Chapter Two

Ianto saw the look on Jack's face. "Are you okay, sir?"

Jack looked at his cup and then at the younger man. "Mmm? Yeah. I was just thinking." He shook his head. "Now, where was I?"

About to tell me everything," Ianto told him with a smile.

"Was I indeed." He smiled.

Ianto settled back in his chair and smiled back at Jack. "I expect you've been through quite a lot over the years," he encouraged.

Jack didn't answer straight away. He took a sip of coffee and then stood up, walked over to the door and looked down into the Hub, before turning. "It hasn't all been a bed of roses, if that's what you mean." He leaned against the door frame. "I was a free agent before Torchwood," he began, "A rebel, some say. Most, actually."

Ianto smiled. "I see."

"I joined a Time Agency and for a while, everything was great," he sighed. "Then it all went off the rails."

Ianto frowned.

"I became a con man. No good at all. Then Torchwood found me. Eventually, they persuaded me to join them."

"Is that what you wanted? To join Torchwood?" Ianto enquired.

Jack shrugged. "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what I wanted. I was tired of living the way I was. Torchwood gave me a purpose…a goal."

"And now?"

Jack walked back to his chair and sat down. "It's not easy, being head of Torchwood Three. Sometimes I want to just step away…take a back seat so to speak."

"I understand," Ianto nodded.

Jack smiled. "Do you?"

"Yes, sir. It's not easy, making decisions all the time. Some that others don't agree with."

The phone on Jack's desk began to ring.

"Harkness."

"Jack, it's Toshiko. I'll be late getting in. The snow is so thick, I've got to dig my car out!"

"Stay at home, Tosh. Ianto and I can monitor the Rift," he eyed the young Welshman, who nodded.

"Are you sure, Jack?"

"Put your feet up and read a good book. Try and get in tomorrow."

"Thanks, Jack. Give my love to Ianto."

"I will, Bye Tosh." Jack replaced the phone in it's cradle. "She sends her love."

Ianto blushed.

"You and Tosh…are you…"

"No! Just good friends." He looked at his watch. 7.23am. "I'll take a look at the Rift monitor, sir. Patch it through to our mobiles," he explained. "If I'm down in the archives, it'll alert me there."

"Good idea, though it's gonna get awfully cold down there in this weather." Jack tapped the desk with his fingertips. "Maybe we ought to think about ways to heat the lower levels."

"Being a Time Agent, what was it like?"

Jack leaned back and reflected. "It had it's moments. Going back and forth in time isn't all it's cracked up to be, believe me." He closed his eyes, remembering. "I've done a lot of bad things, Ianto. I'm not proud of what I've done…had to do," he added. "I've killed and tortured people and aliens alike. But I never enjoyed it. Never!"

Ianto picked up his cup and drank from it. Jack tried to read the expression on his face, but the Welshman was unreadable.

"In 2000, Alex thought that this world was going to hell. He killed everyone at Torchwood Three and then killed himself. That's when I took over. It's not what I wanted. But it was about the time Torchwood Four disappeared. I couldn't refuse."

"It made you a better man, sir."

"I hope so, Ianto. I really hope so."

They exchanged a look that spoke volumes.

"So," said Jack, changing the subject. "Truths from you."

Ianto put his cup on the desk and sat up straight. "After Canary Wharf, all I could think about was getting my Lisa back. I didn't care what I had to do," he looked away. "Or who I hurt. I wanted her back."

Jack smiled sadly. "I'm sorry."

"The thing is, I'm not…not now. You were right. It was stupid of me to think I could even try! She was the monster!"

Jack shook his head. "No, it wasn't stupid."

"It wasn't her anymore. It wasn't my Lisa. It was me…trying to make what she was, back into the woman I loved."

"She meant that much to you. I'd have done the same. We all would."

Their eyes met.

"Would you?"

Jack could only nod.

Eye contact was only broken by Jack's phone ringing again.

"Harkness."

"Jack? Gwen…"

"Stay at home. Everything is fine here," he said, cutting her off.

"Jack?"

"Toshiko is snowed in, too. Ianto is here. We'll be fine."

"Well, Rhys is here, too."

"Enjoy your day off. Try to get in tomorrow."

"Thanks, Jack."

Jack put the phone down and looked at the young Welshman. "Two down," he stated.

Ianto arched an eyebrow. "Are you expecting Owen to call next?"

Jack nodded.

"Just us, then."

Jack swallowed. 'I hope' he thought. "Maybe," he replied.

Ianto checked his watch again. "It's still a little early for Owen."

TWTWTW

Pushing back the covers, Owen stared down at the woman lying in the bed next to him. He sighed, padding naked to the bathroom, where he took a quick shower before retrieving his clothes and getting dressed.

Looking down at the still sleeping woman, he sighed again and headed for the door.

Once down in the Hotel Lobby, Owen first checked the time, then the weather outside. It was snowing…hard. Rechecking the time, he mouthed '8.32am' before pulling up his collar and stepping out into the snow.

TWTWTW

Ianto made his way to Toshiko's workstation. It was the neatest and the young man smiled as he switched on the computer to check the CCTV cameras around the Millennium Centre and Tourist Office. He spied a figure waving at him by the Water Tower, so zoomed in, smiling.

"It's Owen," he called up to Jack.

'Damn!' thought Jack.

TBC