Author's Notes: Thanks again for all the reviews and encouragement. Special thanks as always to Prothrombintime for feedback and suggestions. Enjoy!

Chapter Seventeen

September 22nd, 2004

Ianto carried their morning coffees into Jack's office, putting Jack's usual blue and white stripped mug down on the opposite side of the desk before settling into his chair and breathing in the comforting, pungent aroma from his own mug. Jack gave him a small, distracted smile as he picked up his coffee and sipped at it.

"You okay, Jack?" Ianto asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Jack's eyes focused on Ianto and softened, his mind apparently returning from wherever it had drifted. "Just a little preoccupied."

Ianto nodded. "It's today, isn't it? The day every year when you defrost our frozen soldier." He shrugged when Jack looked at him in surprise. "I saw the initials 'TRB' on your calendar. Thomas Reginald Brockless. Tommy. I've read his file."

Jack looked amused as he took another sip of coffee. "You really do know everything, don't you?"

Ianto smiled. "I like to know things. Comes in handy around here."

"Can't argue with that," Jack said, with an obviously forced attempt at a half-hearted chuckle. He sighed heavily. "Tommy was born in 1894. He's been here for eighty-six years. Longer than anyone."

"Except you," Ianto murmured, thinking back to a conversation they'd shared several months ago.

Jack had told him one evening about the brutal way he'd been recruited into Torchwood over a century earlier. Jack had been tortured, experimented on, treated as a freak of nature, and ultimately coerced into working for Torchwood, given the most dangerous assignments because of his unique condition. Ianto shuddered inwardly as he recalled Jack's detached, factual account. He'd since read the files of the leaders of Torchwood Cardiff at the time, noting that Alice Guppy and Emily Holroyd had both demonstrated a penchant for sadistic behaviour. They'd also apparently shared the same ruthless patriotism as Yvonne Hartman.

"Except me," Jack agreed. "Torchwood's used alien cryogenics since Victorian times. They froze Tommy in 1918. He was twenty-four years old."

Ianto took a sip of his coffee. "Twenty-four, or a hundred and ten. Depending on how you work it out."

"I know which one I'd choose." Jack rubbed his hand over his face, suddenly looking deeply weary. "Another life destroyed by Torchwood. But one day we're gonna need him."

Ianto was again reminded how much Jack had seen and suffered over the course of his long life. Jack had also told him about the events of the turn of the century when Alex Hopkins had murdered the entire Torchwood Cardiff team. Ianto had seen the tears in Jack's eyes as he'd told the morbid tale, and it was clear how deeply every loss affected the older man.

The report from 1918 explained that a time-shift had occurred at St. Teilo's Military Hospital. A fracture in the Rift had caused two slices of time to erupt into each other, a slice of 1918, and a slice from some point in the future. The problem was they didn't know when – it hadn't happened yet, but it could be tomorrow, or it could be in a hundred years time, maybe even a thousand years. And Tommy was somehow needed to stop it. He'd been preserved in time to save the future.

"What will happen?" he asked thoughtfully. "When we catch up with the other side of the fracture?"

"Chunks of 1918 will start to appear at the hospital," Jack replied. "A few at first, then more and more. When the time-shift is complete, it will start a chain reaction. Unless we stop it, time-shifts will start happening all over the country, then all over the world."

Ianto nodded. He gestured towards a rusty, rectangular metal box on Jack's desk. "And that's the sealed instructions from Torchwood in 1918? When the time comes, they'll tell us what Tommy has to do?"

Jack picked up the box, studying it for a moment before putting it down again. "Yes. It's secured by a temporal lock... tied to the Rift frequencies at the hospital. When the Rift nears completion the box will open and we'll find out exactly what part Tommy is meant to play."

Ianto frowned. "Why would they keep us in the dark, Jack?"

"I guess one day we'll find that out, too."

###

Ianto stood opposite Jack in the Hub's sunken, tiled medical bay and watched anxiously as Jack initiated the thawing process of Tommy's cryogenically preserved body. He'd helped Jack retrieve Tommy's cryo-freeze casket from the large bank of storage drawers in the Hub's morgue. The containment unit beeped and a blinking light on the control panel turned from mauve to green. Jack pressed a button, and with a heavy click accompanied by an ominous hiss, the top of the casket lifted slightly. Pushing it fully open, Jack carefully picked up Tommy's pale, seemingly lifeless body and placed him on the steel autopsy table.

Tommy was handsome, with black, neatly styled, straight hair, and youthful, almost boyish features, his face somewhat rounded in shape. His build was more solid than Ianto's and from the particulars in his file, Ianto knew the young soldier was just under six feet tall.

Jack attached electrodes to Tommy's bare chest, then injected a bright blue compound into his upper arm. "Come on, Tommy," he muttered, glancing at the monitor on the cart next to them, which continued to show a flat line. "Ianto, we need the defibrillator," he said a few moments later when nothing had happened.

Ianto hurried over to a cart on the other side of the room and quickly wheeled it to Jack's side, turning the unit on and passing the paddles to Jack. He continued to watch as Jack worked to resuscitate Tommy, shocking him twice, having increased the charge with the second attempt. Jack was remarkably calm and efficient, and while Ianto knew the Captain didn't have any formal medical training, he'd obviously learned a lot over the years. However, he couldn't help thinking that they needed a proper medical doctor on staff. It wasn't the time to raise that contentious issue again though. Besides, he knew what Jack's response would be all too well.

Finally, the ominous tone of the heart-rate monitor changed to a steady beeping sound and Tommy gasped, his eyes springing open as he began to writhe violently on the table. Jack put his hands on Tommy's shoulders, holding him in place. "It's okay, Tommy. It's all right."

Tommy continued to flail wildly, his eyes wide and glazed. His left arm swung upwards, his fist catching Jack hard across the jaw. "Get off me, leave me alone!"

"Tommy!" Jack shouted, stumbling backwards from the impact as Ianto moved forward to help him.

"Leave me alone!" Tommy yelled again, looking confused and distraught.

"Tommy, listen to me." Rubbing his jaw, Jack moved forward and grasped Tommy's arms. "It's me, Jack. Remember?"

Tommy went still, looking up at Jack with fearful eyes. After a moment he slowly nodded, his features settling into a more relaxed expression. Jack glanced at Ianto. "It's like this sometimes. Reviving from cryo-freeze can be traumatic."

"Good left hook, though," Ianto murmured appreciatively, smirking slightly and earning a dark glare from Jack.

"Tommy, do you know where you are?" Jack asked gently.

Tommy pushed himself upright, breathing heavily as he looked around. "Torchwood."

Jack smiled reassuringly. "That's right."

"Is it time again?" Tommy asking, taking a deep breath. "Blimey." Tommy's eyes settled curiously on Ianto. "Who are you?"

Jack reached over and placed his hand on Ianto's shoulder, guiding him closer. "Tommy, this is Ianto. Ianto Jones. He started working here just after I woke you up last time. He keeps everything running smoothly around here." Jack turned his head and winked at Ianto. "Not only that, he makes fantastic coffee, and he does it all while looking good in a suit."

Ianto rolled his eyes at Jack, and gave Tommy a friendly smile. "Hello. How are you feeling?"

Tommy coughed and then swallowed, taking several more deep breaths. "I could murder a cup of tea."

###

After Jack gave Tommy a few basic tests to check his cognitive and motor functions weren't impaired, Tommy declared he was starving, and Jack went out to procure breakfast for the three of them. Meanwhile, Ianto busied himself with making coffee and tea, while Tommy showered and got himself organised. Jack had produced clothes for him, including a white shirt, tan sleeveless sweater, and a grey pinstripe suit. Ianto had left Tommy alone, assuming he was used to the routine that while once a year for them, was for him, a daily occurrence.

"Don't expect the best china," Ianto quipped as he passed around their drinks and sat in the chair to Jack's left. "Visitors only."

He frowned as he noticed a large smeary patch on the glass of the boardroom's table and made a mental note to clean it later. With only the two of them, they didn't use the meeting room on the upper level of the Hub very often.

Tommy was eagerly tearing into the bag of food as Ianto passed plates, cutlery and napkins to both men. "Here, tuck in," Tommy exclaimed, putting a bacon roll on his plate. "There's enough to feed an army."

Jack followed Tommy's lead, eating in his usual boisterous manner, chatting to Tommy as they ate, telling him about some of the events of the last twelve months. Ianto mostly just listened, observing them both, occasionally interjecting his own viewpoint, or adding something Jack had missed. It was obvious that for Jack, Tommy was not only another victim of the vagaries of the Rift, but also a fellow soldier.

"Ianto, a moment?" Jack said, standing up after he'd finished devouring his breakfast.

Ianto nodded. "Back in a minute," he said to Tommy, rising from his chair and refilling the man's cup with the remainder of the pot of tea. He smiled, then retreated from the room and joined Jack downstairs.

"Can I ask you for a favour?" Jack asked.

"Of course, Jack."

"Keep Tommy company today? Just spend some time with him, maybe take him topside for a while, let him see a little of what's out there, but stay close by. I've got a case I need to follow up on. Anyway, it might be nice for him to be around someone closer to his own age. He's a sweet guy, he won't be any trouble."

Ianto nodded. "No problem."

"Sure you don't mind?"

"I don't mind. I'll introduce him to Myfanwy, she'll like having someone new to play with. Maybe the pub for lunch, and a film later. I'll ask him what he'd like to do."

Jack waved an admonishing finger at him. "No kissing or groping in the back row. That's my job."

Ianto grinned, remembering their many failed attempts at watching films in their evenings together at the apartment, or occasionally at the Hub. Sometimes they managed to get all the way through to the closing credits, but more often than not they didn't. Jack could be very distracting.

"Well, he is very good-looking," Ianto said teasingly. "I might not be able to restrain myself."

"Try," Jack suggested, narrowing his eyes.

Ianto smirked. "All right."

Jack shook his head with obvious amusement, then smiled softly and moved closer. He reached his hand up to the back of Ianto's neck, gently stroking just above the line of his shirt collar. "Thanks, Ianto."

Ianto returned Jack's smile, then moved away and climbed the stairs back to the boardroom.

###

"It's a bloody pterodactyl!"

"Yep. Well, technically she's a pterosaur. She came through the Rift six months ago. Jack and I sort of adopted her. Her name's Myfanwy."

Ianto grinned at Tommy as Myfanwy swooped down and landed on the walkway in front of them, tilting her head and looking at them curiously. Ianto broke off a piece of dark chocolate from the block he'd retrieved from his desk and tossed it towards her. Myfanwy squawked and deftly caught it in her beak. Stepping forward, Ianto reached up and stroked the top of her head affectionately.

"There's my good girl," he cooed. He turned back to look at Tommy, pleased by the other man's awestruck expression, and feeling rather like a proud dad. "She's really very sweet. Jack thinks she's in love with him, but I reckon he's deluded. Besides, I'm the one who feeds her and keeps her nest clean."

Tommy laughed. "She's brilliant, Ianto."

Ianto gestured for Tommy to come closer, passing him the chocolate. "Here, just break some off and toss it to her. We've got her pretty well trained now. She won't hurt you."

Tommy nodded and threw a piece of chocolate into the air. He let out a delighted whoop as Myfanwy caught it and launched herself into the air, spiralling upwards and then sailing around the water tower in wide, graceful arcs.

They spent a while watching and playing with Myfanwy. Ianto had been teaching her to fetch, and she obviously enjoyed the attention, screeching excitedly and flying back and forth across the expanse of the Hub.

Ianto made them a fresh round of drinks and then Tommy wanted to use one of the computers to catch up on what was happening in the world, Jack having taught him how to use the internet on one of the previous times he'd been woken up. Ianto set him up on one of the spare workstations and left him to it, spending the time catching up on his usual duties.

He kept a surreptitious eye on Tommy as he worked. He genuinely liked the young soldier, feeling deeply sympathetic for the man's plight. It was impossible to imagine what it was like for Tommy, with decades passing him by in what was from his perspective, only a matter of days. Remembering the pained look in Jack's eyes earlier that morning, he silently cursed the Rift for taking away Tommy's freedom. He didn't know what fate had in store for Tommy, but knowing Torchwood as well as he did, he doubted it would end well. There always seemed to be a price to be paid, and he had a bad feeling that in Tommy's case, it was going to be a steep one.

By midday, Tommy was roaming the Hub and looking restless, so Ianto collected his things and ushered Tommy over to the invisible lift. He smiled as he activated the lift with his Torchwood-issue PDA, causing Tommy to shout in surprise and grab onto his arm for support. Tommy stared around incredulously as they rose up through the Hub. It reminded Ianto of the first time Jack had shown him the lift, and he fondly remembered his own sense of awe and wonderment. He knew he was showing off a bit, but he didn't care. He just wanted Tommy to have a good time. It seemed like the least he could do.

###

After a stroll around the bay area, with Tommy excitedly pointing out things and asking what seemed like an endless list of questions, they went to the local pub for lunch. Ianto sipped on his beer as he watched Tommy enthusiastically attack his plate of fish, chips, and mushy peas. He'd settled on Shepherd's Pie for himself, but after their substantial breakfast he wasn't especially hungry.

Tommy paused eating and looked at Ianto with a curious expression. "So, er, Ianto... are you Jack's boyfriend?"

Ianto almost choked on his beer, cringing at Tommy's particular choice of words. "No. Why... uh, why would you think that?"

Tommy shrugged. "The way you look at each other. The way he touched you a couple of times. It seemed like you're together."

Ianto sighed, rubbing distractedly at the back of his head. He hadn't realised it was that obvious, but then it was always just him and Jack at the Hub. While they kept their work and personal lives separate, Jack would sometimes casually touch him in some small way, like he'd done earlier that morning. It was simply Jack's tactile way of expressing himself and Ianto didn't think anything of it. He didn't mind as long as it didn't go further during work hours.

He still wasn't sure what this thing was with Jack. They spent a lot of their spare time together, when Torchwood allowed, which sometimes wasn't that often. They shared meals, talked, watched DVD's, occasionally cooked for one another, and enjoyed a ridiculous amount of utterly fantastic, mind-blowing sex. Jack was fun to be with, he was good company, and he'd proven himself to be a surprisingly good cook, albeit an extremely messy and haphazard one.

However, Jack never stayed over at the apartment, and on the few occasions when Ianto had slept in Jack's small bed at the Hub, it had always been on his own. They'd have sex, then Jack would get dressed again, and he'd go up to his office to work, or disappear off into the night. For the most part, Jack was attentive and affectionate, and Ianto knew he didn't have any cause for complaint. Jack had been clear from the beginning about their 'no strings attached' arrangement. But after six months of being involved, he wasn't sure if what they were doing could still be classified as strictly casual.

"We spend time together," he said tentatively. "We're, um... well, I'm not sure what it is. But we're not together, at least, not the way you mean."

Tommy looked confused. "You don't love him then?"

Ianto felt his mouth drop open. "No... no, we're not like that," he spluttered hurriedly. "We're friends and I care about him, but..." He trailed off, shaking his head, not knowing what else to say.

There was no denying he cared deeply for Jack. Jack had become his closest friend, and Ianto loved the time they spent together. When he was with Jack, he felt alive, appreciated, and uninhibited in a way he'd never truly experienced before. But he'd loved Lisa, and what he felt for Jack was different, at least he thought it was. However, to have it stated so plainly, and by someone he'd met only hours earlier, was disconcerting to say the least. Did he love Jack? Was he falling in love with Jack? He was shocked to realise he didn't know the answers to those questions. The fact that his mind didn't respond with an immediate and resounding denial seemed rather telling.

"The way you look when you talk about him. I've seen that look before." Tommy smiled a little wistfully. "Jack's a handsome bloke. You both are. You're lucky you know, Ianto. To have someone like that."

Ianto couldn't disagree. He was lucky to have Jack in his life, even it wasn't in any sort of conventional, definable way. "You're not shocked that we're... that I'm involved with another man?"

Tommy shook his head. "I envy you. Where I come from, it was too dangerous. I couldn't... I had to be careful. I had to try to fight it. I had a girlfriend for a while, but it wasn't what I wanted. And the war changed me. I decided to stop seeing her and we broke it off."

"Oh," Ianto said, surprised by Tommy's admission. "So, er... have you ever... been with another man?"

Tommy swallowed a mouthful of beer and lowered his eyes. "I kissed a bloke once," he said quietly. "Messed around a bit. But I was terrified of being caught. We both were."

Ianto thought about his own battle with his attraction to Jack, but he'd never had to worry about being imprisoned for acting on his feelings. "I can't imagine what it was like back then. To live in fear like that."

"At least I've got to see the world how it is now... see that things have changed for people like us. I know it gets better."

"I wonder what the world will look like in another eighty years," Ianto said thoughtfully. "You might get to find out."

"Yeah. Maybe I will. I think I'd like that." Tommy frowned, apparently catching the pained look on Ianto's features. "What's wrong, Ianto?"

Ianto sighed, shaking his head regretfully. "I just wish we could do more for you."

Tommy shrugged. "Jack says I'm going to save the world one day. There are worse things a fellow can do. I thought I'd die for my country back in 1918. I wasn't expecting to make it to my twenty-fifth birthday. So, whatever happens... I'll be doing my duty."

Ianto nodded sadly. He reached over and touched Tommy's arm, patting it gently in a feeble attempt at reassurance, feeling more than a little wretched.

They finished their meals in relative silence, Tommy commenting occasionally on various random topics. He downed the rest of his beer and gestured towards the vacant pool table at the back of the pub. "Fancy a game?"

Ianto forced a smile to his face. "Sure."

After a few games of pool, Ianto having been thoroughly thrashed by Tommy, Ianto's phone rang. "It's Jack," he said, glancing at the caller ID. "Back in a minute."

Ianto stepped outside and spoke for a couple of minutes to Jack, who was checking everything was okay. Returning inside, Ianto was surprised to find Tommy talking to a good-looking man in his mid-twenties with brown, wavy hair, and dressed in jeans, a blue t-shirt, and a black leather jacket.

Pausing uncertainly, Ianto retreated to the far end of the bar, not wanting to intrude, but keeping both men in sight. They talked for a few more minutes, Tommy shook his head in response to something the man said, the man scribbled on the back of a coaster and handed it to Tommy, then he walked out.

"Who was that?" Ianto asked curiously after Tommy had walked over to join him.

"He said his name's Aiden... um, Aiden Harris. He just came over and started talking to me. Asked if I wanted to have a drink with him tonight, maybe get some dinner." Tommy frowned, looking dejectedly down at the coaster in his hand with a phone number scrawled on it, then sliding it into his jacket pocket. "I told him I couldn't. He seemed nice. Never had a bloke ask me out before."

"I'm sorry, Tommy," Ianto said with regret, wondering if he should talk to Jack about giving Tommy some time before freezing him again, even if it was only a few days. He suspected Jack would never agree.

They left the pub and walked around a bit more, neither of them speaking much. Tommy asked Ianto where he lived and they ended up at Ianto's apartment, with Tommy settled on the sofa as he avidly watched the original Star Wars on DVD.

Ianto pottered around and sat with him for a while. It was nearly six o'clock when he was in the kitchen preparing a pot of tea. He was just about to check in with Jack and ask what time they needed to be back at the Hub, when his phone rang. He raised it to his ear.

"Jack, I was just about to call you..."

"Ianto, I need you and Tommy back at the Hub right away."

Ianto frowned. "What's wrong?"

"The box just opened. It's happening, Ianto... it's happening now. The box contains instructions for Tommy... and for you."