"So, let's try this again." Owen said to Ianto.

"Gosh, I know what to do, we've been over it a million times!"

"I know, mate." Owen replied apologetically, lowering his voice. "But it's Captain's orders."

Ianto sighed and started spurring out the pre-rehearsed conversation he was to have with the manager of the club. As he finished up, Jack walked in.

"He's got it covered." Owen said with a small smile. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think he'll be fine."

"Mm." Jack grunted. Sensing the two needed some time alone, well, as much as someone dead could anyway, Owen went over to talk to Gwen and Tosh.

The two sat in silence for a while, before a weird gulpingy-choky sound was made. Jack glanced at Ianto with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry…" he said "Choked on a bit of spit."

Jack could not restrain a smile before Ianto continued; "I'll be alright Jack…I always am…"

It was true. From his girlfriend turning in to a cyberwoman and then seeing her killed to major coffee machine explosions, Ianto Jones always managed to get through whatever life threw at him.

Jack merely nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak. He cared more about this man then he dared to admit. Even to himself. And he hated himself so much that he had treated him so flippantly and betrayed him whenever he met any hot guy…or girl…or alien…in a certain sexual situation. He didn't mean to do it…it was just part of his 51st century nature…but enough was enough. Ianto volunteering for this mission made Jack realise how easy it would be to lose him when he was in the line of fire, rather than being safe in the hub. It also made Jack realise how much he couldn't lose him. He was pretty sure if he ever did, he would die…though that wasn't saying much.

Jack was woken from his thoughts by Ianto singing a rendition of the Irish national anthem.

"What the hell?!" Jack said.

"…together standing tall! Umm…well…" Ianto tried to explain, slightly out of breath "I tried the normal ways of snapping you back in to reality…you know…hand gestures, prodding…the odd slap around the face…but you just wouldn't come to! So I thought, let's sing! But I couldn't remember the words to the American National Anthem and I can't pronounce the Welsh one."

"That's coz you're English!" Owen shouted from the background.

"Why did there have to be any National Anthem?!" Jack said before turning to Owen with a 'Wtf?' look.

"I don't know!" Ianto answered Jack. "And Owen, I'm Welsh!"

"You are?" Owen said incredulously "But you only seem to have a Welsh accent when you remember…and you sound downright scary when you're angry…it's…frightening…"

"What the hell is he going on about?" Jack said.

Tosh gasped. "He was working on some sort of drug…he put it in this drink to test it…"

They all looked at Owen who was drinking from a blue mug. "I'm not dwugged. D-Don't be shilly! Oh you're sho shilly Ianto! Gimme a hug!" he started across the room towards Ianto, then suddenly stopped to look at Jack with a confused look. "Dad? What're you doing here?" He then fell to the floor.

They all looked at him for a few seconds. "Can that happen? Y'know, cause he's dead?" Ianto asked.

"It must have been the fumes." Tosh explained.

They all shrugged and carried on with their work.

.