4

That admission said it all, and it pretty much alleviated Ianto's anxiety.

However, something else Jack said bothered him. "But why were you snatched before you got to the park? These guys wouldn't have changed their MO unless they had a good reason. So what made you special?"

"I don't know, but it doesn't matter. At the start I was prepared to do what they wanted, but that was before they brought you in. Now they can go fuck themselves."

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"Hold on a sec," Owen muttered.

He placed his hand on the wall again and found the spot on the third try.

The door to the garage disappeared.

Tosh's gaze followed the lights into the distance and up to who knew where.

She turned back to the cruiser.

Owen hurried around the vehicle and held a door open for her.

"Thanks, but, after you."

He hopped inside and took a seat.

The craft barely moved as Suzie climbed up next, settling in the back.

Tosh stepped forward, put her hands on either side of the opening and jumped in, landing as hard as possible.

Her heels clicked against the metal surface. Still, virtually no motion registered in the cruiser. She grabbed hold of the rail and flung her weight from side to side.

Although it didn't feel as if they were sitting on the ground, it was more stable than free floating.

Owen "Amazing, huh?"

"How does this work?" Tosh sat next to Owen as she started to examine the controls.

"I think its colour coded" Suzie said in a bored tone, "Green go … red stop … ya know?"

As soon as Owen hit the green button they shot off down the tunnel. Owen let out a short squeal and grabbed the seat cushions.

Her pulse shot up a notch. "Are you steering? Where are the seat belts?" she managed to croak out.

"Autopilot. Don't worry, it's perfectly safe." Suzie huffed, snapping another cartridge into her gun as she prepared to do battle.

"You do realize those are some seriously famous last words, don't you? Hindenburg? Titanic? Ring a bell?" She forced a smile, hoped it looked better than it felt, and tried to relax.

So not happening.

She decided to settle for breathing and watched the walls fly past. They were smooth, like someone had melted out the core, which, as far as she knew, wasn't possible. Then again, floating cars weren't possible either.

Her skirt billowed up from the breeze so she let go of the seat long enough to tuck the gauzy fabric between her legs.

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Ianto burrowed deeper into the straw, curling up into a ball before wrapping his arms around his shoulders in an attempt to preserve some warmth.

Tired, hungry, and shivering so hard his bones were aching, Ianto wasn't sure how much longer he could last. In the unrelenting darkness he'd lost track of time, but he was convinced they'd spent close to two days stuck in this godforsaken hole, and that was two days too many.

He wasn't blaming Jack―just the opposite―but there had to be a limit to their suffering, didn't there?

"Are you okay?"

Jack's voice drifted across the width of the room along with the sound of rustling straw as he moved.

"No. I'm fucking freezing. I can't believe it's so cold."

"It's not that cold, but why don't you come over here and I'll keep you warm." Jack's invitation had Ianto's body twitching. He could almost feel his skin breaking out in goose bumps at the thought― unless that was the cold sticking him with ice-like needles.

"I'm fine."

"You just said you weren't. Come on. We can share body heat."

Ianto tightened his jaw, mainly to stop his teeth from breaking apart from the constant chattering, but also to hold back on a soft moan. Sharing body heat with Jack meant plastering himself against all that skin, and Ianto didn't think he had the ability to do that without his body betraying him.

He couldn't have known such circumstances as these would inspire friendship, but during their long conversations to distract themselves, he'd started to like Jack.

The man was determined and smart, but most of all he'd encouraged Ianto to keep his spirits high. The problem was, Ianto had also found himself attracted to Jack. At one point he thought he'd accidentally let on how he was feeling, but Jack hadn't shown any signs of noticing. However, there would be no chance of hiding it once he was cuddled up in Jack's arms.

"Ianto. Are you coming over here, or do I have to come and get you?"

"I…" Torn between what could be an embarrassing moment or lying there and freezing to death, Ianto reluctantly forced his limbs to move and pushed aside the thin layer covering him.

The glacial concrete floor beneath his feet barely registered as he skirted around the small drain they'd found in the middle, though what it was used for Ianto didn't know, considering they hadn't found any running water, or anything else of value in here for that matter. There was only the straw and the small box of supplies Ianto was trying not to think about.

As he reached where Jack lay he heard him shifting again, and then in the low light he saw a glimpse of Jack's smile. He hesitated, just for a second, and then dropped to his knees and crawled into a literal body of warmth.

"God, you're hot," he murmured, wishing he'd had the nerve to do this earlier.

"Thanks. I think you're kind of hot too."

Ianto almost groaned as he realized Jack had taken his statement the wrong way.

"No, I mean you feel hot," he stammered.

Jack's chuckle whispered across Ianto's ear, eliciting a tiny spark of flame. "I know what you meant. Now come here."

Enfolded within Jack's arms, Ianto practically melted, and as he'd guessed, it wasn't the heat Jack generated that caused his body to instantly defrost Ianto knew being pressed up against Jack was going to affect him but he hadn't realized how much. God he smelt good. He felt a little light-headed, and he was sure a part of his brain had shut down because all he could think about was getting closer.

"Better?"

Ianto nodded, though conflict rippled through every fibre. All Jack was doing was trying to help him, and all Ianto was trying to do was sneak a free feel.

"Yes, thanks."

"You should have said something." Jack tightened his arms and rested his chin on Ianto's shoulder. The rasp of stubble against Ianto s cheek reminded him of how long they'd been imprisoned, but he certainly didn't mind that Jack felt comfortable enough to get so familiar.

"And make you think I was a blouse?" He hated the idea of appearing so weak, so he'd been careful not to show it. However, he was beginning to fail, and fast.

"Hey, I don't think that. You've been incredibly resilient. What we're going through would have caused most men to cave."

"You haven't."

Jack was silent a moment, and then Ianto felt a subtle change in his breathing. "That's because the choice isn't mine."

"What do you mean?" Ianto turned his head a little and could have sworn

Jack pressed firm lips against his jaw before sighing.

"I made a mistake. They've never kept anyone this long before, and with no food or water I don't think waiting them out is going to be an option."

"So you want to give in?" Holy shit. Did that mean Jack wanted to make love to him? No, of course he didn't. It wouldn't be making love; there couldn't be anything tender or personal about it. It was simply a way of getting out of here: a possibility Ianto had deliberately tried not to think about.

"It's not a case of giving in, but I can't force you to stay here indefinitely."

"You're not forcing me." Actually, being locked up the last few days had been far less of an ordeal than Ianto expected, mainly because Jack had been there to reassure him. He'd never met a man more considerate and compassionate, well, certainly not one who was also gorgeous.

"Maybe not, but I knew what I was getting into, so if we do anything, it's your call."

"Mine?"

"Of course. I would never make you do anything you don't want to."

Though grateful for the chance to make that decision, Ianto wanted to take into account Jack's sentiment.

It wasn't as if they could pretend it was a simple hook-up; or maybe that was exactly what they had to do.

"Won't it bother you, being with someone you don't know?" he asked.

"What makes you think I don't know you? For the past few days we've done nothing but talk. I know a lot about you, and I like you."

Jack liked him? Ianto smiled because it was more than he'd anticipated.

"I like you too."