Penultimate chapter here guys :) There's one more - shorter - installment for the series after this one finishes though. I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 12

You're the hidden cost and the thing that's lost
In everything I do
Yeah and I'll never stop looking for you

Jack arrived at the Hub with an immediate need to clean up as quickly as possible. Of course, as soon as he stepped into the shower, he realised that everything was still going to be alright if he spent an extra half hour making sure he was fully okay to go back.

The thought of Ianto waking up alone terrified him, but Owen had assured him that he was heavily medicated and that one of them would stay with him at all times. He tried not to think of how close he'd been to signing that order and thanked whatever God was out there that he'd gone half mad and heard Ianto talking to him.

As he moved through his bunker, he was suddenly glad that he hadn't come back sooner – there were reminders of Ianto everywhere.

There were clothes still strewn around the place, suits hung up in the wardrobe, even a hoody lying on his pillow – but that was one of Jack's deliberate things. To him, that hoody was the epitome of Ianto away from work. He loved that side of his lover and the jumper reminded Jack not to let it fall by the wayside.

There were also several changed bandages from his hand and face and a supply of medical things, should the cuts get knocked open. Jack swallowed hard and averted his gaze, trying not to let himself refuel the anger he'd felt at Tom that night.

Ianto was completely integrated into his life now, but he'd known that the day he'd come back and Ianto had rejected him. He didn't realise how hard it would be to lose Ianto and he hadn't even lost him yet. He felt vulnerable, scared even, at the fact that one day, all too soon for him, Ianto would be gone – whether through premature death or retirement, Jack couldn't predict.

He gritted his teeth, shoved the thought from his mind and carried on getting dressed.

*

Ianto had slept for a little over seven hours when he opened his eyes again. He blinked in confusion a couple of times before he realised he must've been moved onto a private room – probably on 'Torchwood's orders. He was also pleased to find he was propped up in a half sitting position.

He looked around and smiled at the sight of Jack, slumped forwards in his seat with his head rested on his folded arms, which were in turn resting next to Ianto's legs. He smiled and gently ran his fingers through Jack's hair, surprised at how comforting it was.

After a couple of minutes, Jack jumped and sat up, suddenly on edge. Ianto could help but chuckle at it. Jack just groaned in realisation and rubbed his eyes before looking over at him, the tension leaving his shoulders as his posture relaxed.

"I'm taking the hospital expenses out of your wages, you know." Jack said with a wry grin.

"But you forget that I handle the expense claims." Ianto retorted in a whisper and his own smile. As whole as he was, he was still weak from the stomach wound and his heart.

"That's a very good point, I'll remember to talk to my lawyer about that one." Jack's grin sobered up a little as the sound of Ianto's voice, his words grating harshly against his dry throat, but it didn't stop the elation at hearing him back to his usual banter.

"I think you'll find your lawyer would be on my side." Ianto raised his eyebrows and they both knew it was true. In Torchwood Three, Jack dealt with the majority of all law related issues and they both knew that Ianto could easily get his way with him. Jack laughed lightly and linked his fingers with Ianto's before looking up at him once more.

"Where were you, Ianto?" He asked softly, the pain evident in his voice. Ianto sighed and thought how to phrase it. This needed explaining and he needed to be able to say more than two sentences at a time before he could do that properly.

"I was with an old ally." He finally said, the mysterious smile on his face telling Jack that he'd get nothing more from the young man on that subject, not yet. Ianto coughed slightly and winced at the pain it sent to his stomach.

"Sorry, I'll get Owen to-" Jack began, his pace contorted at the sound. Ianto gripped his hand to stop him from moving.

"Don't. I don't want to go to sleep yet. I just need a drink." Ianto managed to whisper and Jack deliberated for a moment before nodding and helping Ianto sit forward, handing him some ice-chips which Ianto insisted on feeding himself. As they melted, water flooded his mouth and ran down his throat, instantly helping. "You wouldn't believe how good that felt."

"Hmmm…" Jack thought for a moment before perching on the edge of the bed and leaning in, capturing Ianto's lips in a soft, slow kiss, his heart jumping as he felt Ianto's lips reply for the first time in days. He pulled away reluctantly and sighed before smiling. "I think I do."

Ianto ran his fingers over Jack's face gently, enjoying the feeling of his skin after what seemed like an age apart. Despite his frailty, Ianto shuffled over to one side of the bed and pulled on Jack's arm gently. The captain looked at him through weary eyes before Ianto growled in frustration.

"I almost died, yes, but I'm on the mend. Please, Jack?" He looked imploringly at his lover and after a moment of internal battling, Jack moved to sit next to him, lying on top of the covers. Ianto settled in, leaning his weight against him and twisting a little until he was as comfortable as he was going to get, a hand resting on Jack's chest and gripping onto the material of his shirt lightly.

They lay like that for a long time, Jack passing Ianto the cup of ice chips at various points, after his voice started to crack whilst he spoke. They chatted about various mundane things, laughing at the others when they came to see him and Owen accused Jack of 'inappropriate exercises'.

As Ianto slept that night, Jack remained next to him, listening to the soft yet reassuringly strong beat of his heart and sound of his breathing, smiling gently at it the entire time. They seemed to be telling him that they were still there and they weren't giving out anytime soon.

That's all well and good, Jack thought to himself as he watched Ianto's eyelids fluttering a little in REM sleep, because he still has one hell of a story to explain.