Monday arrived and Suzie walked into the Hub early, catching Jack flirting with Ianto at the coffee machine. She grinned as they both spun around in surprise.
'You're early.'
'I know.'
Jack shook his head. 'You're never early.'
'You've never had a giant chicken in the Hub before.'
This was the point where Ianto chose to wade into the conversational fray. 'Myfanwy is hardly a chicken.'
'We don't know that, the evolutionary path of the dinosaur hasn't been fully established nor their genes mapped so for all we know, she is a giant chicken.'
'Well that makes me feel better about the roast we had for dinner last night.' Ianto muttered as he turned back to the coffee machine.

'You just want to see how the other's react to Myfanwy.'
'That.' She nodded as she followed Jack to his office. 'And I wanted to know if you managed to talk anyone into joining the team yet.'
'I'm meeting with the field agent on Wednesday.'
'Hmm, do you have a picture?'
'In his file I think.' He watched as her eyes grew a little wider and her smile predatory. 'Hang on, that isn't permission for you to shag the guy.'
'Oh please, like you aren't trying to get -.' She stopped speaking when she saw Ianto coming towards them with the expected tray of coffees. 'You are still a prince among men Ianto.' She looked at Jack and smiled. 'Oh I know, no flirting with Ianto.'
'Thank you.' Jack reached for his cup and nodded. 'I'm glad you understand.'
Ianto rolled his eyes as he took his tray back to the coffee machine. Tosh would be expecting her hazelnut mocha and she was about five minutes away from walking though the cog door. That and he had other things to be getting on with than listening to Jack and Suzie playing verbal tennis.

Suzie arched her eyebrows at Jack as Ianto walked away. 'Don't think this conversation is finished.'
'No, it probably isn't but I have never asked more from him than he's willingly given me. I never do.' He was treated to a smile, something almost as rare as Ianto's smiles. He wondered what was in her past that drew shadows in her eyes. She was the one member of his team who he knew the least about. And yet, after Ianto, she was the one he most trusted. After Ianto, two words to ponder another time as the cog door alarm sounded, announcing the arrival of Tosh. And surprisingly, with her was Owen.
Suzie's smile changed as she moved to watch her team mates. 'Oh this is about to get fun.'

Ianto looked up, hearing Owen before he saw him and rolled his eyes. Of all the days to be on time. He debated turning back to the coffee machine or waiting for the Englishman to notice Myfanwy. Perversity won as he looked up and watched her stalk to the edge of her platform and launch into flight. She was truly a thing of beauty. As was Owen's scream. Setting Tosh's coffee down he moved to stand beside Jack. 'Should I get the brandy Sir?'
'Nope.'

Tosh looked over at the three of them watching herself and Owen. Suzie was laughing and Jack was grinning while Ianto remained unreadable. 'I suppose you three knew about this?'
'Of course.' Jack nodded. 'Ianto and I caught her yesterday, and Suzie helped us set her nesting box up.'
Owen uncurled from the floor and rose to unsteady feet as he turned to Suzie. 'You knew about the sodding dinosaur! And you didn't think to tell us?'
'Hay, why are you shouting at me? They didn't tell me about that blasted giant chicken either.'
Tosh shook her head. 'It's a pteranodon, not a chicken. The theory that chickens are descended from dinosaurs is linked to raptors and the much maligned t-rex, not the flying reptiles.'
Owen turned to her and shook his head. 'What?'
'Well the theory about this is still in it's infancy but the research I've been reading seems sound.' She shrugged. 'I wouldn't be surprised if a link isn't found between chickens and dinosaurs before too long.'
'See, told you she's a giant chicken.' Suzie pointed out.
'No, I can find you the research that shows you about the link between -.'
Owen cut in. 'Before you do that, do you think someone could explain to me why the fuck anyone thought it would be a good idea to let a sodding dinosaur loose in the Hub. Where we sodding work!'
Jack turned to Ianto. 'You said he'd use the word oi.'
'Well I got the rest of it right.'
Suzie shook her head as she muttered to herself. 'Get a room and get it over with.' Seeing the two men speaking in half conversations was making her revise a few of her earlier concerns about Jack and Ianto.

Tosh looked at Owen. 'I think it's fascinating, a real living piece of our history flying around the Hub.'
'Until it tries to eat you.'
She moved to her computer and pulled up a search engine. 'I think you'll find they primarily eat fish and small animals so if you don't look too much like a rat, you should be fine.' Flashing him her sweetest smile.
Suzie moved to see what Tosh was looking at. 'I was thinking we could train her to only eat food coated in a special sauce to help avoid that too.' She smiled as Owen seemed to relax at this idea. 'If only so she doesn't wind up with indigestion if she did try to eat Owen.'
'Oi. I resent that remark.'

Ianto looked at Jack with his eyebrow raised and smiled as the older man shook his head.
'Doesn't count if it's after the fact.'
'Just as well we didn't put any money on it then Sir.'

Looking over at the two men standing close together Owen nudged Suzie and Tosh. 'What do you reckon Captain and Tennille are whispering about?'
Tosh sighed as she basked in the idea that she might get some vicarious romancing even if only second hand. 'I think they would make a great couple.'
'Shame Ianto's pretty straight, although I don't think we could same the same for our good captain.' Owen pointed out.
Suzie snorted. 'We are so not having this conversation again and it hardly matters what either man's preference is.'
'You can't ignore the fact that period military dress -.'
'Is hardly the sort of thing a straight man wears, yes Owen, we've all heard it before.' Suzie turned back to the file Tosh was creating for Myfanwy. 'And we all know he'll shag anything he thinks is pretty enough.'
Tosh nodded. 'Even you have to admit that certainly applies to Ianto.'
Suzie shrugged. 'I can appreciate a good looking man and it's nice to up the quota around here.'

Ianto looked over to the three individuals huddled around Tosh's work station and found Jack standing at his side.
'They are up to something Yan.'
'Aren't they always Sir.'
'Perhaps you should distract them with coffee.'
It occurred to Ianto that if he turned even a little, his nose would possibly touch Jack's neck the man was that close to him, so he continued to look ahead instead. 'Of course you'd be wanting another coffee too, Sir.'
'Of course.' Jack stepped back so he wasn't crowding Ianto, turning towards him with his most genuine smile in place. One that didn't show all his teeth or look even remotely lecherous. 'You know I'm not going to say no to you Ianto.'
In an unguarded moment Ianto let himself give an honest, unfiltered answer. 'I know you wouldn't but I'm not sure I'm ready to ask.'
Jack let his hand move to rest on Ianto's arm. 'I'll be there when you are.'
'I know Sir.'
Jack watched as Ianto and his suit walked away from him, unsure if they had just said what he hoped they had been saying in that simple exchange of words. Could he let himself consider that Ianto might be trying to meet him in the middle of his flirtations? Or was he looking for a dream in a friendship that had no room for romance.

Suzie walked into Jack's office and threw herself into the seat usually reserved for Ianto. 'I thought that went well.'
He looked up from his paperwork and frowned. 'What did?'
'Not telling the others about the giant chicken.'
'Oh, that.'
'That?' Suzie laughed. 'And you don't think you should tell the other two about your plan to hire a few extra bodies for the team?'
Jack put his pen down and leaned back in his chair. 'Perhaps I want to give them time to adapt to having Myfanwy around, and why get their hopes up if I don't hire anyone else.'
'You don't have to play it all so close to your chest Jack. You could, and this is going to sound crazy, but you could share a little with the team.'
'I share.'
'Yeah, we've all seen you sharing with Ianto but you keep everything else buttoned up.' She held her hand up as he startled to bristle. 'Nope, I'm your second so I can say shit like that.'
'I'll let the others know if I decide to hire anyone else on. Happy?'
She shrugged. 'For now.'
He pulled a folder out of a draw and tossed it at her. 'This is who I'm meeting Wednesday.' Waiting as she read the file.
'Wow, he looks good on paper.'
'Yeah, Ianto recommended him, said he's a really nice guy and everything.'
She set the file on his desk and leaned forward. 'Wait, are you jealous?'
'They knew each other in London, and no but Ianto said the same thing when we were having lunch yesterday.'
'You don't take any of us out for lunch.'
'Now who's jealous.' He smiled as he reached for the folder. 'Maybe when this is all sorted I'll take everyone out for a karaoke night.'
'What is your obsession with karaoke? You remember how that ended last time.'

He shrugged. 'Third times the charm?'
'You are impossible Jack.'
'You should see him at the market.' Ianto walked in with a tray of coffees.
Suzie smirked at the slightly weary tone in the younger man's voice. 'Oh I've made that mistake before.' Taking the coffee she was handed and inhaling the perfect blend of vanilla and freshly roasted beans. 'Tell me about Marshall Pippins.'
Ianto's smile was brief but honest. 'He has a bit of an issue with authority, and he refuses to drink anything other than good single malt whiskey. Divorced with a teenage daughter who's incredibly smart, like her father. He speaks several languages like a native and can blend into a crowd and disappear like a ghost.'
'Sounds like James Bond, except for the kid.' Suzie considered what she'd heard. 'But how does speaking several languages help a Torchwood field agent?'
'Oh he wasn't always a Torchwood agent and I think you would all like him.' Ianto gave her a wink before scooping up his tray and doing his own attempt at a disappearing act.

Suzie shook her head and turned back to a pouting Jack. 'I like the sound of this guy.'
He tossed her another folder. 'What about this one? Since you seem to be paying an interest all of a sudden.'
She laughed as she opened the folder. 'I'm glad you're not jealous Jack.'

It was a quiet day, something the entire team appreciated since it allowed them a chance to adjust to the presence of the pteranadon in the Hub. After reviewing resumes with Suzie Jack found himself watching the team, Tosh was lost in her research while Owen sat at his microscope muttering every time Myfanwy screeched or swooped past him. Ianto was in the archives and in the kitchen Suzie worked on a BBQ sauce to put on the pteranadon's food so she could be trained to only eat Ianto approved snacks. He wasn't totally sceptical about the idea but if it worked, it was disappointing that they wouldn't be able to tell anyone.

Each time they saved the world or even just Cardiff, there was no one outside of this team that they could share that with. Making him even more guarded of his time spent with Ianto outside of the Hub. What would happen, he wondered, when the day came that his archivist was ready to face the world once more. He knew it was selfish to hope that day was a long time in coming but he couldn't wish it away. In the back of his mind was a fear, that Ianto speaking with someone he knew in London might hasten his need to find himself outside of Jack's home. But that fear could not be placed higher than the needs of the team. So he put his concerns aside and decided it was time to send everyone home for the day.

Ianto knew Tuesdays were difficult for Jack. Even on the ones where he didn't take a boat ride across the channel to the facility he'd set up to care for those unfortunate enough to be spat back out by a capricious rift. People stolen by time and space and damaged beyond all ability to be healed. Entering the office Ianto set a coffee on the desk. 'Will you ever tell the others Jack?'
Hanging the phone up the captain shook his head. 'Not if I can spare them this Yan.'
'So you carry another unbearable burden to protect the very people you could tell?'
'If this is one nightmare I can spare them I will.' He picked his cup up and slouched into his chair. The extra hit of chocolate providing a sense of peace that was welcome in the face of the madness of Tuesday. 'It's not that different to the coffee you make us, each variation based on what you sense we need.'
'How does that relate to Flat Holm?'
'I tell them what they can handle carrying into their dreams.'
'But who looks after your dreams Jack?'
He smiled over his coffee. 'Right now you do.'

Jack watched Ianto walking away and considered the man, his coffee and his parting words. He did trust him with his dreams and that was something he hadn't had in a very long time. Not even Sophia who he'd married several lifetimes ago, or Lucia had given him the support the unassuming Welshman provided him. And perhaps he should share a little more with his team, he'd told Suzie about meeting with Pip tomorrow and the world hadn't ended. Ianto still made them all coffee and Flat Holm still needed him. And there was the tiny fact that if he was to leave with the Doctor, someone would have to oversee the island facility and the needs of the people hidden away from the world there.

A cold feeling filled his thoughts at the idea of leaving Ianto. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd thought about the Doctor and he suspected it was only a fleeting thought following Canary Wharf and nothing since. Not that he knew if the Doctor would return to Cardiff in this life time. Perhaps it would be a grave he left behind and not a living breathing Welshman. And for the first time in a very long time he wanted to have his forever right where he was. And it scared him.

Suzie moved beside Tosh, sipping her own chocolate infused coffee while she contemplated the effort required to instigate a conversation with her workmates. Curiosity won.
'How does he do it?'
Tosh shot a confused look at Suzie. 'How does who do what?'
'Ianto.'
The tone of Suzie's statement made Tosh frown. 'What does Ianto do?'
'Always knows how we like our coffee or what we need.'
Tosh saved her work, judging by Suzie's tone that the woman was going to need more than the scant amount of attention left over from the program she was working on. 'Do you not have enough conspiracy theories? That you have to chase one that isn't there.'

Owen joined the two women, pulling his own chair over. 'I'm not so sure there isn't something to it.'
'Oh god.' Tosh groaned. 'Not you too Owen.'
'Yes actually me too. You can't tell me you haven't noticed something.'
'He's just a very perceptive person.'
Suzie barked a laugh. 'I call bullshit Tosh. Just how perceptive can someone be when they spend their time in Jack's office when not cloistered in the archives? And I've never once heard Ianto ask anyone how they prefer their coffee or if they want tea.' Pointing at the steeping cup of jasmine tea on the edge of the desk. 'Have you?'
'He must have.'
Suzie patted Tosh on the arm. 'You are sweet, but he never did.'
'So what? He must be psychic then?'

Owen leaned in. 'How else do you explain it.'
Tosh shook her head. 'You don't actually think that, you're a scientist Owen.'
Leaning back again he shook his head. 'Doesn't change what I believe Tosh.'
'Based on?'
Owen started counting his points off on his fingers. 'One, he always makes the perfect drinks for us. Two, he and Jack read each other's minds -.'
'They do not.' She cut in.
Suzie shook her head. 'Come on Tosh, they do so, we've all seen them do it. All those half conversations and little looks they exchange...'
'They share a house and just know each other really well.'
'Not as well as Jack would like.' Owen muttered.
'And you've been able to read your housemate's minds have you Tosh?' Suzie asked.

Owen held his hand up, right index finger pointing to his left hand. 'I've got a third point if you're interested.'
Tosh crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at him. 'And the third piece of circumstantial evidence your honour?
'It's in his file.'
'What?' Tosh spun back to her keyboard as her fingers began flying over the keys.
'All Torchwood One employees,' Owen stated. 'Received psychic training and evaluations.'
'But I read his file.'
'Yeah? The one in the London server? I also read the Torchwood One training guide.'

Suzie raised an eyebrow as she narrowed her gaze. 'When did you have time for that?'
'When I was stuck here monitoring the sky's of Cardiff for signs of the giant prehistoric, not chicken, now living in the Hub.'
'That would explain a few things.'
Tosh shook her head. 'It does not.'
'Denial, party of one, your table is ready.' Owen teased. 'Come on Tosh, I've seen you read your horoscope online, you can't tell me you don't think there could be something to it?'
'But the idea of anyone reading my thoughts.' Tosh shook her head. 'He can't read our minds can he?' Directing her question to Owen.
'Duno.'
Tosh looked to Suzie. 'What do you think?' Watching as the woman's smile grew mysterious.
'I don't know, I mean, if it's a weapon then I can pull it apart and put it back together again easily enough but when it comes to people?' She shrugged. 'Not my area of expertise but I do wonder if they all do it.'
'All who?'
'The other survivors of One.' Suzie gave them a brief smile before walking away.

Ianto looked up from the computer database he was working on when he sensed Jack's presence in the room. 'Can I do something for you Sir?'
Jack sat on the edge of Ianto's desk. 'I think you already have, come on Yan, I'll gather the troops if you bring coffee to the boardroom.'
'Are you telling them about Pip or Flat Holm, Sir?' Ianto knew the answer but he asked the question anyway. Nodding when Jack just looked at him. 'I see, Sir.'
Jack clasped Ianto on the shoulder and nodded. 'I didn't realize how much I needed you around here Yan. Now, get those coffee's made.'

Looking back Ianto knew he'd have to admit if pressed that he liked Jack's hand on his shoulder but right now he just let it happen. He had coffee to make, how Jack effected him was a matter of much internal debate and this wasn't the time or the place. But he was growing to realize it was a debate he was going to have to have with himself, whether he wanted to or not. Knowing Jack was attracted to him was one thing, the notion that he didn't find the idea entirely repulsive was starting to to settle in his subconscious. It was perhaps only a matter of time before his conscious self caught up to the idea too.

Jack stood at the head of the table in the boardroom as everyone filed in, Ianto with his tray at the rear. 'You're probably all wondering why I called you in here today.'
'Not to practice your showmanship.' Owen retorted with a grin. 'But is this going to take long? I've got a Zelonian thawing in autopsy.'
'Then we're all safer here.' Ianto remarked, handing coffee cups around.
'Nope, I'm pretty sure this one wont spontaneously combust.'
'You said that about the last one.'
'Whatever teaboy, the captain had your suit cleaned. And it's not like they teach this shit in medical school.'
'It had to be replaced Owen. Replaced.'
'Children...' Jack warned. 'I will spank you if you can't play nicely.'
'I wouldn't mid seeing that.' Tosh smirked.
'Oi.'

'Anyway.' Jack continued. 'I've called you here to tell you I've been thinking about hiring a few more people for the team.'
Tosh nodded. 'That would be nice.'
'Hang on Mr but I like a small team. Who? It's not like you can slap a card up at the job centre or put a help wanted sign in the window of the tourist office.'
'No, that's quite true. But I do receive the occasional resume from other, slightly comparable agencies.'
Suzie didn't bother hiding her grin at Owen's confusion.

'And.' Jack continued. 'Since the fallout in London left a few highly trained individuals open to the job market, it was pointed out to me that I might want to capitalize on that. So we can all have weekends off.'
'You want to bring in the leftovers of One?'
Ianto set his cup down and rose to his feet, towering over the doctor and his disapproving face. 'They are not. Left overs.'
'Steady on teaboy we don't need any more of your freaky lot here -.'
Ianto cut him off as he banged a fist down on the table. 'Good people died in London. My friends died in London and if some of them survived then Torchwood bloody well owes them.'

Jack looked at Suzie and indicated she should get Owen out of the room with a quick incline of his head as he moved to Ianto and placed a cautious hand on his arm. He was sending calming thoughts to the distraught younger man and hoping like hell Ianto would let him in.

Suzie grabbed Owen and strong armed him out the door muttering about being a bloody idiot while ignoring his protesting.
Tosh looked at Jack who shook his head.
'Thank you Tosh but perhaps you should go and help Suzie before I shove Owen in with Janet.'
She nodded as she abandoned her half drunk coffee and scurried out the of the room. She'd seen Jack mad before but this was different. Looking back she saw him fold Ianto into his arms and bring a hand up to cradle the back of his head as he pulled Ianto against him. She shut the door behind her as she began looking for Owen and Suzie.

'What the fuck was that Owen?
'I'm a bloody doctor.'
'So? Aren't you supposed to have compassion along with your god complex?'
'Do you really want the person who has your back in the field to have a PTSD flashback in the middle of a fucking weevil attack?'
'If you had actually let Jack finish he would have told you that the person he is meeting with tomorrow wasn't actually in the offices on the day the world fell apart.'
'What?'
'What? That's all you've got? You can be a real cunt sometimes Owen and if you think decaf or instant coffee is the least of your problems you are very much mistaken.' Suzie shook her head and turned her back on Owen. 'I suggest you go and autopsy your alien before one of us hits you and that fucking lump of frozen cells you care so much about blows up, again.'

Owen turned to Tosh who shook her head. 'What did I do?'
'I'll replay the footage from the boardroom shall I? Suzie's right, you don't have any compassion and you can be an oblivious, cunt sometimes.' She turned and walked away from him, wondering, and not for the first time, what she had found so lovable about the pinched faced Doctor Owen Harper.
'How was I supposed to know?' Owen called out after the retreating woman.

'You could have let me say what I'd called you all into the boardroom to tell you.' Jack stated as he handed Owen a file. 'I suggest you read this before you go home. Ianto and I wont be in tomorrow as we are meeting Marshall Pippins, known to his friends as Pip, so I suggest you call him Mr Pippins.' He poked Owen in the chest with a finger and brought his head close to the doctor, his voice low and icy. 'And I suggest you spend your time between now and when we come back Thursday, working out how to apologize to Ianto.'

'I was worried about an attack of PTSD in the survivors...' He stopped talking at the look in Jack's eyes.
'So you induced an attack in one of your fellow team mates instead.' Jack shook his head as he turned away from Owen. 'None of you are irreplaceable Owen.' Walking away he left the stunned doctor standing there staring after his retreating back. Picking his coat up he spoke to Suzie before heading to the garage where Ianto was waiting.

'Yeah.' Owen muttered to no one as he turned back to his autopsy table. 'If none of us are so irreplaceable why are you chasing after the teaboy.' He rubbed the spot on his chest where Jack poked him and wondered if he hadn't crossed a line this time.

Ianto watched as Jack strode towards him, coat billowing out around his body and felt a twitch of interest from his cock. He contemplated rolling his eyes at himself and the absurdity of being so turned on by the man, but it had clearly stopped bothering him that Jack was, in fact, a man. He focused on being angry with what Owen had said and wondered where his it had come from. His body might recognize interest but he wasn't sure his heart was ready to enter the fray.

Jack read the warring emotions on Ianto's face in a rare unguarded moment and pulled the younger man into his arms and just held him. He felt Ianto relax into his body and rest his head in the crook of his neck. Time spun out around them with all the possibilities present in a single moment before Ianto pulled back and pressed the audi keys into his hand.
'I don't think I could drive right now. But please don't get any speeding tickets.'
'I never get speeding tickets.'
'Only because the SUV has a piece of alien tech the others don't know about, that renders it practically invisible to speed detectors.'
Jack tilted his head slightly and looked at Ianto. 'You really do know everything don't you.'
'Not everything Sir.' Ianto disagreed with a sigh.
'I promise to stick to the speed limit.' He tried to hide his glee at finally being able to drive Ianto's car and managed to condense it into a single grin.

Ianto felt the wall of ice around his heart melt just a little at that grin as Jack unlocked the car and climbed into the driver's seat. 'Not one scratch either.'
'Scouts honour.' Jack waited for Ianto to buckle himself into the passengers seat before turning the key. He gave a contented little sigh as the engine turned over and he was able to finally drive Ianto's car. He even managed to obey all the road rules on the short journey to the home they shared. Parking the car in the garage at the house he locked it before handing the keys back. 'Thank you Ianto. I know that wasn't easy for you.'
'It's just a car.'

Jack laughed. 'We both know that isn't true.' He held the door into the house open. 'What time is Pip getting here tomorrow?'
'Train should be getting in at about eleven, if it's on time.'
'Are you picking him up or is he getting a taxi?'
'I'll pick him up.'
'Ah.' Jack nodded. 'Give you a chance to brief him on how devastatingly handsome I am and that I only have eyes for my Welsh archivist.' He watched, breath held as he waited for Ianto to respond. Needing to see the hint of acceptance in Ianto's usually expressionless blue eyes, the whole world seemed to wait with him.
'That wasn't what I was going to open with but it's a thought.' He shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants, knowing it pulled them tighter across his arse as he walked away from Jack. With just enough of a sway in his step to get the older man's attention and his thoughts openly suggesting that the idea wasn't with out merit.

Jack finally stopped staring at the space where Ianto had vanished from sight when he felt his heart rate return to normal. Calling out into the house. 'Ianto, do we need to talk about something?' He moved towards the kitchen where he felt Ianto's apprehension mixed with want. Wondering what he would find as he gently called Ianto's name.