"I can't do it; I can't leave him alone. If I go, there will only be Gwen; he needs me," Ianto fretted as he paced his flat.
Tom leaned against the kitchen counter drinking Ianto's phenomenal coffee. After taking in Ianto's words, an idea suddenly came to mind and he asked Ianto, "What if he wasn't alone? If I could arrange for him to get some help, would you consider leaving?"
Ianto paused and thought for minute before answering, "I suppose that if I knew he was getting the help he needed then . . . yes, I would go."
Tom smiled, "Then I'll see what I can do to arrange for help for Jack. There's no way I could leave you behind knowing what he's doing to you."
Ianto approached Tom and gently clasped his hand, softly telling him, "I don't know why you're so concerned about me but thank you. It's been a long time since someone's cared."
As Ianto finished preparing to go to work, Tom sent a quick text to Martha: We need to talk. Meet me at the Hub this morning.
Once at the base, Ianto set about preparing the morning's coffee and Tom led a contrite looking Martha to the conference room while Mickey waited in the main Hub downstairs. Martha chewed at her lip slightly and began her explanation, "We never intended this to happen. When we started out, we were just friends but after time-"
"It's okay. I don't need your excuses. In the long run, I guess this is for the best."
Martha nodded and replied softly, "Just know that I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you."
"I'm not going to lie and say everything's fine, but there's no point in dwelling on it."
Martha nodded her head cautiously, "You're taking this much better than I thought you would."
"After I left you last night, I was devastated, and I still would be, but I've realized that I'm meant for something different," Tom replied as he thought of Ianto.
Still unsure why Tom seemed so forgiving, Martha continued, "Is there anything I can do to make this up to you?"
"Actually, yes, I want you to do something for me, well not actually for me, but I need your help."
"What is it?" Martha asked with apprehension.
"I want you and Mickey to stay here and work for Torchwood."
Martha's eyes widened as she stammered, "Why? . . . What good would that? . . . I don't understand."
"Jack has been through hell and he desperately needs some relief. It wouldn't have to be permanent and you'd basically be doing the same thing you are now. Please consider it; if not for me then for Ianto."
"Why Ianto?"
Tom sighed, "That brings me to the second favor."
Walking tentatively into Jack's office, Ianto set the immortal's coffee on his desk receiving no response as usual. Once again, Jack was staring at seemingly nothing and paying no attention to the world around him. Ianto cringed when he saw the lipstick stain on the captain's collar. Reaching out he touched the shirt and said, "If you give me that, I can probably get the stain out."
Finally Jack faced Ianto and acknowledged him, "Oh, don't worry about it. We had to shoot one of the aliens last night. It's in the boot of the SUV; I'll need you to incinerate it."
Ianto nodded and turned to leave but Jack spoke again, "Martha told me that she and Tom are breaking up. I'll need you to retcon him before he leaves."
Ianto cringed inwardly, hoping Jack would not mention Tom. "I don't think I have to do that."
Jack gave a suspicious look as he inquired, "Why is that? This is standard protocol."
"You didn't retcon Rhys when Gwen asked."
"Yes, but she was engaged to Rhys. What's your connection to Tom? Did he try something on you?" Jack asked with increasing hostility.
Ianto put his hands on his hips as he replied, "No, but we're friends and I don't want to lose him."
"How are you friends? You only just met. Did he fuck you?" Jack asked as he stood up and began approaching Ianto.
"No! Besides, what does it matter if he did? You fuck someone else every other day!"
Jack scoffed, "That's not the same!"
"Why? Why is it not the same? From where I'm standing it looks exactly the same," Ianto spoke with obvious frustration.
Jack continued to approach Ianto until he was only a few inches away. "It's different with me because I need it. If you need something, then you just come to me."
"What if what I need is a loving partner who doesn't sleep around?"
Jack threw his hands up, "This is ridiculous. You haven't complained once about our situation but you spend one night with Tom and all of a sudden I'm the bad guy."
"Jack, this has nothing to do with him."
"Yes it does!" Jack shouted, "This is why you should've moved into the Hub with me. Men out there are just waiting to get their hands on you. The good Dr. Milligan is no exception. From now on, I don't want you leaving the base without me."
"This is insane; you can't keep me here," Ianto replied as he turned and ran out of the office with Jack chasing after.
The shouting drew the attention of Mickey and Gwen as well as Martha and Tom. Jack caught up with Ianto, grabbing his arm roughly while yelling, "You don't run out on me!"
Ianto tried wrenching away but Jack's grip was too strong. With a strained voice, he pleaded, "Let go, Jack. You're hurting me!"
As Gwen and Martha called for Jack to stop, Tom ran over and pushed Jack away, ordering, "Leave him alone; he's been through enough!"
Stumbling backward, Jack's eyes turned dark as he snarled, "You. You're trying to take him away from me. I could tell as soon as you saw him: you're attracted to him and want him for yourself."
"Yes, you're right," Tom snapped back to everyone's shock. "I'm attracted to him because he's beautiful, intelligent, and sweet. I want to take him away because if he stays around you any longer, he's going to die."
"You can't have him. He's mine and I won't let anyone take him away. You try to fool all of us with your good intentions but I see you're really out to destroy everything we have left. Ianto is staying here and you're leaving either by choice or in a body bag!"
Jack accentuated his point by drawing his Webley and aiming it at Tom. While everyone else was yelling for Jack to put his weapon away, Tom lowered his voice and told him, "What are you planning to do after you kill me? Will that make Ianto stay forever? You're scared to lose him because you know he'd be better off. Why don't you put the gun down and apologize to Ianto?"
There was a slight hesitation in Jack's face before he fired, aiming for Tom's heart. Gwen screamed loudly as Tom went flying to the ground having been pushed out of the way by Ianto who was bleeding from the bullet wound in his shoulder. Martha as well as Tom rushed to his side while Mickey turned to Jack and tried reasoning with him.
"Jack, mate, give me the gun," Mickey spoke slowly as he carefully approached Jack with his hands raised.
Jack's eyes were wild and panicked with tears streaming down his face as he whispered sadly Ianto. Before Mickey could reach him, Jack turned the gun to the side of his own head and fired.
