Summary: It's update time. I would have posted this chapter sooner but elements outside of my control forced me to delay it. I know it sucks but it's here now so that should make you happy. Just want to say thanks to all the reviews I've gotten. It's really nice to know that after two years of working on this fic that it's actually enjoyable. You guys are so stellar you should be given a medal, or free internet for life, which ever makes you happier. Anyways I won't bore you with any more details of my life so I'm going to let you read. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own this show because if I did Torchwood would have never killed off Ianto or come to America. Just saying.

Author's Note: When I first started writing this story I had a beta but like all my other beta's for my long fics they suddenly stopped so while this chapter was beta'd by (I forgot who) the next chapter is all me. So I guess that means all mistakes are mine, you know, after this chapter.

Running From The Past To Embrace The Future

Chapter Four

"You lied."

The trip to the archives was long and quiet. Jack leading him down through a series of tunnels which to Ianto seemed a bit like a tedious maze. Finally they arrived to a room that made Ianto forget to breath.

Boxes were everywhere on the floor filled with all sorts of papers and artifacts. File cabinet drawers were open, paper spilling out of them. Multiple folders, some dating back to 1956, were sprawled out on the desk covered in thick mounds of dust.

"I can't believe it, you lied."

Jack eyes shifted around the room as he shrugged his shoulders. "Okay I'll bite. What did I lie about?"

"You said that your archives were a mess."

"They are."

"This is not a mess. This is bigger than a mess," hissed Ianto as slowly began making his way through. Careful not to hit anything or knock anything over. "This is a catastrophic monstrosity, wrapped in a earth shattering disaster, and covered in tiny drops of hell."

"Are you done?" quipped Jack as he followed Ianto.

"Not even remotely."

"Look, I know this is a big…huge job," he quickly changed from the look on Ianto's face. "But I have faith that if anyone can get this up and running it's you."

"You must have a lotta faith."

"In you I do. So can you do it."

He sighed and ran his fingers through his head. "I can do it," sighed Ianto again, his eyes glancing around the room. "But I'm most definitely gonna need a raise."

"Already," gaped Jack. "It's only your first day."

It was Ianto's turn to gape. "Have you seen this place?" asked Ianto hysterically. "To even close to my standard of perfection I'm going to need to be here by seven every morning and stay until ten each night for at least the first four months. And even then it wouldn't be half way decent."

"Fine," Jack conceded. The job was big, perhaps to big for one person but he needed it done soon. Besides, it's not as if Ianto wouldn't deserve the money. Anyone who would be working down there deserved all the money they got. "We can go over your pay packet in my office right now if you like."

"We should also go over my responsibilities and duties of my job. I have already accepted that making coffee would be one of them."

"You know you don't have to do that don't you."

"I don't do anything I don't want to do Jack. Remember that," Ianto smiled as he brushed a piece of dust off his shoulder. Maybe he shouldn't have worn his good suit if he was going to be working in a place like this. It was something to think about. "Now before we discuss my packet I want to see Myfanwy. I have a bar of chocolate for her."

Jack couldn't contain his chuckle as Ianto pulled out a bar of chocolate. "Of course. Right this way."

Leaving the archives, the pair stepped onto the lift again and this time going up rose to the very top. Ianto smiled when he saw this dinosaur sitting on it's legs and flapping it's wings at his presence. Ianto wasted no time walking over to her and throwing her a piece of chocolate.

Myfanwy gobbled the candy as quickly as she could and waited patiently for more. Ianto obliged, throwing her another piece but this time from a closer distance. A few more pieces were thrown until Ianto was close enough to touch her. Reaching out his hand, he gently slid it across her beak and wanted for her to respond. She stared at him confused for a moment, her head bobbing back and forth, until finally, she let out a loud cry and scooted forward.

Jack watched in amazement as Myfanwy let Ianto gently caress her beak and let out sounds of happiness. Since he brought her in last night no one had gotten close enough to touch her. She wouldn't let them, choosing instead to fly to the top of the Hub and ignore everyone else. "She likes you."

Ianto shrugged. "Of course she does. I saved her life after all."

"Really," scoffed Jack. "All by yourself."

He was unable to suppress the grin. "Well, you helped some."

Jack playfully rolled his eyes. "Gee thanks," he replied as Ianto walked back over to him. "Are you ready to discuss what you'll be doing here at Torchwood Three."

Ianto gave Jack a quick nod as they made their way to the lift. "Now seems a good a time as any," he agreed. "Afterwards though I would like to go to the market and by some fish and raw steaks for Myfanwy. She is a carnivore after all and needs to eat properly. Also I would like to order some hay or straw so she can build a proper nest. One that she is comfortable in."

"You must really like her."

"She's out of her time and all alone. She needs a friend now more than ever," he stated, watching her as the lift went down. Suddenly his attention turned to Jack and he spoke. "Wouldn't you agree Jack."

The comment caught him off guard and gave him a gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was as if there was more to the statement then Ianto was telling him. Jack knew for a fact that there was a file on him at Torchwood One but it was one that he wrote himself so they wouldn't find out the real truth. But, there was always a possibility that someone smart and capable could do a thorough search and find out the truth about him and maybe did. If that was the case then exactly how much did the young archivist know about him. "Why do you say that?"

Ianto shrugged his shoulders and smiled slightly. "Just trying to make conversation, that's all."

"Oh, well I guess I could give you one of the Torchwood charge cards for the purchases if that's alright with you."

"That would be excellent. One more thing."

"Yes."

"I've decided to fix up the tourist office."

"Why?"

"Because sir it's just sitting there closed all the time. People will start to notice people coming in but never leaving. At least if it's open it won't look so suspicious."

"That's a really good idea."

"Of course it is," replied Ianto smugly as they entered Jack's office.

Over the next twenty minutes Jack discussed Ianto duties for Torchwood as well as he expected pay. To say Ianto was pleased with the figure would be more than an understatement. His eyes widen as far as they could as he stared at the piece of paper in his hands.

"Wow."

"What, not what you were expecting?"

Ianto struggled to find the words to say as he placed the paper down on Jack's desk and stared at him. "It's just…well it's more than I received from Torchwood One."

"That's because Torchwood London housed more than eight hundred employees. There are only five of us here so there's more money to go around."

"That makes sense but it's still…wow."

Jack chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "I just wanted to say thank-you for doing this. You could have walked away but you didn't and that says a lot about your character."

"I don't know why I'm even here Jack but I need to find meaning again. Hopefully I'll find it."

"I hope you do as well."

"Well now that that's settled I need to go to the grocer and get those items we talked about."

Jack gave Ianto a quick head nod and reached into his drawer to pull out the Torchwood charge card. "Okay," he smiled, handing Ianto the card.

Ianto slipped the card in his pocket and stood up to leave.

"Hey Ianto."

"Yes," replied Ianto, turning around.

"Before you go would you mind. I mean would you please-"

"Yes I will make some more coffee before I leave sir."

"It's Jack and thank-you."

Ianto mumbled a quick 'you're welcome' before heading out of the office. Five minutes later, after everyone had their refills Ianto let the Hub entirely to do his shopping.

An hour later he returned, bags in hand and made his way to the small kitchenette area. Putting his items away, he walked to the center of the Hub to find everyone gone except for Tosh.

"Where is everyone?" he asked.

Tosh barely looked up from her computer screen as she answered. "Rift spike in quadrant four so Owen, Jack, and Suzie went to go take care of it. It wasn't big so I decided to stay behind and finish running a computer program I'm working on."

Ianto's eyes scanned the computer to see a flash of numbers and letters scrolling down the screen. It was to complicated for even him to understand. "I guess I should head down to the archives and get started. Jack was right, they are a mess."

"You can stay if you want," Tosh replied before Ianto had a chance to walk away. Truth be told she was lonely without the rest of her teammates and desperately wanted some company. She also wanted to get to know Ianto on a more personal level and not just from the things she read in his file.

"I wouldn't want to be a bother."

"It would be no bother at all," she stated. "The program is basically running itself and I thought it would be nice if we got to know each other better."

"That sounds lovely," smiled Ianto brightly at Tosh's friendliness. No one, other than Jack, said very little to him since he started. "How about I make us a few cups of tea and bring some vanilla biscuits that I brought to go along with it."

"Okay."

"So tell me about Jack?"

Tosh picked up another biscuit from the tray and bit into it, all while giving Ianto a confused look. "What do you want to know about him?"

"I don't know something," shrugged Ianto. "He seems like a man of many mysteries."

Tosh giggled. "Well you're right about that. I'm been working with him for three years and I still don't know much about him."

"What about the others? How long have they worked here?"

"Suzie's been here for four and Owen for two."

"And do they know much about Jack?" asked Ianto curiously, taking a bite of his biscuit and chewing slowly.

"If they do they haven't told me," answered Tosh, shaking her head. "Jack is a very private man who doesn't like to answer many questions; if any at all."

"So you can't tell me anything like where he's from or how long has he lived in Cardiff."

"No there's nothing and I've looked. I can tell you though that Jack is a very complicated man, a good boss, and will shag anything that moves," she grinned.

A smirk spread across Ianto's face. "Really anything."

"You better be careful. I've seen the way he looks at you."

"I'm not interested-"

"In men."

"In anyone at the moment," Ianto quickly and honestly corrected her. Jack was gorgeous in every way but the thought of being with anyone who wasn't Lisa was too much for him. "It's only been a few months since my girlfriend Lisa died. Four and a half months actually."

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean-"

Reaching out, he gently caressed Tosh's hand. "It's alright," replied Ianto, reassuring her. "I'm finally getting to a point where I can talk about her and not feel like my insides are tearing apart."

"Tell me about her."

The day ended without any more alien threats or rift activity so Jack gave the team permission to leave. Owen and Suzie were out the door only moments later after Jack's command. Tosh stayed behind for a few minutes before leaving herself. Finally only Jack and Ianto remained.

Jack was sitting in his office going over paperwork when Ianto walked through the door carrying a cup of coffee. "Ianto my savior in the time of need."

Ianto gave Jack the cup and sat down on the edge of Jack's desk. "Saw the mountain of paperwork on your desk and figured you could use this," Ianto smiled. "Glad to see I was right."

Jack smiled taking a sip of the hot liquid. "Thank you for this." He was quiet for a while, contently drinking his coffee before speaking again. "So, you and Tosh seem to be getting pretty close. I saw you two talking when we got back."

"She's very nice, easy to talk to. She asked about Lisa."

"Did she now?"

"She did and it was nice, to talk about her. Remember her and what she meant to me."

"Ianto if you ever want to talk to me…about anything I'm here. Remember that."

"I will sir," nodded Ianto, standing up. "I guess I should get going now. Busy day tomorrow."

"Yeah, see ya tomorrow morning bright and early." He watched Ianto leave and listened for the sound of the door closing leaving him alone. Picking up his cup, he drank his coffee slowly until there was none left before returning back to his work.

Another chapter bites the dust. I know, no Janto yet but trust me I'm getting there. I really want the buildup to realistic enough so you guys won't gag when you read the fluff because there will be fluff. Hope you guys like this chapter and if you did don't be afraid to tell me. Me likey when you send me reviews. So until next time,

Life is what you make it so make it worth while,

LadyCizzle