Chapter Twenty Nine

Toshiko looked at her phone. No calls no messages, nothing from Owen. She frowned. She'd call him just once more.

'Hello Owen it's Toshiko. I just want to know you're ok. Ring me when you can.' she hung the phone up again and put it down. She went to get a drink. The phone beeped she leapt on it immediately. She had a message and it was from Owen.

"Leave me alone!"

Toshiko reeled in shock and despair. Did he mean it? Was he joking? She had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach that it was all too real. He'd grown tired of her already. She knew it would probably happen, but so soon. Was it because Jack had found out? No surely his message would have been gentler. She suddenly felt very alone.


Jack looked at the computer the translation software had been working for some time to see if the swirls on Debbie's necklace meant anything. It was very hard to know if something was alien writing or just a pretty pattern. The machine beeped very proud of itself that it had come up with something.

"Protection through the web of levels"

'Interesting but what does it mean?'


Ianto's black cloud had thickened. He saw little point in anything. His stomach rumbled but he couldn't be bothered to eat. He stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom looking at the useless article in front of him. He looked at his razor the blade gleaming in the light. He'd already died once, might as well do it properly. He took the blade to his wrist the blade cutting into his soft flesh. Someone knocked at the door drawing his attention away for the moment.

'Ianto!' it was Gwen, she was hammering on the door.

He held his breath hoping she would go away.

'Ianto. I know you're there. I'm not leaving until I see you I mean it. I'll knock this door down if I have to. I'll do it! Think about the mess!'

He grabbed a towel to the small cut he'd made and went and opened the door.

'Right you've seen me, you can go away now,' he said without looking her in the eye and about to close the door again.

'No you don't,' she said blocking the door and forcing her way in. 'Look at the state of you. Ianto what's wrong?'

'Nothings wrong,'

'Clearly it is. What have you done to your wrist?'

'Nothing, it was just an accident.'

She pulled the towel away briefly and looked him in the eye.

'It wasn't an accident was it? Oh Ianto how did it come to this?'

Ianto broke down.

'It's me I'm useless,' he said dropping onto the sofa.

'Where did you get that from?'

'I bet you never even missed me what with that Stuart.'

'Of course I missed you that's why I'm here. Ianto you're very important to all of us.'

'Jack's replaced me,'

'How do you mean?'

'I caught him and Stuart together,'

'Oh, I see. But I thought you were the one who cooled it,'

'I was. I obviously wasn't as strong as I thought I was. I thought it would save me if, sorry when he found someone else. It's horrible.'

'No need for drastic measures though.'

'What have I got if I haven't got my job which I love or the man that I love?'

'You should tell Jack how you feel.'

'It's too late.'

'It's never too late. I bet you it's nothing serious between him and Stuart. You know he's susceptible to a pretty face.' she said with a small hopefully encouraging smile. 'Come on let's go to the hub and get this mess sorted out.'

'I can't go in this state.'

'Well tidy yourself up then. Although I'm keeping my eye in you while you shave.'


Owen put down the phone.

'What was it?' Jack asked.

'It's not good. Debbie's been taken to hospital.'

'Why?'

'Attempted suicide,'

'Her too?'

'What is it with all these suicides?'

'We took her protection away,'

'Ay?'

'The necklace was protecting her some how, from something.'

'Like what?'

'I'm not sure,'

The giant cog rolled back and Owen and Jack could hear muttering. Not enough to be heard though. Eventually Gwen and Ianto appeared. She seemed to be holding his hand.

'Is there something we should know?' Jack joked.

'Please don't,' Ianto whispered to her. Let me just get back to normal.' Ianto begged.

'Is everything ok?' Jack asked.

'Yes I'm fine,' Ianto said.

'Where's Stuart?' Gwen asked.

'I don't know I haven't seen him for a while.'

Gwen saw Ianto relax slightly.

'Drinks?' he asked with a glimmer of the old Ianto returning.

Ianto was handing out the freshly made drinks when Jack noticed his newly bandaged wrist.

'What's that?' Jack asked.

'Nothing,' he said withdrawing quickly. 'I just cut myself that's all.'

'Funny place to do it,' he said grabbing hold of Ianto's wrist and undoing the bandage for a look. 'I hope to God this isn't what it looks like!'

Ianto collapsed into a chair head in his hands.

'Gwen?' Jack enquired. Just the look in her eyes confirmed his worst fears.

Jack gently pulled Ianto's head up to look at him. His face was stained in tears. 'Why?' was Jack's simple question.

'Because I wasn't needed.'

'Whoever told you that?'

'Stuart was...'

'He could never replace you,' he said pulling Ianto in close. 'Never!'