Chapter 13

Jack's whole body felt as though it was on fire. Anger sizzled inside him from his head to his toes and he had the need to just punch something, anything, anyone. His mind was swimming with confusion. All he could picture in his head was Ianto and Owen. Owen didn't get defensive like that for anyone. Especially not tea boy. Something had happened between them. Jack knew it. He felt sick as he thought of his baby growing inside Ianto, and Ianto doing things with Owen. Of all people, Owen. Last time he had checked the two weren't even friends. They certainly didn't like each other.

A knocking at the door snapped him out his thoughts, he turned his head ready to let rip at whoever was standing there. The anger seemed to stop when he saw Toshiko standing there. He couldn't let his aggression out on her. He just couldn't. "Come in." He sighed, defeated.

"Jack, where's Ianto?" She asked, stepping into his office slowly, almost hesitantly.

Jack looked down. "I... he ran off." Jack admitted feebly.

"What did you say to him?" Toshiko sighed. Jack looked up at her. How could she have known he said something to him? Maybe Owen's rant about him being back had caused Ianto to run off, but standing there in the office they both knew that, that wasn't the case. Jack had made Ianto do the one thing they both hated. Run.

"I...I just..."

"You just what Jack?" Toshiko snapped. Jack was stunned. He had never seen Toshiko like that. Toshiko was Switzerland. She didn't get into anyone's business, and no one went to her for the go between. "You followed him down to the archives, I saw you."

"I...We spoke."

"Spoke? Whatever you said caused him to flee from here pretty quickly." She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. "If you've hurt him..."

"I'd never..."

"You're a different man. I can see it in your eyes. You look like Jack but there's something not right. Look at what you're doing now, Jack. Fists clenched at your side, that isn't like you. You're angry and you're lashing out. I can see it in your face that you want to lash out on Owen, so I sent him home."

"You're not in..."

"In charge here? No, now I guess you're back I'm not. But this isn't about taking control. This is about doing what's right, and the way you're acting. It's not right Jack. And you know it."

"I...I know." Jack sighed. "It's...Everything's changed."

"You left Jack. Two years is a long time. I know you were expecting to come back and have Ianto fall back to your side, and he has Jack. He didn't do anything with anyone while you were away. He carried and had your baby, and he was so scared Jack. He felt like a freak. And do you know who was there for him when his morning sickness got so bad he couldn't even make it to the bathroom, or when his mood swings made Gwen cry? Owen. Owen was there for him every step of the way."

"I should have..."

"You didn't know." Toshiko whispered. "But you're lashing out and pushing Ianto away, and you need to realise that you're not just pushing Ianto away any more. You're pushing your son too."

Jack looked down, surprised to find his eyes welling up with tears. "I was so mean to him Tosh." Jack admitted. The words he had spat at Ianto firing back at him like bullets.

"Go to him, Jack. Apologise. Explain what you're thinking, feeling."

"I'm scared." Jack hated the words that slipped from his lips.

"So was he, Jack. And he didn't have you. You have him." Toshiko said before walking out, leaving Jack with his thoughts.