A/N - A huge, huge thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. It's the most reviews I've had ever, for a single chapter, and just made my day (which had been going fairly crappy). So thank you so much, *cookies* for you. Also big thanks to everyone who read, favourited and alerted. You guys also rock.

A/N 2 - As a thank you this chapter is a day early (it would've been up earlier, but FF decided it hated me last night and after struggling to update Agency Blues, I gave up. Sorry). Anywho, I hope you enjoy :).

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Chapter 4

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Following Gwen into the office, Jack tried to will the pit in his stomach away.

He had been hoping to have some time with Ianto, to ask if the other man was alright. Ianto had barely looked at him since he'd gotten back, just a few sideways glances, nothing that Jack could interpret.

Ianto was incredibly good at hiding what he was feeling, of putting on a mask and Jack had hoped to crack that mask while they'd searched for the canisters.

He'd also hoped that he could, maybe, have asked Ianto if he wanted to go on a date.

It was something he had always meant to do before he left, to take Ianto out, to treat him like the young Welshman deserved, but whenever he got Ianto alone, he hadn't been able to control himself. One look into Ianto's baby blues and Jack was a goner, unable to control himself.

But Ianto wasn't here. Gwen was.

"You've done a good job, Gwen," he said, as they both looked around the office. "Very … efficient."

She gave him a small smile, eyes looking up at him coyly, a look that he usually loved. For some reason he didn't feel the usual sense of warmth he did at the look, something in him missing.

"Thank you, Jack," she said, looking away and searching again.

"We missed you, you know," she said, looking back at him briefly.

"Oh, yeah?" he asked. "Everyone?"

She looked over at him with curiosity on her face.

"Yes, we all missed you," she said.

He swallowed hard and nodded, looking away and searching for the canister, losing the nerve to ask the question he really wanted to ask.

Did Ianto miss him? Had he already moved on?

"He missed you," Gwen suddenly said, as if reading his mind.

Jack looked up at her, realizing that she had been watching him the entire time.

"You broke his heart, Jack" she continued, eyes full of sadness and hurt. "It was hard for all of us, but Ianto … don't be surprised if he doesn't forgive you straight away."

"Can you?" he asked, trying to swallow the lump in his throat at the thought of Ianto not forgiving him.

"We were never together," she said. "And I know that you're the best leader for Torchwood. So it'll take me awhile, but we can go back to the way we were. But Ianto …"

He looked down as she trailed off, still trying to ignore the pit, which had now solidified, in his stomach.

"I hope your Doctor was worth it," she said, giving a small shrug.

"Well," she said, faux cheery. "I think we should try the roof."

Giving a small nod, he followed her out of the room, thoughts whirling through his mind as they made they're way to the stairs.

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"You know," Hart said, as they walked into the Hub. "You keep making me walk in front of you and I'm going to start thinking that you just want to check out my ass."

Ianto rolled his eyes as he grinned, grin falling at the disapproving look Owen sent their way.

"You found the canister?" the doctor asked, eyes narrowed as he looked at Hart, who was holding it in his hands.

"I have a containment unit here," Tosh said, gesturing to her desk, where a container stood. "Now we just have to wait for Jack and Gwen."

"Who are right here," Gwen said, smile on her face as she moved past Ianto and over to the desk.

"So now we lock the canisters away and the unit will destroy the canisters and any of the radiation," Tosh said, moving over to the desk and closing the container. Ianto didn't miss the flinch Hart gave, raising an eyebrow at the man when he looked over at him.

Hart smirked back, sending him a wink.

"Well, you've done what you've needed to do. Time to go," Jack said, moving forward and standing next to Ianto, his arm brushing Ianto's.

Ianto tried to ignore the jolt of heat that went through him at the gesture, tried to focus on the hurt and anger he felt, but was unable to stop the flutter in his stomach at being this close to Jack again, of smelling his unique scent.

"Actually," Hart said, moving to sit at Gwen's desk, feet coming to rest up on her desk. "I've decided to stay."

"Really?" Jack asked disbelieving.

"Mmm," Hart replied, putting his hands behind his head, eyes flicking over to Ianto. "I've found that there are a few reasons to hang around for awhile. This planet isn't nearly as boring as I first thought."

Ianto felt Jack tense, eyes staring intensely at the other Captain.

"Thought I'd join the team," Hart continued, smug smile on his face.

"Not going to happen," Jack replied, voice as cool as ice.

"Well," Hart said getting up. "I'll leave you all to discuss it, go have a look at this lovely little planet."

**

"You can't seriously be saying you think he should be a member of the team," Owen said disbelievingly. Ianto looked at the faces around the table, knowing that keeping Hart would have its benefits and drawbacks.

"Listen," Gwen said, holding her hands up. "Better he's here with us, then out there causing havoc. We can keep him under a watchful eye."

"I'm voting no," Jack said. "He's a reminder of my past, I want him gone. You guys don't know him like I do. He can't be trusted. We're better off without him."

"Well, I'm not sure," Tosh said shrugging. "Maybe we should all sleep on it. Decide tomorrow."

"Fine," Owen said, standing up. "Do you girls need a lift?"

"I do," Tosh said, smiling up at the other man. Gwen waved him off, saying that she was meeting Rhys for a late drink.

Ianto watched them go, not realizing until they'd left the room that he was alone with Jack. It was something he had done so much that he had unconsciously waited for the other's to leave.

"Ianto."

Looking up, Ianto tried to fight down his usual reaction when he was alone with Jack. Tried to ignore the tight feeling in his chest, the fluttery feeling in his stomach, his heart racing, and tried instead to focus on the hurt he'd felt since Jack's departure.

"How are you, Ianto?" Jack asked uncertainly.

Ianto frowned. He had never seen Jack uncertain or nervous before.

"All the better for having you back, Sir," Ianto replied, mask in place, tone controlled.

Inside he had to fight down his initial response. To tell Jack that he had been torn apart when the other man had left, had been left to wonder if Jack ever really cared about him beyond being a member of Torchwood.

"Can we maybe drop the 'Sir' now?" Jack asked, moving closer to him. "I mean while I was away … I was thinking … maybe we could … dinner, a movie …"

Ianto looked up at him, trying to fight the excited feeling that ran through him.

"A-are you asking me out on a date?" he asked, needing to clarify what exactly Jack was asking him.

"Interested?" Jack asked, uncertainty still on his face.

Looking away, Ianto ran a hand through his hair.

"…What kept me fighting was the thought of coming home to you,"

The words Jack had said to Gwen crossed his mind and just like that the anger and hurt was back, quelling the excitement he had been feeling at the fact that Jack had actually asked him out on a date.

"Maybe," he replied, picking up his coffee cup and heading towards the door.

"Maybe?" Jack repeated, following him. "So that's not a no?"

"It's not a yes, either," Ianto replied, not turning to face the man, instead moving upstairs and towards the sink.

"Well … what … what does that mean?" Jack asked, his confusion obvious in his tone.

"It means … maybe," Ianto replied, drying the cup and putting it away, before moving over to grab his coat.

"Maybe," Jack said again.

"Maybe," Ianto reiterated, moving over to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jack."

As he left he didn't miss the lost, confused look on Jack's face, but he needed time to decide. He still cared deeply about the man, was probably still falling for him, but he wasn't about to be Jack's doormat anymore.

If Jack wanted him he was going to have to work for it.

He just wasn't sure if he'd be able to resist Jack for long.

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A/N - Sorry there wasn't a lot of Jack/Ianto in this chapter. There will be more of them together soon. I promise! As always let me know what you thought :).