Title: A Friend in Need
Author: Captains Cariad
Pairing: Jack/Ianto/Martha
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Set after-hours between "Dead Man Walking" & "A Day In the Death".
Disclaimer: They're definitely not mine, but the boys like to play and so do I.
Summary: Martha is exhausted. Jack feels responsible. Ianto brings the wine and Jack helps them to relax in true Captain Harkness style.

***

Martha sighed and slumped down onto the sofa in the Hub's comfy area. It had been a hard day, her bones ached and her brain felt like it had turned to mush at least three hours ago. Stifling a yawn, she toed off her boots and rubbed her throbbing feet.

"Can I get you anything?" a soft, Welsh voice asked from the staircase.

"Ooh, right now tea would be fabulous, Ianto," she replied with a grateful smile.

Ianto nodded and headed off towards the kitchen as Jack emerged from his office. Martha turned her smile to the Captain and patted the seat beside her. Jack moved across to the sofa, rolling up his shirtsleeves on the way and sat beside Martha.

"Tough day, huh?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, but at least we should have the test results tomorrow."

Jack placed a hand on Martha's knee, squeezing gently, "Thanks - for everything...I'm glad it's you helping Owen."

"Hey, that's what friends do — help each other in times of need," she replied quietly, covering his hand with her own, making him look at her, "You shouldn't blame yourself, Jack."

Jack turned his hand, twining their fingers, a forlorn look in his eyes, "I know; but I do...he's part of my team, he's my friend, I should have protected him...and you, but I put you in danger."

Martha pulled the Captain into a comforting embrace, "I'm fine and nothing that happened with Copley is your fault, Jack — none of it."

With Jack's strong arms holding her tightly, she allowed herself to relax against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder, "You smell so good; I could stay like this forever..."

"He tends to have that effect on people," Ianto offered conversationally as he appeared with a bottle of wine in one hand and three glasses in the other, "Not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Sorry, no...I'm just so exhausted I can hardly move," Martha said guiltily disengaging herself from Jack and directing an apologetic smile towards Ianto.

The young Welshman placed his cargo on the table and selected himself a spot on the sofa next to Martha, "It's fine. Thought we could all do with something a bit stronger than tea — red, ok?"

Jack grinned, "See — this is why I employ Ianto. Perfect timing!"

Seeing the amusement in their eyes as she looked between the two men Martha realised they were teasing her and picked up a wine glass, "So, you going to give a poor, exhausted doctor a drink then or just torment me with it?"

Ianto poured out a generous measure for Martha then, filled both his and Jack's glasses, passing the latter over to the Captain.

"Cheers!" Martha said, bringing her glass to clink against the other two.

"Iechyd da!" Ianto added.

"To friends in need..." Jack toasted.

"Friends in need," Ianto and Martha agreed, raising their glasses in a silent salute.

Taking a large gulp of wine Martha rolled her shoulders in an attempt to loosen them, wincing slightly as she dropped back against the cushions, "I'm done in."

"You should let Yan help you out. He's got magic fingers," Jack suggested.

"Ooh, tempting," Martha replied, looking at Ianto for confirmation.

Ianto returned his wine to the table and with a smile flexed his fingers in response, "At your service Doctor Jones."

Jack deposited both his and Martha's glasses back on the table too and grabbed her legs, swinging her feet up onto his lap and turning her back towards Ianto, "Just relax and let us take care of you Martha."

Martha closed her eyes as Ianto's fingers worked into the muscles and soft tissue of her neck and shoulders. After a moment, she felt Jack's fingers start to massage her tired feet and a small sigh escaped her lips, "God, you weren't wrong about the magic fingers!"

Jack chuckled, "Another reason I employ him - eh, Ianto?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're eluding to, Sir," Ianto's nonchalant reply from over her right shoulder made Martha snort with laughter.

She saw that Jack's eyes were now full of twinkling mischief as he quirked a salacious eyebrow at Ianto. Turning her head slightly she discovered the young Welshman was smirking defiantly back at the Captain as she'd known he would be.

"Er, excuse me boys — far be it for me to interrupt, but you were supposed to be taking care of me not making eyes at each other!"

Jack flicked his gaze to Martha then back to Ianto, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Oh, no Captain Harkness, you've got that dangerous glint in your eye - what are you up to?" Martha asked with a dubious note to her question.

Her voice pulled Jack's focus fully to her and he moved one hand up to rest on her thigh, "Taking care of you. Right, Ianto?"

"Yes, but for you to really benefit I need direct contact with the skin..." Ianto explained, leaning round Martha to unbutton her top.

Before she could protest, Martha felt his breath hot against her skin as her top disappeared and he shifted position, drawing her back to lean against him. Ianto kissed the side of her neck making her breath catch in her throat. He turned her head towards him and instinctively Martha's tongue darted out to taste his fingers as they trailed across her lips, then she found his fingers replaced by his mouth over hers. The kiss was slow and gentle, but thorough. Martha reached up to run her fingers through the young Welshman's hair, keeping him close.

Breaking the kiss Martha opened her eyes as she felt Jack's hand snake up her body and slip under her bra strap. She found herself watching transfixed, as he slid his other hand behind the Ianto's neck and kissed him deeply. They looked so perfect together, she felt like a bit of a gooseberry, but she was sandwiched between them and had no way of extracting herself without disturbing them. However, she soon forgot her awkwardness as one of Ianto's hands joined Jack's beneath the lace of her underwear and they both stroked and caressed her flesh.

Sighing at their combined touch, Martha gave in and let herself savour the sensation of fingers against her skin. At the same time as Jack captured her lips in an electrifying kiss Ianto pulled aside her bra and bent his head to flick his tongue across her nipple making her gasp against the Captain's mouth. Jack's kiss was different from Ianto's; it was more urgent and made her head spin, made her feel so alive. Coming up for air, she tried to speak, but Jack shook his head, "Shh...no words; just relax."

Ianto met her gaze, his eyes and voice dark with lust, "You're so beautiful, Martha. Let us look after you."

With a smile, Martha raised a hand to each of their faces, brushing their cheeks with her fingers, "Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Do you mind?" Jack asked, looking up at her flirtatiously from under his eyelashes.

"No — but you've gotta give a girl something to look at..." she replied smiling playfully, running her hands down to their shirt buttons, "You two are wearing way too many clothes."

Jack's flirtatious smile broke into a wolfish grin as he shrugged off his braces and turned to the young Welshman, "Care to give me a hand, Yan?"

"Always with the orders...Sir!" Ianto replied in mock indignation.

"Ooh, like you don't love it!" Martha laughed as Jack grabbed Ianto's loosened tie and pulled him off the sofa to kneel with him in front of Martha.

Settling back on the sofa, Martha enjoyed the scene in front of her as Ianto took off Jack's shirt to reveal a pristine, white t-shirt that enhanced the taut muscles of his chest. The Captain raised his arms to allow the t-shirt to be removed and the Welshman followed the line of the older man's collarbone with butterfly kisses. As Ianto's caresses moved lower, Jack pulled him into a searing kiss, his hands in the younger man's hair. Making a low growling noise in the back of his throat Jack stopped Ianto's hands just before they reached his belt.

"My turn," he stated with a heated look at the other man.

Ianto's tie and shirt soon joined Jack's on the floor as the Captain's mouth trailed a mixture of kisses bites and licks down his young lover's chest.

"Jack!" Ianto gasped, head thrown back in ecstasy.

The Captain smiled wickedly against Ianto's skin and lifted his gaze to meet Martha's wide eyes. He reached out a hand towards her, "Help me."

Taking Jack's hand, Martha slipped of the sofa and knelt behind Ianto running her hands over his back as Jack continued his assault on Ianto's ribs. She licked up the line of his shoulder blades making him writhe and moan and then she moved round to place a soft kiss against his lips. Jack moved up behind her, unfastened her jeans and made her stretch her legs out in front of her, so that Ianto could pull them from her body. The Captain leant across to kiss both his lovers in turn then gathered Martha into his arms and placed her onto the sofa.

"Now, it's your turn Doctor Jones and no arguments!" he said softly, fingers and tongue tracing delicate patterns across her stomach whilst Ianto nuzzled behind her ear.

"Ooh, that tickles!" Martha giggled and squirmed against the cushions, until Jack's teeth against her breast and Ianto's over the pulse in her neck stilled her.

Martha suddenly found her breathing was ragged and shallow as she looked into two gorgeous pairs of eyes. The heat from their joint gaze radiated though her body and she gulped in anticipation of what was about to happen.

"Close your eyes and enjoy," Ianto said as his fingers set to work easing the muscles of her neck once more.

"Jack?" she asked, a little uncertainty creeping into her voice.

He looked up the line of her body, "Do you trust us?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Then let us give you what you need," he whispered and placed a kiss over the spot he'd just bitten.

***