Previous part of Broken Dreams.

***

Chapter Eleven

Entering the Hub Jack walked across to Tosh's work station. "Tosh, can I see you in my office?" He asked.

"Is Ianto okay?" she asked as she followed him in and he shut the door. "I heard about Rihanna."

"Ianto is good, better than good," Jack told her as he saw relief cross her face. "I wanted to say thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," she said confused not sure what he was thanking her for.

"You saved his life, you found him and kept him alive until the ambulance arrived?" he said quietly as she nodded. "I understand another couple of minutes and he would have bled out," he added recalling the medical report he had read.

"It was touch and go, he used a Stanley knife, Jack," she said as she mimicked the action of running her fingers up the inside of her arm in short strokes from the wrist. "How did you find out?" she asked him not sure how much she should share.

"One of the disc's I was downloading contained all his medical records from the point of the Canary Wharf attack onwards," he admitted. "Tell me what happened," Jack asked her gently.

"I am not comfortable with this Jack, Ianto is a very private person," she told him.

"I not asking you to reveal any big secrets, I just want to hear your side," Jack told her quietly." Ianto and I have talked and he's told me it's okay for me to ask you about this.
The reason is because there's been a development and it could make things awkward, " Jack told her. She hesitated so he added, "Ianto said if you needed you could call him," she shook her head then started to speak because she couldn't see any reason he would lie. She was not sure why Jack was asking her this but if he had Ianto's okay then maybe this was her chance to get Jack to back off once and for all.

"It was the day after the funeral. Ianto was so stoic at the funeral, giving support to everyone, he held me as I cried for Lisa and what was lost, it was all very sad. Ianto didn't say much, he was never much of a talker. As the day wore on he spoke less and less. At the end he thanked everyone and asked if everyone could respect that he wanted some time on his own for the next couple of days and not to contact him. After what he had been through no one thought it was strange. The next day I was getting ready to leave and I had this feeling that I needed to see him, just to check he was okay. I called and his answer phone was on, which was not a surprise, but as I listened I realized the message was strange It didn't sound like him, it was a mumbled thank you to everyone for what they had done, but there was no place to speak and I knew immediately something was wrong." She let of a deep breath.

"It was touch and go because he fought to die Jack, he fought every attempt to assist him, and he was so combative he had to be restrained. After few days he retreated into a catatonic state. With the physical damage on the mend they transferred him to a specialist facility and slowly he started to respond and he began to speak," she shook her head, and put her face in her hands for a few seconds before pulling up.

Jack, seeing her distress remained silent as he waited for her to continue.

"He began co-operating with the staff, and taking an active interest in his own recovery. He seemed to be doing so well they took him off suicide watch but It was all a sham, no one knows how he did it but he had managed to fashion a knife and sever his jugular vein. He was found in his room, blood literally pumping out, it was nothing short of a miracle he lived. Second time around no one was fooled and he went back to being silent."

"It was good he had someone to stand by him," Jack told her as he put a hand on her shoulder as she related her account.

"It was horrible, he had this dead look in his eyes and he just refused to respond. After what felt like months he seemed to turn a corner. This time it was a genuine breakthrough and he really improved to the point where, he left hospital nine months ago and he moved here for a fresh start," she told him.

"You've been a good friend, and now Ianto is going to need your support again," he told her as she finished.

"Of course," Tosh replied as she wiped her face dry.

"I'm asking you if you can support Ianto no matter what his choices are," Jack added.

"What's happened? You said Ianto was okay," Tosh said suddenly concerned.

"He's better than okay. It's just that those around him have been doing a lot of hand wringing trying to ensure he's safe, not that I am criticizing," he added as he saw the look on her face. "After reading his records, something I am not proud of I might add, I came to a decision to back off. I left here today with the intention of ending any relationship I had with Ianto; I did this because Ianto needs a relationship where there is the possibility of children. It's in almost every conversation he had in his records. If he stays with me that can never happen," he told her he put up his hand as she attempted to speak.

"I know I've joked in the past, but even in the 51st century male pregnancy, am difficult without intervention and serious ongoing support because half of all male pregnancy's never come to term. Here in the 21st century, it's not going to happen. Adoption's not an option either, two men trying to adopt in today's climate, the odds would be against us. That aside I'm not sure I want children, the thought has never crossed my mind. It is something I have never considered it nor even for a second.

"I've been careful Tosh, and I know it's hard to believe but I can tell you now there are no little Jack Juniors out there," he saw the skeptical look on her face. "Ask Owen" he added as explanation. "I am sure he will be happy to tell you all about it because he's fascinated with 51st century biology. " He sat back before continuing, "What I am trying to say is I realized that I am not what Ianto needs. He needs to be a husband and father, and out there," he pointed upwards, "is a beautiful woman who is going to make him very happy."

"That's good Jack you finally understand," she said as she let a sigh of relief. "How did he take it? You have told him, that's why you're talking to me right?" she asked him as she saw him shake his head.

"No, Ianto has made his feelings very clear Tosh he wants to continue seeing me," Jack told her as she flushed with anger.

"You told me recently you don't do relationships. It's the chase, the conquest, first kiss, first everything. Then is downhill from there and that basically you were heartless," she told him bluntly.

Jack lent forward and touched her hand, "Well maybe, I have a heart after all," he told her as she sat back and looked at him her arms crossed.

'I know I have a heart,' Jack thought as he watched her , 'because today I felt it break when I saw him walk away believing I wanted nothing more to do with him."

"This isn't about me Tosh, this is about Ianto" he tried to explain "This is about what he wants, he asked me to respect what he wants" Jack told her. "Can you do the same? Can you allow him to make his own choices regardless of what you might think is right for him?" Jack asked as she sat back in thought as she pulled her lower lip. Several moments passed as she looked at Jack.

"I love Ianto very much as a friend, he has come so far, I just don't want to see him hurt," she paused for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. "Ianto is a sweet guy who deserves someone special in his life and in truth Jack I don't think you are that person," She continued.

Jack looked at his watch as it beeped and he stood up, "Sorry have to go, pizza with Ianto," he told her as he checked his pockets.

"Look Tosh, I know you don't approve, but hasn't he had enough of that from his sister. All of the people around him keep telling him he deserves to get on with his life, well maybe that just what he is doing. It may not be in the way you all had envisaged but trust me Ianto is his own man, " Jack told her as he prepared to leave as Tosh stood.

"That not it Jack and you know it" She retorted as she struggled to find the words she needed to say "Just don't break his heart," she burst out she saw him turn to face her visibly upset.

"I have already made that promise to myself," Jack told her softly as he spun and made his way out of the Hub.

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Filling the coffee flask with water Ianto glanced out the window and took a calming breath. Today had been the realization of his worst case scenario. Against all his and Tosh's efforts somewhere there had been a soft copy of his medical records and Jack had found them, worse he was now privy to the whole sordid affair ,not that he was ashamed. At the time it felt like the only choice he had left. However it was his private hell and he had wanted it to remain just that private. He couldn't control the storage of the actual copies but he had thought all electronic records were gone.

Moving back he poured the water into the coffee machine and switched it on. Now the man had found out. Ianto knew he was being unfair. He knew he was being unreasonable and that he should trust Jack. So far the man had passed every test he had thrown at him. It had been hard, more than once he had wanted to throw himself at Jack, but held himself back. This had been without doubt the hardest three months of his life. He wanted Jack badly but had struggled with taking their relationship forward. To all intents and purpose Jack had proven himself and he could feel that for Jack this was something entirely new. But there was this niggle that told him he should beware, that maybe this was all a ploy and that once he given himself to Jack and he got what he wanted, he would just walk away. He couldn't handle that, he had feelings for Jack real feelings and could sense Jack had feelings for him, but there was always this thought that ate away at him, saying one more test, just more hoop Jack had to jump through before he committed himself.

It was hard to leave Jack at the beach and the excuse he had used had been lame. However he needed to give Jack time to step back and think. He had read his medical history, all of it, not some of as he had claimed, he knew a lie when he heard and felt it and it meant his life was laid bare. But the lie was stated out of shame at his actions rather than artifice. Could Jack, handle Tosh's firsthand experience and still want to be with him? Once he heard the truth, not some dry medical facts, but listened and heard how bad it really was, how close he had to ending it all twice and all the pain he had gone through, knowing the truth, would he still want to be with him? Could Jack be trusted with his feelings? He looked at his watch, he was late twenty past five, he felt sick, oh god what was he going to do if Jack didn't come.

A single knock on the door and Jack found himself locked in the arms of Ianto Jones, who began to kiss him with a fierce passion.

"You came," Ianto burst out as they pulled apart momentarily and Ianto took the pizza and placed it on the kitchen bench then turned back to kiss him again as Jack kicked the door shut with a backwards kick.

"There was a queue I had to wait, and I left my mobile phone at the Hub," Jack told him as Ianto kissed his face pushing him onto the sofa. Pulling back reluctantly he retrieved the pizza box. He placed it on the small coffee table in front of the sofa and opened it. Then stepping over the small kitchen bench took a plate and handed it to Jack. He then proceeded to a coffee flask and filled two mugs, one of which he gave to Jack. Taking a sip Ianto watched the expression on Jack's face as he took a mouth full from the mug in his hand.

"This is orgasmic," Jack told him savoring the flavor much to Ianto's delight as he joined Jack on the sofa.

"It's my own special blend," Ianto told him as he took a slice of pizza. He looked down at himself, dropped the pizza, then stood gapped a tea towel and tucked into his collar.

Leaning forward he now picked up the same slice and took a large bite.

"Thought you like things hot and spicy, didn't see you as a Hawaiian with extra pineapple person," Jack teased as Ianto leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Hot food, chili definitely, however, first real date, thought it would better to be a little bit conservative," Ianto told him. "Anyway, bit of a strange day, sometimes it's nice to have comfort food," he added as he saw Jack takes another sip of coffee.

"Had a talk with Tosh," Jack told him as he chewed.

"Thanks," Ianto told him as he took a sip of coffee.

"She's okay, not happy but dealing with it," Jack advised him as he took another slice.

"Good," Ianto said as he powered through his third slice.

"I appreciate you talking to her Jack, I'll add my own bit then hopefully it won't be too awkward. I mean you do have to work together," Ianto told him seriously as he saw Jack nod. As he nodded he caught a flash that Jack fully understood his reasons for getting him to talk to Tosh which came back with an understanding of how far Jack had come.

"Yeah," Jack said throwing the crust into the box and finishing the last mouth full of coffee as he saw Ianto do the same as he pulled away the tea towel as Ianto leaned in for a kiss as he started to pull out Jack's shirt.

"Have you any idea how long I have wanted to do this?" Ianto told him as pulled back and undid his tie. Jack swatted his hand away as he undid the knot and pulled the tie out in slow motion as he looked into Ianto's eyes. With slow deliberation he began to unbutton his shirt, after exposing the top of his chest he began to plant small delicate kisses along his neck line, coming to the puckered scar on left hand side of his neck near the collar bone he kissed it. Ianto moaned and he reached up and kissed his lips. After a several long moments of just running their hands under each other's their shirts, Jack pulled Ianto horizontal and wrapped his arms around him and held him close and laid his head on the crook of his shoulder.

"Have you any idea how long I have wanted to just hold you in my arms?" Jack told him as he held him close as he nuzzled into him.

"I'm a bit new to all this and it's been awhile," Ianto said almost whispering after several seconds as Jack looked up at him then kissed him gently.

"We take this one step at a time, there's no hurry," Jack advised him as he felt Ianto relax and began to kiss him. "You taste divine Ianto Jones," Jack said as their lips met.

***

Chapter Twelve

Jack sat holding the steering wheel of the SUV arms stretched out as he reflected on his evening out with Ianto. It had been a wonderful evening in every respect except one. Their first date had set up a pattern which had been repeated now multiple times. They would spend the evening at the shop or went out for a meal. Ianto was clearly comfortable with being kissed and held. A couple of times in the beginning he had even allowed Jack to touch his erection which something Ianto clearly appeared to enjoy but now had become acutely embarrassed for some reason.

Anything was permissible above the waist line, below Ianto stopped him every time he moved near that zone. What was so puzzling was he sensed Ianto really wanted to move beyond this and he felt his frustration was almost as great as his own. He looked out across the bay as he tried to reason it out. What was stopping him? 'Start at the beginning' he told himself as thought back to those first couple of dates, it had been fantastic they had been kissing and no-one kissed him like Ianto did and he had undone Ianto's belt, slid his hands down into his boxers and ran his hand down the length of Ianto's erect cock. Ianto had moaned in pleasure, then jerked and pulled back. It had happened again on their next date and the next. Something was wrong, but what was it? He felt if something didn't happen soon he would explode on first contact and his jaw dropped as it came to him. Turning the key in the ignition he needed to get back to the Hub and do some research.

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Ianto lay on the put up bed in the tiny space he called his bedroom. It was a space not deserving of the title bedroom being more like an extra-large walk in closet. He turned over and lay on his stomach, at least once he got into his own place he could get a decent sized bed, this one sagged in exactly the wrong places. He threw a foot out of the covers and hit the wall. Not that getting a large bed was going to help if all he was only ever going to do would be sleeping in it he thought in disappointment. 'What the hell was wrong with him?' he asked himself, 'he never had this problem in the past. It was like whenever Jack came anywhere near him bam it was all over all bar the shouting and he wouldn't mind if there had been some shouting, but there never was.

He let out a deep breath. He knew it had been a long time, and for months he hadn't had a sexual thought in his head, and now he did he had lost all self-control. He put his hand on his cock and felt himself harden as he thought of Jack touching him. He ached to be touched as he began to stoke himself, fantasizing this was Jack's hand curled around his length and stopped himself in frustration. He didn't want a wank in bed he wanted the real thing. He growled as he turned over. He was sure Jack suspected something, how long would he hang about with just kissing and fondling each other? And if he did what the hell would he think because this was definitely something one did not share with anyone else especially another bloke? He felt his face burn at the very thought and began to squirm with embarrassment. This was misery and he hated that he was so incapable of going the full distance. He turned over and lay on his side as his mind began to fill with an endless list of what if's that fed each other in to feeding frenzy, 'what if Jack found out, what if he was never able to go the distance again, what if he was stuck like this for ever, what if he could never have full on sex again, what if Jack found out… 'shit,' he thought, circular thinking, and he brought himself back to his original thought. Misery, this was utter misery, having two years of pent up lust, a willing and eager boyfriend and not being able to do a thing about it.

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Pushing the keyboard away at his desk, Jack pulled at his lower lip. This was awkward if what was happening to Ianto was what he thought it was then Ianto would be acutely embarrassed. It was something that happened to most guys at one time or another. He had an idea about how to fix this, but Ianto was a proud man. He had gone through several scenarios; the worst was confronting him with it. If he did he was sure this would most likely cause him to withdraw and or even deny it was happening.

Another option was to say nothing and hope Ianto worked it through in his own time. No, that was not an option. Ianto was wound up like a watch spring and he was sure that that was the part of the problem. He was pretty sure he could help, but how to offer that help in any way Ianto would be able to accept it was the issue. He let out a sigh. There must be a way to bring up the subject and offer help, while allowing Ianto to keep his dignity but move them forward. He smiled as a thought came to him and he checked his desk calendar and pulled the keyboard towards him again.

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Sitting on the sofa in the back of Ianto's shop a demolished takeaway curry on the small coffee table, their legs stretched out Jack gave Ianto a deep kiss, then pulled back and Ianto put his head on his chest as Jack picked up his beer bottle and took a deep sip.

"Caught up with an old friend recently," Jack began to say carefully.

"Yeah," Ianto commented miserably as he reached out for his own beer and took a drink.

"It was so nice to catch up with him, he's had a bit of a rough time, and a few years ago he lost his partner in terrible circumstances. Well recently he's met someone new," Jack started cautiously.

"That's nice," Ianto added not really listening lost in his own thoughts.

"Sort of, it seemed he had a bit of a problem, you see it had been a long gap since his last boyfriend and well poor bloke kept getting overexcited and it was all over before things got started. He was horribly embarrassed because it had never happened before. Once could be explained but when it kept happening, his friend lost all his confidence and although he really wanted to do more he was worried what his new boyfriend might think."

His eyes widening Ianto froze in Jack's arms as he listened intently.

"What happened?" Ianto asked hesitantly as Jack kissed him.

"Well once his boyfriend had figured out what the problem was, he came up with a solution. He arranged a long romantic weekend away where his friend took him in hand literally. They experimented so see what worked and what didn't. And the boyfriend had some techniques that also helped to lengthen his friend's enjoyment and his boyfriend got to do try a few things as well."

"Did it work?" Ianto asked not daring to look at Jack.

"Best thing was, they had a weekend of fun, and his friend gained a lot if not all of his confidence back," Jack told him.

"What did the boyfriend get out of it?" Ianto asked as he fiddled with the top of the beer bottle.

"He got to help someone he cared about very much and who he could see was growing more frustrated with every passing day. He could sense how much his friend really wanted to take things further but was so embarrassed by his loss of what he felt was his self -control he couldn't move forward," Jack told him.

"That's nice," Ianto said non-committedly as he took another sip of beer.

Several moments passed when Jack pulled him in closer and kissed him. "And maybe he wanted to prove to the amazing new person in his life that he was worth more than ten books," Jack added as Ianto looked at him in surprise.

"Anyway... changing the subject," Jack said standing up and walking across to the fridge which he opened and took out another beer as Ianto joined him. "It's a bank holiday weekend coming up and I realised the other day I've not had a break away from work for years, the last time was when I went to a conference, in Dublin and that was seven years ago. I had no idea how long it had been." He twisted of the top of the beer." So I'm thinking of taking a break, I heard of this hotel with great sea views and I was thinking of going away over the three days, like to come?" Jack asked.

Ianto looked at him in wide eyed relief as he grabbed hold of Jack's shirt and kissed him.

"I'll take that as a yes then," Jack said as the pulled apart as Ianto went to snog him again.

"A definite yes," Jack said as they momentarily came up for air.

"Oh yeah," Ianto told him.

***

Chapter Thirteen.

"Wow," Ianto said as he entered the room and saw the view which was a wide expanse of sea. "That is what I call a view," he said as he placed his bag on the sofa.

"Yeah, I asked for a room with a view," Jack said turning towards Ianto who radiating anxiety from every pore. Pulling him into his arms he could feel he was trembling, kissing him gently they then touched foreheads.

"Speak to me," he said gently knowing if this was to work Ianto needed to tell him what was bothering him.

"What if we can't fix this?" he said in a whisper.

Jack kissed him, and took his hand. "Come with me," he said leading him to the bedroom.

Slipping his shoes off Jack laid on top of the covers and patted the space next to him. Ianto slipped off his shoes and took off his waistcoat and laid next to him. Stretched out Jack wrapped his arms around him and kissed his forehead.

"There's more tell me?" Jack encouraged as he heard Ianto let out a sigh.

"This is so hard Jack," Ianto told him as he took Jacks hand and kissed it.

"We're here to find a solution and you need to tell me everything that's worrying you?" Jack told him.

Ianto took a deep breath. "How the hell do I say this?" he paused as Jack kissed his forehead. "Okay, I guess I have this fear, that I won't be enough for you and…," he started to say but Jack kissed the words away.

"I have a confession," Jack admitted as Ianto looked at him concerned. "Let me tell you that since that first day when I ran into you there has been no one else and do you want to know why?" He kissed Ianto. "I don't want anyone else, it's like you are everything I ever wanted." Ianto reached up and pulled him into a deep kiss.

As they came up for air Ianto began to kiss Jack along his jaw line. "Oh Jack I want you so badly," Ianto said. Jack kissed him as he unbuttoned his shirt and began to open his belt buckle. Ianto moved slightly back a tremor in his voice. "But we've never even seen each other naked and let's be honest I have no idea what I am doing," he said as Jack looked at him and in that moment instinctively understood Ianto needed him to take charge.

He kissed him as he pulled away and then stated, "Ianto, get up and undress, and I mean, everything. I 'm going to get my bag, when I get back I want you in bed under the covers." Ianto looked at him blinking. "Do as I say," he ordered as he saw and felt Ianto relax in his arms.

Smiling hesitantly Ianto got up and started to undress. Getting up Jack left and got his bag and waited outside the door as he counted ninety seconds from his watch. As he re-entered the room he saw Ianto was in bed with the covers pulled up under his neck. Turning his back he quickly stripped and then slipped in next to Ianto.

"This one is to take the edge off," Jack told him as he pulled Ianto towards him and began to kiss him passionately as he wrapped himself around Ianto, who he could feel was already hard. He reached down and slid his hand around Ianto's cock which was heavily leaking and began to stroke him. Two strokes, and he felt Ianto shudder and his seed pulsed over the end of his fist. He continued to kiss him as Ianto's breathing slowed. After several moments had passed Jack reached out taking the wipes he had placed on the bed side table and cleaned themselves both up. Ianto looked flushed as Jack pulled him on his chest.

"What about you?" Ianto told him as Jack kissed him.

"Later, we are going to play a game called 'Follow the Leader', but this weekend is about you," he told him as Ianto looked at him as he took one his hands and began to kiss him and started to chuckle.

"What?" Ianto asked him.

"There are two things I want this weekend," Jack told him as he continued to kiss him.

"Firstly I want to kiss you all over, and I mean all over, and secondly I want to beat your record," he said working his way with kisses up his arm reaching his neck began to work down his chest.

Ianto started to kiss him back but Jack stopped him.

"I said I wanted to kiss you all over," he said as he reached a nipple and began to suck gently as a small moan escaped Ianto's lips. "Right now all you have to do is to lay here and enjoy yourself," as he felt the tension in Ianto begin to ease.

"You said record," Ianto said as bit his lip and caught his breath as Jack kissed his way down his chest.

"Everyone has a record," Jack said as he turned his attention to Ianto's other nipple and as he gently sucked he brought his hand up and tweaked his other one.

"Record?" Ianto moaned out trying to think as Jack tweaked his nipples and made his way back up to the scar on his neck and worked his way to his ear and sucked his ear lope. Then with little suck kisses made his way down his chin and when he reached his lips gave him a deep kiss. Ianto wrapped his arms around Jack.

"When was the last time you just let go and allowed someone else to give you pleasure?" Jack moving his lips in small kisses around the soft down on Ianto' s chest.

"I-bet-its-been-a-long-time," Jack said between kisses as he felt Ianto let out a deep breath as he kissed his way up to his back up to his lips and then just kissed him slow and long as he pulled Ianto closer to him and ran his arms down his back. He smiled as he noted Ianto had taken his cue and was copying him. He ran his hands down across his arse feeling its full swell then moved his hand to the inside of Ianto's thigh and brush his fingertips across the head of Ianto's cock which he noted was hard again.

"Stop!" Ianto told him suddenly. Jack stopped immediately. "Too close," Ianto declared trying to control his breathing as Jack just held him.

"Ok, this is good Ianto that was five minutes," Jack told him as Ianto looked at him in surprise his eyes dark with lust.

"We need a safe word," Jack told him as his breathing slowed.

"Stop, seemed to work," Ianto told him as he looked at Jack.

"'Stop' and 'no' are words that are categorical but have a lot of connotations, because of that they don't always mean stop or no because they can also be tease words," Jack explained. "What we need are words that are neutral and when spoken means I stop, no argument, no debate. So what we need are two words, one for when you are getting too close and one for when you want to continue," Jack told him.

Thinking for several moments Ianto said, "Okay, 'red' for stop and 'go' for go and right now it's go," Ianto said as Jack smiled as he pulled Ianto towards him and took hold of his hand and kissed it. He pulled Ianto very close and they lay side by side , belly to belly their cocks touching. At Jack thrust, there was enough lubrication for their cocks to slide against each other. Jack pulled back slightly and whispered to Ianto's ear, "It doesn't matter how fast you come, I want you to let go all control," he told him. As he finished speaking Ianto began to quiver and groaned in pleasure as they now thrust against each other the delicious feeling of their cocks sliding against each other making them both moan with each thrust. A few moments passed he heard Ianto cry out in a deep husky growl, this was too much for Jack and it took him over the edge and as he shuddered his own release Ianto joined him a few moments later. They lay there holding each other close panting into each other's mouths.

It took a while for their breathing to return to normal as Jack held Ianto close. After a short while he picked up the wipes and they both preceded to clean each other up.

"First record broken," Ianto said as Jack raised his eyebrow as Ianto kissed him. "Yeah," he said with a small chuckle. "First time I ever came twice in under half an hour," he admitted.

"I have a theory," Jack told him as they lay in each other's arms. "I think you are very sensitive to touch and I am also betting you're a quick re-load kind of guy." Ianto lay there looking thoughtful.

"Maybe," Ianto admitted after some thought with a shy grin.

"If you are it's going to make this a whole lot easier," Jack told him as he gave him a quick kiss then jumped out of bed and left for a moment then returned with the room service menu.

"I'm starving," he said as he stood and dialed the phone, and handed the menu to Ianto as he ordered.

"Me to," Ianto said as he feasted his eyes on Jack's naked body.

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Stretched out Ianto felt Jack snuggle against him and throw his arm over him.

He had forgotten how good sleeping next to someone felt. He missed the everyday intimacy he had shared with Lisa. It was comforting to be able to be like this even if it was only for the long weekend. He glanced over at the bedside table and saw the time. It was three am. He loved this time of day, it was so peaceful. All he could hear was Jack's gentle snoring and his own breathing. Dead of night was the one time of the day he felt he could truly relax. There no one asking him to do things, no one to please or pretend he was okay for and he could remove the mask he wore.

Jack changed position, snuggling even closer. Ianto wondered if Jack had always been as lonely has had in the most recent past. He was shocked when Jack had told him about his relationship with the Doctor. He prayed they never met because he was not sure if he could hide his anger at how badly he had treated Jack.

Abandoned, he had waited nearly over a hundred years to meet up with him and then when he had the man had ran away. What kind of being ran off leaving someone stranded in such fashion in the first place? Worst had been what happened once he had finally caught up with him. Jack hadn't needed to say much about what happened for Ianto to know that it had been bad. Jack had told him he had spent a whole year at the mercy of some mad Time Lord called the Master, he's been battered, beaten up, abused, tortured and repeatedly killed. He turned over and kissed Jack on the cheek as Jack proceeded to throw his legs over Ianto entangling them even closer.

Biting his lower lip Ianto wondered if it was too soon to ask Jack to move in with him when he took over his new flat? Was Jack the kind of person who moved in with someone? Did Jack have a home? In all their conversations Jack had never indicated that he lived anywhere than at the Hub. It would be wonderful if he said yes, then he could start taking care of him in a way he most likely had never experienced, but was it too soon?

He took a breath and stretched out and drew Jack closer, he felt wonderful. They had been here two days and it had been fantastic. For the last act of the day he had been the recipient of the most exquisite and astoundingly mind blowing, blow job of his entire existence. It had come after 48 hours of experimentation, as they had worked out Ianto's triggers. As a consequence Jack now knew how to play with his body bringing to the him to the edge and holding him there until he begged to be allowed to come, the orgasm that had ripped through his whole being had felt like an out of body experience, much to Jack's delight.

He had given Jack a couple of blow jobs, of what he felt were clumsy attempts compared to Jack's efforts. Jack told him they was wonderful and he should have more faith in his ability. And anyway it was something that could only improve with practice. This was something Ianto was only too happy to do because he had discovered he enjoyed giving head to Jack. He had become fascinated with Jack's cock and he loved its feel, long shape and his delectable taste. He wondered what it would feel like to feel Jack deep inside him, and to be deep inside Jack and felt an excited anticipation stir his cock. 'Could anything be more prefect than this' he asked himself 'This amazing man wrapped around him and one whole day left of wonderful love making with the promise of more to come.' Jack shifted position turning as Ianto now spooned himself against Jack's back as Jack reached over and pulled Ianto's arm around him. Very gently Ianto began to nuzzle kiss the back of Jack's neck.

"If you keep doing that sleep will be impossible," Jack told him as he pulled Ianto's hand down to his rapidly hardening cock.

"I thought you would never wake up," Ianto confessed as Jack turned over and began to kiss him.

"You know when I said record, I meant yours not mine," Jack teased him as he caught his breath as Ianto lowered his head and used his lips to suck the tip of Jack's cock as Jack arched his back into the bed.

"I need to taste you so bad," Ianto told him as he buried his head in Jack's crotch licking the vein on underside of his cock, as he felt Jack become harder. Taking his hand he steadied Jack's cock and began to suck the head more strongly. He felt Jack shudder as he ran his tongue over his slit and tasted precum and rolled it around his tongue relishing the flavor as he tried to stifle a smile at the realization of how fast he could get Jack off.

"Ianto Jones you are one fast leaner," Jack tried to say in gasps as Ianto now took down his whole shaft in and began to apply pressure with his mouth. Jack trust forward as Ianto moved his mouth up and down in rhythm, he heard Jack's cry out his name as he took Jack over the edge. He licked him clean because he wanted to savor every drop then worked his way back up Jack's chest as Jack wrapped his arms around him and rocked him.

"Your record, ha," Ianto sniggered as Jack's breathing slowed.

"Yeah but it's my turn now," Jack said with glee.

***

Chapter Fourteen

Unzipping his bag, Jack began to pull out several articles of clothing and threw them into the corner of his room under his office at the Hub, along with his dirty washing. Pulling out a shirt he took a deep sniff; it retained a faint fragrance of Ianto. The last three days had been without doubt the most satisfying experiences of his long life. Ianto was so responsive it had been a joy seeing him relax and really begin to enjoy himself. As he relaxed it became clear his issue was nowhere as bad as he had imagined to be. However it had taken some persuading Ianto to let him do all the work to begin with and he wondered how long it had been since Ianto had allowed himself lose all control. Ianto's evident pleasure at having someone else take over and be dominated had taken Jack by surprise, but as he came to understand Ianto better, it appeared he spent a lot of time keeping his emotions in check.

His words whispered on that first afternoon had been a moment of inspiration on his part and has allowed Ianto to be himself. He wondered if Lisa had been the more dominant one in the bedroom? Or was it that Ianto had acquiesced to being less dominant because Jack was more experienced? He hoped the latter was true because he liked the idea of Ianto taking control, he was in charge all day, it would be bloody amazing to have Ianto take over and be able to lose all control himself. He looked at his watch; it was eight thirty Ianto would be arriving at his shop now.

Three days was not enough. It was like time had a different quality when he was with Ianto, and he wondered if he could ask if they could move in together. 'Too soon' he heard an inner voice say, 'the man has been living with his sister, and was looking forward to getting into his owns space, it was too soon,' If Ianto was looking for somewhere to live now then it would have been easy to make the suggestion. If nothing else Ianto deserved some space to himself. It didn't mean Jack couldn't dream of what it might be like to live with someone... he corrected himself, 'Ianto'. He sat down on the edge of his cot and held the shirt to his nose. 'Soap' he thought good old fashioned soap and essence of Ianto filled his senses as he recalled the joy of waking up in his arms, being smothered in kisses, kissing Ianto all over in return. That brought a smile to his face, the recollection of holding him down and kissing him all over several times and the glorious look on his face when he came. He glanced at his watch, he would be starting a flask of his wonderful special coffee, and thought of pulling him close and tasting Ianto with coffee on his lips.

"You back with us then," a voice interrupted his thoughts as Owen's voice called down.

"Yeah," Jack shouted back, sighing he stood up and inhaled, holding the shirt to his nose.

"Meeting, board room five minutes," the voice told him.

"Be there," Jack shouted back up then sighed and took a look around his small quarters then folded the shirt and laid it on his pillow, standing up he put his foot on the rung of the ladder and headed up to join the others.

twtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtw

Ianto threw his bag on the floor and grabbed Jack's coat lapels and kissed him with a fierce passion as Jack hooked the door shut with his foot. Several moments passed as they fumbled with each other's clothing then pulled apart panting with breathlessness.

"That was the longest drive of my life," Ianto told Jack as he led him into the bedroom and they started to strip each other. Ianto pulled off Jack's shirt followed by his tee-shirt as he kissed his exposed neck. Jack undid Ianto's belt then ran his hands inside his boxers and placed them on his arse pulling him closer.

"Thirty minutes is not that long," Jack said as he just held Ianto close.

"Yeah it's a long time, when all I wanted to do was this, "Ianto told him as with gentle ease slid his hands into Jack boxers and he wrapped his hand around his cock.

Jack moaned and Ianto smiled as he saw the lost look on Jack's face as he gently stroked him running his thumb over the slit and using the pre-cum as lubrication and pumped him slowly. Jack opened in his eyes and groaned in disappointment as Ianto took his hand away then with deliberate slowness he pulled Jack's boxers down revealing his painfully erect cock. Jack mirrored Ianto's actions as Ianto ripped back the covers and they snuggled together. Lying side by side they now grasped hands around each other's cocks and stroked together.

They panted into each other's mouths then kissed each other blindly. Jack felt a tingling in the base of his spine and felt his rhythm falter as his orgasm ripped through him, and felt his fist heat as his seed pulsed out. He caught his breath as he felt Ianto join him. Breathless he pulled Ianto to him so their essences rubbed together in a slippery mess and kissed his face. "Oh Ianto," he said between kisses. Moments later Ianto pulled back and went the bathroom and came back with a wet cloth and gently began to clean them up.

Wrapping their arms around each other they lay kissing each other gently. Jack felt Ianto melt into him as he did the same. He knew they both loved this special moment after they had made love, it was a special closeness reserved just for this time. For Jack it was knowing that in this moment that Ianto was all his.

Snuggling Ianto wished somehow he could meld with Jack and be joined like this forever. He wondered if Jack had any idea how important he was to him and he felt himself mist over as he lay and listened to Jacks heart-beat. He had no idea how long they just lay there lost in each other as he felt Jack's breath quicken and his heart rate-increase.

Jack took a deep breath to steady himself. "There's something I need to tell, say to you, before we make love, because when people make love they say things they don't mean during and after," Jack swallowed nervously as tried to explain as Ianto looked into his eyes to see them filled with anxiety.

Ianto kissed him sensing this was a monumental moment for him as Jack struggled to find the words he needed as he let out a breath and took another one.

"I've never said this to anyone before," he swallowed nervously again.

Holding Jack closer Ianto kissed him and placed his hand on the back of Jack's neck and caressed him encouraging him to speak but remaining silent as he realised how difficult this disclosure was for him and the courage it was taking to declare his feelings.

"And I'm scared if I say this and it's too soon and you …" Jack said, his words fading to nothing, as he was overcome with nervousness. Kissing his lips gently Ianto pulled up the bed covers then pulled Jack even closer and kissed him again.

"What I think you are trying to say is that sometimes people declare things during the heat of passion when they are having full on sex that they don't mean and you want to tell me before so I know it's for real and not just sex talk." Jack looked at him and nodded shyly

"Yes," Jack whispered in to Ianto's shoulder.

"And you're worried that if you do tell me and it's too soon ,you'll get hurt because your feelings might not be returned," and he saw Jack nod and felt him trembling and he kissed him very gently as he looked deep into his eyes.

Ianto took his hand and cupped his face as Jack took a sharp breath, "I love you," he said softly as he kissed Ianto gently on the lips as Ianto took Jack's hand and placed it over his heart.

"I love you too," Ianto replied gently as he felt the tension Jack was holding onto break and he almost sobbed as they kissed deeply.

"I have lived a long time and I have never felt like this about anyone before, except maybe one person," Jack said as he recovered and they pulled apart slightly.

"The Doctor," Ianto said and saw Jack nod.

"I promise, I will never treat you as he did," Ianto told him. "I will be right here by your side, as long as I am able."

"Oh Ianto," Jack said as a tear flowed down his face and Ianto kissed it away.

"Jack, I feel your love in the way you kiss me and I see it in your eyes, "as he put Jack's hand over his heart, "and I feel it here," he kissed Jack tenderly and stroked his cheek with his thumb.

"I loved you from the moment I ran into you on the Plass it just took the rest of me, all this time to catch up with my heart," Jack told him honestly taking his hand and kissing the palm.

"I know the moment I fell in love with you," Ianto said after a few moments as he followed the feelings linking his heart to Jacks. "It was in the shop, I had said something totally crass and when I looked across I saw the real you and it took every effort of will power I had not to jump across the counter and take you in my arms," he admitted.

"What is this connection?" Jack asked as he put Ianto's hand over his heart area." It happened from the first moment I met you, "he told him as he struggled to express in words the union he felt with Ianto.

"I have no idea, I just know you, it's hard to explain but I just do," Ianto added "Maybe it has something to do with this test I took when I first started at Torchwood. I took it as a new recruit. There was this battery of tests and well I came low in all of them except the empathy one, I scored an eight on some scale," he told Jack.

"Eight!" Jack exclaimed

"Is that high?" Ianto asked amused more than surprised at Jack's reaction.

"It's only got a scale of eight!" Jack explained flabbergasted.

"Do you have any idea what that means then, they never explained it saying that they would follow it up, but before they could , well you know what happened," Ianto added in explanation.

"It means you're an empath," Jack explained as he settled back down.

"A what?" Ianto asked

"An empath is someone who has the ability to read and understand people and is in resonance with them. It also means you can feel another person's true emotions rather than what's being portrayed on the surface," Jack tried to explain.

"But that's not true Jack, it only ever happens with you, I never felt this with Lisa. I agree it's difficult for someone to fool me, but I've been fooled in the past, look at that woman Angela Smithson. I was totally taken in by her story. The truth is the only person I have ever been able to do this with is you. If I close my eyes Jack I can feel the connection," Ianto expounded. "There are times when I can sense exactly what you're feeling and yet at other times nothing."

"Even in the 51st century it was ill defined and it was so long ago I can't recall," Jack added. "But your ability doesn't explain my connection to you. When I applied to be a time agent, I rated almost zero on every test. I only scraped in as a time agent and had to have special training to help shield myself. Even with extensive practice the best I could manage was to sense when someone was scanning me and even that had to be boosted by a special function on my wrist manipulator."

"So am I enhancing the link?" Ianto asked already knowing the answer as Jack shook his head and shut his eyes as he concentrated following the link.

"It's there, equal both ways, I am reaching out to you, you to me," Jack added as he saw Ianto nod in agreement.

"I do know one thing," Jack added after several moments had passed, "I hate being apart from you, these weekends are not enough, when we're apart it feels like a part of me is missing."

"Today we become one," Ianto told him as he eyes sparkled and he felt a tingle of anticipation and then took a deep breath. "And now I have something to ask you," he said looking nervous as Jack kissed Ianto's hand.

"Anything if it's in my power to grant it," Jack told him as he now put his forehead against Ianto's as Ianto continued to speak.

"If I ask you this, and it's too soon and we're moving so fast, I know the timing might be off and I don't want to freak you out and I want to ask you... I've been thinking it for weeks. If the answer is no, the offer is still open, and you just said you hate it when we're apart and you want more and…" he swallowed as Jack interrupted gently with a kiss.

""WhenItakeovertheflatwillyoumoveinwithme?" Ianto said in one breath.

"To fast, slow down," Jack told him as he kissed the palm of his hand.

"When I take over the flat will you move in with me?" Ianto asked as he squirmed in Jack's arms.

"I thought you would never ask," Jack said as he let out the breath he was holding and kissed his face.

"So that's a yes then?" Ianto double checked going up on one elbow.

"A double yes," Jack said and Ianto kissed his face.

"Yes," Ianto declared as he pulled Jack closer to him as he broke into a huge grin then pulled Jack's face to his and gave him a deep kiss then pulled back and began to plant small kisses all over his face.

***

Chapter fifteen

Standing by the board room table Tosh quickly ran over the reports she had in her hand as she watched Jack enter and smiled very gently to herself. Jack may not have realised but the change in him over the past months was startling; he was softer, kinder, and patient and he was certainly smiling a lot more. And today he looked like he was almost glowing, his whole demeanour had changed and she liked it. She may not have approved of his relationship with Ianto but she could not deny that his effect on Jack was astonishing.

In all honesty Ianto was much the same, and it was a long time since she had seen him so happy. The quiet desperation he had carried along with him for so long was slowly dissipating, replaced with the same glow she observed in Jack. She could plot the exact moment, she had changed her mind about their continuing relationship. She had been going through some CCTV footage from the Plass on some pretext or other she could no longer recall and came across a recent recording of Jack and Ianto standing and talking their fingers interlinked as they looked out across the bay. They had thrown little looks at each other, and stole small kisses when they thought no one was looking. The turning point for her was the way Jack looked at Ianto as he listened to him talk. She couldn't hear the conversation but the look on Jack's face was one of adoration. In light of such evidence how could she continue to object?

The speed of their relationship was breath-taking and the next step she predicted would be living together. However she did wonder how Jack would cope with his self -declared distaste for all things domestic.

"Good weekend?" she asked him as he gave her a shy smile as he joined her.

"Yeah," he said slowly as a faraway look crept on his face and he let out a sigh.

"How are things with Ianto?" Tosh asked him.

"We're moving in together," Jack told her to see an amused look on her face turn to concern.

"Not here, he's just bought a flat, we're going sofa shopping this weekend?" He said as Tosh raised an eyebrow.

"Has he made you a home cooked Mexican dinner or got you to assemble a flat pack yet?" she added stifling a giggle and saw the look in his eyes as he smiled.

"Tosh that's a brilliant idea, I bet Ianto would love that, he likes things hot and spicy, and I need to add a Philips screw driver to my list, thank you for reminding Me." he told her. Tosh was about to react thinking he was being sarcastic when she realised he was being completely sincere.

"List?" Owen said as he entered the board room looking out of place wearing a suit.

"List of things I need to do and arrange before…" he stopped as he saw Gwen enter carrying a tray of assorted cutlery and went to help her as she moved towards the far end of the long table.

"Before what?" Gwen asked as she laid out the knives, spoons and forks.

"Later," Jack interrupted as he looked at his watch.

"A suit Owen that's a bit over the top," Gwen said as she quickly checked the arranged the breakfast laid out at the far end of the table.

"Well I thought, you know that woman, what's her face…" Owen said

"Sarah," Gwen, Tosh and Jack answered simultaneously

"Might be one of the party, so I thought a man in a suit, good impression," he saw the look on their faces.

"Worked for you didn't it?" he added looking at Jack shook his head and indicated to Tosh to begin.

"I completed the report on our progress, I have multiple copies one for each of our visitors and one for each of us," Tosh said handing out a soft covered file with the Torchwood logo on the cover, as she handed them out.

"So Gwen and I'll be meeting our guests who will be arriving in approximately thirty minutes we'll bring them down here and give them breakfast," Jack indicated to the breakfast buffet at the far end complete with fruit, croissants, jam, juice and coffee.

"Great job Gwen" he commented as he continued. "Tosh will give them our progress report, Owen you will be your most charming, and take them a tour of our medical facilities and resident aliens," he gave the man a look and Owen bowed his head and winked at him.

"Myfanwy?" he asked looking at Gwen.

"Locked in and lock double checked." she told him.

"Yeah, last thing we need is to have her taking off on some grand sheep rampage," Owen said with distaste as he saw everyone around the table nod in agreement.

"I will give them an update on potential candidates for our archivist and tell them how the recruitment is going, and all cell phones off," Jack said as his mobile phone started to ring pulling it out he noted the number and answered it.

"Angie," he said surprised to hear Ianto's assistant voice as she spoke hurriedly into the phone.

"How did get my number?" he asked." Oh I didn't know," he replied and took his phone away from his ear as she shouted down the phone. "Calm down, tell me what's happened?" Jack asked now becoming more worried with every moment.

"She what?" he exclaimed and stood bolt upright.

"She said what!" he burst out a few seconds later as he clenched his jaw.

"Is she still there?" Jack asked.

"Is Ianto…?" he asked as he closed his eyes, " Okay I'm on my way" Jack said looking up as he snapped his phone closed..

"I have to go," Jack stated as he turned to Owen, Tosh and Gwen.

"You can't just leave!" Gwen burst out standing and placing her hands on the table.

"This is important Gwen," he told her as left the room and headed with speed down the stairs to his office as she followed trying to keep up as she struggled not to trip down the stairs.

"Jack in exactly twenty one minutes the archive oversight committee along with two other VIP's will be arriving and they are expecting to see you!" she shouted as she raced after him.

"I am well aware of the importance of the event Gwen. You'll just have to cope," he told her as on grabbed his coat. "Give them my apologies," he told her.

"Who was that on the phone?" Gwen demanded as she stood in front of him.

"I have to go Gwen, and I need to go now" he said as he pushed past her.

"What the hell is so important you would blow off the two most important people who are in control the release of funds that allow us to function?" Gwen almost screamed at him.

"She's got a point they're responsible for releasing money for our new staff," Owen said as he joined Gwen and Jack.

"They are expecting to see you today, Jack these are very important people," Tosh added.

"For God's sake Jack you can't just leave, I mean Gwen's right they don't want to see me. They want to see you" Owen told him

"Do your best," Jack told him.

"Jack I'm telling you I am not a front person you are. You're the face of Torchwood Three, not Gwen not Tosh or me" Owen said trying to control the anxiety he felt.

"You're second in command, I have complete faith in your ability." He looked around at them. "All of you, Look how well you did when I went off with Doctor," he told them.

"That was different Jack!" Gwen exploded. "We just pretended you were still here."

"I know how this looks, but I have to go," he said trying to explain the desperate feeling he had growing in his chest.

"Jack, we need to know, " Gwen warned as she drew breath and saw Owen nod in agreement.

"It's Ianto isn't it? " Tosh said understanding as she saw Jack nod.

"Family emergency!" he told her looking her in the eye as he searched for his keys.

"You haven't got any family!" Gwen shouted at him.

"Get out of my way!" He snarled at her. As she moved aside and he turned to Owen. "Owen, you're in charge make me proud," he said. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he told him as he now turned to Tosh.

"I'll fill you in later," he told her.

"I am not happy and what the fuck are we supposed to say," Owen burst out as he saw Tosh nod then return to stare at Gwen who was shaking her head.

"Nice one Gwen," Tosh stated as Gwen stood looking contrite.

"Well he doesn't," she snapped back.

"Maybe it's time you re-evaluated your understanding of what constitutes a family," Tosh told her furiously as she headed after Owen.

***

Chapter Sixteen.

Placing his jacket on a hanger, he placed it on the hook behind the door of the small kitchen area of his shop,. Ianto began his preparations for opening the shop. Angie and Marcia were busy dusting and hoovering in a manner to meet his approval.

He smiled to himself. This had been one weekend to go into the record books. He felt slightly sore, but good sore. Jack had explained that this was a sign of good sex and he had to admit he liked it. It felt like Jack had marked him somehow and was a reminder of exactly what a fantastic weekend it had been. He had to admit he had approached this weekend feeling conflicted with a mix of anticipation, anxiety, excitement and arousal all at the same time. It had meant moving their intimacy to a whole new level and also this was something he had never done before. It meant preparation and he had to admit Jack had taken meticulous care, making sure the whole act or should he say acts, were erotic, gentle, tender, relaxed and only mildly discomforting and definitely very enjoyable.

He opened a carton from the suppliers, taking out the list of books contained within and began to mark them off the list of orders. The weekend had been full of unexpected surprises, and Jack had surprised him by saying this was a first for both of them and he wanted Ianto just as badly as he had wanted Jack. He had been a little reluctant at first saying he was so inexperienced he might hurt Jack for that very reason. However Jack had asked in a manner hard to deny, being very persuasive and in such a way it was impossible for him to refuse him anything.

He had to admit it was not his most dignified moment and he smiled to himself as he recalled Jack had prepared himself, then had shouted instructions from the front, 'Line up, slowly, wait, push gently, wait, now, more, faster, harder, yes, yes, YES!' He knew at that point he had hit Jack's prostrate and felt the man quiver then cry out incoherently as he powered into him. It had been heaven to give Jack such enjoyment.

He bit his lip in remembrance, 'God it had been fantastic,' when Jack had orgasmed, waves had pulsed around his cock and he had followed calling out Jack's name. He felt himself flush then smiled at the thought of the bed he had bought the week before. A few more weeks and he could get Jack to quiver like that every night, instead of having to wait for weekends. Five whole days, was it possible to wait that long to give such pleasure to the man he loved? A wicked thought came to him and he smiled. Maybe he could really slow it down make him beg a bit… he looked up to see Marcia with a worried look on her face.

"It's your sister," she said. As Ianto looked up he could hear her banging on the shop door.

"Ianto Jones, I know you're in there, let me in," Rihanna thundered out as she banged on the door, her voice echoing around the still empty mall. She stepped inside as Ianto opened the door his face twisted with anger.

" How could you, how could you bring such shame onto our family!" she bellowed at him as the shop door closed.

"Rh…" he tried to say.

"How could you Ianto, with him, a man?" she demanded as he saw Ianto go pale.

"What are you talking about?" he replied trying to keep calm.

"You were seen Ianto, you and him this weekend, don't you dare pretend it didn't happen. Mary's eldest works at that hotel you were holed up all weekend. " She took a deep breath as she realised something, "And I bet that's what you've been doing all these weekends, going away, with that Jack Harkness isn't it?" she yelled at him.

"What I do is none of your business," Ianto countered as he tried to control the panic he could feel growing in his chest, as early morning passers-by began to gather in front of the shop to watch.

"A queer in our family, the shame Ianto, it's against God's law, immoral. I knew you were lost that's why we took you in, but this, it's revolting," she continued to rant. "I never thought the day would come when my own brother would become one of them," she spat out. Depravity that's what it is, Ianto, you shame me. Mum must be turning in her grave," she took a breath as she saw the effect of her words on her brother.

"Rihanna, I need you to leave, this is not the time or place," Ianto asked her as he fought feelings of anger and embarrassment.

"I am not leaving until I put this right. Now you listen to me," she shrieked as she pointed at him.

twtwtwtwtwtwtwtw

Jack could hear the altercation from the mall entrance. As he got closer he could see Rihanna through the window inside the shop screaming as passers-by were stopping to look in on the spectacle. Ianto was standing radiating distress, embarrassment and horror at being publically outed.

From Ianto's clenched fists and pale face, Jack knew he was struggling to keep control as his sister screamed insults at him. Jack walked in, closed the door, placed his hand on Ianto's shoulder and stood beside him as Ianto grabbed his hand in relief at seeing him.

"You!" Rihanna screamed as she saw Jack move to her brother's side.

Resisting the urge to deck the woman Jack let go of Ianto's hand, grabbed her elbow and with gritted teeth manoeuvred her into the back of the shop.

"Get your filthy dirty hands of me," she yelled out she struggled against his grip as he forced her backwards. "I'll have you up for assault," she spat and shrieked at him as she found herself in the small kitchen area at back of the shop.

"This is all your fault, you've corrupted him, he was normal until he met you and now this," she spat in Jack's direction as he let her go and she rubbed her elbow as she continued her tirade. "How could you Ianto, it's disgusting and I never thought you would bring such disgrace upon our family," she shouted.

"Rihanna you don't understand, you never understood," Ianto tried to explain his voice shaking.

She glared at Jack as she saw him lay his hand on Ianto's arm. Jack could feel he was trembling and felt he was only just holding on to his emotions.

"I always knew you were wicked, you and that Lisa living together as you did," Rihanna said then stepped back as she saw wildness flash across Ianto's face as he moved forward slightly.

"What did do you say about Lisa?" Ianto said as he balled his hands into fists as she took another breath and started to plead.

"Ianto, it's not too late. I've spoken to our pastor and he said there's a programme you can join , he tells me that this is nothing more than a life style choice. All you need is direction and prayer, and…"she stopped briefly as she took a breath, "come home now and we can put this aside." She faltered as she saw Ianto shake his head.

"This is not a life style choice, I love Jack," Ianto told her.

"And I love Ianto," Jack said in support as put his arm around Ianto, as Ianto continued, "After I lost Lisa I never thought I would ever find love again. Why can't you be happy for me?" he entreated.

"This is not loved," Rihanna bellowed her eyes flaring at the sight of them touching each other. "It's a corruption of everything love stands for and if you don't come with me now you can never see the children again, I will make sure of that. You will never set foot inside my house again if you don't come with me right now," she told him spitefully as she saw him shake his head.

'You wouldn't, not Mica and David, I love those kids," Ianto burst out in distress.

"If this continues I have no brother and they have no uncle," she warned him pointing at him.

"Out!" Jack demanded not able to contain himself any longer as the devastating effect of her words caused Ianto to shake even more violently.

"You can't order me about," she shouted.

"I said OUT." Jack exclaimed as he moved forward crowding her she was forced to step backwards.

As he came close to her face and she moved another step backwards over her shoulder Jack saw a police car draw up and he cursed under his breath at this possible escalation. To Jack's relief he saw PC Andy accompanied by a young police woman get out and began to assess the situation .

"We've had a call," he explained.

"He assaulted me," Rihanna shouted indignantly as she pointed at Jack who raised his eyebrows.

"When I arrived she was making a scene in the shop, there was a crowd gathering outside. To calm things down I moved her in here," Jack told him as she eyes flicked over to Ianto who looked like his world had ended.

"Is this correct?" Andy asked the two shop assistants.

"Making a right scene, screaming her head off," Angie added as Marcia nodded in agreement.

"She was just leaving," Jack told him.

"I'm his sister, this is my brother's shop," she stood her ground.

"He asked her to calm down and leave," Marcia told Andy.

"Is that right Ianto, you asked her to leave?" Andy asked as Ianto stood there, his eyes wild with anger, visibly shaking and nodded.

"Right," said Andy. " I think it would be better if you come with me Rihanna," he indicated towards the door and then looked for support from the young police woman with him as it was clear Rihanna was not going to move.

"Andy, don't interfere, you have no idea what is going on here," she stated.

Andy didn't need to be told, one look on Ianto's face, Jack at his site and Rihanna's outrage was all he needed to tell him she had found out that Ianto's bi-sexuality and confronted him.

"Why don't you come with me and tell me all about it, then maybe later…" he tried to say as Rihanna interrupted him.

"You heard me Ianto, you will never see my kids again," She retorted.

"That's enough," Andy commanded in his official police voice, "This is Ianto's shop. He has asked you to leave, you are clearly upset, I am asking you to leave with me or…"

"Or what Andy?" she retorted folding her arms.

"Or we will arrest you," the young police woman's voice interrupted. "Your choice," she said as Rihanna scowled at her then turned on her heel and stormed out.

As Rihanna was escorted out Jack turned back to see Ianto punch his right fist into the wall. With a sickening crunch he smashed through the dry wall cracking the wooden support. Jack took a sharp breath and pulled him around to see the wildness in his eyes as his whole body shook and he started to hyperventilate.

"Ianto!" Angie burst out, startled by his action as Marcia put her hand over her mouth in shock.

Jack looked in horror as he turned to smash his hand to the wall again but grabbed his fist before he could hurt himself again.

"Ianto look at me," he commanded. "Look at me," he repeated as Ianto raised his eyes to meet his gaze and was struck by the fury and anguish reflected in his eyes. Flicking his gaze to Marcia and Angie who were now standing close to each other distressed to see their normally quiet boss come undone.

Jack felt Ianto buckle slightly so with gentle movements he assisted him onto the sofa, as he did he sat down next to him.

Ianto sat with his back to the sofa leaning back his head against the wall staring into the distance, as Jack indicated Angie and Marcia move back into the shop.

"I need to look at your hand," Jack said gently he lifted up it up and saw blood was dripping down his middle right hand finger, and his hand beginning to swell and colour.

"It's bleeding pretty badly, we need to wrap something around it," he said softly as Jack kissed him on the lips gently.

"Thank god you came," Ianto him told as Jack grabbed a tea towel and wrapped it around his hand as the shop phone began to ring.

Before he could reply to Ianto's comment Marcia appeared with a phone in her hand.

"I am so sorry, I've got Andy on the shop phone and he needs to speak to you, " she said handing it to Jack.

Taking the phone, he listened then turned to Ianto. "Rihanna's told Andy if you don't pick your stuff up in the next hour she's going to put it on the pavement," he said. "He's offered to pick it up himself and he wants to know what he should look for," as Ianto indicated he took the phone.

Ianto closed his eyes and then began to speak like an automaton, "My bedding, clothes in the wardrobe, suits all on hangers. I have a stuffed plush Eeyore soft toy that belonged to Lisa, on my bed. In the same place is a cross-stitch cushion of Eeyore with the words 'E is for Eeyore who often feels gloomy'. There's a plastic storage box under my bed, that's very important. Shaving gear. Everything else is in storage," he paused to hear Andy's reply." Thanks Andy" he said. "He wants to talk to you," he handed the phone back to Jack.

Taking the phone Jack stepped into the shop and indicated to Angie with hand movements to make a hot drink, interpreting his hand gestures she moved to fill up the kettle and lay out mugs.

Jack listened and then gave Andy some instructions. Turning off the phone he handed it back to Marcia who replaced it back on its cradle. Then he moved back to Ianto's side as he saw Ianto was sitting staring into space.

'Shit,' Jack thought as he took the mug from Angie's hand and put it in Ianto's good hand.

"Coffee," he told him as Ianto took the mug, taking a sip.

"Thanks," Ianto said as he handed the mug back to Jack. His mobile phone rang cursing to himself that he had not turned it off he looked at the caller ID in frustration then he opened it.

"Owen," he said with an outward breath as he listened then started speaking. "No, no, and, no," He stopped to listen then replied, "I have no idea when I will be back." He looked across at Ianto who was taking another sip of coffee. He paused to listen then interrupted," I don't care if God almighty himself has fallen through the rift and is asking for me. I will be back when I can. No it won't be today, now I am turning off my phone," he said as he snapped his phone shut as Ianto took another sip of coffee.

"Angie is this instant?" Ianto asked as he saw Jack smile gently at his pronouncement.

"Sorry Ianto. It's Jack's fault he made me do it," Angie told him as she saw Jack raise his eyebrows.

"Do you want us to close the shop?" Angie asked after several moments relieved to see Ianto had got a bit of colour back.

"No, I'll be damned if I'm going to lose a day's business," he told them.

"We need to go get your hand checked," Jack told him as Ianto let out deep breath and nodded in agreement.

"Okay," Jack said after several more moments had passed. "We need direction," he said allowing Ianto to take back some control.

"Angie and Marcia, re-open the shop, I'll go with Jack," Ianto told them as Jack took the mug from his hand and stood up with him he swayed slightly as Jack caught him.

Leaving via the back door, they headed to Ianto's car.

Ianto felt in his pocket for his keys and handed to them to Jack

"Don't kill us," Ianto told him. "I've only got one good hand so it's going to make holding on difficult." As he opened the passenger side and got in.

"You sound a little better," Jack told him, as the moved to the driver's side.

"A little," Ianto told him as Jack squeezed his knee. He put his head on the steering wheel for a moment, then lifted his head and let out a deep breath and put the keys in the ignition.

"Bitch," Jack said as turned the keys.

"Fucking bitch," Ianto replied.

***

Chapter Seventeen

Turning the key in the lock, Jack opened the door revealing a tiny flat. "It's not much," he admitted as he was followed in by Andy who was carrying an armful of suits still on hangers which he dumped on the sofa as Ianto looked around. "It's one of our Torchwood safe houses, sort of emergency accommodation, " Jack told them both not wanting to admit this was his own flat which for various reasons he had found he had never been able to live in.

Jack raced around opening windows to air the place. He could see Tosh had managed to drop off some basic supplies and had left them on the kitchen bench. After opening the last window he steered Ianto to the kitchen.

"I'll go and help Andy with rest of your things," Jack told him.

"Let me help," Ianto started to say.

'You're one handed," Jack told him, stating the obvious at Ianto's wrapped hand.

"Leave that to us, but I could murder a coffee and I'll go ask Andy if he wants a cup," Jack told him. "Tea and coffee should be in the box along with milk and sugar." He kissed him gently on the lips then opened an overhead cupboard revealing a set of mugs, all different designs.

A quick survey and Ianto found the kettle, filling it awkwardly with one hand. He emptied it then refilled it again, then he reached up plugged it in, and turned it on. He pulled out three of the mugs, and then began to empty out the box on the table as Jack returned.

"Almost done. Andy says tea, blond with two," Jack told him. "I'm not sure what that means but he said you would," he explained as he saw Ianto face lift in a smile.

"It means milk with two sugars," Ianto told him as he placed a tea bag in one of the mugs and poured in hot water.

Placing a black rubbish sack full of clothes by the small sofa, Andy proceeded to place

the cushion, toy and under the bed storage chest on the tiny kitchen table as Ianto handed him a mug.

"Excellent," Andy said. "That's all of it".

"Thanks Andy," Ianto said offering his thanks.

"How's the hand?" Andy asked after he had taken a few mouthfuls of tea.

"Sore, cracked a few bones, and split a finger," Ianto told him. "Gotta keep it elevated," he indicated to the sling which held his hand up to his shoulder.

"Yeah, but you should see the wall," Jack added as she saw Ianto smile cautiously as Andy took a message from his radio.

"Sorry gotta go, trouble in Splott," he said handing his mug to Jack.

"Does she know about this place?" Andy asked as Jack escorted him to the door.

"No, and I would like it to stay that way," Jack told him strongly.

"Right you are then," Andy told him as Jack closed the door, turning he saw Ianto struggling to open the coffee jar one handed. It was very difficult and Jack watched for a moment than offered his help and Ianto handed him the jar. He took the jar, loosened the lid and handed it back.

"You going to tell me?" Ianto said as he dug a spoon into the coffee transferring some to a mug then poured hot water on it and handed it to Jack who took it.

"Talk to me Jack," Ianto urged, "You've not said a word to me for hours."

"I'm not sure I can," Jack said as he placed the mug down and turned to pick up the suits on hangers from the sofa and headed to the bedroom and hung them in the wardrobe.

"Promise me you will rest before re-doing them," Jack told him as Ianto stood in the doorway blocking him.

"Jack, we promised each other no elephants in the living room, if we had an issue that needed to be discussed, we talk until it's sorted," Ianto told him.

Jack avoided his gaze and replied. "It's been a long day, you're injured this is not the right time."

"You've shut me out Jack, I can feel it," Ianto told him, "Talk to me."

"Not today I can't" Jack told him visibly distressed.

"I can feel it Jack, you've cut me out, it hurts. I feel this pain here" he pointed to his chest.

"This is too big Ianto," Jack looked up distressed as Ianto let out a sigh and pulled in towards him.

"Ignoring it is not going to get it resolved either, if we don't talk the unsaid will only get bigger until it's impossible to deal with," Ianto told him as Jack pulled way.

"I don't want to talk," Jack stated as he pushed past Ianto who stood back as Jack now returned with the black sack of clothes and placed it next to the bed.

"You need to tell me," Ianto told him strongly.

"Don't you understand? I can't, "Jack said in a loud voice becoming visibly upset.

"Why not Jack?" Ianto pleaded.

"Because I can't, so stop pushing me," he shouted back and pushed past him returning to the kitchen where he now picked the half mug of coffee took a huge swig and felt in his pocket and pulled out his keys.

"You are not leaving," Ianto told him categorically.

"You think you can stop me," Jack challenged as Ianto moved quickly to the front door and blocked it with his body as Jack struggled to pull him away.

"Answer me this," Ianto said fighting against him. "Is this about children?" he asked as he saw a look of despair now replace fury on Jack's face. "Is it Jack? Ianto entreated and he saw Jack nod.

"You're right this is never going to go away," Ianto said as he saw Jack visibly blanch.

"Get out of my way," Jack said through clenched teeth.

"Hear me out first, and then I'll move." Ianto repeated as he saw desperation and panic in Jack's eyes.

"Today, my sister said the most hurtful, spiteful thing she could. You saw and felt the effect her words had on me and you got to thinking about all the ramifications of what that would mean for me. You think that by having a relationship with you, I lose any chance of having a family. And even though I have told you I have come to terms with this you don't believe me because at some point you think what we have will never be enough and you will lose me," as he spoke he saw Jack's look more and more distraught as he took a deep breath and continued. "And you don't want to talk about it because it means I will realise this now rather than later and you will lose me today... tonight... right now," he saw a tear run down Jack's face as he then renewed his struggle to get past.

"Listen to me, I've come to accept I won't have children," Ianto told him panting from exertion.

"I don't believe you Ianto, its part of who you are. You need to be a father," Jack told him. "I felt it when Rihanna said that to you. I felt something in you break, it was like those two children were the world to you," he threw his arms up. "Oh I can't put this into words, I just felt it okay? I felt that part of you cry out in that moment," Jack exclaimed.

"Children were what I wanted Jack, but things change," Ianto said as Jack shook his head. "For months everyone around me has been working on the assumption that I will only be happy if I somehow meet some woman and have a family. Everything will get better if I replace Lisa and the baby, as if that was possible. " He saw Jack begin to respond but silenced him with a look.

"Let me finish. When I was at my lowest point what got me past it was the realization that it was not possible to replace them, all the hopes and dreams I had with Lisa and the baby are gone forever. I could grieve for what was lost but they were never coming back. Once I faced that I could move on. It was only at that point I came back, do you understand? I accepted in that moment that it was possible that my future may not include children. I know telling you this doesn't resolve the issue, but it's a start," he said as Jack looked at him.

"That's how you feel right now but what about next week, next year, next five years this will come up again Ianto," Jack replied after several moments.

"Now, is all that counts Jack, who knows what's in the future? I agree this subject is going to up come again, because nothing is ever fully resolved. I tell you now I will never leave you or bring up the fact we can't have children now or in the future, in any argument or make it point of contention in our life together." He touched Jack's face "I fully accept that children may not be in our future, but I want us to remain open to the possibility if it ever arose." He saw Jack take a breath to reply and added quickly,"What I mean is we will sit and talk it out nothing more, because the future is just that, the future. I mean who knows, that bloody Rift of yours might crack asunder and it might rain babies and I might just happen to catch one or two." He looked at Jack who remained silent.

"Stay please Jack, I need you in my life, I never expected to fall in love again let alone want to share my life with someone. I tell you it's wonderful, I have never felt so alive as I have in the past months," Ianto told him.

"What if…" Jack started to say but Ianto interrupted him.

"Fuck what if! I don't give a fuck about 'what if?' Jack, I love you, I accept by being with you as a gay couple we may never have children, but things change. Who knows what's in the future?" Ianto spat out. "This is about trust. Feel it Jack; feel the connection and tell me I'm lying." He dared him as Jack closed his eyes for a second then nodded.

"I love you Jack," he said as he moved back from the door following through on his promise to stand aside and Jack took him in his arms and they held each other.

Several moments passed as they just held each other as the link flowed in and around them when Jack pulled back slightly.

"There's something else you need to talk to me about I can feel it," Jack said as he caught his breath and looked at Ianto.

"Okay everything in the open," Ianto said as he took a deep breath and put his forehead against Jack's. "I'm worried yeah, that at some point you're going to realize what a boring, obsessive, person I am, then someone else will come along whose more interesting. I'm not blind I see how people react to you… " he trailed off and took another breath. " I see it every time we're out together, people preening themselves as you approach, people looking at me wishing I would somehow disappear. You flirt a little, flash that smile," Ianto told him.

"You will always be enough for me," Jack said as he put his finger under Ianto's chin and raised his face kissing him gently on the lips. "Always, you surprise me every day, and I love your little quirks and the way you do things and when we're out I'll make sure you never feel second best, because you're not. Have you any idea how lucky I feel just knowing you are in my life? How I feel with you by my side? People might want me but I know the truth. I know I'm the fortunate one, I have you," Jack declared, pulling Ianto into a deep kiss.

"Now," Ianto declared as they pulled back and he dropped his head on Jack's shoulder, "can we please go to bed now? I'm knackered and not in a good way."

Jack took Ianto's hand and kissed the palm holding it to his lips and then they moved towards the bedroom.

Snuggling down under the covers, Ianto put his head on Jack's chest.

"And how long have I been listed as your next of kin?" Jack asked him quietly as Ianto yawned and stretched.

"Emm" Ianto fudged his reply.

"I'll have to ask in a more persuasive way tomorrow then," he said.

"Promise?" Ianto asked sleepily.

"Promise," Jack replied as he kissed Ianto's forehead and saw he was asleep. Smiling he held Ianto closer and felt himself drift off to sleep.

***

Chapter 18

Taking off his coat, Jack hung it on the coat stand in his office and turned to see Tosh had followed him in.

"Is Ianto okay?" Tosh asked him.

"Alright for now, not good, just okay, he's gone into work. So I would like to get through this today so I can get back there and insist he comes home," Jack told her as Tosh raised her eyebrows at his use of the word 'home'.

"I'm calling a meeting in the board room, twenty minutes. I want a full debrief, so tell Gwen and Owen to be prepared," he said as he sat down, and he turned on his computer and quickly started to create a document. He was just finishing as he saw the others making their way up. With flick and click of his mouse he sent the document to the printer. Grabbing the copies from the printer tray and checking them he went to join them.

Walking in to the board room Jack ignored the stares from Gwen and Owen and handed out a printed sheet to each.

"This the agenda for today's meeting," he said as saw Gwen's eyes fly open as she read down the points of order. She opened her mouth to speak but Jack put up his hand to stop her.

"Follow the agenda," he told her staring her down, pointing to the sheet before her and she sat back her arms crossed.

"Let's get this started, I want a full run down from yesterday. "He looked across at Owen who looked thunderous.

"It was bloody awful Jack…" Owen started to say but Jack interrupted him.

"Owen, as my second in command, I expect you to be able to take over at a moment's notice. I don't want to hear how you felt. I want a report on the visit," he told him bluntly as he saw Owen swallow and take a deep breath.

"We followed the game plan. We gave them breakfast, presented our reports. An extensive tour followed. They insisted they speak to you. I explained the situation, well you know the rest," he told him just as bluntly.

"It was awk …" Gwen started to say then stopped as Jack threw her a look of fury.

"What was their opinion on our progress with the transfer of the digital archives?" Jack asked, retuning his focus to Owen.

"They were happy with our progress," Tosh interjected before Owen could reply.

"However they were not happy we had not yet recruited someone to start on our main archive project," Gwen spoke up.

"We were expecting that. What did they think of our list of candidates?" Jack asked.

"One of them brought up Ianto's name," Tosh told him as Jack's face darkened.

"Did they," Jack retorted.

"Is there no way we can ask him?" Gwen slipped in.

"No!" both Tosh and Jack replied together angrily.

"Let's this end this once and for all. Ianto Jones has advised me in no uncertain terms, he will never step across the threshold of any Torchwood facility, now or in the future, in any capacity," Jack replied, making sure the tone of his voice ended this argument once and for all. He had only asked Ianto once if he ever thought of working for Torchwood again. The string of expletives that had followed his question and the vehemence of his reply made it clear that except for his relationship with Jack, Ianto wanted nothing more to do with Torchwood in any way, shape or form.

"His name is never to be mentioned in this capacity ever again, do I make myself clear?" Jack said and saw Owen and Gwen nod. "Moving on," he indicated as he saw them look uncomfortable at his change of management style. He knew this was going to be difficult. Gone was the easy go lucky boss and he knew he was laying this on a bit thick, however everyone here needed a reminder of who was in charge.

"They added a few other names who might fill the role," Tosh told him, first to recover as she handed him a list which Jack took and studied.

"Torchwood House has made an offer," Owen told him. "Rosemary MacDonald is their senior assistant archivist. She's willing to come down here on a long term secondment, and offer her expertise." He handed the file to Jack who opened it and took out the photograph of a heavy woman who looked to be in her forties, and was surprised to see by her date of birth she was in her early fifties. She had a twisted smile and twinkle in her eye that suggested she had a lot of personality.

"She's a divorced older woman, grown up family. She's looking for a challenge and only has one stipulation." Jack raised his eyebrows. "That due to the size of the task we hire at least one other person to help," Owen continued then smiled, " and this person would be under her direct supervision and would be strictly employed to assist in the archives."

"Ah, she knows Torchwood well. Any objections?" Jack said looking up from the file and saw everyone shake their heads.

"Excellent. Owen make the arrangements," he ordered.

"Any questions?" he asked, looking around the table and saw Gwen take a breath. "About what we have covered so far," he added and saw her sit back. He picked up the agenda in front of him. "So this takes us the next item on the agenda. I have decided we need a general manager to run the hub. They would be responsible for general maintenance, seeing we have all the right equipment, stock the SUV, arrange for supplies, look after our residents, paper work, coordinate missions, ensure we are fed, make coffee, run the tourist office and take over the administrative side of Flat Holm," he told them.

"I think it's a brilliant idea but after blowing off the funding committee yesterday I am not sure they will release the funds," Owen told him frankly.

"I spoke to the head of the oversight committee this morning. I told her we cannot continue to function as we are. We've been underfunded and understaffed for a considerable time, and we need a higher level of staff including at least two more field agents…"

"And she agreed?" Gwen interrupted.

"Yes," Jack told her.

"Just like that," Owen interjected.

"Yes," Jack replied.

"More staff, funds suddenly available in one phone call," Tosh said incredulity lacing her voice.

"How?" Gwen asked.

"Trust me on this Gwen, you don't want to know," Jack told her and saw the looks on their faces.

"I think we need an explanation Jack," Owen pointed out "We've been going to a lot of trouble to woo them so to speak; meetings, budgets projections, feasibility studies, all of us have put in a lot of work and now the money is just there?"

"He's right Jack. All that work, if there was an easier way why did we not just do that to begin with?" Gwen pointed out as she saw Jack look uncomfortable.

"There are times when I am happy to play the game, go along if you like with all the basic bureaucratic nonsense. In the end it's actually easier, but there are times when things need a stronger approach," he told them, unrepentant.

"So we have what we need just like that," Owen said wondering exactly what Jack had done.

"Let's just say after my phone call this morning Madam Chairperson is only too willing to help us in all and every aspect. In fact I can say she is more than eager to ensure the smooth running of this facility including funds being available for any future staffing requirements we might have," Jack told them wide eyed with innocence but not quite convincing them.

"That sounds like blackmail," Owe said as he read between the lines.

"Blackmail's a dirty word Owen and not entirely appropriate," he told him.

"Another enemy Jack!" Owen let out a deep breath. "That's all we need."

"Listen, if she wants to take me out she'll have to join the end of the queue and wait her turn with the all the others," Jack replied sardonically.

"Why now? There's only ever been a need for four operatives why do we need more," Gwen said bringing the conversation back to the topic on hand , as Jack now handed out another sheet filled with days, broken down into time zones.

"There's a reason for that Gwen. I've been doing all the after-hours rift activity, you only get called in when absolutely necessary," he told her. "And as of today that is no longer an option. As of now I will no longer be available to take the overflow permanently," he said as he watched their expressions.

Gwen flicked the sheet of paper, saying, "according to this there has to be two of us on call after hours at all times including weekends." She saw Jack sit back and nod.

"But I have a life! A relationship, you told me to not let it slip!" Gwen exploded. "This schedule covers 24 hours, weekends."

"You all have time off," Jack pointed out the coloured bars. " I've divided each week up so each of you has the equivalent of two days off each week," he told them as Gwen folded her arms and looked rebellious.

"I was checking over my records, and I have discovered I have a large accumulated amount of leave owing and secondly I'm the boss," he told her bluntly.

"What happens after hours? Will you be available if we need you?" Owen asked still coming to terms with the schedule.

"I will be on call if you find yourselves in a situation you cannot cope with. It will advisory only. I will only take active involvement if and when necessary. The current vision I have, is to bring you all up to a high level of expertise and experience. Ultimately it means within reason you should be able deal with any situation that arises," Jack told them.

"You have every weekend off and you finish at five every day," Gwen told him, not happy.

"At present the Rift is not active or as active as it was in the past, so right now I don't see there's an issue," Jack told her unsurprised by her reaction.

"This quiet period can't last forever and when it ends we will be busy. It means…" Gwen started to say but was interrupted.

"Do we actually have to be here when we're on call?" Owen asked as he came to terms with the changes being proposed as he realised the positive effect of the changes.

"I think we need to play it by ear. If Tosh's Rift predictor programme is as good as it appears to be, we may well be able to have only one person here keeping an eye on things and call out the others when and if they are needed," Jack pointed out. "Remember, once we have a general manager, they will take over a lot of the administrative tasks we do now. It means you will be field operatives in the truest sense," Jack told them as he saw Owen and Tosh nod as they saw his logic.

"Jack, this means you will have to trust us to make decisions in the field," Owen pointed out as Jack looked slightly uncomfortable.

"I agree, this comes down to trust, my trust in you. This is my fault, as the person here with the greatest experience I have allowed myself be relied on at the expense of your development. I'm a single point of failure." He saw a look of confusion pass between them. "I am at a point that I now trust you to act in the field in the best interests of our mission. It also means if I am not available any of you can take over."

"So what your saying is, we all get a chance to lead," Tosh added the excitement she felt unmistakeable in her voice.

"Exactly," Jack replied

"And you're okay with that?" Owen asked.

"As I said this is about trust Owen. I trust that you three can handle any situation in every capacity." Jack took a breath as he tried to explain. "By being so hands' on, I have stopped you developing as field operatives. By stepping back into a more managerial role, you can maximise your own individual potentials. Each one of you brings such unique skills ,all three of are specialists and each of you will have the opportunity to cross-train each other, including me, " he ended, seeing the look of surprise on their faces.

"Do we really need two of us to be on call at any one time?" Tosh asked, thinking out loud.

"That all depends on your programme Tosh," Jack told her directly.

"Can you tell us when and if the rift activity will pick up? I mean, it won't stay this quiet for ever," Owen asked

"I was waiting to complete my calculations before reporting back but as we are here now I might as well fill you in. As you all know I have been working on a project to find a way to create a time bubble around the Hub as a final line of defence. It's been more of an academic exercise but one of the practical benefits has been the predictor programme. To create the bubble I have been syphoning off rift energy because it has both elements of time and space as part of its matrix."

"This is fascinating Tosh but what does all this have to do with the current lack of activity?" Owen asked not sure where this was going.

"In doing so I have found a possible explanation for the current low level of rift activity," she continued. "The last time this happened was around forty four years ago. In the 1960's there was a significant lull followed by a huge flare up followed by several major spikes and it settled back down."

"Sounds like you describing a geological fault," Owen said as he understood her explanation.

"Exactly, and the Rift acted just like it had experienced an earthquake, a rift quake if you like," she replied. "And now for the real discovery; my calculations indicate the Rift is not just here in this dimension, it intersects across a multitude of dimensions and realities, it's inter-dimensional."

"What!" Jack sat up.

"The Rift intersects and flows in a complex pattern and rhythm as a point of contact between multiple realties." She took a breath, "As a flow it can be disrupted, and from the calculations something deep within the energy flow has disrupted the stream of energy."

"Are you trying to say that our Rift is linked inter-dimensionally?" Owen asked her as he tried to come to terms with her revelation and saw her nod. "Dimensions as in alternate possibly parallel realities, worlds just like ours?" he added.

"No. Yes," she struggled to explain.

"No and yes?" Gwen interjected.

"'Yes' like ours, with similarities, and 'no' some won't be like ours, well not exactly," she tried to explain.

"Well that makes it clear," Owen snarked.

"Can you explain?" Jack asked her, intrigued, leaning back pulling his bottom lip.

Tosh looked thoughtful then stood up. "Hold that thought," she said as she left and headed for her desk. She returned a few moments later with a small block of yellow post-it notes. She grabbed a pen and wrote something on several sheets then poked her pen through so several of sheets were now impaled on the pen.

"Imagine this pen is the Rift and each sheet equals a dimension. The first thing to notice is each sheet is linked via the Rift but are either above or below, each sheet is yellow and is made of the composite material," She now flipped up each sheet and showed them what she had written. "Each sheet has a number on it, the further away each sheet gets then the number increases. The numbers are in sequence 1-2-3 and so on so they share similarities. Each number is part of a sequence as they have only one digit, but are still written in the same pen and are numbers. For this demonstration the top sheet is us, the realities just above and or below us will be the most similar, however the further away you get from us- the top sheet- the greater the difference."

"So the reality or dimension directly next to us would be almost identical; Cardiff, Hub, us…" Gwen started to say.

"How many?" Owen interjected and saw Tosh bite her lip.

"Thousands upon thousands, an uncounted number," Tosh replied.

"Thousands of Hubs, Cardiffs, you and me, realities," Owen looked at her shaking his head as he tried to come to terms with the concept.

"Potentially as I said, some would be very similar, almost identical, while others would be completely different," Tosh explained.

"So in one reality Jack could be a woman," Owen said as he burst out laughing.

"Or you," Tosh interjected as she burst into giggles.

"I can just see it now... Captain Janice Harkness," Owen said.

"Anything is possible," Tosh added. "The further away from our reality the dimensions get, the greater the difference."

"Would they share the same time line?" Jack asked, interrupting the conversation as he thought about the Canary Wharf battle where Cybermen and Daleks used dimensional shifts to try and invade the Earth.

"Yes and no," she replied, then continued as she saw the looks on their faces, "because the Rift is the one thing each reality shares in common it's possible that events may or may not happen in the same time sequence as my calculations indicate there are variations."

"What sort of variations?" Gwen asked.

"It is a Rift in time and space, it doesn't flow in a straight line. The best way to describe the time stream is to think of it like the flow of a river. The water is travelling in the river but the water in the middle is moving faster than the water along the banks. There are currents which means although the water will get to the sea, it won't all get there at the same time,"

"River," Jack raised his eyebrows.

"What it means is if we jumped realities it may last week...last year...next week...next year. That said the variation would appear to be plus or minus five years. Again the greater the separation the greater the distortion."

"And somewhere up or down stream the rift energy is being disrupted somehow," Tosh continued, "causing a lull in rift activity."

"As in blocked?" Jack interrupted.

"There was a major disruption in 2006 with the battle of Canary Wharf, we know the Daleks and Cybermen both jumped dimensions, and came from parallel realities. As a consequence the Rift was disrupted at that time and as you recall we saw a huge increase in rift flares as the Rift settled back down. I used the calculation from that event to chart the rift flows, right now somewhere something is preventing the energy from flowing smoothly."

"What does this mean?" Gwen asked.

"It means that if my calculations are correct, there is pressure building up within the Rift. At some point it will reach a critical point of no return and a massive amount of energy will be released as it did in the 1960's. There was a massive flare, followed by significant flares; aftershocks, both positive and negative, and then it returned back to its normal pattern, " she explained. "The last quiet period was as long and deep as this one so we can expect major disruption when it does rupture."

"Is this part of a natural pattern or is it being influenced by an outside force?" Jack asked

"There is no way to detect this and we will never know. I can tell you it's not being caused by any of the nearest realities and seems to be deep within the Rift itself," Tosh told him

"We need to be prepared for every eventuality, and use this time to get ready," Jack told them seriously. Gwen and Owen make sure Flat Holm has everything it needs, as I recall we had a number of very damaged souls turn up in the 60's ," Jack added as he saw them nod.

"So the sooner we get a general manager here the better," Owen pointed out stating the obvious, "because we are going to need them.

"Agreed. We need to start recruitment. Come up with some names; one is Alex Copper, an older man and I think he would be ideal." Jack said.

"Any indication when the rift quake will occur?" Gwen asked as she watched Tosh pulling the post-it notes off her pen.

"Extrapolating backwards using the data from the 1960's and I would say we have about five weeks, however there may be significant flare ups as it gears itself up," she told them.

"Brilliant work, Tosh," Jack told her then looking around the table. "Any questions?"

"I'm sure I will come up with some once I have got over the idea there might be an infinite number of Owens out there," Owen told them.

"And now that leaves us with only one thing left to discuss, yesterday," Jack told them.

"Jack, I think it would help if everyone heard what happened yesterday," Tosh spoke up first.

"As you know I've been seeing Ianto Jones. Yesterday his sister Rihanna turned up at his shop and publically outed him. She caused such a scene she almost got arrested, and had to be escorted from the Mall. After she left Ianto smashed his hand into a wall. As we were trying to sort that out, she called to say she was throwing him out of her house and threatened to throw all his belongings on the pavement." He took a deep breath. "Fortunately the policeman who turned up at the mall picked up his stuff, while I took Ianto to get his hand sorted. Tosh kindly got some supplies and we moved him into some emergency accommodation. "

"How's he doing?" Owen asked.

"His hand is bruised, he fractured several small bones, broke his small finger and dislocated his thumb, split his ring finger which caught on a nail and had to have seven stitches," he told him.

Owen swore under his breath as he calculated the long term damage.

"It was a rough day," Jack told them all. "So any questions?" He saw Gwen look uncomfortable as Jack looked at his watch and got up to move as no questions were forthcoming.

"What did they give him for pain?" Owen asked as Jack stood and he pulled out what looked like a prescription receipt from his pocket and handed it over.

"I imagine he had a rough night," Owen commented as Jack nodded. " This is nowhere near strong enough," he indicated the paper Jack had handed to him, "so I'll write out a script for something stronger and help him sleep. And I would like a quick word before you go," Owen said as he moved away and headed back to the medical bay. As he did Gwen approached.

"I wanted to apologise for what I said yesterday," Gwen told him after everyone else had left.

"If it had been Rhys in trouble I would have given my permission for you to leave and damn the consequences," he told her his arms crossed.

"I was out of order, I spoke without thinking," she said her head down not wanting to look at him.

"Gwen you always speak without thinking. I fully understand in your mind I don't warrant the same support I have given in abundance to you. I can't recall how many times I have let you go early or allowed you to take time off because of some personal issue you had to deal with," he told her as he signed heavily.

"I'll try and do better," she added quietly not sure what to say. True, Jack had given her a lot of time off but he had told her not to let her relationship with Rhys slip and now he was telling her off.

"I hope so Gwen because to tell you the truth I am tired of you challenging me over every decision I make. Take today, what I am asking is for a shared work load. Share the burden. In a way this is my fault," he added as she looked at him astonished. "This is my fault for not standing up to you. I take full responsibility for that, but I've had enough. I hear your apology, but what I really want to see is a change of attitude."

"What do you mean?" Gwen said startled at Jack's comments. He had employed her to speak her mind, wasn't that her role as the heart of Torchwood?

"Stop finding fault with everything I do. Try and see the big picture, this is not all about how this is going to impact on your social life, my decision effects Tosh and Owen as well. If you don't like the schedule talk to Tosh and Owen and work something out, but it has to be fair, everyone pulling their weight, in every capacity, keeping in mind I am taking every weekend and public holiday off for the foreseeable future," he said as he watched several emotions pass across her face until she was bright red. "While we are on the subject, I assigned you several projects weeks ago, and I haven't had a progress report. From what I can see you've been off doing some project of your own."

"Tosh has her project, I thought…" Gwen tried to say but Jack interrupted her.

"Tosh has completed her work load, done several reports for UNIT and her own project, and she tells me a vast deal of your paperwork," Jack told her as she looked thunderous.

"I asked you to come up with ideas on how to find a way to resolve the archive issue and all you could come up with was to argue that Ianto Jones should be persuaded to come and work here. Do you see where I'm coming from Gwen?" Jack said as he drew breath and saw she was going to react. He shook his head and looked at his watch and decided the last thing he wanted right now was to hear the normal ocean of excuses Gwen managed to dredge up when challenged on the issue of her work load.

"I need to pack up some things, and leave. Monday 8.30am, I want on my desk a substantial breakdown of what you have done on the work assigned to you and timelines on when each will be finished. I want ideas on ways to improve your working relationships within the Hub not just with me but with everybody. I also want a bullet point list of what you think your role is here and skills you think you need to work on."

He took a deep breath and drew himself up. "And one last thing: don't you ever speak to me or challenge me in front of the other staff members like you did yesterday ever again," he told her stunned face as he punched a finger towards her. "You have an issue, make an appointment, then send me an outline of what you believe the problem is and come prepared with two solutions for every point you make. Have I made myself 100 percent clear?" he asked finally.

"Gwen, have I made myself clear?" he demanded when he saw she was having difficulty replying.

"Yes," she replied, her face rigid with anger.

"Yes, what?" he repeated glaring at her.

"Yes, sir," she replied as he turned on his heel and left, slamming the door.

Owen and Tosh glanced at each other as they watched Gwen, red-faced, race down the gantry from the board room to the locker room. He felt a degree of satisfaction from the snippets of the conversation they had overheard, Jack had finally stood up to Gwen. He smiled to himself and saw Tosh return the same smile and he knew they were thinking the same thing.

"Tosh," he said still smiling. "Fancy joining me for a drink tonight?"

"Yes we need to celebrate," she told him.

"You got that right," Owen told her as Jack walked down the steps and came to join him, and pulled the prescription he had written up.

twtwtwtwtwtwtwwtw

Entering the back shop, Jack saw the pale look on Ianto's face and faint sheen of sweat on his brow as he struggled to sort through a book order and knew immediately Owen's words 'delayed shock' were prophetic.

All day yesterday he had been expecting there to be consequences. Today against his advice Ianto had insisted on coming into work carrying on and knew this was how he coped, struggle on regardless and he felt his heart ache at the pain Ianto was carrying.

Stepping in he saw Ianto glance up at him and smile wanly. Jack was not fooled for a moment. Glancing over to the kitchen he could see some coffee still in the flask.

'First things first,' he said to himself as he poured out a mug full and taking Ianto by the arm, silently moving him towards the sofa and handing him the mug. Jack put his hand in one of the pockets and pulled out a container of pain pills he had picked up from the chemist courtesy of Owen's prescription. Opening the top he shook out two capsules and handed then to Ianto, who silently took them and throwing them into the back of his throat took a swallow of coffee.

"Drink that down and then I am taking you home," Jack told him with his arms crossed.

"I'm fine Jack," Ianto countered.

"You think this is an argument you can win," Jack retorted as Ianto looked up and saw the stubborn look on his face.

Jack watched as several emotions flickered across his face as Jack went to sit next down to him.

"Let's not fight. I know you had a terrible night. You are in pain, come home and at least get some rest," he said gently but firmly.

Ianto lent against him. "I can cope," he told him as he swallowed another mouth full of coffee.

"Yeah I know but this time you don't have to," Jack said gently as Ianto looked at him in surprise as he took the mug from Ianto and helped him stand.

"I'm going home." Ianto said as Marcia stepped into the back room.

"Good Ianto, you look bloody terrible," she told him. Nodding Jack led him out the door.

"We'll lock up and everything," Angie called out as the turned to each other as Ianto was gently led away.

"I hope Rihanna gets her comeuppance, mean spirited, nasty bitch," Marcia commented.

"I have a feeling that just happened, she's lost her brother, he was wonderful with those kids," Angie told her

"Oh ,I was thinking of something far more physical like a bitch slapping?" Marcia told her.

"Yeah, her and that bloody sanctimonious group of bloody do-gooders she hangs out with. Christian my eye, nothing Jesus ever said or did would condone her behaviour," Angie added. "It clearly says in the Bible to love your fellow man and that is what Ianto is doing."

"You got that right and it's Jack who's the fellow man," Marcia agreed as they were interrupted by a customer before Angie could make a reply.

twtwtwtwtwtwtw

Knowing it was going to be impossible to get Ianto to eat anything he helped him undress as the pain killers Owen had prescribed were taking effect. They contained a mild sedative as well as a combination of strong pain killer so should help him sleep. He pulled the covers back when Ianto put his head on Jack's shoulder and burst into tears.

Jack put his arms around him and just held him while he sobbed and stroked his back.

"Let's get you into bed," he said after several moments had passed as he helped Ianto settle then stripped joining him. Taking Ianto into his arms as tears ran down the younger man's face, Jack soothed him, rocking him until his sobbing eased and he fell asleep.

***

Chapter Nineteen.

Waking up in Jack's arms, Ianto stretched out trying not to disturb Jack who was still asleep. He leaned over to see the time and went to get up.

"Who said you could move?" Jack said as he pulled Ianto into his chest and locked his arms.

"It's seven thirty, we need to get moving," Ianto told him as he snuggled in.

"Our first Sunday apart," Jack said as he pulled him in closer and kissed him.

Ianto moaned, and pulled back reluctantly. "If we start this we're both going to be late. If we're late it means there's a knock on effect and we will finish late and you said you had something planned for tonight." He kissed Jack who released his arms.

"Yes I have," Jack said as he fought to keep how nervous he felt off his face.

Ianto turned on to his stomach then kissed Jack Slipping his good hand down he took Jack's hardened length and pumped him very slowly with a slight twist then rubbed his thumb over his slit, then pulled away. "You keep that thought all day and imagine what I am going to do to you tonight," Ianto told him as he expertly dodged Jack's attempt to pull him back down.

Jack bit his lip and groaned in disappointment as Ianto managed to escape and he looked on aching with desire as Ianto, his cock fully erect, started pulling out clean boxers, socks, jeans and a tee shirt. From the top of the dresser he took out a small plastic bag and placed it on his injured hand, which was covered in various splints around several fingers. With the other hand he expertly taped the bag down at the wrist using surgical tape, sealing it closed. Biting off the tape he smoothed it down.

"I could give you a hand?" Jack offered as Ianto glanced at him.

"But it's where you want to give me a hand that's the problem," Ianto told him as he headed for the shower.

Placing his hands behind his head he listened to the shower as he went over his plans for the day. It was a team meeting at the Hub at ten am sharp, apparently timing was everything. Tosh would demonstrate yet again how not to create a time bubble. After she would advise in some detail why she thought it didn't work and they would all go home. He was kinda getting tired of all the demonstration, but she had worked so hard none of the team could actually deny her little demonstrations and you never knew it might actually work. He could then depart, check everything was set for tonight. Then he would head out to lunch at Ianto's shop. And then tonight, he swallowed, as he mentally went over everything for the thousandth time.

"I was thinking, do you think the two of us will fit into the shower at the new flat?" Jack asked hopefully as he watched Ianto come back with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"We will," Ianto told him matter-of-factly

"You sound very certain," Jack told him leaning back to enjoy the view as Ianto dried himself in a way he knew would drive Jack crazy.

"Tape measure," Ianto said as if this explained everything.

"Tape measure?" Jack queried as Ianto smiled.

"I measured it when we were being shown around, "Ianto told him. "The shower that is," he added quickly.

"Did you now? And why would you measure the shower?" Jack teased.

"Well it was more wishful thinking at the time," Ianto admitted as he saw Jack smile widen.

"Really, what sort of wishful thinking?" Jack asked as Ianto pulled on his boxers followed by his socks.

"Hot water, soap, you, me, cries of ecstasy," Ianto told him as he bent down and gave Jack a quick kiss.

"I like your thinking," Jack told him.

"And in the bedroom a queen sized bed, where I can tie you up and ride you …" Ianto started to say as Jack's eyes narrowed with desire.

"You keep that talk up Ianto Jones and I promise that stock-take will never get done, because you won't get to leave this bedroom, let alone this flat," Jack burst out as he watched a cheeky smile grow on Ianto's face.

"I've found a few old ties we could use," Ianto told him trying to keep a straight face.

"Second warning," Jack shouted as he threw a pillow at Ianto who dodged and headed for the kitchen.

twtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtw

"I'm making you a thermos of coffee," Ianto told Jack as he took the flask from the stove and filled began to fill the flask.

"I love you," Jack told him taking a bite of toast.

"Is it me or my coffee you love?" Ianto asked him as he screwed on the lid and placed it on the small table beside Jack.

"You," Jack told him as he threw him an air kiss.

"It should keep you going, while you have to listen to all that boring technical stuff," Ianto told as he took a sip from his own mug "What exactly are you doing today?" Ianto asked after few moments.

"Tosh has been working on this rift project to suspend a bubble of time around the main area of the hub as a high level of security and she has set up another demonstration this morning. Hopefully it will be a quick in and out and I will drop round some lunch and keep you company. If not I will pick you up at 4.30," Jack told him now standing and checking his pockets for his keys.

"Text me if you can't make lunch," Ianto asked him now clearing the kitchen table and placing everything in the sink and saw Jack nod.

Jack closed the door as Ianto headed for his parked car, unlocked it and got in the passenger side so he could be dropped off at the shop. His hand was getting better but he still couldn't drive. He checked to make sure the front door of the flat was locked.

He took a deep breath. Living Ianto was as perfect as he had imagined and he couldn't wait until they moved into their new flat in a couple of weeks. He was sure there was no being happier on this entire planet than he was. He headed for the car as Ianto turned around and tapped his watch, and if Ianto said 'yes' tonight he would be the happiest being in the entire universe.

twtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtw

Entering the Hub Jack noted Gwen, Owen and Tosh were beside the Rift manipulator waiting for him. Gwen was holding up an open laptop on behalf of Tosh who was typing furiously away. Owen was standing; his arms crossed looking unimpressed and from the slight green tinge was hungover.

"Right let's get this show on the road, there's certain book shop owner who needs my attention," Jack told them as he went to join them beside the Rift manipulator.

Several moments passed as Tosh made some final, last-moment adjustments.

"How much longer?" Owen complained as Tosh looked up from the screen and started to speak.

"As you know I have been working to correct the issue of time drift in my calculations. I have now reset the manipulator to compensate. If this works the area around the Rift manipulator should become suspended in time." She indicated a drawn circle on the floor as Owen, Jack and Gwen traded knowing glances with each other.

"How will we know time has actually stopped?" Owen asked. Not looking up from the screen Tosh pointed to her desk where a kinetic toy was in motion.

"If a bubble has been created the toy should appear to have stopped moving," she told them as she consulted her laptop.

"Ready" she said, as she stood poised to press enter as they turned to watch the toy on her desk.

Tosh watched the countdown. "Now," she called out as the countdown reached zero and pressed the enter button. As she did there was an orange flash which was followed by a distinct smell of ozone.

"Well at least something happened this time," Gwen said as she blinked trying to force her eyes to see, through the spots before her eyes.

"The toy is still moving," Owen declared as his vision cleared and he saw the toy was still moving at a furious pace. "I can say without equivocation that comes up as another fail," he snarked.

"Shut up Owen," Tosh snapped angrily as she started typing into her laptop.

"I never saw you as a masochist Tosh, how many times is this now?" he queried as she saw her pink up as she tried to figure what had gone wrong this time.

"Where's Jack? He was right beside me," Gwen asked as she looked wildly around her.

"Er not funny, Jack, stop pissing around," Owen said throwing his eyes a round thinking this was a poor excuse for a joke.

"I don't think he's hiding," Gwen as she handed the laptop to Owen and started to search calling out.

Tosh looked up as she reviewed the data then looked around and put her hand over her mouth.

"What have you done?" Owen said as he interpreted the look on Tosh's face.

"What's happened?" Gwen added a she now returned to look at Tosh, who had gone completely pale. Leaving Owen with her laptop she ran to her computer and started to pull up equations then ran back to the manipulator to check the settings. She placed her hand on the machine, swallowed and turned around to face them.

" He's been pulled into the Rift," she said with a shaky voice.

"This is no time for playing around Tosh," Owen snapped.

"As I tried to siphon off Rift energy there was tiny surge in the flow, it altered …" she closed her eyes to focus, "it caused the settings on the manipulator to change…"

"Are you sure?" Gwen said her stomach turning over the realisation that Jack was gone as she saw Tosh nod.

"Check it again," Owen demanded.

"I've checked and double-checked. " Tosh told them her voice shaking.

"Then fucking well reset this fucker up and get him back!" Owen told her raising his voice.

"Yes Owen's, right we just need to reset this up and…" Gwen added.

"I don't know how," Tosh burst out.

"You had better start knowing," Gwen told her.

"Fuck sake Tosh, listen to me. Just repeat your demonstration," Owen burst out.

"I can't!" Tosh shouted back.

"Why not? Gwen told her.

"Over the past seven months I have been adjusting and calibrating the manipulator I have those calculations I have a record of those." She started to explain.

"So get on with it," Owen interrupted.

"When the event happened it re-calibrated every adjustment to something completely different, then set everything back to their default settings," Tosh struggled to explain

"For god's sake Tosh, plain English," Gwen spluttered.

"I have no record of the calibration it set itself to when it took Jack. The event was instantaneous, the sensors I set up have recorded nothing, I don't know where to begin. The Rift manipulator has thousands of potential parameters, I don't know how. It could have recalibrated the settings to anything," she cried out.

"Shit!" Owen burst out.

Dazed as he tried to come to terms with what had occurred Tosh's mobile started to ring she looked at the number. With shaking hands she answered it. "Ianto," she said.

***

Chatper Twenty

Authors Note: from this point on the Jack we have been following will appear in italics 'Jack'

Jack staggered then fell to his knees as he felt himself literally turned inside out. This included his stomach as he swallowed down bile and almost threw up. As the vertigo started to fade he stood up.

"What happened this time?" he said, coughing as he dusted himself off and blinking in an effort to clear the black spots dancing across his eyes. As his vision came back into focus he saw Ianto on the walkway just above him holding a tray of coffee mugs. His mouth open in surprise, looking at him as if he was witness to the impossible.

"Ianto? How…, what are you doing here?" Jack burst out bewildered. He started to move towards him when the young man dropped the tray he was holding and pulled out a hand gun, aiming it at him.

"Ianto?" he repeated bewildered.

"Stay where you are and don't move," Tosh now joined him as he now faced two guns pointed in his direction.

"Tosh! What the hell is going on? "He demanded.

"I might ask you the same thing." He heard a voice say and saw himself standing in the doorway of his office, and his jaw dropped, his mind swirled.

"What is it?' he heard another voice say and saw it was Owen walking towards him with a scanner in hand, moving it up and down his body. Jack watched trying to fight the disorientation that kept threatening to overwhelm him.

"It could be a clone, it looks like an exact replica," Tosh replied quickly as she looked him up and down.

"Hands up," he heard Ianto tell him, seeing the flick of the muzzle he slowly lifted his hands.

"I'm not a clone, I'm Captain Jack Harkness," he told them.

"Right and the man over there is?" Owen snapped sarcastically tilted his head towards the office.

"He is very like you," Ianto told Jack who nodded and raised an eyebrow.

"Look, I have no idea what is going on here," Jack said. "A few moments ago Tosh was doing another demonstration for her time bubble project, I standing right here …" he tried to explain.

"How do you know about that?" Tosh demanded, wide eyed as she gripped her gun more tightly.

"Come on Tosh you've been working on it for months, it's hardly a secret. Today was the ninth attempt …," he stopped as he saw the look on her face.

"But it is a secret," she interrupted him. "I haven't shared it with anyone," she told him as the others in the Hub looked towards her.

"It is something I've been working on part time, I've kept it to myself because the math doesn't add up," she spoke out.

"I am Captain Jack Harkness, head of Torchwood Three,"he told them as he looked at Ianto, then across at his double as they glanced back and forward.

"One way to tell if he's is who he says he is. If we kill him and if he comes back to life he's you," Owen suggested.

"And if he's not immortal and he's stays dead what then?" Tosh told him.

"Well there is that," Owen replied.

"I am Captain Jack Harkness," Jack said a desperate edge to his voice as he kept his eyes on Ianto and pushed out.

"This is not you," he burst out towards Ianto when he got no response, as he saw Jack and Ianto glance at each other.

"I am me," Ianto told him indignantly

"You might look like him, but you are not him!" Jack told them.

"What the fuck is going on?" Owen blurted out as he saw the man who said he was Jack become more distraught as he kept his gaze fixed on Ianto.

"One moment I was at the Hub, next I'm here and everything is wrong," Jack tried to explain.

"Got that right, two bloody Jack Harnesses. Ianto you better watch out," Owen spoke out loudly.

Jacks eyes narrowed. "You don't know me anywhere as much as you think Owen Harper if you think I would ever cheat on Ianto. You got that straight?" He spat out as he fought the urge to move towards him.

"This is some heavy shit," Owen burst out as he backed up a little.

"Thank you, Owen for pointing out the obvious," Ianto retorted sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

"There has to be some way I can prove this to you, prove who I am and…" Jack started to say as his double walked away from Ianto and came stood before him and looked him over.

"Cells!" Jack commanded. Tosh and Ianto indicated the direction with their pistols.

"First sensible thing you've said mate," Owen told him as he followed scanner in hand.

twtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtw

Standing around the board room table Jack went through the objects taken from the man who claimed he was Jack had on him. There was a RAF coat, flask of coffee, Webley service revolver, braces, a handkerchief with IJ on it embroidered in the corner. Wrapped in it had been a pebble, dried petals, and a book card with two squares unfilled from "Dragon Books" stamped on the front with an address. Several business cards from local hotels with dates on them. A folded A4 sheet of paper with a poem it on it which Jack recognised immediately. It was by a Russian poet he had met in World War Two. Finally, a jeweller's box containing an antique stopwatch with an inscription in it that had made Jack's jaw drop.

"Dragon Books?" Jack asked as Gwen entered joining them. "To make sure I went round there, the mall exists but the shop he described is a craft shop," she told him as Owen entered.

"Well?" Owen said as he came in and turned on the monitor in the cell to see Jack who was sitting on the stone bench his head resting on his pulled up knees.

"Let me introduce, Captain Jack Harkness."

"What!" Jack said.

"Your serious?" Gwen said as she looked to and from the screen to Jack, who was sitting back and pulling his lower lip at he looked at the man on the screen.

"He's genetically identical. He's telling the truth," Owen added.

"Better bring him up here then," Ianto suggested as Jack nodded.

"Be careful it's me down there," Jack said him as he passed. Tutting Ianto rolled his eyes and made his way to the cells.

twtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtw

His eyes closed, Jack tried to make sense of what had happened. The trouble was he couldn't focus properly. He felt wrong, he couldn't explain it but it was like a part of him was missing. He opened his eyes and saw Ianto standing by the now open cell door, his lips pursed together.

"Owens confirmed you're, well you. So the team have asked me to escort you to the boardroom." Ianto tried to explain as he stood by the now opened cell door.

He stood back to allow him to exit and realised Jack was not moving.

"You know, if the situation was reversed would you have done anything different?" Ianto asked as Jack looked at him and stood.

"That's not it," he told him as he followed behind Ianto.

Just as they reached the main Hub area Ianto turned to him. "This can't be easy," he said

"You got that right," Jack told him.

"You said something curious, you said you are not him, what did you mean by that?" Ianto asked." I mean if there's a Ianto where you come from then he must be identical."

"You may look the same but I know you are not my Ianto," Jack told him as he saw a look of confusion cross Ianto's face.

"How? You look exactly like Jack , I mean, I can't tell you apart," Ianto told him honestly.

"I know because I can't feel you," he told him.

"Feel me?" Ianto queried not sure if this was Jack flirting.

Jack touched his heart. "In here, " he told him as Ianto just looked at him, his brow creased not sure if he understood. He was about to ask another question when Jack spoke "Weren't you asked to take me to the boardroom?" The layout is different ,I have no idea where that is." He indicated with his hand for Ianto so show him the way.

"Oh right. Follow me," Ianto said as he led the way.

twtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtwtw

Spreading out the handkerchief before him on the table Jack placed the pebble, dried petals, and the book card along with the hotel cards back into the handkerchief. Folding it with great care he placed it and its contents into the top right-hand pocket on the inside of his coat.

"Thank you," Jack said as he held out his hand towards Jack's twitching his fingers. Closing the jeweller's case with a snap Jack handed it over.

Opening the case Jack checked to make sure the contents had not been damaged, then closing it he placed it in the same pocket as the handkerchief.

"So you've determined I'm not lying," Jack said as he took the service revolver, checked it then placed in its holster. He looked up to see Ianto place a mug of coffee in front of him.

"We had to make sure," Jack told him. He saw Jack sit, then he picked up the mug and took a sip. As he did he looked at Ianto in surprise as he recognised the taste.

"I was thinking if you're anything like my Jack you could use a cup of your favourite coffee," Ianto said as he went and sat down next to Jack.

"I imagine you have some questions," Gwen began.

"Yes I do! Where the hell are I and who the hell are you?" he burst out.

"I think I can answer that," Tosh said as they all turned towards her.

"There is only one possible explanation: you are from a different temporal reality," she told the group.

"Sorry, you've lost me?" Owen said.

Ignoring Owen, Tosh turned towards Jack. "You said your Tosh was working on a time bubble project. I was too but I stopped." She looked around the group. "I stopped because whenever I tried to syphon off Rift energy I kept encountering alternate reality universe cross-dimensional shifts. I went back to my original workings and found I needed to completely rework the equations."

"Great technobabble, but what does it mean?" Owen interjected.

"It means you are Jack Harkness, but from an alternate reality or dimension," she added finally.

"Bloody Hell," Owen burst out. "So if there's another Jack does that mean somewhere out there, there is another me?"

"If my calculations are correct there could be an infinite number of Owens," Tosh continued to explain.

"So is your Owen alive or dead like me?" Owen asked as Jack looked at him startled

"What!" Jack burst out almost spitting out the mouth full of coffee he had taken.

"Am I dead or alive?" Owen repeated.

"Alive, and from what I can see so are you," Jack replied completely confused.

"Well technically I'm dead," Owen told him. "Which is why I am the only one not having a coffee," Jack looked at him as if he was certifiable but noted he was the only one who had not been served. "So I can gather from your reaction Owen is alive in your reality?" Owen asked after a few moments has passed.

"I think you had better explain," Ianto pointed out at the stunned look on Jack's face as he stared at Owen.

"There was this medical facility called ''The Pharm' and all sorts of nasty goings on. Well to cut a long story short during an investigation I got shot in the chest. Jack brought me back to life, with the Resurrection Gauntlet," he explained.

"You didn't!" Jack burst out as he looked directly towards Jack who looked uncomfortable.

"We had a Resurrection Glove, 'Risen Mitten' you called it. After the incident with Suzie I had it destroyed along with the other one being held by the Weevils," Jack told them.

"So 'The Pharm', did that happen in your reality?" Gwen asked curious.

"The Pharm existed, but after Torchwood One was destroyed, UNIT has taken to dealing with bigger alien threats. So they dealt with it directly. All I know was it was closed down," Jack told them.

"So he gets to live and I get to die," Owen snorted.

"I'm sorry but this is your reality, not mine, and I not in the mood for show and tell," Jack snapped then looked directly at Tosh. "You've been working on this so you know how to get me back?" Jack said looking at Tosh who had gone pale.

"You can get be back. Right?" Jack said. "We had this conversation; it was long and technical, my Tosh did this thing with a pen and post it notes, it means we're connected, just reset it to whatever she was doing and send me back."

"It's not that easy," she told him shaking her head.

Jack stared at her. "Tosh said that the realities closest to us would be the most similar. So far I've seen Owen, he's dead but he's still here. I've seen you, there's myself, apart from Ianto being here and a few changes in layout…"

"From what you've told us your reality is similar, however…" Tosh told him but was interrupted by Jack.

"But we must be close, I could slip back across," he interrupted.

"Jack, what I 'm trying to tell you is it's not that simple. If my calculations are right then the realities are not just one after the other like a row of post-it notes. There could be one... two... a thousand all next to each other. Tell me Jack which one is yours?" She told him as she saw him look distressed.

"Is there no way?" Jack asked speaking for the first time.

"Say for argument's sake I can duplicate her work, he would be jumping blind .He could end up anywhere," she told him as Jack stood and leaned towards placing his hands on the table.

"You don't understand you have to get me back," he told her desperately. "I have someone incredibly important I need to get back to."

"I'm sorry," Tosh told him, shaking her head.

"I don't want to hear sorry, I need you tell me you can find a way for me to get home," Jack said his heart pounding and he felt a roaring his head.

"I'm so sorry," Tosh repeated sadly not able to look him in the eye.

"You have to," Jack said standing as a wave of vertigo hit him. "You have to get me home, you have no idea how important my being there is! He's lost so much, he can't lose me…" he tried to say as he collapsed onto the floor.

***

Next part of Broken Dreams.

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