AN Thanks to the amazing JonesIantoJones for her wonderful beta skills.

Disclaimer: Torchwood and the team belong to RTD and the BBC.

Returning to London Part 21

It had been just over a week since Ianto had been injured and Owen had been staying with him most nights on the pretext of keeping an eye on him - not that Ianto was complaining. Ianto was currently sat on the bed in the medical bay waiting for Owen who was going to look at his stitches. As he waited Gwen came and stood by the railings looking very nervous. "Hey Ianto, how are you doing?"

Ianto, who had been deep in thought, jumped slightly. "Hey Gwen. Not too bad. Just waiting for Owen to look at my stiches see if they can come out yet. Although why I had to come in for that I don't know. What about you? Been busy? I'm dreading going down to the archives". He laughed.

Gwen laughed nervously. "Um yeah been fairly busy but I expect Owen's told you all about what's been going on here. Look Ianto I wanted...." She swallowed. "I wanted to say sorry if I upset you the other day." When Ianto raised his eyebrow in confusion she added. "For prying into your private life. I had no right. I hope you can forgive me."

Ianto hadn't been expecting that. "Thanks Gwen. Um apology accepted. I know you care about us, but in future if I want to share things with you I will."

Still nervous Gwen asked. "So are we ok?"

Ianto held out his hand to her and waited until she had walked down and taken it in hers. "Yes Gwen we're ok. Now where is Owen - I'm getting cold?"

It was then that Gwen noticed Ianto was bare-chested and she could see the wounds for the first time since the incident. She stared at them. "Do they hurt?"

Ianto looked down at them. "They're not too bad. If I cough or sneeze they hurt and if I try and reach up high they pull. Hence why Doctor Harper won't let me back to work." He smirked as he saw Owen enter the med bay.

"Thats because Doctor Harper doesn't want you busting those stitches and then making me redo them. Now Gwen if you have quite finished ogling my patient I'd like to check him over." He said moving to stand in front of Ianto as Gwen moved away.

"I bet you would." Ianto murmured loud enough for Owen to hear but not Gwen.

Ianto swung his legs up and sat back so Owen could get a good look at the stitches. Owen pulled on a pair of gloves and then began prodding Ianto's chest. "How does that feel?"

"Like you don't already know. You've been asking me that every single day since it happened." Ianto smirked.

"Just answer the question Jones." Owen smirked back.

"Same as last night and this morning. Itching, pulling and sore and I can't wait for you to take them out. So come on get on with it." He grumbled.

"Have you suddenly got a medical degree?" Owen asked.

"No but I've had enough stitches during my time to know when they can come out and this is definately the time. Please Doctor Harper can you remove my stitches." Ianto asked fluttering his eyes at Owen.

Gwen was watching and listening to the two men. "Since when did they become so familiar and friendly with each other." She thought to herself.

Still prodding Owen worked his way down the line of stitches. As he got down to the last of them his fingers lingered a little bit just brushing over the hip. Ianto tried not to moan but a small sigh did escape his lips. Owen snickered "Something wrong?"

"No everything's fine. In fact more than fine." He sighed. "So what is the decision then? Can they come out or do I have to suffer your hands some more?"

"I thought you liked me examining you?" Owen pouted.

Ianto sat up slightly so he was closer to Owen. "I do - just not when we've got an audience." The smirk in his voice was audible.

Owen raised his eyes to see Gwen stood at the top of the steps watching them both. "Oh." He breathed out quietly. Then straightening up. "Something I can do for you Gwen or do you just want to continue to ogle Ianto? I don't mind but he might."

"Uh." Gwen came out of her day dream. "Sorry Owen did you say something?"

"I said....oh never mind. Could you give us a little bit of privacy? Need to take some of the stitches out and really don't need an audience. You know what a wuss he is when it comes to having sharp objects near his skin." Owen snarked.

Ianto frowned at that remark. "Hey I'm not that bad."

"Yeah right." Owen smirked as he picked up the scissors for taking out stitches. "Gwen?"

With that Gwen made her way to Tosh's desk. "Tosh when did Owen and Ianto become so friendly with each other?"

"Not sure you know they've always had a love/hate relationship." Tosh explained. "Maybe this is their love stage. It could go back to hate at any moment make the most of it. Why'd you ask?"

Gwen was still bemused with what she had seen. "Oh no reason." She mumbled then made her way to her own desk, where she sat deep in thought about her two collegues.

Once Owen had taken out the stitches that could be he looked over the rest and announced. "Right the rest need to stay in a few more days before I can take them out. Just keep them clean - well you know the drill."

Ianto sat up and reached for his shirt. As he did so he brushed his lips against Owen's. "Thanks Doctor Harper."

Owen was just going to respond when the rift alarm sounded, they couldn't hear exactly what was happening until Jack shouted. "Owen I need you with us, Ianto you're going to have to co-ordinate as I need the whole team."

Owen was about to protest that Ianto wasn't back at work yet when he felt Ianto's hand on his arm. "I'll be fine." He whispered.

Owen hesitated for a second. "Ok be right there." When he got to Tosh's desk Jack Gwen and Tosh were already to go. "What have we got?"

"Weird rift readings and a sighting of something by a member of the public over at The Lake in Roath Park. Ianto you ok to stay?" Jack asked.

Ianto was putting his jacket on as he came up the steps. "Yes, as long as all I need to do is sit and monitor the computer and rift, that's fine."

"Right lets go." Jack said to the rest of them.

Ianto heaved a big sigh as he settled on to Tosh's chair and watched the computer as he listened to the rest of them over the comm channels hoping that nothing went wrong.