A.N.: I'd like to give a special shout out and a huge thank you to DeliaDee and workingsomecoffeemagic for their consistent and wonderful reviews, and for the faith they've expressed in this story. Thanks guys!

Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Torchwood, despite my wishes. All rights belong to RTD and the BBC. I make no money, despite my wishes, and I mean no harm.

"Jack? Can I speak to you for a minute?"

Jack looked up from his desk, mildly surprised to hear Owen's voice. They'd all had a tough day the day before, and almost everyone had gone home early. If Owen felt the need to come in at half past five the next morning for a private chat, it must be important. Jack put his paperwork aside and mentally prepared himself for bad news.

"Sure" he said, "What's up?"

"It's nothing big. I just- do you remember when I did the last physicals on the team?"

Jack nodded and folded his arms across his chest. "Yes. You said everyone was in good shape. Was there something you forgot to tell me?"

Owen looked as if he didn't know how to answer, or as if he didn't want to. His eyes scanned the ceiling for a moment, then the floor, before finally coming back to Jack.

"No. Nothing I forgot. There's just something I think you need to know. About Ianto."

Jack stood and walked around the desk so he could meet Owen eye to eye.

"What about Ianto? Is he sick?"

Owen shrugged and said, "Depends on your definition. Physically he's fine, Jack. Probably the best fit of all of us. You do realize he's mentally a little…?"

Jack scoffed. "There's nothing wrong with Ianto's head. He's no more screwed up than the rest of us."

"That's probably true. We're all a little fucked up. But, Ianto's been through a lot. Canary Wharf, his cyber-freak of a girlfriend, just day-to-day life working here. He's dealing with it well, considering, but Jack, he had a complete breakdown not to long ago. He could have gotten himself killed, not to mention, and I cannot put to fine a point on this, the rest of us. Am I getting through to you at all?"

Jack was silent a moment, eyes narrowed and lips tightly drawn.

"What are you saying, you want me to fire him? You don't want to work around him? Is that the point of this?"

Owen threw his hands in the air and let out an exasperated sigh. "No, Jack. If I was afraid of the tea-boy, or if I wanted you to fire him, I would have mentioned it after he shot me. I just want you to understand. As a doctor, I don't feel Ianto should be put under any unnecessary mental stress. None of us should be, but especially not him. Don't get me wrong; with what he's been through, a lesser man would be in a nuthouse. Ianto's not unfit for work, and I think he's actually healing. But, he shouldn't be put under unnecessary stress. As a doctor, I feel it would be detrimental to his health, and as a person, I think it's goddamned unfair."

Jack tilted his head and looked at Owen quizzically.

"I agree with you," he said. "I do, but what's with this sudden concern for Ianto? I was under the impression that there was no love lost between you two."

Owen rolled his eyes, eerily reminding Jack of the man under discussion.

"We really are like a family, Jack. I don't have to like any of you, but I do care about all of you, more or less. When you left it put Ianto through hell. You mean something to him, he needs you. He relies on his work and on us, but he relies on nothing more than he relies on you. I'm not a therapist, Jack, but that boy is suffering from traumatic stress at least, maybe even posttraumatic, and he needs something stable. If that's not gonna be you, if you're gonna take off again, you need to let him know. Because if you hurt him again, and he has another breakdown, and if I survive it, you will be dealing with the consequences."

"Did you just threaten me?"

"Not that it'll do any good, but yeah. Now that you're back, everything seems to be getting back to normal. That's good for all of us. Don't fuck it up, okay?"

Jack took a step forward and looked Owen in the eye.

"I chose to come back," he said, through gritted teeth, "and I don't intend to leave again. I'm here for the duration, and what goes on between Ianto and me is between Ianto and me. But, thank you for looking after him. It's good to know you all looked after each other while I was away."

"We didn't fall apart without you. It's good to have you back, all the same. Just keep in mind what I told you, alright?"

"Yeah, I'll do that. You should get to work. We have a lot to do today."

"Yeah. Okay, Jack." Owen turned and started for the door. He paused in the doorway, and turned back to Jack.

"I think he loves you. That's not a professional opinion; a stranger could see it. I'm not sure if that makes him very sad, or if it makes you very lucky. Probably both."

He disappeared out the door, and Jack was left staring at the empty space he'd been in. Jack sat down and scrubbed his hands over his face. It was already turning out to be a very bad day. Having Owen of all people preach at him was aggravating and kind of scary.

Jack jumped when a hand touched his back, and he smiled wanly when he saw Ianto standing beside him, hair tousled and shirtless.

"How much of that did you hear?" Jack asked.

"Almost all of it, I think. I came in around the part where I had a breakdown and almost got everybody killed."

Jack sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "I'm sorry, Ianto. If I'd known he was going to… I should have told him you were here. I thought you were asleep."

"I was, but I tend to wake up when people are having serious discussions about my mental health. So…"

"So?"

"Well, it's the elephant in the room, isn't it? The last thing he said. Jack, I-"

"Ianto, don't. Don't say anything. Owen shouldn't have, and you don't have to. Lets just pretend this whole thing never happened, okay?"

"Absolutely. I need a shower, are you all right, or would you like some coffee first?"

"That's okay. Take your shower. Ianto? Are you going to mention this to Owen?"

"I can't see one possible scenario in which that ends well. I'm not unstable, Jack."

"I know. I agree with him that we should all try to avoid stress. I'm sorry if I put you through hell-"

"Jack it's fine. I'm fine. Let's forget about it."

The look in Ianto's eyes told Jack a different story, but he didn't call him back as Ianto headed for the showers. Jack knew that he loved Ianto, and he was almost sure that Ianto loved him, but the words weren't something either of them had ever said. Jack wasn't sure they would ever be said, and that didn't bother him. It was enough to just know the truth of it. At least, it was enough to believe in the truth he wanted.

Ianto was still hard to pin down. Sometimes he acted so comfortable with Jack it was like they were made to fit, no matter how many centuries apart they were, but other times he was so distant those centuries showed. It drove Jack mad, but he never mentioned it. Much like love, distance was something they never spoke about, because there was every chance that it would just hurt less that way.

XxxXXXxxx

"Jacks acting weird around you today," Gwen said later, cornering Owen on the stairs to the autopsy bay. "You two have a row?"

"No.," Owen said, trying to move past her. "Don't know what you're talking about."

"He seems rather angry with you," Gwen pushed, firmly holding her place.

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

"Come on. Did you guys have a fight this morning? Did you walk in on him and Ianto?"

"Please, Gwen," Owen said with a disgusted look. "I haven't ripped my eyes out so, no. Ianto wasn't even here when I got in."

"Oh? I thought he might have slept here. He's wearing the extra set of clothes he keeps here, and his hair was wet when I came in. He does stay here sometimes."

Owen's eyes widened, and an expression that might have been fear flitted across his face before he disguised it with more disgust.

"Oh hell," he said. "I didn't know that, and I really didn't want to. Now I have really bad images in my head of stuff on the desks. Thanks so much, Gwen."

He pushed past her roughly, leaving Gwen to wonder just what the hell she'd missed that morning.

xxxXXXxx

Owen knew he couldn't avoid Ianto for the rest of his life, and he figured the sooner things cleared up between them, the sooner they could all get back to normal. Their version of normal, anyhow.

He waited until Ianto brought him his afternoon cuppa, and he was surprised at how professional he acted, just business as usual. Owen almost decided that Ianto must not be aware of his conversation with Jack, but then he realised he was being thick. This was Ianto, after all; Owen should have no reasonable expectation that he would act anything other than professional.

"Ianto," he said, catching the tea-boy's arm, "did you hear my conversation with Jack this morning?"

"Yes, I did," Ianto replied in a cool voice. "I think it's best left forgotten."

"I didn't mean to say you were a nutter or anything. I just think you need to be treated with a little more… Shit, I don't know. I was trying to look out for you."

"I'm not an invalid, Owen," Ianto said, his voice now tinged with anger. "I don't need special treatment, and I don't need you 'looking out for me.'"

"Well, someone has to; you don't look after yourself."

"Don't you dare lecture me. You have no idea what you're talking about, so just keep your mouth shut."

"You barely ate," Owen said, and he was shouting now, "you never slept, you started coming in hung over more often than not, and I don't know if you get this, but I am a doctor! It's my fucking job to look after you, especially when you aren't capable of doing it your bleeding self!"

Ianto dropped the empty coffee tray on Owen's desk and squared his shoulders. Owen had never seen him look angrier, even when Ianto had shot him, and this looked very much like a fight waiting to happen. Part of Owen was glad of that, because they still had some bullet-shaped issues that needed sorting out.

Owen clenched his fists, and started to roll his shoulder back, when he suddenly felt hands like iron gripping his wrists.

"Putting one finger on him would be the biggest mistake of your life," Jack said in his ear. "And I never want to hear you speak to him that way again. Whatever happened between you two is over now, and Ianto is off-limits from now on. If you have a problem with him, you take it up with me. Are we clear?"

Owen nodded, and Jack let go of his arms.

"Good," Jack said. "I like it when my team gets along. Just remember: Ianto isn't your concern."

"Yeah, he is," Owen said, defiantly. "I'm his doctor, Jack. Show me your degree, and I'll let you take care of him, gladly. Until then, he's my patient."

"Fine," Jack said, "but if you ever talk to him like that, or raise your hand to him, you'll need a doctor."

xxxXXXxxx

Later, after everyone else had gone home, Ianto brought Jack a cup of tea, and then sat on the edge of his desk.

"I don't need you to protect me," he said, holding Jack's gaze. "I can handle Owen on my own."

"Sure," Jack said, dropping his eyes. "But… Owen can be an ass, sometimes. I don't like hearing him talk about you like that. He doesn't know you."

"And you think you do?" Ianto said dropping his eyes.

"Better than most people. Don't I?"

Ianto nodded, but still wouldn't meet Jack's eyes. They sat in silence for a long while, as Ianto studied the carpet, and Jack let his tea go cold.

"It's getting late," Ianto finally said, and moved towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Jack had a million things he wanted to say, but none of them felt right in that moment. He watched as Ianto left the building with his head hung low, and he wondered how many secrets the boy was keeping behind his beautiful, haunted eyes.

FIN

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