Hot and Cold Chapter 1, a torchwood fanfic

Hot and Cold

It had been weeks since his return, but Ianto Jones young, sleek, urbane some would say tainted with a hint of fire, was finding it hard to fit back into his previous role at Torchwood Bio-Research Facilities Cardiff.

He had been away, on a top-secret residential training course the others had been told, (he was uncomfortable with this lie, but knew it was necessary under the present circumstances). He had come back to find that everything had changed and this had unsettled him. Normally Ianto managed change well, but things were not normal at the moment.

Firstly he had a new boss. An American. He was the polar opposite to Ianto, bold, brash, boisterous and gregarious. He had a propensity for one-on-one pep talks and team-building sessions.

Everybody loved him.

Everybody but Ianto.

He set his teeth on edge.

Secondly, he had been placed on another project, just as high profile as his last one, only not as flammable. He knew he ought to be grateful for this, but he was having trouble accepting this transference.

Last but not least, he had been dumped, from a great height by his girlfriend Lisa. Lisa Hallett. In light of his recent trip away, she had decided that maybe their bio-rhythms were not as in tune as she had previously thought. She had reassessed their relationship charts and had found them to be discordant.

Ianto felt as though he had lost his right arm. He didn't show it of course.

The only bright spark on his horizon was his friend and colleague Toshiko Sato, a fellow researcher. She was the only one who knew the truth about his whereabouts recently. She had stuck by him. She had provided support.

Now Ianto's days revolved around a very simple plan.

Avoiding his boss.

Lunch with Tosh.

Hometime.

Today had got off to a good start; but all that was about to change.

On his way to the cafeteria, Ianto bumped into him.

His boss.

Jack Harkness.

"Hello Jones isn't it? Ianto Jones?"

"Yes sir, pleased to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine Ianto. Can I call you Ianto? Mr Jones seems so stuffed shirt. I was beginning to think you were a myth."

"Ianto is fine sir."

"Oh stop with the sir, you don't have to call me that." Jack then stopped and fixed Ianto with a look that he tried hard not to decipher "unless you want to."

Heat rushed to Ianto's face.

"Are you going my way, to the café? Why don't we do lunch and get to know each other?"

"I already have plans, sir."

"Of course you do. Tell you what, why don't you swing by my office after, say 2 o' clock and we'll have our induction then."

Ianto felt caught between a rock and a hard place. Refusal wasn't an option.

"Yes sir."

"Great" Jack slapped Ianto heartily on the back. "I'll see you later."

"Looking forward to it …sir." Ianto slunk away, knowing that undiluted alone time with his happy slappy boss was now unavoidable.

-OOO-

Ianto found Tosh seated at the bar which ran the length of the food court. She was perched on one of the high steel stools provided. Those who chose to sit there were rewarded with a magnificent view of Cardiff Bay. Its great expanse lay several storeys beneath them, providing entertainment and distraction.

Ianto was sorely in need of both.

As Ianto approached her, Tosh knew something was awry.

"Tell me quickly before I eat" she said as soon as Ianto came to a stop.

"I just ran straight into him, and then like a rabbit caught in the headlights I couldn't move."

"Him being ..?"

"Captain Jack himself."

"Well it is time you two were introduced…all good things an' all that."

"I know" Ianto began to perch too "I was just trying to hold out until Easter."

Tosh tipped her head back and laughed her surprisingly musical laugh.

"I know bunny hun, but as I said all good things."

Ianto joined in with the light heartedness of the moment, with a smile not a laugh.

"So what was the outcome? Did you just bump noses or did you cross swords?"

"I've been summoned."

"Summoned, oh my."

"I have a one-to-one with the great aviator at 2pm today."

"Well you better have a hearty lunch. I hear these things require stamina."

Not for the first time Ianto was grateful for the advice, his petite personal advisor was able to give him. As he headed towards the salad bar, he resolved to add extra protein to his plate.

Forewarned is forearmed.

-OOO-

Curiously, considering that Captain (an honorary title) Jack Harkness was the newest member of the corporation; he had chosen the oldest office in the complex. Most weren't sure it was even meant to be in use. It resembled an old English WW2 bunker. The type that Churchill might have used to brief his Commander-In-Chiefs on the latest news from the frontlines.

It was dustier than any other room around.

Snug too.

Most of the room was furnished with oddments from local second hand stores. Jack had sought out as many period pieces as his relocation budget allowed. Leather was used in abundance. Working at the cutting edge of science made him want to cling to the past as much as possible.

He even wrote with a fountain pen.

Ianto was almost late. He had trouble finding it, (Jack's directions were appalling).

It felt like it was in the basement, amongst the archives.

Ianto and 2 o'clock bumped into each other outside Jack's door, which was open.

"Ianto come in, come in, take a seat, if you can find one."

Ianto surveyed the room and just about held his features in check. He was not impressed. The mess (and he was bearing in mind, that Jack had only been with the company three months) was considerable. It offended his borderline OCD tendencies. His hands itched to slip on some marigolds and get cracking with some bleach.

Ianto carefully removed some files from the chair which faced Jack's statesman-like desk. If this had been a car, Ianto would have suspected that Jack was overcompensating for something.

He sat.

"I'm so glad I bumped into you earlier. It's great to put a face to a name."

"Likewise sir."

A trickle of a smile washed along Jack's lips.

"I hear that you have one of the sharpest, most detail-orientated minds in existence."

"You really oughtn't to listen to gossip."

Jack's smile turned into a full blown grin.

"Sparky too- this should be interesting."

"Was there anything specific you wanted to discuss with me sir?"

"Actually yes, I feel I'm already a fan of a man I hardly know; could you fill in the blanks for me?"

"Of course, I have always been fascinated by science, especially in the avant-garde notion that there may be other species out there in the universe. Being rather precocious I secured work experience here at the age of fifteen, which led to regular work here in my school holidays. After I graduated from university, this was the first job application I made."

"We adopted you from an early age."

"Practically."

"I feel as though I should ask you for a tour of the company. You probably know all the nooks and crannies. We could have a field trip"

Ianto felt as though an amiable facial expression was warranted. He attempted a half-smile. He failed to make the grade.

Despite his obvious lack of happy hormones, Jack could see why Ianto was revered and highly respected within the workforce. He felt that if he could smudge his edges a little, there was a template underneath the impeccable manners on display, that he could trace a finger around.

He just needed to keep everything out of the personal arena. He got sloppy when he mixed business with pleasure.

He doubted very much that Ianto paddled in that pool anyway.

Shame.

Ianto surreptitiously glanced at his watch, not that he wasn't enjoying this; but he did actually have work to do. Catching the manoeuvre Jack moved on to Phase Two.

Unconsciously pulling the walls in a little tighter, Jack asked Ianto to join him at the flip chart, situated in the far corner of the room. He stood behind him.

Ianto felt his vision blur.

He blinked repeatedly.

Lack of sleep was obviously beginning to take its toll on him.

"I'd like to show you, your individual workplace plan."

"I have a timetable now?"

"Only for the next two months. I want to get under your skin to better understand your thought processes."

"Or you could just ask."

"That's Plan B."

It had been too long since Jack had had a sparing partner at work. His place in the pecking order of things, usually deterred opponents.

Ianto was now nose to nose with his forth-coming schedule. He took mental notes. Another apparent glitch in his peripheral vision took him by surprise.

Ianto stepped back; momentarily his spine was flush against Jack's softer organs. He immediately stepped forward again.