26

For the last ten minutes Ianto was talking about staying in the basement for the long-term, but in order to do that they needed to stock up on food and water. The sanitation was also a problem, but not an absolute necessity.

Stripy Steve thought that Ianto's idea wouldn't work, but Jack was coming round to the idea. Sue was in too much shock to string a sentence together.

"It's okay," Ianto told the group, getting ready to acquire the supplies from the establishment. "I'll go on my own."

"Thanks, Ianto, but I'm better off alone." Jack tried to explain, "It's been quiet up there, but if one of those things does turn up out of nowhere and bites me, I could turn and then they'd be two of us attacking you."

Steve said, "And probably trying to get in here."

Ianto glared at Jack and he knew there was no more discussion on who was going.

Ianto added, "We'll only be a few minutes at the most. I think it's safer this way, unless someone desperately needs the toilet."

All shook their heads.

Ianto added, "I'll try and bring toilet roll and buckets down as well."

"Fuck that," Gwen scoffed. "If there's a perfect working toilet, I'm still using it."

"What about the dangers?" asked Steve.

"I'll take the risk."

Ianto disagreed with Gwen, but could see by her face she was adamant and he didn't want to cause an argument. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, he thought.

Ianto approached the basement's steps. Jack turned to Owen, "Make sure you bolt this door once I leave."

"Not taking the shotgun?"

Jack showed his Webley and Ianto tapped his pocket, suggesting he had his knife.

Ianto slowly opened the door and peered out the small opening. It was clear, and he could feel a draught stroking his skin, obviously from the wind coming from the smashed window in the living room.

Although certain that the establishment was barren of Hitchers, Ianto wasn't entirely sure, and this made his frame shake with fear. He stepped out of the basement, into the kitchen, and Jack closed the door behind them. As he heard Owen bolting it behind him, he decided to take small steps around the place. He left the kitchen to go down the hall.

Jack peered into the living room and could see the carnage he was partly responsible for.

Jack moved on as Ianto hesitated.

Once he checked the downstairs, he was going to go upstairs to get toilet roll, but he lost his nerve and went straight back into the kitchen, Jack rising alone. He knocked on the basement door and whispered through the door, "The ground floor's clear. Open up."

Owen opened up, and ignoring Steve's protest, Ianto told Owen to keep the door open whilst he passed food to him. He had found a cupboard under the sink and took out some carrier bags.

Ianto began filling the bags with tins, drinks, stuff from the fridge, and utensils, and passed them to Owen. Owen had organised a 'human train' and once Ianto handed over bags, they made their way, hand by hand, to the floor.

Stripy Steve was as nervous as hell having the door open, but thought that if he didn't pull his weight and give them a hand, it was going to take them longer to achieve this, meaning that the door would be open for longer. He only helped out of fright, and his cowardice was understandable, but he was beginning to piss Gwen off.

Once they were done, Ianto found some buckets under the sink, three in all, and passed them to Gwen. She looked at him with a blank expression. "I told you, I'm not shitting in no bucket."

"We can use them for anything. Pissing, vomiting, you name it."

"Sounds wonderful," she derided as she reluctantly took the buckets off of him and snapped, "We can't stay in this basement forever."

"So what do you suggest?" Jack asked calmly.

"We need to get the house boarded up. Then we can stay in the house as normal. We may as well use the amenities while the electricity is still working. We can get someone to keep a lookout for any dangers, and if there is one, we can all bolt back to the basement."

"It's too dangerous." Jack shook his head in disagreement.

"You still have faith on your 'friend' fixing this?" Ianto whispered and Jack nodded as he hoped with all his might that the Doctor was onto it.

"I'm not staying down here if it's quiet in the house. We're in the barrens, in the middle of nowhere. We're probably in one of the less populated areas in Wales." Gwen was arguing.

"Quiet? We got attacked by some of those things." Jack pointed out with raised eyebrows.

"And now they're dead. What're the chances of there being more of them?"

"Every chance," Ianto said with a negative tone in his voice.

"At least let's discuss it with the others."

"Fine" Jack answered "But let's remember that you are taking the lead with this one."

"This isn't a Torchwood matter anymore" Gwen challenged, "We are all in this together."

"Whatever you say Gwen by all means, lead away!" Jack swept his arm and she stormed from the room as Ianto reached out to take the still outstretched hand.

There was no response needed.

Ianto knew who his Captain was.

If Jack had faith in the Doctor, so did he..