Chapter 21

Jack sat at his desk trying to focus on the report in his hand that required his signature, but his mind was on his conversation with Martha. I have to snap out of this. I'm never going to clear this backlog unless I really start to focus on my work. We're lucky the Rift is unusually quiet so we can all deal with our backlog. Hmmm. I wonder how the others are coping with their backlog. Maybe I should check that.

Moving out of his chair and out the door to the landing, Jack looked down at Tosh, her eyes focused on her monitor while her fingers were flying across the keyboard. Owen was at his workstation working nearly as intently at his keyboard.

"Hey guys! I know the Rift has been quiet over the last week or so and I just wondered, considering how intensely we've been involved with Ianto, how you're all getting along with your backlog."

Without lifting her eyes from her screen when she heard Jack yell down to them, she raised her voice and answered, "No problem, Jack. I cleared all my backlog before the wedding, just as Gwen did before she left. I've been working on Ianto's backlog in between working on finding his deleted files. Should be finished in a couple of days."

Owen looked up at Jack and smirked at his boss, remembering when he had been in Jack's office just before how there were mounds of reports covering at least 90% of the Captain's desk.

"I'm the same as Tosh and Gwen. Managed to clear up my backlog too, the bulk of which forms at least one of those mounds on your desk. You know, you have enough to pile all those mounds into one large heap … enough for your own mountain. Of course, then all you'd have to do is think up a name for it, Harkness? How about Mount Tardy or Mount Procras … that being short for procrastination? Or maybe just Mount Toohard? Ooops! Innuendo implied but not intended."

Jack scowled as he met the medic's eyes, not bothering to reply and turned and walked back into his office, the sound of Owen's laughter following him. He slammed his door shut. Bastard. Next time he wants to leave work early … NO!

He realised with a shock after seating himself down, that the encounter with Owen had cleared his mind of all pressing matters other than his backlog. Jack allowed himself a small smirk and lifting up his pen, he began …

The Captain had made an appreciable dent in the largest mound when Toshiko knocked on his door. "Come in", he said in a distracted tone. Toshiko entered his office, a huge smile on her pretty face.

Jack's head lifted up and seeing the look on her face, he beamed at her, "You've done it, Tosh, haven't you?"

"Of course", she responded, satisfaction and pride in her voice, "and it's now sitting in your inbox."

"Toshiko Sato, what would we do without you?" Jack replied, getting up and walking over to the young Japanese genius and pulling her into a hug.

"Get absolutely nowhere, Jack", she answered with a laugh, "so I'll leave you to peruse it in peace." With a happy nod, she moved out of his embrace and walked out of his office.

Jack flicked his computer on, pulled a pad and pen into the clear space on his desk and waited, musing to himself. You're brilliant, Tosh. And I don't think you realise just how brilliant you are. If it wasn't for bloody UNIT, Tosh could be earning a small fortune in business for herself. That reminds me. I'll get Ianto to help me write up a permanent contract for Tosh. Hmmm. She really deserves a raise. A BIG raise. I think I can wrangle that for her.

Before opening Tosh's email, Jack noticed a new email from Gwen sitting there also. He paused. Why is Gwen emailing me? Why doesn't she just relax and enjoy her honeymoon? She'll be back in three weeks time and once Torchwood gets it's claws back in her, she'll wish she was back with Rhys in Spain.

Sighing, he flicked it open irritably, then stopped, staring in disbelief when he read her brief message:

Jack

Andy has just rung me and told me he's meeting with you tonight because you want to discuss something with him, he presumes a police case. What's the problem, Jack and do you need me to help?

Now don't panic, Jack, of course I'm not going to come home from my honeymoon – Rhys would divorce me! You know I've got my laptop with me so if it's something that isn't too time-consuming or complicated, then I'm sure I could manage.

Ring me and let me know. I'd rather that than an email response … so I can hear your sexy voice again, Jack. I've been missing you.

Love Gwen

Jack's throat tightened, then he let the breath he had been holding out in an loud expletive, "Fuck!" He didn't know which was worse … Andy telling Gwen about their meeting, or Gwen's last paragraph. Both were pretty bad. I'm not ringing you, Gwen. You'll just try and wheedle out of me why I want to meet with Andy. And as for missing me? Sexy voice? You might just be kidding around Gwen, but somehow, I don't think you are. Poor bloody Rhys. But deep down inside, Jack knew that he was to blame for Gwen's attitude … leading her on … flirting with her at her wedding. Yes. He was to blame for letting Gwen's infatuation with him carry on into her marriage. I'll deal with this when she comes home. Set the record straight about Ianto and me. And spend less time with her … especially alone. I nearly lost Ianto … I can't risk that again!

With a determined look on his face, Jack opened the email from Tosh, then opened the attachment. Taking a long draught of water from his bottle he began to read.

After an hour having reread it three times over and taken some notes, Jack put his pen down and rubbed his hands over his face, feeling fatigue wash over him. He'd written down the names of the detectives in charge of the case. No witnesses … willing to come forward. Just the ambulance driver and his partner's account of what happened when they arrived on the scene, talked to the man and his teenage daughter, neither of whom were willing to give their names. The young girl had given them details of exactly what happened and a rough timeframe. She had told them that when four of the students had held Ianto down and raped him, like all of the girls present, she couldn't watch and had just cried throughout Ianto's muffled screams.

The general description given to the police for the two the ambulance men had spoken with, was far too vague … it could have fit any number of middle-aged men and young girls in Newport.

He read how the detectives had conducted a number of interviews over the two months but without witnesses willing to make statements, including the reluctant victim himself, they had no leads … they had no case. They had tried haranguing Ianto to make him give them names, tried 'guilt-tripping' him but he remain stubbornly silent, convinced in his own haunted mind that the students would never harass anyone else … he would be their only victim.

Though not as gut-wrenching as the hospital records had been, detailing each and every one of Ianto's horrific injuries, it was still draining Jack of his emotional reserves. He checked his notes one more time, then carefully folder the papers and placed them in one of his inner pockets.

Glancing at the clock, 4.45 p.m., Jack decided he needed a long shower to recover and then change for his dinner with Andy. Moving out of his office, he looked down on Owen and Tosh, still engrossed in their screens.

"Hey you two", he called out to them, "time to call it a night. Thanks for everything you've done today, I know it's been hard. I'm going to make it up to you two soon. Owen, if you need to come in later tomorrow, don't worry about it. Tosh, I'll catch you later at Ianto's. Maybe I'll bring some dessert around for us."

Owen and Tosh looked up at Jack and both called out their thanks as they hurriedly closed down their computers, grabbed their coats and walked out of the Hub together. Jack sighed softly and moved down into his bunker, pulled some casual clothes out of his drawers and headed for the tiny bathroom to shower and shave. He made a mental note to pack a small bag with a change of clothes. He'd need them when he left Ianto's for work in the morning.