Chapter 10
Ianto was down near the cell when the lights went out. Luckily he'd just stepped out from feeding Janet and closed the door otherwise when the lockdown kicked in he would have been locked in with her.
He quickly made his way up into the main area of the hub where he could here Jack calling him.
"Captain," he answered stepping around the water tower,
"What happened?" Jack asked obviously still a little annoyed at him if his tone was anything to go by
"But I thought you must have done it... we've gone into lock down."
"Then reverse it," Jack said turning away
"I can't it's 100 percent we're locked in," Ianto replied
"Is there anyway we can get enough power back to get out," Owen asked directing the question at everyone.
"How did you get us out last time?" Ianto asked referring to the time with Lisa,
"Can't do it again we used up all the power cells that came through the lift and the unlocking device is on loan to UNIT," Jack replied
"There may be a way to reroute the emergency power from the backup generator," Tosh said
"I'll go," Ianto volunteered knowing he was probably the only one other than Jack who knew how to get to the generator let alone fix it.
Ianto was already on his way before anyone spoke again.
"I'll help you," Jack called jogging to catch up with him, a small toolbox that he'd pulled form under Tosh's desk in hand.
They worked in silence trying to get the generator working with no luck, it wasn't until they were heading back upstairs going through one of the store rooms looking for torches or oil lanterns that Jack finally broke the silence.
"What did she do?"
"Who sir?" Ianto asked though he had a fair idea
"Suzie? What did she do to you that would cause you to have her pinned by the throat in a fit of rage?" Jack said shutting the door, not wanting to have this conversation interrupted and knowing it was something they needed.
"It's a long story," Ianto said still searching,
"Give me the short hand version now and the long one later," Jack encouraged
Ianto didn't stop working not really willing to look at Jack when he said this.
"Suzie found Lisa, just after I started working here actually. She used that against us... me," Ianto admitted and Jack felt his blood run cold
"How?" Jack asked almost dreading the answer
"She was down there looking for some rats to test some new alien tech on," Ianto replied
"That's not what I meant, how did she use it against you Yan? What did she make you do to stop her telling me, or killing Lisa, or whatever else she threatened to do to you?" Jack pushed
Ianto gathered up everything they'd found before turning to look at Jack. "I became the lab rat," Ianto said blankly before slipping out of the storage leaving Jack staring stunned at the space he'd just vacated.
Ianto had only made it down to the conference room where he was putting the equipment they found together for use, before Jack caught up to him.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Jack asked walking into the room,
"At the time, I couldn't risk Lisa, and afterwards, well it didn't really seem worth it, she was dead after all," Ianto replied slumping into on of the nearby seats,
"And now she's not," Jack sat down next to him,
"I should have noticed something was wrong,"
"I hid it well because of Lisa and she, being the twisted woman that she was enjoyed it to much to risk loosing it. She only ever used things that she knew weren't going to kill me. She wasn't worried about causing pain and any marks she left could be covered by my suits." Ianto admitted, it was weird talking about this with someone.
He'd only told one other person about this and it was when he and Tosh had been drunk so it wasn't quite the same as having a conversation with his boss, who he'd snogged, and had feelings for.
"I'm sorry," Jack said finally "It's not your fault Sir," Ianto sighed smiling at Jack to try to ease the tension in the room,
Jack smiled back, the smile lighting his whole face making his eyes sparkle, not one of his normal cheeky grins, this one was genuine.
"About before in the range I..." Ianto began only to find Jack's finger pressed to his lips.
"Ianto Jones, I would like there to be... something... and I will go as far as you're comfortable with going. It is entirely up to you, ok. Think about it and when you're ready, or when you've decided all you have to do is let me know." Jack said finger still pressed to Ianto lips.
Ianto stared up at Jack with wide eyes not really knowing what to say.
Jack gave him a small smile as he stood, leaning down to gently press his lips where his finger had just been.
It was a brief kiss, more like a promise and Ianto basked in it, eyes sliding closed.
"I'll wait as long as you need," Jack whispered before turning and walking out of the room leaving Ianto to his thoughts.
Ianto walked into the police precent, it was the early hours of the morning and the place was still a mess from the night's activities.
"Detective Swanson?" Ianto asked approaching the woman he recognised from her file.
"That's me," She said and upon looking up a smile spread across her face as she took in the young man in front of her.
"What can I do for you?" she asked perching on her desk one leg crossed over the other.
"I was sent to debrief you after tonight activities," he said smoothly with a smile.
"By whom?" she asked confused, but a flirtatious smile still in place
"Captain Harkness," Ianto replied putting down his briefcase and pulling out his clipboard and a pen.
"You're Torchwood?" she asked in disbelief
"Yes I am. You're surprised, I imagined you'd have been expecting me," Ianto replied standing in front of her desk and taking a seat when she offered it with a wave of her hand.
"I was just not... you," Swanson replied Ianto raised an eyebrow in question since she wasn't making a whole lot of sense.
Swanson sighed thinking of her wording before continuing, "I mean look at the others, the outrageous Captain in old military dress, the quite technician in skirts and heels, the obnoxious doctor in a leather jacket and the ex-cop in jeans. Then there's you in a very smart suit."
"I believe in keeping a professional appearance," Ianto said with a shrug inwardly laughing at the detective appraisal of the rest of the team.
"That you do. Very professional, very handsome." Swanson replied with a smile giving him another subtle once over.
"But not very practical for field work," Ianto said trying to keep the meeting on track.
"I suppose not. So what do you do then?" Swanson asked casually scooping for information
"Bit of this, bit of that. Administration, archives, research... 'tea-boy'," Ianto said with a small smirk.
"You're not suppose to be telling me this are you?" Swanson asked surprised that he'd even answered her question
"No harm knowing my job within the organisation. It isn't going to lead you to our base of give away any top secrets." Ianto smiled noting Swanson's disappointment at the fact he'd picked up on her snooping and played her.
"No I suppose not, do I get a name at least?"
"Mr Jones," Swanson rolled her eyes assuming it was a false name for cover up purposes
"That's fairly evasive, there's hundreds of Jones in Cardiff,"
"And yet it's not a cover, that is actually my name,"
"I see so how do we go about this the Mr Jones," Swanson said not entirely believing him.
"Have you got a conference room?" Ianto asked getting to his feet
"Yes," Swanson nodded
"Ok I'll need all staff who had any contact with us or our case in the room in an hour to be debriefed and while you get them together, I'll set up some refreshments for them"
"Well that was less painful than I thought." Swanson said watching the rest of the staff sleepily wander out of the conference room.
"That's good to know," Ianto replied backing up his briefcase.
"Do you have everything you need?" Swanson asked before breaking into a huge yawn, muttering an apology as Ianto smiled at her.
"I have my notes from the debrief, plus I recorded it in case I missed anything. I just need to pick up the box of hard copies you had put together for me from the front desk and that will be everything thankyou." Ianto replied politely
"What about the copies on the computer system?" Swanson asked confused
"No need to worry about them Crimit is secure enough to hold them," Ianto lied not even hinting at his current thoughts, Tosh should be hacked in and cleaning the system as we speak
"Well Mr Jones. Would I be to bold as to ask you out for lunch?" Swanson said as he headed towards the door
"Are you asking me out?" Ianto asked turning back to face her in surprise
"Why aren't you allowed to date?" Swanson asked a little defensively
"Noo we are... I just... that is," Ianto muttered
"You're seeing someone else," Swanson guessed
"Yes... I mean no... it's complicated," Ianto sighed
"Well if you like her you shouldn't her slip through your fingers," Swanson said and Ianto stopped the smiled that was threatening to break out at her assumption that it was a she he was thinking of.
No I shouldn't should I he thought before stepping back towards her hand out,
"It was nice to meet you Det Swanson."
"Nice to meet you too Mr Jones. And if it doesn't work out with your girl you know where to find me," she replied shaking his outstretched hand before leaving the room with a wink.
"I do. But you won't remember me in a hour or two." Ianto said quietly watching as she took a seat at her desk, resting her head on her arms as she fell into a Retcon induced sleep.
"Thanks for doing this," Jack said as he stopped opposite him staring down at the once again dead Suzie. She'd been killed almost 10 hours ago now and after Owen's autopsy, no one had said a word about her, or done anything with her apart from stick her on her tray in the draw.
"Part of me job, sir," Ianto replied filling out the paperwork, the last thing he'd have to do to clean up the mess she'd caused over the last few days.
"No I should be doing it but sigh one day we're gonna run out of space." Jack said softly leaning against the other draws
"If you're interested, I've still got that stopwatch," Ianto said taking a now or never approach, though later on he'd realise that it probably wasn't the best time to do it.
"So?" Jack asked confused, after all they were on a little bit of shaky ground, even after their talk.
"Well think bout it, lot's of things you can so with a stopwatch," Ianto said looking Jack straight in the eyes and praying that he'd understand, that he wouldn't reject him.
"Oh yeah, I can think of a few," Jack said understanding dawning in his eyes along with hope and nervousness.
Ianto sighed inwardly in relief "There's quite a list,"
"I'll send the others home early. See you in my office in ten." Jack said looking at his watch, still hopeful
"That's ten minutes and counting," Ianto smirked pulling out said stopwatch and clicking it on.
Jack pulled himself off the wall and with a much happier walk than what he came in with headed for the main hub.
"Oh Jack?" Ianto called remembering something once he was about halfway across the walkway.
"What do you want me to say on the death certificate?" he said once Jack had turned to face him.
"Good question," Jack replied shoving his hands in his pockets, something Ianto had learned was something of a habit that the Captain had when he was stressed or nervous.
"She had quite a few deaths in the end."
"I don't know... death by torchwood."
"I'll put a lock on the door, in case she goes walking again." Ianto smiled trying to re-lighten the situation.
"Nah no chance of that. The resurrection days are over thank god,"
"Oh I wouldn't be to sure. That's the thing about gloves sir... they come in pairs." Ianto said the words out of his mouth before he could catch them.
"Hey I just wanted to come and see how you were?" Tosh's voice startled Ianto out of his thoughts as he carefully locked Suzie's draw.
"I'm ok Tosh, thanks," he replied turning to face her and leaning on the other draws similar to how Jack had a few minutes ago.
"Did you talk to Jack?" Tosh asked carefully
"Yeah and he knows now... I'm glad he does," Ianto replied with a smile
"Are you and he ok? You've been a bit distant from each other the last few days," Tosh pressed on Ianto paused for a moment, he would tell her what happened but right now Jack was waiting for him upstairs and if he told her she would ask questions and it would take to long,
"We had a bit of a misunderstanding but we've sorted it out now," he final said
"What sort of misunderstanding?" she asked confused
"Didn't Jack send us all home?" Ianto sighed trying to steer the conversation to an easy out.
"Yes but you're not packing up. I'm done and I wanted to see how you were before I left," Tosh said
"I'm fine I promise," Ianto replied pulling her into a hug silently thanking her for looking out for him.
"Come on let's go to the pub, have a few drinks and forget all al about that witch and you can tell me all about this misunderstanding with Jack." Tosh said happily grabbing his hand and pulling his towards the exit.
"I ah... sorry tosh I can't I've kind of got plans tonight," Ianto stuttered
"Really? With who?" Tosh asked curiously
"... Jack,' Ianto admitted inwardly groaning as Tosh's eye lit up with excitement and curiosity.
"Ooh I want to know all the gossip tomorrow at work Ianto." Tosh said practically bouncing on the spot, which was a very un-Tosh-like thing for her to do, before happily walking off towards the exit leaving Ianto to watch the small spring in her step as she went.
"Goodnight Tosh," he called after her in amusement.
"Night," came a cheery reply.
Ianto walked into the darkened office, the hub was locked up and the only light left was coming from the glow of the computer screens in the main hub and a soft lamp in the corner of Jack's office, Glen Miller playing gently from the living quarters below.
Before he could call out to ask Jack where he was, warm strong arms circled his waist and a gentle kiss was pressed to the back of his neck, a soft sigh escaping his lips.
"You called me Jack earlier. I've never heard you use my name before... even when you were in blood fever I was still Sir." He whispered; warm breath ticking Ianto neck as he pressed soft kisses there between speaking.
"Hmm," Ianto responded rolling his head to the side to give Jack more access.
"Say it again, say my name, I want to hear those beautiful Welsh vowels tear down the wall you built calling me Sir all those months ago." Jack said hands wandering over Ianto chest undoing tie and buttons in his path.
Ianto turned in Jack's arms "Jack," he whispered capturing the older man's lips in a searing kiss that neither man was going to run away from.
TBC