Last Night
Skillet

This is the last night you'll spend alone
Look me in the eyes so I know you know

It hadn't taken Jack long to find Ianto, his eyes red and his body battered. It chilled Jack to the bone to see how fragile Ianto was, how very mortal he was and how close he'd been to going where Jack could never follow. He'd forgiven Ianto for the betrayal a long time ago, but now… now he trusted him again. The wound to his pride had healed over with not so much as a scar.

"Jack," and the Welshmen sounds so broken, so frail.

"I'm right here, Yan," Jack answeres, stepping closer.

Ianto's blues eyes drifted to the ceiling, shimmering with tears, "I hate crying in front of you,"

Jack grins, despite himself, "Every time I come here it seems…"

Ianto lets out a choked laugh as he wipes his eyes. It's wrong, he shouldn't be making jokes, but the young man before him doesn't seem to mind. Jack watches the face turn serious once more.

"Why are you here?"

Jack flashed a winning smile, "What, you aren't happy to see me?" he waits a beat before continuing, "I wanted to make sure you were all right. I thought you'd be asleep by now."

Ianto turned away, his posture screaming tension. Tension Jack longed to ease, to soothe.

"They were human, Jack, all of them," Ianto whispered. Jack could fill in the blanks, Ianto wasn't asleep because the nightmares wouldn't allow it. Jack had nights like that. He carefully rested his hand on Ianto's back, ready to move if Ianto so much as flinched. He didn't, and Jack drew closer still.

"Is that what we're protecting, Jack? Is that who we risk our lives for?" There was such anger in his voice, and such sorrow. Youth.

"No." Jack answered, "We stopped them, didn't we?"

Ianto didn't respond.

"Didn't we?" Jack repeated, this time earning a nod, "We protect good people, we protect each other. We protect innocent people."

"Are people worth saving? Are we worth saving?" Ianto whispered, and Jack would swear he was leaning into him. Jack pulled him in further, kissing the top of his head.

"Yes, Ianto. You are worth saving."

Ianto slumped in his grasp, clutching his coat. He was trembling, but he wasn't sobbing. Not that Jack would have blamed him, he held him tighter. He could feel Ianto inhaling deeply, and Jack did the same. He smelled strongly of soap, and product. It was zesty and sweet, but it covered up Ianto's natural scent. He must have scrubbed himself raw.

"He said… he said we were nothing," Ianto murmured, "nothing but meat. I- I'm not sure he was wrong."

"He was," Jack said quickly, shifting and pulling away to make sure their eyes met, "He was dead wrong. You're so much more. You're clever, and brilliant, you make the best damn coffee in the universe. And you're brave. Tosh told me how you saved her. 'Meat' wouldn't do that, Jones, Ianto Jones."

Ianto swallowed thickly, and Jack could see the cut left by the cleaver move with the muscle. Those blue eyes were still so haunted. He was too young to have seen so much. Too young to have lost so much…

His flat was just as bare as when Jack had first turned up, after the cyberwoman. Still no clutter, no decorations, nothing to suggest it was more than a furnished flat without an owner. It felt… lonely. He studied Ianto, he was battered, and scarred, but hidden away Jack could sense the traces of loneliness. The lack of self worth. It had been a long time since he'd used his admittedly limited psychic abilities, but he could still read impressions if he tried.

He shouldn't have needed to. Who did Ianto have besides Lisa? And Jack himself had kept a professional distance between them since that night. How many other sleepless nights had Ianto endured in his cold flat?

Jack ached. He knew loneliness. He knew loss.

"Jones, Ianto Jones," He said, smiling as he stared into Ianto's deep blue eyes, "You are so much more than you know."

Confusion was etched into his features, but Jack only continued to grin. Telling him wasn't enough. He would teach him, show him. Ianto Jones was one of a kind, Jack had met enough people to be sure of that.

He may not be able to stop Ianto from ever feeling alone, he may not be able to chase away the loneliness that hounded his own footsteps, but he could try. On nights where it became too much they could try to find a solace in each other.

The last night you'll spend alone
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go