Soooo, second chapter. I hope you like. Lots of cuteness! :)

As the Doctor wondered around the base Jack took Tosh's arm and sat them down at her desk.

"How long have I really been gone?" He questioned.

""Just over a year." Tosh was obviously over the excitement of his sudden arrival and was looking at him in distaste. Jack sighed.

"Okay, rant at me now. I deserve it."

"You are such an asshole. It wasn't fair of you to leave like that. Owen and I tried everything, Ianto and Gwen too. We searched everywhere, put up fliers, even called U.N.I.T. We thought that you'd been kidnapped or that you'd died for good! We were so worried. And Ianto, poor Ianto. How could you do that to him? Just after you two had started getting really close you up and left. I can't begin to tell you how abandoned he felt.' Tears rolled down Tosh's cheeks, 'How we all felt. He took charge though, we all owe him so much. Without Ianto here we would have fallen apart. Then you show up with an 'old friend' and step out of a very small box with him! God, you didn't see Ianto's face. First you disappear for a year and then when you finally come back you're holding hands with a complete stranger!"

Tosh struggled to breathe normally. "You could live a hundred more times and not deserve that man. After a while we all thought you had died, but not him. He knew that you were out there, but after a while we stopped him from looking."

Silence grew between the two as Jack realised that Tosh had helped convince Ianto he wasn't coming back. He took one look at her tearstained face and pushed it aside, they needed something to clear the air. Jack looked around and stopped on Gwen's empty desk.

"Where's Gwen and Owen?"

"Owen's at his mother's funeral, and Gwen, don't bring her up in front of Ianto." Tosh suddenly looked even angrier then she had when she was yelling at him.

"What happened tosh?"

"For a while Gwen was in charge, then she and Ianto had a fight. He said that we needed to look for you and that she was only filling in until you got back. We were all glad about that, she was becoming unbearable. And then…" Tosh glanced at Jack, "She said really horrible things, that just because Ianto was your lover didn't mean you cared about him and that you had deserted him just as much as the rest of us."

Jack made to break in with perhaps an excuse but Toshiko held up her hand to stop him.

"I know but, god Jack, you had been gone for months. We were falling apart, and then Gwen left. Said that she would be accepting an apology when Ianto came to his senses and realised that she was in charge now."

"That's horrible." Jack couldn't believe that Gwen could possibly say such things to Ianto but at the same time he could picture it all in his mind.

"You weren't even there. They both said such awful things. By the end of it Ianto was an emotional wreck, but it was Gwen that left. I think she's on a second honeymoon now."

"We need to get her back here." Tosh looked scared.

"No, Jack. We can't have her back here. She wouldn't come anyway unless Ianto left and –"

"No, I mean we need to recon her. She has hurt feelings and all of our secrets. There is no way that she is coming back to work."

"Can we do one that big? I mean, deleting over a year –"

"Tosh! Can I have a hand?" the two spun around to see Ianto carrying a knocked out Weevil with a burlap sack over its head. When Ianto saw that Jack was with Tosh he quickly changed his mind.

"Actually, never mind. I've got it." Jack jumped up.

"Let me help."

"No, it's fine." Ianto walked across the room as fast as he could but Jack wasn't letting it go.

"Ianto, let me help." Jack ran across the room and grabbed the creature's feet before heaving them upwards.

"No Jack, just drop it." Ianto glared at Jack, something that had never been done seriously before, making Jack drop the feet and sigh.

"Ianto, please. Just let me explain."

"Explain what? Why you left or why you came back with someone else?" Ianto glared at Jack as the latter followed him down to the holding pens.

"It's not like that Ianto! I came back for you, so you could come with us." Ianto sighed and heaved the beast into it's cell.

"No Jack. Please just go away again. I can't deal with you right now, I can't have this happen now." Jack grabbed his arm as Ianto made to leave.

"Well too bloody bad Ianto. As long as I'm here I'm your boss so you will stop and listen to me!"

Ianto glared at Jack before clearing his face of emotion, as he had done for every day since Jack left.

"Fine. What do you want to say, sir?" Jack felt the word like a slap in the face, but it hurt much more.

"Don't do that Yan, please don't do that to me. I want to apologise." Ianto snorted and looked away.

"No, Ianto, listen. I honestly didn't know that I'd been gone for so long, and I'm sorry, it was only a few days for me. I wish now that I'd never left you. Ianto please, you have to let me explain." Jack felt his voice break as he saw Ianto physically slump into tiredness.

"I don't know Jack. You say it was only a few days but I was alone for a year, a year Jack. I can't trust you anymore. Every time we get close you cheat or say something horrible or run away. I just can't do this anymore. I can't wait on you forever."

Jack tried to reach out for Ianto but the Welshman moved back.

"Don't. Just don't." Ianto whispered. Jack hated the way Ianto said it, like he had given up and once touch would break him. Jack retreated a few steps and tried not to break down. He had come back for Ianto, to share his way of life with him. But Ianto couldn't even look at him without threating tears.

"Ianto," Jack's voice was as small as he felt. How stupid could he be? He had left Ianto, his Ianto, and came back with the Doctor. "I'm sorry. I am so sorry Yan. I'm not leaving again, ever. Please just look at me."

Ianto looked up into Jack's face looking dead into his eyes. Jack nearly broke seeing all of the reflected pain and love in Ianto's gaze.

"I love you Ianto. I am so, so sorry I hurt you." Tears slipped down the immortals face. He had said those words before, but never had he meant them this much.

"Jack…" With a sob Ianto launched himself at Jack. They wrapped their arms around each other instantly, never wanting to let go. Jack slid down to the ground pulling Ianto down with him, and held his Welshman for what seemed like hours before Ianto's tears dried and he looked up.

"Don't leave again Jack. Please, just stay."

"Forever." Jack kissed Ianto's forehead. Yes, he would stay forever. He would stay on Earth, work at Torchwood, and look after Ianto, his Ianto. "I love you Ianto, I love you so much."

The two sat in each other's arms for hours, whispering sweet nothings and promises to each other. Jack explained everything, about the doctor and where he had been. About why he had come back and how he would never leave. Ianto explained about how the world had changed and what the team had done. About how he had never really given up and how he loved Jack.

It was well past midnight when the two climbed the stairs hand in hand. Things weren't where they had left off, not by a long shot. But they had hope. Jack looked around the base and instantly spotted a note left for him.

Jack, it read.

I will be gone by the time you read this, but my thoughts are with you even now as I am surely landing on Io. I would have waited but you have everything you need right here.

Ianto Jones is a good man, I met him properly in the future, who loves you very much. Do not lose him! If there is one thing I can't tell you it's that nothing beound the stars can compare to the life you have here. Believe me, I've looked.

And to Ianto, you look after Jack! I know he's annoying as hell and twice as cocky but he needs you to keep him grounded. Hold on tight and enjoy the ride kid, it's going to be a long one. I wish we met under better conditions but there's always time for that later.

Got to go, Rose is excited, I just picked her up from her mothers. Thank god Jackie's not aboard this time that was a nightmare.

-Doctor.

Jack smiled fondly at the note before handing it to Ianto. As he watched Ianto read Jack silently let go off his hopes of travelling again, the Doctor was right. He had all he needed right here.