Hope this update finds you well...

Enter Harkness stage left...

Throwing on the tightest fitting jeans he had, Ianto sized himself up in the mirror, running a hand through his unkempt hair as he slung his leather jacket over his shoulders.

'I'm off out, Rhi.'

Rhiannon appeared from the bathroom, hair dripping down the back of her dressing gown, 'Off anywhere nice for the millennium?'

Ianto shrugged, 'Just meeting a couple of the guys from the newsagents.'

'Your 19 now Ianto, don't you think you could get a better job than multiple paper rounds?'

'No qualifications, Rhi,' he slipped his money clip into his back pocket, 'besides, I can almost guarantee that I won't get paid as much.'

'I'll bet,' she mumbled under her breath.

'Not the mumbling, please! You know I hate it when you mumble.'

'What if I got a job as well? Then that would supplement our income wouldn't it?'

Ianto sighed, 'We've been through this. You go to school, I get the money. I want at least one of us to be able to have a decent future life.'

'Not even a weekend job? What if I-'

'Rhiannon. We are not talking about this again,' he held up his hand to stop her protest, 'All I need from you is to look after the house while I'm working and to do your best in school. Are we clear?'

She looked at him defiantly for a moment before nodding glumly, 'Yes, boss.'

'I'll see you next year,' he smiled, kissing her on the cheek.

'Have a good one,' her soft reply followed him out of the door.

It'd been a rough start living in splott, but after that first night Ianto had adapted to his 'working' life quickly. He'd gained a good reputation in the bad part of town, whispering his terms and conditions to passing cruisers. There wasn't much that he hadn't done these days and he was always in high demand. He'd figured out that to keep on top of the bills, shopping, school fees and the general cost of running a household of two he'd have to give a handjob every night as a minimum. But he'd wanted a better life for Rhiannon, a life where she would want for nothing and they could live as they wanted without any boundaries. That meant they'd had to buy real furniture, kitchen appliances and all the technological devices that they'd only dreamed of as children...technically they were still children. He smiled as he remembered the weekend they had spent re-decorating the flat after they'd watched amateur DIY videos on youtube- they'd got the paint all over the floorboards.

So, he'd upped the stakes of his 'business' plan. He'd been making at least £300 pounds a night for the last four years. Ianto often wondered if maybe his childhood had damaged him beyond repair, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had an emotional attachment...or reaction to anything other than his sister. It didn't matter how his punters treated him, what they said to him, it seemed to roll off of him like water off a duck's back.

Rounding the corner he entered his usual haunt, The Grey Goose. A seedy pub that turned a blind eye to the sort of thing he was selling as long as he didn't cause a fight and kept the men buying drinks. Ianto preferred doing his business in a pub than on the streets. Most of his punters were regulars and they usually didn't want to go too far to fuck. On the streets it had been unpredictable, he'd encountered men that were into all sorts of things that he hadn't even dreamed existed and he'd returned home with more than a few scrapes.

He slung his jacket on the back of his stool as he pulled it up to the bar, 'Alright Tony? Not closed for the new year then?'

'Don't be daft. Where would all you lot have to go if I didn't stay open?' the bartender laughed, 'is it the usual, Bond?'

'If you don't mind,' he gave the pub a cursory glance, 'Any of the regulars been in tonight?'

Tony inclined his head towards the bathroom, 'John's in there with Buttercup right now, but you know he's never adverse to seconds.'

Ianto chuckled, 'I don't understand why someone would name themselves "Buttercup".'

'Preference I suppose. Why'd you call yourself "Bond"?'

'Preference I suppose,' Ianto grinned, 'How about Lefty? Has he been in for a trick yet?'

'Speak of the devil...' Tony chuckled.

Ianto turned around and saw a slightly overweight, slightly balding, middle aged man enter the pub with his head down low; giving the place a once over he came over to Ianto when he saw him sitting at the bar.

'Bond, just the whore I was looking for.'

Ianto ran a hand over Lefty's arm, 'You know how to make a guy feel special,' he winked salaciously, 'what you up for tonight then?'

'Just a suck, I'm in a rush and I'm horny as hell.'

'I'm sure I can help you with that,' he held out his hand, 'You know my policy, half now half later.'

Lefty sighed, digging into his pocket, 'I don't understand why you don't trust me, Bond. You know I'm good for it.'

Counting out the notes Lefty placed in his hand Ianto shrugged, 'Just the way it is,' he gave him a tight smile, 'Lead the way, lover.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Rhiannon waited until Ianto had disappeared down the street before throwing on her clothes and following him out the door. She'd gotten as far as the edges of splott before she lost him. She sighed as she began to walk back. She knew that Ianto had been doing unsavoury things for the money. As she'd grown up and she'd lost her childish naive innocence of the world she realised that Ianto would have to be doing...

She didn't even want to think about it.

She'd slowly watched Ianto retreat into himself as a child, hiding his emotions, burying them until he couldn't even find them anymore. She knew that he had been happier in the years after they had escaped their parents but he still had the emotional detachment.

She thought that maybe he'd just needed time to adjust and to heal but he'd never lost the mask that slipped into place when things were getting just a bit too intense in their lives.

She pulled out her phone as it began to ring in her pocket, looking at the screen she smiled as she answered it.

'Hey Johnny.'

Alright, Rhi? What's occurring?

'You tell me.'

You daft girl. You are coming to mine right this instant. All the guys are here and we need you so we can get wasted and forget about the new year!

Rhiannon giggled, 'It's the millennium, Johnny!'

Give a shit! Get over here you gorgeous girl.

'On my way!' she hung up as he began singing Auld Sang Lyne down the phone, smiling to herself as she quickened her pace.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack Harkness stood over the body of Alex, staring at the bullet hole in his head. He was frozen. This team had proven to be the kindest yet and hadn't treated him like an attack dog, actually caring when he was injured, and now they were...they were...

He mentally shook himself. What did he need to do? He needed to keep moving. Protocol demanded that he sorted this out as soon as possible.

Logging into the computer at Alex's desk he quickly changed the order of command, registering the team as deceased he appointed himself head of Torchwood Three. He changed the security system, the codes and programmed it in to his vortex manipulator giving himself free reign and remote control over the hub. After that was done he stole himself to the task of putting the team- the former team, into the crypt. Carrying them down one by one, he stripped and redressed them in medical gowns finally placing them into a body bag of their own.

As he came to Alex his vision blurred from the mass of unshed tears. He'd known that he would out live them but not like this. Alex was a good man and the fact that he had murdered his team- that he had felt that to enter the void of death was better than facing what lay ahead...

It scared Jack to the core.

Stumbling back up to the main hub Jack howled as he scrubbed away the blood of the team he had grown so fond of, downing whiskey straight from the bottle as he did so. Jack had thought that he'd had a good handle on his emotions, it had been over a hundred years...but this had been so shocking, taking him completely off his guard. The TV droned on in the background bringing in the new millennium with a bang.

Setting the cleaning products aside he eyes up a bottle of bleach as he returned it under the cupboard. A particularly nasty way to die...his insides would be burning long after he revived.

No.

The slight respite temporary death gave him wasn't what he needed. He needed to overwhelm his senses with something explosive, to relieve the grief and pent up stress. He needed a warm body, writhing next to his, distracting his thoughts and expelling his physical and metal tension. He needed someone who knew what they were doing.

Putting the hub into lockdown, he stepped onto the invisible lift.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Wiping his mouth as he came out of the bathroom, Ianto made a beeline back to his usual stool at the bar.

'You missed the countdown, Bond.'

Ianto shrugged, 'No matter, Tony. What's one year from the other?'

'Hear you there pal,' Tony set down a shot of whiskey, 'That'll burn the taste outta your mouth, son. On the house.'

'Cheers Tony,' Ianto downed the shot, smiling when the burn hit his stomach, 'You sure do know how to look after your whores...maybe you should start a business.'

Tony rolled his eyes, 'No thank you. I'd rather not end up in jail,' he looked up as someone walked through the door, 'Oi, oi, he's a new one.'

Ianto turned in his seat. The man who had walked in looked like he belonged in a war film, the impressive military coat swung around his legs as he strode into the room. Ianto raised his eyebrow as he sized him up, 'He looks too confident to be new to this.'

They watched as the man took his time surveying the room, stopping to chat to a few of the other boys Ianto knew. Ianto looked in surprise as Buttercup pointed him out of the room and the man's gaze turned on him. Not dropping his eyes Ianto followed the man as he walked over to him.

'Buy you a drink?'

'I buy my own drinks, thanks,' Ianto smiled at Tony, 'Apart from when the barkeep is feeling generous.'

'I'll cut to the chase then shall I?'

Ianto rolled his eyes, Americans... 'If you don't mind...'

'What's your price?' the man looked him up and down.

'First I want to know why you talked to the others, second I want to know why you didn't use one of them. Then I'll tell you my terms.'

The man smiled, almost dazzling Ianto, 'I want the best in the business; someone who knows what they're doing and who can keep up with my pace.'

'You're setting the bar quite high there...'

The man snorted, 'Which is why I wanted opinions.'

'And...?'

'They tell me you're the top of the game. That you're in demand the most and they've never heard a customer complain.'

Ianto looked the man up and down, narrowing his eyes, 'You're grieving.'

'That's not your concern,' the man almost growled, 'What's your name?'

Ianto held out his hand, 'Bond.'

'Captain Jack Harkness.'

'That explains the coat...' Ianto almost sighed, 'Okay Captain. You can take me wherever you want, I don't do bare backing. That's not negotiable,' he paused, 'I'm thinking you want more than a quick hand job in the mens...'

'You catch on quick.'

Ignoring the sarcasm, Ianto continued, '£200 to fuck, blowjobs cost another £100 and if you want to do anything...extra...depending on what it is determines the price. I want a full description of what you want to do and I want half up front, cash only.'

Jack snorted, 'You mean you don't have a personal card machine?'

'This is Wales, not England. We're permanently stuck in the 80's technology wise.'

'Grab your coat then, you've pulled.'

Leading Ianto outside the pub, Jack opened a high tech looking SUV, 'Get in.'

'Where are you taking me?'

Jack shrugged, 'Whatever hotel is nearby.'

'You're springing for a hotel and a hooker? Someone is either loaded or desperate.'

'Aren't hookers supposed to be, oh I don't know, charming?'

Ianto rolled his eyes, 'No offence mate, but you need me,' he pulled the seatbelt across himself, 'You want to fuck and fuck and lose yourself in the oblivion so you don't have to think about anything,' he looked Jack straight in the eye, 'you're in the kind of pain you haven't been in for years, the kind of pain that drives people to jump off buildings.'

Jack studied him curiously, 'How do you know all this?'

'I'm good at reading people,' Ianto nodded ahead of them, 'Shall we? I know a cheap place a couple of minutes from here.'

Jack set off, the boy's words playing in his mind, 'You don't get that good at reading people.'

'Left here, and I did. My sister's better though,' Ianto gasped sharply.

'You have a sister?'

'I shouldn't have said that,' Ianto shook himself mentally, what the hell was wrong with him. No personal details. He didn't want to attach anything emotional to this, 'Ignore me. Must be the excitement of the new year...'

Jack laughed, 'You're not excited about that, and I think you're attracted to me.'

Ianto groaned, 'I don't do that sort of thing. It's too risky in a business like this, you're judged on the size of your wallet...nothing more.'

'Whatever you say.'

Ianto ground his teeth silently, 'Right here, then it's the building on the left.'

Jack pulled up in the buildings car park, 'Looks like an abandoned house.'

'It's bigger on the inside,' Ianto said casually as he jumped out the car.

Shaking his head, Jack followed him inside the building. He paid for the room and followed Bond upstairs. Unlocking the door, he turned the light on and flung his coat on a nearby chair, 'Not as bad as I thought.'

Ianto nodded, 'I told you so. Now what do you want to do to me.'

Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a roll of money, 'Here, what'll this buy me?'

Counting the money, Ianto's eyes widened, 'This is a grand.'

'Yes.'

'Is this how much you meant to give me?' Ianto stared at the money, 'Really?'

Jack laughed, 'Yes. You said it yourself I'm a grieving man,' he pouted, 'Besides your stunning for someone in your line of work. I was expecting to have a coked up frat boy who didn't look half as delectable as you.'

Ianto blushed, immediately turning away as he chastised himself for his uncharacteristic reaction, 'This will buy you...pretty much anything you want.'

Jack almost smiled; he hadn't expected such a reaction from a slight compliment, 'Good. Because, Bond-' he grimaced, 'Please tell me that fee will cover hearing your real name.'

Ianto spun around, 'Why?'

'If I call you "Bond" I'll feel like I'm in a ridiculous spy film.'

'Have you even watched James Bond?'

Jack shrugged, 'I haven't watched much of anything.'

'Ianto.'

Jack did smile then, 'Alright, Ianto. Does it cover kissing as well?'

'I don't usually do that.'

'Well,' Jack almost slid over to him, running a hand down Ianto's waist settling on his hip, 'you didn't say no.'

Jack leant forward claiming Ianto's mouth in a bruising and talented kiss. Ianto felt the desperation for release and was stunned to find nameless emotions swelling up in his chest as his eyes slid shut and he leaned into Jack. Ianto pulled back, scared of the reaction this man had evoked in him.

'Something wrong?'

Ianto shook his head, 'Just...not something the clients usually go for. They usually want to use my mouth elsewhere.'

'All in good time, Ianto. We have all night.'

Ianto suppressed the shiver that Jack's words induced, and felt the relief wash over him as his emotions took a back seat fading into the numbness that he was used too. He could handle this, he was a professional. He could tell the kind of things Jack would need from him, total concentration. He'd dealt with people in the state Jack was in, they'd always been more vocal about their woes and most of them had been suicidal. Jack seemed different. Almost like...death wasn't an option. Mentally shrugging he rose to meet Jack again as he was lowered onto the bed, his hands automatically ghosting the planes of the body above his and his fingers seeking out the ways to divulge the clothing that covered them both. His breath hitched as Jack kissed him on a particular spot on his neck he never knew existed, his emotions swelling back up into his chest as Jack moved down, trailing a path of kisses as he moved down. Jack was treating him with care. The revelation shook Ianto. Care and kindness wasn't something he was used too, it was something that he needed to avoid at all costs. Ianto had been craving kindness his whole life, if he found it here he might be lost.

Bringing Jack back up to his face he kissed him senselessly, flipping them over so that Jack was underneath him he took control of the situation and let his hands and body move automatically, desperately retreating back into himself as Jack began to moan wonderfully underneath him.