AN: Sorry this is a bit of a short one! Thank you for your reviews... everyone...As for HUB 2...when I get my website up and running I will post a couple of photos of Gareth, Eve and Burn. It was a lot of fun and the cast were lovely, as always and very silly. Anyone who hasn't been to the Hub if you can I'd recommend it....... :-)

SPOOKS 4: CREDIT CRUNCH

That evening Jack sent the gang home, Tosh having satisfied herself that Hub security had remained unbreached, Owen having completed his autopsy and Gwen having spent hours with Ianto perusing acres of CCTV footage. After watching the roller door close for the third time Ianto sank down wearily onto the couch behind Tosh's desk and closed his eyes. He was irritable and more than worrying for himself, he actually felt afraid and that was something he wasn't accustomed to. The other members of the team had relaxed considerably when they had discovered that their own homes were safe and Ianto was more than a little irked by the selfishness, but he wholly understood it and was grateful that they were 'safe', or at least seemed to be. He kept going over in his mind who would want to observe him so intimately and the ease at which they had managed to do it was most unnerving. Tosh had not been able to identify where the cameras had come from, though some of the components had been made in Japan, her best guess had been that the items had been tailor made for the job and certainly installed in Ianto's flat with a good deal of skill. Even Ianto with his OCD neatness hadn't spotted them. That still led Ianto back to wondering, who and why? He tipped his head back and winced at the discomfort in his neck from the tension there and felt the couch dip beside him as Jack sat down.

"You hungry?"

Ianto realised he was, he hadn't eaten or slept for over eighteen hours. "Yep."

"Come on, we'll go to Luigi's then you stay here tonight with me."

Ianto opened his eyes and straightened up. "Sounds like a plan."

Jack grasped his hand. "I'll get our coats."

They often ate at Luigi's, the food was always excellent and the staff had come to know the two of them very well, so they were always well looked after. They ate in silence, Ianto also managing to get through a full bottle of Merlot as well. He was upset enough not care despite Jack's mildly disapproving look as he downed his third glass and poured his fourth.

"You'll suffer for that." He admonished.

"Yeah, but at least I'll sleep first." Ianto responded, knowing he wouldn't otherwise. Even when he wasn't worried, sleep was a rare commodity for him and tonight he needed oblivion. Jack wanted to say more, but he realised Ianto was in no mood to listen and the truth was he had no right to expect him to. He'd only been back a couple of months and Ianto was still licking his wounds from that disappearing act of his. Jack sincerely wished he had never gone after the Tardis in the first place, for a whole number of reasons. The main one sitting opposite him now who was still not trusting him enough with his feelings. One let down too many in Ianto's short life. Jack knew that his own part in Ianto's life was just the tip of a large and jagged iceberg. The warm oceanic blue of Ianto's eyes had become arctic like since Jack had come back from his travels. The private smiles came less easily, the public ones more forced and pronounced to keep the others from enquiring too deeply. Ianto was a genius at deflection, except with Jack who simply knew the young too well; at least he thought he did. He watched as Ianto pulled out his wallet and handed his debit card to Juliet the waitress, she took it away.

Another thing about Ianto, he always insisted on paying his own way these days. Jack wondered if the young man was scared of being indebted to him, even in the most basic of levels. Ianto clearly didn't want to be dependent on anyone. Juliet came back with his card and a frown. She looked mildly embarrassed.

"Mr Ianto, sir. Your card, it has been declined." It was discretely announced close to his cheek but Ianto's reaction was far from subdued. He gave Jack a panicked look and Jack instantly understood. He got out his own wallet and paid cash. Juliet accepted it with thanks and apologised to Ianto who wasn't listening. He was up straight away, pulling on his coat, his face tight with anger and humiliation as he left the restaurant, Jack at his heels.

"Hey, wait up."

Ianto stopped and turned. "I want to check at a cash point Jack. I've got more than 10 grand in that account, there's no way the card should have been declined." He snapped.

Jack caught his arm and reached down and grasped his hand trying to anchor him. "Let's check, back at the Hub. You access your account on line can't you?"

Ianto nodded, relaxing slightly.

"It's probably just an error." Jack didn't believe himself for one moment.

"After today Jack, I doubt that very much."

Back at the Hub Ianto went straight to a terminal and tried to access his bank account, to no avail. In frustration he rang the 24 hour hotline, they had no record of him and at that Ianto's gut froze as he hung up the phone. Jack was holed up in his office by now and Ianto decided on a whim to check a few details, what he found frightened him even more........