20. Manhattan

Martha was leaving the next day, and Jack couldn't blame her for going. Yes, he could use a fully functioning team member now that Owen was on borrowed time and limited duty, but she had her own career, her own life, with UNIT back in London. He couldn't take her away from that, and then condemn her to the dangerous and erratic life of a Torchwood agent. She deserved better, like all the rest of them.

They were having a late dinner together, enjoying some time to catch up and talk about things that weren't related to Torchwood, to the Pharm, to Owen. Sipping a Manhattan, Martha talked about her family in London, whom Jack sometimes felt he knew better than Martha herself. She had been on Earth, avoiding capture and trying to save the world, while he had been captive on board the Valiant, and it had been the Jones family that he'd seen every day, while Martha walked the world.

They were coping, she said. Recovering from the trauma of having experienced something no one else remembered and moving on with normal life, slowly but surely. She'd talked to them several times since coming to Cardiff, and they were eager to see him again.

"Any chance for a visit?" she asked. Jack set down his own cocktail and smiled.

"That depends, when's the wedding?" he asked. She laughed, albeit somewhat nervously.

"He hasn't asked," she replied. "But if he does, you'll be the one of the first to know."

"Tell me about him," said Jack. "I was a bit busy that year and never met him."

Martha talked enthusiastically about Thomas Milligan, the doctor she had met while traveling the world during The Year That Never Was, and then looked up again when time had reset. She was obviously fond of him, but Jack sensed a hesitation, an uncertainty in her words that he wanted to ask about, but the waiter brought them a plate of appetizers then, and it was a few minutes before the conversation continued.

"What about you?" Martha asked, continuing when Jack gave her a curious look. "Enough about me, what about you and Ianto?"

"What about us?" Jack asked around a mouthful of bread. He apologized and took a sip of his drink.

"Well, for one, how did you meet?" she asked. "I'm assuming through Torchwood."

"And you'd assume correctly. He transferred from London right after Canary Wharf." Jack hoped she didn't ask him too much about it, as he felt it wasn't his place to share that part of Ianto's past. She frowned.

"Canary Wharf?" she asked. "There was a Torchwood branch there, right?"

Jack nodded. "Torchwood One. I don't remember the official story the FOC put out for the public, but it was destroyed by Cybermen and Daleks."

"And Ianto was there?" Martha asked. "I heard it was terrible." She finished her drink and Jack motioned for two more.

"It was a nightmare. He was one of few survivors," Jack told her. "He came to Cardiff looking for a job not long after. We didn't really need anyone, and I admit I didn't want anyone from One, but he offered to do whatever was needed, so he became our General Support."

"Why would he want to stay with Torchwood after something like that?" she asked in wonder. "I suppose I'm not one to talk, seeing as I joined UNIT after running around the universe with the Doctor, but still. It must have been hard."

"You have no idea," Jack murmured, playing with his empty glass and thinking back to that dark time. He didn't realize how long he'd been quiet until Martha touched his arm.

"Was he all right?" she asked softly. The waiter appeared then with their drinks, and Jack waited until the man had left to reply.

"Look, I can't talk about it, because it's his story. It's personal, and it's painful, but he had his reasons for coming to Cardiff. It just took a while for things to settle down."

"He seems born to it," Martha said, leaning back. "Like he's been running the place almost as long as you have."

"He's damn good at what he does," Jack replied, feeling a touch of pride for the young man who had practically taken over the Hub and turned it around within months. "We'd be lost without him."

"So when did you and him…" She trailed off with raised eyebrows. He laughed, but was saved by the waiter appearing with their main dishes. He tucked in without answering, but he should have known Martha wouldn't leave it alone.

"You're being awfully coy, Jack," she said. "You wanted to come back for this team of yours, so why are you secretive?"

"I'm not," he said with a shrug and a smile. "But it's complicated."

"It usually is," she said with a nod. "Nothing wrong with that. Love is never simple. It's—"

"Whoa, hang on, who said anything about love?" Jack asked. Martha raised an eyebrow.

"Well, then, talk to me. What is it, and why is it complicated?" Jack didn't answer, so she continued. "Is it because you work together? Because he's a man? Because you're a man? Because you're an incorrigible flirt?"

Jack couldn't help but smile. "All of the above, and more?"

Martha studied him. "Talk to me, Jack. I like him, and you mentioned him several times when we were coming back, so I think you do too. What's really going on?"

Jack sighed and set down his fork, took a long sip of his drink. "What do you want me to say, Martha? In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not like you—any of you." He gestured around the restaurant. "Relationships are different for me, they're—"

"Complicated?" she suggested dryly when he trailed off.

"I know it sounds cliché, but when you're an immortal time-traveler, it's also the truth." Jack sighed and continued to eat. "Plus we have a hell of a history between us. Sometimes I think it's a miracle we haven't killed each other."

"Jack!" she exclaimed. "You don't mean that!"

"I do," he said. He couldn't help but grin at her reaction. "I was this close to shooting him, he threw me through the Rift, and that's not the half of it." She shook her head, clearly thinking he was telling tales.

"If that's even half true, then what's going on?" she asked. "Just an office affair, a bit of fun on cold nights? Because as long as you're both clear about it, that's fine." When he didn't reply—what could he say to that, since she couldn't be more wrong?—she leaned forward and continued.

"But I don't think that's what it is. I've seen the way you work together, for one. You're tight—seamless, like you're practically reading one another's minds sometimes. And that's aside from the looks and touches and smiles that are definitely not typical coworker looks and touches and smiles—even for you!"

"Martha," he started, and he stopped him.

"It's not my place to pry, but I'm going to anyway. We went through something together, and I think that gives us the right to look out for each other. So I'm looking out for you…I don't want you to get hurt, Jack, and even though I only met him a few days ago, I don't want Ianto to get hurt either."

"I know," he said, taking her hand. "And I don't want to hurt him…but sometimes I don't know what to do. I don't want to give it up. He's important to me, special."

"Go on," she said, taking her hand back with a smile and continuing with her meal.

"It actually started before I left, but it was purely physical, comfort and release wrapped up in sex. Though even then, I think it was moving toward more. I thought about it a lot on the Valiant." He finished his drink, needing the liquid courage to continue. "I had a lot of time to think about things, after all, and I realized it had come to mean something to me, and that it could mean more. So I asked him out when I got back, and we've been dating, I suppose is the word, ever since. Considering how much time we spend together, it's definitely more than an office affair, but we're not picking out china or anything."

She rolled her eyes. "I wasn't expecting anything like that," she said. "It sounds serious, though, yeah? And he seems awfully good for you, Jack."

"He is," Jack answered without hesitation. "He's amazing. And I don't know how serious it is, but…I care about him. I do. A lot."

"Then don't get caught up in other drama," she said. She pointed her fork at him. "I know you, Jack Harkness. Don't mess this up by doing something stupid because you think it's better for him, or because you're too busy flirting with that 51st century smile and forget what things are like in this century. Otherwise I won't send you that UNIT cap."

He pretended to be wounded. "But red is his color!" he laughed. She joined him.

"That's what he said too," she said, then held up a hand before he could even ask. "And no, I'm not telling you how I know that! That's between me and Ianto. Where is he tonight? You could have asked him to join us, you know. Then I could get to know him better."

"What are you, my mum?" Jack grumbled good-naturedly. She nodded.

"Mum and big sister rolled into one. But don't worry, I already approve. So why didn't you invite him?"

"I did," Jack replied. "He insisted we catch up on our own since it's been so hectic at the Hub. I think he was planning on going to his local. Hang out with the young people."

"Will you see him after?" she asked. He shrugged. Now that they'd spent so much time talking about him, Jack did want to see Ianto later. Between Martha's visit and Owen's death and resurrection, Jack felt like he'd not seen Ianto as much as he usually did. It had only been a few days, and they'd certainly seen one another at work, yet that was work, and he found to his surprise that he missed the Welshman he'd come to know outside of work. He'd not told him much about Martha, and they'd had little opportunity to talk about Owen, and Jack realized he needed to share both. He was surprised at how much he suddenly wanted to leave, to find Ianto, to tell him all the things he'd held back for so long.

"You should text him," Martha said. "You've probably not had much time together the last few days, have you?"

Jack shook his head. "It's fine. It's your last night in town, and we've barely even talked about the Doctor!"

Martha stuck out her tongue. "Let's not even go there. Especially since we both have someone else we're missing. Will you see him later tonight?"

"I don't know," Jack said. "Maybe."

"You should," she said. "I'm too tired to go clubbing," she said with a wink. "Text him. Maybe we could meet for breakfast, the three of us?"

"Really?" Jack asked in surprise.

"Really," she laughed. "Why wouldn't I want to have breakfast with two gorgeous men?"

They chatted for another half hour, finishing their drinks as they touched on work and Owen and even the Doctor, but eventually they agreed that it was time to go home, Martha to her hotel room, and Jack to the Hub. With a warm embrace, they said good night and parted ways. Halfway to the Hub, Jack changed his mind; it wasn't that late, after all, and if Ianto was still out, maybe Jack could meet him for a drink. If he was home already, maybe Jack could stop by. It had been a long, difficult few days, and though he'd enjoyed his time with Martha, Jack could think of nothing better than ending the day with Ianto.

Author's Note:

Thank you to Taamar for helping me finish this one!