Note: I do not own Torchwood or their characters.
This is part four of chapter seven. Following episode eight They Keep Killing Suzie.
Warning: May contain Strong Language and Sex
Chapter Seven Part Four
The next day Jack drove Ianto Tosh and Owen into work early despite Owens moaning that they didn't need to be in before nine. That was until Ianto told him he could use the time to clean the med bay and sort everything out he needed to before they headed to the archives for the day.
Grumbling Owen agreed and as soon as they entered the hub Owen went to work. Tosh started up all the computers and started checking CCTV and security as well as checking on all the programmes that were updating,
Jack went to his office to check his main phone as well as make all the calls he usually did in the morning.
Ianto made the coffee before attending to his usual morning duties. They were all ready to head down to the archives at nine but Gwen still hadn't shown up or rang in to say she was running late.
"She does know that she has to be here at the latest of nine right? And she is meant to let us know if she's running late in case of emergency." Owen wondered aloud.
"This is Gwen we're talking about. Most days she's here just after nine but every so many she doesn't get here until ten and because we're always so immersed in our own projects we don't notice it." Tosh told him her voice held a bitter edge to it. He could tell sometimes she hated how Gwen got away with things and how she managed to get all the attention when stuff like this happened.
"Well she said she hasn't gotten into a routine yet didn't she maybe we should help her a little." Ianto suggested.
"And how do you suppose we do that?" Jack asked him curious to how Ianto would handle a situation like this.
"Well at One everybody had to be in the office at quarter to nine because we had to sign in as well as swipe our key cards so every time we left the offices or entered them it was recorded in case of emergency and so on. If you left the building you signed out."
"Yeah it was like that at the hospital we signed in and out at the beginning and end of shift." Owen said "and if we went out during shift we made sure someone knew where and we would always carry our pager and mobile."
Ianto nodded and carried on what he was saying.
"Here because there are only five of us we are connected by the headset. But if we were to introduce some form of key system or pin code system on the lift it would keep track of when each of us enter and leave. We would choose our own pin codes and not tell each other. Then there is an electrical log of when we enter and leave the hub so if she is late so many times in one week there will be a suitable punishment. For example suspension of field duty, taking over someone else's duties for a week so they can assist in the field like say it was Tosh who was late for so many mornings she would take over some of my duties so I could help in the field. And if it keeps happening suspension from the hub without pay. So say in month she's an hour late every day you add the hours up and how ever many normal work days that is how many she is suspended."
"That's actually a good idea. In our line of work there isn't really a precedent for how to deal with someone breaking the rules because it's just us. But if we ever hire other people a pin coded system or key card system would be a good way of keeping track of who is in the hub." Tosh told them already thinking of how she could install it.
"You know Tosh it right there. If you ever hire more people it would be a good idea. And Ianto I like the idea of the suspension, most places suspend people for shirking their duties. One of Gwen's duties is to be reachable and making sure we know if something's wrong. Not to mentions the amount of times she passes on paperwork and research projects. Like you said yesterday she focus's more on trying to find something to investigate than stick with what we're already doing. Any other agency or government based workplace would have fired her after a month." Both Tosh and Ianto agreed with Owen there.
"Jack you said you wouldn't think about hiring more people if we manage to build a solid foundation." Jack nodded wondering where this would go.
"Right well right now were talking about how we would punish someone who broke the rules which would apply to all of us. This could be one more thing that adds to the foundation."
"Yeah, I mean I may not want to hire more people but its inevitable really isn't it. Tosh could you look into getting one of these security systems and ways to install it please."
"Sure. I know the best place to order one as for installing it may take a little bit of time because one would be next to the door upstairs and one would be next the lift down here. But I'll do my best. I think the best one would a key card instead of pin code system because if we have to move fast a card would be easier to use."
"Thank you." Jack nodded and smiled at her and she turned back towards her computer pulling up the blueprints to the hub as well as picking up the phone to place an order for the security system.
It was near ten just as Tosh said when Gwen finally showed up. She saw them all gathered round Tosh's computer mentally thinking about how she would explain her lateness,
"Gwen, you're late." Jack told her not looking up from the screen where Tosh was explaining about how she might install the system. She caught the last few words of her sentence.
"...a card system would be better it would only require a scanner that links to my computer making the log." Tosh said to him.
"Yeah sorry woke up late." She said with a smile hoping they wouldn't make a big deal out of it.
"You should have called and let us know so we knew that you were reachable in case of emergency."
"Sorry I forgot. I guess."
"Don't let it happen again." Jack said to her finally looking up to see her plaster a smile on her face.
"While we were waiting for you we decided that another way of ensuring security if we ever hire more people would be to install a system that each person would have to scan an individual card each time the entered or left the hub the only time it could be overridden would be in an emergency. Now that you're here we can head down to the archives."
Tosh set up the updates that she needed to do as well as began all the programmes she would check on in intervals during the day before standing up and following the others down to the archives. She checked the new workstation was working properly before she let anyone use it. Satisfied she told Ianto it was okay to use.
"Right today is simple Owen Jack is going to sit with you and Gwen Tosh will sit with you. They'll show you how to scan and then upload them onto the server and how to link them with any other file on the same subject. After you both have a done a designated amount I'll show you how to file it." Ianto told them.
He hadn't missed the brief look of jealously and annoyance that shot over Gwen's face when he paired Owen with Jack. He only did that was because he knew that Gwen would spend more time flirting with Jack instead of learning what she was meant to.
"Right while I sort out some files for you to upload why don't you and Tosh explain how the programme works" Ianto said to Jack while Owen and Gwen were settling down at the workstations.
The rest of the morning was filled with Jack and Tosh explaining how the programme worked until Ianto had sorted out a stack of reports for them to scan and upload.
Ianto noticed every now and then she would sneak a glance over at Jack and Tosh would catch her and have to get her attention back. Owen seemed to have mastered the programme before Gwen but Ianto guessed it was because of all of the glances at Jack and how many times Tosh had to repeat what she was saying.
While Gwen was still trying to master the programme Ianto decided to teach Owen how to file because he knew he would start getting bored and agitated if he had to wait.
"Right Owen each year has a cabinet we start by date at the bottom." Ianto told Owen as he led them to latest year's cabinet.
"Yeah Jack told me yesterday. He said January would go at the bottom and the most recent would go at the top. Is that right?" Owen asked him making sure Jack gave him the right information.
"Yeah I taught Jack how to archive about a month ago. So basically the bottom drawer would contain reports from 1st on January. They would be placed at the back and the more recent the case would be placed in front and so on. Any Tech is labelled with the case number and so on and placed on the shelves opposite the cabinets." Owen nodded taking in everything Ianto said.
"Okay so cabinet equals year. Bottom draw start from the beginning of the year, most recent cases on top. Tech labelled and stored on the shelving units." He recapped.
Ianto nodded and looked over at Jack who had taken Owens place and had started on another stack of filed without being asked.
"Right then I'll walk you through filing the reports you just scanned and uploaded until you feel confident in archiving without my help. Since Jack has taken over for you we can archive the files he has finished. Is that alright with you?" Ianto asked him.
"Yeah. I just keep thinking about what I'm going to do after all of this done. I mean me and Tosh will have to go through every single report checking medical and technical data. That's why I got Tosh to get all that Stationary as soon as I can go through everything I'm going to making notes compile files. Like the studies of weevils over time etc."
"That's actually a good idea. I can order some filing cabinets so the medical data can be kept in the main area of the hub so it's close to the med bay."
"Right shall we get start then?" Owen asked and Ianto nodded. Owen went file by file double checking the information before filing it in the correct place. Ianto was impressed by how focused Owen could be when he put his mind to it. He was like Jack it looked like he did barely anything but when it came down to it he showed his dedication to his job.
Deciding that Owen could file some more on his own he start passing over the files Jack had uploaded. He then decided to see how Gwen was getting along.
"Gwen will you focus" An annoyed Tosh snapped. Owen and Ianto as well as Jack turned to see Gwen blushing at been caught out.
"If you want to stare at Jack do it on your own time and not on mine. I don't care who you have your eyes on I am not standing here wasting my time when I can update or analysing any amount of tech in this place."
"Sorry, I just find it confusing." Gwen tried to make excuses. "I've never been great with computers."
"You can perform searches for investigations constantly update your social profiles and you can't master a programme which is a little harder than uploading pictures onto your profile pages." Tosh pointed out.
Gwen just blushed harder and continued to try and sneak glances at Jack's reaction whose was pointedly ignoring her.
"Tosh why don't you and Owen continue filing I'll go over the programme with Gwen." Ianto suggested and Tosh looked happy that she could escape trying to teach Gwen. She took the files from Ianto who walked over to the workstation Gwen was occupying.
"Alright then Gwen, show me where the programme gets confusing." Ianto pulled her from staring at Jack again.
Ianto sat on the chair that Tosh had placed next to Gwen's and watched as Gwen managed to get through the entire programme without help. It seemed that she was perfectly capable of mastering the programme but preferred staring at their Captain.
"Since you seem to be able to do that you can finish this pile of reports" he pointed at the foot high stack she still had to go through "and then I'll get you another stack to work through. As soon as you can prove that you can scan and upload efficiently I'll teach you how to archive. I'll stay here with you to make sure all of the information is correct." He made sure the report she had just scan and uploaded was correct before letting her check that there were no other reports linking to the subject.
He sat with her until one when he went to make every one lunch. Tosh sat back down next to Gwen to take over Ianto's job of double checking all of the information.
She could tell that Gwen was getting annoyed having someone double check her work all of the time but she was smart enough to realise that she had bought it on her self by constantly getting distracted and saying she was confused. So she didn't say anything but was relieved when Ianto called through the headset that dinner was done and asked where everyone wanted it. They decided on in the archives again since there was table down there. Jack went to help Ianto bring everything down while Tosh and Gwen got all the chairs round the table.
Ianto and Jack bought down fives plates of grilled chicken strips potatoes and salad and coffee.
Ever since Ianto's illness the team had noticed that every time they had lunch or dinner the young man always tried to make something different. It amazed them no end to see what Ianto would come up with next in the limited space the kitchen offered but he managed it. Sometimes he still ordered in but more often than not he cooked. It seemed like the time it took him to prepare the food and then wait while it was cooking was the break he took during the day. He would read or write in his diary or sometimes catch up on some work he had to get done.
When they had all finished they all moved back to what they were doing before lunch except Ianto who cleaned up the plate's mugs and cutlery before going back down to the archives to see how everything was going.
Tosh was sitting next to Gwen double checking the information. Jack was steadily working through the rest of files he ad started before lunch and Owen was filing it away. Ianto decided to work through some of the One files on the workbench. He work through the ones he needed to copy and box moving sorting the rest by date so it would be easier to scan and upload when he could sit at his desk.
In the middle of the afternoon Ianto decided that Gwen could learn how to file so he spent the next hour going over the system while she filed all the reports she had managed to scan and upload. Tosh had taken over to finish of the foot and half pile that was still on the workstation.
The afternoon went by as quickly as the morning did. Gwen left promptly at six Owen followed her out shortly after. The others guessed they were going home together but didn't comment.
It was past eight when Jack decided it was time for Tosh and Ianto to go home.
"Alright you pair. Home, Eat, Relax." He was relieved when they didn't argue but just started to pack up.
"I think I'll walk home tonight it's a nice night and after spending two days straight down here I could use the fresh air." Ianto told them as they continued to pack up.
"Well I'm going home having a relaxing bath and catch up on some TV shows I've missed." Tosh sighed happily thinking about her relaxing evening.
"And I am going to stay here a little while. I need to check everything over and the residents and then I'll drive home." Jack said following Tosh and Ianto to the main hub. He watched Ianto help Tosh with her coat and bag before putting on his own coat and slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder.
If they were anything other than Torchwood agents he would be worried about them walking home when it was starting to get dark and admittedly he was worried but he knew they were capable of looking after themselves. He called out to them before they left.
"Call or text me when you both get in please."
"Of course." Ianto told him as he offered Tosh his arm.
"Night Jack" Tosh called as they walked through the cog wheel. Ianto waved at him before the lift door closed.
Jack wandered around the hub checking over everything that he hadn't done in the past couple of nights he spent at home instead of there.
Jack knew that Ianto knew that he didn't get too involved in relationships. He flirted joked and had sex but relationships weren't for him. Not because he couldn't handle them or because he didn't want to but because he knew that in the end he would be the one having to carry on carrying those memories with him as well and constant heart ache.
He took him time checking over the place that over the years had become another home. He felt like he was neglecting his responsibilities when he left the hub for the night. He felt as though someone should be here but that was about to change. As soon as the rotas went into effect on Monday two or more of them team would be. They would be free to have some normality HE would be free to find a little normality. Where he didn't know but he was looking forward to find out.
Ianto and Tosh made small talk as they home. He walked her to her door giving her a hug and kissing her cheek before waiting until she was inside and had locked the door. He texted Jack saying she was home before taking a steady walk to his. He texted Jack as soon as he got in the door, he didn't receive a text back but knew Jack was too busy checking over the hub.
He wanted to know what time Jack would be home so he could make sure he had some dinner prepared but he also knew that calling Jack would be a bad idea.
At any rate he decided on making sandwiches and placed some on a plate in the fridge. Placing a note on the table he went upstairs to shower and go to bed. He knew he needed a good nights sleep if he was too spend another day in the archives with the whole team.
All the lights were off when Jack entered the house. He checked all the locks and windows and found they were all locked as well. He hadn't eaten yet so he went to the kitchen to make something when he saw the note on the table from Ianto.
'Sandwiches in the fridge, figured you might be hungry. I'll probably be asleep when you get back. Come to bed when you're finished your dinner. Ianto.'
Jack smiled at the thoughtfulness of his lover. His lover it had a nice ring to it but he knew it was possible he would never say it out loud.
Half an hour later Jack found himself slipping into bed next to Ianto gently putting and arm around his waist only to find grey eyes opening and focusing on his face.
"Hey, go back to sleep." Jack said softly. But Ianto shook his head before turning his head to check the time 12:18. He turned back and laid his head on the pillow.
"How long did it take you to check the hub over?" He asked knowing that he sounded like a nagging spouse.
"About three hours. I checked over the entire hub. I felt like I had neglected it by coming here more often. That place has become my home since 2000 I felt as though if I left was shirking the responsibilities that come with being the leader of Torchwood Three."
"Your not, you've spent years under the ground watching over Cardiff, protecting it. You let people try and have their own lives you do your best to make sure we get to go home at night at your own expense. No one would have a grudge against you for wanting to find some comfort." Jack nodded but Ianto could see the doubt in his eyes.
"I know that this relationship we have isn't going to evolve into anything other than sex." Jack eyes locked gazes with the younger mans, Ianto saw the pain there. He pulled him into his arms.
"No one will hate you for wanting to feel comfort for wanting human contact." He kissed the top of Jack's head.
Jack wondered how the younger man could do this. Could know what he was thinking and feeling. When Ianto said that he knew that the relationship between them wouldn't evolve more than sex the look of acceptance in his eyes cut Jack to the core.
He gently eased himself on top of the younger man staring into his eyes. He tried to convey through his eyes just how important the younger man was to him. Ianto arms tightened around Jack as he saw the emotions flow through Jacks eyes, he leaned up to capture Jack in a slow kiss telling him he understood. They took their time undressing each other with gentle hands allowing themselves the freedom to take their time getting to know each other since even though they have been sleeping together for a lot longer they had only had sex twice. Jack took charge this time and proved he was capable of being tender and gentle.
He lay in Ianto's arms hours later head resting against the Welshman's firm chest tracing small circles with his fingers as the younger man slept.
Jack didn't need much sleep and spent this time pondering the future although he should know not to dwell too much on it because all anyone could ever do is live in the moment because you never knew when it's over.
By Sunday night the archives were a lot fuller than they were before. Since the rift was quiet every day the other helped down in the archives again. Jack and Gwen seemed to prefer uploading the documents where Owen and Ianto filed them. Tosh however spent the time updating protocols and systems while installing the new key card system. Jack only hoped it worked. By Saturday they had all received their individual key cards and Sunday was a trial run.
Although they were all working together pretty well it seemed that Gwen was showing her jealous nature through scowls when Ianto touched Jacks arm or squeezed his shoulder or vice versa. She was also jealous of Tosh's friendly relationship with the Captain when Tosh was having a conversation via webcam about some tech she was analysing. She felt left out but she couldn't really moan because she was still carrying on with Owen after work. Which would be difficult to do considering the Rotas went into affect tomorrow.
She had taped the schedules to her monitors and tomorrow night it was Jack Tosh and Ianto which when her and Owen were off but thanks to Ianto Rhys also knew when she was off.
Jack and Tosh were busy talking via the video conference on the tech she was analysing bantering ideas back and forth on what it could be. Owen and Ianto would interrupt every now and again but they didn't manage to find anything about it by the time they left.
They all left at the same time. Tosh and Owen went back to Ianto's with him and Jack to watch a film while Gwen went home to Rhys and scowl on her face as she thought she was being excluded. Although she knew that if she complained they would tell her that she normally moans about not being able to spend time with Rhys.
A/N: Part four done next chapter up soon hopefully.
I hope this is okay. : )