A/N: I am so soo sorry, RL been a bit of a bitch to me recently and my plot bunnies fled in fear, but I've managed to coax them back with carrots, I hope this makes up for the wait. Thank you soo much to everyone who reviewed it means a lot that you guys like this or even bother to read it, Thank you :D

I don't own yadda yadda yadda.

xxx

Ianto's eyes were closed as he slumped against the back of the chair, it wasn't pleasant, hard steel pressed against the ridges of his spine and the backrest slanted a little too far forward for his chosen position to be anywhere near comfortable.

The room was cold too, not unbearable but enough that it was noticeable, another factor that made it very difficult to be happy.

Ianto had to admit he was impressed, for a room that used to be a bedroom Harkness and his team had managed to fashion a rather good interrogation space, uncomfortable and intimidating. But Ianto Jones had been in this situation before, Torchwood Black ops made that almost mandatory, even the training exorcises were brutally accurate.

Ianto had learnt early on to block it out, isolate himself from his location, shutoff any physical cues for mental discomfort, basically put 'if I can't see it, it isn't real'. It was working too that was until he was forcibly dragged back to reality by the click of a lock and the clearing of a throat.

Xxx

Jack finished the dregs of his coffee, Jesus they needed someone who could make a half decent cup. He was hovering outside the interrogation room door, it wasn't that he was hesitant to go in; he was hesitant over how he would be received. Jack wanted to offer Ianto a way out, the boy was damn good at what he did, impressively so. And Jack would have been lying if he said the hole in his group wasn't exactly Ianto shaped.

Ianto was clever, sure but Jack had clever, he had Tosh and Owen, Jack was far more interest in Ianto as 'muscle'. As good as Jack was, and he was good, he could accept he needed help, half the jobs he threw away were due to lack of hands. Ianto was strong, cool headed and most of all Jack wouldn't have to look after Ianto while trying to look after himself.

He was posing a far better option to Ianto than Torchwood three and he knew it, honestly it was hard not to. But the better option wasn't the problem, the problem was that Ianto had to believe him; Ianto had to want this too.

It was about now that Jack wished for once he could have held his tongue; toned down the flirting. If he'd just stuck to serious this offer would be more believable, Ianto knew this game, and honestly just how many marks could say they had been given an out.

With his cup finally empty Jack sighed and grasped the door handle.

Xxx

"I know about your family Jones, I know how Yvonne recruited you and I know why she recruited you, in fact I know all about your time at Torchwood One. The only thing I don't know and coincidently the only thing of any importance is why Torchwood Three want you." Jack was sat opposite Ianto, the younger man was still slumped in his chair but his chin was raised and defiance shone in his eyes which had not once broken contact with Jack's.

Ianto didn't answer he merely cocked his head slightly to the right as if Jack had suddenly become very interesting, lips remaining firmly closed.

Jack sighed "Look Ianto I need to know why."

"And why is that exactly Jack. The way I see it is that's the only card I have left to play, seeing as you know everything else about me." Ianto leant forward now, moving into Jack's space, he wasn't intimidated and he wasn't about to give up information free of charge. "So what is it that makes you think I'm just going to hand what you need over?"

Jack was leaning in too now, Ianto was the most fun he'd had in ages, Ianto was a challenge. "Well as I see it you haven't got any choice mister Jones. What if I'm offering you a way out?" Jack leant in a little more "Wouldn't want to miss an opportunity like that would you." before falling back against his chair.

"And why exactly would you do that? What have you got to gain?"

Jack smirked, the corner of his mouth curling ever so slightly upwards, "I think the question is what have you got to lose?"

It was Ianto turn to smirk "I thought you'd said you'd read my file?"

Jack nearly frowned they could go on in circles like this for hours, clearly Ianto knew he had nothing left to lose but Jack couldn't get him to see that possibly he had something to gain. Then again why should he, like Jack had thought earlier Marks being offered a way out was unheard of. And that was before you factored in Torchwood One's 'take no prisoners' motto, Ianto wouldn't see that he might be an asset to Jack, he saw himself as dead weight and dead weight was something Torchwood didn't do.

So Jack had to give first, after all the worst that could happen is that Ianto went to Torchwood three, which was the original plan.

"Look Jones, you're smart, strong and know how to handle yourself in a tight spot, you're an asset Jones. An asset I would like to utilise. So I need to know why Torchwood Three want you, I need to know if you're a danger to have around Jones."

Ianto sat back in his seat, Jack's confession seemed to have knocked the wind out of him. "Why . . . why would you want me?"

Jack couldn't stop the leer that unfurled on his face, "have you seen you?" The dark look Ianto shot him stopped him in his tracks and Jack backpedalled to the truth, this was Ianto's life Jack was playing with and clearly the joke was unappreciated. "You're talented Ianto, you're a fighter like me, I need you because I have to protect my family. Don't get me wrong Tosh is a pure stroke of genius and well Owen has his moments, but they're not fighters, but you, well honestly you're amazing. What I could do with your skill."

Ianto appreciated the honesty; Jack could see it written in the small smile on Ianto's face. "Work with me Jones, I can get Brian off your back, you won't have to live your life looking at the same four walls. Stay here you'll have a constant home, you can have a family again, no more running and hiding." As much as Jack wanted Ianto he would beg, he didn't do that, so when Ianto remained quiet he did too. He'd laid his cards on the table alongside Ianto's, neither had anything left to hide and Jack could only hope he'd said enough.

The silence remained and stretched out, it gained weight and pressed heavily on Jack, and just as he'd had enough and the scrape of chair legs announced his intention to leave Ianto spoke.

"I don't know anything, not really." It took Jack a few seconds to realise what Ianto was going on about, Jack was getting what he wanted. "Brian was her number two; she would have told him everything of importance, even when she shipped him off to rebuild Three the only new project to open was the 'ghost shifts'. I was just her bodyguard she trusted me with her life but I wasn't important enough to explain projects to, they were very much 'need to know' details and I usually didn't. There'll be a few access codes I have over Brian but they're pretty much a moot point now." Jack frowned and wondered why he hadn't seen it before Ianto was right, Yvonne played things really close to her chest why the hell would she tell a lowly bodyguard anything, she probably only told Brian what she absolutely had to. So why the hell did Brian want him, Jack was about to voice as much but Ianto got there first. "I'm a threat I guess, a Torchwood One survivor, knowing Brian he sees this whole thing as a fresh start and I'm the only link to the old way that would cause him any real trouble." Jack could see the logic in that, but there had to be something else, again Ianto continued unprompted, Jack could only guess this was slightly therapeutic for the young man or at least the only real conversation he had since Torchwood one fell. "I may know no more than Brian but that's still a hell of a lot more than most, and I can think of a few who would want that info, Brian is rebuilding Torchwood with him as the head, it's better for him that I'm gone rather than selling his secrets to the highest bidder."

One thing still bugged Jack "Why not just kill you?"

Ianto snorted like Jack had said something incredibly funny "I pissed him off, I always did, I guess it's his revenge, no quick death for Yvonne's pet."

Jack smiled at that, at least the boy had retained his sense of humour. "I could offer you asylum from all that, from Brian, from others that would hunt you for Torchwood's secrets." Jack desperately wanted the boy now, he was no danger just a victim of circumstances. "You'd have to work for me, stay in the manor and you couldn't have an outside life, but you'd be safe."

Ianto snorted again only this time Jack must have missed the humour "You don't think I could look after myself."

"Maybe, but what kind of life would that be? Here you could have stability, friends."

"I wouldn't be free though Jack you can't give me freedom. I'd just make a break for it." Jack saw the sincerity in Ianto's eyes and anger sparked in his chest.

"You'd always be on the run Ianto, from me too."

Ianto's head snapped up with the almost challenge "nothing new."

Jack's heart dropped the boy didn't want his help he'd rather rot, well fine he could, Jack could give no more than he'd offered and Ianto had spat it back. "I didn't want to do this but if I'm gonna lose you either way I may as well make some money. Enjoy you last two days of sunlight." Jack strode from the room fists clenching in anger, he slammed the door. The boy could stew in his silence what should Jack care now.

Xxx

Tosh and Owen had been watching the whole exchange via the security cams, they could see the tension radiating through Jacks body as he slammed the door and marched for the gym, for the punching bag.

"One"

"Two"

"Three"

Both placed their hands in between them "Ha ha, paper wraps rock." Owen huffed he never beat Tosh, she was bloody physic or something. "I'll take Ianto."

Owen protested loudly "Bloody knew you would, I always have to deal with Harkness."

"Yeah well I'm not strong enough to hold the punching bag still" Tosh threw over her shoulder as she headed to the stairs, Owen couldn't miss the slight skip to her step which only confirmed she'd gotten the better end of this deal.

He set off toward the basement racking his brains on what the hell to say to Jack.

Xxx

Tosh opened the interrogation room door slowly, and watched the man at the table in front of her.

He'd looked up as she'd come in but instead of dismissing her as a threat and looking away, like most, he kept her gaze. She'd seen the sorrow that had been foremost in his eyes before he masked it, but even now she could see how it tainted his other expressions, how it was always present. She felt sorry for him how could she not, he'd hadn't done anything, he'd lost his family and been manipulated by their replacements.

"Here's not that bad" Her words rang out louder than expected in the silent space, making her flinch, but Ianto only looked at her with open curiosity, his eye asked what his mouth would not 'what do you know about it?'.

"I was UNITs, a prisoner that is. I was Jacks mark too. He's a good guy you know." She bowed her head a little embarrassed by the personal spotlight and Ianto's intense gaze wasn't helping. "He offered me the same deal."

Ianto seemed to flinch at this, he wasn't expecting that, honestly he hadn't been taking Jack completely seriously when the offer had come around, no mark in their right mind would. He was inclined to think this was planned that this was further cruelty, but Ianto was hard pressed to see Jack as the type of person who would do that and Tosh sounded so sincere.

"Your right it wasn't freedom, but it is now, now I know him and I trust him. Jack is, well, Jack is Jack, but he's a good guy Ianto someone you could trust with your life. In any case it's better than a windowless cell. He'd do right by you Ianto, we all would, just think on that ok." And Tosh slipped from the room as quickly and quietly as she'd entered.

Xxx

Yeah Tosh had really got the better deal, Owen's shoulder was already killing from holding the sand filled bag, Jack was really laying into it.

"Mate don't get so riled up, of course he's not going to trust you, first time he meets you your dragging him from the police station and knocking him out."

Jack grunted and punched the bag harder in response, 'well this is going to be an eloquent conversation' Owen thought.

"Jack just give him time, he'll come round, he'd be bloody stupid not to" Jack's only response was to continue hitting the bag like he hadn't heard Owen at all, "Look I don't know what's got you so worked up he's only a mark it's not like you want him for anything more, well maybe a quick shag but not anythi . . ." Owen cut himself off Jack had grunted and pushed away from the bag, and from Owen stalking to the other side of the room. "Oh God you did didn't you" Owen voice cracked with laughter, it was just too funny, "come on the only guy that hasn't shown any interest in like two decades and a mark, seriously" humour was colouring Owens voice he'd let go of the bag and was clutching his stomach. Jack snarled.

"You were falling for him, Jesus . . . that's too funny, that's . . . Jesus." Owen descended into full blown hysterics and ran from the basement and the gym equipment Jack had started to throw in his direction.

A/N: hope you enjoyed :3