This was the point that I was actually going to end this story... but I didn't. This is the end of the first section of it though, I'm too lazy at the moment to change the chapter titles to tell anyone that.
"Jesus, Jack!" Doctor Tim Davies put a hand to his chest feeling the pounding of his heart. At least the moment he had seen the shadow move in his office he had know instantly who was there. There wasn't that second of panic, when the mind tried to identify what it was seeing. Jack stepped forward, away from the shadows of the bay window and into the light from the computer screen on the desk. With a huff of irritation Tim backed up two steps and flipped on his office light. The bright bulb made both men wince. Jack, uncharacteristically, swore.
"Serves you right," Tim announced, stepping forward and dropping the file he was carrying on his desk. He turned to look at Jack, and he waited. "Drink?" he asked in the pause. Jack didn't reply, other than to sit down in the nearest chair. Tim turned and went to the bookcase that ran across one wall. On one shelf, between a cluster of medical books sat a bottle and several glasses. Tim poured two drinks and brought them back over. He handed one to Jack and took the corresponding chair, turning it so he could face the other man, giving a mild frown of disapproval as Jack slouched down and put his booted feet on Tim's desk. Jack sipped at his drink before saying.
"You haven't instigated the protocol."
Tim frowned at him. "Of course I bloody haven't!"
"I said after 48 hours to instigate it, it's now a week later."
"So? I know what you're like, and anyway if I had done that, what do you think UNIT Central would do? Some up-himself Colonel would order Ianto transferred for a 'debrief'," Tim exaggerated the last word. "Getting their hands on a Torchwood employee would make their day. Ianto is no way well enough for that, I know it, no doubt you know it, which leads me to think that you knew full well that I would never instigate it in that time period."
"No, I didn't," Jack said. Tim looked Jack in the eye. There were more than a few people that would never do that, but Tim would. He'd lived long enough, and done enough, that Jack couldn't cause a tremor of fear in him. It did years ago, but it was different then; and now Tim had Ianto to think of.
"Bullshit," Tim said, having got bored of just maintaining the eye-stare. "You know full well I only follow UNIT protocols if it's convenient, do you really think I was going to unleash those jackals on him the state he's in."
"Jackals," Jack said with a grin, he tipped his glass at Tim. "Cute," he added before taking a heavy swallow of the alcohol, draining the glass. With a sigh and an eye-roll Tim got up to get the bottle. Bringing it back he topped up Jack's glass and put the bottle on the table, so they could both reach it.
"You can inform Doctor Harper that Ianto's through the drug withdrawl, and I can send him any further information if he needs it."
"Assuming I've come for Ianto."
"Why else would you turn up?" Tim asked.
"To check he's all right, and to make sure you did what I asked you to."
"Why, Jack? Why would I do it? He needs you, whatever happened is never going to go away unless you make it."
"You don't know what me coming back for him will mean," Jack said.
Tim settled back in his chair and looked at Jack. "When was the last time you slept?"
"Don't start that routine with me," Jack snapped.
"Certainly not this week, I take it."
Jack glowered, but again it didn't bother Tim. He just swallowed his drink and poured himself another.
"So, you came to make sure I instigated the protocol? What do you think they will do to him?"
Jack's jaw tensed and he looked away. "You'd see him all right."
"I'd try, of course I would. I would do my best for him, but you abandoning him will not to Ianto any good, if you think you are trying to protect him then don't bother."
"Am I?"
"Don't be cryptic Jack, it's not cute, or clever, just bloody annoying," Tim snapped. Jack huffed a laugh and looked away. Tim carried on.
"He's waiting for you, that much is obvious. I know what it means Jack, I saw you walk away from here with a purpose, and whatever you did, to come back for him means it comes right back full circle to him. And you have to deal with him."
"Something like that," Jack eventually said.
"Look, I know whatever he did was bad," Tim said. Jack frowned.
"How do you know he did anything?"
"When he has nightmares he talks in his sleep. It's not always very clear, but it's clear enough to know he did something and you're mopping up the mess."
"It wasn't entirely his fault, not this part of it anyway, this was just a follow on problem," Jack said. He moved the glass round on the desk, letting the light catch the cut glass, and the liquid inside. For a moment it seemed to be the most fascinating thing in the world. Tim wasn't fooled by that though, Jack's mind was heavily focussed on Ianto.
"Technically I could execute him for treason."
"If you were going to do that, wouldn't you have done it already?" Tim said.
"Retcon is pretty much a similar thing, I could make him forget everything."
"My previous argument stands. Those are things you could have already done, which means you don't want to kill him or retcon him, which leaves you only one other option."
"No, it doesn't, you were my other option."
"What? I shunt him into the UNIT detainment system and let them completely rip him to pieces, if that's what is going to happen to him, it's better you do it."
Tim felt a surge of satisfaction as he saw Jack wince. He waited a moment before adding.
"And are you entirely certain you want someone that broken handed over to UNIT Central. I'd say that young man has a lot of classified information in his head."
Jack said nothing, Tim waited, sipping at his drink.
"Why are you trying to avoid facing him? That is most definitely not like you."
"I know, but the protocol says I should kill him."
Tim laughed, "yeah, because you really make an effort to follow Torchwood protocols, unless of course it's the most convenient answer."
"This time it would be."
"But you don't want to," Tim mused. "Again Jack, you never struck me as someone afraid to take the hard road either. And whatever you went off to do, you had some purpose to protecting him."
"I don't know if I can fix this, Tim," Jack said. Tim looked back at him very levelly and reaching out took the bottle and put some more into Jack's glass.
"Well, Jack, I think you're the only one that can."
Jack let himself into Ianto's room, Tim had given him a security pass to allow him entry. Jack wondered if locking Ianto in was more to make him feel secure than any need to actually contain him. One of the wall lights glowed dimly, since Tim had found that Ianto needed some light if he woke, so he could at least reassure himself where he was. Jack paused as he looked at the young man curled up on the bed.
Ianto had pulled his knees up to his chest and the duvet was wadded up around him, one arm out, holding the bedding tightly around him, his hand clenched on the material. There was a slight frown on his forehead, even in sleep Ianto couldn't seem to relax. Jack looked at him in sympathy, seeing the now shaven hair. It was no longer than a eighth of an inch all over. The hair loss was just getting too much. Tim had assured Jack it was growing back, but they had been forced to take measures while it did so. To Jack, it made Ianto look even more vulnerable than he already was.
His throat tightened as he thought back to the vision he had experienced in the basement of Torchwood House. Tim had been right about one thing, whatever Ianto had done, he had certainly endured enough punishment after it. He had been beaten, raped, starved, tortured and given a cocktail of drugs that could have possibly been lethal. Yet, Ianto had still managed to escape and find his way to Jack, to get help or to warn him. Jack wasn't entirely certain of the motivation, but either way, Ianto had got through it.
There wasn't much left of him now, Ianto was completely shattered; still Jack had to admit there was some strength surviving in there. He wondered if he wanted to let that go so easily, but on the flip side Jack was fairly certain that Ianto wouldn't be much use to anyone ever again. Or was Tim right, Jack wondered, was he giving up without even trying.
Stepping forward he sat on the edge of the bed and reached out a hand to brush Ianto's cheek. His frown deepened and he stirred on the bed.
"Hey, Ianto," Jack murmured, his voice low. His hand moved to shake his shoulder gently. That seemed to have more of an effect, Ianto's eyes shot open and he sat up abruptly. For a moment it was clear he didn't realise who had woken him. He gasped and gave a whimper of panic, pulling the duvet around him, and then Jack brushed his fingers over Ianto's cheek again.
"It's just me, it's all right."
Ianto jerked again and blinked, staring at Jack with wide eyes, they were emphasized by the lack of hair, the loss of one feature making the others more prominent. For a moment his gaze was blank, then Ianto blinked and focussed.
"Jack?" he said his name as if he wasn't quite sure. Then he reached out a hand to touch Jack's arm, feeling the material of Jack's coat under his palm. He looked down at what he was doing, and when he looked back up Jack saw the glimmer of tears in Ianto's eyes, then he started to cry.
Jack shifted on the bed, moving so he could pull Ianto to him, wrapping an arm around his waist and holding him against his side. Ianto sobbed heavily, burying his face into Jack's shoulder, his hands tightening on his coat.
"All right Ianto, it's all right,"
Ianto continued to cry, desperately gulping for air, but he didn't bring his head up. He stayed buried against Jack, grasping hold of him tightly as if he was frightened to let go. Jack clung onto him, putting his other hand to the back of Ianto's neck, brushing his fingers over the stubble on Ianto's head as he tried to soothe him.
"It's over now, Ianto, it's all over."
The hands holding onto his coat tightened, and Ianto took a deep heavy breath, trying to get himself under control. Jack didn't worry about it, he knew Ianto would eventually calm down. He rocked him like a frightened child, murmuring in a low tone as he tried to ease Ianto's upset.
Jack understood it; Ianto knew what Jack's return meant. Jack had done what he had set out to do, destroying the people that had tortured and abused Ianto, and there was no mistaking the fact that they were never coming back. Jack had been ruthless about that and Ianto deep down had to know that. The sheer enormity of that fact had to hit Ianto, knowing that he was safe and knowing that it was Jack had had done it.
"It's over, it's okay, it's over."
Jack said it, and it was true. Part of it was over. He had dealt with the threat, a threat which had lingered not just over Ianto but also Torchwood as a whole. However, neither of them could avoid the fact that it wasn't over. Jack had addressed the threat, now he had to address Ianto. He had been right, execution was what was expected, the amount of retcon he would be required to give Ianto was nothing short of the same thing. Jack didn't want to do either.
It would have made his life simple if Tim had instigated the protocol, and Tim was also right in saying that Jack didn't usually shy away from dealing with things. Jack knew this was his to deal with, the employee who had deceived him, murdered him and hoped that his team-mates would kill him.
Ianto continued to cry tears of relief, shame and fear, while Jack gently held onto him, calming him down and reassuring him as best as he could. Both of them knew, however, that it was not over.
For both of them, it was really just beginning.