He walked through the crowd quickly and silently, the people that milled around him hardly cared to glance at the young man, dressed in black who walked with quick purpose. The hunt, Ianto enjoyed it; it was a way to channel the feelings inside, to silence the rage that tore through him. Suddenly he felt the heat of cold glaring eye on the back of his head; he smiled knowing that he had got its attention. He turned sharply into an alley, letting out a small chuckle as he felt the eyes follow. Stopping he took out his phone, trying his best to look like he hadn't noticed he was being stalked. Finally when he felt the presence of the thing on his shoulder he produced the long thin battle knife from his pocket and spun around, burying the knife deep in the creatures chest.

Giving a small laugh, he pressed his earpiece and spoke into it, not taking his eyes of the creature who looked down stunned at the knife in his chest he waved in the older man who had skidded into view at the end of the alley.

"Very effiecient" He said with an American lilt before striding towards the younger man, placing a hand on his back and staring down at the dazed creature, " lets get him back to the hub before he wakes up ok?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ianto regretting having to kill the creature, leaning against the wall he let the water drip of his body, washing away all the blood and dirt, turning it into a vortex of red and brown as it was sucked down the drain. He had tried to reason with it but it shouldn't have threatened the girls. This was his team and no matter how much he hated them for killing her it was up to him to deem whether they deserved punishment or not and not to some dirty creature they had picked up on. He didn't exactly deserve to live for what he did before they had the grace to catch him , all those people, all those lives destroyed and for what? A creature without the sense to accept an offer of a life, just not on this planet and not to these people.

What bothered Ianto more than this was that what he felt wasn't guilt but extreme loss. Jack had died at the hands of this thing, Ianto had wished him dead so many times since she had died and thought that when he did he would feel an overwhelming sense of rightiousness. However as he watched the creature tear into Jack he couldn't help noticing the lack of satisifcation instead he felt the need rise through his stomach. The need for Jack to live, to be alive, to be with him, near to him. Ianto struggled as the creature dragged him by the hair laughing, Iantos eyes remained on the mangled corpse of his captain, the need growing ever need that caused Ianto to struggle free of the bonds that held him and as the creature moved for the two shocked girls, who screamed and wriggled towards the unconscious doctor, caused him to kick it violently in the back, sending it to its knees. Then Ianto stomped hard down on its head holding it to the floor.

" Leave now, never come back to this city, this planet, touch another person I promise I will kill you" he had snarled pulling his gun and aiming at the creatures head.

The thing had gargled a laugh out before whispering back " Let me go , you don't have the guts, you willlet me go and then I will come back for these two" It nodded its head and looked through the top of its eyes at the terrified women, licking its lips, "What a delicious meal they will make, so tender, so sweet."

Ianto remembered the fury he had felt, fury he had on ly felt one time before, paudsing a moment to glance at the women he fired his weapon. The bullet had obviously pierced the creature's air gland as its head exploded it an arc of blood and brain matter, covering the team in remains.

Ianto freed the girls, hugging them and whispering condolences, in sight of losing them he realized he needed this team, this was his family now. He pulled back and ordered the two women to try and resuscitate the doctor while he went to check on Jack. He hadn't wanted to tell them what had happened to their brave captain, or to see him in that state, dismembered and bloody. Walking reluctantly into the next room he stopped suddenly. Instead of the bloodied scene he had expected to see he was met with an angry captin, sitting on the floor in a pool of his own blood, rubbing his chest.

"Did you get him?" he had asked pointedly looking at the grime that covered the Welshman.

"You where dead" Ianto had demanded a reply, Jack had studied him a long time and nodded slowly.

"I was and now I'm not" The older man stumbled to his feet "I can't die, ever"

Ianto had taken his time in replying, staring the captin for a long time, " ok" he said simply.

Ianto rubbed the shower gel into his aching arms and smiled at the memory of soaring joy he felt when he had seen the living captin, the way his stomach flipped as the older man hugged him as he had hugged the women, and the way he whispered in his ear "I'm here now, it's ok"

Ianto scrubbed his face, wiping away the tear tracks, he had wept as Jack held him, supporting him. Jack whispered supportive things to him, promising him safety, pointing out that the thing was now dead and could no longer hurt him, unaware of the real reason for the Welshman's tears. Fear, the fear of his new feelings for his captain, of the strong urge in him to kiss the man that held him so close to his body that he could feel the older mans soft steady heartbeat on his chest.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ianto walked into the board room, closing the door behind him with his foot, careful not to spill the drinks he held on the silver tray.

"Ah, the hero of the hour" Jack smiled up at Ianto , clapping his hands together he sniffed the air "and he brings gifts"

The others purred appreciatively into their mugs as the young Welshman sat down. They had thanked him a million times over (even Owen had managed a sincere thank you), so he relished this new silence. Leaning back in his chair he looked at the happily sipping people around him and felt content.

Soon the others began to look at their watches, mumble something about the time and then leave. Finally it was just Jack and Ianto left, sitting on opposite sides of the boardroom table. As the door clicked behind Gwen Jack looked up from his mug, got up from his chair and walked over to Ianto.

"I meant that you know" he said watching the younger man who looked up at him with an enquiring eye, "The hero part, you where really brave today"

Ianto nodded " You where too, and you got killed" he replied quietly.

"It's not the same for me, I know I can come back, I am a coward" Jack said sadly looking down at his feet.

"It's brave to risk yourself and to risk those that you love for the good of the majority" Ianto looked at Jack with envy " I couldn't do that" he blushed.

"It's hard, I had to risk the one I love most but I knew they would be ok they are strong" Jack met Iantos gaze, blue on blue.

Ianto frowned, feeling his stomach sink " Yes, Gwen was strong, they all where"

Jack looked shocked "I wasn't talking about Gwen"

Iantos mouth fell open, the look in Jacks eye certainly told him who he had meant, but Ianto was still surprised at what the older man did next.

He caught Iantos lip with his own and pulled the younger man into a deep kiss. Ianto didn't struggle, putting sense to the feelings he had been having about this man, the man who had killed her but he still didn't blame or even hate, this man who caused his heart to break without him noticing every time he flirted with Gwen.

Jack pushed Iantos chair backwards against the wall and pulled the Welshman out of his seat. They stood like that for a while, two men entwined in a desperate embrace. Then Ianto stopped and looked at the other man who was breathing deeply. He smiled at the other man who matched his smile. Then Ianto pushed him against the wall, their hips clashing together as the Welshman pounced.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jack peeled off his shirt laughing, "Poo, start again" Then he took off in search of another hiding place.

Now wearing only a shirt, underwear and one sock Ianto shook his head after him and began to count to 10. "1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…10!" Ianto shouted taking off after the Captain . As he went he thought to himself, Ah the hunt.