6
Owen accepted the cup of coffee with an apologetic nod as Ianto passed, then sighed as Ianto ignored it.
Owen thought back to his treatment of Ianto and saw the comparison Jack had made, finally agreeing that he was being a bloody bully. One of the things he despised most in the world, and look at him now.
They were all in the meeting room, brightly lit and warm as Ianto slid into his own chair and he hid a wince of pain.
One Jack saw anyway.
"You're hurt?"
"Just bruises from where it threw me" Ianto said softly and everyone froze.
"Threw you?"
Ianto looked at his hands, his fingers wrapped around the coffee cup like they were seeking some regenerating power from the warmth.
"It, it shakes me and sometimes it takes me off my feet as it …." Ianto stopped talking and spun around like someone had touched his shoulder, his face paling even more, which Jack hadn't thought possible.
"Ianto?"
"It's here!" Ianto whimpered, "I can hear it."
"Where?" Jack rose and tried to squint into the area Ianto was staring at.
"Listen" Ianto hissed.
Jack stepped slowly towards Ianto and then he heard it.
Breathing.
His hands shook as he reached for Ianto, looking into the dead space.
Jack steadied himself and lowered his psychic shields, something he hated doing but the sight of Ianto's shaking was too much.
His scream galvanised the whole team.
Ianto rushed forward, taking Jack down and under the table to cover him with his own body.
Owen rushed towards them, falling to his knees.
Tosh shot backwards and slammed into the window wall.
Gwen fired into the area Jack had been staring at.
The sound of something screaming, metallic like the Jurassic Park T-Rex filled the space and then there was a rush of air as the glass wall shattered, raining shard of glass over Tosh and Gwen.
Myfanwy's scream of anger filled the hub and she could be heard above them as she exited her nest.
Jack was convulsing under the table and Ianto felt his own sanity slip as his empathic shielding fell.
Owen swore as Ianto's eyes rolled back, collapsing on top of the captain and he began to crawl under the table to reach them.
Gwen crawled towards Tosh and took her into her arms as they both cried with the stress of the moment, each woman checking the other and finding only scratches.
Ianto took a deep breath and then went still.
Jack blinked and looked over at Owen with a look of confusion.
"Ianto?" Owen called out, still reaching for him.
Ianto screamed, a bloodcurdling scream that had Jack rolling them both out from under the table towards Owen.
Ianto's eyes flew open as he grabbed for Jack, taking strength from a shared shielding and Jack gasped as he felt Ianto's shields meld with his own.
"Easy, easy" worked for horses, right? Jack gently rubbed Ianto's back as he pulled them both into a sitting position, keeping a tight hold of him.
"Ianto? Can you look at me?" Owen said as he examined his eyes.
"I'm ok, I'll be alright, it's gone, its ok now" Ianto seemed to be reassuring himself as much as he was talking to Owen and Jack dragged him to his feet, enveloping him on his warm embrace.
Ianto sighed as he laid his head against Jack's neck and shuddered, "I'm so tired Sir."
"Come on" Jack said as he started to walk them towards the office.
"Oi! I'm not done here" Owen snarked.
"Then see to the girls, they got glass all over them like a bloody glass shower" Jack called over his shoulder, wanting to get Ianto away from the questions brewing within the team.
He had some of his own.