A/N: I AM RETURNED! Hey sorry for the wait as per usual, speaking of which I still own nothing and am indeed still sulking about it! Please enjoy :D

"I want to stay."

The words stopped Jack dead.

Sure if he was really honest he'd seen this possibility coming. Ianto had started to, albeit reluctantly, integrate himself into the group for a couple of days now, maybe he'd wanted to or more likely it had been pure boredom but something broke the boys resolve to hide on the sideline. Whatever it had been, Ianto had made a connection, a reason to favour Jacks offer.

But the shock of it uttered so bluntly from those stubborn lips caught Jack completely off guard. He'd expected them to dance around the idea, for hints and nudges to be volleyed about, for some sort of renegotiation to take place at the very least.

But now it had been said. Ianto had thrown it out into the ether oh so casually, caught Jack out so spectacularly that he was stuck suspended in the doorway like some insecure fool. Not bloody likely, two can play at that game.

"Maybe" and with that Jack strode from the room.

Xxx

"You go back in there right now Jack! You go in there and tell him of course he can stay, the option was never off the table." Tosh was furious; she'd almost leapt from her chair when Jack had entered the ops room and headed for the kitchen.

Jack should have known, of course they'd be watching the CCTV, Tosh was still feeling guilty and thus protective of Ianto, and Owen because he was a nosy git who hated being left out of the loop.

"There's nothing wrong with letting him sweat a while." Jack rebuked, obviously the offer had never been removed, that'd never been an option but Jack was still a little sore that Ianto had snubbed him first.

From behind him Owen snorted.

"What?"

"An eye for an eye, and all that" Owen snarked.

"And what exactly are you implying Owen"

Owen shrugged "Like you haven't been moping over shackle boy's rejection for the past 3 days, I'd a thought you've done enough sweating for the both of you." Jack glared and Owen snorted once more "Go suck his tonsils out already and put us all out of our bloody misery." Owen ducked fast to avoid the stapler "Watch it Harkness!" but Jack was already half way into the kitchen.

Tosh followed him, there was a time she would have been hesitant, hell there was a time she wouldn't have gone at all, but Jack and Owen had taught her to be strong, to be confident in her opinions and feelings. She owed it to herself, if not Ianto, to push Jack on this. "He won't run Jack, he could of but he didn't."

Jack stopped the sigh before it left his lips, he wasn't mad at Tosh and she didn't deserve to think he was. "I know Tosh." He did know, Ianto was past running, if nothing else the boy was just so tired that running wasn't even feasible anymore.

But Jack was angry, he was allowed to be. He was angry at Ianto for taking his sweet time about his choice, he was angry at himself for forming a god damn attachment in the first place, for letting it escalate to the point where worry over the boys future turned his insides.

Jack saw Tosh conceal a smirk, she always had been perceptive, in another life she could have been a mind reader.

Jack finally let his sigh go, squaring his shoulders he slipped so very easily back into 'Captain' mode and turned to face Tosh, customary Harkness grin never faltering on his face. "Right Tosh I want every bit of intelligence or instruction Brian ever gave us. Then I want any and all blue prints of the drop site and surrounding area for about a mile radius. Most importantly, can you turn those magic fingers to Torchwood Three's files; I want to know these guys better than their own mothers do."

Tosh beamed and hurried to comply, muttering something about editing algorithms and Torchwood one.

Jack watched her retreat for a moment before leaving the kitchen and heading for Owen, who was lazing on a couch.

"How mobile can he be by tomorrow?"

"Not very" Jack had to give credit to Owen that he didn't pause or stop to puzzle over what he had meant.

Jack remained quiet and Owen felt compelled to clarify "That means no running Jack. No running, no diving for cover and definitely no fighting." Jack opened his mouth, most probably to roast him but Owen pressed forward "That shoulder is in no condition to do anything; I'll have to load him up with painkillers just to get him standing!"

"Then do it" Jack huffed, turning to stride from the room.

"Stuff it Harkness! When you show me your Oxford medical degree I'll give, but till then Jones is my patient and therefore under my jurisdiction." Jack span back to Owen, glaring at him with real venom.

"And you're under mine Owen."

"Suspend the drop you bloody wanker!" Owen had stepped up toe to toe with Jack; he never had been very good at just rolling over on things, and never with anything medical.

The rage and possessive curl at Owen's words loosened in Jack's chest and he stopped a moment to breath. "And just how exactly am I supposed to 'suspend the drop'. Brian is wound tighter than Yvonne ever was, if Ianto misses his drop by even a fraction of a second, I have no doubt, Owen, that Brian will rein Torchwood down on all our heads." Jack's voice quivered a little with his anger and Owen laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Jack, Ianto will make an excellent agent and that's what this is all for, right? But he won't, he can't, if we don't give that shoulder time to heal." Jack caught Owen's eyes and searched, searched for any doubt, any lie, any leeway but he found none. Closing his eyes briefly Jack ran through his options and decided.

"Can you fix him up enough to make an appearance?" Jack saw Owen's protest coming and hurriedly pushed on "Not even stand, I just need him to be seen. We can push him in, in fact the more bashed up he looks the better, I just need him to be comfortable and quiet."

Owen paused and considered then nodded his consent, before dismissing Jack by returning to the couch.

Jack smiled, plan already half formed in his head.

They were keeping Ianto.

A/N 2: A little shorter than normal I know but it felt right to cut it there, hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think :D