An: Hope everyone is still enjoying reading this as much as I am enjoying writing it. As always thanks to JonesIantoJones for her wonderful betaing skills and the advice regarding this part. Sarah I decided to post this as one long part as opposed to splitting it.
Praise and constructive critisism are always welcome.
Disclaimer: As I keep saying they all belong to the BBC and not me.
Returning to London part 8
It was a little before five a couple of days later, when Owen made his way to Jacks office. He didn't bother knocking as he could see Jack wasn't doing anything useful just watching the internal CCTV.
"Jack I've finished that autopsy and concluded that it didn't have anything nasty and that what killed it was your bullet to it's head." He said and then asked "Is it ok if I get off now, only I thought I could do that other job you wanted me too, besides Ianto owes me dinner."
At that Jack looked away from the screen in front of him and raised his eyebrow.
Owen responed to the unanswered question "Long story and one I don't want to get into right now. So is it ok to get Ianto and go?"
"Yes yes go." Jack told him. "Let me know how you get on. Tell Tosh and Gwen they can go as well. It's looking to be a fairly quiet night. Just keep your phone on in case I need you."
With that Owen went in search of Ianto saying to the girls they could go as he passed them. As predictable as Ianto was Owen found him in the archives surrounded by paperwork.
"Hey Ianto Jack says we can get out of here as the rift is going to be quiet. Thought we could catch up with a few beers and I seem to remember you promising to buy me dinner. Now seems as good a time as any." Owen said cheerfully.
Ianto grumbled "I've still got all this filing to do as it wont do its self." .
Owen looked at Ianto, really looked and thought "How could I have missed how bad he looks. I'm a doctor I'm supposed to be observant."
"The paperwork isn't going anywhere but you are. Now get your jacket and coat and let's get out of here." He answered back.
Ianto was still grumbling about the paperwork as they made their way upto the main part of the Hub.
"Look Tosh and Gwen have already gone." Observed Owen. He then turned to Ianto "Where do you want to eat?"
"Look Owen it's not that I'm backing out of our deal but thing is I'm not really hungry. Can we do it another night. If I've got some time off I'd rather just go home have a bath and catch up on some sleep, you know how hectic it's been over the last few weeks." He said tiredly to Owen.
"Nope sorry you are going to buy me dinner, don't care if it's in a pub, restaurant, pizza hut or takeaway, but you and I are having dinner tonight and a long overdue talk about London." Owen said with force.
Ianto stared at Owen before nodding his head in defeat. They headed for the invisible lift both of them shouting "Good night." to Jack who was still in his office.
******TORCHWOOD******
Once outside Owen turned to Ianto "Right where do you want to eat? Before you say It's up to me I'm not fussy."
"Ok if I'm being forced to eat let's go to The Wharf on Schooner Way. I really like their veggie sausages." Ianto answered putting his gloves on and then walking towards Lloyd George Avenue. They then cut up through Hemingway Road and from there onto Schooner Way. The pub was about half way up so didn't take long to get there. They entered and found a table in a quieter part of the pub. Before Owen sat down he asked Ianto what he wanted to drink and then leaving him to look over the menu went to the bar and got two pints of Brains beer. As he put them on the table and sat down Ianto spoke.
"I thought I was buying dinner not you?"
Owen chuckled then took a large mouthful of beer before answering "You are. But that doesn't mean I can't buy you a beer. So what's the menu like? Don't think I've ever been in here before, well not to eat. Might've been here on a pub crawl or something."
Ianto had to smile at that which was so typically Owen. He then passed the menu over saying "The veggie sausages are good or if you want something with meat the chilli."
Owen didn't even look at the menu "Chilli it is then."
"You sure. Not going to be too hot for you?" Ianto quipped getting up to go and place the order.
"Nothing's too hot for me." Smirked Owen as he watched Ianto walk away.
When Ianto returned he said "So what's this really about? And don't say it's because I owe you dinner. You've not mentioned it in three weeks. You've been too busy getting drunk and going out on the pull."
Owen looked stunned at that. He was sure no one had noticed what he was doing. He held his hands up in surrender.
"Ok Jacks worried about you. Apparently I'm not the only one doing things to excess." At Iantos questioning look he continued. "Your obssessive cleaning."
Ianto sighed "Right. Look Owen I admit things aren't great but it's nothing I can't handle. Can you say the same?" At that moment their food arrived.
"Wow you were right this is hot." Commented Owen as he swallowed a mouthful of chilli.
"Thought nothing was too hot for you." Laughed Ianto digging in to his food. "So you going to tell me why you're drinking more than normal? I'm guessing it has to do with our trip to London."
Owens face turned serious "Yeah it just brought up bad times for me there."
"Katie?" Ianto said.
"Katie's part of the reason but also my childhood." Ianto didn't say anything, he just waited for Owen to continue at his own speed. "You know my mum kicked me out when I was sixteen?" Ianto shook his head in response as Owen carried on " Well she did. Can't say it wasn't a relief, so then I had to get a job to put myself through college, then university and then med school. But do you know what? When I graduated it was the best feeling knowing I'd done it all on my own."
"God Owen and I thought my childhood was bad. No wonder you don't like London. I'm sorry."
"Not your fault." Said Owen dismissively. He really didn't like talking about his past but with Ianto it just seemed to come out whether he wanted it to or not. "Anyway enough of me let's get back to you and your cleaning habits."
"There are worse habits than cleaning." Ianto said trying to lighten the mood a bit.
"Yeah like what?" Said Owen.
"Like leaving purple alien bits in the autopsy bay for me to clean up." Grinned Ianto pointing his fork at Owen.
"What a lovely smile." Owen thought to himself then quickly thought "Where did that come from?" "Yes that one was gross." Laughed Owen remembering he'd been in a hurry to get to a pub that he'd left the cleaning to Ianto. "So back on topic, cleaning, your obsesssiveness more to the point."
Ianto hesitated. "It's not obsessive. It just... it calms me. I call it therapeutic."
"But all that cleanig can't be good for your hands or your health." Owen said with concern.
Ianto frowned at him "What do you mean my health and I try and wear rubber gloves if I can."
Smirking slightly Owen said, "I bet you do." before adding, "Think about it Ianto all those chemicals you use and all the fumes you must breath in. It really can't be doing your lungs any good. Tomorrow you are going to have a full physical make sure you've not damaged anything. So how you sleeping?"
"If I told you fine would you believe me?" Ianto sulkily replied not looking forward to tomorrow.
"Nope."
"Didn't think so. Ok if you must know lousy. Ever since London I've been getting two maybe three hours a night." Admitted Ianto getting up and picking the glasses off the table to get them both refills. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night. "Well at least the companys good." He mused to himself.
While Ianto was at the bar Owen was thinking "No wonder he looks crap if the most sleep he's been getting is three hours; sooner or later he's going to break. Looks like Jack was right. Now to get him to talk and then find a solution."
"Penny for them?" Ianto asked setting the beers down as he sat.
Owen was statled from his thoughts "Uh what?"
"Penny for your thoughts. You were miles away when I came back. What or who were you thinking about?"
"You." Owen quietly said.
It was Iantos turn to be startled "Be serious Owen." He laughed nervously.
"I was. I was thinking how can anyone survive on three hours sleep without falling apart?"
"Look it's no big deal." Ianto said getting angry.
"It is when it starts affecting the rest of us." Owen retorted back.
Ianto was getting angrier. "But it's not affecting you or anyone else so I don't see what the problem is."
Owen was beginning to get angry himself "Why couldn't Ianto see how it was affecting him." He thought but instead replied, "The problem is," he hissed "that if we're out in the field and your concentration goes through lack of sleep then someone could get injured or worse."
Ianto stared at Owen. Did he really think he would put any of them in danger?
"Owen," he began softly some of the anger having disapated "do you really think I would put any of you in danger?"
Owen looked at him and just as softly replied "I don't think you would intentionally put anyone in danger, but you know what lack of sleep can cause. It slows your reaction time down considerably. Tell me this, are the nightmares from London that bad or is there something else going on?"
Ianto had tears in his eyes as he admitted "It's just from London. All I can see when I close my eyes are the Cybermen and Daleks coming for me shouting 'Exterminate' or 'You will be deleted' and then there's all the other noises and smells. I'm too scared to go to sleep but when it gets too much and I manage to, then I wake up in a sweat with all those thoughts running through my head, then I can't get back to sleep. That's when I clean or go for a run."
At some point Owen had taken Iantos hand and was stroking it in encouragement. "At least you're now admitting you've got a problem and I will do my best to help you, but you should've come to me sooner."
"Owen you were dealing with your own demons. You didn't need me adding to them." He said thinking how nice Owens hand felt holding his.
Owen looked down at their joined hands and then feeling embarrassed pulled his away. He didn't see the sad look that passed over Iantos face. "Look I can give you a sleeping tablet that will knock you out for at least eight hours but there is a side effect."
"Which is?" Ianto asked regaining his composure.
"They might make you feel drowsy in the morning so you wont be able to drive or go out in the field. And then we try and find a better way to get you to sleep." Owen replied seriously then to lighten the mood added. "If you go home now you should still be up to get into work before the rest of us."
Ianto sat for a moment then agreed. As they stood to put their jackets on Ianto spoke.
"So as I bought you dinner do I need to walk you home or are you going to walk me?" He asked with a smile.
Owen laughed. "If I walk you do I get a coffee at the end of it?"
"As long as it's just a coffee you're after Dr Harper - you wouldn't take advantage of a patient would you?" Smirked Ianto walking out the pub.
They didn't walk in the end but picked Owens car up from the Hub and Owen drove Ianto home. Once there Owen decided that Ianto needed sleep more than he needed coffee. He did get out the car and walk him to the front door of his building. Ianto then turned to him and stared into his eyes.
"Thanks Owen for everything and I promise I will talk more about London and my nightmares if you promise me you wont drink anymore and talk to me. I'm here for you whenever you need me." He said softly.
Owens breath hitched at the intensity behind those words and all he could do was nod. Then Ianto pulled him into a hug and whispered in his ear "Remember anytime you need me I'm here for you."
Before he could reply Ianto had entered his building leaving a bemused Owen on the doorstep who then walked back to his car in a daze but with a smile on his face. For the first time in three weeks he didn't feel the need to get blind drunk.