Author's Note: I am sorry for not updating sooner, those of you who read my other stories will know I have a tendency to be a little sporadic in my updates – again sorry. I am not entirely happy with this chapter but it will have to do for now, my brain is busy doing college stuff and hoping my audition succeeded. Thank you to everyone who favourited, alerted and especially to those who reviewed – they keep me writing.

"It's erm…big." Ianto gazed in awe at the cavernous interior of Captain John Hart's spaceship.

John sniggered "I've heard that one before and more than once too."

Heat rushed to Ianto's cheeks and he blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "You're worse than Jack!" The moment they left his mouth Ianto wished he could take the words back.

A mixture of anger, love and despair filled him. His brain told him it was over, that he should let it go, that Jack was bad for him, but his heart told him to hang on. I'm addicted to him – the thought was like a ton of bricks to the head; he's got me hooked. I should give up, I want to give up, but I can't. Ianto shook his head angrily – Stupid, stupid boy, letting yourself get sucked in, stupid! He almost screamed in frustration but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Don't let him get to you, it's what he does, he gets inside your head and then you can't let him go." John's voice was steady but there was something close to anger behind his words. "You give him your heart and he throws it back in your face…I don't think he even means to, it's just how he works." The anger was gone, replaced my genuine regret "How he's always worked."

The words hung unnaturally in the air between them as both men realised just how true they were.

A broken sob sliced through the silence, then another and another, and, for the second time that night, Ianto was crying his heart out. What happened next was unexpected but not entirely surprising – John kissed him.

For a couple of seconds Ianto leaned into the kiss then his brain kicked in and he pushed John roughly away.

"Mmpf- no!"

The older man stumbled backwards, rubbing his arms.

"Well you 21st century guys have more balls than I gave you credit for." He seemed surprised "I guess I owe you an apology, that's a first, apologizing for kissing someone…" He trailed off, noting Ianto's expression, humiliation, but underneath that genuine hurt.

"I trusted you" the words shook "I thought 'maybe, maybe I should give him a chance' looks like I was wrong – again, I seem to be doing that a lot these days. If I wanted a quick shag, I would have stayed with Jack; at least I knew he wouldn't kill me afterwards."

"Ianto…" John was shocked by the bitterness and in the young man's voice – did he really think so little of him? "Sorry, I really am, I didn't mean to make you think that, I didn't even mean to kiss you really…it's just what I do, it's who I am."

John looked at his feet, the 21st century confused him, sometimes he thought he was beginning to understand but then he'd always go and put his foot in it.

"That's not an excuse John, Jack doesn't mean to ignore me, to treat me the way he does, it's just who he is – it doesn't make it ok." He turned away, realising for the first time that on this ship he was completely trapped, helpless.

"How can I show you that I am sorry, that I'm not like Jack?"

Ianto smiled, a sad smile, an old man's smile – it looked out of place on his youthful face. "You can't"

"Yes, I can – I have to, I'm sick of fucking everything up Ianto, my life and everyone else's I want to do something right for a change…" There was a long pause while John considered "Stay?"

"Excuse me?"

"Here, tonight"

Ianto looked at him in much the same way a child would look at a particularly revolting vegetable. "So you can prove that you're better then Jack? No, I don't think, so, I'm not a competition, I want to go home."

"But I want you to stay."

"Well then make me – I can't leave, you have me completely in your power."

John heard the disgust behind Ianto's words and realised two things: he honestly believed John would keep him there, and he was terrified.

"Ianto – I am not going to hold you here, you can go if you want, but I am asking you to give me a chance. Stay, just for a night, just until you know what you want to do…please?"

Ianto thought for a long moment, and then he looked up. "Alright."

"Really?"

"Yes really."

"You'll stay?"

"I'll stay."