Disclaimer; I own nothing….
A/N; this is the sequel to 'A Sight Unseen' which is the sequel to 'Alone in the corner'. I'm on holidays at the moment and I should be doing my assignments, but I just keep writing these one-shots… I just wish I had the power to finish Happily Ever After?... maybe I right too much. Anyway, on with the show. ENJOY!!

Falling From Rising Is Hardest

Jack felt like royal shit. He could kick himself, no he could shoot himself, no… he could willingly sit through one of Gwen's drones on the importance of following ethical guidelines. He couldn't believe that he had let Ianto fall so far after climbing so high. Ianto had started opening up to Jack on his own accord, he hadn't even touched a drink since the night Jack fished him out of the grimy pub.

But then Jack got the great idea to make Ianto a more vocal member of the team, he could come on missions and that would make him feel worth while, well that was the plan. That idea blew straight up in his face in the end though. He thought that a weekend in the country would be a great team building exercise, because what could go wrong in the Welsh countryside? But then they were greeted by blood thirsty cannibals who 'tenderised' the younger man. Now Jack couldn't find him anywhere.

Jack was speeding around Cardiff looking for him. He had searched the archives (well the upper levels, he really didn't want to get lost), then he went to Ianto's flat, and to the all night book shop that Ianto loved, but he just kept coming up empty. He was about to try calling again, but stopped himself as realisation dawned. He couldn't believe how stupid he was being, he mentally slapped himself before turning the car around and heading straight for the city centre.

He pulled the SUV to a screeching stop outside the same seedy pub that he found Ianto in mere weeks earlier. He jumped out of the car and stalked into the sleazy bar.

The pub was exactly the same as the last time he was here. The same tables around the walls, the same juke box in the corner, the same pool tables in the middle of the room, the same burly bloke at the door, the same shaky stools around the bar, and the same hunched figure in the corner trying to sooth his worries in a glass of scotch.

"Ianto." Jack said softly as he sat down beside the younger man.

"Hey Jack." Ianto wasn't slurring, so Jack took that as a sign that he hadn't been drinking long. What worried him about Ianto's voice was that it seemed too calm, too deep, almost like he had utterly given up.

"How long have you been here?" Jack took a moment to take in Ianto's appearance, he had blood shot eyes and he was dressed in the same clothes that he was wearing when Jack dropped him home. This wasn't the beautiful person Jack had been helping, this was a defeated young man.

"Not long I don't think, I'm only on my second drink. I was just walking around, trying desperately not to think, then I found this place again." Ianto took another sip of his drink, he cringed as he felt the burn down his throat. "I just thought it was oddly poetic to come back here after I screwed up yet again. And I did, I royally fucked up. I don't know why I try anymore, I always just screw it up in the end."

"Ianto, you didn't do anything wrong. If it wasn't for you Toshiko might have been killed."

"Yeah I helped her escape and she just ended up being captured again, along with Gwen and Owen." Ianto finished his drink with a beaten sigh.

"Come on Ianto, I'm taking you home."

Ianto made an affirmative noise and headed to the door, Jack was right behind him. When they got to the exit Jack draped his arm around the smaller man shoulders and led him to the SUV.

Ianto spent the whole drive staring blankly out of the window, he had an air about him that almost said that he was accepting the fate that destiny gave him. He was accepting the failure that he had come to know so well.

Once Jack had parked the car Ianto led them up to his flat. He slowly opened his door and led them into the sitting room. Ianto fell onto the couch and let his head fall onto the back of the sofa and closed his eyes.

"What time is it?" Ianto mumbled.

"A little before eleven." Jack sat down next to him. "Can I get you anything?"

"A stiff drink would be nice."

"Other than that."

"No. I think I should probably go to bed."

"I'll help you." Jack lifted Ianto up from the couch.

"I can walk Jack." Ianto said, but rested his head on the captains shoulder anyway as they made their way into the bedroom.

Ianto got changed into pyjama pants and sat on the side of the bed. Jack was about to say that he'll see him tomorrow but Ianto interrupted him. "Jack can you… can you stay? I… I don't know if I'll be able to sleep and… I don't want to be alone." He said the last part in barely a whisper.

Jack nodded silently, stripped down and got onto the opposite side of the bed. Ianto slipped under the covers and Jack pulled him close. They laid there wrapped up together in complete silence, Jack was wondering how he could help this broken man rise again and Ianto was thinking that things could only get worse from here on out.

Review??

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