Jack was running; running so fast he thought his lungs would burst. It was dark. He couldn't see anything, not even the ground below him. He wasn't sure what he was running from anymore. All he knew was he had to get away.

His desperate flight came to an abrupt end. He tripped on an unseen obstacle, falling headlong and hitting the ground with a loud squelch. He lifted his upper body, resting it on his arms as his eyes became accustomed to the darkness. His mind shut down. Unwilling to investigate the cause of the repulsive smell below him, he turned his head to one side and recoiled in horror. All around him were bodies and not all of them whole. As far as his eye could see; an undulating, bloody and writhing turmoil of arms and legs, twisted and bent into a grotesque carpet of horror. Jack felt something crawling up his back. He screamed as the monster whispered in his ear, "Jack....." He turned and blindly struck out as hard as he could.

"What the fuck, Jack...you hit me."

He shot up and looked around confused, not sure where he was for a moment. Relief flooded through him as he realised he was home, in his own bed.

"Oh g-god, Ianto. Did I h-hurt you? he stammered.

"Shhh, hush now. I'm fine" Ianto assured him.

Jack lay back down, turning his face away from the younger man.

"Look at me."

Jack breathed a huge sigh which ended in a sob and turned to face his new lover. He placed a hand on the younger man's hip. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Shhh, it's ok. Do you often have nightmares?"

Jack nodded. "It's an unfortunate side effect.....active service," he explained.

"The Gulf?" Ianto asked.

Jack paused a moment before nodding again. "Do you mind if we don't talk about it?" he said. "What time is it?"

"5.30."

Jack moved his hand to the small of Ianto's back. He ghosted it down the Welshman's spine, running it over his rump before letting it come to rest again on his hip. He allowed his thumb to drop down and gently stroke Ianto's half hard penis.

"Is it too early for...." He raised his eyebrows, smirking suggestively.

Ianto rolled his eyes. "You're insatiable, you are," he laughed, grabbing him and pulling him into a hug which brought their hardening cocks together, "and it's never too early."

**************************************

Ianto stretched, opened his eyes and smiled.

"Hi," he said, "how long have you been lying there looking at me."

"Not long," Jack smiled.

He groaned. "Don't tell me I was snoring or, god forbid, drooling."

"You're beautiful, asleep or awake, I just wanted to look at you, I can't help myself."

"C'mon you romantic fool, time to get up. I'm starving."

"Okay, shower first," Jack jumped out of bed pulling Ianto with him, "then I'm taking you out for breakfast."

**************************************

Ianto was pleasantly surprised. He'd expected breakfast with Jack to consist of an Egg McMuffin and insipid brown liquid, served in cardboard containers and bought from the drive-through. In fact the establishment Jack took him to was small and privately owned, selling proper coffee and home-baked goods. Jack ordered a Danish and Macchiato while Ianto chose a Latte and Pain au Chocolate.

He watched the older man eat with a dreamy smile on his face. He'd always been a careful eater himself. He suspected that even as a toddler he'd nibbled daintily on his rusks and held his sippy cup with little finger extended. Jack on the other hand, ate like he did everything else in life, with gusto and abandon. Everything about the man screamed, "Hey, I'm Jack Harkness. Deal with it."

"D' Ya want that," Jack asked indicating Ianto's half eaten pastry with a nod. Ianto shook his head and was about to push it across the table when the bell above the door announced the arrival of a new customer.

"Oh know," he groaned, "Don't look now."

Jack turned following Ianto's gaze and noticing a mildly unattractive man of mid to late thirties wearing a checked jacket and faded jeans.

"I thought I said don't look." Ianto hissed. "Just don't say anything, okay?"

Jack wondered who the man was to Ianto. There was no way he could be an ex-boyfriend, no gaydar vibes for one thing but in any case, he was completely out of his league. The man walked over to their table.

"Ah, Mr Jones," he said, "fancy seeing you here."

"Yeah, fancy," Ianto scoffed, "I mean, it's not like you're following me or anything."

The man showed no sign of having heard Ianto but turned towards Jack and held out his hand.

"David Brigstocke," he announced, "and you would be."

"None of your damn business, Brigstocke," Ianto replied, "come on Jack were leaving."

"But I'm not finished."

"Okay then, I'm leaving," Ianto yelled, "I'll See ya around."

Jack looked longingly at his breakfast before turning to glare at the man and then standing up and running after his young lover.

**************************************