Monday
Ianto pulled the large SUV into the parking garage that lead directly to the Hub, exhausted. He wasn't sure he'd ever driven so far and so long in one day—and by himself as well. At least the trip from Glasgow had been relatively uneventful aside from some traffic snarls. Yet he would have preferred his own car, and some decent music, and maybe even a traveling companion.
It had only been a few days away, but it had been lonely. Ianto had been surprised to feel that way, given his normally introverted nature; more often than not he craved the peace and quiet of the archives or his flat after a long day in the busy Hub. And yet working in Glasgow with only Archie and his peculiar assistant for company had been almost as draining as Gwen's nattering, Owen's bickering, and Jack's flirting.
It hadn't been difficult work. Archie had called and asked if someone from Torchwood Three could come up and help with a project he'd been working on. Apparently, he'd been injured and could use the assistance, though he didn't say much else. Gwen had pulled out of volunteering immediately, citing concerns over Rhys's continued healing after being shot; in truth, she still didn't know enough about Torchwood to be sent up north anyway. Tosh had tentatively offered, though it was clear she was reluctant from the tone of her voice. She was in the middle of a major upgrade of the Hub systems and hated leaving it unfinished.
Owen had grumbled that he'd go and watch Archie drink himself stupid, though if Archie was injured it seemed unlikely he'd drinking much; more likely Owen would go through several bottles of whisky himself out of boredom. But the team needed a medic, and Owen wasn't the best fit to help at Torchwood Two anyway, personally or professionally.
So Ianto volunteered, to everyone's surprise. It was as if they all assumed he wouldn't go, that he'd stay behind as usual—even though he'd been up there twice over the past year. He didn't mind going, not really; it would be a good chance to get away for a while, after the events of the warehouse. Everyone was still dealing with it in their own way, from the horrifying sight of an alien creature carved up for profit, to the tense fight at the warehouse, to the massive cleanup effort when it was all over. And of course, Gwen's stunning words to them all after Rhys had been shot. Yes, Ianto wouldn't mind a break in the wilds of Scotland. Not that Glasgow was particularly wild, but he could nip up to Lock Lomond for a few hours, maybe even see Nessie if he found the time for a longer drive. He could use some time to himself, to think.
"But Ianto," Tosh started, "We need you around here. For, well…for everything." They hadn't said that last time, but they'd all been reeling over Jack's disappearance when he'd gone up in to help Archie in March.
"Coffee's around the corner, Tosh," Ianto replied lightly. Jack was frowning at him, but Ianto ignored him. He was probably thinking the same thing as Tosh: they needed him for coffee and files and cleaning. And Ianto suspected it was true, that the Hub would probably be a disaster when he got back…which was another reason why he was keen to go. To let them see how bad it could get. To see if they missed him.
"You're welcome to it, tea boy," Owen replied. "I don't think I'd survive the week with that crazy Scotsman."
"And a week with you would probably lay him up even longer," Ianto tossed back. He turned to Jack, who had crossed his arms over his chest in that way he had when he was distinctly unhappy about something. "If it's help with the archives he needs, I am the most experienced." He paused. "And if it's help with Nessie, I'm also the most qualified at prehistoric monsters." He glanced up at Myfanwy's nest above them with a smile, which Jack did not return.
"Tosh is right, we need you here," Jack said, shaking his head. "The budget is due—"
"Next month."
"Tosh could use help with the systems—"
"Which you know far better than the rest of us."
"We need you in the field…" He trailed off, for Ianto had crossed his arms as well.
"In that case we can't send anyone," he said. "I'll tell Archie we can't spare the personnel at the moment. I'm sure he'll understand."
Although Jack looked unsure, perhaps due to the disapproving tone of Ianto's voice, he nodded. "Good. Thanks for handling it. Class dismissed." He turned to leave, but Ianto continued, knowing he was about to take a low blow.
"I'll also arrange for a UNIT team to assist him for the week. Hopefully Murray can squirrel away the really interesting artifacts, and I'm sure UNIT will be happy to leave once Archie is back on his feet."
He knew that would stop Jack, because Jack was territorial: he didn't mind UNIT helping out on the big cases, especially for clean up, but there was no way he was going to want UNIT going in to effectively take over another Torchwood branch with free reign to look around.
Jack stopped in his tracks. Besides him, Ianto could almost feel Tosh, Owen, and Gwen waiting with baited breath for Jack's reply and the ensuing confrontation. To Ianto's surprise, Jack's shoulders slumped the tiniest bit before he turned and nodded in acknowledgement. "Fine. My office first, please, to settle the details."
Ianto ignored the others and followed Jack to his office, shutting the door behind them in case there was a shouting match. It didn't happen often, since they were more likely to bottle up their personal feelings, ignore the issue for several days, and move on in their own stilted way. Best to be prepared, though. There had been a few times when angry sex had moved things along quicker, and Ianto half wondered if they might have a rough shag to get it out before he left. Then again, he wasn't sure if Jack's reluctance was personal or professional.
When Jack sat down behind his desk, the defeated look on his face put aside any thoughts of a quick one. Jack wasn't angry, as Ianto had thought he would be; he was upset, almost sad. Why? Seeing Jack let down his guard so quickly, Ianto offered an apology in return.
"I'm sorry," he said, sitting down next to Jack's desk. "I know that was kind of cold out there."
Jack nodded. "Yeah, it was. You know how to kick a man when he's down."
Down? Ianto wasn't sure what Jack meant, but nodded anyway. "I didn't mean to upset you, but to…well, to poke you into seeing it was the best option. And necessary unless we want UNIT coming in."
Jack offered a half-hearted smile. "I'd prefer being poked some other way." Ianto smiled in return. "Look, I get it. You're right. We need to help, or UNIT will swan in and take over. This is the third time in the last eighteen months Archie has requested back up, and I know they're swirling like vultures."
Ianto hadn't realized the situation was quite that grim. "Have they said something?" he asked. "UNIT?"
"They don't need to," Jack replied. "I can read between the lines, and I know he's worried. So we need to protect our own, even crazy old Archie and his equally crazy assistant."
"I believe he refers to Murray as his apprentice," Ianto pointed out, holding back a snort. Archie was definitely unique, even among Torchwood personnel. And Jack might refer to him as crazy, but Ianto knew that Jack was exceptionally fond of the old man; Ianto had grown to like him as well during his trips to Torchwood Two.
"He's an apt pupil, then." Jack snorted, shaking his head. "You've met him, right?"
"When I was up there in March," Ianto replied. "Quirky, but manageable. Much like Archie."
"Two peas in a pod." Jack sighed and leaned forward. "It's not that I don't want to help them," he said. "I just don't want to send you."
That surprised Ianto. He was clearly capable and qualified, and certainly one of the most loyal to Torchwood given his tenure with the agency in both London and Cardiff. He would not let Torchwood Two fall into UNIT hands. "I see," he said, both confused and hurt. "So you're only letting me go because—why? I'm most expendable?"
"What?" Jack asked. He seemed genuinely confused.
"Gwen doesn't want to leave Rhys," Ianto pointed out. "Which is understandable, and she does tend to get her way on things around here." He held up a hand when Jack began to protest; he didn't want to get into that issue again. They'd shagged it away after a few days of uncomfortable avoidance, but he couldn't help the lingering resentment that still bubbled to the surface. "Tosh is busy with the upgrade and Owen needs to be here in case of injuries, not to mention he's probably the least capable of the archival work Archie mentioned." He stood up, his insides in knots for some reason. "As you're our leader, it falls to me by default. I understand."
Jack stood and came around the desk, laying his hand on Ianto's arm. "It's not like that at all!" he exclaimed. Ianto did not respond to his touch, and Jack ran a nervous hand through his hair. "In fact, it's the complete opposite—Tosh was right, we need you to keep this place running more than anyone."
"It's not going to fall apart if I'm gone for the week," Ianto pointed out, trying not to feel frustrated. Jack gave him a skeptical face.
"You sure about that?" he asked. "You're not worried about coming back to a filthy pit filled with take away containers, dinosaur shit, and piles of paperwork two feet high?"
"Of course I am." Ianto shrugged. "But you're not completely helpless. And even when you are, that doesn't mean you should keep me here. Contrary to my dubious start, I'd like to think I'm more than a…a glorified space butler at this point in my tenure."
Jack blew out a breath, tucking his hands into his pockets as he smiled down at the ground before meeting Ianto's eyes. "You are so much more than our space butler," he said. "I hope you know that by now."
"With you lot always going on about coffee, it's hard to tell sometimes," Ianto mumbled. Which was true. Even after so long, after being in the field, trying to prove himself again and again, he still wondered if he was only the clean-up man, a personal barista with a knack for organization and the alphabet. Because sometimes it was easy to believe he was.
"Your coffee is amazing," Jack agreed, stepping closer. "But so are you. What you did last week, in that warehouse…" He trailed off, gazing at Ianto with a look he couldn't read. He wanted to think it was pride and affection, but that seemed unlikely. What had Ianto done? He'd got himself captured with Rhys, who'd ended up shot while Ianto had ended up with a sore shoulder, dislocated thumb, and rope burns of the not-so-fun kind.
"Jack, we've gone over this," he said, not moving as Jack put his arms on Ianto's waist. "I did my best and I'm sorry we got caught, for what happened to Rhys, for—"
Jack stopped him with a fierce kiss. "You don't get it, do you?" he whispered when they were finished, Ianto trying not to stare at him in wide-eyed surprise. "You were brilliant. You took down four of those men single-handedly. You helped clean up one of our worst cases. And you didn't complain once about your own injuries," he added, taking Ianto's hands and running his thumb over the faded red marks where he'd been tied up.
"Please be careful up there," Jack said, looking Ianto straight in the eyes.
"Of course I will," Ianto scoffed. "There's not much danger to be had in Scotland."
"You never know," Jack said, frowning slightly.
"I've been up there before," Ianto reminded him. "And it was one of the most boring weeks of my life, even with copious amounts of whisky."
"It tends to stay quiet," Jack agreed. "But you never know what might come up."
"I can handle it if it does," Ianto said, when something occurred to him. Was Jack worried about him personally, or was he more concerned about Ianto messing something up? "Unless you think I can't, after what happened last week."
Jack shook his head sadly and kissed him again. "I think you can handle anything," he said softly. "You're amazing. But I—"
He was interrupted by a loud knock at the door. Gwen burst in, frowning when she saw them standing so close, Jack's hands still on Ianto's waist. He started to pull away, felt the resistance in Jack's arms, and stepped more forcefully out of the embrace. Gwen was staring at them as if they'd both turned into aliens.
"Sorry," she said. "I, er…" She was uncharacteristically speechless. It was almost amusing to watch her flailing, since he knew it had to do with seeing him and Jack so close. It was rather unkind, to be honest, but she'd thrown harsh words at Jack and the team a week ago, and sometimes she needed a good kick in the mouth once in a while.
"Did you need something?" Jack asked, glancing back and forth between Gwen and Ianto, clearly sensing something off.
"Oh," said Gwen. "Yes, uh…there's been a Rift opening near the docks. Probably space junk, but Tosh says we should pick it up quick as there were several pieces."
"Take Owen," Jack said, going around behind his desk. "I'm going to take Ianto to the train station."
Ianto started in surprise; Gwen's mouth practically fell open. "But what if we—"
"Call if it's an emergency," he said, his voice short. "Otherwise it's a standard retrieval and we don't need everyone on it."
He grabbed his Webley from a drawer and started around the desk.
"Jack, I need to—" Ianto started, but Jack waved him off as he grabbed his coat. Ianto was so surprised he stood there and didn't even think to help until it was too late.
"You need to pack," he said, then added softly. "I'll drive you home and help you get ready."
"I need to settle things around here first," Ianto insisted. "Tidy up the office, leave some notes, feed the—"
Jack took his arm and moved them past Gwen, who was still rooted to the spot, staring at them.
"We can handle it," he said. "Really. Gwen!" he called over his shoulder. "Get on that retrieval!"
"Right," she murmured, moving toward her station. Ianto went to his desk to get some things, including a Torchwood laptop, and turned to find Jack holding his coat out. It was odd, and Ianto abruptly and perhaps irrationally felt like he was being thrown out. So much so that he said something when they entered the lift, under the watchful eyes of Gwen, Tosh, and now Owen.
"I can pack myself," he said, staring straight ahead. "And drive myself to the train station, like a grownup and everything."
Jack sighed. "Maybe I want to help," he said, also avoiding Ianto's eyes. "And take my…take you to train station. Get a hot kiss goodbye on the platform, like in the movies." The sides of his lips turned up in a slight smirk. Ianto rolled his eyes.
"You mean you want a quick shag back at mine before you drop me off and start chasing Weevils for the afternoon."
"Who said anything about chasing Weevils?" Jack asked, then turned to grin at him. "Though that first sounds like a good idea—something to get us through the week, perhaps?"
Ianto stared at him, torn between laughing at how brazen the man was, and being annoyed that all Jack wanted from him was sex one last time for the week—even if he had been the one to suggest it. It occurred to him that he could simply be glad Jack wanted to take him to the station and spend time with him before he left, but Ianto also couldn't help but wonder if sex was really all Jack wanted, and what Jack might do while he was gone. His doubts overcame any other feelings, and he frowned, his response coming out less playful than he'd hoped.
"Mr. Romance, you are," he muttered.
Jack didn't reply right away, and it was quiet until they reached the garage. Ianto headed toward his car while Jack walked toward the SUV.
"Gwen and Owen need that," Ianto called, biting back exasperation. At that point, he really wanted to pack on his own and deny Jack any last shag before he left for the week, no matter how hard it'd be for him as well. Because he wasn't just a shag, except during moments like these when he felt like one.
"Right," Jack said, walking back toward Ianto's Audi. Ianto swallowed a sigh when Jack climbed into the passenger side. "I can be romantic, you know," Jack said, trying to sound casual and failing.
Ianto glanced at him. "Not really our thing," he pointed out. Yes, they'd had a few dates, were growing closer, and occasionally spent the night together in what almost felt normal and domestic at times, but he wouldn't call it romantic. Frankly, he wasn't sure what romance would look like between the two of them. Every so often he thought about it, but more often he feared it; that wasn't what their relationship was supposed to be, no matter what Jack had said when he'd come back four months ago, and no matter what Ianto wanted at times.
"It could be," Jack offered. He reached over and took Ianto's hand. "See, romantic."
"Holding hands in the car?" Ianto asked, letting the dry skepticism roll off his tongue with ease.
"Well, you don't hold my hand when we go out," Jack pointed out. Ianto couldn't help but laugh.
"Didn't know you wanted to hold hands like teenagers," he teased.
"Didn't think you would," Jack tossed back. Ianto inclined his head.
"Probably not." He was quiet as he pulled out into Cardiff traffic and turned toward his flat. It wasn't far, and he put aside the question of why Jack suddenly wanted to hold his hand and started making a mental list of what to pack for the week. They were silent until they got to Ianto's flat. He pulled into his parking spot and stopped the car, turning toward Jack.
"I'm not offering goodbye sex," he said.
"Fine," said Jack immediately, with no pouting whatsoever. "How about lunch before you go?"
"What?" Ianto asked in surprised. "Lunch? Is that a euphemism?"
"For what?"
"Jack, why are you really here?" Ianto asked.
"I already told you—because I don't want you to go," Jack replied.
Ianto rolled his eyes and got out of the car. "Right. Because you'll have to run to Costa for coffee and pick up your own pizza boxes while I'm gone."
"Ianto!" Jack exclaimed, following him inside. "That's not why I don't want you to go, and either you're really that blind, or you refuse to believe it."
"I don't know what to believe, Jack. This is too weird for me. Last time I went up there, no one said a word." Ianto threw his coat over the back of his sofa and started puttering around his flat, gathering things for his time away—a book for the train, some music, a few snacks. Jack watched, making him more and more uncomfortable. Finally Jack reached out for his hand and pulled him close. He gazed into Ianto's eyes, as if trying to say something without words, but Jack was right: Ianto couldn't possibly believe what he thought he saw there.
Jack's other hand reached up to caress Ianto's cheek, and he smiled that soft, genuine smile Ianto wanted to think was only for him. Then Jack leaned down and kissed Ianto so gently yet with so much feeling that Ianto immediately felt his knees go weak. Not from the usual lust and passion that Jack always brought out in him, but with affection and awe and a touch of fear for what it meant. But that couldn't be why Jack didn't want him to go, could it? Jack wouldn't miss him, like he would Gwen. They weren't like that. It was casual.
Yet as Jack continued to kiss him, caressing his face and pulling him closer, Ianto suddenly wondered if it wasn't as casual as he'd thought and ended the kiss. Jack was still smiling, though, as if he had none of Ianto's doubts at that moment.
"Ianto, I don't want you to go because I—"
They were interrupted by Jack's mobile, loud and shrill and interrupting the moment so completely that they both jumped a little. He stared at Ianto for a moment longer before answering it with a growl.
"What?"
"Sorry to interrupt your one-on-one time with the teaboy." Ianto could hear Owen's smirk through the phone; he didn't sound apologetic at all. "But get your pants back on, we need you at the docks."
"Why?" Jack ground out. "I told Gwen bog standard recovery."
"Nope," Owen replied, sounding cheerful, as if he were glad to have interrupted. "There's too many pieces, and I think it's something you'll want to see. Tosh is coordinating from the Hub."
Jack swore under his breath, which was rare enough. When he signed off and glanced up, Ianto was even more surprised to see how upset Jack was.
"I'm really sorry," he said. "But I have to go."
"It's fine," Ianto replied, though he'd been enjoying the kiss, as confusing as it was. "I can manage."
"What time do you think you'll leave?"
Ianto glanced at his watch. It was only half nine in the morning, but he didn't need much time to pack, and the sooner he left, the sooner he'd be there to settle in for the night, ready to start the next day.
"There's a train just after noon," he said. "And if it's full, I can take the next one." Jack looked ready to protest. "It's fine. The sooner I'm there, the sooner I can get started and get back."
Jack brightened considerably at that last. "I'll try to be back to take you to the station," he said, moving toward the door, only to stop in the middle of the room. "Only I don't have a car."
Ianto laughed through his nose and tossed him the keys to the Audi. "Take mine, I won't need it. And I'll call a cab so don't worry about rushing back. It's fine, really."
"I wanted to drop you off," Jack said.
"Well, duty calls," Ianto said, walking him toward the door. "And I'll ring you when I get up there."
"Promise?" Jack asked.
"Promise," Ianto told him. "Now go see what they found. And be careful," he added quietly.
Jack smiled at him. "You too," he replied. "Especially if you go visit Nessie. I know you want to, but she's unpredictable."
"I imagine there will be enough to do around the vaults," Ianto replied, though he wouldn't mind an afternoon at Loch Ness. It might give him a chance to think about some of the things he kept refusing to think about over the last several weeks, as well as Jack's strange behavior at the moment.
"How long do you think you'll be gone?" Jack asked.
"Hopefully a few days will be enough to get them through the worst of whatever's happened to Archie. Do some cleaning, organizing—same as I do for you lot, I imagine."
Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto's waist. "Maybe you can make it back this weekend. We could do something romantic."
Ianto raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" he asked skeptically. He couldn't picture anything romantic with Jack.
"I'll come up with something," Jack murmured, then leaned down to kiss him. And once again Ianto felt like something was different, that Jack was different. He wasn't sure what it was or why, and it could have simply been the hot kiss goodbye Jack had been angling for. Whatever it was, it was nice; a part of him didn't want to leave.
Jack finally stepped away. "Take care," he said. He nodded and took a deep breath, as if working himself up to leave. "I'll see you when you're back. Call me and I'll pick you up."
Ianto tucked his hands into his pockets so he didn't reach out for another embrace. "Thanks, I'll probably take you up on it." Jack leaned in for a last surprise kiss, and then he was gone. Ianto shut the door behind him, which was when it suddenly hit him.
"I'll miss you," he murmured to himself, then set the strange feeling aside and began to pack for his trip to Torchwood Two.
Author's Note:
Many thanks to cozsheep for all her help on this story! It was her lovely piece of Jack and Ianto fanart that inspired it. I suggested an idea for some art, she created a wonderful picture of Jack and Ianto, and several thousand words later I realized I wasn't drabbling it, it wasn't even a one shot! It should be about 6-8 chapters, nothing particularly deep and plotty though there may be a twist or two. It's just nice to be writing again! Enjoy!