This is set after KKBB when the team went to a hotel to avoid themselves for the night. I think Jack and Ianto would talk to each other.

Relief

Some hours later Ianto woke up as Jack hit him across the face. Ianto realised that Jack was thrashing his arms and shouting, his face contorted with pain.

'Jack, Jack, its okay, your safe, wake up.'

Jack woke suddenly and grabbed Ianto. He sat up and then he checked him all over. 'You're okay, you're alive, you're not…..'

'Jack, I'm fine; what the hell is it? I'm here, everything is fine. You're safe; tell me what's wrong.'

Jack was so relieved. The tears started to flow down his cheeks. Ianto was alive; he wasn't injured in any way and he was lying in his arms, in a bed, safe from harm.

'Tosh, Owen, Gwen, are they okay too?'

'Yes, Jack, they're fine. We're at St David's. We had to come here to avoid ourselves. What's going on Jack? Talk to me; tell me please.'

Jack turned towards him and put his hands on either side of Ianto's head.

'I may never say this again, Ianto Jones, but I love you with all of my heart, with all that I am and the thought of ever being without you tears me apart. I may not always show it. I may be crass and stupid and not think about your feelings but I do love you and I do need you.' Jack hesitated before he spoke the next line.

'I know this now for certain because I know what it felt like when I thought I'd lost you forever. Then I truly realised what I had and that I had to grab you and never let you go. I can't tell you how relieved I was to see you again after all that's happened over the last year.'

'Year, Jack? You've only been away a few months and we were fine. There was some talk of us being sent to the Himalayas but it didn't happen. We're all fine, as you've seen. It wasn't easy without you but we coped, Jack.'

Jack let go of his face. 'Here let me hold you and I'll tell you what really happened in the year that never was. Jack told his story. He told how he'd found the Doctor an how they'd travelled to the end of time. He explained how he and the Doctor ad sort of resolved their feelings for each other and how the Doctor had told him that he was wrong. Ianto tried to protest but Jack stopped him. He explained about the Master and Harold Saxon.

'What's the last thing you remember about what happened while I was away?' Jack asked Ianto.

'Well, everyone had gone up to the Valiant. Saxon was going to show everyone that there were aliens and then the American President was killed and it all goes a little fuzzy after that. Harold Saxon stopped being PM and we just sort of went back to doing what we do. It seems hard to pin down really and then you returned.'

'It wasn't that simple, Ianto. Harold Saxon caught the Doctor and me as well as Martha Jones who was travelling with him. I gave Martha this.' he pointed to his wrist strap. 'You know how John used it to travel in time, well, mine could do the same. The Doctor fixed it and then he disabled it again. Martha was able to escape and eventually the day came and everyone said Doctor at the same time and the Master was defeated.'

'Why don't I remember that; no one does,' Ianto asked.

'Because the Doctor turned back time. He made it so the Tocalafane hadn't killed anyone. I destroyed something called the paradox machine and time righted itself.'

'But Jack, that means that for you, well you were away for a year. What happened?'

'The Tocalafane killed ten per cent of the planet and the Master built huge weapons and was going to start a galactic war; but we stopped it.'

'No Jack, I mean what happened to you, those nightmares. I want to help you, Jack. I might help to talk.'

'I don't know if I can, Ianto. it doesn't always help to talk, no matter what they say. I don't want you to have to hear all that. Let's just go to sleep.'

'Jack, you've just told me that you love me and love is about sharing good and bad. If we're more than just fuck buddies, if this means anything at all, then I want to know everything. I want to understand what makes you tick. I don't want the Captain Harkness you present to the world; I want the Jack who held me tight through all my nightmares, after Lisa and the cannibals and all the rest. We can't go back, Jack. I need to know; I need to understand what you went through. I'm so relieved that you're back. Please tell me.'

'It won't be easy to hear, Ianto.'

'I know, come here and let me hold you and then tell me, tell me everything.'

It took an hour for Jack to tell Ianto all that had happened. At times he felt Ianto flinch and hold him tighter. He could hear Ianto sniff away the tears as he described what the Master had done to him. He glossed over the death of Ianto and the others; how the Master had tortured then killed them one by one leaving Ianto until last. The pain that Jack had felt was worse than any physical pain he had endured, every cut, every burn, every blow and every death. He'd expected to see his heart lying broken on the floor in front of him but this body wouldn't aloe him to die when that was all he wanted to get some relief from all the pain.

As he explained how they'd beaten the Master Ianto kissed him, sweet, little, light touch kisses anywhere Ianto could reach until he turned around and their lips met once again.

'I meant it, Ianto. I really did come back for you. I came back for them as well and for Torchwood but most of all I came back for you. He asked me to stay, you know, and travel with him.'

Ianto opened his eyes, startled, at the revelation.

'And you didn't choose to go with him?' The relief in Ianto's voice was palpable.

'No, Ianto, I chose you.'