Captain Jack Harkness stumbled over the corner of a desk and caught himself wearily. "Sh**," he muttered angrily as the edge of the desk dug painfully into his palm.

Ianto looked up from the stack of papers through which he was reading. "Jack?"

"I'm fine." Jack disproved his point by nearly tripping over a wire on the floor.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" he snapped.

"You haven't slept in days," Ianto pointed out. "Maybe you should get some rest."

Jack glared. "I don't need rest."

Ianto stood up and went over to him. "Yes, you do," he murmured patiently. "You just pretend not to because you're you."

"I was in a bloody coma for almost a day last week. That's rest," Jack retorted.

"Jack," Ianto said firmly. "I know that you want to figure out more about the whole phones thing, that's what I'm trying to do as well, but you won't be able to if you die from exhaustion."

"Well, if that happens, that'll be enough rest, too. Been there, done that," he added in a mutter. "It's quite effective."

"Ja-ack," Ianto pleaded. "Please. You always go off at me for not eating or sleeping enough. Well, it's my turn now. It's almost midnight, and we both need some sleep. Come with me."

"No, I'm fine!" shouted Jack sharply. He turned and stalked away, leaving Ianto standing frustrated next to the desk that used to belong to Toshiko Sato.

Jack was heading to his office, Ianto knew. He waited for a minute before quietly going after him. The captain sat on the edge of his bed, his head resting on his hands. His coat had been flung off and was draped on the back of his chair. The lights had been turned off. Ianto sat down next to him.

"Sorry," Jack muttered. "You're right."

"I know I am," answered Ianto gently.

"I'm just so tired."

"Yep." Ianto put his arm around Jack's waist and squeezed softly. "Come here." He lifted his hand to Jack's face and kissed him. Jack's hand was at the back of Ianto's head, and that was how they stayed for several minutes. Then, Ianto moved back so he was sitting against the wall, and made Jack lie down so his head was in Ianto's lap. Ianto began to stroke his hair gently, and Jack closed his eyes.

Jack really must have been tired, because he fell asleep almost instantly. His breathing slowed, and he unconsciously shifted his head so it was pressing against Ianto's hand like a cat craving attention. Ianto smiled and continued to run his fingers through the captain's hair. "Looks like we really did need some sleep, hey?" he asked quietly. As if in answer, Jack sighed in his sleep. "That's right. You just stay like this 'til morning," Ianto murmured. "I certainly will."

Morning saw them both still asleep, however. When Gwen came in to work, she was a bit concerned at how quiet and empty the Hub seemed to be. She crept quietly over to Jack's office and poked her head in. The sight warmed her heart; Ianto's hand still rested on Jack's head, but he had slumped over sometime in the night so he was leaning into the corner. Gwen smiled and pulled out her phone to take a quick picture. Then she tiptoed out, not wanting to wake either man up, but she heard Ianto whisper, "Morning, Gwen."

She turned back around sheepishly. "Didn't mean to wake you," she whispered back. "Sorry, love. Good morning."

"It's fine," Ianto assured her. "Actually, thank you. I probably should have set an alarm or something, but…" He looked down at Jack. "He really needed to sleep. I don't think he had since the phone line incident."

Gwen walked over to them. "May I?" she asked, indicating the edge of the bed.

"Of course," replied Ianto, and Gwen sat down carefully. The slight movement did not cause Jack to wake.

"He hasn't slept for a week?" Gwen checked.

"He does that," Ianto said simply. "Stops sleeping for a week or two, barely eats. And then he collapses, or makes a stupid decision like going Weevil hunting alone and gets himself killed. Or he just crashes. That's what happened last night."

Gwen was quiet for a moment. "Is he okay?" she asked quietly. There was a lot hidden in that simple question.

"I don't think so." Ianto smoothed Jack's hair down, but still the captain did not wake. "I don't think he's really been okay for a very long time."

"That's why we're here, isn't it?"

That gave Ianto pause for thought. "No," he finally answered. "I think we generally make it worse. Because we're a constant reminder that he'll eventually lose us. Sooner, rather than later, but the time doesn't really matter. Not when he's got forever."

Not for the first time, Gwen was a little surprised at how deep the young Welshman really ran. "But you don't think he'd rather not love anyone, ever, do you?"

"No. But that's a curse for all humans. Well, a lot of other species, too, I'd think. Because no matter what, we're going to lose people we love. And it becomes a struggle between loving and losing, and not loving at all. Most of us choose the former. It's harder for him, though." Ianto sighed. "And he'd probably kill us himself if he heard us talking about him like this."

"Yeah," Gwen agreed. She tried to smile at him.

Actually, Jack had been awake to hear their entire conversation. He had awoken before Gwen came in, in fact. He hadn't moved because he didn't want to wake Ianto, and then, well. To hear the last two members of his team talking like that...he didn't know exactly how it made him feel. But he wasn't angry, like they thought he would be. That wasn't it.

But rather than let them know he had overheard their conversation, Jack chose this moment to pretend to wake up. He shifted slightly, then opened his eyes slowly. Faking surprise when he saw Gwen, he sat up and said, "What're you doing here, Gwen?"

"Came in for work," Gwen said cheerfully.

Jack made a confused face. "What time is it?"

"Nearly seven," Ianto told him apologetically. "I thought I'd just let you sleep."

Jack had to restrain himself from saying, "No, you overslept, too." But he didn't. "Oh. Okay."

"Work, then?" Gwen suggested.

"Yep. Sounds good," Ianto replied quickly.

"Sure."

Gwen sprang up and left the office. Once she had gone, Ianto turned to Jack. "I know that you weren't asleep," he stated.

Damn it. "Wasn't I?"

"No, you weren't. Don't pretend."

Right. Pretense aside, Jack said seriously, "Does that mean what you said, you were saying deliberately to me as well as Gwen?"

"It does," Ianto told him.

"Okay…"

"Are you going to say something about it?" Ianto asked timidly.

"Ianto...I'm not angry about any of what you said. You or Gwen. Really," he added when Ianto looked unsure. "But listen. I just have to say one thing." Ianto looked down nervously. Jack tilted his chin back up so he was looking directly into the Welshman's eyes. "You do not make it worse. Okay?"

"Don't we?"

"No. Believe me, if loving people really made it worse, we wouldn't be sitting here right now," Jack said bluntly. "I'm a very selfish person, Ianto Jones."

"Not as selfish as I am."

"Pretty sure that's not true."

"Pretty sure it is."

"All right then."

"All right."

"Well, as long as we've got that figured out." They looked at each other seriously for another moment before both of them laughed.

"Oi! What's taking you two so long?" Gwen called.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Coming," he shouted back. He took Ianto's hand and pulled him up, and together they faced the day.

The day was 5th July, 2009. It was the day before the world was torn apart.

And that's the end. Thanks for reading! I'd write a longer note but a) I'm exhausted and today was far too long and b) you don't wanna read it. Love you!

~Clare