Owen looked up from the database he had been scouring, and eyed the clock on his desk disbelievingly. 4:30. "No fucking way." He could have sworn it had been an hour earlier five minutes ago.
But at least they were getting somewhere. He stretched and tilted his head back, instantly regretting it as the harsh lamp light hit his eyes.
"Really, why is it so fucking bright? This place is normally a cave!" he complained to the vaulted ceiling.
"It still is a cave. Mold and everything." a soft voice answered behind him.
Owen spun around as Ianto spoke. The Welshman gave him a tightlipped smile and held out a pair of sunglasses.
"You look like shit." Own said, as way of thankfulness, slipping the glasses on. And Ianto did. Clothes wrinkled, hair sticking out wildly. Lines of pain were etched on his face and his eyes only stood at half-mast. "Why aren't you in bed?"
"I woke up. Imagine how confused I was to be in Jack's room again." Ianto went to pick up Owen's empty coffee cup, but stopped when Owen slapped his hand away.
Ianto frowned. "Really. Why in the world did you two let me fall asleep? There are things that need to be done. Not to mention you two could die." Ianto looked over Owen shoulder. "Find out anything useful?" The doctor was perfectly aware that Ianto was trying to divert attention away from himself, but let it be.
Owen shook his head looking frustrated. "Not really. All of our blood pressure and heart rates are though the roof, but other then that there doesn't seem to be anything in common. Jack's hearing things; he's threatening to strip his clothes off, for non-sexual reasons for once. And turns out he still can't stomach anything."
Ianto gave him a questioning look.
Owen shrugged, "There was pizza in the fridge. Then it was in the waste can, and on the floor. And splattered in the sink. Smelled bloody awful. He's found a lead on the egg though. Down in the archives." He waved a hand towards their direction before continuing. "I'm having vision problems and seem to be smelling things that aren't there...and I'm not having a stroke, I checked."
He had checked for several other things besides. Unfortunately Splott seemed to be hosting the mass delusion party this month. He had made a note to tell Jack about that later.
"And you..." Owen reached out, pressing his fingers against the inside of Ianto's wrist. "You're in pain, don't lie, I know you are. And you're exhausted to the point I'm shocked you haven't collapsed yet."
Ianto was trembling again, but he tried to stand straighter. "I'm fi- I slept a little. I'll just put on a pot of coffee and then-."
"If you even think about climbing those stairs. I'll break both your legs."
"Jack'd have your head." Ianto protested.
The captain chose that moment to arrive, with a bag slung over his shoulder, and a cup in hand. "I'd hold you still while he did it. You are supposed to be asleep." Jack said firmly while he stepped around Ianto to hand Owen the mug of coffee. Owen took it gratefully, needing the caffeine too much to care about Jack's warning that it was instant.
"I woke up." Ianto countered, folding his arms over his chest, swaying slightly as the movement threw off his balance.
"Well go back to sleep. There's nothing so dire that you should be up when you're this exhausted Ianto."
"You two nearly died Jack, so no, I will not go to sleep until we find out what happened, and how to make sure it doesn't happened again!"
Owen put down his coffee and interjected. "Ianto do you really think you're going to be of any use like this? Look at you! You're dead on your feet! Get some sleep. Jack and I are doing fine, and Gwen and Tosh will be in, in a few hours, and can help." he tried to reason. He saw the doubtful look on Ianto's face.
"At least take a nap on the couch." Maybe Ianto would compromise. "We'll wake you up if we need anything, and your..." Owen paused, wondering exactly what to call it. "Something will wake you up like it did last time, if anything happens to one of us."
Ianto looked ready to argue, but suddenly listed to one side. Jack shot out an arm, grabbing him and hauling him upright again. Ianto blushed slightly, the color starling on his grey face, but admitted defeat. "Fine. On the couch. But I expect to be woken up if you find anything!"
"Yes Ianto." Jack said patiently while tugging him over to the couch, and laying him down. "We'll be sure to do that." The captain pulled his greatcoat from where it had been thrown against the back of the chair, and spread it out over the younger man, who was already asleep.
Jack kneeled next to Ianto and watched him sleep for a few minutes, before making his way back to Owen's desk.
"How long do you think it will last this time?"
Owen snorted. "Half an hour?" Probably less. It was impossible to keep the Welshman down for long when he was determined to fight.
"Think he would kill us if you slipped him a sedative?" Jack asked, evidently not looking forward to the next round.
"Considering how I felt when he did it to me, more then once, while you were gone...probably." Owen wouldn't admit that at this point he didn't even want to risk anything over the counter. It was his and Jack's senses that were fucked up, but it was Ianto that was truly worrying him. This was going to be diffuicult enough to figure out. without adding drugs to the equation.
Jack sighed and pulled up a chair at Tosh's desk, unloading the bag full of files he had brought up from the archives. Some were creased or bent where they had been stuffed in.
Owen winced. Ianto was not going to be happy.
---
Owen looked over at the couch and frowned. Ianto had been sleeping, quietly if not peacefully for the better part of two hours. The greatcoat was twisted around him from where he had been tossing and turning. Owen could smell the pain coming off him in waves. He didn't how he could do it, but he could and it scared the shit out of him.
His own fear was battling it out with his concern for Ianto. Concern seemed to be winning.
Owen grabbed the scanner off his desk. He had brought it up from the autopsy bay, scanning himself or Jack occasionally to see if there were any changes. None, of course. Quietly he walked over and knelt beside the couch, sweeping the alien device over Ianto's body.
Nothing.
"Heart's still racing."
Owen glanced up at the low voice. Jack stood by Ianto's feet, arms wrapped around himself in one of Ianto's nervous habits.
"From the pain, I'd wager. I can't find any cause. I've examined every inch of him, but can't find any injures, or anything that could be causing It. According to this," he waved the scanner. "He's tired, going through caffeine withdrawals, and apparently hasn't been eating his veggies lately. It can tell me that, but it knows absolutely fuck all about the pain." Owen felt frustrated and angry, and let it bleed through into his voice
Ianto made a small pained noise, and turned his face into the pillow.
"Owen stop feeling things." Jack was frowning.
"Excuse me?" Jack was already yanking Owen to his feet, pulling him away from the couch, and Owen dug his feet in, pulling back. He was the doctor goddammit, and Ianto needed him.
"Owen! Stop. Just... keep away from for awhile." Jack steered them towards his office. "I think our feelings are hurting him."
"Jack you can't be serious."
Jack gave Owen a look. Oh what the hell. This was Torchwood. Of course Jack was serious.
"That thing did something to us. And the more we research it, the more I'm starting to understand. You and I seemed to have gotten physical abilities, but Ianto may have gotten more...mental powers. Empathic. He can feel our emotions and it's hurting him. From what I know, for some it can be...err less then comfortable."
"That's a bit of an understatement. So what do we do?" Owen asked, running a hand through his hair. In his mind, 'stay away' wasn't even an option.
"For now?" Jack clarified. "Stay away."
Owen fought down a growl.
"I did pretty well in my psy classes. I think maybe I can shield him if I practice."
"You think? Maybe?" Owen asked, incredulously.
"Do you have a better idea?" Jack wasn't as successful as Owen as keeping his growl contained, and Owen backed down.
"Look, for now, it might help. At least it can't hurt." Having decided on the course of action, Jack switched subject. "I found some references in the research, some accounts of this same thing Ianto's going through happening to other people...this could be bad news."
Owen pulled off his sunglasses so he could rub his face, wincing as the light shot through his closed eyelids. "When is it ever good around news around here?"
Jack wrapped his arm around Owen and pulled him close. "Just a normal day at the office."
"A fucking lousy day." He muttered, leaning in, surprised that after all these hours Jack's shirt still held smell the Ianto's shampoo from where the younger man had rested his head.
"Yeah." Jack agreed. "Lousy describes it nicely. And trust me, I've had a lot of really really lousy days in my life."
Owen snorted and burrowed into Jack's chest. "And you know what the worst part is?" He asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"What?"
"We still haven't had the make up sex you promised."
Jack snickered, propping his chin on the top of Owen's head. "Don't remind me." He groaned.
