A/N: Jack's waiting.

No spoilers

Beta-ed: TattoedLibrarian

Jack stood in the doorway waiting. He knew when he wasn't invited in. He rushed all the way here, unlocked the hallway door with Ianto's key without a second thought, and ran up the stairs two at the time. He stopped, faced with a closed door, he was far from unlocking it himself so he knocked, forgetting about the bell. He often did that, knocking was a simple act that worked the same on space ships and wooden doors, and everywhere it was understood, bells on the other hand were always unpredictable in sound and purpose. There were times in the future when the bell was replaced with an electric shock just for the fun of it and to keep people away.

Jack took a breath and lifted his hand to knock again, he imagined Ianto on the other side just standing there and not responding, but then the door suddenly open and Ianto was facing him looking as ordinary as ever. More so, he looked determined and cold, like he had interrupted in some intense activity. Jack looked for signs of sorrow on his face, but there weren't any.

"How I can be of a service sir" he spoke up politely like they had met yesterday and Jack was lost for a second wandering if he'd gone through a gap in their Rift and ended up in parallel universe where Ianto was cold and efficient as he looked. Jack had that fear of dropping into strange realities, and knew it wasn't an unsupported one, it could happen.

"Well" he thought quickly trying to find the right thing to say, but Ianto's face gave no clues to what that would be. So he did what he does best, he went to business. "I need you to go with me on an inspection" he said waiting for a sign of anything, at least that other universe, but again nothing appeared. Ianto could be so annoyingly unreadable.

Ianto even argued that he could get some of the other guys for the task, raising his eyebrow in that irritated but adorable fashion. That made Jack lose his pace but he regained himself quickly.

"Flat Holm" he said knowing that he couldn't argue with that or ask for anyone else to come. It was in his plan to visit it, now it would serve in buying time. Jack would find his way around this wall; he wasn't so old to fail so lamely.

"I'll get changed" Ianto gave in reluctantly and withdrew into the bedroom. Jack looked at the flat that only few days ago looked like wonderland. It seemed further away. When faced with an alien threat time would stand still for Jack, everything lasted longer.

Now it looked like a distant land he didn't understand, everything was cleaned up and neat, even neater than yesterday. Only one thing stood out. On the couch there was a displaced book, like it had been thrown aside; the light beside reading chair was on. Ianto had been reading and he'd gotten upset. Did the book upset him or his arrival? He concentrated on the cover trying to access his locked memory, but it was in vain, even if it was there, his memory was scrambled. All he got were beautiful faces and gracefulness; he didn't see how that would upset anyone.

Ianto got back from his room and Jack took into his appearance. He was dressed in jeans and green jacket. He hadn't seen him dressed like that in ages; it was before the missing year, maybe even before Ianto approached him in the morgue, by Suzie's dead body. Jack would go soft when he would think about that moment, it was such a nice gesture, one Jack could easily understand. This tight silence and tension was whole another ball game, he was just no good at this touchy state. Showing his feelings never were his strong suit. Ianto turned out the lights leaving book on the couch to ruin perfect lines and locked the door.

"Countrycide" Jack spoke up and Ianto turned towards him confused "you wore that combination when we went into countrycide."

"And got stuck with cannibals" Ianto raised his eyebrows not lightening his tone "charming memory, I treasure it so dearly that I never took it out of the box. Thank you for that image. Besides, they were different jeans; I don't fit into those anymore."

"You fit into these perfectly" Jack offered him, his wide grin but all he got in return was an eye roll before Ianto turned around and went down the stairs. Jack followed him frowning. His smile always worked on Ianto. "I'm just telling it like it is" he said beating Ianto to the door and holding it open for him.

"Thank you" said Ianto with a sigh and got into the SUV.