Chapter 9

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Chapter Nine

"You don't understand!" pleaded Ianto. "He isn't dead. He can't die!"

The attending paramedic shook his head, irritated that he had to speak English. "He flat lined over 20 minutes ago," he said while packing away his last bit of equipment. Taking a second look at Ianto, the attending was also bothered that a man who a few minutes ago had a large gash in his head and other injuries was animated and talking like a massive explosion hadn't just happened. "We did what we could. You're welcome to follow the body in the coroner's transport." The paramedic was going to walk away but stopped to stand close to Charlye and let his words drop down her exposed cleavage. Pointing not so subtly back to Ianto then lightly caressing her bandaged arm, he said, "Il capte rien! Maintenant jolie fille , si vous avez besoin d' aide supplémentaire , je serais heureux d'offrir personnelle , les soins de suivi (He's stupid! Now if you need some additional assistance lady, I would be happy to offer personal, follow up care)."

"Va te faire foutre! (Go fuck yourself)," Charlye responded in a low growl.

The paramedic walked away grumbling to himself but Ianto could have cared. "We have to find Jack's body."

Despite her fearlessness to the paramedic's advances, Charlye was badly hurt and grateful she wasn't dead. "If you hadn't fallen on me, I would have . . .. You should be hurt too. Are you immortal like Jack?"

Ianto noted his torn suit jacket and wondered how much or how many times he could cheat death. "I can't think about that now – I have to stay focused," he thought to himself. He had to protect her first – that what Jack would have wanted. "Not exactly." He pulled out his mobile to call Chief Inspector Andy. "I've going to get you somewhere safe then I've got to find Jack's body," he said while waiting for Andy to answer. "He's going to need me when he wakes up."

Andy told Ianto that he could arrange for one his French contacts to personally transport Charlye to Cardiff. "The truth Ianto," asked Andy, "how bad is the business?"

"It's likely intergalactic."

Ianto got the information from the other paramedic to locate the coroner's office so when Andy's contact picked up Charlye, Ianto headed straight to there in an Uber. It was busy inside as the blast had taken out many people both in and surrounding the Charlye's apartment building. Waving his wedding ring and indicating that he and Jack were in a pacte civil de solidarité (civil partnership) quickly got him to where the bodies were temporarily being stored and to the deceased personal items. He was able to access the latter first, which was only Jack's vortex manipulator and the long coat. Initially, Ianto didn't question why the latter was heavier than usual as he was anxious to get to Jack before he woke up and freaked out some poor assistant trying to do an unnecessary autopsy. There were rows and rows of bodies in black bags with identification tags taped to them. Shuttering inwardly, he hesitated, realizing this was the second time it could have been him in one of those bags – was it gratitude or relief he was feeling now? He pushed past this existential moment and found "number 76 out of 103". Quickly, he bent down and unzipped the bag – it wasn't Jack.

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