Title: Reaction
Author: Stolendreams
Pairing: gen
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Not mine. Sadly. I'm a broke student. All I own is this computer I'm writing on and over half of that was paid for by the university.
Spoilers: Spoilers for the ending of End of Days, mild spoilers for Cyberwoman.
Summary: After the events of End of Days, Owen tries to help Ianto. Gen, one shot.

***

"I lost a pet once," Gwen heard Ianto say as the door into the Hub opened. She looked up just in time to see Ianto stumble through the door only to be caught at the last moment and hauled upright by Owen.

"A cat," Ianto continued, seemingly unaware that he'd narrowly avoided ending up in a heap on the floor. "Black... or maybe grey. Wandered off. Just walked away and never came back. Just the same except I don't think the Doctor dropped by and picked up my cat. He might have done I suppose, I mean maybe if he really wanted a cat, but I don't think so. He could just get a brand new one, didn't need mine."

Gwen stared from Owen to Ianto and back again, "What's going on?" She asked, confused.

"Don't blame me," Owen muttered, pushing Ianto in the direction of the couch. "Nothing in his file about this happening."

Ianto was silent as Owen pushed him, none to gently, onto the couch. Gwen started to ask what on earth Owen was talking about when, as though he'd never stopped, Ianto suddenly began talking again.

"He'd like it here. He would. Got rats everything. And I saw a weasel I think. Might have been a ferret. Down in Lisa's room. Bigger than a rat. Don't know what a weasel would be doing there. Maybe just a really big rat."

Gwen stared at Ianto for a moment before turning back to Owen, "What do you mean nothing in his file? About what?" She paused, looking between Ianto and Owen. "You drugged him!"

"It was a sedative!" Owen protested. "It's harmless. It was just supposed to make him rest for a while. Not my fault nobody put in his file that it does this to him!"

"Why didn't you just tell him to go home and get some sleep?"

"Tried that, got ignored. I just wanted to make sure he didn't pass out on us while we're out in the field, that's all."

"By making him pass out here?"

They both paused, realising Ianto had stopped rambling. Turning to look at him they found him sitting there quietly looking up at them. For the first time Gwen realised just how young Ianto really was. With his tie loose, his hair a mess and all his defences lowered by the sedative Owen had given him, it was suddenly obvious just how much this young man had been through.

"He's not coming back is he?" he asked softly, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on her face.

"Yes Ianto, he's coming back," she answered immediately. She had no idea if it was true or not, no idea if Ianto was talking about Jack or something else altogether, but the loss written so plainly on his face made it impossible for her to do anything but try to comfort him. She crouched down in front of him.

"Lay down," she instructed gently, relieved when he complied without protest. The sedative was clearly starting to do what it was originally meant to do, either that or the exhaustion had finally caught up with him.

"He's coming back," she told him again. "Just close your eyes and rest, he'll be back."

As Ianto's breathing evened out and he finally drifted off to sleep, she hoped she had told him the truth.

***