Progress is slow on this story life keeps interrupting the creative process. Here's the next chapter.
A couple days later Owen hobbles into the hub. Jack is already there as well as Ianto.
Jack walking down the stairs from his office sees Owen. "So how's the leg Owen?" Jack asks genuinely concerned.
"It's fine considering it had a bullet in it." Owen smirks.
Jack ignores Owens sarcastic tone of voice. "You are early. No one else is here yet well except Ianto" Jack smiles.
"I knew I'd have a bloody lot of paperwork to catch up on figured I get a head start."
Just then Ianto comes in from the kitchen handing Jack coffee in his favorite beaker. He looks at Owen, "How about a nice hot cup of coffee?"
Judging by the looks on their faces Owen is sure they spent the night together. Isn't that just peachy, they were here shagging each other while he was alone in pain with no one to help him. The rage begins to simmer. "No thanks tea boy," He hisses out the slur. "I will be down in the lab." He turns and walks away satisfied the venom is working.
"Do you see what I mean Sir, I was trying to be nice and he reacts angrily towards me." Ianto turns to look at Jack.
"You are right he just brushed you off." Jack looks at Ianto concerned.
"I don't understand Sir, not once while he was heading the team did he call me tea boy yet now he uses it quite often knowing full well it offends me."
"I see that, for some strange reason he's trying to demean you. I need to find out why he feels so compelled to do this. Tell me about what happened while I was away and stop calling me Sir!" Jack sips his coffee.
"Yes s…. I will try. We all came in the next morning Owen was already here he handed out our assignments for the day, and talked to us about making some changes on how we responded to rift alerts. At first we were very resistant, Gwen even made a comment about why he should be in charge and not her but when he explained everything to us it actually made sense. He went into more detail saying my talents were wasted in the kitchen and on the occasional weevil run that I was to qualify on weapons and join the team on all missions. I must admit I was shocked. Then he explained how leaving Tosh behind was also a mistake she could upload the information to a tablet and come with us or meet us at the active site. We had to respond to a disturbance before Owen had a chance to implement the new procedures, it didn't go well. When we returned we all complained and wanted to remove Owen from being in charge, he convinced us to give him a chance, we agreed he then implemented the restructure and to all of our surprises it worked. The rift alarm would sound we all geared up climbed into the SUV Owen drove I road shotgun Gwen was in the back with Tosh who was giving out information as she received it on her tablet. We arrived at our destination better equipped and more prepared. Injuries decreased to both us and our targets. The missions were very successful. We all agreed this was working out great so we listened to Owen and we followed his orders. He was like a different man. He was attentive, concerned, professional, and courteous, he was a leader and we would have followed him anywhere. I can't even explain it but it felt like we were truly a team we worked together closely taking on and conquering each mission. We seemed unstoppable it felt as if we could do anything. Then you returned and for some reason the old Owen came back with you."
Jack starts pacing as he is talking. "Looks like I might be Owens problem, maybe he feels threated by me. He's never mentioned anything to me though. I should probably talk to him about it." Jack suddenly stops and looks directly at Ianto." Wait you mean to say things were better while I was gone?"
"No, not better Sir," Ianto back pedals nervously," it was just different. We were organized in a different way, Owen managed to hone in on our skills and bring them out a bit more, that's all. Now that you are back things are much better."
"Better in the bedroom out of the bedroom or both?" Jack stares at Ianto.
"Definitely both!" Ianto raises his eyebrows and smiles at Jack.
"Maybe I am not as good a leader as I thought I was." Jack chuckles.
"No Sir, you are a great leader it was you that put this group together in the first place, you who made us a team without you there would be no Torchwood."
"That's true at least there would be no Torchwood Cardiff. Let's get back to the issue of Owen so it seems Owen developed some leadership skills and all of you accepted him I come back and all of you turn back to me though you were all a bit harsh when I first returned. No welcome home party or anything."
"Well we were very angry. We felt abandoned." Ianto glances down.
Jack moves in towards Ianto pulls him in close lifts his chin and looks directly into his eyes." I would never abandon you." Ianto stares back and says nothing standing there lost in the depth of Jack. Jack stares into Ianto's eyes for a moment longer then releases him and steps back. "Enough about him I will take care of him later. Are you ready for our second date?"
Ianto still lost in Jacks eyes pauses before answering, "I am not sure you can surpass De Courceys. That has to be the most romantic evening I have ever had. The food the wine the company it was like a dream come true. "
"Well I think this time I am going more towards a fantasy, my dream wasn't completed that evening though it did come close." He laughs.
Ianto smiles at him." Alright I am game where are we going next?"
"We will need to take a couple days off because I booked us a room at Maes- Yr-Haf. We will be able to have a nice dinner, then go to the room and later have breakfast in bed perhaps lunch in bed and if I am lucky Dinner in bed." Jack grins wickedly
"Are you implying what I think you are?" Ianto looks excited.
"I certainly hope so or I spent a lot of money for nothing. " Jack winks at Ianto.
"Well", Ianto sounding very indignant," who ever said I would be cheap? Plus I believe this has gone way past sexual harassment."
"Not yet but with any luck it will. " Jack grins.
They are both laughing as Gwen and Tosh enter the hub.
"What's so funny?" Gwen looks at Jack.
"Oh nothing, would you ladies care for a cup of coffee?"
"Yes thanks." Gwen looks at the two of them then back at Tosh and shrugs her shoulders.
"I'd like one too please. Is Owen here yet?" Tosh asks.
Jack nods towards the lab, "Yes he's down in the lab brooding about something. I am going to have to have a talk with him."
"What's he on about Jack?"
"Your guess is as good as mine Gwen."
"I will go check on him he seems a little tense lately." Tosh turns toward the lab
Gwen scoffs, "A little tense Tosh that's the understatement of the year. "
"Gwen he has had a lot to deal with lately with Jack returning and all. I am just going to check and make sure he is okay." Tosh goes down to the lab to find Owen sitting on the table and trying to clean the bullet wound.
"Owen let me help you with that." Tosh walks over to him.
"I have it I just need to change this dressing." Owen sighs, thinking to himself, why is it always Tosh.
"Let me do that for you really I don't mind. "She puts on a pair of gloves grabs some antiseptic pads and carefully begins cleaning the wound. Normally Owen would argue with her but today he just didn't feel like it. "Is there anything wrong you seem a little uptight, well more than usual?" she laughs nervously.
"I am fine." He lies he knows he isn't fine. "Guess being laid up like this is a little aggravating."
"I suppose it would be. There all finished." She has cleaned and dressed the wound as they spoke. " Let's go up the others are waiting."
"Let me grab a couple things and I will meet you there. "He watches as she nods takes the gloves off and tosses them in the bin. Then he grabs a couple folders, stands up carefully and joins the others in the main hub area. Gwen and Tosh are comparing something on Gwen's screen while Ianto and Jack are trying to figure out some dates on a calendar. No one notices he's there so he just sits quietly feeling like he is invisible.
Reviews?