He woke up shaking. He was pale, sweaty, and dark circles surrounded his eyes. His hands felt clammy, and his head was damp and plastered to his forehead. Somehow he was able to drag himself out of bed. Emerging from the warm comfort of the familiar sheets, a wave of cold air wahsed over him. He shook more frantically. He tried to yawn but all he was able to get from his mouth was a fit of coughs. He grasped his shoulders with his hands and shivered for a long time, alone on the side of his bed. He glanced at the clock. 8:30am. He had slept in and was late for work.

Somewhere along the line of waking up he had accepted he was sick but somehow he lugged himself to work anyway.

He trudded to the cog door and it felt like an eternity before it slowly rolled open completely. He glided up the stairwell to the work floor like a ghost. He avoided Owen and Tosh staring at him as he made his way to the coffee machine. He heard Jack end a conversation with Gwen as the pair walked over to the tea boy, "You showed!" Jack started with a smile, "I was just about to call you. Why were you late?" What was this? An interrogation?! He slowly swerved around. By the sight of him Gwen gasped, "Oh my god."

Jack didn't seem to notice. He never seemed to have a mother's touch. "If you don't want to tell me fine, I'm sure you had your reasons." The captain smiled and walked off to his office. Ianto rolled his eyes and slumped back into his sullen, sickly, form. Gwen wrapped two arms around him and led him to the couch.

"Come here, pet, you shouldn't have come to work today if you were sick." She set him down and sat next to him. She stroked his hair back so it wasn't stuck it his forehead and face. He didn't have the energy to argue so he just whispered, "Maybe."

She stood up, "I'll go tell Jack you're sick. Because he is too much of an idiot to notice sometimes..." She paused, "Instead of hauling yourself back to your house, maybe you can stay here." She stood up and kissed his cheek lightly. She headed upstairs.

A few minutes later, Owen strided over to the couch. Ianto wanted to move away from him. He wanted to avoid the awaited, and much unneeded unsults that were to come from the doctor's mouth. Ianto was spread out across the whole couch so Owen plopped down on Ianto's legs as if it was the seat of a chair. Ianto groaned softly in pain. It was as if his legs were like sticks and they had just been crushed by two cinderblocks. "Heard you'd risen from the grave," Owen said with a smirk looking Ianto right in the eyes. Ianto blinked a few times, his blue eyes were clouded with sickness. "Gwen was right." the doctor added.

Ianto couldn't exactly growl so he glared at him and moaned softly. Owen chuckled and stood up relieving Ianto from his agony, "I'm just yankin' your chain, mate. I'll get you a cup of coffee."

Ianto respected his kindness but he knew Owen would most likely break his coffee machine so he tried to protest...but he was already gone. Ianto laid a tired head on the sidearm of the couch and he closed his eyes. He hated being sick. He had no idea how he had even gotten to work in the first place without dying.

While he was waiting for coffe Jack arrived with Gwen trailing behind him, her arms crossed worriedly. Jack kneeled down next to Ianto and put a burning hand on his already sweltering head. He whimpered a little. He couldn't take much more heat. Jack frowned and took his hand away, "Sorry I didn't notice this earlier. I'm not much of a doctor myself." He chuckled. Ianto smiled and closed his eyes, "It's ok."

"You know you really should have stayed at home. I wasn't going to kill you if you didn't show up to work because you were sick, Yan." He said with a smile.

"Too late," Ianto huskily muttered, "Looks like you're stuck with me."

Jack laughed, "You can stay here over night. I'll take care of you."

Ianto nodded and tried to get in a comfortable position on the couch. He sat up when Owen brought his coffee over, "Couldn't get the bloody machine to work, had to smash it just to get this much out."

Ianto whimpered, "Why do you keep breaking it?" Owen snarkly laughed, "Why not?" he paused and then reached out"Here." he said handing the cup to him. Ianto took a sip of it then smirked, "Still not as good as mine."

Owen huffed, "Even on your deathbed you're still the most arrogant prick I know."

Ianto smiled as Owen headed back to his station.

-TW-

Later on, after Gwen finally left, Jack came over to Ianto with a smirk permanently spread across his face. "Oh god..." Ianto started, "No Jack I'm not in the mood for sex, nor do I have the energy."

Jack shook his head, "No of course not Ianto, but you could at least come rest in my bed." Ianto shook his head, "I'd only get you sick."

"Well it's not like youhave a choice."

Ianto blinked confused as Jack approached him, "Jack what do you mea-no! NO! JACK PUT ME DOWN!" He practically croaked. Through fits of coughing he banged gently on Jack's back with his fists. The captain was carrying him over his shoulder up to his bedroom. Somewhere along the line, Ianto gave up fighting it and let himself be plopped down on the bed. Jack slipped his great coat and shoes off and jumped on the bed next to him. When he saw that Ianto seemed to be giving him the silent treatment he sighed and in a more serious tone said, "Comr on, Ianto, I wasn't going to let you sleep alone in the dark on the couch downstairs."

Ianto nodded and attempted to take of his jacket and tie, but his sweaty hands kept shaking and slipping. "I'll do it." Jack offered when he noticed the welsh man having trouble. Ianto groaned as Jack slowly took off his tie, "I'm not a child, I can uncloth myself."

"Relax." Jack said, "I've done this many times to you before and you never complain." he smirked. Ianto couldn't help but chuckle, which burned his throat and he ended up having a coughing fit. Jack rubbed his back and took off the mans shirt throwing it to the side, "Feel better?" Ianto nodded weakly.

Jack snuggled up next to him, resting his head on the tea boys chest. Ianto squirmed uncomfortably, "You know, you're almost as hot as I am I'd appreciate it if you-"

"Thanks, Yan."

"That's not how I- oh never mind..." Ianto muttered. He succumbed to the fact Jack wasn't going to move and eventually found it comforting and he fell asleep.