Howdy people! Sorry I'm late- my damned GSCEs ran on ALL week! Gah, at least I only have four left to do- History, Biology, and two Chemistries! Ah well, here's what you've all been waiting for, and remember to review! More reviews means you'll get to see how it ends!

Just a Kid

Ianto sat, stunned, by the piano in the music room. How had Jack known? How had he known? Ianto thought he had kept his attraction for Jack hidden so well under his apathetic cover, but if it was obvious to Jack, then to whom else was it obvious? The kiss still lingered on his lips, a gentle buzz of ecstasy. The tinder begging for heat to awaken the fire. He lost track of time, and so checked his watch- his watch was broken, but Ianto figure that he had been in the room for two hours. Well, half an hour since Jack had left. He still felt guilty about abandoning the rest of the band in the Principal's office, and thought he wouldn't be able to face them.

"Yan?" A timid Welsh voice called from the threshold. Ianto looked up, and saw Gwen Cooper hanging off the edge of the doorway, still dressed in the sparkly costume she had worn onstage. She peered around the entrance at him, before making her way to kneel by his side at the piano, taking a more submissive role than Jack had. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Ianto hesitated before answering; "Yes, why do you ask?"

"Jack said that you were feeling guilty and came here, and we waited for ages until we decided that you needed some company." On cue, Owen, Lisa and Jack entered the room, Jack taking a position next to Ianto on the piano bench. Ianto knelt his head in shame and fear- he didn't want company. He just wanted to be left alone. Jack sensed his unease and put a friendly arm around his shoulders, silently telling him not to feel so bad.

"If it cheers ya up," Owen said, carefully choosing his words. Ianto looked up, pricking his ears. "We found some dirt on the Principal." Owen lowered his voice. "And we all discussed it, but we need to run you through our plan first, before we tell you what it is."

Ianto couldn't take anymore- he knew that Torchwood meant trouble, and he couldn't face anymore trouble. Not today, not ever.

So he simply whispered "No." He felt a strong hand on his shoulder, and looked up into Jack's shiny blue eyes. Ianto couldn't quite place his finger on it, but Jack looked... different, somehow. In fact, they all did- they looked... perfect, but still the same. More or less. Owen's hair was a richer shade of auburn, Lisa's eyes were more hypnotic than usual, Gwen's lips were redder and Jack's scent was... as intoxicating as it had always been.

"What?" Owen said, almost irritated. His eyes narrowed at Ianto, and he crossed his arms over his chest as the young Welshman tried to leave the room, only to be stopped by Jack who grabbed and held him against the wall. Jack then pressed his face close to Ianto's and his eyes lit aflame with rage as he growled; "Listen, kid- you're doing this whether you like it or not, and there's nothing you can do! Ya hear me?" Jack threw Ianto to the floor, and kicked him in the gut. Ianto gasped in pain and held back tears. He felt a sharp slap on his head, and suddenly there was only darkness.

He awoke hours later in a dank, dark dungeon, cold, hungry, thirsty, and alone. He eased his way into a painful sitting position, and noticed that his right ankle was cuffed to the wall. He whimpered in fear as he tried to get his bearings, but it was the slow, steady rhythm of the metallic scraping which really brought him over the edge...