Sick days

Ianto

Just a normal day at Torchwood. Ha normal at Torchwood never gonna happen. It was reasonably quiet anyway which was good as they had so much paper work to get through after several hectic weeks. Owen as usual was doing everything he could to get out of doing any to the point Ianto considered withholding his coffee till he did it.

The others just got on with it, mostly, though Jack kept getting sidetracked if he caught sight of Ianto and ended up daydreaming about getting him out of that suit.

Ianto was mostly down in the Archives sometimes he thought he lived down there, though he came up at regular intervals to make the coffee and get more files. Today he wasn't too bothered about being down away from the others. He'd been feeling a bit off all morning and hadn't got any better as the day wore on though it was only 11.30am it felt like he'd been there forever. At least being in the archives meant he didn't have to listen to Owen moaning. His head ached enough already, but then if he thought about it everything ached, it was probably just from the crazy weeks previously all that running and carrying finally catching up with him.

Ianto went back up into the main hub it was about time to sort the lunch order and make yet more coffee. Pizza everyone agreed on, He put the coffee on and went up to the tourist office to wait for the pizza to arrive taking the lift as his legs protested at the mere thought of stairs, as the door shut he was hit by a sudden wave of dizziness and put a hand on the wall to steady himself. Glad no one had seen he figured lack of food and being stuck down in the archives all morning could hopefully get the blame for the dizziness and possibly the nausea that was slowly creeping up on him. Reaching the tourist office he decided to step out for some air while he waited for lunch hopefully it would clear his head.

Ianto lent against the railings and looked out across the bay as he took slow deep breaths of fresh air, he didn't know how long he'd been standing there when he felt an arm wrap around his waist. Looking to his left he saw Jack looking at him curiously. "you alright?" Jack asked "you look a bit pale, and you were more quiet than usual when you brought me my coffee earlier." Ianto looked back over the water "hmm" he said " I think the last few weeks are finally catching up with me. I ache all over though that could be partly your fault" he laughed thinking of his and jacks latest bedroom antics. "oh yeah" laughed Jack giving Ianto a quick kiss "you'd tell me if anything was wrong wouldn't you?" Ianto had learnt he could no longer lie to Jack it just didn't feel right anymore "yes Jack. I'm just tired, achy and feel a bit sick but the fresh air has helped and here comes pizza lets go eat". Jack turned and saw the pizza delivery girl coming towards them and smiled. They payed for the pizza and headed back down into the hub. "I'll go get coffee" said Ianto "can you take the food to the conference room for me please and I'll be down with drinks in a minute"

"sure. you'll let me know if you feel worse won't you Ianto?" he asked "yes jack" he replied "i'm sure it's nothing and i'll be fine after lunch, now go before the food gets cold".

They were all sitting round the table helping themselves to pizza when Ianto brought the drinks in and handed them out. Owen grunted his thanks round a mouthful of pizza earning himself an eye roll and raised eyebrow for his lack of table manners. Tosh and Gwen smiled they're thanks and Jack grabbed Ianto's bum and grinned.

Ianto sat down and joined them at the table with his own coffee and a slice of pizza, tucking a napkin into his collar so he didn't get any on his suit. All was quiet for a few minutes as everyone ate theyre first few bites. Then the usual chatter and banter started up mostly teasing Owen about his latest conquest and whether she had actually been legal. Ianto smiled and ate quietly letting the conversation carry on around him. Jack squeezed his knee under the table and Ianto looked up to see Jack smiling at him with his head tilted to one side in silent question. Ianto smiled back and placed his hand over jacks letting him know he was ok.

Lunch over Ianto started clearing up as the others groaned about more paper work. "If you just get on and do it, it'll be done much quicker" said jack and then maybe you can go out for a drink this evening, Is there anything on the rift predictor Tosh?" jack asked "umm looks like nothing till later tonight or early morning" she replied "ok" said Jack "if you get on with the paperwork you can leave early, well earlier than normal" he laughed "great" they all said and headed to their respective work stations. Ianto looked up and smirked at jack "so" he said "are you going to take your own advice and just get on with it?" he knew how much jack hated paperwork some days Ianto had to threaten him with decaf to get it done. "I could always come help you in the archives" Jack replied with a wink moving in closer to ianto so he could get a kiss. "nope" ianto replied "i have to clean this up first and you won't get any till you take your own advice." he laughed at Jacks pout and rolled his eyes. "go on" he said "the quicker you start, the quicker you finish" Jack headed back up to his office leaving Ianto to clear the boxes and cups away.

Jack looked at his watch and back out his door, Ianto should be coming back up from the archives soon to make more coffee it was usually every couple of hours he brought a fresh cup in. He was just thinking of going to find Ianto when he saw him coming back up from the archives and into the kitchen. Jack looked at him as he walked past, something wasn't quite right, Ianto was paler than normal but had red cheeks and looked like he had a fever by the way he shivered on his way past.

Ianto walked into the kitchen and put the coffee on, he felt like crap and contemplated telling Jack. He was feeling more nauseous than earlier, everything ached and now he couldn't stop shivering. he decided to see how he felt when he handed the drinks out, he might just grab some paracetamol from Owen and carry on till he finished the filing, he was nearly done anyway.

Turning to sort the cups, the dizziness hit again, he shut his eyes so he couldn't see the room spin and grabbed hold of the counter trying to regain his balance as his stomach lurched. he knew he couldn't make it to the bathroom before his lunch reappeared but managed to stumble to the sink in the small kitchen, not ideal but better than the floor he thought.

Jack had continued to watch ianto so he saw when the younger man turned and grabbed the counter and was out of his office like a shot, he got to ianto just as he reached the sink and helped steady him as he retched violently. As the heaving stopped ianto's legs buckled and jack eased him to the floor then grabbed some kitchen roll so ianto could wipe his mouth. After rinsing the vomit from the sink he knelt down beside his lover. "So i presume you were going to tell me you felt worse?" he said with a sigh, Ianto just nodded his head and grimaced afraid to open his mouth to reply. "lets get you down to Owen so he can check you over then i'm taking you home to rest" Jack said in his no nonsense voice, ianto just sighed and let jack help him to his feet.

"Well" Owen said some time later," looks like stomach flu, fevers not too bad at the moment but may well go up, go home and rest as much as you can, paracetamol for the fever and muscle aches and lots of fluids. I don't really want you on your own though." "I'll stay with him" jack said "I was going to take him home when you'd checked him anyway. Can you all deal with the rift while i take care of ianto? unless there's an emergency of course" "Yeah sure" Tosh replied "I'll set rift alerts to come straight to me" "Thanks, right well lets get you home then" Jack said and helped ianto stand. he wavered slightly as his feet hit the floor but Jack kept him upright as they slowly walked to Ianto's car. Jack helped settle him in the passenger seat and buckle his seat belt before going round and getting in behind the wheel. "you ok?" he asked. Ianto took a slow deep breath to get his stomach under control "I think so" he breathed "just don't drive like you normally do" Jack huffed a laugh "ok then lets get you home" jack managed to drive at an almost sedate pace back to Ianto's flat, glancing over to check on the young welsh man every few minutes and noticing that he seemed to be getting greener by the minute. "not long now" he said "just a few more minutes and we can get you comfortable at home" Ianto didn't reply just kept his breathing steady and willed his stomach not to puke in his car.

Jack parked The car and helped ianto out and up to his flat shutting the door behind them, "right bed then, lets get you tucked up and some water into you. Owen said you need to drink" Jack guided Ianto in the direction of the bedroom when the younger man suddenly stopped, trying to take deep breaths and failing he grabbed Jacks arm "bathroom, gonna be sick" he panted. "shit ok" Jack replied as he rushed him into the small bathroom he helped him kneel in front of the toilet and lifted the lid just in time for ianto to empty his stomach. Jack rubbed ianto's back in soothing circles as he retched and panted until all he was left with was dry heaves. Jack got him a glass of water which he rinsed his mouth with getting rid of the vile taste before taking a couple of tentative sips. "you done?" jack asked. Ianto gave a shakey nod as jack helped him back to his feet and over to the sink so he could wipe his face. He got the young welsh man out of his suit and found him some pyjamas in a drawer as he was shivering so much. Neither of them wore anything to bed normally but ianto looked like he'd appreciate them tonight. Jack tucked him into bed and put a hand on his forehead, quickly pulling it back at the heat he found there. "ok yan, i'm just going to get a cloth so we can try and bring this fever down, i'll be right back" the only response he got was a slight moan and ianto trying to burrow under the covers.

Very soon Jack came back in with a bowl of cool water, a cloth, paracetamol and a fresh glass of water. "Yan don't go to sleep just yet i need you to drink something so you don't get dehydrated, and i have pills for pain here if you want some" Ianto groaned as jack helped unbury him from the duvet and helped him sit up so he could drink. Jack handed him 2 paracetamol which he swallowed gratefully, and slowly finished the glass of water before laying back down in his 'nest' Jack dipped the cloth in the water and wrung it out before wiping over ianto's face and neck before folding it and placing it gently on his forehead. Ianto's breathing had evened out as he'd finally fallen into a slightly restless sleep. Jack collected the glass and went to refill it placing it back on the bedside table he looked down at his lover curled up under the duvet. He looked much younger when he was asleep. Jack took his shoes off and lay down beside ianto after turning the TV on with the volume turned so he could just hear it, he flicked through until he found something that looked interesting and leaned back into the pillows one hand rested on ianto which seemed to help settle the restless young man. Jack slowly drifted off to sleep watching the TV. He always slept better at ianto's than at the hub, though he didn't need much sleep anyway. the last few weeks hadn't left much time for anything but work for him.

Ianto was up every 40 minutes or so through most of the evening and night, Jack was there with him rubbing his back and helping him back to bed and making sure he drank his water, as well as trying to keep his fever down. by 2am he was able to last almost 3 hours between bouts of retching though he was absolutely exhausted by then. Ianto woke at 4.30am and tried to turn over. His head ached, his muscles ached, he didn't seem to be shivering as much though which was a bonus he supposed. He looked over and saw Jack on the bed beside him sound asleep he must have been worn out as neither of them had had much sleep.

Ianto felt so thirsty he thought he must be getting dehydrated despite all the water jack had been plying him with. Looking on the bedside table he found a full glass of water, sitting up slightly he took a sip, it felt wonderful and he drank the rest greedily. Placing the glass back on the table he lay back on the bed and tried to find a comfortable position. This he discovered was not going to hapen as his stomach started to churn again and he quickly realised his mistake in gulping the water as he felt it coming back up, he threw the covers off and flung himself out of bed, his legs nearly gave out but he staggered to the bathroom as fast as he could rebounding off the door frame he fell to his knees and vomited on the bathroom floor.

Jack woke to a strange sound, he didn't usually sleep that deeply so it must have been the sound that woke him up, he put his hand out to reach ianto and found an empty bed, he listened again and leapt from the bed as he realised the sound he had heard was that of liquid hitting tiles. he raced to the bathroom and found ianto in the doorway on hands and knees, tears streaming down his face as his whole body heaved water and bile onto the floor around him. "God Yan i'm so sorry, I should have been awake to help you" Jack cried as he knelt beside him trying to ease his discomfort. Ianto just groaned and retched once more before he collapsed back against Jack.

He put his arms around him and they sat for 10 minutes while the younger man got his breath back then Jack slowly got him off the floor and guided him gently back to bed. "I think I'll get you a bucket yan, your exhausted, just sit there I'll be right back" He dashed into the hall to the cupboard where ianto kept his cleaning supplies very glad that the welsh man was so organised that he always put things back in the right place. He collected a bucket and put a small amount of water in the bottom before returning to the bedroom and placing it on the floor by the head of the bed, wondering why he hadn't thought of this sooner. He was sure he must be the worst care giver ever and sat on the edge of the bed carding his hand through ianto's hair. The young mans fever had broken thankfully and he actually seemed to be resting slightly easier so jack got up and set about cleaning the mess in the bathroom.

By The following afternoon Ianto had started to feel better, Jack had left him in bed to sleep as this seemed to be what he needed most. He then phoned the hub to see how things were and let them know how yan was. The rift alert had just been some alien space junk and they'd had one weavil to go after but other than that all was fairly quiet. Owen came over later on to check on Ianto and to bring crackers and soup from Gwen and Tosh.

After giving Ianto the once over he declared the worst over with. "keep up the fluids and try and eat a little toast or soup if he can oh and sleep." Jack said he would continue to stay and help him if they could manage at the hub, which Owen said was fine. They'd call for anything big that they needed him for but the best thing was to look after the tea boy as they needed his coffee. Jack huffed a laugh and said he'd phone if ianto looked worse but he was also pretty sure the worst was over. "how long till he can come back to work" jack asked knowing ianto would want to know "a week i reckon should do it" Owen replied "and no shagging the tea-boy till he's better" he said with a knowing look "what" said Jack attempting to look innocent "I'm not as bad as you lot seem to think" he said. There was a soft snort from the bed at this remark apparently ianto was still awake and found this all rather amusing despite feeling like shit. Jack pouted which just caused the other two to roll they're eyes. "right I'm off, call if you need anything" Owen said and saw himself out of the flat.

"You OK" Jack asked sitting on the bed and stroking ianto's hand. "been better, but I've been worse" came the reply " can we go sit in the living room for a bit?" he asked "I spose if you feel up to it." Jack helped Ianto into the living room with his duvet and sat at one end of the sofa while ianto lay across the rest and snuggled into Jack. "hmmmm s'nice" he mumbled as they sat and watched TV. Jack looked down and couldn't help but smile at cuddly Ianto. he placed a kiss on top of his head and went back to watching the film.

One week later Ianto and Jack were both back at work. and the rift went wild again. yep normal Torchwood Ianto thought and got on with the coffee.

A/N Please read and review this is the first story i've written since school. :)