"I don't think he's breathing," Beth said quietly beside him. "He's so cold."

Jack pressed his fingers to Ianto's pulse point just below his jawbone.

"Is he… you know…?"

"He's fine. He's going to be okay," Jack replied. "Just give him a bit of space. Don't crowd him; he doesn't like that."

But he still couldn't feel Ianto's pulse.

It was just because it was cold, he told himself. It was only March. The night was cold. And Jack himself was in shock too. His hands were shaking. He thought he could feel something, but he wasn't sure if it was his own heart pounding so hard that he could hardly breathe or if it was Ianto's.

"I really don't think he's breathing," she said quietly. "His chest, I don't think- I can't see…"

Jack looked at Ianto's half-exposed chest. The rubble was still partly covering his left side, his shoulder and top of his chest were still covered by another large slab of stone. His suit jacket was undone, showing the buttoned charcoal grey pinstripe waistcoat and a hint of its silver backing that shone in the harsh bright light of the headlights that cast strange shadows across the rubble. How could she possibly tell that he wasn't breathing?

She was wrong.

Jack knew Ianto was breathing. He had to be breathing.

Ianto was here. He was alive. Syriath was gone and Ianto was still here. He wasn't a ghost. He was alive.

In a moment, he'd groan and open his eyes. He'd complain about the state of his suit and say that Jack owed him a new one. And he would get him one, one that fitted much better than the battered one he currently wore. It had been bought off the rack rather than tailored to fit him, as Ianto preferred to wear. Jack preferred him in properly tailored suites too. And brighter styles. It wasn't Ianto's fault that he'd been limited in options and time in London, still on the run yet managing to buy Jack his full military surplus, complete with greatcoat.

So that's what Jack would do for Ianto. He'd buy him a new suit, several new suits in fact. Some nice red shirts too. And ties. Ties were good.

"We should call the police. Or is it the ambulance? I don't know. Maybe I should ask for both? I mean, he's dead, but-"

"He's not dead," Jack snapped, head whipping so fast over his shoulder to glare at her that he knew he'd regret it later. "He's fine." He crouched lower so he could squeeze his shoulders underneath the broken table and spoke gently. "Come on, Ianto. It's okay. You can wake up now. Let me see those gorgeous blue eyes of yours. It's okay, it's okay. I'm here."

He kissed him softly on the lips. That would make Ianto wake up. It always had before. No matter how late or early the Rift Alarm went off, how little sleep Ianto had managed to get, or how long he'd been awake beforehand, a kiss from Jack could always wake him up.

"Oh god!" Beth's cry of shock broke the kiss.

Jack shuffled out slightly from under the table to look at her.

"He's breathing!" she said. "The rubble, I can see it moving!"

Jack placed a hand on Ianto's chest and felt it moving up and down slowly with each breath, just as Jack knew it would be.

Ianto moaned softly and Jack saw his eyelids flicker as his eyes moved.

"Hey, hey, hey. You're okay, Ianto. You're okay. Just stay still for me, now. Just stay still for a moment." Jack moved back under the table, keeping one hand cradling Ianto's head and reached to take Ianto's hand in his again. "I'm here. It's okay. I'm here, Ianto. You did it, we're safe now. Just take your time. You can rest now."

"He's alive," he heard Beth whisper to herself. "Oh my god, he's alive…"

Jack ignored her. "Can you squeeze my hand, tiger?"

Ianto groaned and clasped Jack's hand. His hand was still freezing and it wasn't the strongest grip, but Jack's smile still lit up his face.

"That's it. Oh, well done, Ianto. Well done."

"Jack?" Ianto asked in a rough voice.

"Hey there," Jack replied, his voice catching as he spoke. "Hi."

Ianto's eyes slowly blinked open. "What…?"

"You're okay," he rushed to reassure him. "You're going to be fine."

Ianto's eyes darted around between slow blinks as he catalogued where he was. He tried to turn his head and moaned softly. Jack hushed him, guiding his head back to face him.

"No, no, no. You just stay there for now. It's okay; I'll get you out." Jack continued to stroke his cold undamaged cheek and squeeze his hand, willing Ianto to focus back on him. "You're okay. You're going to be fine."

Ianto swiped his tongue over his lips and looked back over at Jack. Their faces were so close together that Jack's eyes couldn't focus on him properly, but he didn't care.

"W-what happened?" he asked.

"You saved the world," he replied with a smile, tears still running down his cheeks.

"Oh. Go me," he replied in that dry droll tone Jack had missed so much.

He gave a watery laugh and pressed their lips together again. They were cold too, but Jack was sure he could warm them up with time.

"Definitely go me," Ianto murmured when Jack lent back for air.

Still crouched awkwardly under the table, he could feel Ianto's warm breath on his face. When he buried his face in the nook of his neck, he could smell Ianto's familiar pheromones mixed with the cologne Gwen had brought him for his birthday. He wanted to wrap him in his arms and never let go.

"Can I move now?" Ianto asked. "It's not very dignified lying under a table. On top of a table though…"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Beth said, but Ianto had already started to move.

"Being on top of the table?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

Jack snorted.

"No, uh, moving. I meant moving," she corrected, sounding flustered. "We really should phone for an ambulance; you were buried under three feet of rubble! We need help. You probably need one of those special boards or neck braces, like you see on TV, so that we don't damage your spine or something!"

"I think I'm okay," Ianto replied calmly. He wriggled his toes on his shoeless foot and Jack choked back a strange high pitched giggle. "I can feel that. I think I'm going to be fine."

"Of course you are," Jack agreed and kissed him again.

"And as much as I hate to say this, sir, but do you think you could move back a bit? It's rather cramped down here."

Jack gave him a weak smile which Ianto returned and slowly shuffled out from under the table.

"Just let me…" Ianto wiggled awkwardly to the side and easily slid his other arm out under a large slab of stone.

Beth gasped. "I thought that- Oh, never mind."

"No broken bones, I think," Ianto mused glancing over at Beth before focusing back on Jack. "Or even a dislocated shoulder. More than a slight loss of dignity this time, though. I don't suppose either of you has seen my other shoe?"

Jack gave a watery laugh. "Right here, Cinderella," he replied with a smirk and a wink. No doubt the effect was probably ruined by his tear-streaked face.

Ianto still rolled his eyes despairingly, though. "Ta."

It took a few more minutes for Ianto to be freed completely from the rubble. As he had said, he seemed to be completely intact – not even a dislocated shoulder. Jack wasn't surprised by this. When the Rift had imploded, it had taken most of the pub with it. Luckily, it hadn't taken everything. He would soon have Ianto back in his arms to testify that.

And, of course, despite everything, Ianto was still muttering about the state of his suit.

The moment he was free, Jack pulled him into a fierce hug.

"Hello again, Jack," Ianto whispered, trembling in his arms.

"Hey, Ianto," he replied before breaking down in tears.

"I don't suppose you brought any food with you?" Ianto asked later after Jack's sobs had quietened for the second time.

After the first, they had all awkwardly climbed back up the creator, made all the more difficult by Jack's reluctance to let Ianto go and Ianto's protests that he wasn't a damsel in distress and therefore didn't need carrying to safety. Once they had reached solid ground once more, Jack pulled Ianto back in for another hug and started to cry again.

In the end, the two men had settled on the large chunk of stonework where Jack had found Beth. It wasn't quite big enough for the both of them, but Jack didn't care. Ianto was wrapped up in Jack's wet greatcoat and snuggled in his lap. It was a good excuse to get the man warm again that Jack wasn't about to miss out on.

"I'm starving," Ianto complained.