Disclaimer; I own nothing…
A/N; have you any idea how hard this chapter was to write? I wrote down a very rough draft at one this morning because the bloody bunnies wouldn't let me sleep. I was going to put this up earlier today but I was busy packing. I hate packing! So tell me have you all been reading 'Caught In A Strange Paradox'? If not you really should be. :P. Anyway… ENJOY!!
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"I vote Ianto." Owen said, his eyes did not leave the computer screen which was displaying the view from Martha Jones in her room at the Pharm.
"What? Why do I have to be the one to go in there?"
"Because Ianto," Owen lent back in his chair and looked at the Welshman. "You're shagging the bloke, so he's more likely to talk to you."
"Owen does have a point you know." Toshiko said softly.
"Traitor!" Ianto's eyes went wide.
"I'm sorry Ianto, I know that things are strange with the two of you, but despite all of that I know that he does trust you. If Owen or I try and go in there nothing will happen, except maybe getting him angry, and we really need him out of his bad mood before Martha starts looking around."
"But, the thing is, I don't even know what I would say to him. We haven't had a proper conversation in weeks."
Owen shot Ianto a strange look. "So why do you stay here till midnight every night? You can't honestly tell me he is that good."
Ianto just gave him a look that said 'you are a complete idiot and I really hope you know it'. "Yeah Owen he really is."
"And thank you for that visual Ianto."
Ianto turned away from Owen. "Is there anyway that I can get away without going into that office?"
"No tea-boy, now off you trot."
"Please Ianto?" Toshiko tried her best to pull off the wide eyed dog look.
"Fine." Ianto sighed, he fixed his tie (a nervous habit that he had developed since Jack's return) and walked over to Jack's closed door. He knocked softly and waited for permission to enter, when he got it he slid in slowly and quietly.
"Ianto," Jack said, he was sitting at his desk reading a report (said report was upside down). "I was wondering when you would all start pulling straws to see who would come and fish me out."
"No straws, just puppy dog eyes." Ianto lent against the door. "And you can't really blame us, you have been up here sulking since Martha was accepted."
"I'm not sulking Ianto. I'm thinking."
"Oh?" Ianto walked over to the desk and perched himself on the edge. "So there's a difference between the two now is there?"
"Yes." Jack lent back in his chair and tried to hide his smirk. "Thinking is much more macho."
"Because you really are a macho macho man aren't you?"
"Hey the Village People are iconic, don't be bad mouthing the Village People."
Ianto chuckled. "So are you going to tell me what you're thinking over?"
Jack hesitated and looked away. "Martha. I'm really worried about her, I know she's been in much worse situations but I don't think I would be forgiven if she got hurt on my watch."
"Now I know that there is some truth in that, but like you said she has been in much worse situations so she can definitely handle herself. But there's more to this thinking isn't there? Something you're not telling me."
"Maybe…"
"Care to share?"
"I've been thinking about us."
"I honestly can't think of any conversation that has ended well, that has started with that sentence there." Ianto joked, and then he saw that Jack had a very serious expression set. "What's wrong?"
"Why did you tell Martha that we dabble?"
"Because she wanted to know what we were."
"And dabble was the only word that you could think of to describe what we are?"
"Well, I honestly didn't know what else to say."
"I thought that we were a bit further on than dabbling."
"So did I Jack."
"Did?"
"Yeah Jack, did. We haven't spoken to each other, and I mean a full conversation that consists of more than 'harder' 'yes' and 'fuck that's the spot', in weeks."
"So, you do think that we are more than just dabblers?"
"Yes Jack, I do think that, but that doesn't change the fact that we don't talk anymore. We are both skirting around the issue that caused all of this, so we've fallen into old habits again."
"I'm sorry Yan."
"I am too."
"Ianto I need to tell you something, I've been putting it off because I thought you knew but then I realised that you only think you know. You know?"
"Wait… what? I think that might have been a sentence."
"Ianto I-"
"Jack! Martha's on the move!" Came Owen's voice.
"Coming!" Jack called and ran to the door. "Ianto are we OK now? Are we back to normal?"
"Yeah I guess so." Ianto wore a smile but he couldn't help wondering how far back they have gone back. They still hadn't spoken properly and Jack still hadn't said the three little words but then neither had Ianto. 'Yep' Ianto thought to himself. 'We have achieved nothing.'
Has everyone seen the character lists??
Review? … Please?