For almost a full minute the two men stood in silence staring at each other. Jack was drinking in the sight of the man that he still loved beyond anyone and everyone. In the eight months since they had last seen each other, Ianto had allowed his hair to grow, making him look younger and even more gorgeous in Jack's opinion. He was dressed in skin right black jeans and, oh, the red Ralph Lauren tee-shirt Jack had bought him for last Valentine's Day. He looks so beautiful thought Jack, but cautious, wary like he is afraid to trust anyone, oh gods – could that be because of me?

Shocked, Ianto stared at the man who had purchased his company for the night; he looks thinner and sadder he thought, and there's a loss and hurt in his eyes that wasn't there before, oh god – is that my fault?

The silence between the two men stretched on until Ianto shifted his stance slightly. Oh sweet goddess, panicked Jack, he's gonna run and without a second thought he reached out, grabbed the front of Ianto's tee shirt and pulled him into the hotel room slamming the door behind him. Still holding onto the fabric of the tee shirt Jack spun Ianto against the wall and crushed their lips together in a passionate and need filled kiss. The tiny part of his brain that was still functioning cheered as Ianto returned the kiss with equal fervour, forcing his tongue into Jack's mouth to battle for supremacy. Somehow Ianto had managed to separate Jack from his towel and the feeling of those familiar and longed for hands running cool and sure over his heated skin pulled Jack back to the present; 'one of us is wearing too much' he growled, tugging Ianto's tee shirt over his head and fumbling with the zip on his jeans. Ianto laughed and pulled away from the kiss to help Jack as he stripped him of his clothes, 'let's rectify that shall we, Sir?' the honorific only serving to make Jack harder.

Panting and fighting for some semblance of control, Jack drew back to rest his forehead on Ianto's.

'Yan?' he exhaled heavily, 'Gods, Yan, is it really you?'

Ianto laughed and ran his fingers over the curve of Jack arse, 'could ask you the same thing' he gasped, 'I have missed you so much, eight months and it's not getting any easier...and now here you are. The universe moves in mysterious ways sometimes'

Jack had a million questions, most of which he was scared to articulate,' but...how...'

Ianto slid a finger inside him, deliberately brushing over his prostate to make him groan with pleasure, 'later Jack, later'

Somehow they made it to the bed tumbling down in a sweaty tangle of limbs, Jack gasped as the tips of his fingers encountered the butt plug that had kept Ianto open and ready for him.

'Mr Jones, you dirty man!'

Ianto silenced him with a kiss 'what do you want Jack?'

'You. In me. Now'

Jack wrapped his legs around Ianto's waist to pull him closer but the young man held back. 'wait! I need to prepare you'

'No, need this. Need you. Please.'

'Your call. The customer is always right.'

Jack froze, unwrapped himself from Ianto and pushed him away, rolling off the bed to sit on the edge with his head in his hands.

'Jack?' Ianto place a tentative hand on the older man's back. Jack shrugged him away

'Is that all I am to you?'

Ianto was confused, 'What?'

'Is that all I am – just tonight's trick? All this passion – is it just another performance for you?'

'No!' Ianto wished he could rip out his tongue, 'no, oh gods Jack, I'm sorry. I didn't think' cautiously, slowly he stroked the soft skin of Jack's back; he paused, choosing his words carefully. 'I regret how things ended between us,' he said softly, placing gentle kisses on Jacks flesh, 'I ran away too far and too soon, but the longer I was away, the harder it was to come back. Rhiannon told me that you had hooked up with Gwen and then I heard about the baby and I figured that she was the one you really wanted.'

Jack frowned, Rhiannon? What has she got to do with it? And...what baby'

Ianto rested his cheek against Jack's shoulder, Jack could feel his smile, it felt sad 'Although you wouldn't think it to look at him, David, my nephew is a real chess whizz. Tosh tutors at his chess club, she told Rhi that you and Gwen were a couple almost as soon as I left. Then about five months ago Rhiannon said Gwen was in her book shop buying books about pregnancy and baby care, she told the girl who served her that she was six weeks pregnant'

Jack shook his head, 'Gwen isn't pregnant' he said and then he paused, 'The fucking bitch, she must have known it would get back to you, she did it to make sure you stayed away from me!'

'Can't be that secure in your so-called relationship then, can she?' asked Ianto smugly 'even though you didn't waste any time moving her in to your bed.'

Jack shifted uncomfortably, 'Honestly, Yan I don't know how that happened. When I lost you, it was as if everything was happening behind a thick curtain or to someone else, like it was all going on around me without my participation. You were gone and she was there and so insistent and I was...so guilty...so lonely...so I...I' he bowed his head and ran his fingers through his hair fighting to control himself.

'Oh Jack,' Ianto scrambled from the bed and knelt between Jack's legs, 'I'm sorry.'

Jack's sniffed, 'I was the one who fucked Gwen' he said sadly, 'I was the one who ruined what we had.'

'No' Ianto spoke firmly, 'we both fucked up. You made a mistake and I didn't even give you the chance to explain or apologise. We trusted each other with our lives but never managed to trust each other with our love – maybe that should be something we could work on, if...you know...you wanted to.' He looked away, and so missed it as Jack looked up with hope in his eyes, 'although, you probably won't want me now will you?'

Jack gave a small smile, 'how could I not want you?' he asked gently. 'I have never stopped wanting you but...I would like to know why you chose this life, Yan.'

Ianto laughed, 'This isn't my life, Jack. I'm working as an Information Scientist in the library at King's College University. I've had two intense relationships in my life and neither of them ended well, I didn't want to start dating and looking for someone else besides which, two years of being your lover...well let's just say you are an impossible act to follow. But it was hard to go from being shagged senseless every time I passed a flat surface to being celibate. I met Sylvie in a coffee bar; she tried to pick me up, I politely declined, she diagnosed severe sexual frustration, we got chatting and she ended up recruiting me to her escort service on the understanding that I could pick and chose my clients. Being with you has made me quite...innovative, so I was very popular'

'What made you accept me tonight?' asked Jack

Ianto blushed, 'Sylvie broke her own rules, she impressed upon me that tonight's liaison was with her most valued client. When I heard it was you, I couldn't believe my luck.'

Jack smiled, 'Is that why you wore the tee shirt? '

Ianto nodded, 'I knew what seeing me in it did to you' he said

Jack closed his eyes, 'we are so stupid' he murmured, 'eight months of being sad, being lost, fucking the wrong people...' he allowed the sentence to trail off as Ianto cupped his face and sprinkled light kisses over eyes and cheeks

'But we are here now' said Ianto 'and we have tonight and tomorrow if you want it'

Jack laughed, not his usual boisterous bellow but a low soft, satisfied chuckle that only Ianto had ever heard, 'tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow...from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time'

'Macbeth' identified Ianto, 'what is it with you and Shakespeare?'

'Jack smiled, 'The Doctor met him, you know, said he was a lot like me, said we would have got on really well – if you know what I mean'

'Jack, in that context, I always know what you mean'

'Hey! I resent that' Jack's petulance was slightly ruined by the large smile threatening to crawl across his face.

With difficulty, Ianto restrained his own smile and managed a pout, 'so...do you think about him when we fuck?'

'The Doctor or Will Shakespeare?'

Ianto growled, then he too burst into laughter as Jack wrapped his arms around him and pulled them both to their feet. Ianto thought he was going to kiss him but instead he held him close, looked deep into his eyes and whispered sincerely, 'No, the only person I think about is you because I love you, only you, always you.'

'Love you too'

Jack chuckled once more and tumbled them both back onto the bed.

When Ianto woke up the next morning, it was to find himself surrounded by Jack Harkness. Somehow Jack had managed to sprawl on top of Ianto in his sleep, wrapping his arms and his legs around the younger man and clinging on to him as if his life depended upon it. Confined as he was, Ianto doubted he would be able to move to leave the bed but, on consideration decided that that was actually the last thing he wanted to do. He sifted slightly and hastily reassessed that plan; Jack's morning erection was now pressing uncomfortably upon his bladder. Two sleepy blue eyes looked into his own

'Morning,' yawned Jack

Ianto kissed the tip of Jack's perfect nose, 'morning' he replied

Jack ran his tongue across Ianto's mouth, 'do you have anywhere you need to be today?' he murmured nuzzling into his neck

'I'm afraid I have an urgent appointment' said Ianto, smiling as Jack's face fell, 'I absolutely must get up and go to the toilet but once I've done that, I am, if you want me to be, yours for the rest of the day.'

Jack rolled off of him and virtually pushed him out of the bed, 'go on then' he said, 'quicker you go, the quicker you get back.'

Ianto padded across the room to the bathroom; conscious that Jack's eyes were on him every step of the way. He had almost reached the bathroom door when Jack's voice stopped him

'Ianto?'

'Jack?'

'I never stopped loving you, you know.'

Ianto turned to face him, Jack was lying on his stomach, staring at him with a mixture of love and vulnerability in his eyes that Ianto had never seen before; it thrilled him to his core. Ianto smiled sweetly back at him,

'I know, despite everything, I never stopped loving you either. I think that's our strength and our weakness, don't you?'

'Hurry up back to bed and I'll show you how weak my love is, Ianto Jones'

As Ianto brushed his teeth he surveyed himself in the mirror. His hair was mussed and sleep still lingered a little in his heavily lidded eyes, he mouth was kiss swollen and a large love bite blossomed on his neck. All in all he looked like a man who had been well fucked and he had an air of satisfied anticipation which suggested he expected to be well fucked again in the foreseeable future. Ianto rested his forehead on the cool glass of the mirror trying to sort out his feelings.

It has been so easy to forgive him he mused, all those months of pain and despair and I see him and *pft*, it's all gone and all I can think about is how gorgeous he is and how right we are together. I should have ignored what Rhi told me about Gwen Cooper and gone back to Cardiff when I first wanted to. I should have fought harder for us. We should have fought harder for us. He banged his head gently against the mirror and looked at his reflection sternly, what matters is that we have found each other again, we have a second chance and this time no-one is gonna cheat us out of our happy ending, not me, not Jack and especially not Gwen bloody Cooper. Ianto smiled at himself and, filled with a new sense of confidence, stepped back into the bedroom.

Jack was curled miserably on the bed, shaking. Suddenly fearful Ianto ran to his side

'Bloody hell, Jack! I was only gone ten minutes. What happened?'

'Yan, Yan, I don't feel too good' Jack forced the words out from behind chattering teeth

Gently Ianto pushed Jack's fringe away from his cold sweaty forehead, 'Jack?' he stepped hurriedly back as Jack lurched upright grabbing for the bedside bin retching violently before slumping back onto the bed and shivering. Ianto pulled the duvet up and over Jack's shoulders, 'not what I had in mind when I suggested spending the day in bed.' He smiled kissing Jack on the forehead, trying to hide his concern; he was burning up and Ianto was becoming really worried, whatever was wrong with Jack had come on so quickly.

'Come join me?' asked Jack, 'I'm so cold.'

'I will, Cariad' said Ianto reassuringly, 'I just need to make a quick phone call, OK?'

Jack tried to nod by another spasm of chills were wracking though his body.

Ianto searched for and found his mobile, dialling a number he had never thought to dial again. The call was answered on the second ring and Ianto spoke quickly

'Tosh, soreha, Ianto watashidesu. Watashi no namae o ittehaikenai. Tada kiku' [Tosh, it's me, Ianto. Don't say my name. Just listen]

'Ok' Tosh's voice came softly down the line

Ianto switched to English 'I'm with Jack, he's really sick. I need Owen'

Tosh glanced around the Hub, Gwen was nowhere in sight but she knew that did not necessarily mean that she was not listening to her end of the call, the woman was nothing if not sneaky. Speaking slowly because she did not know how rusty Ianto's language skills were these dasy, she continued in Japanese,

'OK I assume you don't want us to know where you are'

'Jack wouldn't want Gwen to find out'

'Are you to back together?'

Ianto's deeply contented sigh reverberated down the phone line, 'I think we might be, yeah'

'But he made us look for you, you were gone...how did he find you?'

A cry of agony echoed over Ianto's reply 'Please Tosh, I don't have time for this. He's really sick'

'Sorry, sorry. Write down the phone number and access code I'm about to give you'

Ianto scrabbled for a pen and noted down the digits as Toshiko recited them, 'What is this?'

'Authorisation and access codes for the Torchwood Helicopter'

Ianto laughed incredulously 'The what now?'

Things have changed a bit since you left us. We got UNIT out of a big pile of shit, I mean a really BIG pile of shit. We kinda own their arses now. So, now we have a Torchwood helicopter and pilot on standby 24/7. I can have Owen with you within the hour

'Thanks Tosh' not wanting to give anything else away, and becoming increasingly worried for his lover, Ianto ended the call and went back to Jack.

In Cardiff, Tosh slipped her phone back into the pocket of her jacket and beckoned Owen over to her work station.

Take a walk with me' she hissed as Owen raised an eyebrow

'Gwen' Owen raised his voice, Gwen stuck her head out of Jack's office, the state of her hair and the creases on one side of her faces testified that she had been napping on Jack's sofa 'Tosh and I are doing a coffee run, Ok?'

'Whatever. Bring food too'

'Charming isn't she' said Owen, grasping Tosh's arm and steering her towards the invisible lift, 'shall we take the scenic route?'

Once they emerged onto the Plas, Owen turned to her with a quizzical look on his face 'So, what's up Lotus Blossom?'

Tosh punched him on the arm, 'Ianto had just called me'

'Teaboy? What the fuck? What dragged him out of the woodwork after all this time?'

'He sounded stressed, didn't talk for long' said Tosh, 'said he was with Jack but Jack is really sick, Ianto says he neesd you there – fast'

'Jack's sick? Jack's never sick. In what way, sick?'

'I don't know but Ianto was clear he didn't want Gwen to find out where they were. I gave him the access codes for the helicopter; they'll be picking you up in ten minutes'

'Right' Tosh smiled to see Owen transmogrify from scruffy layabout to focused medic, 'I'll go a check my gear. What are we gonna tell Cooper?'

'Nothing. Jack left me in command, I don't have to explain myself to that slut' To her surprise Owen placed a gentle kiss on her lips

'I love stern Tosh'

Ianto prowled around the hotel bedroom, desperately praying that Dr Owen Harper would arrive soon; in the fifty minutes since he had spoken to Tosh, Jack had graduated from vomiting to experiencing serious abdominal cramps which had necessitated a staggering dash to the bathroom.

'Jack? Sweetheart? Are you OK?'

Slowly the door opened and a pale and shaking Jack slumped against the doorframe. Ianto moved to wrap a supportive around his shoulders. Jack leaned gratefully into the younger man's embrace

'C'mon, let's get you back to bed'

'I'm sorry' mumbled Jack, 'not the kinda reunion I fantasised about for the last eight months'

Ianto kissed him on the forehead, and gently eased him back onto the bed 'let me take care of you, that's all I ask'

'What's wrong with me' Jack's teeth were chattering again, 'I'm never sick'

A barrage of loud knocks sounded on the door, 'oi! Teaboy, open up'

'Think we may be able to find out' said Ianto smiling at Jack reassuringly, 'I believe the medical cavalry have just arrived.'