ALRPGALW Chapter 9
Jack and Ianto waited for the others to leave before going to bed. Jack held Ianto close all through the night. It had scared them both. Their love making was rough and intense, leaving both men exhausted but sated.
The following evening, they had to go out again, but Ianto was in no mood to take orders.
Jack was furious.
This was getting out of hand. It seemed Ianto was deliberately disobeying Jack. Ianto had to be spoken to.
The drive back to the Hub was almost in silence. Neither man spoke, but Jack took sideways glances at Ianto. Owen watched them both from the back seat and kept his opinion to himself.
Ianto kept his head on the cold glass of the SUV window, his head throbbing, he wanted nothing more then to just crawl into bed with Jack and forget any of this happened, he needed to forget.
Jack turned to Ianto and said at last, "We need to talk about what happened here tonight. Why you disobeyed me." he didn't look at Ianto, but instead at Owen in the rear view mirror. "Owen can check out that headache. I expect it's from last night."
Ianto looked at him. "Can we talk about this later?" he didn't add the 'when we're alone' part, but he didn't exactly fancy a domestic in front of Owen.
Jack gave him one of his looks, then turned to look ahead. "Alright. But talk about it we will. Count on it." Owen rolled his eyes. The last thing he wanted was to be caught up in a lovers spat.
Yeah i know Jack" he sighed, he watched as they pulled up at the hub and he opened the door as soon as they stopped and got out taking a deep breath.
Jack turned to Owen. "Can you park the car, I need to speak with Ianto.""My pleasure," said Owen. Jack smiled, then followed after Ianto. "What is it with you? Ever since we...started sleeping together, you go all gung ho on me. Do you have a death wish by any chance? I seems like it from where I'm standing."
"No I don't have a death wish. I want to be involved. I don't want to be treated like I'm a bloody kid!"
"Then stop acting like one and get a grip! I gave you my reasons for having you stay in the car last night. Owen is a doctor, not a computer expert. I needed you to be there for us. You nearly got us all killed tonight."
"I'm not a damn computer expert, im a coffee boy. A fucking cleaner, Jack. That's all I am to Torchwood!"
Jack grabbed him by both arms, shaking him. "You are so much more, but you just don't see it. You put yourself down. You always have." Jack stepped closer, but kept hold of his arms. "You are my anchor. You ground me. I depend on you. I love you."
"You love me, but I am no use to Torchwood. The others wouldn't even notice if I was gone. I clean up all your shit and that's how you like it. No one even notices, they don't even look up most of the time. They wouldn't even notice if I was dead," he looked at Jack.
"That's not true, Ianto. I know Tosh loves you, in her own way. Owen and Gwen both like you. We'd all miss you. The place would fall apart without you...and so would I." A single tear trickled down Jack's face.
Ianto leaned in and kissed his cheek were the tear had fell, Jack still holding his arms. "I'm sorry, but its best for all of us if I do this."
Jack shook his head. "Do what? I don't understand. I thought you were happy. That I made you happy."
"You do make me happy. I want you and I need you, Jack," he muttered. " But the rest of it, I don't know. I'll find an office job, i can manage that, something different."
Jack pulled away and went to stand on the secret lift. "Then do what you have to. Don't spare a thought for us." The lift started to descend.
Ianto stood staring at him descend and he sighed he followed down the tourist entrance. "Nothing about us has to change!"
Jack hung his head, but didn't answer. Once back in the Hub he went straight to his office, closing the door. Owen looked to Gwen, shaking his head. "Ianto went an disobeyed Jack again. Nearly got us all killed."They both turned as Ianto ca...me through the cog door, staring up at Jack's closed door."I wouldn't if I were you," warned Owen.
"I don't care." Ianto muttered and walked up to the door, walking in without knocking. What else did he have to lose? "Jack, don't walk away from me."
Jack stood up and walked around the desk to stand in front of the young Welshman. "I think you have that turned around, Yan. You're the one leaving me...us. If you can't take orders, fine, leave, but you'll be back. Count on it." Jack sat behind his desk again. "I'll send you your things and give you a months severance pay." Picking up his pen, Jack got on with paperwork, leaving Ianto stood there.
Ianto opened his mouth to say something, anything but he was so shocked, stunned he pulled his badge out and put it on Jack's desk and then walked out, he left going back to his apartment and he went about cleaning his already spotless apartment, he would prove to Jack he could work somewhere else, any were else.
Gwen and Owen watched as Ianto stormed out through the cog door. Waiting a few minutes, Gwen went up to Jack's office. She knocked.
"Come in." Jack looked up as Gwen opened the door.
"Can we talk, Jack?"
Jack sighed. "I know what you're gonna say."
"Do you?" Gwen sat down. "I know you love him and he loves you. He feels left out sometimes. Needs to feel a part of the 'team'."
"He is, Gwen."
"Not in his eyes, Jack. You shield him. That's okay, but he needs to grow, and you're holding him back."
"He's left Torchwood."
"He'll come back," Gwen said with confidence. "You know that, right? He'll be back, when he realises he cant get a job like this anywhere else."
"I think he's running away from me, just as much as the job." Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I need to go speak to him, now." Getting up, Jack grabbed his greatcoat and headed for the cog door.
Gwen let him goIanto was down on his hand's and knees scrubbing the kitchen floor with bleach, he needed to keep busy, needed to be doing something, he couldnt give him time to think, the smell was overwhelming but he didn't realise, he didn't smell it.
Jack decided to knock on the door first, use his key later. "Ianto, open up." he knocked again. "I know you're in there." Jack dug into his greatcoat pocket, pulling out the key Ianto gave him. As he opened the door, the strong smell of bleach hit him. "Yan!" Rushing through the flat, Jack found Ianto collapsed on the kitchen floor. Opening all the windows, he carried Ianto into the bedroom, placing him on the bed. "Ianto, can you hear me? Yan!"
Ianto stirred a little, his eyes fluttering open. He saw it was Jack and tried to sit up. "Jack," he groaned, trying to pull his arms out of his grip. " I'm fine."
Jack sighed, frustrated, annoyed and concerned. "No, you're not. You're really not. What possessed you to use neat bleach?" He shook his head. "Owen needs to check you out."
"He isn't my doctor anymore. I'll be fine," Ianto's head was pounding. He lay back on the bed, taking deep breaths. "Why are you here, Jack?"
"I didn't like the way we left it. I do love you, you know that. We need you at the Hub. Not just for cleaning and making coffee. You are the best archivist I know. You understand shorthand. Have a photographic memory. You're computer iterate. Need I say more?" Jack took Ianto's hand in both of his. "Please, Yan, come back with me in the morning."
Ianto didn't have the energy to fight him anymore, he was exhausted. He just wanted things to be easy. Ianto just nodded and closed his eyes, he wanted to sleep, just wake up tomorrow and it all to be over.
Jack lay beside him, taking him into his arms. Ianto didn't fight him, but instead snuggled closer.
