As the cog door rolled open and the alarms blared to signify the team's return, Jack barely looked up from his desk. He'd had to stay behind to take a phone call from some high ranking official in the army wanting to know what Torchwood actually did, a colossal waste of Jack's time in his opinion. The rift alert had been relatively small, and Jack knew the four of them could handle it without him. After all they'd kept everything going without him for months before, he was trying to take a step back and show them how much he trusted them.
But then raised voices caught his attention, the frenzied scuffles from below alerting him that not everything had gone to plan. He craned his head to listen to what was going on, not wanting to immediately jump in and take over.
"I had it why did he go and do that?!" Gwen was shrieking, her voice carrying over the clattering of instruments being cleared off the worktop and a person-sized clunk as someone was placed on the table,
"Shut up Gwen and let me work! Come on Ianto, mate, not like this"
And that was enough to have Jack on his feet and hurtling down the stairs in seconds. He got to the autopsy bay and stopped in horror. Gwen was leaning against the wall, gasping out sobs. Tosh was desperately trying to keep it together, a tight grimace on her face, passing Owen whatever he asked for as he barked out orders. He was frantically working, cutting open his patient's shirt to place electrodes on his chest.
But Jack's eyes had gone immediately to Ianto's face, pale and still, not reacting as Owen pounded his chest, which was already purple with bruising down one side.
"What happened?" he gasped out, turning to Gwen, whose eyes were fixed on Ianto,
"Gwen" he yelled to pull her attention, "Talk to me"
"He…" She swallowed, "the alien was something we'd never seen before, it was so hostile, I was going to try and reason with it, but it just started attacking! I was trying to escape, I would've been fine but Ianto he…. He threw himself between me and the alien, got me out the way. He saved me but it meant that he was caught"
"What did it do to him?!" Jack was fighting to keep his voice even,
"It grabbed him. it had some kind of electrical capability it was like he'd been shocked. And it threw him right across the alley. Owen had to…. he had to…"
"I've had to de-fib him, Jack" Owen cut across them, still frantically working on Ianto, "I don't know how much more he can take, if his heart stops again…."
As if on cue the monitors began beeping wildly. Owen swore violently and reached for an injection, plunging it directly into Ianto's chest,
"All of you get out of here while I work on him, Jack you too"
"Like hell am I leaving him!" Jack roared, eyes wide as he watched on,
"NOW!" Owen yelled back, "My focus needs to be Ianto I can't be worrying about all of you! Gwen, Tosh, get him out of here"
The women moved as one to guide a protesting Jack out of there, the three of them settling on the sofa in silence as Owen frantically tried to save his patient. Jack gripped their hands so tightly he could've crushed them but neither stopped him, needing the comfort themselves as they waited for news. They all gasped as one as they heard the monitor flat-line and Owen power up the defibrillator. The dull thud of the paddles hit Jack as if they were placed on his own chest, his eyes closing as a mantra repeated through his head
Not yet. I can't lose him yet. Its too soon. Not yet
It was far too long before the slow, rhythmic beeping of the monitors returned, accompanied by a collective sigh of relief from the autopsy bay and the sofa. Jack got to his feet as Owen rounded the corner, rubbing the back of his neck wearily,
"He's not out of the woods yet. He's got broken ribs from where he was thrown, one of which grazed his lung. There was a massive strain on his heart from the electricity, I had to restart it twice so I wouldn't be surprised if there's damage. And because of everything else I can't rule out brain damage"
Trying to push all of that to the back of his mind and just focus on the fact that he was at least alive, Jack nodded, "Can we see him?"
"He hasn't woken up and I can't give a timeline as to when that'll happen. I'd also like to remind you all of the dead alien in the boot of the SUV. I'd like to take a look at it at some point, seeing as we've never seen it before"
"Tosh, Gwen, sort the car out" Jack called over his shoulder, already moving past Owen to where Ianto lay. Owen rolled his eyes but didn't comment, watching as Jack pulled up a stool to sit at his lover's side. They all knew they were shagging, of course, and from the way they spoke and acted around each other they'd strongly suspected it was more than that. But seeing them now made it abundantly clear. Jack was terrified of losing Ianto. The haunted look in his eyes as he watched the slow movement of his chest, the way he softly traced the bruises with his fingertips, was enough for Owen to see just how much the Welshman meant to Jack.
It was almost two hours before Ianto stirred, his eyes flickering open with a small moan. In that time Jack hadn't moved an inch from his side, clasping Ianto's hand in both of his. Ianto looked around in confusion before meeting Jack's eyes,
"Hey there" Jack smiled, the relief almost bringing tears to his eyes, "gave us a fright there, Jones"
"Sorry" Ianto gasped out, before being silenced as Jack put a finger over his lips, moving down to cup his cheek lovingly,
"Don't you dare apologise" Jack said sternly, "But don't be doing that again, dashing hero is my job"
Ianto laughed softly which turned quickly into a groan as the pain in his ribs flared. Owen was there immediately with an injection of painkillers, administering so efficiently that Ianto barely noticed the sting of the needle but felt the relief almost immediately, sitting up gingerly and dangling his legs off the edge of the table. Jack had his arms around him immediately, steadying him as dizziness set in.
"No laughing with broken ribs"
"I'll just stay around you then shall I, you're about as funny as a wet mop" Ianto deadpanned as Owen double checked his blood pressure,
Owen rolled his eyes, "You're still the sarcastic prick we all know and love then. Looks like we can rule out brain damage"
"Thanks Owen" Ianto grinned before turning serious, "Really, thank you"
Owen nodded, "just doing my job. Now I'd take it easy, but you could probably go home and get some rest without me having to monitor you. Take some of the industrial strength painkillers home, you'll need them. I'll check on you in the morning but I recommend full bed rest for the week at least and light duties only until those ribs heal. And there's been considerable strain on your heart so no strenuous activities, and yes Harkness I am looking at you"
Jack glared at him before softening his gaze to look at Ianto, "come on, lets get you home"
X - X - X
It was when he settled next to Ianto on the bed, having helped the man home and got him set up for a few days of bed rest, that Jack finally let go. He choked out a sob, the gravity of the whole situation weighing on him now that the adrenaline had subsided. Ianto reached out to him in concern, having never seen him break down like this.
"Jack? What's wrong?"
"I was so scared" Jack whispered, "I thought that was it, that you were gone"
"I'm fine" Ianto pulled the man towards him, wincing at the movement, "Ok I hurt like hell, but I'll be fine after a bit of rest"
"I can't do it, Yan, I can't lose you yet" Jack clasped the younger man as tightly as he could without hurting him, savouring the feeling of his skin beneath his hands so warm and alive. Resting his hand over Ianto's chest he closed his eyes, relishing the steady beat of his heart beneath his palm. He had told himself he wouldn't get this attached to somebody again, knowing the pain of losing them was almost unbearable each time. But he hadn't seen Ianto coming, hadn't realised himself how much this man meant to him until he came so close to losing him forever.
"You won't lose me" Ianto tried his best to reassure him, even though his eyes were getting heavier every second, "I know we cant control anything in this job, but as far as I can guarantee you'll have me as long as you want me"
Jack shook his head, "I can never have you as long as that. One day you'll leave me, and I won't be able to follow as much as I would want to"
"Don't say that" Ianto murmured, sleepily snuggling closer into Jack's shoulder
"Its true" Jack said sadly, "I know how this goes, whether its old age or an alien or…. whatever it is something will take you from me"
"Maybe. But not just yet" Ianto yawned, settling back into the bed and closing his eyes, the painkillers and trauma of the day winning the battle over his consciousness,
"Not just yet" Jack repeated, stroking his lovers hair as he drifted off to sleep, "Not yet"
