His hand connected with the Cyberman's hard metal armor just right, in the glowing panel on its chest, and it dropped him. Ianto almost sobbed in relief, scrambling to his feet. He had to get to her. Had to stop her from being put in that machine, like he knew she would. Like she would before the Daleks would find them and the two would be too intent on fighting each other that they wouldn't notice him trying to rescue her. He had a a chance, this time, a chance to make things better, to keep her safe and whole, if he could just...!

He moved toward her, but he wasn't fast enough. His movement was sluggish, halted, like he was moving through water rather than through air. And he could feel the rest of them bearing down on him, with their cyber guns raised and he knew, he knew that he'd be too late. He'd be too late again and they'd take her and they'd kill him and things were even worse than they ever should have been. And then the ground started to shake, only it wasn't the ground, it was him, rocking back and forth...by the shoulder? There was a harder shake, firmer and more demanding, and suddenly Ianto's eyes flew open, with a cry of fear, his heart beating wildly in his chest as he started, flailing a little more, desperately trying to reorient himself in this dark room that he'd just woken up in.