When Owen rounded the corner, the first thing he saw was Jack, with a youth pressed up against the wall. At first, he thought they were kissing; their faces were so close. But then he saw the look on Jack's face, and stopped dead. His eyes were blazing, his mouth parting in fury. When he heard Owen's footsteps, he turned and looked at him, his face softening a fraction. "Help him." He whispered. Owen nodded stiffly. He didn't know who this man was, but he clearly meant a lot to Jack, and he was willing to do what he could. He rushed over to the man, dropping his medical kit beside him, and fell to his knees. Gently, he rolled the man's head towards him and gasped in astonishment.

"Christ! Ianto!" Jack growled. Owen suddenly completely understood.

"Help him." Jack repeated, this time a bit louder.

"I'll try, Jack." Owen looked up at him. "I promise, I'll try." Owen pulled out a bottle of water he had stashed in his kit.

"What are you gunna do with that?" Jack asked, snarling at the guy he was still holding against the wall.

"It'll be easier if he's conscious." Jack nodded, and turned back to the man.

"Jack." Owen said. Jack looked at him again. "Leave him."

"He did this to Ianto." Jack growled.

"I know, Jack. I know, but you can't do it back. What would Ianto think? You need to stop. Ianto wouldn't want this. You know that."

"You know nothing about him." Jack told Owen.

"I know him well enough to know that he wouldn't want this!" Owen looked up at him. "At least be here for when he wakes up." Owen had touched a nerve, and he knew it.

"Just a sec." Jack kept one hand around the man's throat, who was turning an interesting shade of purple. He pressed a couple of buttons on his wrist strap, which blazed red, and then beeped loudly. Jack smiled, and then released the guy, who choked a bit, and then ran off, staggering slightly. The rest of the gang had long since run away. Wise. Jack came away from the brick wall, and knelt on the other side of Ianto, automatically taking his hands in his own. "So, you're gunna tip cold water over him?" Jack asked, doubtfully.

"Yep. I was gunna slap him, but given his current state…" Jack shook his head so hard his neck clicked.

"I like the water idea." Owen smiled.

"I thought you might." Owen fiddled with the lid of the water bottle. "Let's bring Ianto back!!"

*

Ianto Jones was drifting. The blackness that surrounded him was not consuming him, merely holding him. Wrapping Ianto in its warmth and comfort. Ianto didn't like it, though. Despite the warmth and the sense of security, there was only one place he ever felt safe anymore. Jack's arms. And Ianto had a feeling that he wouldn't be wrapped up in those again for a long time, if ever. The thought saddened him. He hated Jack for everything he'd done to him, but he knew, on top of that, he couldn't stop loving him. He could never stop loving him, and that was just the way it was. But right now, Ianto was too hurt to admit that. He was listening to the silence that surrounded him when he heard another noise…voices. He recognized them, barely. Like a question you know so so well, but the answer just won't come to you. Someone was holding his hand, but who would do that? Suddenly, everything was cold and wet. He was drowning in a flood…an ocean…and then he woke up with a start.

"Woah there." A voice, Owen? "Take it easy, mate." A hand resting on the back of his head, allowing him to lie back down. Ianto opened his eyes, cautiously, and found he was staring into penetrating blue eyes that had captured the hearts of so many, including his. "Jack?" Owen again. "Jack?" The blue eyes tore away from his.

"What?!"

"Give him some space!!" Jack looked back at Ianto, but eventually sighed and moved away. Ianto's gaze switched to the medic.

"Owen." His voice was a painful whisper, but he was desperate to be heard. "Please. Get off me." Owen was checking his injuries impatiently, but all Ianto needed to get out of here. Owen looked at Ianto. He was hardly in a position to take control. He was still dribbling blood out of the corner of his mouth and nose, his face was covered in purpling bruises. Owen shuddered at the thought of the rest of his body. He'd clearly taken a severe beating. But what for? He doubted Ianto, of all people, would do anything to upset a load of drunken yobs. But most of the gangs didn't even need a reason anymore. Maybe they'd just felt like pounding someone's face in and Ianto just happened to be there?

"Ianto, don't…" He started as the younger man tried to sit up. Ianto looked to his right cautiously. Jack was still knelt a good two foot away, looking at him fearfully, worried he was going to snap any minute. Ianto barely heard Owen trying to convince him to sit back down. All he saw was Jack. He loved him, desperately, but Jack had let him down. Again. Broken him beyond repair. Eventually Owen abandoned trying to get Ianto to lie down. He could see the Welshman was trying to stand up. Owen got off his knees, sighing. "Come on, then." He said, and took Ianto by the hand. He started to haul him up. He noticed Jack was just sitting there. "Er, hello? Jack, little help here?"

"Oh, yeah, course." Jack said, and grabbed Ianto under the armpits. He had him up in a number of seconds. Ianto was gasping in pain, clutching his stomach.

"Ianto, mate, I know you just wanna get out of here," Owen tried to ignore Jack's low growl that followed. "But let me just have a look at you first, yeah? And then you can go. Whether Jack comes with you or not, quite frankly, I don't care. But right now, you're my patient. So let me look at you." Ianto nodded. He didn't seem to want to speak at all. He took a step closer to the medic, who looked at Jack. "Grab my torch, yeah? This lighting's bloody awful." Jack nodded, and rummaged in Owen's bag. He passed him the torch, looking at Ianto the whole time. Owen flicked it on, and shined it on Ianto's face. He grimaced when he saw it, and heard Jack gasp.

"Is it that bad?" Ianto asked. His voice was still barely audible, but he seemed determined to try.

"Well…" Owen tried to be kind. "How do you feel?"

"Like shit."

"Well, it's about that bad." Owen told him. Jack smiled over Owen's shoulder at Ianto, who didn't return it. Jack didn't expect him to, but it still hurt. "Right, cut lip, fairly bad nose bleed." Owen commented, grabbing some tissues, and wiping Ianto's face carefully, who gasped in pain at the contact. "Sorry mate, but I need to clean it. Bruising all over the face, but his eyesight seems good, and I can't see any causes for long-term damage."

"Thank God." Jack said, quietly.

"But those cuts need to be cleaned properly, back at the Hub." Owen said, and Jack made a mental note to thank Owen for that later. He could clearly see that Jack needed to explain, and the Hub would be the best place for that.

"No." Ianto said, quietly. "I know what to do, I'm not an idiot."

"But you're not a medic, either." Owen reminded him.

"But I do know what to do. I know how to clean cuts, Owen. I have been in this situation before."

"Okay, okay. You clearly don't want to come back to the Hub."

"Can you blame me?" Ianto whispered, but Owen still heard.

"No, I can't blame you at all. I understand. But, okay, I'll trust your judgement. You can clean them up yourself. But let me have a look at your stomach." Ianto grimaced.

"If you're sure." Owen nodded, and started pulling gently at Ianto's shirt. He lifted it cautiously, and sighed when he saw it. It was covered in bruises. No cuts, but still. It looked bloody painful. "I'll give you some painkillers when you come in next, yeah?"

"Come in?" Ianto questioned.

"To the Hub? To work?"

"No, Owen. I think you're mistaken. I'm not coming back."

"Ianto, I think you should think this through…you can't leave Torchwood. You can't leave me, I…we need you…" Owen nodded as Jack said this. "I'll make a deal with you. I'll give you, what, three weeks, Owen?" He asked the medic.

"To get over the injuries?" Jack nodded. "Yeah, three weeks."

"Okay, three weeks to think this through. And, if then you still want to leave Torchwood, well…"

"Jack." Ianto spat the word. "What choice do I have?"

"You could let me explain, and see where that leaves us." Jack told him, calmly.

"Why should I?! I know the facts, isn't that all that matters?" Jack shook his head, immediately. He looked at Owen, who was fumbling in his bag for painkillers.

"No, it's not all that matters at all."

"I don't have time for excuses, Jack. That's all I ever get. And maybe I'm tired of it."

"Well, we could…"

"No, Jack. This is it. I'm sorry." Jack could see, even under the dim glow from the street lights, that Ianto was crying. The Welshman tried to wipe away the tears, and hissed in pain.

"Ianto…" Owen looked up, painkillers in hand. He gave them to Ianto, who smiled at him.

"Ianto, will this be…the last time I'll see you?" Owen asked him, fearfully.

"I hope not." Ianto said, and pulled him into a loose hug. It still caused him a lot of pain, but if this was it, then he'd better make the most of it.

"Yan, please…" Jack started. Ianto pulled away, and looked at him.

"Goodbye, Jack." Ianto straightened his shirt, smiling at Owen. He nodded at Jack, trying to be civilised. He then turned, and walked away. It hurt to walk, he'd rather curl up in a corner and sleep, but he didn't want to seem weak.

"Three weeks, Ianto." Jack called after him. Yeah right, Ianto thought. He hated to admit it, but he knew this was it. Even if he came back to Torchwood, which he wouldn't, he knew that he and Jack could never be the same. This was it, he thought, as tears slipped down his face. It was really over.