A/N: Sorry this chapters so short. :( But thanks for reading.

CHAPTER FIVE

He didn't know how it had happened, how all his hopes and dreams had been crushed to duct in the space of a few hours but they had.

As he draped the mutilated, dead body of Doctor Tanizaki towards one of the unused storage rooms, he kept telling himself that it had been an accident. That Lisa hadn't meant to do it. That there was still hope. He'd gotten half way down the corridor when the power started to drain again and it was suddenly all too much for him. He'd planned so carefully, everything was going just as it was meant to… well, except for a few unforeseen problems. And then in the blink of an eye, it was gone. If the team found Lisa – which they were sure to do if he didn't do something quickly - Ianto knew they'd kill her. He couldn't allow that to happen. Lisa was the love of his life, he'd risk his own if he had to.

He was nearly to the room when the worst possible thing happened. Jack spoke to him. Called his name, pleaded for a response. His cheerful flirtatious tone filled with worry and just like that, the wall cracked further till there was a gaping hole, allowing everything to rush free like a burst damn.

Ianto dropped to his knees and cried. He'd lost everything, everything he'd had, everything he'd worked so hard to restore… everything that in the dark lonely nights gave him a warmth that helped get him through the sorrow.

And it was all his fault.

Ianto hadn't made it back to Lisa before anyone could come looking for them and he cursed at the sight of Jack, weapon raised and ready to fire.

He watched Jack's fingers as they gripped the gun. He watched the older man's face as his eyes took in what was happening. Ianto could hear Gwen's screams, he could hear the sound of the cyber conversion unit but all he could acknowledge was Jack and the threat he posed to Lisa.

When he saw the twitch in Jack's cheek and the tightening of his hand around the grip of his weapon, he acted. Rushing towards Jack as he fired, sending the shot wide so it missed Lisa and ricocheted off the wall.

Their bodies pressed together. Closer than they'd been in a long time and Ianto found his instinct to protect Lisa dwarfing any desire he might have felt at having his employer in such an intimate position.

The captain fought back of course, forcing Ianto away and against the other wall, shouting at him, his gaze willed with anger and confusion. Another scream from Gwen at the men breaking their hold on each other and rushing to her rescue.

Ianto saw the instant comprehending hit; he saw the spark of anger flare in Jack's gaze and could only apologies, though he knew it would never be enough.

While Jack release Gwen from the table and flung Owen, who lay unconscious on the floor, over his shoulder, Ianto watched out for Lisa. Half fearing her return and half praying for it, all the time clinging to hope, for that was all he had left.

Ianto was leading the way back to the hub when she didn return. His heart lept into his throat at the sight of her. He could hear Jack talking but all he could think about was Lisa. The blank cold stare she was giving them. A spark of fear crawled up his spin and his heart raced. When she suddenly turned an marched away, the sound of metal hiting concrete echoing down the long corridors, he breathed a sigh of relief.

But that relief was short lives as he felt the barrel of Jack's pistol press against his head. He could hear the fury in the older man's voice. He wasn't expecting the feelings that swamped him.