This chapter was originally posted in June of 08, it is now October 09 and I have decided to change a couple of things to fit better with how things have progressed in the story.


Ianto couldn't sleep. Jack had told them all to go home, take a few days to recuperate—he would call them if it was anything more than a stray weevil. But Ianto couldn't sleep; he didn't even want to turn off the lights. He knew he was being silly and childish but he couldn't help it. The cannibals kept invading his dreams and nightmares of Canary Wharf started to return as well. Then the memories would combine into something so dreadful Ianto couldn't put it into words. Even with every light in his flat on he'd see things out of the corner of his eye, jump at every sound. So he just stayed huddled on his couch surfing through the many channels his satellite provided, staying well away from any horror movies. He avoided going to the bathroom as much as he could but when he couldn't stand it any longer he threw down the remote not noticing what channel was on and ran (with his gun at the ready) to the loo. While he was drying his hands he heard the theme to "Deliverance" and he froze. The rational part of his mind must have known it was only the TV but he was suffering from lack of sleep and emotional turmoil so he couldn't exactly hear the rational part of his mind. He panicked and sank to the floor, knees drawn up to his chest. He took out his mobile which he had made sure to keep with him at all times and called Jack.

After a few rings, he answered "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Captain" Ianto's voice shook

"Ianto? What's wrong?"

"I think…I think there's something in my flat…something" he couldn't help it anymore, he started to cry "Banjo…Jack…I…there's…God, Jack…I can't sleep…please Jack, cybermen, daleks and cannibals everywhere."

…

All Jack was able to decipher was "banjo", "cybermen", "daleks" and what sounded like "cannon balls". But he figured Ianto probably meant "cannibals". "All right, Ianto just calm down. I'm going to put the phone down while I get dressed and then I'll be on my way. Stay on the line." Jack was worried; Ianto hadn't lost it like this since the Lisa incident.

"Please hurry"

"I will" Jack set the phone down and threw on his sweats and a t-shirt and the trainers that he never wore and his coat. He picked up the phone again "Okay, Ianto I'm on my way. Where are you?"

"In…in the bathroom"

"All right, stay there…" the line went dead. Jack hoped Ianto just had a low battery.

He made it to Ianto's flat in record time, worrying constantly about the young Welshman's sanity. Ianto hadn't been the same since the Lisa incident and Jack feared that the country incident sent him over the edge—unless, there really were cybermen, daleks and cannibals playing the banjo in his flat. He kicked open the door to be greeted by bright lights and an American advert for mouthwash.

He closed the door as much as he could with the locks now broken and looked around. There were in fact no cybermen, daleks and cannibals having a banjo jam session, though that might have been amusing. The TV was loud; surely Ianto could hear that Listerine whitens teeth? Seconds later the horror film "Deliverance" appeared on the screen. It all clicked for Jack. He didn't even bother checking the rest of the flat because he knew he wouldn't find anything. He turned off the TV and went to find Ianto.

He figured as he'd never been there before, that the bathroom must be behind the only closed door. Sure enough he could hear violent sobbing coming from within. The door was locked though.

"Ianto" he called "Ianto, it's Jack. Open the door, there's no one else here. The banjo was on the TV. Come on Ianto; don't make me break this door too."

The door opened revealing Ianto on his knees, eyes and cheeks red and wet. He choked back his sobs and sniffled "Did you break my front door?" he said in a small voice making him sound like a five year old. The Scooby-Doo nightshirt made him look like one.

Jack's heart melted; Ianto was awful cute when he was pitiful. Of course, he was always awfully cute. Jack got on his own knees and took Ianto in his arms "I'll fix it, don't worry. Now, what were you doing watching a movie like "Deliverance" after what happened?"

Ianto clung to him for dear life "but I wasn't watching sir…I was flipping channels and I had to use the loo."

Jack rubbed circles on his back "Well, it's okay Ianto, it's all okay now. Why are you awake anyway? It's past midnight, you should be resting."

"Can't sleep," came the muffled reply; Ianto buried his face into the space where Jack's neck connected with his shoulder "They're everywhere."

"No they're not, Ianto" Jack said soothingly "Nothing's going to get you. I'm here now, don't worry."

Ianto pulled away a little and looked into Jack's eyes "I'm sorry"

"For what?"

"Everything" he sniffled "I don't think I ever really apologised for…"

Jack put a finger to Ianto's lips "Shhh, it's in the past now and I've forgiven you. I understand."

"You should have killed me"

"No, you were in love Ianto, I understand, really I do. Besides, I could never kill you. Now, please stop dwelling" he pulled Ianto close again, strongly resisting the urge to kiss him "It seems to me that you have all the lights on"

Ianto nestled into his shoulder again "Too many shadows in the dark"

"You need to sleep though"

"Mmph, you smell so good…nothing else like it on earth."

"Your electricity bill's gonna be murder."

"You're so gorgeous, did you know that?"

"I'm gonna need you in top condition when you get back to work in a few days."

Ianto didn't respond, he was breathing deeply and evenly. He had fallen fast asleep. Jack leaned him against the wall while he stood up. He then carried Ianto to the bedroom, set him down and pulled a blanket over him. On a whim he looked in the trunk at the foot of the bed. In it was a worn looking stuffed red dragon. Jack took it out and placed it in the crook of Ianto's arm.

"I imagine he'll keep you safe while I turn off the lights" he whispered

As he went through the flat he thought about what Ianto had said as he was falling asleep. Was Ianto attracted to him? Sure, whenever Jack flirted with him, he'd flirt back. But did that mean anything? Jack prided himself on his ability to read people. He could read anyone save two, one was the Doctor, and the other was Ianto. He knew and accepted why he couldn't read the Doctor—no one could after all. But he had no idea why he couldn't read Ianto. The young man fascinated him and confused him—Jack hated being confused. Ianto, like Jack played his cards close to his chest revealing so little and when he did, it caught the others off guard. Jack knew everything about Ianto that was on file but as Ianto implied during the Lisa incident Jack really knew very little about the boy.

He knew that Ianto Jones was born on August nineteenth, 1983. He knew that he was the youngest of ten, the youngest brother of one of Jack's rare outside Torchwood friends. Gwillym Jones of course had no idea that his baby brother worked with Jack and Ianto didn't know Jack knew Gwillym. Maybe he should tell him. When Ianto was fifteen his father died and he was put in the custody of his eldest brother—their mother had vanished when Ianto was two. A year later Ianto left home, why Jack didn't know. Ianto had been an adequate student but not brilliant. Lately though, Jack had been suspecting that Ianto just didn't bother with homework (the man was a freakin' human calculator). He had shop lifted once before his father died but got away with a slap on the wrist Jack reckoned it was because he looked all cute and innocent. After he left home he drifted till Torchwood One recruited him—why they did Jack wasn't sure. The kid didn't even have his A Levels and his O Levels could have been better.

The most important thing Jack knew about Ianto was that he was the grandson and looked just like one of the greatest friends Jack had ever had. Jack of course couldn't tell this to Ianto. Could he? He'd known Ianto's mother too but had no idea what had happened to her.

Jack checked the door; it was just the locks that were broken "Times like these, a sonic screwdriver would really come in handy. Doctor, I'll never badmouth that thing again." He moved a chair in front of it, deciding to stay till morning in case Ianto had a nightmare. He went back to Ianto's room, watched him a moment Damn, he's beautiful when he sleeps, ah hell he's beautiful all the time. He placed a kiss on his forehead, turned off the light and settled himself in Ianto's desk chair as tempted as he was to crawl into bed with him.

…

When Ianto woke the next morning he felt extremely groggy. The first thing he noticed upon opening his sleep encrusted eyes was that he was in bed and the bright morning light was shining through his curtains. He sat up and rubbed his eyes and then he saw that his toy dragon, Gwyddion was in bed next to him. It was odd because Ianto usually kept the twenty-three year old toy in his trunk and only took him out when Ianto was feeling depressed or especially nostalgic.

"How'd you get here?" he spoke in Welsh to the dragon since it was a Welsh dragon and it was the first language to come out of his mouth when he woke up in the mornings. "You were in the trunk. Oh well, I'm glad to see you anyway." He hugged the dragon close. Then he smelled cooking eggs and it was then he remembered last night. He ran to the kitchen to find Jack standing at the stove.

"Good morning" Jack said cheerily, "feeling better?"

Ianto nodded "Bore da"

Jack poured some coffee into a mug "Want some?" He walked over to Ianto and held out the coffee.

Ianto nodded and took the mug, the taste was bitter but one sip was enough to get him back into English-speaking mode. "Your coffee sucks, sir."

Jack shrugged "Compared to yours, anybody's coffee sucks and nix on the sir business." Jack pointed at the dragon, which Ianto had forgot he still held "Does it have a name?"

Ianto felt himself blush "Uh, yes, Gwydion, my first stuffed animal. Thank-you Jack for coming over."

"No problem, Ianto. I'm making breakfast right now, why don't you go freshen up? I think you could use a shower."

Ianto set Gwydion on the table "Thank-you, Jack" he then went into the bathroom and started his morning routine. Though he remembered calling Jack he couldn't really recall anything else except that he must have been hysterical.

The shower felt so good, it had been a couple of days since he last had one. But he felt terrible though; what must Jack think of him now? A simpering cry baby afraid of the dark? Yes, that was probably it. Ianto hadn't been a cry baby since primary school since before the bullies beat it out of him. After he ran away from his brother he drifted not bothering to finish school—he had his O Levels that was enough for him. He became quite a punk actually, smoking, drinking and gambling. He had one good friend though through it all, who was just as much of a punk as Ianto. Hermes Danann though disappeared from Ianto's life for awhile. After that Ianto came to London. He got a job in a small coffee shop and it was there he meant the man that would turn his life around.