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Ianto went back to the rafters for a while, then down to Janet where he talked for a while, her take on it not much good as she simply offered to eat Adam for him.
"I love you Mama, but I think we need to learn what he is first" Ianto crooned, his hand on the glass accompanied by his lips in a kiss.
Then he turned to find Owen down there, upset and agitated as he went to feed Janet. Ianto slid back to the shadows of his cell and watched Owen angrily throw meat in to Janet, "Typical girl, after everything with Tosh, a floozy with floppy hair fucking smiles and she's off. A date, can you imagine? Tossing me for a bloody ginger?"
Ianto watched as Owen moved around him and then looked at him with a moment of confusion, "Ianto? What are you doing down here mate? Come on, let's go up."
"I will in a moment Owen, I just have to do some filing" Ianto said softly and Owen nodded then wandered off.
So they did remember him. They do know him. Just … Ianto realised they must all be actively blocking him, if he was right about this man he would not rest until he had everything. Ianto was strangely touched that he was considered something worth hiding in a time of infiltration.
They were under attack.
Ianto considered thing and then he went up, taking his time as he let his power draw in. Become small. Unassuming. The Coffee Boy.
Ianto entered the main hub and let himself be seen.
Adam immediately zoned in on him, his eyes widening as he realised there was another member he had somehow missed and he turned to Jack, "Who is that? Remember me asking about him?"
"Huh?" Jack said with a disinterested glance, "Oh. Jones. The Secretary. You remember, well … probably not. We don't usually see him in the daylight hours. We sometimes wonder if he's a vampire. You know … the one who cleaned up your desk when you spilt that sample all over it and we took you out for a coffee to feel better."
It hurt.
Ianto wasn't going to lie to himself even as he blocked it from Jack knowing it was a conscious attempt to protect Ianto that had him trying to distract Adam so he bowed and presented himself just out of arm's length.
"How may I serve?"
Adam blinked and stepped forward but Ianto stepped back.
"He doesn't like contact" Owen said with a sniff, "Sometimes I think he's a ghost and we are all imagining him."
Adam seized Owen's wrist and stared at Owen, "Tell me, when did we first get him? I can't remember."
Owen blinked and Adam frowned, dropping his hand and looking around, "Tosh? Love, when did Ianto arrive? Remember?"
They didn't know. This struck Ianto that they were not shielding this, he had simply been considered part of the furniture so effectively that they did not even know when he arrived. All they knew is that if was after T1.
Ah.
"Why Owen calls me a Ghost. Remember? The Ghost Shifts?" Ianto noticed the way Adam flinched and then seized Tosh's arm, her mind going straight to T1 and he knew that would jump her to UNIT and the cell she was locked in.
Adam stepped away from her like she was scalding hot, her own face shifting as her memory was dragged to one of the most terrifying time of her life.
So.
Remember was some sort of probe. He looked at memories, or maybe feelings connected to them.
Ianto considered as Andy bounced over, "Come on Adam. Ianto has always been here. He's been here longer than Jack. I remember seeing him when I was a kid, standing in the village green in the middle of a thunder storm"
Ianto blinked and looked at Andy with surprise as Adam seized his arm, stepping into Andy's space like they were about to slow dance.
"Remember?" Ianto said softly "When you were ten and broke your leg? Fell off your bike and into the ditch? You were in the water and might have drowned."
"But you were there too" Andy said softly "Ianto. You were there in the breeze, your voice. The leaves … the leaves were rustling and …. You lifted me out."
Adam stepped away from everyone as his confusion grew and Ianto finally stepped into his space, "Are you OK Adam?"
Adam reached out tentatively to touch the cheek of the man who seemed to shimmer with a heat that was so alluring, so … so ….
Ianto seized the hand and pulled Adam into his embrace, snarling as he let his eyes meet the monster's.
He let his memories flow.
