A/N: starchild1988: smacks shadowfox9845 round the head NCIS style blaming me … whippersnapper
Shadowfox9845: No I'm not you old fart!
Starchild1988: Oi! I'm only a month and three days older than you! Anyways, we hope you enjoy this chapter though it is late. If you don't, we won't upload chapter 4 with the lime in it. cough, cough fluff!
Disclaimer: We don't own Torchwood, Russell T. Davis does, t'otherwise we'd be super duper rich and starchild1988 would have to prise shadowfox9845 off John's and Gareth's legs. That's unless she gets distracted by David Tennant.
Back at the Hub, the rest of the team were taking a well-earned break after a mornings work. Then, Owen's mobile began to ring. According to the caller ID, it was Jack.
"Hey Jack … where did you disappear off to at this time of day?" he asked.
"I'm at Ianto's. Listen, Owen, I need you to come over here." Jack replied. "Now if possible."
"Why, are you two having a gang bang?" Owen asked cheekily. "Do you want me to come join in?"
"No, Owen this is serious! Two guys broke into Ianto's flat. They beat him up quite badly." Jack sounded annoyed. Owen went into doctor mode.
"Okay Jack. Is he conscious?" he asked.
"Yes … but he's black and blue."
"Okay Jack … I'll be right over." Owen told him before hanging up and headed towards the medical bay,
"What's up?" Gwen asked as she took a sip of her coffee,
"It's Ianto, Jack says he's been man handled and he wants me to check him over," he replied as he gathered some things together and walked back out, heading towards the exit,
"Ianto's been hurt? What happened to him?" Tosh asked with a panicked voice. Owen turned and walked backwards so he could speak to them.
"I don't know. I think Jack will explain when he's calmed down a bit." Owen told them, turned back to face forwards. "I'll let you know what I find out."
After twenty minutes of waiting and Jack pacing in the living room the doorbell rang and a voice called out, "Jack, you here?"
"Yeah, we're in here Owen," he replied as he stopped pacing and walked over to the sofa where Ianto was having a little nap curled up underneath a blanket on his side, 'He looks so innocent when he sleeps,' he thought whilst brushing a bit of hair out of the welsh man's face, his touch gentle.
Owen poked his head round the corner before walking in to see the mess, "Well, I didn't think it'd be this bad when the door fell off the hinges," he commented, "how is he?"
"Well, fortunately I walked in before anything serious happened but I calmed him down,"
"Calm him down? You mean he was hysterical?"
"You remember when we ... after the Cyberwoman incident and he was a bit withdrawn?" Owen nodded his head,
"He almost did that again but I managed to keep him calm and he's having a cat nap now, but we can wake him up," the elder explained before moving away so that Owen could do what he needed to do.
Kneeling down Owen gently shook Ianto's shoulder to wake him, which caused him to wake with a start and he instantly regretted it when his chest flared up with pain, "Take it easy Ianto, Jack says you've had it rough today," Owen told him before looking up at Jack, "can we have a bit of privacy here?"
"This
isn't a doctor's surgery Owen," Jack argued,
"When was the
last time you went to see a doctor?" Owen countered.
Silence
filled the room as Jack looked deep in thought and Ianto looked
between the two, "Do doctors in blue police boxes count?"
"No,
they don't exist,"
"Then
what if-"
"Jack …" Ianto broke in,
"What?"
"Just for half an hour please," he asked softly,
"Okay then, but I'll be straight back if you need me. Need anything while I'm out?"
"Not that I can think of but if there's anything you can think of just get it,"
"Can I have some cash then?"
"You have a wallet, use it,"
"Out!" Owen moaned before chasing him out the flat and propping the door up before walking back into the living room.
Owen perched on the coffee table in front of Ianto and went through his bag and pulled his penlight out.
"I want to make sure you're not concussed." He explained and leaned forward and shined the light into Ianto's eyes. "Now I've heard Jack's version of what happened." He started. He put down his penlight. "Can I check to see if you've broken any ribs?" he asked going off topic for a moment. Ianto nodded. Owen tentively felt the bruises, checking for any sign of broken ribs underneath and also taking the opportunity to have a quick feel, stopping only when Ianto sniggered. "What?"
"It's nothing." Ianto replied and rested back against the sofa, until Owen poked one of his bruises.
"How about you tell me your version of what happened?" he suggested. Ianto leaned forward, one arm wrapped around his stomach.
"I tell you just one thing about it. If these guys attack you, don't turn your back on them." He told him quietly then leaned back against the sofa again. Owen got the feeling that he shouldn't push the point but he was also curious, something more had happened and neither Ianto or Jack were telling. He got to his feet.
"Do you want me to make you a coffee?" Owen asked, trying to change the subject.
"Jack already made me a coffee." Ianto replied.
"Shall I make you a decent cup of coffee?" Owen then asked and he got a grin in response.
Thirty minutes passed when Jack came in and found Owen sat alone in the living room, "Where's Ianto?" he asked,
"He's getting dressed in his room," Owen replied, getting to his feet, "I checked him over the best I could and I think he might have a few broken ribs so we're off to the hospital so he can have an x-ray." Jack nodded,
"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked,
"It'll be better if you just go back to the Hub and get on with some work or whatever it is you do in that office of yours and I'll let you know what's going on, okay?" the other explained. Jack nodded again and then went over to the bedroom door,
"Ianto, I'm going back to the Hub okay? Call me, anytime," he announced through the closed door. A short moment passed before it opened a little and the Welsh man peered out at him,
"I will. You go back to work," he told him softly, "and try not to worry about me okay, I'll be fine," then the door shut again.
One
car ride and two hours later found a patient Ianto and an upset Owen
grumbling in the waiting room, "If you had just let me use
Torchwood's influence we could've been out of here by now,"
"But
we're not in a rush are we,"
"No but I've never liked hospitals," Owen admitted.
Ianto sat in his seat for a few moments before asking, "Then why are you a doctor?"
"I'm not even going to dignify that question with an answer,"
"Why
not?"
"Why do you have to question everything I do?"
"No
I don't,"
"Yes you do!"
"When was the last time I
questioned something you did?" Before Owen could answer a child's
giggle rang out behind them. Turning round the pair looked over
theirs shoulder's and found a young girl no older than seven
giggling at them,
"What's so funny?" the doctor demanded and caused the girl to duck behind her seat,
"Owen! Don't talk to her like that!" he told him before slapping his arm the best he could. The girl saw this and giggled again, "You two are funny," she told them whilst kneeling back up in her seat. Looking at Ianto she noticed his faced was bruised and cut, "What's wrong with your face mister?"
"Somebody
hurt me badly,"
"Why?"
"I didn't tell them something
and they hit me for it,"
"They sound like bullies," she told
him,
"They are, I hope they don't come back," he admitted,
smiling softly at her. Just at that moment a nurse came out and
called a name, "Come on Sally," the girl's mother said softly,
"time for your pot off,"
"Okay mummy, bye bye!" she said happily, waving and Ianto and Owen as she left. Ianto waved back the best he could before turning back round and sliding down his seat slightly, "Children are so innocent, it's a shame when they lose it," he said, mostly to himself,
"Hmmm?"
"It's nothing." He replied. Owen fidgeted in his seat.
"I'm getting sick of this." He got to his feet. "I'm going to go and shout at the lady on the desk." He got a few feet before a nurse came out of the cubicle area.
"Ianto Jones." she called. Ianto raised his good arm.
"That's me." He called back. He slowly got to his feet and made his way over to her. He stopped when he reached and turned to Owen. "Are you coming Doctor Harper or do I have to explain everything myself?" Grumbling, Owen went after them.
"About time too." He mumbled. "I hate hospitals."
Jack was sat at his desk in his office when his phone rang.
"Jack, it's Owen." Said the voice on the other end. "We got the x-rays back. Ianto's got a few broken ribs so it's better off if he take some time off and rests up."
"You two still at the hospital?" Jack asked. "I can come and meet you guys."
"We're not at the hospital. We're at Ianto's flat. He's packing some stuff." He paused. "Hang on, you want to talk to him?"
"That would be great." Jack replied.
"Hi Jack." Jack's heart beat faster at the sound of Ianto's voice.
"Hi Ianto, you feeling any better?" he asked calmly.
"A little, they gave me painkillers at the hospital and told me to get some rest." Ianto explained. "So, I'm going to my mums for a few days."
"Sure, Ianto, take as much time as you need." Jack told him, trying not to get too upset. "Just call me, please."
"I will." The other replied. "I mean it Jack. It's just … I need some time away from Torchwood. But I will call you." In the background, he heard Owen mumble something and the phone was passed back again.
"Jack, I'm going to take Ianto to the train station." He said.
"Okay." Jack replied. "Oh and Owen …"
"Yes boss?"
"Stay with him until he gets on the train." He told him.
A few days later, the rest of the team had gone home and Jack was alone. He was in his bedroom, dozing when his mobile rang. Not wanting to open his eyes he patted the ground around him, trying to find it. When he finally found it he opened one eye to see who it was and seeing it Ianto, he answered it.
"I said I'd call you." Ianto said, speaking first.
"I know." Jack replied and then he yawned. "Sorry, long day."
"I didn't wake you, did I?" the welsh man asked and Jack could hear the concern in his voice, "I can always ring back later,"
"No … I was just dozing," Jack reassured him whilst rubbing some sleep out of his eye, "how are you?" he asked whilst sitting up,
"I'm doing okay. I had some time to think things over." He said.
"And?" Jack inquired. He suddenly got the feeling that Ianto might not want to come back to Torchwood after what happened; after all, it was the reason he was attacked.
"I'm coming back to Cardiff. There's only so much fussing that I can withstand." Ianto replied with a laugh. Jack smiled, at least his sense of humor was returning.
"I bet you're booked on the first train you could get." Jack joked back.
"I am. Tomorrow morning. Should get into Cardiff at eleven." The welsh man told him.
"That's great, Ianto. Do you want me to meet you? We could get lunch?" Jack suggested.
"That would be great." Jack heard movement in the background. "Okay, I'd better be going. Platform two, eleven o'clock. I'll text you if there's any changes." Then he hung up the phone. Jack, feeling a lot happier now that he'd spoken to Ianto, settled down to go to sleep. He was just dropping off when his phone beeped announcing a text message. It was from Ianto so he wasn't that annoyed. Mum's just asked if I was speaking to my girlfriend. I just told her that I was speaking to my better half. Got to keep her guessing.
Just before eleven the next morning, Jack pulled up outside the train station in the Torchwood SUV. He got out and rushed out onto the platform, making it just in time to hear an announcement that said Ianto's train had delayed for an hour. That was when his phone rang.
"Ianto, I'm at the station but there was an announcement saying your train had been delayed." He told him.
"I know, we're stuck at a station. Apparently some idiot set fire to a signal box further down the line." Ianto explained. "Maybe you should go back to work. I'll be okay."
"No Ianto, I'm going to wait." The Captain exclaimed losing his temper. "I've been looking forward to this all morning." He sighed.
"Calm down." Ianto said. His voice sounded calm and soothing. "I'll get there, we'll just have to put our lunch back an hour."
"I'm sorry Ianto, it's not you." Jack explained. "I've had a bad morning. For starters I only had a couple of hours sleep, then Owen did things other than the autopsy I needed him to do. UNIT aren't co-operating and the prime minister has decided to brief the opposition about Torchwood again." Ianto laughed on the other end of the line.
"Just a normal day at the office then." He joked. "Admit it, things just don't go smoothly when I'm not there." Jack had to laugh at that.
"That is true … at least the coffee's not as good when you're not here." He told him.
"I know I'm good for one thing then." Ianto said.
"Ianto, you're good for more than one thing." Jack said with a grin and heard laughter on the other the end of the line.
"Well, yeah … I hadn't thought about that." He replied. "Anyway, why don't you go back to work for a bit and I shall call you when the train starts moving again and let you know when we're supposed to arrive."
"Okay." The captain said. "I'll see you soon Ianto."
"See you soon Jack." Ianto told him then hung up. Jack took a deep breath then strode off the platform and back to the SUV.
The ride back to the HUB was as eventful as paint drying to the disappointed captain and he eventually pulled up outside the Tourist Information Centre. Security locking the vehicle he made his way inside and headed towards his desk, "I thought you were out Jack?" Tosh asked him when she looked up from her computer monitor,
"Yeah, the thing I was going to was delayed so I thought I'd wait here until it was time to go again,"
"Makes
sense I suppose,"
"Why aren't you at lunch anyway? I thought
I told you all to go for it when I left,"
"Well Gwen and Owen have gone to Subway to get it, they should be back any minute now actually."
Just as Tosh had finished her sentence, said two walked in giggling at a Joke Owen had pulled and headed over to the kitchen to sort dinner out, "Perfect timing eh?" Jack smiled warmly,
"But what about you Jack? Aren't you getting anything?"
"Naw, I'm alright for now, you just get your dinner," he told her before walking off to his office, swaying his hips as he thought about Ianto.
Jack was sat with his feet up on his desk, dozing when his phone rang. It startled him and he fell backwards off of his chair, hitting his head on a shelf behind him. Gwen appeared in his doorway.
"You okay down there?" she asked. He sat up rubbing his head.
"I'm fine." He replied, got up, righted his chair and sat down. Gwen disappeared back out into the main area and he sat grumbling because the ringing had stopped. Instead he sat listening to what was going on with the rest of the team. Owen and Gwen were arguing for one thing.
"No … you said that he'd slipped while climbing through the hole to his bedroom. I said that he'd fallen backwards on his chair." Gwen was saying.
"That's right, she did." Tosh piped up.
"Stay out of this Tosh." Owen snapped.
"Stop being rude to Tosh." Gwen reprimanded and Jack heard a slapping sound.
"Ow!"
"Oh stop being a baby, I didn't hit you that hard." Gwen said. "Now hand over my money." After that, it all got quiet. That and his phone started to ring.
"What took you so long? You fall off your chair again?" Ianto asked.
"What are you? Psychic?" Jack retorted.
"I just know what you're like." The welsh man told him. "Anyway, I said I'd call when the train starts moving again and here I am."
"Only took half an hour." Jack mumbled.
"Yeah, anyway, according to our driver it will only take us another half hour to get there so be at the station around twelve." A grin spread across Jack's face.
"I'll be there." He told him. He put his feet on the desk again.
"Be careful, sir. Putting your feet up on the desk can be dangerous." Ianto said.
"How do you do that?" Jack asked.
"It's a gift."
After being stuck in a traffic jam that seemed to come out of no-where, Jack got to the station late. He went into the main hall and was at the top of the steps that led down to the platforms when he saw a familiar figure struggling to get his suitcase up the steps.
"Come on, god damn it." Ianto muttered as he tried to get his suitcase up the steps. He was so preoccupied he didn't sense him coming towards him until he felt a hand on his shoulder then heard his voice.
"Can I help you with your suitcase, Mr. Jones?" He laughed then looked up at Jack; a large loving smile across his face.
"Certainly." He said then relinquished his hold on the suitcase handle. Jack took hold of it and carried it for him, up the stairs and out to the SUV. Once he had Ianto settled in the passenger seat he went around the car and got into the drivers seat.
"You know, I know a lovely little café nearby. What do you say?" Jack asked.
"Sure, sounds good," the other answered, nodding at the same time,
"Café it is then," Jack confirmed before turning the SUV on and driving towards the eating facility.
About half way through the dinner, Ianto realised Jack had stopped eating and was just watching him, "What?" he asked, causing Jack to grin,
"I just missed you while you were away," he explained. Ianto couldn't help but smile and he felt his cheeks redden in a slight blush,
"I missed you too," he answered.
Jack's grin grew wider before he rubbed his foot up and down Ianto's leg until he saw him stiffen and realised that he'd scared him, "I'm sorry Ianto … I'm an idiot, I didn't think," Jack told him as he stopped his actions and grabbed the nearest hand, holding it in both of his,
"It's okay, it's not you it's me." He took a deep breath, "I know nothing happened but still … I need time," he explained, hoping that he hadn't offended his lover. The captain took this as a hint and decided it was time for a subject change,
"So how long do you think you'll need off?" Jack asked, his thumb rubbing in small circles on Ianto's hand, which caused the other to relax,
"Another week at the most," Ianto replied, "I should be okay by then. Not one hundred percent but well on the way." By this point they had finished eating and Jack paid for the meal, then they left the café.
"Do you want me to drop you at your apartment?" Jack asked as he opened the SUV and Ianto struggled to get his suitcase out of the boot of the car. He stopped when Jack spoke,
"I'm not going back to my apartment. I'm not ready yet," he explained, "I'm staying with a friend for a while." Ianto went back to prise his case from the clutches of what his opinion, at that time was, an evil vehicle. Jack took pity on him and lifted the suitcase out of the car for him,
"I can drop you there you know," he told the younger man. Ianto just shook his head and smiled lightly,
"It's not far, I can walk," he answered before he began to walk away. He walked a few paces, dragging his suitcase behind him before turning to speak to Jack once more, "I'll call you later."
After making sure Jack had gone, Ianto walked to where he knew Gwen's apartment was. Fortunately, she'd left work early and was waiting on the corner for him, smiling and waving when she saw him, "Hi Ianto, enjoy your break?"
"Hi Gwen, yeah I enjoyed my break. I think I really needed it," he replied when he got closer to her,
"After everything you do at work, you deserved that," she told him before taking his case from out of his hand, "come on then, time to get home," she explained to her confused friend before smiling warmly and walked in the direction of her flat.
Pushing the door open Gwen allowed Ianto to go in first and followed after him, shutting the door behind her, " Make yourself at home, Rhys will be home shortly so you won't be on your own for long," she explained as she walked into the living room and set Ianto's suitcase on the floor,
"Are you sure its alright if I stay here? Rhys doesn't mind at all?" he asked nervously,
"He doesn't mind at all, I've said to him you're not feeling too good at your place and you needed to stay at a friend's for a while," she answered, "the bathroom is just down the corridor we've come through, you can't miss it and I've got to go back to work,"
"Enjoy yourself and don't hurt yourself too badly," he joked lightly,
"It'll be a typical night so it shouldn't be that bad," she replied, chuckling at the remark, "see you later."
Ianto came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel and was greeted by the sight of a very angry looking fellow Welshman.
"Who the hell are you?" the other man asked. Ianto raised his hands to show he didn't want any trouble.
"I'm Ianto, a friend of Gwen's." he told him. "She said it would be okay if I stayed with you guys for a while."
"Oh aye, she did say." Rhys said and moved into the kitchen. "Sorry mate but she told me at two this morning before she went off to work and I was half asleep at the time." He put the kettle on. "Do you fancy a brew?" he asked, as Ianto was halfway back to the bathroom. He'd gone over to where he'd left his suitcase on the sofa whilst Rhys was speaking,
"Only if there's one going." He replied.
Three days later and Jack was slowly going mad. Ianto hadn't called him and he was missing him like crazy. He was sat staring at the phone, willing it to ring when Gwen entered his office.
"You alright Jack?" she asked,
"Ianto
hasn't rung yet, he said he would after he last rung me," he
replied sullenly,
"When was that?"
"A few days ago when he'd gotten there." Gwen shook her head and smiled lightly,
"Maybe he's enjoying himself and forgot,"
"True …"
"The
world doesn't end if you don't have Ianto's coffee, he'll be
back and aliens don't stop for his coffee," she joked, causing
the elder to smile. Silence filled the room and after much
deliberation Gwen decided to take pity on her boss, "Jack, there's
something you should know,"
"If it's not rift activity
related then it's not important,"
"It's about Ianto."
Jack walked down the street where Gwen lived, opened the door to the building and checked which door was Gwen's before trying the door quietly, wanting to surprise Ianto with this visit, but found it was locked. Undeterred he pulled out the key Gwen had given him from his military coat pocket and inserted it into the lock, using his skills from a time yet to come to be as silent as he possibly could as he unlocked, opened and closed the door before climbing the stairs carefully until he reached the living room. Smiling to himself Jack looked around the exceptionally clean room, ' He really does like to keep things tidy, I guess Gwen's enjoying having him around.' Walking into the room he heard the shower running and guessed that Ianto was in there so he made his way towards the sofa and made himself comfortable.
Laying his head back so it was resting on the top of the sofa, Jack closed his eyes briefly and listened to the sound of the shower behind the closed door. The sound itself was soothing and whatever Jack was thinking at that moment was quickly silenced. Jack sat there for a while before noticing that the shower was slowly being turned off. Opening his eyes he sat up and reached for a magazine that was stacked neatly on a small pile on the coffee table in front of him, 'I doubt Rhys would read this sort of magazine … unless he's not telling Gwen something,' he thought to himself as he looked at the cover to find it was Heat's latest copy.
Flicking through it he couldn't be bothered to read the articles, instead, he looked at the pictures and his mind couldn't help but fantasize about some of the male models in the perfume adverts until he heard the quiet click of the bathroom lock. Flicking to the end of the magazine Jack waited until Ianto had come out and into the room until he put it down and looked at him, "Why is it whenever I come to see you, you're always in the shower?" s