Alright everyone, i know it's taken a while, been doing everything on my new laptop and it's taken me a few days to do a few things,so sorry. But anyway i'll be on holiday for a week, i'll try have a new chapter for you all in about 10 days, depends how busy work is, but i'll certainly try.
I have a poll on my profile page, please vote on it for me.
Anyway songs are
What hurts the most by Rascall Flatts and I'll Be by the Goo goo dolls.
anyway here it is -
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chapter 4
Ianto surveyed the end of the shooting range. Disused tunnels branched off, far from the practical end of the range. Large gaping holes in the wall, like mouths of Golems waiting to swallow him into their dark depths. He sometimes felt the same in archives, half way between a nightmare and reality. The enclosing spaces within the hub sprawling through seemingly endless corridors. Sometimes he wondered if the walls really could swallow him, it wouldn't surprise him. After all they had tanks full of deep water fish and he'd managed to keep Lisa a secret in the basement; maybe the walls had conscious thought. That was something to contemplate during his moments of boredom.
"So, think they'll work?" Jack asked. The rooms were devoid of anything, just the normal tunnel like structure, damp walls and a constricting nature, but for some reason were oddly comfortable, the comfortable surroundings of being within the Hub.
"They'll work, we can get plumbing down here," Ianto mentioned, knowing that would mean they would have to hire a plumber, which would no doubt end in retconning the work force.
"We can work out the finer points later, how about for now we get some furniture so we can be set up for the night?" Jack suggested.
"I need to check on my flat, so if Owen's alright with me going out we can go get a few things. How are we going to get things down here?" Ianto asked, there wasn't really a way to get into the hub. Not with a decent sized bed and he certainly wasn't sleeping on one like Jacks, it was like a camping bed and not hugely comfortable.
"Get flat pack furniture and we can 'persuade' a mattress through the tourist office and into the lift," Jack said giving Ianto a dazzling smile, his face full of youthful enthusiasm.
"You can do most of the work getting it down here, because we both know I'm going to be the one putting it together," Ianto teased.
"Stop with the low blows Jones, first the weapons testing 'incident', now bring up my hatred for flat packs," Jack pouted crossing his arms over his chest and huffing loudly.
Ianto couldn't help it and burst out laughing leaning against the cold stone wall for support.
"Jack, you can be such a child," he laughed in between gasps for breath.
"Why did you bring up the 'incident' anyway?" Jack asked quirking an eyebrow in a jokingly accusing manner.
"Because whenever you dig in the dark recesses of the Hub, you always find something dangerous to play with. You ruined my favourite suit last time." Ianto said a faintly disapproving look on his face.
"Aww come on, how was I suppose to know that someone had modified it, not many races can modify a Koplon blaster, not to that effect anyway," Jack said flushing slightly.
"You could have warned me it was an inter galactic version of a flame thrower, then I wouldn't have been in the room," Ianto replied, smirking at the fetching blush colouring Jacks cheeks.
"Besides, that suit deserved to die." Jack defended.
"Why is that?" Ianto asked intrigued, maybe Jack had destroyed his suit on purpose.
"Because it doesn't show off that gorgeous body of yours, it should never be hidden, especially not that stunning behind of yours," Jack smirked, leering and giving Ianto a very suggestive look.
"Well be that as it may you still didn't have to barbeque my jacket." Ianto teased.
"Yes I did." Jack said with an air of finality. Ianto shook his head fondly.
"Whatever you say Jack," Ianto insisted a light teasing tone to his voice.
"Let's get you checked out by Owen, then we can start on at least one room. We can check your flat while we're out," Jack offered holding his hand out to Ianto, his blue eyes begging Ianto to take his hand in return.
"Alright." Ianto said, taking hold of Jack's hand tightly; having to leave the Hub was a frightening thought, that man could be waiting for him, just watching and waiting. Ianto didn't know why but this man, this nut job had obviously seen something in Ianto, something he either wanted to possess or control and neither option appealed in any way.
"You're safe with the Captain Ianto," Jack told him pushing Ianto's hair back and smiling reassuringly; having Ianto grip his hand so tight was painful, but he was more than willing to have a little discomfort to make this beautiful young man feel even a little safer.
"Am I really safe though Jack? I've seen cybermen, daleks, cannibals and one of your homicidal ex's, I can't even begin to place this, I mean, Why me? What's so special about me?" Ianto asked feeling safe to express himself here, alone with Jack in the dark recesses of the Hub, no sympathetic looks or pitiying tones, just him and the wonderful Captain.
"I don't know what he sees Ianto, but I know what I see. A loyal, caring person, beautiful, enigmatic, charming and so, so vulnerable. Hiding behind that tight, professional exterior, a young man, whose more beautiful inside than he is out. But you try so hard, to be the defence, the armour to us all, you Ianto are one in a million and I really mean that." Jack told him, his voice quiet, his hands had moved to gently cup Ianto's beautiful face, they were staring into each others eyes, their bodys gravitating together as their lips connected. A slow, heartfelt kiss, passing comfort, promise and so much more between two people striving for something they believed so out of their reach.
Jack slowly pulled back, but kept his and Ianto's foreheads touching allowing them to look deeply into each others eyes, emotions running riot behind normally guarded orbs. Ianto's eyes held Jacks in a trusting gaze, behind the trust Jack could see so many emotions, fear, happiness and a tired edge seemed to creep in.
"Come on, as beautiful as your eyes are we need to get a better bed," Jack said pulling away reluctantly.
"Are you trying to chat me up Captain?" Ianto joked lightly.
"Nope, not this time, although, if you're interested I'm sure we can christen the new bed tonight, if you want to stay that is?" Jack leered.
"Well, keep that up and I may have to take up that offer, after all, if I remember you always had a way of making me forget my name."
"Oh the joy of screwing you silly, but no that isn't quite what I was proposing, I was thinking of a slightly more tender joining, our bodies curled together in a nice bed, legs tangled in the sheets, your beautiful face flushed with passion…" Jack reeled off, sounding so genuinely erotic that Ianto was having problems formulating a reply. He licked his dry lips, his cheeks flushed and he could feel the blood in his body head southwards.
"Well, what do you say Mr Jones?" Jack asked licking Ianto's ear lightly.
"I say let's go shopping for a bed." Ianto smiled, his eyes clouded with lust.
"Firstly you need to calm down a little, then maybe Owen can check you over," Jack said running talented fingers in relaxing patterns of Ianto's covered spine.
"You say all that to me and expect me to calm down?" Ianto asked, quirking that eyebrow that Jack loved so much. Jack leant over and kissed his forehead.
"I expect you to calm down for now Ianto, we can see what happens later, no pushing here." Jack assured.
"Well hopefully there will be a bit of pushing later," Ianto flirted, or at least tried to.
"See how you feel, after all, there's more to a relationship than sex….I can't believe I just said that," Jack said faking shock; Ianto was too special just to exploit for sex, he was someone that you could spend days on end looking at, years kissing and lifetimes in his company.
"Me either, but it's good to hear it coming from you," Ianto smiled lightly kissing Jack.
"I'd wait forever for you Ianto," Jack whispered.
"You know I have plans tomorrow night if you want to join me," Ianto offered.
"Really, what plans are they?" Jack asked intrigued, what had Ianto planned that he was willing to go out with that man on the loose?
"I'm doing a set at a club, the money I get I give to a charity, I don't know if you want to come though, after all I play modern music," Ianto teased, knowing if Jack said no, he'd probably cancel just for safety's sake.
"Oh, lots of low blows today Yan, I'd love to come, after all I want to see how good you are." Jack smirked kissing Ianto's brow.
"Well you'll have to wait to see what I sing but if you let me pick up my guitar I can play you a little something later," Ianto smiled relieved, Jack would protect him, the immortal man that filled Ianto with a warmth that spread through his body like fire seeping through his very pores into his veins, pulsing through his body.
"Sure, come on Owen will want to check you out; as long as we aren't out to long you should be just fine." Jack tenderly took Ianto's hand in his own larger one and entwined their fingers. Slowly guiding Ianto up to the main part of the Hub.
Tosh was busily working on the camera, she had hooked it up to several wires and her fingers were furiously skimming over the keyboard, barely making a sound.
Gwen was working her way through CCTV footage for the past few weeks, checking everyone who came in range of the camera outside Ianto's building. So far she didn't seem to be having much luck, her face was one of concern and her fingers kept gravitating towards her mouth, her manicured nails dangerously close to passing through her lips and meet her teeth.
Owen was holding a manila folder, Cassie's report; he'd managed to find her on what little had been left over from the Torchwood One database. A photo lay atop an autopsy report of the blowfish from several days before, Jack made out the face of a beautiful young woman, delicate features, beautiful dark green eyes, honey blonde hair falling in beautiful ringlet curls down past her shoulders, delicate red lips and a beautiful smile.
Ianto picked up the photo and smiled sadly.
"So that's Cassie?" Jack asked rubbing the back of Ianto's neck in a comforting gesture.
"Yeah, she was gorgeous," Ianto commented with a slightly depressed tone.
"She certainly was." Owen commented, but for a change there was no underlying tone which led to Ianto believing he was being honest and respecting the dead, his dear friend.
"She used to be the most appalling dresser," Ianto laughed fondly, "she couldn't colour coordinate for love nor money, she'd mix everything, even managed to make boring office wear into a fashion statement: green skirts, pink blouses, yellow beret, she was individual, couldn't lose her on a night clubbing." tapping the photo lightly against his chin in a thoughtful manner.
"Sounds like she was a character alright," Jack commented smiling as Ianto seemed to fall into his nicer memories from his time at Torchwood One.
"She was, dancer, singer, complete nut job, she was always happy, she didn't believe in being upset, when it rained she used to go outside on her break and dance in the rain. She'd pull whoever else was on their break out as well, she even did it to Yvonne Hartman once, she found it hysterical, till she slipped in the corridor in heels," Ianto said lost in the memories of many a break dancing around in the rain.
Jack burst out laughing, he could just imagine Yvonne Hartman sat on her ass in a puddle, sopping wet and trying to be stern. Ianto smiled lightly at the hysterical Captain.
"You'd have liked her, she wouldn't have slept with you though," he smirked.
"Why's that then?" Jack asked.
"She was a lesbian, her girlfriend was gorgeous too," he said putting the photo down on Owen's desk as the doctor stood up and propelled the younger man into his chair to check him over.
"Really, ever see anything?" Jack asked trying to lighten the situation.
"Well, I was invited on a 'night in'," Ianto said his eyes reliving the memory, of a happy time in his life when innuendo jokes usually involved becoming the male component of a threesome in a joking way and not sleeping with an omnisexual former time agent who was probably older than most of the buildings in the country.
"Sounds like my sort of girl," Owen commented, looking at his watch and holding Ianto's wrist pressing his fingers against his pulse point, checking his heart rate.
"Trust me, she never meant any of it, besides I wouldn't have, it's like sleeping with your sister, that's just weird." Ianto commented suffering the tests in silence.
"If I had a sister that hot I may consider it," Owen commented.
"Well she's dead, so kindly stop it before I have an uncontrollable urge to lodge my gun somewhere very unpleasant," Ianto said his tone joking, but the underlying meaning was completely serious.
"Alright mate, backing off now, your heart rate's fine, try and stay away from Janet but other than that I think you'll be alright, but I'm here if you need me, eh mate?"
"Yeah, thanks Owen," Ianto said his voice warm but weary.
"How about you and I go do some shopping Mr Jones? We can pick up take away while were out, I'm in the mood for Chinese." Jack smiled holding his hand out for the Welshman, waggling his fingers invitingly, his posture relaxed, "We can go by your flat first, see if theres anything you want to bring back here till that doors fixed. Then we can all have a Torchwood orgy." He smirked looking pleased with himself.
Ianto who had gripped Jack's hand tightly reached out purposefully and punched Jack painfully in the shoulder.
"OWW, Ianto!" he cried out indignantly. His face a picture of shock, mouth hanging wide open and an hand over the abused area.
"Can you keep it to the nice little image you were creating before you mentioned an orgy. I can do without it today sir," he said tersely, his expression gave away the cool tone in his voice, Ianto looked so tired, so small and weak from the exertion that both Jack and Owen were concerned.
"Come on mate, up you get, you and Jack go out for a bit, then I want to run a couple of scans when you get back," Owen said straightening the reports on his desk so he didn't look like he was hovering.
"Yeah I'm sorry Ianto, come on let's go get some fresh air." Jack slowly used their joined hands to pull Ianto into a standing position.
Ianto seemed steady on his feet if a little embarrassed by his outburst; normally he was the cool member of the team, Jack dubbed him a passive aggressive, usually more willing to let Jack or Owen do the physical fighting, of any sort really. Ianto took most of it with a dignified air, so Jack knew he'd really pushed a button Ianto wasn't in the mood to have pushed.
Ianto smiled slightly, it went unnoticed by the rest of the team. Jack saw it though, that beautiful little half smile that graced his face and made him look so young.
"Alright, you guys ok to hold down the fort?" Jack asked pulling his attention away from the Welshman.
"We'll be fine Jack, go, do what you need to and remember to bring back dinner," Gwen said pulling her attention away from days worth of footage covering Ianto's home.
"Gwen you're in charge, Owen, Tosh keep up with researching, hopefully you'll find some leads for us," Jack said collecting his and Ianto's coats.
"Absolutely Jack." Tosh affirmed barely looking up from the camera. She'd connected it to a set of wires and was searching through data that Jack couldn't determine from this distance.
"I'm close to a breakthrough here, I should have something when you get back," Tosh said pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose and her fingers ghosting over the keys in a frantic dance.
"Great, keep at it." Jack said helping Ianto into his coat and buttoning it for him, Owen made no comment like he usually would have and for that Jack was very grateful.
Jack and Ianto walked out of the cog door, which rattled as the mechanisms pushed it back into place behind them, cutting off their view of the rest of the team.
"So your place first?" Jack asked, keeping shoulder to shoulder with Ianto, offering support in a slightly more subtle way than usual.
"Yeah, I want to pick up a few things first, see about my door too, call some repair men and get it fixed today, get better alarms installed as well….I'm scared Jack," Ianto whispered, his voice almost lost in the darkened lift as it clattered and banged on its way up the shaft towards the tourist office.
"Nothing's gonna harm you Ianto, we won't let this guy hurt you, alright, trust us," Jack said taking Ianto's face gently in his hands and kissing his forehead chastely.
"I do trust you, it doesn't take all the fear away Jack, no matter how much I want it to."
"Well we'll get rid of him somehow, then you can stop being scared, after all you and me have to have our second date, especially since the first one went so well."
"It was fantastic Jack, should definitely do it again sometime."
"We will, we can rent a few movies and have a night in at the Hub tonight," Jack suggested.
"Why not, better hide them from the others though or they may stick around."
"They may stick around for a bit anyway; we're all worried about you."
"I know they are, I'm worried about me too."
Jack slipped his arm round Ianto's shoulders and pulled the young man flush to the side of his body as they walked in unison across the plass, conversation abandoned.
Rain pelted the ground, the clouds dark and heavy with rain, spitting fat drops violently towards the pavement, sheets of water soaked the pair thorough, plastering clothing to bodies and hair to heads.
"You know, maybe we should have checked the weather report," Jack yelled above the howling winds sweeping in arches across Cardiff and spraying rain into their faces.
"May have been a good idea," Ianto yelled back looking, Jack decided, absolutely delectable soaking wet.
"Oh well, come on," Jack pulled Ianto along, the young man not resisting, as the heavens seemed to cry great tears all around them, like angels weeping, Ianto reminded himself to check the obituaries.
The rain continued to lash them as the walked up the steps of Ianto's building ten minutes later, the wind propelling them some of the way, having caught in the folds of their coats and nudging them further forward against their will.
Ianto fumbled trying to get his key into the lock, the water pouring from his head into his eyes as he punched in the number on the security lock and the door flung open with a band as the wind caught the small gap created.
Jack and Ianto fled inside, dripping rivers of water onto the floor, the puddles catching the light like the shot from some ghastly over budgeted horror movie.
"Next time we check the weather report," Jack said reverently trying to squeeze the excess water from his greatcoat sleeves, splashing yet more of the liquid across the floor.
"Yes Jack, but for the moment we can go up to my flat, get dried off then attempt to pick up dinner," Ianto said brushing his hair back out of his eyes.
"Alright, come on, I need to be dry," Jack said pushing Ianto playfully up the stairs, the carpet under their feet becoming sodden in an instant.
A young woman peeked out from behind the oak door on the floor below Ianto.
"Ianto, I'm glad you're alright." She smiled relieved, dark red hair in attractive layers framing a thin face and bright blue eyes.
"I'm alright thanks Freya, but you know, didn't want to stay there on my own, are you alright?" he asked as the girl stepped out into the corridor. Clad in a short rock chick skirt and corset style top.
"I'm fine, I was just worried about you, the cop said you were staying with someone, oh." She spotted Jack and blushed slightly, "Hi," she said quietly.
"Hello," Jack greeted stood by Ianto's side as they dripped onto the floor, his eyes following the odd drip.
"Oh sorry, I'll let you go, glad you're alright Ianto, later." She rushed back into her flat embarrassed.
"She seems nice," Jack commented as they upstairs.
"Drama/theatre student at the uni, she's nice, I usually go to her plays since her parents can't make it, she's a good lass," he said, as they stopped in front of a substitute door, that had been quickly erected by the police.
Ianto pushed it, it swung easily open, obviously some bright spark thought the building was secure.
"Idiots, I'll call someone when we get back to the Hub, this won't keep the wind out," Ianto commented as they entered.
It all looked the same, the same room Ianto had spent his time in Cardiff reading, playing, regretting, nothing looked to have changed, but it had, the atmosphere was akin to a cloud shrouding Ianto's senses and choking him in their melancholy laughter.
"Are you alright?" Jack asked, Ianto had stopped dead in the middle of his living room, looking at it as if he'd never seen it before, a sort of fascination with an underlying hint of familiarity starting to creep in.
"It just feels different, that's all," Ianto said finally, his eyes scanning everything making sure none of his possessions had been taken in the confusion of the night before, which was a shame, the night had started well.
"We can make it feel right again, when you're ready to stay I'll stay with you, maybe we can make memories together, make it home," Jack said, his tone one of quiet confidence inside he was so scared of Ianto not wanting to further things, they worked perfectly together, the complete package.
"Maybe, it just feels like I've been violated, you know, my little retreat has been invaded and it's not really mine anymore. Am I making sense?" Ianto asked flipping through the sheet music atop his upright piano, caressing the beautiful aged wood lovingly.
"It makes perfect sense, this is your home and someone came in without permission, made it less sacred."
"Exactly, come on, let's get dried off," Ianto said standing and moving to the bedroom, disappearing into the en suite.
Jack followed, taking off his greatcoat and hanging it on one of the hooks on the back of Ianto's door.
"Here," Ianto said holding out a large fluffy blue towel to Jack, another pressed to his own face, wiping off the moisture and ruffling his hair.
"Thanks." Jack took the towel and rubbed his own hair vigorously.
Ianto silently began removing his sodden clothing, the water making them fall to the floor in a dripping heap, it looked a bit alien in its own way Jack mused before realising that Ianto was stripping.
"I'll go in the bathroom," he offered, not that he didn't want to have chance to admire the beautiful pale skin, but because it felt slightly wrong, to try have a serious relationship where his thoughts revolved around sex.
"You don't have to," Ianto said looking at Jack his hands stilling, his shirt hanging open, tie loosened but still around that beautiful neck.
"Ianto, I don't think I could stop if it got too far," Jack said forcing himself to look into Ianto's stunning eyes, not at the tantalising drops of water sliding down that beautiful chest, caressing the slim figure.
"You need to eat more," Jack commented.
"Yeah well, lot's of exercise while you were away, didn't count on losing so much weight," Ianto said slightly embarrassed and pulling the edges of his shirt closed covering himself.
"I'm not nagging, I just like you healthy, don't want to think anythings wrong," Jack assured taking one of Ianto's hands and holding it in his. Ianto's shirt slipped open a fraction and Jack reached over and caressed the newly exposed abs.
Ianto groaned quietly, his body jerking at the stimulation and he flushed slightly embarrassed at the noise he made.
"You're not ready yet sweetheart," he smiled moving the hand from Ianto's wonderful chest and moving it to caress his neck in a very intimate and tender way. "Trust me, when you are there will be no stopping us, but for now how about we get dried off and go pick up dinner, I'm starving."
Ianto nodded and turned his back to him and continued drying off, Jack unbuttoned his own shirt and pushed his suspenders off.
Ianto pulled his wardrobe open, grabbing a dark blue shirt, the material crinkling under his hands as he handed it to Jack.
"May not be the best fit but it's dry." he said selecting a pale pink shirt for himself, not in the mood to have wardrobe problems when all he wanted was to be back at the hub with his friends.
He peeled the wet fabric from his torso and threw it in the direction of the bathroom, the shirt, tie and waist coat all made distinct plops as they hit the tiled floor of the bathroom.
"Thanks," Jack said placing the shirt on Ianto's bed as he reached out taking Ianto's towel and delicately wiping the moisture from his muscled back tenderly.
Ianto's hands stilled, he just allowed himself to feel Jacks large powerful hands sweeping gently across his back, he arched his neck back slightly at the sensation of the pure intimacy in the moment. The two of them, here, together with no agenda, no understandings, just Jack taking care of him, the feeling made his heart ache.
"So, about a dog…" Jack said trying to bring the conversation back to a safe area to keep himself from thinking rather sexual thoughts.
"Seriously Jack, as much as I'd love a dog I don't think it's fair to leave it here all day on its own," Ianto said his voice quiet and almost sated.
"Maybe one day," Jack slid his towel lower over Ianto's back, caressing just above his trouser waist.
"Maybe, Jack, if we aren't taking this further, I think you should stop," Ianto said his eyes half closed and cheeks lightly flushed.
Jack lightly ruffled Ianto's hair and continued drying himself.
Ianto finished drying quickly, changing into a new suit and packing some more clothes for his stay at the Hub. Jack smiled contently to himself changing his shirt he'd keep his trousers on till he could change them back at the Hub while the team set up dinner.
"So, anything else you want to take?" Jack asked buttoning up the shirt and pulling his suspenders up over his shoulders.
"My guitar, I'm not leaving it here if there's no lock," Ianto answered trying to put his hair in some semblance of order. Before he moved to set up a clothes horse in the bathroom, placing it between the bath tub and the sink. Ianto placed his wet suit over it, neatly straightening it and motioning Jack to do the same.
Jack nodded and picked up his wet shirt, putting it on the clothes horse next to Ianto's the visual of their clothes together, it just seemed right.
"So how about we order a bed for delivery to the Hub, I don't want to spend too long out there," Jack looked pointedly out of the window.
"Yeah, we can go online when we get back and order it for delivery today, if not I guess it's another night in your little room," Ianto teased slightly.
"I'll pay them extra to deliver today," Jack said.
Ianto nodded and collected his things walking out into the living room, his guitar was propped against the wall, the wood looking almost hypnotic to Jack as Ianto caressed it with a kind of loving remembrance.
"It was a birthday present from my friends while I worked in London, I used to go to open mic nights at clubs, so they thought it'd be perfect, something salvaged from the hell I once lived."
"Well, play me something, I did for you," Jack said sitting down on the sofa as Ianto smiled gently picking up the guitar and sitting next to him close but not touching.
He looked at Jack briefly, his eyes fogged and guarded as he started.
"I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house
That don't bother me
I can take a few tears now and then and just let them out
I'm not afraid to cry every once in a while
Even though going on with you gone still upsets me
There are days every now and again I pretend I'm ok
But that's not what gets me
What hurts the most
Was being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was tryin' to do"
Jack looked distinctly surprised at Ianto's song choice, the emotions emanating from behind the lyrics were veiled truths and made Jack see into the depths of this young man. Someone who'd seen the closest equivalent of hell. The previously veiled emotions laid bare and Jack could nothing but watch Ianto as he lost himself in the music.
"It's hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go
But I'm doin' It
It's hard to force that smile when I see our old friends and I'm alone
Still Harder
Getting up, getting dressed, livin' with this regret
But I know if I could do it over
I would trade give away all the words that I saved in my heart
That I left unspoken
What hurts the most
Is being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was trying to do
What hurts the most
Is being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was trying to do
Not seeing that loving you
That's what I was trying to do"
"You have a fantastic voice Ianto," Jack said sincerely.
"Thanks, come on, we'd better get food to the team before they start doing something crazy, like work the coffee machine," Ianto said his face turned slightly away from Jack as he slid a battered guitar case from under the sofa they'd been lounging on.
"Yeah, we don't need that." Jack agreed, he took Ianto's bag, which contained some clothes, as Ianto carefully placed his guitar in its housing, closing the top and following Jack to the door picking up their coats on the way.
"So Chinese?" Jack asked.
"Sounds good."
……………………..
Tosh gave a squeal of delight drawing the eyes of her coworkers to her desk as she banged on the keys, numbers and words flashing on the screen too fast for either Owen or Gwen to make out.
Until an image appeared on screen.
"Finally," Tosh sighed, looking at what she had uncovered.
"Way to go Tosh, is that the last feed from the camera?" Gwen asked the image was simply of Ianto's bedroom, which Gwen admitted to herself was tasteful but slightly clinical.
"No, I managed to pull up the memory from the wi-fi connection, this is the first feed, so we need to try and work out when it was, then we can track it backwards," Tosh said pushing her glasses up and watching the screen.
"So that's tea boy's bedroom? Bit dull, too neat for my liking," Owen commented leaning over to watch. The video was quiet so Tosh fast forwarded the image, playing at normal speed when Ianto burst through the door his lips locked with some unidentified male.
The three watched in shock as the pair collapsed onto the bed and began pulling each others clothes off. The male with Ianto had dark brown curly hair and a sleek toned body, that was all they were able to make out, as the tension progressed Tosh paused the feed and minimized it. She felt like a voyeur, no better than the man watching Ianto, who must have thought he'd struck gold at seeing that.
"Wow, umm, Tosh why don't you try back tracing it, Owen get back to that report, we won't watch anymore without Ianto's permission," Gwen said her voice hard but her eyes had a kind of wounded look to them.
"That guy is a sick piece of work," Owen said his tone cold as he returned to his desk on the final page of the report, "Apparently everything Ianto said was correct and then some, I quote 'personal possessions of Miss Hall were given to her next of kin Mr I. Jones,' apparently they were close enough for that." The girls looked up unsure of what to make of this new information.
"Also, 'Mr Jones upon arrival at the accident site had what can only described as a complete mental breakdown, believed to be caused by the immense pressure he was under. Upon finding out the vehicle had been sabotaged Mr Jones had a 'lapse' in concentration and seemed to be completely terrified, cause of this unknown," Owen read aloud.
"So he was scared then, when's it dated?" Gwen asked.
"The week before Canary Wharf." Owen told her.
"So he lost all his friends in a week? How can he cope with that?" Tosh asked from her computer, her face pained.
"Because he has to, he clung to Lisa because she was probably all he had left, he lost his friends and someone so close they were almost related, that's got to be a strain on anything," Owen commented.
"What about his family?" Gwen asked, she didn't know if Ianto even had anyone.
"He has his little sister, older sister and older brother, his parents are both still alive, they live in Swansea," Tosh told her.
"Really? I didn't know if he had any family," Gwen said a bit sad that she hadn't gotten to know Ianto before all this.
"Yeah he and his little sister are really close, she turned 18 a couple of weeks ago, she going to university soon," Tosh told them, getting back to reversing the trace to find where the film had been sent.
They all looked up as the cog door opened, Ianto and Jack both absolutely drenched and laughing manically walked in, they were gasping for breath and mumbling in hysteria.
"Hey guys…what's the big joke?" Owen asked.
"Sorry….Jack and I were talking, then we got tackled and ended up in a puddle, it's just funny," Ianto laughed.
"We come bearing food," Jack said holding up a sodden bag; the contents seemed fine though.
"Great……umm, we managed to locate the film from the camera," Tosh said slowly.
"Well anything?" Jack asked interested.
"We stopped watching." Owen admitted.
"Why?" Jack asked, Ianto walked over to Tosh and maximized the file and saw why they hadn't watched.
"Guess I can work out how long he's been watching me then." Ianto said sadly looking at the image of himself kissing the other male.
"How long Ianto and who's that?" Gwen asked.
"That was while I was on suspension after Lisa, those 4 weeks and that's Dylan; sort of a fuck buddy of mine, I won't tell you the other one, mainly because you'll think too much of it. But I was feeling lonely and wasn't in the mood to come speak to one of you, since none of you understood anything. Anyway, Dylan and I went out for a drink and we fucked, simple as," Ianto said slightly embarrassed at having to tell them this.
"So you have a couple of fuck buddies. This guys been watching you for a while, there's months worth of film here," Owen said looking at the screen.
"Yeah along with a few things I'd rather not remember," Ianto said, looking as the video resumed and he and 'Dylan' began to get more than a little handsy.
Ianto picked up his guitar and looked a little lost, his eyes catching Jack's and Ianto looked away embarrassed. As Tosh and Owen watched him and Dylan divest themselves of more clothes, looking for leads.
Ianto sat resolutely on the couch behind Tosh's work station and opened the battered case, pulling out a beautiful acoustic guitar. Loosening his tie and unbuttoning the top 2 buttons of his shirt, he checked the tuning and strummed a rhythm, not looking at the rest of the team as he started on a song.
"The strands in your eyes that colour them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
Emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky
Never revealing their depth
Tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated
I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above"
Owen openly stared as the young man sang, his voice had a beautiful slightly husky tone to it and that in itself was enough to at least momentarily stop his futile efforts to find a lead.
"I'll be your crying shoulder
I'll be your love suicide
and I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life"
Tosh listened but didn't turn, Ianto's beautiful haunting tones cut through her and she paused in her typing, the words rolling over her like a tide and pulling her towards the sea of emotions that was her friend.
"Rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed
You're my survival, you're my living proof
My love is alive not dead
Tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache, that hang from above"
Gwen leant forward resting her crossed arms on the desk and thought of how little she knew Ianto, her colleague, not even a friend, just someone she worked with and knew nothing about his personal life, she didn't even know when his birthday was; all this terror had brought Ianto's true self to the forefront and she realised how much she wanted to know, wondering how much Ianto would let her see.
"I'll be your crying shoulder
I'll be your love suicide
and I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
I've been dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead
Tuned in, turned on, Remembered the things that you said
I'll be your crying shoulder
I'll be your love suicide
and I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your
I'll be your crying shoulder
I'll be your love suicide
and I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
The greatest fan of your life."
Jack smiled knowingly, he'd heard Ianto listening to that song before, it was in his c.d. collection, one Jack clearly remembered listening to while he and Ianto were having sex after the cannibals. Ianto refused to sleep with it being so quiet, Jack had found it charming, quiet meaningful songs drifting through the room as Ianto had slept almost peacefully. That song was one of the few Jack could really connect with he and Ianto, it sounded like the young man was singing about them; that beautiful haunting song, with Ianto's rough tones and Welsh lilt was hypnotic and so beautiful, something Jack could savor, that memory, that song, long after the world and Ianto had perished, he could hang onto the truth sang here and now.