'You enjoyed that didn't you.'

'Enjoyed what?'

'Owen getting smacked by Tommy.'

'No.' Ianto grinned a moment. 'Yes. That was definitely a fantastic left hook.'

'Yes.' He looked at Ianto, his voice soft. 'Do you think it will be this year?' Looking at the box on his desk, wondering what hopes and fears were contained within.

Hands in pockets Ianto shrugged. 'I can't imagine being thawed out, every year for a single day, we prod him, ask questions and why?'

'So he can save the world of course.'

'But does he?'

Jack nodded. 'He did, or he does, he hasn't yet, but his history continues in 1918 so he might be here now but he does go back.' He looked at Ianto. 'He has to.' He rested his hand on Ianto's arm, something was bothering the man. 'We save the world every day, it's what we do. And sometimes we have to ask the impossible of others.'

'That's also what we do isn't it. So we thaw him out, Owen runs tests, I make him tea, you send him off on a play date with Tosh, then what, we put him back on ice for another twelve months.'

'It's war Ianto, no one said it would be fair.'

'But it's not though is it Jack they all die so young, out there, in here, the wars, they don't stop. But we keep going on, we keep saving a world that sometimes I wonder if it wants to be saved. If it can be saved.'

'Are you looking for a pay rise Ianto?'

He shook his head. 'No, I'm just feeling unappreciated.'

'Not by me I hope.'

'No, you show your appreciation just fine.'

'Are you sure, because we've probably got time to appreciate each other before Tosh brings Tommy back from her, play date.'

'Maybe we should get some lunch in while we have the chance.'

They started walking towards the kitchen. 'You sure I can't appreciate you just a little?'

'I could make sandwiches.'

Jack grinned. 'I'll be waiting in the bunker.'

Ianto lay tangled in Jack. He knew Jack well enough to recognise when the man needed to loose himself physically, he hadn't been the only one. 'I know what's got me thinking, but what about you?'

'At St Teilos, earlier, being there was a reminder. A memory of the cost of war measured in a million British lives. Sometimes I can forget what that was like, other times I just wish I could.'

'Do you want to talk about it?'

'Do you? Something has you vexed Ianto, and of course, do you really want to know?' He shook his head. 'I've lost count of how many battles and wars I fought in, of how many times I've died for your Kings and Queens.'

'What was it like?'

'Death? Or war? Your grandfather's, did either of them serve? In the last war to end all wars?'

He nodded. 'Neither of them talked about it though.'

'Come on, we should get dressed before Gwen comes looking for us.'

'What if I don't want to.'

Jack grinned at him before rolling out of bed. 'Come on, days not over yet.'

'You want me to make coffee.'

Jack smiled. 'No, I'd rather stay here too, but the world wont save itself.'

'So no coffee then.'

'Didn't say that.'

'You don't say lots of things.' Ianto muttered darkly as he reached for his clothes.

'Was I supposed to hear that?'

'No. Did you?'

Jack shook his head as he handed Ianto his tie and helped him with this buttons. 'I'd much rather be undressing you.'

'You're the one who said we needed to get dressed.'

'I can't have you running around naked, at least not in front of the others.' He kissed him lightly on the neck. 'Maybe when they've all gone for the day.'

Ianto closed his eyes as he felt Jack's breath on his skin. Wondering if there was anything he wouldn't do for this man.

'But you haven't said what's got you all glum, Ianto Jones.'

They walked towards the kitchen, the coffee machine, where Ianto did the one thing that seemed total magic to Jack, making his special blend of coffee that was uniquely Ianto. No one else ever seemed to be able to make it work. He had his theories about that. 'What is it?'

Ianto went though the mechanics of making coffee, as he considered how to answer the question. 'I was looking though the old files, with Gwen.'

'Oh yes.'

Ianto sighed. 'I, they all die so young Jack. We, all die so young.'

'Not everyone.'

'Come on Jack, lets face it, they sort of left that bit out of the job description didn't they.'

'Do you think about what your life might have been like if you hadn't gone to work for Torchwood One, in London?'

He nodded. 'Sometimes I think about it, but if I hadn't then I wouldn't be making coffee here, now.'

'Would that be all you wouldn't be doing?'

He looked at Jack out the corner of his eye. 'I don't know what my life would have been like. It's not like I can go back and make a different choice.' He handed Jack a cup of coffee. 'You probably have paperwork to do.'

Taking the coffee he grinned. 'You know I've got paperwork to do, there's always paperwork to do.' He started moving towards his office. 'Come on, you can lurk around in the background while I pretend to do my paperwork and actually write a list of things we can do latter, when we do have this place to ourselves.'

'It's Friday Jack.'

'Fine, I'll add in the things we can do at the flat too.' He grinned at Ianto. 'Come on.'

Jack hadn't finished his list when Owen called out.

'I think you need to see these readings Jack!'

He looked at Ianto. 'Looks like their play date is officially over. I'll call Toshiko, you rustle up the rest of the troops.'

'Conference room?'

Jack nodded.

Jack looked around the room, time was a funny thing, he ran backwards and forwards though it but the average person wasn't supposed to do that. Tommy knew things he was never supposed to know. Although he wasn't worried about the implications of that, time also protected itself. He would lose more of who he was now and regain himself when he went back. Tosh he could only trust to do the right thing. Even if she did tell Tommy what happened it wasn't going to change anything, he just needed to have faith.

Looking at them all he wondered why he was the one making them go off to die when he wouldn't. What if it was Ianto he was sending out to never come back... He mentally slammed the door on that idea, it wasn't going to help him do what they all needed to do. So he watched Tosh take Tommy home with her, Owen looking thoughtful and Gwen, he wondered what she was thinking some days, this was one of them. But Ianto, it was time they maybe had that conversation he didn't want to have. The one where he said he loved him.