Chapter 3 – Jack is even less amused than Ianto

Ianto insisted that Jack go and buy the grapes as they approached the Tourist Office entrance – he also took advantage of the rarity of the offer to give Jack a list of other things he could pick up from Tesco's whilst he was there, including something for breakfast- cold pizza and coffee wasn't the healthiest way to start the day. Not only was he reluctant to waste an opportunity to get Jack to go shopping for him, he was also keen on buying time to get showered quickly and alone. The last thing he needed was for Jack to offer to 'scrub his back'.

When Jack returned to the Hub, he rapidly unpacked a full-to-bursting carrier bag of groceries, and as he had no idea where most of the items went, he shoved them all into the fridge. Owen had dashed up from the autopsy bay, startled by the noise and surprised to see Jack actually unloading a bag of shopping.

"OK, that does it. Ianto sneaks in quieter than usual and just disappears into your office without a bloody word and then you come in having done the fucking shopping." Owen glared at Jack, who was looking decidedly guilty. "What the fuck have you done now?"

"None of your damn business… but if you must know I'm attempting to put it right."

"With grapes?" Owen had to look twice, to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. "Don't tell me – I really don't want to know."

"Trust me, you don't. Now, why don't you go home, or go bother Tosh? I take it the latest inmate has settled down now?"

"Weevil Anastasia is sleeping off her trauma and will be ready to rip your throat out in the morning. Why couldn't you deal with her anyway?"

"Unfinished business to deal with, like I said– and I had to pick up Ianto."

"You didn't forget to bring him back did you?" Owen scrunched his face up, desperately trying to figure out what the hell had been going on. "Fucking hell Harkness, what's your problem? You brought home a weevil and left your boyfriend out on the street? No wonder he's not talking to you – I'm surprised he bothered waiting for you at all, bloody stupid idiot –"

"It would really help me if you went home now." Jack gritted his teeth, holding back from telling Owen about Ianto having been arrested. Until he knew the full details, he wasn't going to tell the rest of the team.

"Good luck mate, you're going to need it." Owen smirked. He'd seen Ianto when he was pissed off with Jack and he'd been taken aback at how frightening the kid could be when riled. "I'll come in late tomorrow then, yeah?"

"Take the whole morning off if you like, just go now!"

Jack didn't wait to see Owen leave the Hub, he just grabbed the grapes and took the stairs to his office two at a time. Once there he flung his coat on the coat rack and then slid down the ladder into his quarters, only to be disappointed to discover Ianto already rubbing his hair dry.

His suspicions were roused immediately – Ianto never showered that quickly, even when he wasn't with him, and what was it with all the towels? He was hiding something and the only thing that Jack could think of was that he'd been injured in some way and was hiding the evidence.

"Showered already?" Jack tossed the grapes down on the bed and leant on the ladder, making sure that Ianto couldn't make a bolt for it. "Either you're really keen to get into bed – not that I'm complaining - or there's something you don't want me to see. Come on, 'fess up before I have to rip those towels off you and find out for myself."

"Perhaps I just wanted to get rid of the stink of stale beer?" Ianto suggested hesitantly.

"All you had to do was get undressed for that." Jack pointed at the heap of discarded clothing that looked as if it had been kicked to one side. He took one step towards Ianto and reached out as if to grab hold of the towel that Ianto had gripped hold of even more tightly. "Come on – don't make me do it."

Ianto realised that using the Captain's shower had been a mistake as he was effectively trapped. He'd been hoping to get under the sheets before Jack got back, maybe even feigning sleep.

"Ianto…?" Jack advanced closer still, his brow furrowed as he noted the way Ianto swallowed hard and looked almost afraid.

"It's nothing really-" Ianto shrugged, knowing he'd been caught out.

"Let me be the judge of that – off with those towels. Now." Jack's voice was deadly serious now. His imagination was filling in the gaps for him and it was very creative.

Reluctantly, Ianto removed the towel that he'd draped around his shoulders, revealing several bruises across his shoulders and on his chest from where he'd been shoved to the ground in the club.

"Turn around."

As Ianto slowly turned in the small space, the light filtering down from the office above showed up the dark ring of bruising on his right arm and redness about his wrists from where he'd been restrained – with more force than necessary, Jack thought grimly. Someone would answer for this.

"Now drop the other one." Jack held his breath as Ianto untucked the towel he'd wrapped around his hips. If there was any damage below the waist, Jack swore he wouldn't be giving a damn about fostering good relationships with anyone at the police station for a very long time.

Ianto dropped the towel to the floor, and Jack let out a sigh of relief as there were no apparent injuries visible on his lower back, buttocks or thighs.

"Face me again."

"This is getting a bit kinky – even for you."

"Bear with me – or should I say bare for me?" Jack was beginning to feel reassured that there was nothing to see beyond the signs of rough handling when Ianto had been apprehended and then arrested.

"Please- I'll do anything you ask as long as you stop trying to make a play on words – that's my job." Ianto rolled his eyes and turned to face Jack. He licked his lips slowly, hoping to keep Jack's eyes fixed on his face.

He failed.

"What the hell happened there?" Jack pointed at the dark bruising on the tops of Ianto's thighs and on his shins. His knees also looked slightly swollen and grazed. Jack's imagination had shot into hyperdrive and he had difficulty keeping his voice steady.

"I slipped… slipped on the stairs… c-couldn't break my fall… not with my hands cuffed." The moment his ankle collided with the heavy boot he knew he wasn't going to be able to keep his balance. It was only by landing heavily onto his legs that he'd managed to save his head from hitting the steps.

"And nobody grabbed hold of you to keep you from hurting yourself?" Jack's voice was low and he spoke slowly, making sure that Ianto understood exactly what he was asking. He regretted laughing at Ianto earlier and not actually asking him if he was alright; he'd just assumed that it was only his dignity that had taken a bruising.

"Happened too fast I s'pose." Ianto shrugged slightly, wrapping the towel back around his waist as he tried to avoid looking at Jack directly. The cruel laughter still rang in his ears. They'd found it hilarious that the pain had made his eyes water and that the tears were running down his cheeks for all to see. One of them had called him 'the Captain's bitch' and spat on him as he'd been dragged back to his feet.

"Where were these stairs?" Jack's eyes were narrowed, his chin jutted forward and his arms were folded across his chest. He could tell by Ianto's evasiveness that the full truth was likely to make him furious, and therefore he was likely to try to keep it from him. But the location where he'd 'fallen over' would tell Jack all he needed to know.

"The police station," Ianto whispered. He couldn't help wincing as he pictured the steps clearly in his mind's eye – cold, grey concrete, with rough edges where the surface had been chipped away over time exposing the strips of steel that were embedded within. They were hard and unforgiving. Like the men who'd arrested him.

Jack saw the way that Ianto shuddered and knew better than to ask for any more details, he just reached out and enfolded Ianto in his arms, hugging him close. There would be no way it could be proved, but he bet those bastards had deliberately tripped Ianto with every intention of hurting him. There was no question in his mind now, he would make someone pay for this. What had happened to those senior police officers had been tragic, but Ianto wasn't the person responsible for that, he was.

"I'm sorry." Jack pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Ianto's head. He was sorry, sorry that the ripples radiating out from his actions as a child were still catching up with people he cared for and hurting them.