SPRING! Everything is flowering and pretty... and I got mauled by a wattle tree. Since when do they have inch long spikes?

I did try not to make Jack a complete sop. I did try.

'So,' Jack as perched on the desk, 'supposing I told you my sources had informed me that a certain Ianto Jones was a junior worker in MI5, a dispensable and unnoticed one?'

Mr Walker laughed, a choking spluttering sound around the stress ball. Jack motioned with his head, 'Take it out,' he said to Owen, 'yes no answers are getting a bit repetitive.'

'You bastards,' Mr Walker spat immediately.

Jack pulled out a gun, holding it lazily towards the bound man's head. 'Ianto Jones?'

Mr Walker ignored the gun, staring directly at Jack, 'We all answer to him.'

'Ah, ve haff found ze evil mastermind behind zis leettle organisation. Why do you answer to him?' Jack demanded. Mr Walker said nothing, face stoic. 'Careful,' Jack warned, 'I'll have my man Hans here deal with you.' Owen cracked his knuckles.

'You're Torchwood Three?' Mr Walker said incredulously.

'And running low on sleep and coffee.' Jack cocked the gun.

'And we watch Die Hard on movie nights,' Owen added, sitting by the computer.

'Alright,' Mr Walker raised his bound hands slightly, 'occasionally some information is reported back to Jones, he has access to all our files and can override anything.'

'That explains why he could hack into MI5 so fast,' Jack noted to Owen, 'alright,' he turned back to their prisoner, 'so I can assume any story I was told about him being hunted by MI5 was a lie?' Mr Walker just chuckled. 'So he's some sort of director here?'

'In a sense.'

'Elaborate,' he demanded.

'We take orders from the Government, who tell us to take any orders Jones might give.'

'So you have no idea where he may have been about between 5 and 9 months ago?' Owen cut in, scrolling idly through Mr Walker's computer.

'None of our concern.'

Jack drummed his fingers on the desk, 'So he's not officially part of MI5?'

'How official would you like?'

'Does he offer you any aid? Or does he just use you?'

'Not officially,' Mr Walker shrugged, 'but he's stepped in to aid, well, to save our arses really.'

'And he's not required to?' Jack clarified, keeping his expression as flat as before.

'I get the feel he's not supposed to.'

Jack shrugged, 'He sounds like an alright guy.'

'Why the interest?'

Jack offered him a friendly smile, 'I'm conducting the interview thank you. Why were we 'detained'?'

Mr Walker shrugged, 'Orders.'

'Alright,' Jack slid off the desk, 'stick the ball back in, Owen. One last question,' he stopped by the door, 'have you met Mr Jones?'

'Once.'

Jack leaned his hand on the white door, 'He is the supreme mastermind then, isn't he? What do you think of him?' He waved the gun when there was no answer.

'Quiet, very quiet and efficient. Seemed more like an office boy.'

'Jack,' Owen swivelled the screen around, 'take a look.'

Keeping the gun pointed at Mr Walker, Jack bent over and scanned the screen. He froze for a moment, then drew in a deep breath. A familiar figure strode down a hall, brow creased in a well known determined expression. Ignoring Owen, Jack watched silently as Ianto walked towards the camera. He was wearing a blue tie. Jack had bought that one after the Weevil incident. Biting his lip, he blinked before straightening and facing the wall. 'Ianto's here?' He kept his voice controlled.

'I was scanning the CCTV, checking we didn't have any unwanted visitors coming.'

'You called him?' Eyes too bright, Jack turned sharply to Mr Walker. 'Tell me!'

There was a flicker of surprise at Jack's vehemence. 'Yes, last night when you came in.'

'Owen,' Jack refused to take his cold eyes off Mr Walker, 'where is that corridor?'

'Lower levels, near the cells.'

'Tie him under the desk,' Jack gestured to the man.

TW

Jack waited tensely, eyes locked with Owen's as the footsteps drew closer. With a sudden move he stepped out, gun pointing directly at blue eyes. Jack stared straight down the barrel of a silver gun.

'Hello,' a young man said quietly, hand tightening around his gun.

'Ianto,' Jack responded, watching for any shift in the blank mask of Ianto's face. He took a slow step forward. The clear sound of a gun cocking echoed in the corridor. 'Pleased to see you,' he bobbed his gun slightly.

'You too.' There was the briefest hint of a smirk on the curved lips.

'Put your gun down?'

'You put yours down first then.'

Jack just gave an easy laugh, 'Wouldn't trust you for a moment, darling.'

'You ambushed me.'

'You lied to me.'

Dark eyebrows creased for a moment, Ianto flicked his gaze down then met Jack's eyes with a questioning look. 'Suspenders?'

'Tying one of your employees to his desk.'

'Ah.' Ianto seemed content to wait for Jack to make the next move. Twitching his spare hand, Jack motioned for Owen. 'I had my reasons for leaving, Jack,' Ianto's slim hand tightened on the gun as Jack shifted closer, 'Jack,' he warned.

Jack suddenly smacked his hand sideways, a gun shot fired into the ceiling and he pinned Ianto to the wall. Slender wrists twisted wildly under his grasp, Ianto's body writhed and Jack moved to avoid a well placed knee. Slamming forward, he pressed Ianto into the wall and tightened his grip. Ianto's chest heaved against his, breath panting against his neck, heartbeat fast to match his. 'Hello,' Jack said somewhat sadly, gritting his teeth as Ianto twisted again. Angry blue eyes glared into his, lips bitten in concentration, two spots of colour stood out on Ianto's cheeks. 'Owen,' Jack called, keeping his eyes locked with Ianto's, 'get his hands will you? And pick up his gun.' He suddenly grunted, eyes widening as a foot connected with his shin. Ianto's wrist pulled sideways and out of his grasp, a cool hand immediately pressed against his throat.

'Shoot, come any closer and I'll push,' Ianto said quietly. Owen kept walking. 'Owen,' Ianto warned. Jack slammed his head into Ianto's. The light cry of pain affected him more than he cared to admit. Ianto's body sagged against his, suddenly soft and vulnerable.

Jack closed his hand over Ianto's at his throat, looking down into soft lashes and a slack expression. He waited, there was no sound save Ianto's steady breathing in the corridor. Eventually Jack relaxed, dropping Ianto's wrist from the wall to wrap his arm supportively around his waist.

A knee slammed up and Jack cried out, arms slackening for a moment. Ianto pulled away and ran. There was a shot. Ianto screamed. From the floor Jack heard the thud as he fell. Owen slowly lowered his gun as Jack hurled himself off the floor and around the corner. In the middle of the long corridor Ianto lay sprawled, a streak beside him.

'Ianto,' Jack whispered, dropping hurriedly to the white tiles. His knees jarred on the ground, coat spreading around him.

'I got his shoulder,' Owen's practiced hands moved over Ianto's still form.

'Good reaction,' Jack said, swallowing and closing his eyes.

'I'm sorry,' brown eyes flicked honestly to Jack.

'You stopped him,' was all Jack could respond with.

'Alright,' Owen stood, 'let's get him to the SUV, then the Hub.' Nodding, Jack slid his arms under Ianto's limp body and carried him in silence.

TW

He leaned his arm against the window, pressing his hand firmly over his mouth as he fought for control. The road occasionally blurred, Jack blinked and twisted his hands over the steering wheel.

'Do you want me to drive?' Owen asked from the back.

Jack exhaled with a sigh, 'No.'

TW

Tosh was at his side the minute the cog door rolled across, heels clicking as she ran towards Jack and Ianto slumped in his arms. Without questioning, she followed them down the steps, watching with sorrow as Jack gently laid Ianto down on the table. His hand cradled the back of Ianto's head for a quiet moment before Jack drew back. Boot against the wall and hands deep in pockets, Jack silently observed as Owen worked. Stripped of his shirt, Ianto's body looked pale and fragile in the bright light, vulnerable lying on the cold metal table. Jack tried to coldly reconcile this man with the one who had just previously held a gun to his head and betrayed Torchwood.

'How much of a betrayal was it if he never intended to do anything with what he'd learnt?' Tosh asked quietly, seeming to read Jack's thoughts.

'We don't know that,' Jack said firmly, his head turned to offer Tosh a tired smile that belied his harsh voice, 'this is what we have to do, no matter who.'

Tosh looked back to Owen and Ianto, 'He's in charge of MI5?'

'So it seems,' Jack replied, regret heavy in his voice. 'He made such good coffee.'

Tosh laughed, breaking the still air, she glanced over at Jack, smiling to match his.

'Does Gwen know about-' Ianto was gestured to.

'She was there when Owen's call came through. I explained most of it.'

Jack nodded, he hadn't even stopped to wonder why Tosh knew about Ianto being- he let that thought trail away, digging his hands deeper in his pockets. 'I'm surprised she isn't down here,' he commented, averting his eyes to the floor as Owen worked on Ianto's shoulder.

'She's out on a minor incident to do with the police.'

Jack just nodded, letting his head rest back on the cold wall. There was a silence, Owen's footsteps clear, the only sound as Jack tried to clear his mind.

'It's not the same, is it?' Tosh's voice commented quietly, 'He's not just someone we've brought in.'

'No,' Jack agreed, eyes staying closed. With a sigh and a rustled of fabric he straightened, 'don't you wish it was though?' He slammed his palm against the wall, shaking his head in sudden irritation, 'Why did he have to come?' His eyes fixed on Ianto's calm face, 'Why live with me?' Pushing himself off the wall he moved for the steps, 'Owen, tell me if he wakes up, says anything,' Jack waved a hand, 'you know the drill.'

'Yep,' Owen replied distractedly, bent over Ianto's shoulder.

'I hate MI5!' Jack declared in frustration, footsteps loud as he strode above them.

'Shame,' a weak voice came from below. Hands seized the rails as Jack flung himself forward and stared down, Ianto's head turned slowly towards him. Hair flopped over his forehead, Jack watched, frozen.

'Ianto,' Owen's firm voice drew his head back, the medic checking over him. 'How are you feeling?'

'You shot me, you prick,' was the immediate tart reply, slim hands swatting Owen's away.

'I had to,' Owen none too gently jabbed a needle into him, Ianto hissed in pain and glared at him.

'You ambushed me, was I-' Ianto winced as Owen returned to his shoulder, '-expected to calmly offer myself up for capture?'

'You wouldn't have a hole in your shoulder if you had.'

'I wouldn't if you hadn't shot me.'

'Well,' Owen pronounced calmly, 'I did. You're staying here even if Jack has to chain you in a cell,' he slapped the dressing down, 'next to the weevil,' he screwed his face up with an exaggerated lip curl at Ianto. Ianto sneered at him.

'Thank you, Owen,' Jack said loudly, kicking the rail with a clang for attention. 'Ianto, you're staying. Owen, shut up.'

'Get your hands off me,' Ianto requested politely, reaching up towards Owen's hands at his shoulder.

'Rack off,' Owen replied absently. His eyes widened with a yell as Ianto pulled his hands back with a loud ripping noise. He stared down and then narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him, a piece of dressing tape in Ianto's hand and a bald patch on Owen's wrist. From above on the balcony Jack watched silently as the two men squabbled as though Ianto had been there all along. Ianto briefly caught his eye, face a blank mask.

'Owen,' Jack said clearly, 'will he be fit for questioning?' He could feel Ianto's eyes on him, Jack forced himself to stare only at Owen.

'Soon.'

'Jac-' the soft familiar voice started to say. Jack turned and left while he could.

TW

Jack woke with a jerk, head lifting off the couch in surprise as his book slid from limp fingers to the floor. Black suit pants bent at the knee, slight fingers lifted his book and offered it to him. Accepting it, Jack looked up into Ianto's face, it was regretful.

'I am sorry,' Ianto said quietly, his shirt fell open at the neck, for once the young man looked his age as it hung untucked and loose around his body. Brown hair ruffled untidily over his forehead and expressive eyes regarded Jack. 'It was a job, is it so very different from what you do?'

'Yes.'

'How?' It wasn't a challenge, just a question.

Sighing and brushing his hair back, Jack motioned towards the couch, 'Sit.'

'I'm sorry I let something happen between us,' the couch creaked as Ianto sat.

It was ignored, 'Doesn't matter. Why did you come to Torchwood?'

Ianto leaned back into the cushion, wincing as his shoulder bumped it. 'You're dangerous,' he looked openly at Jack, 'you do what you please, no one has any control over you and no one knows what your agenda is.'

'Me or Torchwood?'

'Both.'

Jack could feel the familiar small jab of irritation, 'If this world knew what we do, what we've done and prevented.'

Ianto tried a one shouldered shrug, 'I know. Now that is. But before? How is anyone supposed to know that?' He continued as Jack waited, 'I've worked for you, I know, but people really only hear of Torchwood when something goes wrong, when people die,' he finished quietly. 'Can you understand even slightly?'

'So you've decided we're not a public menace?' Jack asked, a hint of bitterness.

'Yes, and no,' Ianto said honestly, 'I've seen your records working in the Archives, you've never really cared for the consequences have you? Fix it, then leave it. "Going in guns blazing" isn't it?'

'You've seen Torchwood, you've seen what we deal with, tell me in all honesty what we're supposed to do. We're not an open public business.'

'And you're surrounded with an air of complete mystery and secrecy, while driving around in a black SUV with Torchwood down the side. Are you surprised people wonder what you're really doing? They want to know why Torchwood appears when parts of the city go up in purple flames.'

'People being MI5?'

'Amongst others. Jack,' Ianto looked at him, 'it was a job, like others you would do, testing a potential hostile force, situation, person. I wanted to make sure Torchwood wasn't a threat.' Ianto raised his eyebrows slightly, 'Be glad I didn't base it purely on external records of you, none of them are particularly favourable. This was the only way to really find out. Can't even ask the government, can I? They don't even have any control over you, and believe me,' Ianto sounded slightly amused. Jack could almost see the quirk of Ianto's lips, eyes through dark lashes, Jack looked steadily forward across the Hub, 'that worries a lot of people.'

'The overseer of MI5 decides to come see for himself?' Jack looked across at Ianto, taking in his dishevelled appearance again. Ianto just smiled, the familiar amused mysterious smile that could mean anything. 'Fine,' Jack's hands smacked together lightly, he met Ianto's eyes clearly, 'I understand your points, yes, perhaps it does make sense. I'm going to retcon you and I'm going to let you go.'

'Ok,' Ianto accepted calmly.

Ignoring the vague weight in his chest, Jack frowned, 'How did you know we were investigating Mr Sparkles?

'I needed to meet you somehow.' Amusement laced Ianto's voice.

'What?' Jack said flatly.

'Sorry,' Ianto said unapologetically, 'I arranged the meeting with you as him, hired someone to follow me.'

'What about the victims?' Jack demanded heatedly, turning on the couch, knee bumping Ianto's as he moved. They both drew back.

'No,' Ianto said sadly, 'there really was some bastard doing that, but we got them earlier. However it wasn't hard to pretend that it was continuing, some fake police reports for you to hijack, just to keep you interested.'

Jack was silent for a moment, 'Was there anything you didn't plan? And how the hell did you report back? You weren't bugged, we checked and nothing gets through that.'

'Pen. Paper. Memory.'

'Only you.'

'Thank you,' Ianto sounded pleased, then he laughed quietly. Jack watched him with an unspoken query. 'I didn't lie when I said I loved the job with Torchwood,' he admitted.

'You only lied about everything else.'

'Are you speaking as my employer or the man I slept with?' Ianto asked quietly, blue eyes meeting Jack's.

Jack felt himself slump slightly, 'Believe me, I've been trying to separate the two.'

'So have I.'

Jack was silent for a moment, somehow something lifted. 'You said "we" earlier, "we got them earlier", I assume you're referring to MI5.'

'Of course,' again that damn smile.

'Since when's MI5 been alien based?'

'You've never meet all the people there, have you?'

Jack frowned, then relaxed into a laugh. 'How's your shoulder?'

'Sore.'

'Head?'

'Full of angry men with hammers.'

Jack chuckled and stretched out his hand, he read the hesitation in Ianto's eyes, then they fluttered close as Jack's hand gently brushed his cheek. 'Let me have a look,' he murmured, his leg now pressed against Ianto's as he moved closer, palms lightly cradling Ianto's face. 'Ouch,' he commented lightly, drawing his gaze away from the bruises to Ianto's face. Without anything thought, he closed the gap and gently pressed their lips together. Ianto's soft lips parted slowly under his, one hand winding cautiously around his waist as they kissed, languidly and unhurried.

'If you didn't work for MI5-' Jack murmured, touching his forehead to Ianto's, hands continuing their light caress of his jaw. 'Kiss me like that again and I think I'll forget even that.'

'Fuck, Jack,' Ianto whispered roughly, kissing him desperately, hand firm between his shoulders 'I don't.'

'What?' Jack opened his eyes.

'They all answer, report to me if I like, not the other way around,' Ianto's voice started to show the unfamiliar signs of a loss of control, 'you were at MI5, didn't you realise?'

Actually, I do think Ianto's view is fairly logical if you think about it.

This chapter proudly brought to you by Cadbury Turkish Delight and Rollover DJ!

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-Free Ianto for CelticHeiressFiona. *prods fish*