"So what do you think of it?" Ianto said, subconsciously fiddling with the label of his beer bottle.
"Not bad," Jack said. "Not exactly Glenn Miller, but they're half decent."
"Yeah. Not quite my thing, either, but… honestly, I rather expected it to be a lot worse. Glad you could join me as well," Ianto said, slipping an arm around Jack's waist.
"Any time I can, I will," Jack smiled, returning the gesture.
"What are your thoughts on leaving after this set? Mine or yours?"
"Sounds good to me. Either is fine. We haven't gone to back to yours yet. Would you like to?"
"Don't mind either way. I imagine it is about my turn to do the hosting, though And, besides, mine is closer," Ianto grinned.
"I would say proximity is the priority, I'm not keeping track of 'turns'."
"Mine it is, soon as they're done," Ianto nodded.
Jack leaned over to kiss Ianto's cheek in agreement, but stopped when he felt a buzzing in his trouser pocket that was not caused by talking of going back to Ianto's soon. Fishing his mobile out, Jack checked the message and swore under his breath.
Ianto gave him a concerned glance, then frowned. He had the feeling Jack's free evening just got co-opted. "Work?" he asked.
Jack looked up with a resigned apology in his eyes. "Yeah. C'mere a second," he said, leading Ianto away toward the door where it was quieter. "I gotta run, now. Presuming this doesn't take long, I'll be back, ok? If I'm not back by last orders… head on back to yours and I'll come there as soon as I am able."
Another message pinged on Jack's phone and he swore again between gritted teeth. "There's a problem. I need you to do something for me, Ianto."
"Well, yeah, ok. Whatever I can…," Ianto said, a bit nonplussed and growing more worried. "Is it to do with your work, though? I mean, are you able to tell -"
"Yeah, but this doesn't require you to sign anything. I just need you to keep everyone inside this pub until either I'm back or the police say it's safe."
"Jack, what's going -"
"Can't give details. Just stay inside here, no matter what, ok? You stay safe – above everything – got that?"
Ianto's heartrate officially doubled with the way Jack was talking like there was something seriously dangerous happening outside. All he could do was nod mutely. Jack grasping his shoulders and kissing him hard before running out of the pub was not a reassurance.
"Ianto?" Tosh said, walking over. "Is everything ok? Where's Jack gone?"
Ianto shook his head. "Don't know, Tosh. He got a message from work. Said nobody should leave the pub until we get an all-clear. He couldn't tell me what was occurring out there, but he seemed really serious."
Tosh stood wide-eyed for a long moment. "You don't think someone's got a gun or a bomb, do you?"
"No idea, Tosh."
"Ok. We should keep calm. I'm sure they've got very competent professionals managing whatever it is. He said no one should leave? So we should stay here and make sure everybody stays until Jack gets back. But we'll want to do that in a way that doesn't make people panic, yeah?"
"Yeah," Ianto said, trying to focus on what Tosh was saying. "Yeah."
"Come on, Ianto. He'll be fine. I'm sure of that."
"I wish I were," Ianto muttered.
"Ianto. He's in IT – we're not exactly the front line type. He's probably just got to coordinate things from his office."
"You're right," Ianto said, taking a deep breath. "He's told me that his work isn't the sort of thing that would get him killed."
Outside the pub there was a flash of lightning and rumble of thunder, pulling Ianto's attention out to the road. Maybe the poor weather would help them convince other pub patrons to stay in until the electrical storm had passed, he thought.
Just then, someone came running down the road, dressed in a smart suit but wearing a rather hideous mask that looked like some sort of giant prawn or deflated blowfish. Ianto began to wonder if this whole fuss wasn't over some bloody university prank gone wrong, when he saw Jack pursuing the blowfish on foot, with an old-style revolver drawn and pointed. He couldn't hear what was going on outside, but Jack seemed to be shouting, likely ordering the suspect to halt.
Ianto stared in shock as the scene in the street seemed to slow before his eyes. The blowfish half-turned, pointed a weapon of its own, and blast rang out. Ianto's heart froze in his chest when Jack staggered back a couple steps as he fired in return, before he seemed to slip on the wet pavement and fell to the ground. When he didn't get back up after a few moments, something inside Ianto snapped and he shouted, wrenching open the pub door and running out into the rainy night before Toshiko could even try to hold him back.
"Jack!" Ianto cried, dropping to his knees beside Jack. "Jack, hold on, please hold on!"
Jack opened his eyes and forced a labored breath. "What are you doing? Get out of here – it isn't safe!" Jack rasped.
"I'm not leaving you," Ianto insisted. "Why were you chasing that stupid bloody kid? You're not meant to be -"
"Go back in, Ianto. Go, now! Don't worry about me!"
"Don't worry?! You're hit, Jack. You're bleeding." Ianto refused to look at Jack's torso, a glimpse of the amount of spreading redness was more than he could manage. "I'll get 999, ok? Just stay with me, please?"
"No, Ianto, listen, get to safety! Leave me, I'm fine. I'm… I'll be ok. Those things… unpredictable. If it gets you, I'll never…."
Jack's voice was getting weaker by the word and between the pouring rain and the tears in his eyes, Ianto was not having any success swiping his mobile screen to unlock and get to the keypad to dial for help. In desperation, he started shouting back toward for someone to get a medic.
"Please, Yan," Jack whispered. "Please go -" he managed before falling still.
"Jack? Jack, come on! You can't go, Jack. You… you can't. Jack, please don't… please? I love you, Jack."
A stunned crowd had gathered at the pub door, no one really sure what they should do, until Rhys pushed his way through and ran out to Ianto. "Come on, mate," he said, gently. "Nothing we can do out here right now. He needs you to stay safe, like. I've rung for help, they'll be here in moments."
"Gad lonydd i fi," Ianto rasped, hanging onto Jack like a lifeline.
"Nah, can't, mate. I'm sorry, but you've got to come, really. Not safe out here just now."
"Na oes ots."
"It would matter to Jack," Rhys said firmly.
Ianto looked up for a moment, then back down at Jack. "Can't we get him covered up?" he sobbed. "I told him to bring an umbrella…."
"Yeah, we will, I promise. Come on," Rhys said, helping Ianto to his feet.
"Rhys! What is going on?" called another man running up to the scene.
"Jack's been hit, Andy. Can you get him taken care of?"
"Is the blow- uh… who's this, then?"
"Jack's boyfriend," Rhys said grimly. "Take care of Jack. This un's had a bit of a shock. See there, Ianto? Help's here. Andy will work on Jack. Let's get inside, now."
Ianto didn't say anything. He just let Rhys walk him back inside the pub and sit him down in a booth. Rhys called for some towels and a bottle of Penderyn while Ianto sat trembling in shock and grief and from the cold damp that had set in.
Tosh grabbed a couple of fresh towels from the barmaid and sat next to Ianto, wrapping them around his shoulders and pulling him into a wordless hug. Gwen just stood aside, gripping Rhys's arm and mumbling something about never knowing he was 'so heroic'.
After a few moments, Owen picked up the bottle of whisky and a lowball glass, pouring a generous measure and setting it in front of Ianto. "Drink that quick. It'll help. And, for what it's worth… I'm sorry about what I said earlier."
"Not now, Owen," Tosh hissed.
Outside in the rain, Jack coughed and gasped and flailed painfully back to life.
"Easy, Captain. Take it easy," Andy said calmly.
Jack, however, pushed himself upright and grabbed Andy's arm. "Where's Ianto? Is he alright?"
"He's fine, Jack. Rhys is with him, inside."
Jack let himself fall back down for a moment, still not quite ready to support his own weight if he didn't immediately have to. "What about the blowfish?"
"You winged it apparently… or finned it, I suppose. It didn't get very far. I found it just around the alley and it's waiting in hand-clamps and leg irons. No danger to civilians."
Jack nodded. "Probably gonna have to retcon the pub."
"Yeah, I've got a supply on me. Just one question…."
"Huh?"
Andy hesitated, hating to hit Jack with it right after he revived. "What about Ianto?"
Jack look at him for a long moment, then closed his eyes.
"He saw you die… saw the blood, probably the entry wound. I don't know if he'd believe it wasn't your blood, though maybe you could tell him you just passed out from blood loss."
Jack shook his head wearily. "I won't be able to hide not having a scar, though, even if I were to wear a fake dressing for a while. I don't have a choice, Andy. Never do."
"If you ask my opinion, Jack, I think maybe one day it'd be worth it to let someone in. And, given time, maybe this is the one who would be worth it."
Jack shook his head again, though. "I can't, Andy. I already put him in danger tonight. He doesn't deserve that, or any of the other bullshit I'd bring him. I never have a choice in the end. Just… let me do it, though. Let me see him and say goodbye, even if he won't remember any of it."