A/n: This, I suppose, is yet another theory on how the romance between Jack and Ianto started. I hope you enjoy it.
Special thanks go to Gemini Willow and Junodog for their thoughts and corrections. :)
"What else was I supposed to do?"
It was a question to which Jack had wanted an answer since the Fairy incident, yet none of the team were willing to give him one. They simply regarded him as a cruel, merciless creature who wasn't worthy of acknowledgement. Gwen especially was more than a little angry with him, even though she had been the one who had demanded for a solution just so the Fairies wouldn't threaten her anymore. Seriously, her empathy, the very reason Jack had hired her, made her quite narrow-minded at times. Worse, she seemed to influence the others as well, so now Jack was in his office, doing some paper-work that needed catching up. He had no need of cold-shoulders, thanks; he knew he was a bastard.
A polite knock on the door cut Jack off his grim train of thought. "Yeah?"
The door opened, and Ianto stepped in with a tray in his hands.
"Have you finished with your coffee, sir?" he asked, his tone quite neutral.
"Uh… Yeah." Jack held up the cup by the rim, giving it to Ianto. "Thanks."
"Part of my job, sir," Ianto replied humbly, and he took the cup to place it on the tray. "Incidentally, I've taken the liberty of having a look at the satellite readings. There are no more odd weather patterns in the area."
Jack frowned momentarily. "Wasn't Toshiko supposed to do that?" he asked.
"She has called it a night, sir," Ianto answered. "And so has anyone else, for that matter; it's past midnight."
Already? Jack thought. There was a kind of irony in being a former Time-agent and yet unable to tell how quickly time flies by. However, something else stood out even further in his mind, and it had to do with the young Welshman.
"You shouldn't be here."
"Neither should you," Ianto replied at once, a small smile appearing on his lips. It was obvious that they both recalled a similar conversation that they had several nights ago. Jack even noticed that Ianto was as nervous now as he had been back then.
"I have work to do," he said with a shrug. "It will take a while to finish."
To Jack's intrigue, Ianto seemed to ponder on that for a few moments. "Do you want any help?" he finally asked.
Jack's first impulse was to refuse. Surely Ianto wouldn't want to stay cooped up in an underground base and do work. But, something in the young man's expression told Jack that Ianto really wanted to stay. In fact, if Jack didn't know any better, he'd say that the youngest member of Torchwood was acting… friendly.
Well, why not?
"The more, the merrier," he said. "But consider yourself warned, you will have your work cut out for you."
"Good thing I have some refreshments in the kitchen then," Ianto said, his smile broadening. "We can share if you like. Provided you don't mind cold pizza, that is."
Jack certainly didn't expect that and, for a few moments, he was at a loss as to what to say. But, in the end, he caught himself smiling.
"Cold pizza sounds great," he said. He did feel hungry, after all.
Ianto nodded and turned on his heel, heading for the kitchenette with light, brisk steps.
Though cold, Jack had to admit that the pizza was still quite tasty and even crispy. He took another bite off the slice he was holding and he chewed happily as he continued compiling the report that was addressed to UNIT. Ianto was still in the room, working on another report that was long overdue and making a sort of ritual out of it. Jack had seen the young man write a paragraph, take a bite off his own pizza and then wipe his hands on a napkin before continuing onto the next paragraph. It made Jack feel almost bad, for he had already managed to have three slices, whereas Ianto had only one.
"There are two more slices in the box," Jack reminded the young man.
Ianto looked at the box, but he waved his hand dismissively. "I'm fine. You can have them."
"No, I don't think I could handle them," Jack said with a light chuckle. "I'm already full as it is."
"That calls for a cup of cappuccino," Ianto declared, placing the report on the desk and getting back on his feet. "I'll have one ready in a minute."
Though he did like the idea of some coffee right about now, Jack also felt that he had to sort out the puzzle that had him baffled ever since Ianto stepped inside the office.
"Why are you doing this, Ianto?"
Ianto stopped on his tracks and faced Jack. "I suppose you're not asking me why I am going to make coffee."
"No," Jack replied. "So why is it that you're talking to me, when the rest of the team is giving me the silent treatment? I thought you'd be glad that they finally agree with you."
"Or maybe I discovered that there are worse monsters than you," Ianto said softly.
That had Jack utterly confused. "What do you mean?"
Ianto heaved a sigh and placed his hands in his pockets. "When Lisa was converted, becoming a Cyberman, you ordered her killed for the sake of the world and the others approved of your decision. Yet now that you gave away a girl for the sake of the world, they deemed it heartless. So…" at that, he looked at Jack straight in the eye, "they either think that they're gods and they can decide which life has more value; or, unlike you, they weren't thinking of saving the world when they killed Lisa, but to save their own necks."
"By saving their necks, they also saved the world," Jack pointed out.
"This time," Ianto said.
"So what you are saying is that it's okay to kill as long as it is done for the right reason?"
"If that were true, I wouldn't have tried to stop you from killing Lisa," Ianto answered.
"What about the girl?"
"I wasn't there."
At least he's honest about it, Jack thought. "We can't save everyone."
"Maybe not, sir. But it's worth the try," Ianto said. "There have been enough deaths already."
The last words were spoken so softly that Jack barely heard them. They still had the power to make him snap his head up and stare at Ianto. The young man, however, pursed his lips momentarily, an apologetic look in his eyes.
"Sorry. You never cared about that." He swiftly turned on his heel. "I should prepare that coffee."
"Ianto?"
Ianto faced Jack uncertainly. "Yeah?"
Jack placed his pen down slowly, trying to gain some time in order to gather his thoughts. It wouldn't be easy to say the things that were in his mind. Yet Ianto was still looking at him with blue-grey eyes that reflected the young man's apprehension.
Nothing for it, then. He would just go ahead and say it.
"I'm sorry."
Ianto blinked, more than just a little confused. "For what?"
Jack heaved a sigh and sat back. "For not listening. For taking you for granted. For never asking about… that time." He shrugged. "The list goes on, I suppose."
Ianto's lips mouthed a small 'Oh'. "It doesn't matter anymore."
"Whether you believe it or not, it matters to me," Jack said. "You're bright, resourceful, loyal…"
Ianto snorted at once.
"You are," Jack insisted. "Both to the people you want to protect and to your beliefs. More importantly, you're prepared to stand by them, making you one of the bravest people I know. And… I was wrong to treat you the way I did." He smiled. "Truth be told, if Torchwood had more people like you, the aliens wouldn't dare set a foot on Earth."
Ianto raised an eyebrow, a corner of his mouth tugging to a half-smile. "Flattering as that is, you could have stopped at 'For not listening.'"
"I know," Jack replied, scratching his head in embarrassment. "I just wanted to make a point."
Ianto laughed softly, and Jack had to admit to himself that it was a nice sound. It was a brand new, good start between the two of them; one that Jack more than just welcomed. He wasn't sure where it would take them from here but, as he watched Ianto turning around once more to head for the kitchen, he knew he just had to try.
The End.