Jack looked at the clock on the bed side table. It was 2:30; its fluorescent numbers barking at him in the darkness. He wasn't sure how long he had been awake for but it was dawning on him that it had been a long while. His mind had been a blank slate and there was nothing in the world that would break it. That was until he felt the subtle movement of the figure lying next to him. He smiled to himself in the darkness and turned his head to gaze upon the sleeping form.

Ianto's hand crept towards him, seeking the warmth of his body. It succeeded in finding what it was looking for and spread out across Jack's bare chest. Jack smiled and shifted into a position where he had a better hold of the Welshman. Wrapping his arms around Ianto, Jack felt the younger man stir.

'Jack?' Ianto's sleepy voice asked gently.

'Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.' Jack loosened his grip and Ianto turned in his arms to face him.

Ianto looked up at Jack with sleep laden eyes. He wasn't sure what time it was and he didn't really care. He did know however that Jack had been lying by his side, awake, for the past few hours. He himself wasn't exactly asleep; lying in a half sleep state just listening to Jack's heartbeat in the darkness.

'No its ok, I wasn't really asleep anyway. Are you ok?' Jack smiled; Ianto was always making sure that he was ok. He never took the time to make himself feel ok.

'Everything is just fine. You really should get some rest Ianto.' Ianto propped himself up on his elbow and looked at Jack's shining eyes through the darkness. He could see that they were full of memories and thoughts that were making him feel vulnerable and self conscious.

'Come on Jack. I know that look, what's bothering you? You think I haven't noticed the way you have been acting the past few days. Your distant Jack and it's starting to scare me. What have you been thinking about that has made you change?' Jack sighed; not heavily but enough to let Ianto know that he was giving in and was about to tell him what was troubling him.

Jack sat up slightly, propping himself up against the head board; Ianto did the same, so that they were on the level with each other. Grabbing one of Ianto's hands, Jack took a deep breath and began to speak.

'I am so old Ianto; older than anyone cares to admit. I have lived and died so many times; always coming back to the same place. I know what I am doing here in this time is for the best and I wouldn't change than for the world but, lately I have had this feeling that something bad is going to happen and I'm not going to be able to stop it.' Jack gently squeezed Ianto's hand and tried to smile but failed.

Ianto took all of this in. He wasn't sure what Jack actually meant by all of this but tried to gather his thoughts anyway.

'So….. what you saying is that you feel old and something is going to happen and you are sure whether you can stop it?' Jack ran a hand through his hair. He knew he shouldn't be telling Ianto any of this but he had to; he had to prepare him for what was going to happen.

'Yes, but its more than that. These past few weeks have made me realize how much this planet and the people on it mean to me; made me realize how much you mean to me.' Ianto sat up further and flicked on the lamp that sat beside him. Things had suddenly gotten all serious and he still wasn't sure what Jack was getting at.

'What's going on Jack? What's going to happen that you can t stop? 'After a few moments of silence, Ianto added, 'Are you leaving again to go with the Doctor?' At this Jack too, sat up further.

'No that's not it; Ianto I have told you a hundred times before, I don't need the doctor anymore, all I need is right here. All I need is you. You keep me sane when I am about to fly off the handle; you make sure I am well stocked with coffee and best of all you love me. I'm not going anywhere, ever again, I promise you. As sure as my heart beats, I promise that I will never leave you again.' Jack grabbed Ianto's hand and placed it directly of his heart.

Ianto let this sink in. He didn't know Jack had felt this way. Sure he himself had felt this way for a long time but he didn't expect Jack to feel it. He wanted to know why Jack felt the need to tell him all of this.

'Ok granted, but what has brought this on Jack. What is scaring you so much?' Ianto let the warmth of Jack's skin creep through his hand and into his soul; letting his heartbeat pump through him as well. Jack pulled Ianto closer to him and wrapped his arms around him; sliding down the head board back into a lying position.

'I am afraid Ianto…. So afraid. I am worried that you're going to get sick of having to wait for me to revive myself after every death; I am scared that I'm going to stuff things up between us and you'll leave me but most of all, I am scared that one day you're going to die and there will be nothing that I can do about it.' A solitary tear ran down Jack's face and fell onto Ianto's bare shoulder. He indeed was afraid of the younger man's death. Where would he go from there? What could he do that would make up for such a tragedy? Who would love him again, just the way Ianto had?

Ianto moved closer to Jack so that his lips were close to his ear, 'Jack…. I could never get sick of you. Yes, I do get scared that one day you're not going to revive yourself because you've found something better but I make sure you revive in my arms because I love you and I would do anything to make sure you are never scared or alone.' Jack kissed Ianto's neck as another tear fell onto the warm skin.

'What happens when you die? I will be alone and scared. I can't lose you Ianto, not ever.' Ianto moved back to look Jack in the eyes. He smiled sadly at his lover. Ianto knew how he felt. He too, thought about what would happen when he died. Would Jack really miss him? Would he forget him?

'Jack…. I know this is going to be hard for you but I am eventually going to die and when that day comes, I know you'll be scared and alone but as you've just pointed out to me, just as sure as my heart beats right now, I'm not going anywhere any time soon.' Ianto mimicked Jack's earlier action and grabbed his hand and placed it over his heart. 'We need to focus on what we have now and not what could be happening ten to fifty years down the track.' Jack nodded into Ianto's neck, nuzzling closer, where he mumbled something inaudible. Ianto laughed and moved Jack's head to look at him. 'What was that?'

Jack smiled and chuckled, sending shivers through Ianto's body, 'I love you Jones, Ianto Jones. Never forget that. No matter what.' Ianto nodded and brought their heads closer together so that their lips were almost touching. ' I love you to Jack.' Ianto let the words linger in the air for a few moments before bring their lips together for a searing kiss; just to make sure that Jack understood even if the words hadn't fully sunken in. 'Now you were saying something about sleep?'

Jack laughed softly and planted a soft kiss to Ianto's forehead. 'Yes, I was saying…. You should get some rest, there are lots of things to do tomorrow and I think you'll need all the strength you can get.' Ianto eyed him suspiciously; tomorrow was their day off. What could he be possibly doing that would require tones of energy? He nodded anyway and turned in Jack's arms, wrapping them around his chest, still with one on his heart, to reassure Jack that he was still there.

Jack felt Ianto's breathing fall into a regular rhythm and knew he was once again asleep. Extracting one of his arms, the one not on Ianto's heart, Jack reached into the draw beside him and pulled out the small black box that had been hidden there. He was sure now; it was time.