When Jack was next aware enough to take in his surroundings he found himself encircled by the other hostages, his head resting in Sara's lap as she ran her fingers through his hair and sang something soothing to him, something familiar and welsh.

"Mam, he's awake again," Alun said drawing everyone's attention back down to him.

"How do you feel?" Francine asked, her teeth were still chattering a little though not a badly as before and his coat was now over him where he laid on the floor.

"I'll be fine, once we get out of here, how long have I been out?" Jack asked voice harsh from the strain of staying conscious as he slowly bled out on the bank floor.

"You've only been unconscious for around ten minutes, after the Lord shot you he had one of the others drag you over and dump you with us." Gelthin explained.

"What's happening outside, I can't see the TV," Jack gasped, the team better hurry he had no real desire to come back in front of a bunch of strangers.

"Nothing's changed, we'll watch it for you though," Millie said taking Francine and moving a little way off where they could see one of the TVs bearing the live news feed from outside.

"Don't worry the cops will sort this out soon and we can get you to a doctor," Gelthin said.

"No offence to the local police, But they haven't got a chance." Jack muttered.

"There has to be someone who can help us, some government agency or something," Alun sighed.

"My team should show up soon, they know what to do, there was a code message in the demands I recommended the Dimets make, they'll figure it out and be here any minute." Jack replied, it hurt to talk, but he was pretty sure the effort and concentration behind it was the only thing keeping him from slipping unconscious.

"You should try and get some rest, save your energy until we can get you some help." Sara

"If I rest too much I'll pass out, I need to stay conscious, keep talking to me."

"What do you want to talk about?" She asked softly.

"Anything."

"Have you got a little lady at home waiting for you, we can call her as soon as we get out of here so she can meet you at the hospital if you want." Sara asked. Jack smirked and was just about to respond when Millie rushed back over to their sides.

"There's something happening outside, some government people or something, They pulled up in a big black SUV and the cops just moved out the way for them," Millie said.

"That's great, can you keep watching for me please?" Jack asked and Millie nodded her head eagerly before moving back to where Francine was and Jack could see the hope and relief spread through the hostages.

"Are these guys your team? The ones you sent a message to?"

"That's them," Jack replied.

"Does your girlfriend know you're special ops?" Gelthin asked wondering if they'd have to let her know that her love was killed by accident or working, then again she supposed the government would just tell her some sort of cover story.

"I don't have a girlfriend," Jack replied.

"The smile earlier said you did," Sara replied with a searching look.

"Boyfriend?" Alun guessed

Jack smirked, "It's complicated, and yes, he knows. We work together; he's one of my team."

"He's 'Shagging the boss' is that why it's complicated?" Alun asked with an amused smile. He long ago learnt that there was more than love between a man and a woman and that it didn't matter who you loved as long as you were happy. He and his brother had been raised that way and one of their aunts was in a long term relationship with another woman.

"Alun!" Gelthin warned; his son's bluntness was one more the less favourable traits he'd picked up in college.

"No he's alright, we joke about it all the time. I think our doctor may have given him a bit of crap about it, but that's not why it's complicated," Jack replied.

"Why then?" Sara asked.

"It's just hard to explain;" Jack sighed.

"Will you tell me about him? Sara asked, genuinely interested.

"He hassled me for a job, stalked me and everything," fondness at the memories creeping into his voice.

"You obviously hired him though," Gelthin replied in amusement.

"Yep fell straight for his charms," Jack smiled, wincing a little in pain.

"What's he like?" Sara asked soothingly, running her fingers through Jack's hair in a gesture she used for years to comfort her boys when they were younger.

"Tall, dark and handsome in a suit, and of course he's Welsh."

"Always a good start," Sara smiled nodding her head in approval as Alun and Gelthin chuckled above her.

"He's super organized. The team would fall apart without him. I probably would. We all rely on him more than we should."

Sara frowned as she noticed Jack's sentences were getting shorter and his words were beginning to slur a little. She shifted her weight a little underneath him and he gasped in pain, she had known the movement might hurt him but only enough to bring him to a little more.

"So what's his job, or can't you tell us that?" Alun asked seeing the worry on his mother's face and the drowsy pain from Jack.

"He started as general support and clean-up. The 'tea-boy' our doctor called him. Now he's the archivist. He goes into the field with us. He still runs support but we all pitch in a bit more. Except for the coffee. He'd kill us if we touched his coffee machine."

"Should you really be telling us all this?" Gelthin asked with a frown.

"Probably not. Yan said I get blabby when I'm suffering blood loss,"

"Is that his name?" Alun asked and Jack nodded in reply before coughing a little, a small trickle of blood slipped from his lips. Sara stroked his face as his breathing slowed down again. Gelthin handed her his handkerchief and she gently wiped the blood and tears of pain from Jack's face.

"How'd you get together?" Sara asked once she was sure he could talk again. She hated this, pushing him to keep talking, but he needed to stay conscious until help arrived.

"Started out as shagging sort of a mutual comfort, company thing," Jack murmured.

"But it's not now?" Sara asked.

"No. Not sure what it is now," Jack admitted.

"What's changed?"

"We go out. Talk even more than we did before. Some nights he stays with me. But I live on base so... we try and stay at his place... as often as we can."

Francine was the one to rush to their side this time with an update on what was happening outside.
"Something's happening, the police are pissed off about something and the guys from the SUV have vanished, I think they're planning to do something."

"Won't be long now," Jack muttered sleepily.

Francine glanced down at him chewing her lip in worry "Is he going to be ok?"

"They need to hurry," Gelthin said.

"I'll be fine," Jack argued weakly not noticing the worried looks that passed between the others around him.

Francine took one last look at Jack before going back to join Millie. Jack watched Francine go and stared after her, it always amazed him how life and death situation could bring a group of complete strangers together. Sara gazed down at Jack, the 'young' man's head was still resting in her lap and her motherly instincts were kicking into full overdrive as she got to know him better and realized what a unique person he seemed to be. She only hoped that once this was all over she's be able to keep in touch with him, if he got out of this alive. His eyes began to drift closed and a shot of dread spread through her so she started their conversation again.

"Well from what you told us about you and Yan. What you have it sounds like a relationship to me."

"Hmm," Jack replied eyes sliding open again to focus on the woman above him.

"Do you love him?" Sara asked quietly.

"I think I do," Jack said a small smile spreading across his face.

Sara smiled back at him "Have you told him?"

"No," Jack whispered.

"Why on Earth not?" Sara scowled and Gelthin smiled in amusement as she slipped into full mother mode, he could see his wife was getting quiet attached to their injured hero.

"It's not me. I don't do attachments." Jack muttered not meeting her eyes.

"Sounds to me like you already are."

"Maybe."

"Does he love you?" Sara asked and Jack's bleary eyes met hers, he stared at her blankly for a moment.

"I don't know. Not for sure. Think so," Jack tried to shrug out of habit but hissed in pain as the movement jarred both his injuries.

"He's never said?" Sara asked confused, how could two people who obviously care for each other be so blind and deaf in regards to their feelings.

"Don't talk feelings. Show inste..." Jack said voice slurring as his eyes drifted closed.

"Jack? Jack!"

"m arwayke,"

"Oh God, If we don't get him help right now he's going to die," Sara whispered, Gelthin stepped up behind his wife and hugged her from behind to try and comfort her.

Gwen, Owen, Tosh and Ianto were in position around the bank.

"Are we sure Jack's even in here," Owen asked though the coms.

"No one else would have left a message like that and no aliens would ask for it," Gwen replied.

"I just wanted to double check that we weren't going to go blazing in there for no reason," Owen grumbled back.

"We're not blazing, were strategically taking out the hostile aliens," Tosh replied.

"How many aliens were there?" Gwen asked.

"They're called Diments, and there's five. The leader and two others are in the main area with the first group of hostages. The remaining two are in a room at the back of the bank holding the other hostages," Ianto explained.

"Ok so we're clear on the details then. Ianto and Toshiko are to take out the pair in the back and retrieve the hostages that are back there while Owen and I take out the three in the main area." Gwen said.

"Make sure you take out the leader first, it will send the other two into a confusion, they're very reliant on their ranks." Ianto explained.

"How the hell do you know that?" Owen snorted.

"It's my job." Ianto replied.

"Are we all ready?" Tosh asked.

"Yes"

"Yep."

"Let's do this."

"First priority is the hostages," Gwen said as a final note.

"Ready... and go!"