Present day; London

Jack rested his head on the back of the chair and closed his eyes. He had never lost an erection as fast as he had when Ianto's voice had whispered through the hub. Typical of Gwen, he thought, to be so immersed in her own pleasure that she hadn't even noticed that I hadn't come. He remembered that he had almost shoved Gwen away and taken a step towards Ianto before recalling what he had seen on the plas, before remembering that he and Ianto were, to all intents and purposes, no longer together. Guilt and pain had made his voice harsh and belligerent, and if he was honest, he had wanted to hurt Ianto as much as he could.

Eight months earlier; Cardiff

'You shouldn't be here'

'Clearly'

'Won't your little...friend... wonder where you've got to?'

Ianto paled, 'You saw us?'

Gwen chipped in, 'not like you to go in for such public displays of affection. I'm surprised you didn't just fuck him into the table'

Ianto ignored her, his eyes fixed on Jack, 'who was he?' said Jack numbly

'No-one you need to know about' replied Ianto

Jack suddenly seemed to come to life, 'no-one I need to know about? No-one I need to know about?' he yelled, 'My boyfriend is eye fucking some little tart in a local pub but I shouldn't be upset because he's no-one I need to know about? How many other people do I "not need to know about" Ianto?'

Gwen wrapped herself tightly around Jack and smiled jubilantly at Ianto, who suddenly seemed to be noticing her for the first time, 'You' he snarled, 'I know this situation is down to you somehow.'

Gwen snorted derisively, I'm not the one cheating on Jack' she said smoothly

'No, just Rhys,' snapped Ianto, 'I was having a drink with a friend, how is that cheating?' he turned his attention back to Jack, 'I wasn't one buried balls deep in this slut'

'I saw the kiss, Ianto' said Jack heavily

Ianto gave a laugh that somehow turned into a sob. 'then you saw him kiss me' he said. 'Gods, I really did not want to have to do this, Jack. You know how I go out every Wednesday night?' Jack looked blank, Ianto gave another bitter little laugh, 'no, it never registered with you did it. I only register with you when you have your cock in my arse, don't I?' Jack shook his head in denial as Ianto continued, 'Every Wednesday I volunteer at the Cardiff Outhouse, it's a social support centre for gay teens and adolescents, I work on their helpline. I know what it's like to be confused about your sexuality and have no-one to talk to who understands. Aidan, the boy you saw me with tonight, I've been talking with him for a while now, he came out to his parents yesterday afternoon and they have thrown him out of his home. Outhouse has arranged accommodation for him and I met him to give him the keys to his new flat. I've sorted out a job for him in my sister's bookshop with flexible hours that he can work around his degree course. He kissed me because he was grateful, that's all. He has a boyfriend, Jack. I got Aidan a cab and came straight back here because I wanted to be with you. I don't want Aidan and he doesn't want me; he is in a committed relationship, the kind I wish we...' his voice trailed away and he looked at Gwen's hand moving under Jack's shirt fondling his nipples.

Jack seemed oblivious to Gwen's manipulations, 'I...I didn't know' he said softly

'And you didn't wait to find out, did you, Jack' asked Ianto sadly, 'you immediately thought the worst of me and wasted no time fucking Gwen. I hoped I meant more to you than that but I guess I was fooling myself like I fooled myself about so many things where you were concerned.'

Silence filled the hub as Ianto and Jack stood gazing at one another. Finally, Gwen spoke up, 'Just go, Ianto. Walk away while you still have some dignity. Jack has obviously made his choice and you're not it.'

Ianto looked at Jack, 'is that what you want Jack? Me to leave? Us to be over? Do you want Gwen now?'

Jack made no move, no sound. He simple stood looking at Ianto as if he was desperate to commit his features to memory for all time. Gwen was kissing and licking his neck and watching Ianto with a challenging stare.

'Nothing to say, Jack?' asked Ianto, 'are we not worth fighting for?'

Jack opened his mouth to respond but then gave a surprised squeak as Gwen insinuated her hand inside his pants and ran her finger over the head of his cock.'

Ianto turned and walked out of the Hub. It nearly killed him but he didn't look back.

Present day; London

Jack roughly wiped his eyes and poured himself another drink. Ianto had gone from his life at that moment. His flat was empty for two weeks – Jack knew because he had been going there twice a day in the hopes of talking to Ianto to try to sort things out, but the flat remained deserted. Then on the fifteenth day Jack went to the flat to find it not only empty but emptied. All of Ianto's furniture and belongings had gone. Jack had never seen him again.

With a sigh, Jack closed his eyes, everything had happened so quickly. Owen and Tosh had tentatively started a relationship and, although he was thrilled for them both, watching them fall in love, doing the silly loving things that people do for each other in the early stages of romance was a unique kind of torture for him; and then there was Gwen...

'Bloody Gwen Cooper' said Jack aloud

Gwen had wasted no time ditching Rhys or telling the rest of the Torchwood team what had transpired. She engineered the end of two sets of solid relationships, thought Jack, me and Yan and her and Rhys. He thumped his fist down on the table, hard enough to bruise, why do I fall for her manipulation every time, why do I let her get away with trying to control everyone around her for her own satisfaction. He shrugged, maybe we both have a blind spot where the other is concerned, she sees me as the big hero and never even tries to see beyond that to the man I really am and I only seem to see the sweet caring woman and don't acknowledge the driven, infatuated control freak behind that facade.

Really, the only person Jack would have had any sensible advice from was Tosh, he recognised that. She was probably Ianto's closet friend but not only was she pretty obsessed with Owen at the time, she had made it very clear that, although she blamed both Jack and Ianto for their break up, the largest proportion of her ire was reserved for Jack. So Jack, lonely, confused, miserable and floundering in a bog of self recrimination and guilt had allowed himself to sleep walk/be frog marched into a relationship with the woman who had removed the joy from his heart; less than a month after Ianto had left him Gwen had moved them both into a quayside apartment, Jack still wasn't sure how that had happened.

Jack kicked off his boots and rested his feet on the window sill; he luxuriated in the silence for a while. The thing about Gwen, he mused is she never, never shuts up. He smiled as he remembered another rainy day, in Ianto's flat where he had spent the afternoon re-watching one of his favourite films, 'The Battle of Britain,' whilst Ianto had curled into his side and re-read 'The Hobbit'. They had spent over two hours in total silence and, Jack realised, he had never felt more loved or more at peace than in that time.

At one point, Jack had stirred,

'My gracious silence,' he murmured, 'who called his partner that?'

Ianto looked up from his book 'Coriolanus'

Jack placed a fervent kiss onto Ianto's brow, 'my gracious silence'

Ianto had simply smiled and snuggled closer to Jack's side.

Jack compared that episode, one of his most treasured and shining memories of his time with Ianto with the constant litany of questions, demands for reassurance and general whining that formed the backing track to his life with Gwen. For the first six months Jack had been numb from his loss, quietly acquiescent to all of the demands that Gwen imposed upon him figuring that if he tried hard enough, faked it hard enough, something... bearable, not good, that would be too much to hope for, but bearable, would come from this horrible, horrible mess. Then, just the other weekend when the inclement weather and an usually quiet rift had kept them both in their apartment for the whole two days and Gwen's constant chatter had driven him nearly insane, he had come to a decision; he had decided that he couldn't take it anymore, invented a high security meeting, left his phone charger accidentally-on-purpose under the bed, told Tosh how to contact him via his wrist strap if the world was ending, sworn her to secrecy and fled.

Now he was alone in London, with time to process what had happened and to plan his next move, but first there was something he needed desperately to do. He needed to find himself a gorgeous young man to fuck, he had missed both the tight heat of the male arse clenching around his cock and the sweet burn as someone entered him. He had missed the hard muscle and angular planes of a male lover, he had missed uncomplicated fucking. A gust of wind sent a hard spatter of rain against the large window and Jack shivered, it was not a night for clubbing nor, no matter how tempting, a night for rough encounters against walls in anonymous alleyways; his room was warm, the shower generous enough for two and the bed massive. Jack enjoyed the hunt but he also appreciated his comforts and tonight was definitely a night for comfort. Fortunately he still had useful contacts in this town, he uncurled himself from the chair and padded across the thick carpet to the bed, punching nine for an outside line he paused, retrieved a phone number from his memory and dialled

'Hello?'

Jack felt a wide smile spread itself across his face, it felt like the first one for over half a year, 'Sylvie? Jack Harkness'

'Captain Harkness, how delightful to hear your voice. It has been far too long. How have you been?'

'Good Sylvie I've been good, then, recently...not so good; but I'm in town for the next four days and I would really like some company.'

'Well, I am sure we can accommodate you Captain' said Sylvie, 'what did you have in mind?'

'Male, early to mid-twenties, dark, curly hair, Welsh if possible.' Jack rattled of his requirements.

Sylvie laughed, 'that's very specific, Jack'

Jack put a smile in his voice, 'you have never let me down before, Sylvie.' He could her Sylvie tapping on her key board

'And I won't tonight' Jack could hear deep satisfaction in her tone, 'I have just the companion for you. His name is Jack, one of our most sought after companions. I have him registered as available tonight, I'll need to text him to offer him the liaison but if he accepts than he can be with you within an hour.'

'Sounds wonderful' said Jack

'What name do you want to use Captain?'

Jack hesitated, 'Yan' he replied, 'he can call me Yan.'

'Very well,' said Sylvie, 'give me your contact number and the address of your hotel and I'll call you back in ten minutes.'

'Thanks, Sylvie' said Jack appreciatively

'No problem Captain, I assume the usual billing arrangements will apply?'

'Please'

'I'll be in touch' Sylvie ended the call.

Jack drained his glass, hastily unpacked his clothes and was just eyeing the whisky bottle the when the phone next to his bed trilled loudly. He threw himself across the bed and snatched up the receiver

'Captain Harkness?' it was Sylvie, 'Jack has accepted the liaison, he will be with you in half an hour. Is that acceptable?'

'Very acceptable, thank you Sylvie'

Sylvie hesitated then said, 'Jack, please look after yourself, you are too special to be unhappy.'

Jack could feel tears prickling under his eyelids, 'I'll try, Sylvie, thank you'

He hung up the phone and glanced at the bedside clock, twenty five minutes before his "company" arrived. Stripping off his clothes and humming a little Glen Miller, Jack headed off to shower.

Jack always enjoyed a shower, either alone or with company; it always felt like a safe space to him. For the first time in a long time not only was he alone, no Gwen groping him or demanding to know how much he loved her. He closed his eyes, if Ianto had been with him he would have pressed himself against Jack's back, moulding their bodies together, sliding his hands over Jack's chest, teasing him with his finger tips and his tongue. Jack groaned as his hand drifted down to fondle his balls, they felt hard and tight, god he was so close. He wasn't going to drag this out, "Jack" would be arriving soon and all he wanted to do at this moment was take the edge off his curling desire so that he didn't embarrass himself by coming all over the man's shoes the moment he walked through the door. Jack rubbed himself hard, spraying against the tiled wall of the shower cubicle crying out Ianto's name as he always did.

Jack wrapped a towel around his waist and towelling his hair headed back into his bedroom just a soft knock sounded at the door. Dumping the towel he had been drying his hair with back into the bathroom and combing his fingers through his hair Jack put his eye to the peephole. His companion for the evening had his back to the door, surveying the corridor. Jack's heart jolted; the guy's hair was thick, dark and curly falling to just below the nape of his neck, his shoulders were broad and, from what Jack could see through the distorting lens of the peephole, his arse was spectacular. Jack grinned and opened the door.

'You must be Jack' he purred

'and you must be Yan' the young man turned round and Jack saw his face clearly for the first time.

'Ianto?'

'Jack?'