John turned Jack around in his arms. "You okay?" he asked him.

When he didn't reply John hooked his foot around the leg of the nearest chair and pulled it out. Keeping a firm grip on his former partner's shoulders he pushed him gently into a seated position.

"Hey" he soothed, crouching down and taking both Jack's hands in his own, "you with me?"

Jack glanced at the young man at the bar, noting how he wasn't smiling now but was staring at them with a questioning frown. He turned back to John and nodded tightly.

"I was so sure," he said, "Just for a second, I actually thought it was him."

"I know. I know you did. I'm sorry."

Standing up, John pulled out a wallet from his back pocket and took out two folded notes. He threw the notes on the bar and dismissed the boy with a wave of his hand, "we're not going to be needing you after all," he said.

Keeping his eyes downcast, the young man picked up the bills from the counter, climbed down from the bar stool and made to leave the bar. He stopped suddenly when Jack reached out and grabbed at his sleeve.

"My friend and I, we can travel......in time."

"No," John warned, "Don't!"

"We could take you home..." Jack blurted out.

"Fuck."

"Go h-home," the boy startled, "why would I want to go home."

"I just thought......your family, your friends..."

"I have no family. Look, I was a rent boy back then. I lived on the streets, doing much the same thing as I'm doing now. The only difference is here I get to sleep in a nice warm bed every night and get proper food and good medical care. They don't treat us badly here."

"Yes, but you're.....I mean you'd be free."

"Ah but I've got plans," the boy said, tapping the side of his nose, "I'm saving all my tips."

"What's your name kid," John asked.

"Stevie, Stevie Henderson."

"Ah," John smiled. He took out his wallet again, pulled out another note and handed it to the boy. Stevie's eyes widened.

"That's very generous," he gulped.

"Take it with pleasure, just do me a favour and make sure you follow your dreams."

"I will Sir. Thank you." Stevie beamed as he turned around and walked away. He gave the two men a quick backwards glance over his shoulder before disappearing from view.

"What was that about?" Jack frowned.

"That was Stevie Henderson," John replied, "he's famous. Any day now he's going to going to use the money he's been saving from his tips to buy his freedom. No-one's sure how he does it but he's able to buy himself a little going concern and the first thing he'll do is give all the staff their freedom, offering those that stay a share in the business. Most of them will leave of course but a handful stay on. The business is very successful and within a few years all those who threw their hand in with him will be very wealthy. But that's not what he's famous for. No, what he's famous for is being the founding member of Slaves for Justice."

"Oh," Jack's eyes widened as he realised the implications, "Oh" he repeated.

"It was his organisation that took the anti-slavery movement all the way to the Shadow Proclamation, leading to the Declaration of Emancipation. Because of the events which start here, with that boy, slavery is outlawed throughout several galaxies, and to think you could have prevented all that by dragging him back to the 21st Century. What the hell were you thinking anyway? It's going to be hard enough getting Ianto off the planet. We're not here to rescue the whole slave population."

"I know," Jack sighed, "you're right. I know. I don't know what I was thinking."

John gave him a pat on the shoulder "Let's just chalk it up to temporary insanity shall we. We'll grab some lunch then start on the hotels on the other side of the resort. I've got a good feeling about today."

John caught up with Jack later that evening, sitting by a fountain. His shoulders slumped when he spied him, knowing without asking they were no further forward in their search.

"You look terrible," he said.

"Gee, thanks."

"Well, you do. We both need rest or we're not going to be able to help Ianto when we do find him."

"I know your right." Jack nodded, "Let's try one more place, then we'll go back to the ship and rest. I promise"

"Okay," John sighed, "But just one and we'll do it together."

Let's try....," he scanned the nearby buildings before pointing to a glass fronted high rise surrounded by a small but lush garden, "that one." The sign above the entrance read, "A bene placito"

"At Your Pleasure," Jack read, "why there?"

"Just a feeling, come on."

John held out his hand and pulled the other man up to a standing position.

"Back story?" Jack asked.

"Hmmm, Let me see. You're a naive, farm boy. Never been off world before. I'll be your boyfriend, suave, sophisticated and living off daddy's trust fund, teaching you the ways of the world."

Jack rolled his eyes.

"What," John grinned, "it's not that far from the truth. You were a bit wet behind the ears when you first joined the agency."

Jack shook his head but let John pull him in the direction of the hotel entrance. By the time they burst through the door both men were well into their respective characters.

"Trust me, Jarred," John giggled, "you'll love it."

Jack looked around, pretending to be awe-struck.

"Wow," he exclaimed, "I dunno though Jem. It looks a bit expensive."

"It is, you idiot," John put an arm around his waist and kissed the side of his nose, "That's what trust funds are for. Daddy's going to flip when he sees the bill."

"You know you shouldn't piss him off Jem. If he cuts you off again, I'm not going to stick around this time."

John laughed.

"I knew you just wanted me for my money."

The man behind the desk, who had been patiently observing the exchange, coughed politely.

"Good evening," John bellowed, "Your best room please, whatever the cost." He kissed Jack on the cheek, "My little Lamb Chop deserves the best."

Jack smiled shyly.

"Oh you," he said, resting his head on John's shoulder and looking at the receptionist through upturned eye lashes.

The man tapped on the keyboard in front of him,

"Just the one night Sir?" he asked.

"For now," John replied, handing over a credit card.

"J-e-m," Jack sang, stretching out the vowel. "Can we," he looked down at his feet, "you know...like we did on our one week anniversary."

"Oh," John smirked, "you want a playmate , you little minx. Why didn't you say so?"

He grinned at the receptionist raising both eye-brows suggestively.

"Certainly, sirs." The man answered, tapping his keyboard again, "what can I get you."

"Oh, I don't know what do you think Jarred?"

"Have you anything from Old Earth," Jack asked excitedly.

"Yes actually, two. One male, one female."

"Male, definitely," John answered, "I know he doesn't look it but he's a tiger between the sheets, wouldn't want anyone getting hurt."

Jack actually blushed and John wondered whether he'd gone too far. Then he remembered this was Jack, it was much more likely he'd perfected the art of bio feedback than he was embarrassed for real.

"Ahem," the man coughed, "Of course sir. That'll be £200 credits."

"Whoa," John gasped, "that's a bit expensive. He better be handsome."

"Apparently so sir. Would you like to see a picture?"

The man turned the screen around so that they could see what was on it. Jack gasped and John tightened his grip around his waist. The man on the screen looked a little older, the face a little less rounded and the hair a little longer, but it was unmistakably Ianto.

"Oh, you like him do you, Jarred. Better watch out, I might get jealous. " He grinned at the Hotel receptionist. "Put him on my bill and have him sent up to our room in about an hour."

"Why did you say in an hour," Jack turned on John angrily as soon as the door to their suite shut behind them.

"You look like shit. I just thought you might want a bit of time to freshen up before you see him."

"Oh yeah," Jack replied deflated, "thanks."

"More importantly I can slip out to the bar in about 45 minutes and leave you and eye-candy to get reacquainted."

Jack felt a surge of affection for his old friend.

"Why are you doing all this, John?"

"because I love you, and to be honest, Ianto sort of got to me a bit too. I just want you both to be happy."

"Thank you, Really John, I mean it, from the bottom of my heart. I won't forget this."

As promised, John slipped out 45 minutes later, giving Jack a friendly hug and a good luck peck on the lips before leaving. Alone in the room, Jack paced and worried his bottom lip. What if Ianto didn't want to see him, what if he'd settled here like Stevie had, what if he was still angry with him and hadn't forgiven him for being a dick, what if he'd lost his memory, what if........When the knock came, he was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't hear it the first time. He jumped when the knock came again, louder this time. His heart beat a fast tattoo, he swallowed, counted to five and then slowly opened the door.

Ianto was playing cards with a being whose name and race was unpronounceable to him, which was ironic considering his first language was Welsh. As he wasn't able to distinguish the gender and found it possible to think of him or her as an it, he tried not to think too hard at all. The other man, women......whatever was mostly human in shape but bright blue. He, she, it spoke no English and Ianto's universal translator was on the blink which meant the game was descending into a farcical crescendo of grunting and pointing. He sighed and shrugged apologetically, standing up to get them both a drink. As he did so his handler appeared in the doorway.

"Yanto, you're wanted up top."

Ianto nodded.

"Universal translator's not working."

"Don't worry they both speak English."

Ah so most likely human then, Ianto thought, good, not that he was prejudice but some of those aliens had tentacles which can find their way into places where tentacles had no business going.

"Both?" Ianto asked, "Guys or Girls?"

"Two guys."

"Kay," Ianto sighed. He wondered when it was that sleeping with random men, women and assorted aliens had become so common place that it no longer elicited any surprise for him.

"Room number?"

"241, it's an all nighter," the other man spoke authoritatively, "so I don't expect to see you again until the morning."

"Kay."

Ianto took the lift to the second floor. He stepped out into the corridor and walked along it, giving in to his compulsion to touch each of the door frames as he passed. Stopping outside 241 he tapped lightly on the door. When there was no response he wrapped louder. He turned away and was about to go down to reception to check he had the right number when the door opened.

The false smile fell from his face as he turned around and stared into familiar blue eyes. He felt his knees wobble and he was grabbed by the waist and pulled through the door.

Jack gently lowered them both to the floor, resting Ianto's head in his lap. He pushed a stray bit of fringe out of his lover's eyes, "it's you, " he whispered, "it's really you this time."

Ianto felt some unnamed emotion bubbling up in his throat, his teeth chattered and his breathing faltered, he screwed up his face and a single tear escaped from his eyes and rolled down his cheek.

"You remember me," he sobbed, "A thousand years and you didn't forget."

Jack's brow crinkled in confusion, "Huh?........."

"Oh you think,....No, Ianto I'm not from now, I'm your Jack.... from your time, we're here to rescue you."

A soft "oh" escaped Ianto's lips. Slowly his mouth turned up, his smile lighting up his whole face making Jack wonder if he had ever seen anything more beautiful. The Welshman turned serious as another tear rolled down his cheek. He reached up and touched Jack's face with the back of his hand.

"Took you're bloody time," he grumbled.