Notes: Thank you to everyone who continues to comment and review. I take them to heart and where I go from here all depends on you, the reader. Enjoy part 5 of 7.

Chapter Spoilers: Episodes 2.01 (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang – slight/references) and Doctor Who 3.12, 3.13 (Sound of Drums, Last of the Time Lords – slight/references)

"Would that be everything, sir?" asked the front desk clerk.

"Umm…" Jack said, checking over his mental list. "Yes, everything seems to be in order. Thank you so much." He gave the clerk a pleasant and thankful smile before turning on his heels and heading back to the lounge.

To Jack's surprise, Owen was still sitting at their corner table. He approached and gathered back down into his seat.

"Took you long enough," Owen stated, clearly working on becoming more and more inebriated as he finished off another bottle of beer.

"Yea, sorry 'bout that," Jack apologized. "You gave me an idea and I had to act on it before I changed my mind."

Quizzically, Owen asked, "And just what exactly is said plan of yours, Harkness?"

Jack's response was delayed. He wasn't sure to tell Owen or make the Londoner wait until he found out for himself. If I tell him now, he might tell Tosh. If he tells Tosh, she'll warn Ianto. Ianto might defy my orders. He's done it before. Granted, he never did it out of spite, only necessity. I still can't risk it. "I have a plan and a surprise, one that will surely relieve tension, for all of us. Maybe, hopefully, clear some air and begin repairing what's broken, if not lay down the stones to form a new bond."

Owen stared at Jack skeptically. "Whatever it is, it better fucking work, Harkness, or moral is certainly going down the shithole." He blatantly stated while standing to leave. But before he turned, "By the way, if you hurt Ianto, I'll kill you a few times myself. Then I'll let Tosh have at you." He finally turned and walked off, mumbling angrily to himself.

Wow, Jack thought. I could sense Owen and Ianto grew close, but for Owen to protect him, and as strongly as family no less. That's both touching and scary. But he has nothing to worry about. I'll make sure Ianto's treated even better than he was before, by all of us.

Ianto escorted Tosh back to her suite before retreating back to his. The day at the spa didn't turn out so bad, he thought while opening and shutting the door. Now in his room, Ianto changed into pajamas and laid in bed, thinking back over their discussion.

Tosh thinks Jack truly cares about me and that I'm letting my insecurities keep me from seeing and feeling the truth. But she didn't see the pair of them! Jack's braces were down; his hair was a mess; and his face was as pale as when he comes back from death. Gwen looked even worse; hair in bunches and knots, makeup smeared, pale. They both looked so damn guilty! And then there was the bed. How does it get that jumbled without something happening in it? I know Jack wouldn't have been sleeping. We were going to talk. He would have been nervous, pacing. But no, he was in his room, with Gwen. I should have let him explain, though. I want to believe him, but I just can't. He left us… me… so easily for the Doctor, I'm sure he could easily leave me for another lover. He told Gwen that he came back for her! Of course now he claims he lied to her, but then how am I to believe he told me the truth? What was it John Hart told Gwen? 'Once a conman, always a conman.' I still don't know what we are, if anything anymore. I still don't know where he went or what he did while with the Doctor. I just don't know.

Ianto's thoughts were interrupted with a knock at the door. After the incident that occurred at noon due to Ianto not looking through the peephole, he made sure he checked this time. It was a bellhop so he opened the door and presented him with a pleasant smile. "Hello."

"Hello, sir," the bellhop answered. "Are you Mr. Jones?"

"I am."

The bellhop pulled out an enveloped letter from his messenger bag and presented it to Ianto. "Here you go, sir. Have a lovely evening."

"You, too," Ianto responded as the bellhop turned away and headed to his next room. He noticed, before he stepped back into his room, that the bellhop stopped at Tosh's.

The bellhop presented the same routine to Tosh, who noticed Ianto was standing in his doorway. Once the bellhop left, they met in the middle of the hall, wondering what was going on. "What do you suppose these say?" Tosh asked.

"Not a clue." Then Ianto had a thought. "But I bet our Captain has something to do with it."

Without any other words, they both opened and read their letters.

Team:

It's about time we have a serious meeting. We're having a team dinner. Gather outside the hotel dining room at 7 pm. Also, we're going out afterwards so clean up and dress appropriately.

Capt. Jack Harkness

"Seriously, a team dinner?" Ianto asked, not wanting to believe what he just read.

"Maybe he'll give us answers?" Tosh counteracted, attempting to look on the bright side, though she agreed this had disaster written all over it.

"Doubt it," Ianto stated flatly. After a few moments of silence, "Well then, guess we better get ready." Tosh agreed and they both set back into their rooms.

Gwen kissed Rhys goodbye shortly after receiving her letter, explaining that it was a team thing, not knowing if he was allowed to tag along. Not that I want him to tag along. Gwen squealed like a school girl once Rhys was gone.

Dinner. Going out. This is the perfect chance for me to prove I am the one Jack wants! Ianto will be present and there will be no denying Jack's love for me when the night is through. I must look my best! Good thing I had Rhys bring over even sexier clothes than those Jack had delivered on the pretense of dressing up for that oaf.

Gwen searched through her clothing until she found the top she wanted. It was hot pink from her shoulders until under her chest. The rest was black once the pink reached the black belt used to emphasize the waist. She dug out her best form fitting pants and her sexiest pair of heels. There's no way Jack will be able to resist me once he sees me in this. Gwen quickly showered, changed, and was out the door, hoping to see Jack by himself as he waited for the team.

Unfortunately for Gwen, the rest of the team had already met Jack outside the dining room entrance. No one immediately noticed her arrival. They were all awkwardly off in their own thoughts.

Owen noticed Gwen first, and the outfit she was wearing. He rolled his eyes and grabbed Tosh's attention, who reacted similarly. "I know that outfit," he whispered. "It's one of her seduction outfits. She's clearly still hoping to sleep with Jack."

Tosh looked up at Owen in surprise. She wasn't really, assuming Gwen would be up to such games. But to try and seduce Jack while Ianto was there, while the team was there, now that was an all time low. Even for Gwen Cooper. There was also a small pang of jealousy with the reminder that Owen intimately knew the cow.

Ianto noticed Tosh and Owen's exchange and even overhead the comments made. I knew this dinner would be a bad idea. But I suppose how Jack and Gwen react towards each other now will either prove or disprove what I believe. Tosh's optimism was beginning to rub off on Ianto a bit.

Jack waved off Gwen's attire, rolling his own eyes, but then quickly shifted his focus back onto his plan. "Alright, team, this way." Jack escorted the lot to one of the sectioned off tables of the hotel dining room.

"Take a seat," Jack said. He gently grabbed Ianto's arm to make sure the younger man was sitting next to him. Jack even pulled out his chair for him.

That's odd, Ianto thought. Jack's being a gentleman. He went through his normal pleasantries, though he was completely baffled by Jack's behavior.

Everyone settled down and got comfortable. Ianto was to Jack's right, Owen to his left. Tosh sat to Ianto's right and Gwen was between Tosh and Owen. Jack made sure Ianto was next to him?! Gwen was getting flustered. He even pulled out his chair?! It's wrong! It's all wrong!

"Alright," Jack opened, "Order anything you like, it's all on me. And after we place our order, we're going to have a very serious discussion."

The team obliged, looking over the menus, but didn't say anything. The waiter came around and took the team's orders. After Jack selected and tasted the wine, and the waiter was finished pouring, he got down to business.

"Okay," Jack started nervously. I really hope this goes smoothly. "I know you all have questions about me, where I was, what I did and I have questions for all of you." He paused to check the team's reactions. "For now I'll let each of you ask me one question. If it's something I can answer, I will. Then I'll ask mine, so choose your question wisely…"

The table was silent, with each member thinking over which question to ask. There were so many that were left unanswered.

Do I ask about where he was, Ianto immediately started thinking, or do I ask about us? I really want to know about him and Gwen. But now isn't the time. But then what if it's the only time he'll talk to me?

As if Jack could read Ianto's mind, he leaned over and whispered. "You and I will talk more later?"

Ianto, emerging from his thoughts, looked up questioningly. He nodded in approval, but went back to searching his thoughts for a question to ask.

Owen finally broke the silence. "What is the real reason why you can't die?" As a doctor, he's always been curious.

Jack felt this question was reasonable, especially coming from Owen, so he answered the best he could. "I was traveling with the Doctor. I died, completely and wasn't going to come back. I wasn't supposed to come back. But a mutual friend, using powers she wasn't even supposed to possess, that no one should ever possess, brought me back to life. The energy, the force that brought me back, it never dies. That energy became a part of me and my genetic makeup. Since it can't die, then neither can I, or rather it's why I don't stay dead."

The table grew quiet again until Tosh spoke up. "Where were you and what happened while you were gone?"

Jack hesitated. I can't tell them everything, though I will tell Ianto later. What can I say about a year that never happened, that no one but a select few can remember? Should I at least tell them that? "That's a complicated question," He initially answered, trying to search for the best explanation. "While I was gone, certain events took place, but no one remembers. There was a time shift, similar to what we're going through now, but occurred over a much larger span of time than ours. Only those involved and were at the eye of the storm, heart of the shift, remember which is why I can't tell you, because while it did happen, it also didn't. The event is time locked, so while it can't happened again, the knowledge of events is too much of a risk to share with a multitude of people. I would say more, but I'm keeping quiet to keep you all safe."

Jack waited for someone to speak up about the vague answer, but no one did. Now only Ianto and Gwen are left, he thought. I wonder what they'll ask.

Gwen still wanted to know about John's remark about Jack being a Time Agent and a conman. Maybe it will cause Ianto to have doubts, too. Win-win? "What did John mean about you being a conman and Time Agent?"

Ianto looked at Gwen suspiciously, then at Jack, waiting for an answer. Of course she'd bring up him being a conman. This is exactly what she wants; for me to doubt Jack more. He better have a good answer. And he better not be conning me!

Jack hesitated again. I knew allowing her a question could be risky. He noticed the confusion and hurt in Ianto's face. Now he's going to think I'm conning him. But I'm not! "I used to work for the Time Agency. If I'm to believe Hart, it will eventually be gone sometime after I leave, but we traveled through time for various reasons. Sometimes we had to con people, aliens, whatever, in order to complete our missions." He hoped that would be a good enough answer, and then realized, "But I'm done with all that now." He glanced at Ianto to make sure the young man knew what he said was true, but Ianto had no discernible reaction.

It was finally Ianto's turn to ask a question. But all the questions I want answered involve us. I don't want to ask them here. Not in front of Tosh and Owen, and especially not in front of Gwen. "I pass," Ianto stated simply. He sunk back into his chair, looking sadder and more hurt than before.

Jack noticed, but decided it must have something to do with them, and reserved the thought for later. "Alright, then," Jack stated, "now to my questions." He looked around the table wondering who to question first. Instead he decided to generally ask, "How did you all fair while I was gone? I know it was hard since I didn't tell you much." I know Ianto and Gwen have their problems, but how do I address them specifically without singling them out?

Tosh answered, "We had quite a few difficult cases. We got injured more than normal, but we survived."

No one else provided a response, so Jack continued his questioning, focusing on Owen, "What kind of injuries are we talking about?"

"Tosh and Gwen suffered bumps and bruises. Nothing serious. I sprained an ankle while chasing a threat down rough terrain." Owen paused. Should I tell him Teaboy got shot? "Ianto… well…" Owen looked at his colleague waiting for approval. They both knew Jack wouldn't react well to the news.

"Ianto what?" Jack asked, getting worried.

"I was shot," Ianto answered, relieving Owen the wrath that was sure to come.

"You were shot?!" Jack exclaimed, startling some of the nearby guests in the dining room.

"Yep, no big deal, though. All healed now." Ianto calmly responded. I've been hurt worse by you emotionally.

Jack patted Ianto's leg under the table to show his care and concern, but Ianto moved away. Jack frowned and was hurt, but continued his questioning. "Any personal issues I should be aware of?" he asked, hoping Ianto or Gwen would spill the beans. No such luck. "Really, you all got along satisfactorily?" This time he looked sternly at Gwen, pressuring her to break.

"We all had moments," Gwen broke out. "Nothing to cause a fuss about."

All eyes were on Gwen after her response. Yes, I'm lying. But I'm not about to make myself look bad in front of Jack.

Their food arrived just in time to save Gwen from anymore harsh looks.

Once everyone received their food, Jack told the team, "Eat up, enjoy. Afterwards, I'm taking you all out. Hope you have on your dancing shoes."