Chapter 2
'Just Give Up'

Staring out my bedroom window from my warm bed, I watch the sunrise. I love the bright flashes when glass from the buildings outside reflects the light as the morning shines upon them.

A new day.

Jack left an hour ago. I'm too scared to get out of bed.

He found her. Lisa. I know what that means. 90 percent chance she's dead, 10 percent he had her interrogated before she was killed.

I finally found the courage to get out of bed, walking out into the hall, then into the kitchen. I open the fridge and pick out a bottle of water. I pause.

What if I'm next? He's probably added retcon to everything in my apartment.

I emptied my fridge, threw out my toothpaste, my Listerine. Even my eye drops. Pity; I need them for all those nights working so late. It's a miracle that there's a Visine for that.

I took a shower and went out for breakfast.

There was a small café on the corner on my building's block. I usually go there to eat if I catch the smallest space of free time; something rare to find working at Torchwood.

I take a seat at the table in a seemingly forgotten corner of the café and pick up a menu. A waitress comes over after a few minutes.

"'Ello, sweetheart, what can I get you?" She says, smiling down at me, holding a small notepad and pen in her hands. I smiled.

"Eggs and chips, I suppose." I reply, sighing. I'm not that hungry.

"Coffee, too?" She asks. I nod and she walks away.

I run my fingers through my hair nervously, looking down at the table. I hear the chair across from me scrape the floor tiles as it is pushed out, and someone sits. I look up.

"Surprised to see me?" Jack says, flashing his trademark grin. I scrunch my eyebrows together, confused about why he's here. "You're pretty smart for taking the precaution of cleaning out your apartment." Jack continues to speak, picking up the menu and looking through it. "But, I am a little offended that you think I would retcon you." He smiles, cocking one eyebrow at me as he glances up from the menu for a brief moment.

"Oh, sweetie, you've got a friend in today?" The waitress returns, placing my order down in front of me. I feel my cheeks burn. Jack smiles quietly.

"Yes, he does." Jack says, still smiling. He turns to her, "Could I just get a cup of coffee?" He asks before she leaves.

"'Sweetie'? That's adorable." Jack comments. I frown. "Now, then, back to business..." Jack says, tapping his fingers on the edge of the table.

"If you don't want to get rid of me, what do you want?" I ask, taking a bite of my egg.

"Why was she there?" He asks firmly. So, she wasn't interrogated...

"I was keeping her alive." I reply, shyly looking at the table.

"She was a cyberman." Jack says, frowning.

"She worked at Torchwood... She was my girlfriend." I nearly whisper, shyly, poking at my food with my fork.

"She wasn't human anymore." Jack insists. His coffee mug is placed on the table by the waitress. Jack smiles briefly at her.

"She could be. I was going to find a way to help her –"

"There is no way. It's hopeless." Jack interrupts me. I glare at him.

"The operation was incomplete, there might—"

"No, Ianto, there isn't; give up." Jack's tone is firm. I stay silent for a moment.

"You killed her."

"I had to."

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath and leaning back in my chair. After a moment, I open my eyes again. Jack is still there. I'm not quite sure why I but, somewhere inside, I expected him to have disappeared when I opened my eyes again.

"Ianto, I expect you to come in to work as normal." Jack says, taking a sip of his coffee, making a face as he set the mug back down.

"You know, once you taste Ianto-coffee, you're a bit spoiled for anything else." Jack comments, making me unable to stop myself from smiling. I slouch in my seat, my fingers lazily touching my lips, pathetically trying to hide my smile.

"I have to stock up my flat again... I threw out anything that could have been tainted with retcon." I sigh, eating a chip. Jack smiles.

"One of the many reasons I just love you; you can never be too prepared." Jack jokes. I frown, nearly choking on the chip in my mouth.

There was silence.

I open my mouth to speak, but Jack does first. "I'll see you at the Hub at 7:00 'o' clock, sharp, tomorrow morning." Jack says, clearing his throat. He stands, placing a ten quid note on the table before walking away and leaving the café. I frown, throwing my head back in a sigh.