Chapter Six

Ianto stared at the papers in his hand in confusion.

"Jacob and I were just going through the monthly reports while I was waiting for you to come around," Jack explained standing at the end of the sofa arms crossed, wearing a rather smug expression. "Now do you believe I'm not going to retcon you?"

"Not really Sir," Ianto replied not willing to look at the older man as he handed the file back to Jacob.

Jack's phone rang and with a quick glance at the caller ID he moved into the other room before answering.

"Must be a work call," Jacob mused obviously trying to relax things with Ianto.

"I'm sorry, who...?" Ianto began and Jacob blushed bowing his head apologetically.

"Of course, I'm sorry sir. My name is Jacob McDonald, General Manager. I run the hotel here for Master Jack."

"Master Jack?" Ianto asked eyeing Jacob like he was about to pull out a sign and declare it April fool's day.

"Yes, Sir, The Dragon Hotel has been in Master Jack's family for the past three generations. He's always busy with his work at Torchwood so I run the hotel for him and report to him every month with the reports, unless something happens, in which case I call him directly," Jacob explained.

Ianto's head was reeling, Jack owned a hotel? And not just any hotel, the second most expensive hotel in Cardiff.

"I feel I should also apologize for earlier. Master Jack had told me it was important to whisper so it didn't hurt your ears but I'm afraid I forgot so I apologize for any discomfort I may have caused you," Jacob said this face matching his apologetic nature perfectly.

"What do you mean whispering?" Ianto asked, things were getting stranger and stranger by the second and Ianto just didn't know what was real anymore.

"You cannot tell? Apart from my slip up, Master Jack and I have been whispering to you since you woke. He said your hearing would be out of shape but I did not realize you would not be able to tell," Jacob frowned in confusion, Ianto's expression matching his own. There was nothing wrong with his hearing, he could hear just fine. Jacob and Jack must be playing some sort of game to mess with his head, which considering how he was feeling probably wouldn't be to hard at the moment.

Jack re-entered the room. "Jacob there'll be a gentleman in a red cap and military uniform coming with a parcel for me. He'll demand to come up here but I need him gone and the parcel here. Can you deal with him for me?"

"Of course Master Jack," Jacob replied with a smile and a nod and left the room.

Ianto turned and stared at Jack who simply gazed back at him, "You own a hotel?"

"I do, it's been in the family for a couple of generations now," Jack replied with a shrug as if owning a massive five star hotel was the equivalent of owning a flat.

"Yes Jacob fed me the same line. Don't think I'll believe it like he does, I control the archives Sir, I know just how well you've aged," Ianto snorted.

Jack tilted his head to one side as if studying the other man. "Jacob knows about me. He's been running this place for me as long as I've owned it."

"Is he like you or is he non human?" Ianto asked, eyes travelling to the door the other being had left through.

"He's a Maltani. He's actually a blue smooth skinned alien about a foot high. He grows himself a new human body every thirty years or so. They produce some sort of frequency so convince people to do whatever they want so it's a good thing they're a docile species and it makes him brilliant at his job," Jack said with a shrug.

Ianto was about to comment on an alien running a Cardiff hotel when the world seemed to dip and he swayed unsteadily on his feet. Jack stepped forward and gently grabbed him by the shoulders to steady him.

"You should still be in bed. Owen said you'd need to rest for a few days from the trauma your body just went through. The drugs should have knocked you out for 8 hours; you've only been out for six so I think it's time we get you back into bed," Jack said smiling a little as Ianto leaned comfortably into his embrace, just like he used to before Lisa.
Pulling a syringe from his pocket Jack flicked the cap off and carefully pushed a needle into Ianto's neck. The needle contained the next lot of sedative, which Owen had instructed Jack to use once the hours were up of if Ianto managed to wake on his own. Ianto only flinched a little then he leaned more heavily into Jack's embrace as the drugs started to flood his system.

"You don't need to worry about me Sir since I'm still dreaming anyway," Ianto sighed basking in Jack's scent as he suddenly felt drained.

"What?" Jack asked confused pushing Ianto back a little so he could stare at the younger man's face.

"I'm dreaming Sir. It's the only explanation for all the impossible things that are going on around here. If it makes you feel better though I'm going to go and curl up in that nice bed once more before I wake up properly on the autopsy table," Ianto said stepping away from Jack and moving slowly and a little wobbly back towards the bedroom.

Jack stared after Ianto in confusion. Ianto's behaviour was no doubt a side effect from him not being fully recovered but it was a little disturbing to see.

"Ianto, what impossible things?" Jack asked.

"Three. The first being all my senses are messed up. The second is you owning a hotel, why on earth would you own a hotel, you make more than enough at Torchwood, you haven't got time to buy yourself an apartment to live in, so it's not very likely you'd buy a hotel to run on the side now is it," Ianto asked heading to the door of the bedroom.

Jack watched him go for a moment, then seeing just how unsteady he was as exhaustion began to take over he helped Ianto across the room to the bedroom. Deciding on a gentlemanly approach he stopped at the door to let Ianto take himself into the room on his own.

"What's the third reason Ianto?" Jack asked as he saw Ianto was about to shut the door.

Ianto looked up, meeting Jack's eyes and giving him a small, heartbreaking smile. "You're acting like you really care about me. I know that's not true thought don't I? You've more than prove it since Lisa," Ianto whispered before quietly shutting the door leaving Jack standing there in shock and pain.

Moving quietly to the bed Ianto climbs in and snuggles down enjoying this comfortable dream world for as long as he can. Because he knows when he opens his eyes next he'll be awake back at the hub, in the autopsy bay with the others looking down on the foolish tea-boy who got himself zapped.

As Ianto slipped back into his drug induced unconsciousness, he missed the sound of something glass being thrown and shattering against the wall in the other room.