Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone reading this and following so far. I hope it's proving to be enjoyable and I really appreciate all the support. Special thanks to Prothrombintime for invaluable feedback and suggestions.

Chapter Six

January 12th, 2004

After his habitual Sunday off, Ianto entered the Hub just after eight o'clock on Monday morning, feeling anxious, tired, and generally out of sorts. Having spent more time on his grooming and clothing selection than usual, he was running late, much to his consternation.

He'd picked up Jack's freshly dry cleaned coat on the way to work, and he hung it carefully on the coat stand in Jack's office. There was no sign of the other man, but the light brown utility jacket he wore when his coat was being cleaned was hanging on the stand, so Ianto assumed he was somewhere in the Hub.

After depositing a bag of the Captain's beloved jam donuts on the desk, he retreated to the Hub's kitchen area and set about making the first round of coffee for the day. This particular day had been marked in his diary for almost three months, and his anxiety had been slowly building over the past week, his future hanging in the balance. More desperately in need of his morning caffeine fix than usual, he decided to prepare his industrial-strength blend, hoping it would help to settle his nerves.

The image of Jack covered in blood continued to haunt him, although he wasn't sure why it bothered him so profoundly. Torchwood was inherently dangerous, and the Captain dealt with all kinds of threats on a regular basis. Weevils in particular were a familiar and relatively mundane foe. Although vicious and deadly, they were slow, acting more on instinct than any form of higher-intelligence, and they were easily outwitted. It was when they hunted in packs they were at their most deadly. Jack had dealt with them countless times in the past, and as he'd reminded Ianto, he knew what he was doing.

The problem was, despite their awkward working relationship, Ianto genuinely liked and cared about the Captain, and he enjoyed doing his best to take care of him. While Jack could seem cold and unfeeling at times, Ianto was certain the man wasn't heartless. He sometimes wondered how many people actually got to see the real Jack Harkness. Having spent a great deal of time observing and thinking about his mysterious boss, and he felt certain that beyond the facade of aloofness and careless bravado, there was a compassionate and deeply sensitive man.

Jack seemed so isolated and lonely, and as far as Ianto could tell, he didn't have anyone in his life. That, at least, was something they had in common, and Ianto wondered if perhaps deep down, they weren't really as different as he'd initially thought.

Regardless, it was obvious he'd only barely begun to scratch the surface of the enigma that was Captain Jack Harkness.

###

With his usual morning routine completed, Ianto spent several hours working in the archives. Just before noon, deciding he couldn't put off the inevitable any longer, he returned upstairs, prepared a fresh round of coffee, and entered the Captain's office with two steaming mugs in hand. Placing them down on the desk, he tugged on the bottom of his waistcoat, straightened the lapels of his jacket, adjusted the knot of his tie, and then sat down opposite the other man. Clasping his hands tightly in his lap, he squared his shoulders and patiently waited.

Jack ignored him for a minute or so, studiously looking at some Rift readings on his screen while sipping distractedly at his coffee. Eventually he looked up and seemed to realise Ianto was still there. "Something on your mind, Ianto?"

Ianto cleared his throat nervously. "I'm here for my review, sir."

Jack frowned. "What review?" he asked, looking at him blankly.

Ianto knew he shouldn't be surprised Jack had forgotten. In hindsight, he should have added an entry to the Captain's appointment list, not that the man ever seemed to actually look at it. He was regularly reminding the Captain of where he needed to be or what he needed to be doing.

"You said I was on a three month trial period," he replied evenly. "Three months are up today."

"Oh, I see." Jack looked momentarily taken aback, but there also seemed to be a flicker of amusement in his features. "Three months already, huh?"

Ianto nodded tersely. "Yes, sir."

Jack's expression became contemplative. "So, you've put up with me for three whole months," he murmured, almost more to himself than to Ianto.

Ianto nodded again. "It would seem so, sir."

"Hmm. Honestly, I wasn't sure you'd last." Jack leaned back in his chair and looked at him curiously. "I'm not always the easiest person to work with."

Ianto only barely managed not to snort derisively at the understatement. "I'm sure I hadn't noticed, sir."

Jack's eyes narrowed, and Ianto couldn't help but smirk slightly in response, despite his anxiety. Settling his features back into an impassive countenance, he held Jack's gaze as the other man stared back at him for several long moments before speaking.

"You've proven yourself to be a hard worker, Ianto." Jack straightened up and clasped his hands together, resting them on the desk in front of him. "You're efficient, punctual, and dedicated. You've also made good progress on your training. The Hub is running smoothly, and it's never been this clean or well-organised." He paused in his assessment, a frown creasing his brow. "There's the few times when you've ignored my rules about your working hours, but I suppose I can overlook that."

"I can stay then, sir?" Ianto asked cautiously, genuinely surprised by Jack's uncharacteristic praise. "Permanently?"

Jack gave a non-committal shrug. "If that's what you want." He let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "I doubt I'd be able to last a day now without your fantastic coffee. Besides, you're not exactly hard on the eyes."

"I believe that's harassment, sir," Ianto admonished, raising an eyebrow.

Jack sighed dramatically. "You twenty-first century people and all your rules and inhibitions. So, I can't tell you how good you look in a suit?" His eyes roamed over Ianto's upper body appraisingly. "By the way, is that a new one today? I don't think I've seen it before."

Ianto felt heat rise to his cheeks at Jack's flattery. "No, sir, you can't. And yes, it is a new suit." He paused and tried to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He couldn't help feeling pleased that Jack had noticed his new and expensive bespoke suit. He'd paired it with a deep red shirt and a matching red and black striped tie. While modesty prevented him from preening overtly, he thought the overall combination was quite pleasing to the eye. He cleared his throat self-consciously. "Erm... I'm glad you like it," he added.

Jack leaned forward, a lascivious leer spreading across his features. Ianto felt the warmth in his face deepen as he shifted awkwardly in his chair. With determination, he continued to meet the Captain's intense gaze.

"Oh, I like it very much," Jack said, leaning back as his features turned serious again. "So, you want to stay?"

"Yes," Ianto replied firmly, unable to hide the rush of relief from his voice.

"Good." Jack paused and looked curious again. "You seem relieved that I don't want you to go?"

"It's just..." Ianto shook his head slightly, unsure of how to respond. Reaching up, he nervously adjusted the knot of his tie again. "Well, ah... I didn't think you liked me very much. To be blunt, sir, you don't seem to like me being here. There are times when you barely acknowledge my existence."

Jack looked chastised, much to Ianto's astonishment. "It's been a while since I've had to work with anyone," he said quietly. A strange, inscrutable expression passed over Jack's features and it seemed like he was about to say something more, but then thought better of it. "But you're wrong, Ianto. I like you... I've liked you since the day we met."

"Oh," Ianto replied, taken aback by Jack's startling admission. "But you don't trust me?" he asked, unable to keep the accusation from his voice.

Jack sighed, leaning back further in his chair. "Honestly, no. Not yet. But you haven't done anything that's given me reason not to trust you, at least as far as I know. Unless you've managed to communicate with Hartman or her associates behind my back?"

"No," Ianto replied insistently. "I wouldn't do that. I've told you about every communication I've had with Torchwood London."

Ianto held Jack's searching gaze. It was the truth, and after his first few reports, Yvonne Hartman had seemed to mostly lose interest. He continued to send back a weekly report as he'd been ordered, but he usually received only a brief acknowledgement in response, if that. It seemed she simply wanted to have someone keeping an eye on Jack's activities, but wasn't overly interested in those activities as long as they didn't affect Torchwood London or threaten her leadership.

Jack seemed satisfied with his response, and Ianto hoped the Captain believed him. "Well, as long as that continues, we shouldn't have a problem. Anything else you want to talk about?"

Ianto shook his head. "No, sir."

Jack glanced down at his watch. "It's lunchtime. How about I go and get us something nice? My treat."

Ianto felt his eyes widening in surprise. "I can do that, sir," he said, recovering quickly. "Just tell me what you fancy."

"No, you get lunch for us every day. I'll go for a change." Jack stood up and reached for his greatcoat. "Just think of it as thanks for your dedication and hard work."

Ianto immediately jumped to his feet to help the older man, holding the coat open so Jack could slide his arms into the sleeves. Ianto adjusted the coat so it sat neatly on Jack's shoulders, his hands lingering briefly as he smoothed down the heavy wool fabric. A hint of Jack's familiar aftershave reached his nostrils, causing him to breath in deeply. With a final tweak of the collar, he stepped back, admiring the fit of the garment over the broad expanse of the Captain's back. While not strictly part of his job, he liked to ensure Jack always looked his best.

Jack turned and smiled at him. "Won't be long." He nodded at the paper bag still on his desk. "Thanks for the donuts, by the way. I left one for you if you want it later."

Ianto nodded in reply, returning Jack's smile with a small one of his own. He watched the older man stride across the Hub and step onto the invisible lift. With a deft touch to his wrist-strap, the lift ascended, and Jack soon disappeared from view.

Ignoring the odd fluttering sensation in his stomach, Ianto collected their coffee mugs and walked briskly to the kitchen.

###

Jack returned thirty minutes later with a huge bag of Chinese takeaway, unceremoniously dumping it on the table in front of the sofa. After retrieving plates and bottles of water, Ianto sat down and busied himself with distributing the food between them. There seemed to be enough for several meals and he left a couple of the containers unopened. Jack shrugged off his coat, hung it up in his office, then sat down beside Ianto. He greedily accepted the plate of food Ianto passed him.

"Mmm. This looks good," he mumbled, stuffing a spring roll into his mouth and chewing enthusiastically.

"It does," Ianto agreed, smiling to himself at the other man's unabashed exuberance. "Thanks for getting lunch, sir."

"No problem," Jack replied.

Ianto unfolded a paper napkin, tucking it into the collar of his shirt, then picked up a piece of sweet and sour chicken with his chopsticks and popped it into his mouth.

Jack stopped eating and looked at him. "I noticed you called me Jack for the first time the other day."

"Slip of the tongue," Ianto admitted with shrug.

"Not that the whole 'sir' thing isn't incredibly kinky, but I'd like it if you called me Jack." He shrugged, looking almost coy. "I like how it sounds in those beautiful Welsh vowels of yours."

Ianto lowered his eyes, feeling his face grow warm for the second time that day. "I suppose I could try," he said tentatively.

"How about a deal? Quid pro quo. I won't kick you out of the Hub each night at six if you call me Jack more often. At least after hours or when we're not working, like now." Jack's playful expression suddenly became serious again. "As long as you agree not to work too hard. You need to hang on to your life outside of here. Don't let it drift."

"Okay, deal," Ianto agreed quickly. Frankly, he was fed up with being kicked out of the Hub or being reprimanded for staying past Jack's arbitrary curfew. He gave the other man a timid smile. "Thanks, Jack."

Jack beamed at him and then returned to his food. They ate in silence for several minutes before he spoke again. "So, tell me something about yourself, Ianto."

Ianto paused, his chopsticks halfway to his mouth, and glanced at him. "Like what?"

"Anything you like. I don't know... how about..." Jack paused, apparently trying to think of something. "Are you seeing anyone at the moment?"

Ianto stared down at his plate as he tried to decide how to respond. He wasn't used to Jack asking him anything about his life. "No. Um, there hasn't been anyone since... well, not since Lisa, my ex-girlfriend. I don't think I'm ready to start dating again."

Jack nodded as he continued to eat. "Do you mind if I ask what happened?"

Ianto shrugged. "I loved her. I thought she loved me, but she didn't. She ended it... said we wanted different things." He tried to ignore the familiar stab of pain from when he'd finally realised she didn't share his feelings. "A few weeks later, she started dating someone else. Lisa's beautiful, smart, funny... I suppose I always knew I wasn't good enough for her."

Jack frowned. "Sometimes the timing just isn't right. As for not being good enough, I find that hard to believe. Seems to me you're quite a catch."

"Hardly." Ianto snorted in disbelief. "What about you, Jack?" he asked, trying to deflect attention away from his failed love life. "Anyone special?"

"No. There's no one." Jack's voice was even and detached, but the sadness beneath was unmistakeable. "Hasn't been for a long time. With this job and... well... relationships are difficult doing what we do. I don't want that to happen to you, Ianto. When you meet someone special, do whatever it takes to make it work."

Ianto nodded thoughtfully. "Do you get lonely?"

"Sometimes. Yeah."

"Me too," Ianto murmured in agreement.

Ianto looked up sharply when Jack rested a hand on his knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. The pressure and warmth of Jack's touch was strangely comforting, and Ianto felt disappointed when it vanished a moment later as Jack resumed eating.

The older man suddenly laughed. "Look at the two of us. Two good-looking, eligible bachelors, commiserating on our non-existent love lives. They should be knocking down the doors to get to us."

"You think so?" Ianto asked sceptically.

Jack nodded. "Absolutely."

Ianto shrugged. "We must be doing something wrong then."

"Must be," Jack agreed around a mouthful of food, laughing again.

They didn't talk much more after that, eating mostly in silence, but it was comfortable rather than awkward. Ianto hoped he wasn't being fanciful in thinking they'd made a step forward. It caused him to realise just how much he wanted Jack's trust and friendship.

When lunch was finished and they were both sufficiently full, Ianto put the remaining food in the refrigerator and cleaned up their dishes, taking them over to the sink to be washed. He set about making coffee as Jack stood close by and watched.

"I need to go away for a day or two," Jack said as Ianto passed him a mug of freshly brewed coffee. "There's been some people disappearing. Probably nothing to do with us, but I've been putting it off, and I need to check it out. I'll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning."

"Can I come with you?" Ianto asked, picking up his own drink and turning to face the other man.

Jack looked conflicted and didn't immediately reply. Ianto suspected he was weighing the alternatives of keeping him out of harm's way versus remaining in the Hub unsupervised for an extended period of time. Once again, he was frustrated by Jack's lack of trust in him. "Ianto, I'm not sure if that's a good idea," he said finally.

"You've trained me," Ianto insisted. "I can help."

Jack continued to look uncertain, then he sighed, apparently reaching a reluctant decision. "All right. You'll need to pack an overnight bag, and you'll need clothing suitable for outdoors. No suits, I'm sorry to say."

Ianto nodded. "Where are we going?"

"The Brecon Beacons," Jack replied before turning away and retreating to his office.

Ianto smiled to himself. The day had turned out better than he'd expected. Not only was he relieved that he'd be staying at Torchwood Three with Jack, he felt a thrill of excitement that he was being allowed to accompany the Captain on a field mission at last.

He was determined to do his best to ensure Jack didn't regret either decision.