"Staying here all night?" Ianto watched Jack's hand fidget as he studied the paperwork on his desk. "I brought you tea…"

"Oh, my faithful teaboy…" Jack glanced up. "No rest for the wicked," he answered with a characteristic grin. Setting his pen down, he reached for a cup and saucer, taking a quick sip. "Is there cinnamon in this? It tastes like…" He smacked his lips together. "Christmas. Reminds me of my favourite James Bond movie."

"Christmas only comes once a year?"

"You got it," Jack answered.

Hiding a smug smile, Ianto took a step closer. "Can't slip anything past you, sir. Get some sleep when you're done." The circles under Jack's eyes were becoming more pronounced with every passing day. It was obvious he hadn't been sleeping well, but no one on the team had the gall to question it.

A flicker of a frown flashed across Jack's mouth. Ten days without sleep and the brain would systematically shut down until the body ceased to function - a fatal effect in human beings. Well, normal humans. And a normal person might have been concerned that six days had passed without a wink. He wasn't normal - 'unnatural' as an old friend had called him. There was something not right about him.

"Yeah, I will," he answered, tone slightly dismissive.

Pursing his lips slightly, Ianto walked out, leaving the door ajar. Taking another sip, Jack picked up his pen again.

In the silence of his office, he recited the line to himself. "I was wrong about you… Yea-"

"Yeah, how so?"

He looked up sharply, eyes focusing on the thin figure in his doorway. "I thought Christmas only came once a year. And if it isn't Christmas, it's gotta be my birthday - Doctor!" Jack's face lit up as he pushed his chair back.

"You really need to work on your British accent. An American Bond, honestly. It's like… mixing Slovenes and puppies - a very bad decision, mind you."

"Can I get a hug before you tell me I've been a bad boy, too?"

"Nah, lump of coal in your stocking's the only thing for it, I'm afraid."

Jack stared at him - sometimes it was hard to tell when the Doctor was being serious.

"Oh, come here, you!" Laughing, the Doctor stepped into the office, reaching out and embracing his old friend. "S'been ages! How are you?"

"Oh, you know, little of this, little of that." Leaning back slightly, he held the Doctor at arm's length. "Protecting the people of Cardiff from a rift in time that they're surprisingly unaware of…"

"That's the Welsh for you."

Sharing a chuckle, they hugged again, quickly before the Doctor took a step back, flipping out the tail of his coat and sitting down. Rather than return to his chair, Jack perched on the edge of his desk, arms folded neatly across his chest.

"Recharging the T.A.R.D.I.S.?" He asked.

"Can't a man check in on a friend without having his motives questioned?"

"Do you ever let me say hello to strangers?"

"Touché."

Jack smiled. "Haven't heard from you in a while… where've you been?"

"Popped over to the diamond beaches of Casmar for a look at the antiques."

"Christmas shopping?"

"Told you I'd get you coal. Got there about a million years too early, diamonds hadn't formed yet."

Snorting, Jack reached for his tea again. As he stretched, the Doctor watched him carefully, noticing an abnormal stiffness in his movements.

"You feeling alright, Jack?"

"Ducky," the captain answered. "Why?" Sipping his tea, he met the Doctor's eyes, completely unashamed of the butterflies that swelled in his stomach. He never could resist that chocolate-coloured gaze.

"You seem… tired."