I woke to a sound outside the dumpster and freeze as I recognise the breathy moan of a Weevil. Gods, can't get any peace around here, can I.

Great.

Can this night get any better?

Fuck off.

I roll over, burrowing deeper as I wonder if I should shut the other lid but it is trash day tomorrow and even if I did accept death for this dishonour getting squashed in the dump truck's compactor was not my first choice.

Then I hear shuffling and curse, the staff doing the closing time dumping of rubbish. Now will come the screaming and blood. Here I am, not even a bloody weapon…wait. I feel my pockets and find I had kept the knife from earlier, slipping it into my pocket after disarming the Chav without even realising. Of course I did. Training and all that, right?

I also pull out the com unit I still had from the last hunt, looking at it and cursing softly before putting it in my ear and keying Tosh's frequency, "Tosh? You still at work?"

"Ianto?" her voice is soft, full of worry, "Are you OK?"

"I'm in a dumpster behind Jack's favourite restaurant the one with cock in the name?" I sigh as I recall the way he laughs as he says it out loud, "We have a Weevil back here bailing up the staff and I don't have a tazer or spray."

"Stay there in the dumpster" Owen's voice blares in and I wince.

"Where I fucking belong, is it?" I snarl back and there is silence.

"No" Owen says more calmly, "Because they don't look in them. They like garbage cans they can look down into."

"We are about five minutes out" Jack adds and I feel a stab of anger as I realise Tosh has put me on live frequency when she answered, "Just stay hidden."

"There are three civilians out there sir" I scold and I stand to peer out, "One a young female who looks bloody pregnant. If you want to Retcon or kill me it will have to wait, I can't watch and do nothing. I might be a fuck up but I do have some morals."

"No one is calling you a fuck up Pet" Gwen responds and it sounds weird coming from her, "Please, we are turning the corner from the bottle store, just stay safe, yeah?"

I hear the SUV's tyres as it squeals around a corner, distant but closer now. Then a scream and I slide out to stand behind the weevil as it reaches for the trapped staff members. I couldn't wait any longer.

"Oi!" I bark, making it swing to look at me instead. What the hell am I thinking, "What the hell are you doing"

The weevil seems to consider, canting it's head as it moans again. Like it was answering me and I know I am grinning maniacally at it, knowing it is about to charge. Mad, me ya know.

"When it comes for me you all run, OK?" I say calmly without breaking eye contact with the weevil, "You won't reach the back door, go the for dumpster and get in. Help one another and get down once in there."

I don't wait for a reply as it lunges and I dance with it, slapping at those huge claws and taunting it as the staff members clamber for the dumpster and I feel honest regret as I see the two men dive in and forget the girl who stands there with a look of horror.

Shit.

I run towards her, intending to place myself between her and the weevil when the SUV screams past and slams into the wall pining the weevil.

"Out, out" Owen yells at the men, then looking at the woman and knowing instantly what had happened, as does Gwen who calmly tazers the two men as Owen leads the woman away talking softly to her.

I hope he isn't going to Retcon her, no idea what it might do to an unborn child. He will take that into account. Right? Not like I have any right to ask right now. He sure as hell does not owe me anything.

Jack gets out and I go to help pull the weevil off the grill but find myself in Jack's arms as he holds me tightly, shaking with some sort of fever or something.

Is he ill?

"Ianto" Jack sighs against me and I feel that soft feathery breath on my neck as he breaths me in. It feels…well. Almost erotic if not for the fact the entire team is watching and a dead weevil is dripping blood on my shoe.

Yeah.

Romantic right?

"Sir?" I am worried as he clutches as me and I wonder if the airbags deployed or he has hit his head, pulling back to run my fingers across his face to check for any damage.

"I have been looking everywhere for you, what the hell!" Jack splutters as he pulls me back in and it finally dawns on me that he has been worried. Concerned for me. Why? He's going to wipe my memories right?

The team get busy and I get back into the dumpster to get my bedroll, turning to find him there behind me.

"You know, if you are going to Retcon me this is not the best place" I remind him, "This is only a year old. Less than. You will have to take everything at least five years, right back and I would be best to wake up in a dumpster in the old part of town where I will know my way around, even if I am confused."

"Ianto I am not going to Retcon you for the love of…" Jack sighs and looks into my eyes, a sorrow there that seems fathomless and for the first time I wonder.

"Ianto. Please. Come back to the Hub." Jack is pleading and I don't know why. My confusion must show on my face because his is looking so…honest.

"Ianto. Please." He repeats softer this time, his grip still firm on my arms, "Let's talk this though. We all overreacted, this was a bad time and we all acted with less humanity than I would have liked. OK? Come on. I'm sorry. You loved her and she is gone. Everything is gone. I understand that. I have stood in the ashes as well. Come on."

"No Retcon?" I have to know, have to get that out. Even as I struggle not to correct him on the point that not everything is gone. Not if there is still some promise of him.

"No" He sounds sincere and I believe him as I let him lead me to the SUV, her hat still clutched firmly in my hand.

We stop by the station and I pull out my keys to get the bedroll. I watch Jack's face change as he grabs for them, snatching them from my neck and I am too shocked to cry out as the string snaps, leaving a small burn on my neck.

"Give them back!" I don't mean to sound as angry as I do finally regain my senses but damn it all he just hurt me. Now he stands there staring at me, then he gently places them in my hand with a look of chagrin.

"Sorry Ianto" he whispers, I find that I believe him as I re-tie the string and let the keys nestle against my skin once more and I know why he did it so I forgive him. He snorts, "Retcon wouldn't have worked anyway, would it. Not with that filter. What a clever wee enigma you are Jones, Ianto Jones. No. I have no intention of letting you go. Come on, let's get breakfast, yeah?"

Now he knows.

Maybe it's better this way.

He's not the only one with a fucking Tardis key.

.

.

.

.

Now stop it you lot! So damned bossy. OK? He lives.