AN Thanks to everyone who continues to read and review you all make it worthwhile. Thanks to JonesIantoJones for betaing and who is having a great time at SFX this weekend am so jealous.

Disclaimer: Only borrowing them.

Returning to London part 16

As Ianto stood looking at the weevil he thought. "I'm sorry Owen I wished we'd had more time together." Then the weevil lunged at him. He tried to hit it with the baton but it didn't have any effect and Ianto was thrown backwards with the impact. He managed to roll away from it before he got back on his feet. Ianto shook his head to try and stop the fuzziness taking hold. Again the weevil went for Ianto but he was ready for it and dodged out of the way. The weevil kept on coming for him and Ianto managed to keep dodging out of the way. He was trying to lead it away from the play area and towards the trees. Ianto was tiring quickly he didn't know how much longer he could keep this up. With a determined effort the weevil lunged at him, swiping its claws down Ianto's chest. Ianto screamed with pain and dropped the baton. Clutching his chest he stared at the weevil. "This is it." He thought. "I'm going to die." Ianto closed his eyes waiting for the final impact. It never came. All he heard was a single gunshot. He stood where he was, still with his eyes closed. He could hear people calling his name but he couldn't respond - he couldn't do anything.

"Ianto." Tosh called quietly. "Ianto open your eyes for me.....please Ianto. Jack I think he's in shock. Where's Owen?" She said frantically looking for the medic.

Jack came and stood beside Tosh. Softly saying. "C'mon Ianto open those beautiful eyes for me." While gently stroking his fingers down Ianto's cheek.

The movement of Jack's fingers on his cheek seemed to break Ianto out of the trance he'd been in and he slowly let out a breath.

"Thank God." Tosh whispered.

Jack took hold of Ianto's arms "You're going to have to move them so that I can see where you're hurt."

Ianto blinked only then realising that he'd been injured. He slowly moved his arms away from his chest taking a deep breath as pain engulfed him. Jack caught him before he fell to the ground. He then sat down with him as Owen appeared.

"How is he?" He asked breathlessly.

"Bleeding and in shock."Jack replied lifting Ianto's jumper up so that Owen could get a better look at the wounds.

"Shit." Owen cursed as he began pulling things from his bag.

Without moving or looking at Gwen Jack asked, "Gwen can you find Andy and find out what happened here?"

"Looks like he messed up again." She muttered to herself. "Yeah sure Jack." Giving him a sweet smile.

Jack turned his attention to Owen. "How bad is it?"

Owen was in full doctor mode as he replied. "The slashes are very long and a couple of them are quite deep. I really need to get him back to the Hub to stitch him up and give him some of my powerful painkillers. I'm also worried about him going into shock. He's already showing signs. He's not reacting to what's going on around him."

"Ok. You take him back in the SUV with Tosh and I'll bring Gwen back in your car once we've established what happened here and sort out any witnesses." Jack said.

Owen nodded his head in agreement. "Let me just cover these wounds to stop dirt getting into them, then we can go."

Owen got a dressing and carefully applied it to the wounds all the time letting Ianto now exactly what he was doing and why. As he finished he leant in and whispered "C'mon Ianto, come back to me. We've only just started to get to know each other and I really want to see where this is going."

Jack and Tosh exchanged a look, but didn't say anything. Owen helped Jack stand Ianto up and then put his arm around him so he could help him to the SUV. Before Tosh followed him she turned to Jack and said quietly. "Did you hear what Gwen said before she went to find Andy?"

"No." Jack replied looking questioningly at Tosh.

"She seems to think Ianto messed up." She said sighing.

"Look Tosh I'm sure Ianto had his reasons for taking on that weevil alone and unarmed. Don't take any notice of what Gwen says. Now go. Owen needs you to help with Ianto and I need to find out what happened here." Jack said pushing her in the direction of Owen. He then turned and went to find Gwen.

Tosh caught up with Owen just as he was putting Ianto in the SUV. "Sorry." She mumbled. "Just needed a quick word with Jack. How's he really doing?"

"Not good. He's still completely unaware of what's going on around him. He's going through the motions, but it's like he's in some sort of trance." Owen murmured. "The quicker we get him back the quicker I can start treating him. So c'mon get in." He said more sharply than he intended.

Jack found Gwen talking to Andy by the play area. As he got nearer he heard Gwen say. "So Andy Ianto just decided to approach the weevil because it was stood there?"

"No Gwen that's no...." Andy started to say.

Gwen interrupted him. "You said the weevil was stood on the other side of the park and Ianto went and stood in front of it."

"Yes he did. But..." Andy tried to say.

"No buts. Either he did or he didn't." Gwen said brusquely.

"Gwen." Jack said. "Let the poor man speak without you interrupting all the time. Andy please tell me what happened?"

Andy let out a sigh of relief. "As I was trying to tell Gwen, I was taking statements and Ianto had just finished handing out the teas when he came across and asked if he could have my police baton. I asked him why and he said that there was a weevil loose."

"But why would he approach it? He knows that if you leave them they loose interest." Jack mused.

"There was a girl on a swing. I think he thought it would go after her if he couldn't get it away." Andy added.

"So he put himself in front of the weevil to distract it from the girl?" Jack thought out loud.

Andy nodded "Pretty much. When it went for Ianto he screamed at me to get the girl and run. Didn't hesitate to put himself in the way, just wanted the girl safe. Bloody brave if you ask me."

"Thanks Andy you've been a great help. Are all the other witnessess ok?" Jack asked looking around.

"Yes they've all gone home feeling rather tired after the tea Ianto gave them." He said with a knowing smirk.

"Good good." Jack grinned. "Gwen we need to get back to the Hub and sort the rest of the weevils out."

"I assume Owen took the SUV with Tosh and Ianto. How are we supposed to get back?" Gwen asked sulkily.

Grinning madly Jack jangled Owen's car keys.