AN: Despite his brief appearance in the show, and his "Baddie" status, John Hart is one of my favourite characters. And after meeting the genuinely lovely James Marsters earlier this year I couldn't resist bringing him back for this story.
Pregnancy Watch: 14 weeks and a visible bump – I need new trousers!
Please review x
The reaction to John's sudden arrival didn't improve much when they returned to the Hub. As the cog door rolled open and they all walked inside Owen said what everyone was thinking.
"Seriously? You're letting him in here why? Do you not remember what happened last time?" The medic asked angrily as he looked at Jack.
"Vividly, thank you Owen." Jack replied before turning his attention to John. "Now sit." He said roughly, gesturing to the sofa. John complied, settling into the battered sofa with a smile. "Tosh – weapons?" He asked, his eyes never leaving John.
"27." Tosh replied, looking up from her monitor.
"27?" Gwen exclaimed. "How?"
"If you'd like a demonstration…" John began.
"I want a pile on that table now." Jack ordered. "And I will be counting." He threatened before turning to Ianto. "Could you grab one of those large containment boxes, and then whip up some coffee?" He asked.
"Yeah Eye Candy I've been here almost five minutes and there's no coffee. What's up with that?" John asked as he pulled guns, swords, and knives from pockets, belts and straps.
"One containment box, five coffees, and you," Ianto began calmly before pointing at John, "get nothing until you learn my name." He said as he strode off towards the storeroom.
"Is that a promise?" John called after him with a wolfish grin as he leered at the Welshman.
"Please can I just shoot him and save us all the effort?" Owen asked.
Jack smirked at the suggestion as Ianto returned with a containment box and slammed it down on the floor beside the table where John was still offloading weapons.
"You seem more hostile than last time. Last time you were definitely mellower. Jack not putting out anymore?" John mused.
"I'll be making coffee." Ianto turned on his heel and walked off towards the kitchenette.
"Definitely not getting enough." John remarked. "Trouble in paradise Jack?"
"Seriously – we can throw him into the Bay." Owen suggested.
"Does anyone know where you are?" Jack asked ignoring both comments. "Could anyone have followed or tracked you?"
John shook his head. "I just need somewhere to stay for a few days, then I'll be out of your hair. I promise. No ulterior motive. No fake canisters. No bombs." He said almost sincerely.
"No shooting my team. No poisoning my team. No threatening my team. No touching my team. No killing me. Understand?" Jack asked.
"Scouts honour." John replied, holding both hands up in surrender. "So where do I stay? Does this place even have guest rooms?" He asked as Ianto appeared with a tray containing six mugs. He set the tray down on Tosh's desk and handed mugs to the girls before giving one each to Owen and then Jack. Picking up another mug he moved towards the sofa.
"Coffee?" He asked calmly.
"Thank you… Ianto." John replied. Ianto handed him the mug before retrieving his own from the tray and going and standing beside Owen. John's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene around him. "You two really aren't shagging anymore are you?" He said looking from Ianto to Jack.
"Oh for crying out loud." Owen sighed.
"No we're not." Ianto replied. "Now as for guest rooms there's the sofa you are on, there's a cell or a drawer in the morgue. The choice is yours." He explained with a smirk.
"You can sleep in my bunk." Jack intervened before John could react. The team all looked at him in surprise. "Well I don't sleep much, and as we've just covered I don't have much use for it at the moment, so he might as well be comfortable. He isn't a prisoner, and despite Owen's wishes he's not dead either."
"Yet." The medic muttered from behind his coffee mug as he took a sip.
"Would it help if I apologised for shooting you?" John asked.
"It would help if you'd just get lost." Owen replied.
"Okay you're more hostile too. I mean you were always a little wired, but you seem much angrier than I recall." John mused as he sipped from the coffee mug, letting out a satisfied moan.
"You shot me." Owen pointed out. "I don't tend to react well to people who shoot me."
Gwen sniggered. "Apart from Ianto." She muttered.
Ianto scowled in her direction but it didn't go unnoticed. "You see I knew something strange was going on here." John began. "You two? Seriously?" He asked looking at Owen and Ianto.
"Yes, us two, seriously." Ianto said with a rather bored tone glancing at his watch. "When is this evenings spike due Tosh?" He asked.
"Not for another few hours." The technician replied with a glance at her monitor.
"Somewhere you'd rather be?" Jack asked.
"You are well aware that Owen and I have plans tonight. We need to be out of here by five at the latest." Ianto reminded him.
"Plans? How quaint." John smirked.
"Right I'm going to go finish my report. Let me know if you change your mind and decide we can throw him in the Bay." Owen said walking off towards his autopsy bay.
"I'll be upstairs. If he comes near me, I will shoot him." Ianto walked out through the cog door. Tosh and Gwen each went back to the work they were meant to be doing as Jack turned to John.
"My office." He gestured, making his way up the metal steps with John following close behind. Jack settled into his chair whilst John took up the seat opposite.
"So… how the hell did that happen? I mean Eye Candy and the Snarky Medic. I did not see that one coming." John asked.
"Neither did I." Jack admitted softly with a small smile. "But as ridiculous a concept as it might seem – and believe me I was more surprised than most – it really works. They are so good together, and they seem to make each other better somehow."
"Jesus." John said. "So they actually dating, not just shagging?" He said, visibly shuddering at the idea.
"They live together, and as of last night they are engaged." Jack explained.
John's eyes widened. "And you haven't had any weird aliens around here releasing mind altering gases? This just happened?" He asked.
Jack nodded. "Owen made the first move, and Ianto went willingly. Needless to say it's caused a few dramas around here."
John leant back in the chair. "I bet." He said with a snigger. "So, how are you doing?" He asked strangely concerned.
Jack shrugged. "I'm okay." He said with a brief nod.
"Sure you are. Watching Eye Candy fawn around the Snarky Medic and go home with him must be a breeze for you. And I imagine the willingness to spend the rest of his life with him must have had no effect at all." John commented.
Jack sighed. "Okay so I've been better. But I've been worse too." He admitted. "I just… I guess I miss him."
"Have you told him?" John asked.
Jack nodded. "He knows how I feel about him." He said. "Look I screwed it all up, and he's moved on. And he's happy. Anyway, can you stop being all concerned and sympathetic – it's beginning to freak me out a little." He smirked.
John laughed gently. "Yeah I'm worrying myself a little too." He said. "I guess I just know how you feel." He said softly. "Losing someone you love to a better man."
"John…" Jack began.
John waved his hand dismissively. "All's fair in love and war." He conceded. "So, where's this bunk of yours?" He asked, his trademark smirk and the glint in his eye returning.