Martha handed the glass back to Jack as they sat at his desk. 'Is it always this crazy around here?'

He shrugged. 'It has been a bit crazy last few days, there was this one time, with a garden gnome...'

'Jack!'

'No, true story, it bit Gwen, I never did ask if she has any scars from that. I think Ianto might object if I asked to look at her butt to check it out.'

'A garden gnome bit Gwen on the butt?'

He nodded. 'So have you settled into the hotel?'

'Yes, since it looks like I'm sticking around for a few days, look, can I buy you dinner, or do you have plans with Ianto?'

'I always have plans for Ianto, you should join us.'

'Jack...'

He grinned at the warning in her tone. 'For dinner.'

'So, Ianto?'

Jack nodded. 'Unfortunately when we got back from the year that never was, for me I was gone nine months.'

'But I got back -'

He nodded. 'Yeah, you got back to the point where you left, give or take a few minutes I didn't.'

'That doesn't make sense.'

'Trust me, I didn't enjoy the experience at the time. I've been making up for it ever since really.'

'You were such a flirt while we were, away.'

'What, you've never realised what you had until it wasn't there?'

Martha nodded. 'Okay, yes I've experienced that, but I fixed it.'

'And how is he? Your Tom.'

She grinned. 'He doesn't always understand what I do but he's wonderful.'

'What was it like? You knew him but he'd never met you, I mean we fixed everything so it never happened.'

'I don't think about it Jack, and lets face it, after travelling with the Doctor for any length of time things stop having to make sense. Or I stopped trying to make them make sense. It does your head in after a while.'

'Yeah, it does. So, dinner?'

'Do you need to check with Ianto?'

He nodded. 'Probably.'

'So domesticated Jack, not like the man I knew when the world was ending. You didn't talk about the people you'd left behind.'

'No, but I came back for them.'

'For Ianto?'

Jack looked sheepish before shaking his head, there was no point lying to Martha, they'd survived too much together for half truths. 'Not exactly, but that was before I knew what I'd come back for.'

'Well.'

'Not one of my finer moments, it caused a few issues, so if you could get me one of those caps...'

Martha rolled her eyes. 'I told you before Jack, get your own uniforms.'

He snorted. 'You've met this lot, they'd never go for it.'

'What are you going to do about Owen?'

'Not much I can do. You run your tests, we make sure he isn't a danger to us all and see what happens after that.'

'That glove -'

'No, it's gone, they both are, and that's where they should stay.'

'You should have told UNIT.'

'We've had this conversation.'

'You don't trust UNIT all that much do you Jack.'

'Probably about as much as other mutual acquaintances we could mention but don't.'

'Point taken. Why don't you go and see what Ianto's doing so I can buy the two of you dinner.'

Jack smiled as he headed out into the Hub to look for his archivist.

Ianto faded into the darkness at the edge of the light as he watched Jack and Martha reminiscing and catching up. He wasn't really sure why he was even here, was Jack showing him off? Was he trying to prove what a crap time he'd had being held in chains for a year while those he'd chosen to leave behind were left wondering what had happened to him? Oh Martha got back to where she'd left, but Jack had been dumped home nine months latter. He sighed softly, he didn't know why he was feeling so maudlin. Things were going really well between them, now. They seemed to have gotten over the rocky patch where he'd wanted to murder the man, and Gwen.

It was Tosh he felt for now, her and Owen had been finally getting it together and he went and got shot. That wasn't going to end well. But at least she'd finally said she loved the man. He couldn't even do that and he shared Jack's bed. When they got near one, and every other surface in the Hub they could find, preferably with a door that locked. He didn't resent Martha being there, it was definitely his foot Jack was playing footsie with under the table. Jack just seemed so relaxed with Martha, telling tall tales about things he couldn't imagine. And he worked for Torchwood.

Jack looked at Ianto, the man was clearly tired, for all the coffee he'd pumped into them over the last two days, it had been a long and emotionally fraught time. He'd tried to send Ianto off to get some sleep the night before but he'd refused. Now he just looked like he wanted to crawl into his bed for a week and sleep. He understood that, but until they knew what was happening with Owen there could be no week spent in bed. He'd have to take him away for a few days, when things calmed down. Show him some of the other things they could do in a hotel room. He could think of a few things now they could do with his tie when they did get back to a bed but he suspected that would have to wait until they'd gotten a few hours sleep.

Sometimes he wondered what their life might have been like if they didn't work for Torchwood, if they had met under other circumstances. Would they have fallen in love, even if neither of them were admitting any such thing. What would they be doing if they didn't work for Torchwood, and having worked for Torchwood, could he walk away? Ianto he suspected probably could, without hesitation. But Jack knew Torchwood had been a part of his life for so long he wasn't sure he could leave it behind him. So where did that leave them? Ianto was working in a job that was going to kill him, it was more of a matter of when, not if. And he suddenly found himself hating that idea.

He wanted Ianto safe but he couldn't keep him safe, it was his dilemma and he didn't know what he was going to do about it. So maybe he did spend a great deal of his time making love with Ianto. It was in part so he could hold that part of Ianto to him for longer than whatever moment they were granted together in this life. The death of Owen, as screwed up as it was with the glove bringing him back, was just another reminder of the impermanence of Ianto's world. And like he'd said to Owen in that ghastly cell, being alive forever you do forget to notice the flecks in the walls. He wondered when he'd stopped seeing the beauty of the world around him. He wondered what else he was taking for granted.

Martha finished her glass of wine in silence as she watched Jack drift away, possibly joining Ianto in whatever private space he'd retreated to earlier in the meal. She looked at the two men and found it reassuring that Jack was capable of love. She'd seen him flirt his way though the world they'd shared but never knew what he'd been leaving behind. He hadn't talked about Cardiff and Torchwood when it had been her, the Doctor and Jack. She felt she understood a little of why now she could see him looking at Ianto. And she missed Tom. To be away for nine months when she'd been returned back into her own time, that was difficult to comprehend.

She hadn't had to explain where she'd been, hadn't missed her exams or even her sister's birthday. She had gotten home in time. Sometimes, like now, she missed him, wondered if he was happy and had found another companion, someone he could perhaps love back this time. If there was a chance to, she might even ask Jack about that one, had there ever been someone he'd loved back, their enigmatic Doctor. But such thoughts lay in madness. 'Well boys, I think it's time I find a pillow with my name on it.'

Jack just smiled as he nodded. 'We should probably think about doing the same thing.' He started to reach for his wallet when Martha shook her head.

'No Jack, besides, UNIT are paying for it.'

'And yet you wont get me one of those red caps.'

'I wouldn't rule it out entirely.'

Jack looked to Ianto. 'So, are we going back to the Hub or the flat?'

'The flat's closer.'

Jack grinned. 'You look ready for bed young man.'

'I think my eyes are agreeing with you.'

'Well I'm not reading you a bedtime story but I might tuck you in if you ask nicely.'

Martha laughed softly at them, Jack was as incorrigible as ever but they were a sweet couple. Although she wasn't sure he'd thank her for the observation.

Ianto turned to Martha. 'Do you want us to drop you at your hotel?'

She shook her head. 'I'm okay to walk from here, it's that hotel.' Pointing to the building across the street. She did however let them walk her to the lobby. She waved them off and headed up to her room. It had been a long two days and she missed Tom, she wanted to call him and forget about the world for a while.

Ianto dropped his keys in the bowl on the hall table as Jack followed him inside. He stood there looking blank as he debated did he sit down, take a shower or just fall into bed. He wanted a shower but the effort required outweighed his ability to make a decision. He felt Jack wrap his arms around him and just hold him. It was everything he needed in that moment. No demands, no words, just a hug.

Jack felt Ianto relaxing against him, it had been a mad few days even by Torchwood standards. He was still appalled at the moralization needed to justify deaths of a few while trying to extract the reset properties from the alien mayfly. He had lived long enough to know there were times when one had to make the bitter choice to sacrifice the one to save the many, but it was never supposed to be easy. Copley made it sound like there had been no choice to make, that it was not only the obvious thing to do but government sanctioned. Which he wasn't sure it hadn't been. He objected to the man's methods and to the torture of aliens. Study them yes, extract the components sure, but don't torture them and don't cover it up with murder.

Then there was that damned glove. Ianto had said there was going to be a second glove, now Owen was stuck in some dead but animated state of being. And he owed a favour, he wasn't sure which unknown was worse. God help them all if Ianto had been the one killed by Copley, he would have torn the man apart. He chose not to explore that thought further as he held Ianto and made no demands on the Welshman, not after the madness of the last two days. Although a tiny thought had crept into his mind and the more he considered it the more it grew into a fully fledged plan. He grinned at Ianto. 'We still have bubble bath don't we.'

Ianto nodded. 'I think so.'

'Good, I think we both need to unwind a little.'

'Jack.' Ianto warned. 'Mrs Robinson still hasn't forgiven me for last time we took a bath and flooded her flat.'

'We had too much water in the tub that time, besides I think we are both too tired for anything other than just a bath.'

'There is that.' He let Jack lead him to the bathroom, clothes littering the floor as they moved though the flat.

Ianto watched Jack tip bubble bath into the tub, glad he'd let Jack renovate the bathroom as his birthday present. It hadn't seemed very romantic at the time but the bathtub they had replaced had been far too small for two. Looking back, apart from the few times they had flooded the basement flat downstairs, it had been a brilliant idea. Although perhaps they should have gotten the deeper tub. He might have avoided a few terse conversations with Mrs Robinson if they had. Somehow Jack had always managed to avoid the woman or he just flirted his way out of a stern talking too, which he suspected was more likely the case.

Jack looked back at Ianto, he'd only half filled the tub, since it upset the man when they flooded the place, not that the lady downstairs liked it much either. He'd even lit scented candles to round out their bath as they slid into the hot water. Apparently he'd managed to get it just right this time.

Ianto lay back and closed his eyes, for someone who didn't do relationships Jack was quite the romantic. The last two days drifted away on rose and lavender scented dreams as he relaxed in the hot water. If he was going to fall he'd just have to let Jack catch him.

Jack watched Ianto as he let the heat from the bath seep into his bones, it helped push the chill of Owen's death aside. If only he'd been the one to be shot, Owen would still be alive. For the briefest of moments it hadn't been Owen he'd seen fall to the ground. He let such thoughts evaporate along with the bubbles as the water grew cool and the candles faded.

Ianto wasn't sure which was the dream, the sensation of flying or falling. He opened his eyes and wondered what Jack's Cheshire Cat smile as about this time. He gave up trying to puzzle out the fading dream as he felt Jack waiting for him to catch up somewhere. That somewhere involved lube and leisurely, sleepy sex as they waited for the alarm to remind them they should be awake.

Jack eased Ianto awake before sliding deep inside him. They had fallen asleep as soon as heads had hit pillows, wrapped in each others arms as bodies demanded sleep more than sex. He'd woken from a dreamless sleep ready to greet the day. Bringing both himself and Ianto to a climatic start of what was likely to be a long and trying day. He didn't want to think about anything other than the way it felt to slide his cock in and out of Ianto's arse. Sleepy sex was always his favourite way to start any day. Ianto's soft cries meeting his in the early morning light were more than enough to spur him into olympic efforts in the pursuit of pleasure.

He slipped into one of his favourite moves, one he knew would drive Ianto wild. He started with short strokes slipping only the head of his cock in and out of Ianto's sensitive arse until he followed up with a single long, deep stroke. Repeating the shorter thrusts until sliding in for the slow languid, balls deep strokes that made Ianto moan, each time one less short thrust and one more long thrust of his cock. With Ianto panting beneath him in a quivering puddle of pleasure.

Ianto cried out as he came, his cock exploding as if connected directly to the sensitive nerve endings of his arse. For all he knew it might have been as his arms wrapped around Jack, the alarm reminding them of the day waiting for them at the Hub. Bringing them back to the reality of a world where Owen's death was still real. He wondered if Jack would let him just stay where he was. Judging by the kiss on the forehead apparently not. He let Jack go before heading to the bathroom for a shower. He just hoped today was going to be a bit better than yesterday. Owen might not be his favourite person in the world but he didn't deserve to be stuck like he was. And it was time to see what today would bring.