ll confirm I was there.”
Spencer looked a little taken aback, as well he might. “Ah, well, we will of course check your alibi, so I’d suggest you don’t leave town for the time being, but if it all checks out, it would appear that you have a lookalike. Sorry for taking up your time.”
“That’s quite alright, Detective Inspector, happy to help, even if all I’ve done is leave you with more questions. I must admit I’m curious about my doppelganger, and why he decided to run naked through Cardiff in June. The weather’s been somewhat chilly recently; I wouldn’t have thought stripping off and playing in a fountain was especially advisable. That would be a good way to catch a chill. You might want to check local hospitals, see if anyone’s been treated for exposure since Wednesday morning.”
“I’ll have that looked into. You’re free to go.”
With everything that had happened so far, Ianto wasn’t overly surprised to arrive ay the Hub and find himself already there, albeit with longer hair and sporting a goatee. It rather suited him. He raised one eyebrow, looking from the other him, to Jack, and back again.
“Since I’ve already supplied myself with an alibi for last Wednesday, perhaps someone might fill me in on what’s going on?”
“He’s you. From the future,” Jack explained, drawing eyerolls from both Iantos.
“I’d gathered that much,” Ianto said. “What I’d like to know is why future me was running naked through fountains on Wednesday. It’s really not the weather for it.”
“I know,” said the other Ianto. “It was bloody freezing, but necessary. You got yourself into this, you had to get yourself out of it, cause and effect. I remembered your side of the event, from my point of view, it had already happened, so, I had to make sure it did. Jack… his future self, that is, brought me back in time to the right date and dropped me off a few hours early. I was waiting for the right time when there was a Rift flare. A Gorshuk came through, attacked me, and you know what that’s like. It spat corrosive saliva all over me, melting my clothes, so I ran for the nearest water to neutralise the effects. Only just avoided being seen by the rest of the team when they came to deal with the Gorshuk.”
Jack was grinning. “Imagine my surprise when I discovered a very naked future you hiding in some bushes. Naturally, I had to keep him hidden until after you were questioned to keep from messing up the timelines.”
“Oh of course,” Ianto agreed. “That explains everything.”
The End