To say that General Winton was unimpressed with the Doctor's demands was the mother of all understatements. In fact, the Doctor was sure that he'd not heard such colourful language since he'd had Ace as a companion. He sat patiently through the other man's tirade, though, before responding.
"Are you done yet, General? Because there is rather a lot to organise, and we intend on finding the last of Captain Harkness's assailants tonight."
"Doctor, if you think I'm going to commit UNIT resources to detaining a handful of riffraff who, in my opinion, probably did the planet a favour by taking Captain Harkness down off his pedestal, then you're as deluded as he is!"
A chill of anger swept through the Doctor, and when he spoke again it was with a deliberate and terrifying calm.
"I am going to pretend that I never heard you say that, General. I'm going to hang up and begin to organise this operation at this end with the Torchwood team, and you will do as I've instructed. There will be a UNIT transport here by this evening with soldiers to assist us, and then to escort the prisoners when it's done. You will secure them and they will never be released. Is that clear enough for you, General? Or do I need to go over your head?"
Winton snorted, but he suddenly sounded less certain of himself and his own authority than he might perhaps have wanted the Doctor to believe.
"There is no higher authority in British UNIT than me, Doctor. Your threats are pointless."
"Oh, I don't know about that," the Doctor answered, suddenly sounding entirely too cheery for the General's liking. "You know Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, I presume?"
There was a split second delay in the General's reply that put a wide grin on the Doctor's face.
"I know of him…"
"Yes, well, he's quite a good friend of mine, and I do believe that even retired as he now is, he still holds quite a lot of clout with UNIT. Doesn't he?"
By then, Winton was starting to look distinctly green over the video connection.
"I suppose he does. But even so…"
"And then there's Her Majesty. She carries a fair amount of influence as well, if I'm not mistaken."
That brought out a stronger reaction.
"Now you're barking up the wrong tree, Doctor. Her Majesty has no more liking for Jack Harkness than I do."
"I think you might find that her sympathies have shifted somewhat, General. Especially after what Captain Harkness endured on the Valiant during the Saxon incident."
Silence met his words, and then, "Why, Doctor? Why do you even care? The man runs Torchwood, for God's sake! You know what Torchwood did. You were there!"
"I know for a fact that Jack Harkness is nothing like Yvonne Hartman, or any of her predecessors."
"How? How can you be so sure of that?"
The Doctor hesitated for only a moment before answering.
"Because Jack Harkness used to be my companion."
The silence on the other end of the line was palpable, and the Doctor couldn't help but wonder whether perhaps he'd made a mistake in divulging that bit of information.
"Harkness travelled with you?"
The General's voice was suddenly subdued, and the Doctor strongly suspected that he knew what was going through the other man's mind.
In amongst the copious files UNIT had compiled on the Doctor, there was the iron-clad edict that the companions of the Doctor were to be treated with the utmost respect. He knew from the Brigadier that it was something that was drummed into the heads of all UNIT employees right around the world.
Hearing now that Jack fell into that elite category had to be one hell of a slap in the face to the General's arrogance.
"Doctor…" Winton sounded exasperated, and perhaps just a little bit frightened. "Why didn't you say that sooner? Why wait until now?"
"Because, General, Jack deserves respect in his own right, and not just because I was fortunate enough to have crossed paths with him and have him as my companion for too-short a time. He's a good man and he did not deserve what happened to him on Christmas Eve. I'm asking you now to help us deal with the men who hurt him. Please, help us."
It took only a moment for Winton to respond in a subdued voice.
"A UNIT strike-force and prisoner transport will be in Cardiff in ninety minutes, Doctor, as per your request. It will be your jurisdiction, but I would like to accompany you, if that is acceptable."
"Any particular reason, General?"
"Yes. I have amends of my own to make. I promise you, I have no intention of making the situation any harder for Captain Harkness. Not again."
The Doctor smiled faintly. Really, there was no other choice to make.
"Very well, General. We'll see you in ninety minutes."
The Doctor ended the call just as Jack walked in. A bemused look filled the Doctor's face at the flush in Jack's cheeks, and the renewed sparkle in his eyes.
"Been saying hello to Ianto, Jack?"
Jack grinned, and the sight of it sent a surge of pleasure and relief through the Doctor.
"Just a quick hello. Time and a place, right, Doctor?"
The Doctor levered himself out of Jack's chair and stepped in close enough to kiss his former companion's cheeks tenderly.
"Once upon a time, maybe. Now, if you feel like it, just do it. Never mind me."
The wicked grin that spread across Jack's face sent the Doctor's hearts soaring with the hope that maybe his companion was finally starting to heal.
"You ought to be careful, Doctor. I might take you literally."
The Doctor snorted derisively, but his eyes sparkled with not-so-rare mischief.
"And make your young man jealous? Sorry to disappoint you, Jack, but I like this particular body. I'm not eager to see in my next regeneration yet."
Jack chuckled softly, and a warm and sincere smile filled his face.
"He knows I love him," Jack said. "And if he doesn't, he will before long."
Curiosity lit up the Doctor's eyes, but he didn't ask any further questions.
"All right, Captain. Let's go and plan this operation."
Ianto saw them coming. He was surprised, but only in that it had taken them so long to get their act together and come looking for him.
The conference that had taken place after Jack had emerged from his office with the Doctor had been understandably subdued in tone. When Jack and the Time Lord had outlined what was going to happen, any protests had been immediately stymied by a fierce look from the Doctor. Ianto himself had been completely silent. He'd not needed to be glared at. Though he felt a natural worry that Jack might be putting himself at risk, he nevertheless understood Jack's need for closure.
He gathered, from the posse that was approaching, that he and the Doctor were the only ones who did.
"Ianto, you have to talk him out of it."
Ianto lifted a single eyebrow at Gwen's blatant demand.
"No."
She blinked, as though she couldn't comprehend the flat brush-off she'd just received.
"What?"
"One word, Gwen. Two letters. Quite easy to understand, really."
She bristled visibly and Owen quickly took over. Ianto felt quietly amused once again by the way Owen appeared to have become the rational and conciliatory voice of the team.
"Look, can we at least agree that we all think this is a bad idea?"
"No, not all of us do," Ianto countered, and Owen uttered a frustrated growl.
"After what happened last night? Trust me, mate. It's a bad idea. The problem is, the only ones Jack will listen to are you and the Doctor, since the Doctor helped him to come up with the hair-brained plan, I guess it's up to you to make him see sense."
"Again," Ianto said soberly, "no."
"Didn't you see what happened last night?" Owen burst out. Ianto glared right back at him, refusing to back down. As much as he appreciated the care and consideration that Owen had shown towards Jack since the assault, this time he knew he was in the right.
"Yes. As a matter of fact, I did see what happened. I was there, remember? Look, I do understand what you're saying, and I do agree with you to an extent…"
"Then why won't you help us talk him out of it?" Gwen demanded to know.
"Because he needs to do it," Ianto said plainly.
"Bullshit!" Owen snarled. "He doesn't need to do it! He needs his bloody head read, that's what he needs. After last night…"
"Yes, let's talk about that, shall we?" Ianto snapped. "Because what I saw last night seems to differ from what the rest of you apparently saw. Last night, I saw Jack find his confidence and courage again. I saw him take down several men who had hurt him in unspeakable ways, but only wound them. I saw him display self-control and rational judgment. He could have killed all of them, and the truth is that none of us could have stopped him, not even the Doctor. But he didn't do that, and it was his choice. Last night, I saw Jack refuse to buckle under the weight of his fear. That is what I saw, Owen. Tell me, what did you see?"
Owen gaped, at a momentary loss for words, and Ianto nodded in grin satisfaction.
"Exactly."
"Shit," Owen muttered. He looked around at Gwen and Toshiko ruefully. "He's right."
"Of course I am," Ianto retorted. "I'm always right."
It was intended as a sardonic comment, but it still prompted Owen to lift his eyebrows in mild incredulity. Ianto inclined his head in acknowledgement. Perhaps not always right…
"No," Gwen argued, oblivious to the silent exchange between Owen and Ianto. "He's not bloody right! He doesn't always know what's best for Jack. This is a mistake! He could get hurt…"
"Gwen," Ianto interrupted her quietly, "listen to me. I know you care about Jack, and that you don't want to see him get hurt again. I understand that. Jack does too, and he appreciates it, but the bottom line is that he's going to do it whether we like it or not, and whether we agree or not. Now, don't you think it would be easier for him if he knows we all support him?"
"Please," Tosh whispered, "let's not go turning this into another Abaddon."
They all winced at that unpleasant memory, and Owen spoke quickly, eager to move away from the subject.
"All right. We'll back him up. Of course we will. Never really any other option, was there?"
Ianto smiled. He made no effort to conceal his relief.
"No, there wasn't."
Jack's heart was in his throat. It was early evening, and he stood once more on the threshold of the place where his nightmare had begun. Owen was already inside, and had confirmed that their target was tending the bar. There was only half a dozen people inside – and easy enough number to manage if they ended up needing to retcon anyone.
General Winton had arrived as promised with a UNIT task force, prisoner transport and a quiet apology which Jack readily accepted. Winton and his men were now on standby, ready to move in at a moment's notice.
It left Jack with a feeling of bemusement. He hadn't thought that he would ever be able to trust UNIT again after that year, and yet here he was, doing just that.
He sucked in a long breath as the Doctor's voice sounded in his ear, telling to go ahead at any time. For a split second, Jack seriously considered bolting, but fortitude won out. Squaring his shoulders and hardening his expression, Jack walked back into the pub with his head held high.
On Christmas Eve, he had literally slunk into the place, overwhelmed by his own misery. Few had paid him any attention. Now, silence covered the entire pub like a blanket and all heads turned in his direction. Jack paid the other patrons no attention, though. His focus was on the man behind the bar, who was staring back at him with a look of sheer disbelief on his face.
Jack approached the bar, seating himself down immediately opposite Webber. Owen sat just a few stools over, doing a good job of looking like all he wanted to do was mind his own business. Webber, meanwhile, was staring at Jack as though he was a ghost.
"You look surprised to see me."
Webber's mouth opened and closed several times before he eventually regained both voice and composure.
"All of a sudden, I think I know what's happened to my boys. They're dead, aren't they?"
It took some effort for Jack not to recoil. He didn't recognise Webber's face, but he knew that voice. It was the voice that had given the order to gag him with barbed wire. It was that voice which had ordered the other men to rape him again and again. It was that voice which had given the consent for him to be carved up with a knife.
Struggling to move away from memories that would paralyse him, Jack focused on Webber's face. The other man had the barest hint of a smirk on his face. Just like a mongrel dog, Jack thought. He could smell fear. The comparison gave Jack strength, and he allowed himself to relax just a little.
"Now why would you think that?"
"I did some research, asked around. Found out a bit about Torchwood."
"Not quite the poof party you thought it was?" Jack asked. Webber sneered.
"I still think it's a fucking poof party. The things I heard about you, Captain Jack Harkness? I think we were doing this planet a favour. It's just a shame that we fucked up and didn't make sure you were dead." Webber's eyes raked over Jack's face and upper body. "Although, we messed you up pretty fucking good. Beats the shit out of me how you can possibly be standing here without a scratch on you."
"I'm a resilient guy," Jack said flatly.
"Uh huh. Sure you are. So... tell me, what did you do to my boys, if they're not dead?"
"They're locked up safely. Once we've secured you, you'll all be transported to the cosy little prison where you'll be spending the rest of your lives."
Webber only grinned, completely unperturbed by the threat.
"I don't think so. Even if this makes it to trial, I'm tipping I won't get more than a few years. Hell, one look at your pretty face, and my lawyer will have the jury believing the cops faked it all to nail me. That you faked it. They'll never buy that we did anything to you."
Jack smiled tightly.
"Good thing then that you're never going to see the inside of a courtroom."
The smug grin on Webber's face faltered.
"What the fuck are you talking about? You fucking cops have to give me due process..."
"I'm not the police," Jack snapped. "I'm Torchwood, and you made your first and last mistake when you went after me."
Webber's face filled with hatred.
"That wasn't a mistake, you fucked up pervert. The mistake was not making sure you were dead! You deserved everything my boys did to you, and more. You and every other arse-fucking faggot in this city!" He glanced down fleetingly, and grinned nastily. "You might look like nothing happened, but I bet we managed to royally fuck with your head. You can still feel the barbed wire, can't you? Around your wrists and ankles, and in your mouth. I know I can still see all the pretty patterns it made on you. Did they give it to you good, you fucking candy arse? Was it just how you liked it?"
How Jack was able to ignore the taunts, he would never know. The rage that threatened to overwhelm him frightened him immensely, but he fought to contain it. Losing control and attacking Webber now would achieve nothing.
"I bet you want to know why I never touched you," Webber sneered. "Why I didn't dirty myself on you. I bet that's really eating away at you, isn't it?"
Jack raised an eyebrow bemusedly. Webber seemed eager to brag. He was almost begging Jack to ask. And all of a sudden, a sense of peace and satisfaction settled over Jack and he smiled.
"Nope."
Webber's smile faded once again.
"What?"
Jack leaned forward a little.
"No. I don't care. I don't want to know. I don't need to know. It doesn't interest me. It doesn't bother me. I don't give a damn. Pick whichever answer you like, Webber. I think they all mean more or less the same thing."
"But you're supposed to ask! Why aren't you asking?"
"Because I'm not giving you anymore power over me," Jack told him fiercely. "As far as I'm concerned, you can take your precious little secret with you to the grave."
Jack started to lean back, feeling a sense of fulfilment that he hadn't experienced for some time. He was just enough distracted that by the time he saw the knife in Webber's hand, it was too late to avoid it. He jerked backwards instinctively as the knife swung around, and felt a flash of pain across his left cheek. For a moment, his vision whited over and he reeled backwards into someone who had appeared behind him. When his vision cleared, the bar in front of him was empty. Webber was gone.
"Where'd he go?" he asked hoarsely.
"Never mind him," Owen's voice sounded in his ear. "Let UNIT and the Doctor deal with him. You're bleeding, Jack."
"I don't care!" Jack exploded, jerking away from Owen. "Where did he go?"
"Out the back way..."
Jack took off before Owen could finish his sentence.
"Shit!" Gwen burst out as they listened to the confrontation as it went awry.
"Language," the Doctor warned her idly.
"Sod that," she snapped. "It's happening just the same as last night. I knew this was a mistake!"
"Calm down, Miss Cooper," the Doctor advised her, though the expression on his face hinted at a deeper appreciation for her concern over Jack's welfare. "I assure you that neither Jack nor Mr Webber will be going very far. General Winton's men will see to that, and I doubt that young Mr Jones will be far behind them, either. Stop worrying, and let Jack deal with this in the way that's best for him."
Gwen conceded, if extremely reluctantly, and sank back into her seat next to Tosh to wait.
It wasn't the same as the previous night. That odd random thought kept rushing through Jack's mind as he ran after Webber. The previous night, he'd been driven by a rage that the Doctor had only barely placated. The rage was still there, but it was no longer a driving force behind his pursuit.
Webber had to be stopped, and Jack couldn't entirely bring himself to trust UNIT to do what had been agreed upon. As far as he was concerned, Winton had conceded far too easily, and he really didn't believe that being outed to UNIT as a former companion automatically afforded him UNIT's respect.
And that aside, Winton hated him far too much to have a believable change of heart now.
He burst out through the back door of the tavern and barely avoided slamming into his target, who had come to a complete stop just outside the doorway. There was no UNIT taskforce in sight, though. There was only General Winton.
"Robbie...?" Webber asked incredulously. "Fuck, is that you?"
"It's me," Winton confirmed soberly. "Hello, Bryan."
"You two know each other," Jack said flatly, with a sinking feeling deep in his gut. Winton nodded.
"Yes. We're cousins. Our mothers are sisters. I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you or the Doctor about that when I said I wanted to be here personally, but he would never have allowed it, had he known. Neither would you."
Jack glared at Winton.
"You back-stabbing bastard."
Webber began to laugh raucously.
"Well, this is fucking priceless. You thought you were going to lock me up, but you didn't know about this, did you? How about that, Robbie? We got one over on the fucking gay boy here!"
Winton sighed audibly and shook his head.
"Bryan, shut the hell up. You've dug yourself a deep enough grave as it is. No need to add to it now. I didn't come here to 'get one over' on anyone, especially not Captain Harkness. The only reason I'm here is to ensure that you don't get yourself killed. I can't save you from being locked away. In all honesty, even if I could, I wouldn't."
The smug grin faded quickly from Webber's face as his cousin's words sank in.
"What? Why not? For God's sake, Robbie, I'm your cousin! You can't choose him over me! Help me here!"
Winton again shook his head, and acknowledged Jack with a slight nod as the Captain edged around slowly to stand beside him.
"You did an unspeakable thing, Bryan, and apparently it's not the first time. I can't let you go free, and risk you continuing to hurt others."
Fury began to build in Webber's face, and his fist tightened around his knife.
"You ought to understand better than anyone why I have to!"
"I do understand why you think you have to," Winton said. "That's why I'm going to personally ensure that you're looked after, but you can't be allowed to go free. Not after all that you've done."
"And you think you're enough to bring me down?" Webber sneered. "I can take the two of you on."
Winton reached up to touch the tiny Bluetooth device that sat against his ear.
"Lieutenant, if you please."
The sudden convergence of UNIT soldiers left Jack's head spinning. Within a matter of moments, Webber was almost completely surrounded. Only the door behind him, leading back into the tavern, was unchecked and even that was not the case for long.
Jack suppressed a satisfied smile as he spotted both Ianto and Owen emerging from the tavern and coming to stand immediately behind Webber, cutting off his last possible escape route. Webber was trapped, with nowhere to go.
"You bastard," he hissed at Winton. "You fucking faggot-loving bastard!"
"Stop it, Bryan," Winton snapped. "It's long past time that you let go of that anger. Your mother forgave your father for leaving with another man a long time ago. Don't you think it's about time you did, too?"
Webber responded with a howl of rage, and lunged at his cousin.
In the next instant, several things seemed to happen at once. Jack side-stepped, putting himself in between Webber and Winton. At the same instant, several weapons fired and Webber's body jerked convulsively as he went down.
Winton swore as Jack crumpled to the ground as well, hands clutching the hilt of a blade that was buried in his stomach.
"Harkness, you bloody fool," Winton growled as Owen and Ianto rushed over. "You didn't need to do that. I know how to defend myself against a damned knife attack."
"S'okay," Jack mumbled. He hesitated, tightened his grip on the hilt and pulled.
Everyone in the immediate proximity either winced, groaned or both as Jack pulled the knife out. It clattered to the ground from his numbed fingers, and was quickly scooped up into an evidence bag by a UNIT soldier.
"I didn't want him to do that," Winton insisted as Ianto lifted Jack's head onto his lap and Owen applied pressure to the wound.
"We believe you, General Winton," Ianto assured him, "but you need to understand, it's in Jack's nature to do that. It's all right, though. It's not a fatal wound. He should heal within a matter of minutes."
"He'll be fine," Owen said dismissively. "A little woozy from the blood loss, but that's about all." He looked up at Winton piercingly. "What you said about Webber's dad walking out with another bloke. Is that seriously what all this was about? Him taking it out on gay blokes just because he was pissed at his dad?"
"It's the basis of it," Winton confirmed. "There are psychological issues there, as well. Bryan hasn't been mentally sound for a long time. He was institutionalised when he was younger, but he's as smart as he is ill. He learnt what to say and how to act in order to convince the doctors that he was better, and they released him. Unfortunately, your captain and a number of other innocent men have paid the price for that mistake, and I am sorry."
"Not your fault," Jack mumbled. Winton crouched down and looked him in the eye.
"I'm apologising because Bryan never will. That, and I owe you a real apology for the way I've behaved towards you in the past. I also need to say thankyou."
Jack sighed, and made a vague motion with his hand.
"Go check on your cousin. If your boys are as good as their reputations suggest, he ought to still be alive."
Winton lifted his gaze to his lieutenant, and the other man answered with a confirming nod.
"Captain Harkness is correct, sir. Webber is alive. Flesh wounds only."
"Lucky bastard," Owen snarled, but Winton smiled grimly.
"Depends on your perspective, Dr Harper. Lieutenant, prepare Webber for transport immediately. He's to be flown directly to our Glasgow facility. Make sure he received adequate treatment for his wounds, and then I want him locked away in the most secure cell in that place."
"Yes, sir."
"And I will be checking to see that it's been done," Winton added. He then turned his attention back to Jack. "He'll never be allowed to go free, I promise you."
"Why?" Jack asked softly. "Why help me? He's your cousin, after all."
"He is, and I still care about it," Winton admitted. "But if you want to know the truth...?"
Jack nodded wordlessly, and Winton went on without further prompting.
"When the Doctor told me who it was that you wanted help to catch, I had every intention of coming here and helping him to escape. I'd intended on pretending to cooperate with you, and then setting him up somewhere new, with a completely new identity."
"What changed?" Jack asked with a hint of suspicion.
"Captain Harkness, when I was first informed of the fact that you'd been attacked, I didn't believe it to be serious, and I thought it would matter even if it was. I didn't actually know what had happened to you at all. When the Doctor contacted me today and I learnt that it was my cousin that you were after, I assumed you were simply overreacting to perhaps getting slapped around a little bit. Then, on the way here, my lieutenant managed to access your mainframe."
Jack grunted in annoyance.
"Tosh needs to bump up the security again. First the Doctor, and now UNIT. Seriously, it's like having someone read your private journal!"
Ianto coughed lightly.
"Pot, meet kettle."
Winton smiled wryly, even though he didn't understand what Ianto meant.
"Don't be too put out, Captain. It took him a week and a half to do it. But the point is, he found the files on what had really happened to you. I am sorry, Captain, and I am thoroughly ashamed that the ringleader was my own flesh and blood. After seeing those files, there was no way I could cover for him. What he did to you was pure evil, and all I can do is to guarantee that he will never have a chance to do it again."
"Good enough," Jack murmured. "Thankyou."
Winton cracked a smile.
"I still don't like you, Harkness, and I'm pretty sure that you don't like me, but maybe in the future we can at least try to be a little less antagonistic towards each other."
A grin briefly lit up Jack's face.
"We can try."
The two men shook hands, and Winton stood up.
"I'll see to the rest of the those prisoners, and we'll get out of your city, eh, Harkness?"
"Thankyou," Jack said again, sincerely. Winton nodded once in acknowledgement of all three men, and then strode quickly away.
"Well," Owen said, once the General was out of earshot, "there goes the 'UNIT are just a pack of self-important bastards' theory."
Jack grunted, but at the same time could not help smiling.
"They still are, with apparent exceptions."
He tried to shift positions, only to gasp a little in pain.
"Stay still," Ianto murmured. "There's no need to rush. Just let yourself heal."
"Gwen and Tosh," Jack protested, though he ceased trying to move. "They'll be worried."
He didn't include the Doctor in that statement, Ianto noted silently.
"They're on their way over here now," Owen answered. "Be prepared to be smothered."
"Shut it, Owen," Gwen growled as she and Tosh came through the tavern's rear door. "Is he okay?"
"He will be," Owen confirmed. "His coat gave him some protection against the knife. It didn't go as deep as it could have done."
"Son of a bitch ruined my coat again, though," Jack said shortly, lightly poking at the tear in the wool.
"I'll fix it for you," Ianto promised. "Just stop trying to move." He glanced up, and asked a question that he wasn't entirely sure that he wanted the answer to. "Where's the Doctor?"
In the moment that the women hesitated, Ianto's mind overloaded with possibilities, the worst of which was that the Time Lord had done one of his infamous disappearing tricks during the chaos. Granted, Jack was definitely improving, but for the Doctor to suddenly leave now...
"I'm right here," the Doctor announced as he strolled through the door, looking the epitome of casual. His eyes locked briefly with Ianto's, and the young Welshman felt the sharp twinge of guilt for assuming the worst. Then the moment was past, and the Doctor spoke in a deceptively cheerful voice.
"I just stopped to have a brief word with Mr Webber before they take him away. I also suggested to the General that they test him thoroughly. The unfortunate fellow completely lost control of his bladder."
The subtext was obvious. Whatever the Doctor had said to Webber, it had frightened the man so badly that he'd pissed himself. Looking entirely too innocent to be believable, the Doctor came over and crouched beside Jack.
"You didn't come running," Jack said, though there was nothing accusing in his tone. The Doctor smiled easily.
"Oh, you had it under control. I didn't really need to come running, did I?"
Jack relaxed, again easily reading the subtext of the Doctor's words. He hadn't needed to come running to Jack's aid. However, he would have done so in an instant if it had been needed.
"Thankyou," Jack murmured.
"You did it, Jack," the Doctor said sincerely. "You caught all of them and you showed restraint and good judgement. I am very proud of you."
"For not killing them?" Jack asked. The Doctor chuckled softly.
"No, Captain. For not letting a group of small-minded fools force you into changing who you are. I know I might say otherwise, but I don't ever want you to stop saying hello."
"Hello to who?" Gwen asked, voicing not only her confusion, but Tosh and Owen's as well. Ianto, however, nodded his agreement.
"Same. I don't ever want you to change. I don't care what anyone else thinks."
Jack smiled contentedly. Oh, he knew there would be plenty of times in the future when his flirtatious behaviour pissed Ianto off, but there would always be forgiveness. As far as Jack was concerned, that was all that mattered.
Jack smiled contentedly to himself as he entered the TARDIS behind the Doctor. The Time Lord had decided that it was time for him to go, and Jack reluctantly conceded. He'd gone with the Doctor back to the TARDIS to say goodbye privately, whilst Ianto and the others stayed behind in the Hub.
It was an enormous level of trust that Ianto was showing in him, and Jack was determined not to breach that trust.
He ran his fingers lightly over the controls, and his smile widened at the answering hum. Across the way, the Doctor smiled fondly.
"She's missed her captain."
Jack lifted an eyebrow and though he said nothing, the Doctor knew only too well what was going through his mind.
"That wasn't her," the Doctor admitted quietly of the Utopia debacle, and the TARDIS taking them all the way to the year One Hundred Trillion. "Well, not entirely. It was more her reacting to me, reacting to you. She would never have jumped to the end of the universe if I hadn't tried to run…" The Doctor trailed off, eyeing Jack critically. "But you already knew that, didn't you?"
"I didn't know for absolute certain," Jack told him, "but I did know that she didn't have the same prejudice against me that you did."
The surprise on the Doctor's face was palpable.
"Really? How?"
Jack looked away, and the expression on his face suggested strongly that he preferred not to talk about it. A moment later, the Doctor understood why.
"How do you think I stayed sane during that year? When I didn't know from one day to the next how much pain I'd have to endure, or whether I'd be allowed to die to end the agony? How I managed to keep a rational state of mind in order to keep him from getting bored with me and focusing instead on Martha's family? How I kept from just giving up?" Jack stroked the console reverently. "She was there with me, Doctor. Despite everything she was suffering, she still gave me comfort and helped me to keep going."
The Doctor looked around at his precious ship with entirely new appreciation and love.
"Bigger on the inside."
"Yeah," Jack agreed. "In every way."
"I am so sorry, Jack."
"No, don't," Jack begged him. "Don't apologise, please. I want to put it behind us, once and for all. Just promise me that you won't run away from me again."
"I won't, I promise. And I also promise to be there for you whenever possible."
"Thankyou. And thankyou for being here now. You could have just let UNIT come storming down here, but you didn't."
"I might have done," the Doctor confessed, "except that it was a little bit obvious how much Winton hated you. I had no intention of letting him loose on Torchwood until I knew what was really going on with you. They'll leave you alone now, Jack. You go on doing what it is that you do best."
Jack tried to smirk flirtatiously, found he couldn't quite pull it off, and settled instead for a lop-sided grin.
"You mean saying hello?"
"Don't be cheeky," the Doctor retorted. "You know what I mean."
Jack laughed softly.
"I know. Thankyou, Doctor."
Coming around the console, the Doctor reached out with obvious care and hugged his former companion.
"Take care, Jack, of both yourself and your team. And don't be afraid to let them take care of you, too. Especially that young man of yours."
"Will I see you again soon?" Jack asked as he began to retreat out the door. The Doctor grinned.
"I'm always around. Don't doubt we'll cross paths again before too long. But you have the number now to reach me. You can call, any time you like."
"I will," Jack promised. "Where are you headed now?"
"To London, actually," the Doctor admitted. "I'm going to check out that company, Adipose. Something definitely alien about them."
Jack snorted with laughter.
"They make fat-busting pills, Doctor. I was thinking of trying them out myself."
The Doctor levelled a warning look at Jack, and wagged his finger at him threateningly.
"Don't you dare. You don't need to, and you know it. Now go on, get. Ianto is waiting for you."
Tossing the Doctor a quick salute, Jack exited the TARDIS and stepped back to watch the time ship vanish. When it did, he spotted Ianto waiting across the way.
"I wasn't going to go with him," Jack said, a touch defensively as Ianto approached.
"I know," Ianto answered calmly. "I do trust you, Jack. I only came up here because I thought we could head straight home now, and get ready for tonight."
Nervous anticipation immediately flooded Jack.
"Good idea. But the Hub…"
"Is in good hands with Owen, Tosh and Gwen," Ianto assured him. "Tish is staying to help out, too. She makes a pretty decent cup of coffee, and Myfanwy seems to like her, as well. Everything's under control." He held a hand out to Jack, patient and undemanding. "Come home?"
Jack took the outstretched hand willingly, and let Ianto lead him to the garage.
"Feeling okay?" Ianto asked lightly once they were on their way.
"I think so," Jack answered. "It feels a little surreal, actually. We caught all of them, and they'll never be able to hurt anyone else again. I have to keep reminding myself of that."
"Nothing wrong with that. And if you like, I'm sure we can wrangle CCTV footage of them in their new accommodation."
A shudder wracked Jack's body, so violent that Ianto could feel the aftershock of it.
"No," Jack said, not unexpectedly. "I don't ever want to see them again."
"Okay," Ianto agreed simply. "Here we are, and with plenty of time to relax before we need to get ready."
Ianto waited, half-hoping for an innuendo from Jack about what they could do to fill in the time, but none was forthcoming. He was a little disappointed, but not entirely surprised. They headed inside, and Ianto felt a small touch of relief when Jack took his coat off without any prompting. Maybe any real degree of intimacy was still a long way off, but there were at least some visible signs of improvement. Two days ago, Ianto knew he would have need to practically peel the coat off him.
"Would you like to take a bath?" Ianto offered. "There's plenty of time. You could relax and have a good soak."
Jack hesitated.
"We could have one together… if you wanted to, that is?"
A broad smile broke out over Ianto's face.
"I'd love to."
"Just a bath," Jack blurted out, and his face promptly went flame red. "I'm sorry, I just don't think I'm ready for anything else. Not yet…"
Careful not to let any hint of disappointment through, Ianto reached out to stroke Jack's cheek lightly. He felt comforted that Jack leaned in to the touch, and not away from it.
"Just a bath, to relax. I promise I'll wait for you, Jack. We don't need to do anything that you're not ready for."
The relief on Jack's face was plain to see, but so was the shame and embarrassment. Anxious to divert Jack's attention to more positive things, Ianto ushered him into the bathroom.
"So everything's okay between you and the Doctor?" Ianto asked as he ran a bath for them both. Jack looked surprised by the question, but conceded and answered regardless.
"I think so. I know he won't run away from me again, at least. And he finally admitted that the TARDIS never tried to get away from me, either. That it was all him."
Ianto huffed.
"About bloody time."
"He was surprised when I told him about what she did for me during that year."
Confusion filled Ianto's face, and Jack realised quickly with a sinking feeling that the younger man didn't know what he was talking about. With some small reluctance, he elaborated.
"She linked herself to my mind, Ianto. During that year, during the worst time, the TARDIS protected me, and kept me from going mad. Despite everything she was going through with the paradox machine, she still did everything she could for me. That's how I knew she didn't resent what I'd become."
"She save you," Ianto murmured, thinking with awe of the sentient ship, and of the way she'd sung to both Jack and himself when they'd spent the night safe within her walls.
"Yes, she did. And when I had to hurt her to destroy the paradox machine, she still didn't resent me."
Smiling gently, Ianto urged Jack towards the tub.
"C'mon, cariad. Let's have a bath together."
It was awkward to start with. They had not been in such close proximity whilst both naked since before the attack. Ianto had briefly considered the wisdom of bathers, but in the end decided against the suggestion. In the end, they settled into the generously sized tub with Ianto sitting behind Jack; and Jack settled as comfortably as possible between Ianto's legs, and leaning back against Ianto's chest. Ianto used a washcloth to gently wash Jack's shoulders, chest and arms. He took great care, though, not to touch Jack's still-sensitive wrists, or to let his hands drop below Jack's waist.
"It never gets any easier."
Ianto paused in washing Jack's back.
"What doesn't?"
"Dealing with the aftermath of being raped."
On the surface, Ianto could probably have been forgiven for thinking that Jack was talking about the recent assault. He was used to reading the subtext with Jack, though, and he easily guessed what it was that his lover wasn't saying.
"It's happened to you before, hasn't it?"
"Back when I was just a new recruit to the Time Agency," Jack admitted. "One of the instructors took a fancy to me. It was strictly forbidden for instructors to have sexual relationships with the trainees, but that didn't stop him. He kept hitting on me, and I kept brushing him off. Then one night, he turned up at my quarters. I was just a gangly kid back then. He was pushing nearly seven foot and had nearly fifty pounds on me. He also had me believing I'd be tossed out on my ear if I told anyone what he'd done. I never had a chance. He raped me at least once a week for nearly three months. It only stopped when another instructor walked in on us."
"I hope you weren't blamed for it," Ianto said in horror.
"No. Xavier tried to blame me. He said I'd seduced him. The guy who found us didn't buy it, though. He beat the living daylights out of Xavier, and made sure I was looked after properly. I owed him so much for everything he did for me."
An ugly feeling began to grow in Ianto's gut.
"You're not talking about John Hart, are you?"
Jack uttered a short, sharp bark of laughter.
"I don't think so! If John had been the one to find us, the bastard probably would have wanted to join in. No, this was someone else. David, his name was. He made sure I got the help I needed, and didn't let me down. You remind me a lot of David, Ianto."
Ianto blinked back tears, and briefly nuzzled Jack's shoulder.
"You said it never gets any easier."
"It doesn't," Jack confirmed, suddenly sounding bleak rather than wistful. "When I recovered, I thought I was stronger for it. That what Xavier did to me was horrific, but that it meant I could deal with it if it ever happened to me again. I was so wrong…"
Ianto felt the telltale tremors ripple through Jack's body, and held him loosely.
"Cariad, how long did it take you to get over what Xavier did to you? Generally speaking, I mean."
"Three and a half years," Jack admitted in a whisper. Ianto sighed sadly.
"And here it's been just two weeks. Not exactly giving yourself much leeway here, are you?"
"But I… You… I can't…"
"You will when you're ready," Ianto reassured him gently, fully aware that the conversation had slid sideways to another topic that had been more or less taboo since the attack. "I've already told you I'll wait for you. I wasn't lying when I said that, Jack."
Jack slumped back against Ianto, releasing the tension that he hadn't realised he was even holding onto.
"Just don't want to lose you," Jack said heavily. "Because I can't…"
"You won't," Ianto answered. "I promise you won't. I'm not going to quit on you. Can you believe that?"
Jack barely hesitated before he answered, and felt the last vestiges of doubt slip away.
"Yeah. I can."
to be continued...