A/N - A huge thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Reviews make me smile. *cookies* for you guys. Also big thanks to those who read, alerted and favourited. You guys also rock.

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Chapter 11

Waking

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Waking up, Ianto decided, was not a good idea. In the blackness he couldn't feel or hear anything. But as he slowly came awake, the aches and pains came to him, and the voices, which sounded like jet engines. Someone was holding his hand, telling him how sorry they were, while someone scoffed in the background.

Opening his eyes was hard, feeling as if they had weights holding them down, but Ianto managed to pry them open, before squeezing them shut at the glaring light.

"Oi, Tea Boy, you back in the land of the living?" a male voice asked, a hand gently lying on his shoulder.

Swallowing, he opened his eyes again, managing to look around him through the glare. He had already figured out that the man talking, and scoffing, was Owen. But he was surprised to see the other person, the one holding his other hand, was Lisa.

"Wh-" he tried to ask, mouth feeling as dry as sandpaper. As if reading his mind, Owen held a cup with a straw in front of him, in easy reach of his mouth. Taking a sip, he realized that he had never truly appreciated water before, as the sweet liquid ran down his throat.

"I can do that," Lisa said, taking the cup from Owen with a glare and holding it. Owen rolled his eyes, glaring back at the woman.

"He probably shouldn't have much more," he snapped, raising his head, as he leaned back against the wall. Lisa simply ignored him, holding the cup in front of his face; until he shook his head slightly, a flash of pain running through him.

"Are you in pain?" Owen asked, the professionalism shining through once again. Ianto moved his head a fraction in acknowledgement, the small movement still enough to cause pain. Owen nodded once, before striding out of the room.

"I can't stand that man," Lisa muttered, watching him go with narrowed eyes, before turning back to him with a sickly, sweet smile.

Ianto wondered when Lisa's smiles had stopped making his heart race. Looking at her now, he saw an attractive woman, but the feelings he had had, were gone. Thinking back, the feelings he had usually had around Lisa had disappeared weeks ago, if not longer.

"I'm so glad you're awake," Lisa continued, unaware of the thoughts running through Ianto's mind. "Ianto, I'm so sorry, about everything. I should've never listened to my family. I should've followed my heart. And my heart has always known that you were the one. You're my soul mate, Ianto."

Opening his mouth to reply, he was shocked when Lisa put a finger to his lips, stopping him.

"We'll talk later," she said softly, kissing him lightly on the lips. Ianto watched her go, feeling confused, and wondering what had changed Lisa's mind.

"Mate," Owen said, coming in with a nurse. "I do not understand what you saw in that woman. I could barely stand to be in the same room as her, let only think of dating her."

Ianto smiled, a light headed feeling passing through him as the nurse injected something into the drip in his arm.

"Sleep well, mate." Owen's voice followed him into the drug-induced haze.

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The next time Ianto woke, it was to see Jack sitting on the chair by his bed, head bowed, looking as perfect as always.

"Hey," he croaked, feeling a sense of happiness run through him, as the other man's blue eyes lit up when they met his.

"Hey," Jack said, moving the chair closer, hand coming up to rest over his. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," he replied. The aches and pains gone, only slight twinges as he moved. He wondered briefly how long he'd been asleep.

"I'm glad," Jack said quietly, other hand coming up to run through his hair.

Ianto leant into the movement, unable to stop the warmth running through him, small smile crossing his face.

"What are you doing here, Jack?" he asked, voice husky from disuse. It wasn't that he wasn't happy to see the other man, he just wasn't sure what the other man wanted from him.

"I wanted to check on you," he replied. "Make sure you were okay. And …"

"And?" Ianto prodded.

"Your friend," Jack said, a bemused smile crossing his face. "The angry one. He mentioned that you might like the company."

"Did he?" Ianto asked, relaxing as Jack's hand came to cup his cheek, thumb rubbing back and forth across it. He couldn't help but chuckle a little at the thought of Owen hunting Jack down.

He wondered how that conversation went. And why Owen had done it.

"I ... uh," Jack started to say, a sheepish expression crossing his face, as he pulled his hand away. "I came to see you earlier, but your … um, girlfriend was here."

Ianto winced, reminded of the brief conversation he had had with Lisa when he'd woken up the first time. A part of him had hoped it was just a dream, hoping that it wasn't real, so that he wouldn't have to tell Lisa that he didn't feel the same for her.

"Lisa's my ex," he replied, reaching up and gripping Jack's hand, letting them rest on his chest. "We ... broke up awhile ago. The last I knew she was engaged to your brother."

They hadn't had the chance to talk about their last time in the firing range, but from what Grey had said, Ianto could only presume that he and Jack were brothers.

Jack stared down at their joined hands for a few moments, before smiling up at him, the intensity in the blue eyes making the breath catch at the back of Ianto's throat. The action wasn't missed by Jack, the smile on his face turning into something much more sexy and seductive.

"I'm going to kiss you," Jack said, leaning forwards, going slow, and giving Ianto time to move away.

Ianto smiled as Jack's lips covered his in a gentle kiss, the other man's hands reaching up to hold his face softly. He couldn't help but groan and open to Jack's ministrations, the heat racing through him at the simple kiss.

"So the nurses-" a voice from the doorway said.

Ianto pulled away slowly, eyes lingering on Jack's, before turning to look at who had walked into the room.

"Ianto, how could you!" Lisa cried, looking at him, eyes full of betrayal.

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A/N - As always, let me know what you thought :).