Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters. Though I wish I did!

The Camel

The phone beeps. Ianto doesn't want to look at the text, but he has to or the blasted thing will keep beeping. So he flips it open, glances at the text and then deletes it. He's in no mood today.

"Ianto! Coffee!" wails Jack, soon followed by a chorus from the others. Ianto sighs and tries not to feel taken for granted. He knows that they need his coffee, that they need him to keep this place running. But sometimes…

"Thanks Ianto." smiles Tosh, taking her mug. Ianto smiles at her, then moves on to Gwen, who says

"Thanks pet."

Owen's gratitude is expressed thus, "Bout bloody time tea-boy." Ianto tries to let the barb roll off his shoulders, but it's like treacle and sticks fast. Ianto carries it with his tray, up to Jack's office.

"Ah! My coffee king!" says Jack, beaming at him. Ianto smiles back, feeling the affection he has for this man flutter in his stomach.

"Here you are sir."

"You're a star."

"I thought I was a king."

"You're my everything!" grins Jack, grabbing hold of Ianto's tie and pulling him down to kiss him. Ianto rolls his eyes,

"That worked on Jessica Simpson and she appreciated a puppy with pink toenails along with it. I'd like to think I'm slightly better than that." Ianto smirks, straightening up. Jack chuckles and drinks a mouthful of his coffee, grimacing, "It's hot sir."

"Ah know!" Jack says sticking his tongue out as if to examine it. Ianto rolls his eyes, his smile widening. He turns to walk away. "Hey, Ianto?"

"Yes sir?"

"Is everything ok? You've been… kinda quieter than normal."

Ianto's heart skips a beat. "Everything's fine sir."

"Well… if you're sure."

"I'm sure sir."

"Ok then." Jack turns back to his paperwork, a smile on his face. Ianto manages to keep his on his face until he's alone in the Archives, then lets it fall like a stone. He draws in a shuddering breath. He's been careless. Stupid, and careless. Just like always.

His phone beeps again.

There's no food in his fridge, but Ianto doesn't care. His stomach is too full of nausea to handle food. That and nerves. Or maybe the nausea is nerves. Either way, food holds no interest for the tea-boy.

Ianto wanders around aimlessly. He can feel the eyes watching him, but he's no idea where they are. He wants to call Jack, but doesn't dare infringe. He doesn't want to make Jack resent him for being needy.

Another text makes his phone ring. Ianto has come to fear what that thing is going to show him now.

He opens it, reads the message and closes his eyes, feeling the beginnings of tears in his eyes. He wants to run. Get out and run as fast as he can. But he can't. They're out there. Waiting for him to step out. And he couldn't let them near him. What they'd do to him…

Ianto lets out a shuddering sob, collapsing to the ground and curling up into a ball, feeling his grip on reality loosening. He cries like a baby, his whole body shaking with the sobs. He's afraid, and he's lonely. He wants someone, anyone, but no one will come. Like it's been said, he wasn't important. He was indulged, tolerated, but unwanted. Always unwanted.

Ianto wakes in the morning to find that he's going to be late. He's never been late before in his life!

He's so stupid for falling asleep curled up like that. All his muscles hurt, but he deserves it. He's an idiot and idiots need to be taught like dogs, punished until they get the message.

He barrels into the Hub to find everyone already there. Jack gives him a cheerful grin, but Ianto sees the concern behind it and he pinches his thigh subtly as punishment for worrying Jack.

It's a fairly normal day, except his phone hasn't rung yet. Ianto's dreading the sound with each new minute.

They're sitting and eating in the conference room. Ianto's tearing his pizza into little bits and eating a few to give the illusion of having eaten lots. He feels Jack's eyes on him and smiles when he catches his eye. Jack smiles back.

Then Ianto's phone rings.

Ianto freezes.

The phone rings again.

Ianto closes his eyes and takes it out of his pocket, flipping it open.

He stares at this new message.

And it's the final one.

Jack wants to rage, cry and destroy everything he can. He wants to grab Ianto and make him stop his keening. He wants Ianto to get out of those white hospital clothes, with the stupid flip-flop sandals, and put on a suit. Ianto looks so small out of them.

Dressed in all white, curled up in a tight ball, Ianto continues to keen like a frightened puppy, rocking back and forth in the corner of the padded room. Jack can't believe that they're really sticking him in here. But there's no way they could care for him. There's too much that could hurt him in the Hub.

"We'll be back soon Ianto to see you. Don't worry. You'll be safe here." Gwen is saying, trying to reach through the mess that Ianto shattered into two days ago, during lunch. Ianto doesn't hear her, or at least, doesn't appear to.

Jack crouches down in front of Ianto and cups the back of his head. Ianto looks at him, peeping between the arms that are covering his head. He looks like a child. Jack fights the tears as he kisses the top of Ianto's head.

"I'll be back soon Ianto. Don't give up."

Ianto stares at him, a mixture of fear, anger and need in his eyes as he begins to cry and he resumes his rocking. It's more pronounced now.

Jack stands up and follows the team out of the cell, wincing as the door slams shut behind them.

In Jack's hand, clutched tight enough to shatter, is Ianto's phone. In it contained the only clue as to what had caused this. Jack couldn't bring himself to look at it again.

"Jack?"

"Why Jack?" asks Tosh, angry. She has every reason to be. Jack's angry too. With himself. He'd been so stupid.

Taking a deep breath, Jack flips open the phone and brings up the last message received.

'Camel,

See how worthless you are!

-Straw.'

After that was a picture from another phone. Of Jack. Kissing another man. Which had been taken two nights ago.

Jack should have known better than to get into a kissing contest at a bar with someone he didn't know, but he'd been bored and it had seemed harmless. Famous Last Words.

Now Ianto was in this awful place and this was the only clue Jack had as to why he'd snapped. It couldn't have just been this, could it?

Ianto started screaming his name but Jack wasn't allowed to go to him. He couldn't go to his broken Welshman. And that broke his heart.

A sequel might develop from this, but so far no joy.

Reviews are appreciated!

Night's Darkness