8

Ianto thought he was mad already but nothing prepared him for the white rage that washed over him like a cold bath when John Fucking Hart approached as they walked down the holding bay ramp, pulling Jack into a hug.

John Fucking Hart.

Where had he come from? Apparently, everyone knew him, he looked like part of Colony 2… part of the fucking world Jack would come to for up to a week each month for 'integration' talks as they discussed needing a lifeboat off this planet if the cleansings started gain.

"Thank fuck… we saw the explosion on the ridgeline." John said as he loked at Jack's face, like he was checking he was OK "Did you get everyone onboard OK?"

"A tracker… we have to move fast. She's unconscious and we have no time to talk" Jack replied as John's hand went to Jack's stomach and he raised his eyebrows in a silent question. Jack nodded, grinning and the two men shared a moment as Ianto stood there feeling ever so fucking angry.

He turned on his heel and headed back for the vessel, no longer caring what happened next. His only duty now was to his bloodline. Fuck Harkness and his bit on the side. The side piece he promised was a distant memory, their renewal of vows two hundred years ago supposedly meaning no more dalliances. Jack had promised in those vows. Liar. Fucking liar. Well. Fuck. At least now he knew why Jack liked to spend so much time at Colony 2 in the last twelve months of prep for this and why he hardly touched him anymore.

Like last time their sex life had dried up… Joh Fucking Hart was on the sidelines.

.

.

Ianto was steaming and Jack found him in their berth, angrily going through boxes like he had lost something precious.

"Ianto? Listen…"

"How long!" Ianto demanded, swinging to face him with a face of stone.

"What?" Jack squeaked.

"You have been going to Colony 2 for over a year, sorting through their finances, getting them ready for the shift… has he been there the entire time?" Ianto knew he was shaking, and he gripped the bedside table to steel himself, making himself as cold as the metal surface "tell me Jack. How long have you been seeing your ex-lover behind my back."

"It's not like that. Come on, it has been nothing but professional. I love you… Ianto… I love you. YOU! Did I not prove that already?" Jack sighed like Ianto was slightly delusional and that was what made Ianto so damned fucking angry. "This is why I didn't say anything, this diva behaviour. Christ, he's my oldest living friend!"

"And I am just your bloody partner!" Ianto stormed past Jack, seeing that there was nothing to talk through.

Jack was going to bullshit anyway.

.

.

"What are the numbers?" Ianto asked as he entered the meeting room to find people everywhere, the whiteboards full of scribble and more than one person looking shell shocked.

"With the two colonies on board, we have almost three hundred souls on here" came the reply.

"Right… so… there were no stayers in the end?" he asked slightly amused by this. "And no one thought to biff Gwen out an airlock?"

"Yeah."

"So… Gwen is still here?"

Oh great. What next.

.

.

"So… what now?" Owen asked, breaking Ianto's concentration as he wondered if he might be able to set Jack on fire from across the bridge. He moved his gaze away from the man ignoring him and he knew Jack felt the shift, looking over at the sudden loss of discomfort.

"Now we work out berths and we fly" Ianto said softly.

"But we have Gwen bloody Cooper still on board along with other complainers" Owen made a weird stomping motion like a child having a tantrum and Ianto could not help but smile softly as he knew just how he felt.

"Well… we can't risk lowering to planetary level as they will have the fleet mobilizing by now… they have to stay here but first world we get to, we dump their arses, and they can do what they want. They still have their credits separate to ours… whatever. By then more will either want to stay or go, like everything in life, the future is fluid." Ianto shrugged, then stiffened as he felt someone approaching from behind. Something anyone who knows him well, knows not to do.

"You got a sec Eye Candy?"

"Touch me… and I shall remove you fucking hand with a blade" Ianto snarled, still looking at Owen like they were the ones talking, the hand reaching for his arm from behind pausing then slowly lowering as John saw the straight ridged back of a warrior poised to attack.

"You know, you always were a tepid little prick of a thing. I always wondered what he even saw in you. Tiger… Tiger my arse. You're just a spiteful little tabby housecat spitting and cursing at the world at large because the dried-up leaf you brought in did not get the same attention as the fucking great rat I managed to kill and present to the master!" John said, gleefully poking at the man who was now giving off a low growl.

Tiger?

He was more like a dog, his lips peeling back as Owen watched on with growing alarm.

"How's about we take a breath here, eh?" Owen asked "We are all highly freaked out and I need to go check the medical bay is set up… we might be in for some resistance when we land on the Delta Moon to drop off those who wanna get off. You know Jack and Dynah have history and she will be madder than a devil to see him again."

"Oh, goddess save… Dynah is in charge of the Moon Base now?" John groaned theatrically as he focused on Owen and Ianto surged forward, past Owen and out the door to storm down the corridor away from everyone and everything he wanted to kill.

This was not going at all as planned and somewhere deep down he knew Jack had every bloody idea that this is how it would go, hence him being so damned busy right now an staying away from him in the hope he cools off.

Cools off.

He was about ready to do supernova!