9

Jack stood with his mouth open watching as Ianto scaled the wall like a fucking cat up a tree, then he was moving over the ceiling joist hand over hand, legs hooking up, coming to the hole.

"Careful" Jack yelled out "Don't let it get suction on you!"

Ianto did not reply, and Jack knew he was stupid to try to teach him how to suck eggs when this was clearly not his first hull breach. Ianto pulled the patches from his tunic and bit the corners to keep hold of them while he struggled his tunic off.

Then he slammed it over the hole, the noise stopping as he then ripped patch after patch open to slam over the tunic, creating a patchwork of patches over his tunic's thick material. We worked until he was out and swung by knees his to look down "MORE!"

It was Andy who seized the box of them and clambered on top of their transporter to start throwing kits up at him, those he caught he placed inside his singlet, those he missed simply hitting the floor below.

Ianto then levered himself back up to apply those patches as well.

Finally, he was satisfied. He gripped the metal releasing his legs which had been jammed in and he swing out, falling gracefully the entire height of the Bay, landing on his feet like… yeah… a cat.

He stood staring at Jack for a moment and then said softly "How many did we lose?"

"Four" John answered from the doorway of the corridor to the flight deck "Four Fireflies gone, two of the silver bullets… apparently the Cardiff's shields held but… the smaller vessels on this side of the big girl didn't stand a chance."

"Jesus… we almost joined them" Suzie was still shaking as she sat rubbing her hands on her thighs "Fuck."

"He's gone" Ianto swung to face Jack again "Now. The main proximity alarm woke me, I ran... he was still fucking asleep in the chair… he's gone. If you don't get him gone I will… out the nearest airlock!"

"I hear you" Jack said.

"Then listen good" Ianto stepped in close "I mean it!"

"I know" Jack repeated, the strength in the man's eyes making Jack more than slightly turned on "I promise Tiggy Tiger."

Ianto made a noise and turned away, heading for the vidcom room.

Rhiannon was on the screen in there, her face red and wet, her voice gasping "Oh goddess… they said some Fireflies were gone... I…"

"Yes, some of the others. Not mine. Come on little one, you know I always choose my footfalls well. The Torchwood called to me when I walked the landing pad, I knew looking at her that she had good bones. She will keep me safe." He assured her with fake bravado "We had a few small holes, like bullet holes. Nothing severe and her shields came on almost straight away."

"Almost?" she caught the word, frowning "Who was in the chair?"

"Someone who is not now" Jack said from behind Ianto, leaning over so Rhiannon could see him "I am already working on getting him reassigned to another vessel."

"I should think so. In the black your only means of survival is the man beside you" she said and Jack nodded, the old adage proving true. Then a small part of him whispered that she was being literal. He looked at Ianto who was ignoring him.

"Are the kids OK?"

When the alarm started, they ran for the safe zone, not a single soul lost" she smiled as her brother investigated her face intently for any signs of trauma "Ianto. So handsome. Look at you. You've shaved. You look so young! Uncle Si all over again."

"Whiskers are no good in space" Ianto laughed "If I have to walk the black they only get in the way of a breather in a suit."

"I've never been in one" she smiled back, relaxing now.

He spent the next half hour telling her about the time he slid down and get caught on the communications ariel of the ship he was working on, the back strap slipped onto a piece of metal where he couldn't reach and he was embarrassed to have to call for help.

"My goddess… how many lives have you got left" she laughed.

"So, you think of him like a cat too" Jack grinned.

"Well, our grandmother's Mama on Tad's side was Catkind ya know" she replied and Jack felt the smack of recognition. Of course he was part Catkind. Of course he was. How else could he move like that.

Jack laughed softly as he leaned back "I am about a sixth too. Boeshanian by birth."

"Really? Like Da. Mama was also part Gal…"

"He doesn't need to know my life story Rhia love. He's just my Captain" Ianto interrupted her and Jack wondered what he was about to say. The surprise on her face telling him that whatever she was about to say, Ianto didn't want him to know. And it told her something.

This is such a rare creature.

Jack moved to another screen to check in Alice and Stephen, still confused by the day's events.

Why were they all off course?