Jack sat motionless; he had been this way for exactly 2 hours 20 minutes and 15 seconds Ianto acknowledged as he looked at his watch. Owen had hardly stirred either, only to open his mouth and close it again like a very slow fish. The brainstorming had lasted exactly 25 minutes before the ideas had run out and they'd assumed these positions. Ianto was thinking carefully about the whole situation and coming up with blank after blank. Jack was also trying to work out a way to save them to save his team, but all possibilities seemed to end badly in his opinion. However, Owen had a different view. For the past 5 minutes and 32 seconds exactly he had not been thinking of how to save the others but had in fact begun to contemplate his and Ianto's fate. It didn't look good from where he was sitting. No leaving the hub, no going anywhere practically a lock down. Eventually of course John would get in and it would have all been incredibly pointless. In fact Owen had concluded that he had only one real option and that was to face the music. So he got to his feet without a word just a nod in Jack and Ianto's direction and left the hub. He left safety and walked bravely into the fire.

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It was now 2 hours later and Owen was on his hands and knees, blood pouring from his nose and mouth. He didn't regret his decision, not in the slightest, because now he was nearer to Gwen and Tosh maybe they could all find a way to escape. John's boot connected with his face again and he howled in pain, then again maybe not.

"Now you are very interesting Doctor Owen Harper aren't you?" Owen didn't respond he just wished that this tosser would crawl back down whichever hole he came from and stop kicking his face. I mean he liked his face; lots of other people liked his face too. It was hardly fair to completely fuck up such a gorgeous face now was it? "Walking straight into the open to wait for me, bravery or stupidity I'm not quite sure." John looked as if he was really contemplating Owen's actions, which of course he was not. He was just thinking of what to do next.

"Nah John, you see torture tastes so much better on your own terms." Owen didn't even both to raise his head as he spoke, he knew it would just be forced back down anyway. He wasn't used to feeling so vulnerable, in fact he hated feeling this way, not that he let that show.

"Haven't lost your sarcasm yet have you?" John laughed without humour. "So Owen, tell me how did it feel watching Tosh get used like that?" Owen was temperamental at the best of times and now he worked to keep the anger down. Pure rage would get him nowhere in this situation. "You're not usually so quiet." John sounded almost annoyed; he had expected Owen to be more fun this. He wanted him to really lose control.

"Hard to talk with a swollen mouth," Owen stated, "Stupid wanker." He added under his breath. A kick in his side rolled him onto his back and before he could react John was sitting on top of him. His weight pressed down on Owen's lungs, so that he could only take shallow breaths.

"Now I expected you to be more of a challenge Owen if I'm honest. In fact you're a bit disappointing. See your main quality is arrogance you put a brave face on everything, act bravado. So I have to really hurt you so that no amount of faking can repair you, don't I?" Owen shivered involuntarily and then cursed himself under his breath. He didn't like the sound of this. John's eyes were wistful as if he was planning in detail what he was going to do, a bit like a chess player he was already many moves ahead. "I see only two options. I rape you. Or I rape one of the girls in front of you. Can you think of another way?" Owen's mouth was agape, how could John talk so calmly about such things? He had to think of an alternative, but... Oh this situation was just wrong, it was total fucking bollocks! Something kicked in then, a burst of energy shooting through him. He recognised it -as any good doctor should- as adrenalin. He had walked so calmly into this; it had never really kicked in as it should of. Now he had someone to save though, he wouldn't let John do that to them, to him.

"Or I could just stop being quiet?" Owen suggested. Instantly he pushed himself upwards throwing John backwards. He was on his feet before John recovered. He decided to return the favour and kicked him in the face he smiled at the satisfying crack. "Oops I think I just broke your nose pretty boy." John growled and yanked hard on Owen's foot he lost balance and fell on top of him. It took Owen a second too long to realise what John was doing. He quickly pushed himself back onto his feet twisting Johns hand backwards when he clung on to fistful of his shirt. God he would be so fucked off if John ruined this shirt, it was his favourite, and it already had blood stains. John waved his belt at him tauntingly and instinctively Owen looked at his zip. It was done up thank God. The momentary lapse of concentration was a mistake though. John flicked the belt out the buckle catching Owen's cheek. "Shit." Owen pressed his fingers to his face and felt the wet blood on his fingers. "Twat!" He lunged at John again pushing him up against the wall, his fist ready, but John was too good and ducked efficiently leaving Owen's fist to crash straight into the wall. John grabbed the already broken knuckles, using them to turn Owen round and push him into the wall. His hands grasped at Owen's neck in an unyielding grip.

"Looks, like your shit out mate." Owen gasped for air, pointlessly. He was shit scared and right now he didn't care about admitting. He didn't want to die. Who did? John stared right into his eyes, as his face paled and his lips slowly turned blue. He couldn't even beg, he could frame the words but no sound came out. He tried to say it all with his eyes. "I told you, you'd lose your bravado act." The last face Owen saw was John's before he slipped into the darkness Jack was always talking about. John walked away leaving Owen lying stone cold on the floor.

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"I'm scared Jack." Ianto whispered.

"I know." Jack hushed, holding Ianto tight to him, making an internal promise that he would never let him go.

"You can't keep me safe forever." The tea-boy smiled softly, as acceptance washed over him.

"I can try." The Captain spoke through gritted teeth, determination etched on his face. Plans forming and reforming in his mind, he wouldn't, couldn't let John have Ianto.

"I think I want to be like Owen." Ianto said it quietly, easing the pain of the words. The two men stared at each other, communicating silently with their eyes like only lovers could. Eventually Jack nodded.

"It will be worse for you and for me because I love you so much." A tear slid down Jack's face, but he didn't care because he was with Yan. The least Ianto deserved was Jack's honest feelings for a change, so he removed his concealing barriers and cried on the young man before him. A part of him wished that Ianto would reconsider when he saw the agony this decision would cause him. He didn't, he just whispered:

"One more night hey Jack." And for the first time in his life Ianto Jones took control.