Torchwood: Divergence
Book Three: Rheoleiddiad

Chapter 29

It wasn't even noon yet, and Jack was already done with the day.

"Thank all the gods for red-haired, level headed, alien Time pirates," Jack sighed, forcing himself to relax so he wouldn't get his companion wound up any more than he already was.

"Gwen actually tried to order you back to the Hub?" Ianto breathed shakily, sounding surprised and concerned. "Martha knows better than that, and she technically has the rank to do it."

"Tell me about it," the Captain snorted derisively. "I think someone's gotten their own way too much lately. But the sympathy boat has officially sailed… no new dead relatives or personal crises to warrant kid-gloves. Sounds like there's gonna be fireworks when we get home, and the little girl from Swansea is about to learn that playing with fire will get you burned."

"I don't understand what's happened with her," Ianto murmured, unconsciously curling up a little tighter against the older man's side. "Things were a bit rocky in the beginning when the Scieron brought me through to this world again, because she resented that you came back for me but wouldn't for her or stay when she asked you to before. But we'd settled back into the rhythm of the 'old team' like you said in London.

"It's almost as if that miscarriage too close to her father dying broke something or twisted it somehow so she can't connect with us properly anymore. Losing a parent is traumatic and so is losing a baby, but this seems extreme. Or maybe it was that damn dream and my avoiding her after has been too much. I mean, she's always done the hot and cold thing with me to some extent since she originally joined Torchwood… one day I'm a best friend or family, the next I'm just the office boy and in her way. But she's never tried that 'hired help' thing with you till now. Kind of makes me wonder if she needs a psych-eval or something. Maybe she's still having mortality issues from losing her dad and the miscarriage, and being around us is throwing everything off because we come back but they can't. She said something kind of like that when I was trying to snap her out of her depression before."

"Maybe she's having second thoughts about staying with Torchwood," Harkness frowned. "Possibly due to what you just mentioned. The whole powerplay thing could be an effort to force my hand so she doesn't feel like she's quitting and can claim to be a victim instead of an instigator. I think a major talk is in order when we go back. This is affecting the whole team and it needs to get sorted. She was kind of a pain all last week; cranky, argumentative, ignoring orders, almost sticking to me like glue no matter where I went… generally annoying. But this is really the last straw."

"I can just stay here, try to sleep whatever this is off," Ianto suggested tentatively. "Let you go take care of things."

"No," his partner refused gently but firmly. "I'm not going anywhere until you feel up to coming with me. You've had a hell of a morning, buddy. My only concern at the moment is helping you get past it and back to your normal calm, quirky self. So, don't worry about Gwen or anything else work related right now, yeah? Just try to relax, let your arm start to heal and I'll bore you to sleep with stories about my sordid past."

"You just like to see me squirm when you start reminiscing about all your kinky, pansexual adventures across the known Universe," the young Welshman countered, closing his eyes nonetheless. "Fair warming… I hear any reference to that sociopathic tosspot, 'Captain John Hart', and you'll be bruised black in very tender areas."

"Yikes," Jack managed after a moment of amused shock. "You really are in a bad mood. I promise to stick to nice, safe subjects that might help lift this dark cloud that's pissing in your Cheerios."

"Dark cloud… doing what?" Ianto asked, opening his eyes and tilting his head back to meet the older immortal's gaze, obviously not familiar with the saying.

"Never mind," the Captain chuckled, holding his Archivist a little closer. "Let's just say I'll try to improve your mood."

"Okay…" the eternal twenty-six-year-old in his embrace drawled uncertainly, snuggling back down and closing his eyes again. "Give it a go."

"How about…" Harkness began, then paused as a crooked little smile appeared on his face. "'Pansexual adventures', huh?"

"Jack…" Ianto growled warningly, starting to draw away slightly.

"Okay, okay," the American grinned, pulling the young Changeling tight against him once more and making sure he was comfortable. "Tough audience today. So, let's see how you like the story of Dr. Owen Harper's very first alien autopsy. Oh, he was so far out of his depth on that one, but he made me swear not to interfere or coach him in any way."

"Why do I get the feeling this is going to end up a lot like the alien biomass versus mud incident with the SUV?" Ianto murmured rhetorically.

"Close," Jack half laughed. "Very close. Only he did it to himself."

"Charming…" Ianto breathed.

The Captain smiled and began the twisted tale, felt the Scieron Guarding beside him finally start to relax as he spoke. That made him feel tonnes better. Now all he had to do was manage the same trick for the younger man, and they could head back to base… to hopefully settle the situation with PC Cooper once and for all.

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AN: Sorry I'm late… couldn't get the site to connect.

Thank you to those reading the story. And thank you to those who have followed, favourited, and reviewed. NM