A Problem Shared

Ianto was working in the tourist office when Jack came through the door. His coat was torn and there was blood on his shirt. "Jack! What happened?" He quickly rounded the counter to stand in front of Jack.

When Ianto had finished talking, a tall woman came in wearing a business suit.

"May I help you ma'am?"

"You must be Ianto Jones. Hello, I'm Tamara Goodwin. Can you open the door for me, Jack? I think you better explain about me being here to Ianto. I'll be at my desk."

Jack opened the door leading down to the Hub.

Ianto started at Jack, a confused look on his face. "Who is she and where exactly is her desk?"

Jack looked from Kelly to Ianto. "I ran into some trouble last night, as you can see." Jack indicated to his clothes. "Tamara helped me out. I….gave her a job. She'll be working from my office."

Ianto looked stunned. "Your office?"

Jack knew there was going to be a confrontation but he just walked away. Jack just walked away.

Ianto followed close on his heels. "What do you mean, your office?"

"She's….taking over the running of Torchwood Three. I'm….moving to UNIT in a few days."

"A few days! What about us? What about me?"

Jack didn't look at Ianto, he just kept walking toward the lift.

"Jack, answer me!"

"I have nothing to say, Ianto." Jack entered the lift.

Ianto held the doors open. "So, that's it? You just leave in a few days."

Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes."

"Have I done something wrong? Why would you want to leave?"

"Let go of the lift Ianto. She's waiting for me."

Ianto smashed his knuckles into the side of the lift. "Let her wait!" His knuckles came away bloody.

"Please, just let it go."

Ianto stepped back and the doors shut. He lifted his head just as the doors were about to meet, he saw tears in Jack's eyes.

"Jack!"

Punching the button for the lift to return, Ianto paced up and down the corridor. Frustration was getting the better of him and his eyes, too, started to fill with tears.

As the lift came back up, Ianto got inside and waited for the doors to shut. Once down at the bottom, Ianto walked through the cog door and into the Hub. It was eerily silent. All eyes were on the woman in Jack's office.

Gwen looked at her hands as she saw Ianto. Tosh raised an eyebrow.

Jack was just going up the steps to his office when Ianto called out to him.

"Talk to me, Jack."

"Captain Harkness," called Tamara Goodwin. "I need you up here."

"To hell with her, Jack!"

Jack didn't turn around, but he did stop and look up at his office, before carrying on.

"Jack, please."

Jack went inside, closing the door.

"Who is she?" asked Gwen.

Ianto couldn't speak. He went down to the archives.

After twenty minutes, Jack came out of his office carrying an armful of folders.

"Where's Ianto?"

"Er, I think he went down to the archives. Jack, what's going on?"

"I'll tell you after I've spoken to Ianto."

Then he was gone.

Ianto was sat at the small desk, his computer turned on. He'd Googled Tamara Goodwin. Nothing came up. He turned as he heard footsteps behind him.

"Let you off the reigns I see."

"I'm being relived of my command here."

"You told me that already." He didn't look at Jack.

"It's not by choice."

"I see."

Jack grabbed Ianto by the arms, making him stand up. "No, you don't see. I don't want to leave. I have to."

Ianto pulled away. "Who is she, Jack? And what happened to you?"

Jack sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, remembering. "I was attacked by three Weevils. She somehow called them off.""Called them off, how?"

"I….don't know."

"Now she's the new boss?" he shook his head. "I quit, Jack."

"You can't."

"Watch me."

"We're going into shutdown. Nothing will work for the next 48 hours."

As if by magic, the computer screen went blank.

"It's starting," said Jack.