Ok, I'm gonna be trying to get as much as possible done in the next couple of weeks and posted because when college starts I'm sure there will be good few weeks where I won't have a lot of time to do fics. Plus I'm busy working on some Original Work, so it may be a bit of a flood then drought situation with the fic. Just a forewarning, it may turn out that I end up writing loads once September rolls around.

Thanks for all your support you've been giving me!

Enjoy!

Chapter 32

(21st September 2008)

When Jack awoke, he quickly showered, dressed in fresh clothes and climbed up the ladder into his office. He glanced at his clock. It was nearly one in the afternoon. He found Gwen, Tosh and Owen whispering to each other furiously. They all fell silent as they heard his loud footsteps.

"Everyone caught up now?" asked Jack lightly, although he was annoyed. There was a definite downside to living in each others ears. Nothing was left unpicked as they devoured each others lives and gossip. He was as guilty as they were for the habit, but being on the other end was not half as fun.

"We've guessed the basics."

"Helps that we saw you cop a snog and feel of the ginger and set Ianto off again." said Owen viciously.

"It wasn't as if I knew he was there, or did it as an attack-" Jack pursed his lips, cutting himself off. Why did he have to justify himself? He hadn't done anything technically wrong. "And you can't talk about causing trouble by snogging members of this organisation and pissing others off!"

Owen narrowed his eyes, Gwen blanched and Tosh closed her eyes in exasperation. They were, not necessarily mercifully, saved by Ianto's abrupt return to the Hub. He was soaking from the still pouring rain, and he looked completely desolate and lost.

"Ianto!" Gwen pounced on him with a little more enthusiasm than she might have if she hadn't been desperate for a change of subject. "You're soaking wet pet. What have you been doing?"

"L-looking." stuttered Ianto, his teeth chattering. He'd lost his coat somewhere along the way and was wearing a shirt and jeans. Tosh ran to get a blanket, while Gwen said, putting her arm around the middle of his back since she couldn't reach his shoulders properly.

"Looking for what sweetheart?"

"k-kaela." mumbled Ianto. His mobile was between his palms, and the hands touched his lips as he lifted them like he was praying, still mumbling. "B-been l-looking for her. Sh-she's gone."

"Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"G-gone!" exclaimed Ianto, sounding devastated. Tosh came back and threw the blanket around him and together she and Gwen pulled him to the couch. Owen and Jack kept their distance. But Jack did not feel wary of Ianto's temper. Whatever was going through Ianto's head now had put a dampener on his anger, for now at least. "I wanted to find her, I –I fucked up. I wanted to apologise."

'Were you ever gonna apologise to me?' wondered Jack, narrowing his eyes.

Ianto continued, "I couldn't find her, her stuffs gone from my house and –and she's not answering her phone."

"I'll track it." said Tosh soothingly. Ianto gave her a grateful look and for a moment it was almost easy to forget all that had happened lately. Then Jack mentally slapped himself and watched Tosh hurry to her computer with increasingly bad temper. But Ianto's pathetic appearance and stutter kept him calm enough to allow it.

"W-wanted to… gotta fix this." mumbled Ianto.

"Whatever's going on between you two, I'm sure you'll fix it." said Gwen, rubbing his back. Ianto shook his head,

"Not just that! All of it. I've fucked up so bad."

There was a tense silence as the rest of the team looked at each other and then at Ianto, hardly daring to think what had been the impossible. Was Ianto trying to apologise to them? Was he finally trying to fix things?

But Ianto twitched and then buried his face in his hands and said no more. Tosh came back with a frown on her face.

"I can't track it, she must have a jamming signal or something. The phone doesn't appear to be on the planet."

"Oh Jesus!" Ianto looked up, horrified, "You don't think-"

"The Rift didn't swallow her up Ianto, don't be stupid." said Jack firmly. Ianto flinched. "She's probably just switched the tracker off. She'll turn up when she's ready."

"What if she doesn't?" asked Ianto, still shivering, although not as badly.

"She has to. She's got that review to finish."

"God, that fucking review!" snarled Ianto. "Why the fuck is Archie making her do it? It's not fair on anyone."

"Wait, she's being made to do this?" Gwen looked amazed. Jack rolled his eyes. He, for one, had been sure that was obvious.

"Of course she is!" snapped Ianto. "Why would she try to undermine and discredit the team she's been defending since she started working for Torchwood?"

Before Gwen could respond the computers started beeping.

"Jack! Eight weevils are making their way into Cathays Park."

Jack leaned forward over her shoulder to check the CCTV. The Weevils all looked big and grouchy.

"Crap." They would need the five of them to have a chance of reigning them in. "Everyone grab your stuff. Ianto!" Ianto jumped and looked up. "You in?"

The others paused and stared at the two men. Jack made it clear by a single expression that all was not forgiven or forgotten, but he was giving Ianto a chance. Ianto stared back, wide-eyed, but then nodded anxiously. He looked almost desperate to go with them.

Jack hesitated a moment, unsure if he was fit for the job, then nodded, "Ok, grab a kit and get to the SUV."

Ianto nodded again and scrambled to his feet. He hurried after the others who deliberately looked in every other direction. Jack hoped he'd made the right call.

~*~

As it turned out, he had. When Jack hadn't been looking, two weevils had advanced on Tosh, one she saw and one she hadn't. Ianto had leapt onto the back of the one behind her and sprayed it full in the face. It let out that mournful groan and collapsed to the ground under Ianto's weight. Tosh was able to get the other one and both got bagged and cuffed. Jack eyed the cuffs with a slightly nasty look. It had only been a few hours ago he'd been in those cuffs. Ianto seemed to have similar thoughts.

They dragged the Weevils to the sewers and Ianto jumped down first to catch the Weevils as Jack and Owen lowered them down. Then Jack climbed down and helped Ianto unbag and uncuff them all again. This was done in complete silence and Jack was sure if he had spoken, Ianto would have taken off running.

They climbed out of the sewers and the team all stood there in awkward silence, not really looking at anyone, as the rain continued to pour down. Gwen's hair was sticking to her face in locks, while Tosh's was falling out of the nice twist she'd put it into. Ianto's was plastered to his head and Jack's was fighting a loosing battle against gravity and rain. His fringe was already stuck to his brow.

Jack looked around at the team and sighed. The sound made everyone look at him, big-eyed and looking for solutions. But Jack had none.

"C'mon. Back to the Hub, everyone."

They slowly nodded and climbed into the SUV, whose leather seats squeaked and groaned as the wet clothes rubbed against it.

Not a single sound was made by anyone in the car, and everyone was as tense as if they were expecting an attack. Jack pressed his lips together, feeling the others frustration and awkwardness, but said nothing. They were all adults here. He couldn't tell them how to feel.

Myfanwy screeched as they plodded back into the Hub. Ianto looked up to watch her fly overhead. Jack watched him. He looked as exhausted as Jack felt, and so unbearably young. It hurt to watch him, but Jack didn't look away. Ianto must have felt his gaze because he tentatively glanced at Jack. The nervousness was such a change from the angry and indignant man Jack had been dealing with for a month that it was a little disconcerting.

"We need to clean up." said Jack gruffly. "The sewer stink isn't doing any good for anyone."

Ianto nodded, but he pulled out his phone and dialled a number. He obviously didn't get an answer because he looked upset as he snapped the phone closed. Jack jerked his head in the direction of the showers, "C'mon."

Ianto followed him. It was like Lisa had happened all over again, that same bloody subservience brought on by shock and guilt. Jack wondered if there was any way of snapping Ianto back to normal. The playful, quippy man who'd never been afraid to lace an innuendo into their private conversations. It would probably take time, and maybe it was for the best. Everyone, Jack included, was too raw and tender from the emotional battering they'd all taken lately for Ianto to be acting normally.

The showers were small, white-tiled cubicles with plain white curtains. Big enough for two if you squeezed, but Jack didn't feel like squeezing. He stripped off without looking at Ianto and then got into the shower, the cold jet of water before it heated up refreshing him. He heard Ianto get into the next shower and turn it on. Soon, he heard another set of footsteps. It was Owen, come to warm up. The girls were no doubt already in their shower area.

Jack had always resented the single-sex showers.

When he was warm again, and smelled like fruit and not shit, Jack got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. Normally he wouldn't bother, especially since walking around naked was a great way to uniformly fluster both Ianto and Owen –for very different reasons. But games were not on the agenda today.

Jack dressed quickly, and was buttoning up his blue shirt as Ianto emerged slowly, rubbing a second towel over his hair. Jack stared at the wet chest for a moment, then looked away with a sigh. Only a month ago he wouldn't have hesitated.

Owen's arrival was very welcome. The brothers glanced at each other, then Ianto looked away, going to his locker and starting to dress. Owen watched him for a moment, then nearly bashed into the lockers behind him as he spun around when Ianto tugged the towel around his waist to start dressing. Jack felt laughter bubble up inside him as Owen tried to look casual and not embarrassed that he'd nearly seen his brother naked. He quickly repressed it, but felt his lips wobble, trying to smile.

It was only when Jack finished tying his bootlaces that he looked at Ianto again and did a double take. Ianto was wearing a suit. It was probably the only thing in his locker, but it still surprised Jack. It was like a uniform for Ianto, as if he was back in the team properly again and ready to work. Jack didn't know if that's what was going on in Ianto's head, but Jack knew he sure as hell wasn't going to just let things be normal again out of nowhere. They had to work at it. Ianto had to work at it.

Jack gave his bootlace a final tug and then stood up and strode out of the locker room.

~*~

Owen and Ianto watched him go, then Ianto pulled out his phone again. He made a call and snarled in frustration when he got no answer.

"If she's made it untrackable, what's the likelihood she'll answer you?" said Owen brusquely.

"It's worth a fucking try!" snapped Ianto.

"So that sad puppy act is only for Jack is it?" demanded Owen, feeling emotionally overstretched.

"-fucks sake there is no act! It's bad enough I've fucked up, but you do not get to start lording it over me again, this is as much your fault as anyone's!" Ianto slammed the locker shut and turned to face Owen.

"Lording it over you? You've been lording my mistake over me since it happened."

"And how long did it take you to stop after Lisa? At least four months. And in truth it never really stopped. You always had to belittle and sneer at everything I did. My suits, my coffee, my job, my relationship with Jack. You must absolutely thrilled to bits that I've fucked that up so bad."

"NO!!!"

Both men visibly jumped and looked to the doorway. Tosh was in furious tears, her hair still soaking as she glared at them.

"No! You two cannot keep fighting! I can't take anymore of your bullshit! Neither of you are in the right and neither of you has the right to be arrogant about the other. If you have to fight, if that's your awful, pathetic way of handling your relationship, then fucking do it outside this Hub. But I cannot listen to another minute of your petty and self-righteous fighting!"

Both of them snapped their mouths shut, mostly out of shock. Ianto dropped his eyes, looking guilty. A moment later Owen did the same. They looked up again as Gwen came in, put her arms around Tosh and led her out of the changing room, murmuring soothing words to her.

Neither Ianto or Owen said anything more as they dressed and then made their way up to the Hub, a huge gap between them as they went.

As they entered the Main Hub, they saw Jack snapping his phone shut.

"Micka's not answering her phone for me either."

Ianto narrowed his eyes in obvious annoyance, although whether it was at the nickname or the fact that Jack was calling her was anyone's guess. But he said nothing and looked around as if searching for something to do. Jack glanced at his watch. Owen checked his phone. It was nearly five. It had taken that long to sort out the damn Weevils in the shitty weather.

Jack dropped his hand into a sweeping circle as it went down to his waist and then up behind his opposite elbow as he folded his arms with a sigh. "Maybe we should call it a day. We're all tired and wrung out. Go home you two. When the girls come up I'll send them along as well."

Owen glanced at Ianto then stuck his hand in his pocket, clasping the Thunderbird 2 box, which he'd been carrying around everywhere since Ianto had given it to him. He still hadn't been able to make his decision. It was a surprisingly hard thing to decide if he could really forgive his mother, after all this time. He saw how unhappy Ianto looked at the idea of going home and cleared his throat, about to suggest that Ianto come with him, but their argument still stung, even if Tosh's tears had hurt more. So instead he said to Jack,

"Right, I'm off then. Oh, by the way, I'm keeping that tooth Ianto knocked out of your hard head. Anything of yours is bound to have some freakish properties, including those blinding tombstones you call teeth."

Jack scowled at him, but nodded. Owen nodded back and then walked out. Ianto followed him. They were silent as they went into the car park. Ianto watched as Owen got in his car. Owen rolled his eyes and rolled down the window.

"What are you looking for?" he asked, feeling tired.

"I don't know anymore." said Ianto, looking lost.

"Yeah… well, that makes two of us." Owen started the engine. "Must run in the family."

He reversed out of the parking space, then turned towards the exit. He looked up at the rearview mirror and stared at Ianto, who was staring back. Owen tapped his fingers against the dashboard, palms spread out over the wheel. He should probably call Ianto to him, let him stay with him, give him some kind of reassurance. But Owen decided it was important that Ianto see he would not get any sympathy for his fuck ups. Owen never did.

Ok, that was a lie, but as Owen drove away, he insistently told himself that this was for the better. If Ianto saw how alone he could end up being if he didn't stop his behaviour, then maybe there was a chance they could all sit down and sort this out.

Owen didn't dare look back lest he change his mind.

I'm feeling quite bad for Tosh now. More soon. Reviews are awesome!

Night's Darkness/Ginger