1

Ianto sat calmly watching Jack as he settled in the chair opposite.

Jack flicked back his coat to show the Webley and sat back to eyeball the silent archivist who sat with his hands clasped together as if waiting to speak with him about a budget issue.

If he were not so angry he might have found Ianto's manner amusing.

"So" Jack said hating the fact that he was the one to have to speak first, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Ianto blinked slowly, focusing on him as if only just realizing he was there.

"Sir?"

"Would you care to explain what the fuck just happened please Ianto?" Jack asked politely, even if it was through ground teeth but still Ianto merely blinked.

"I would rather not thank you" Ianto replied.

Jack gaped then snorted.

"The simple fact is, you are going to kill me. It's inevitable. I haven't the power to argue or give you a long winded explanation of something that you have no desire to comprehend" Ianto was speaking in a low monotone, showing his exhaustion, "Please, just raise the gun and squeeze."

"Ianto, I'm not going to …"

"Jack?" Owen entered and moved to the table, placing a rolled kit down, "I need a moment please."

"What?"

"I need to examine Ianto" Owen sighed as he turned to face Jack, the kit unrolling to show a syringe with a clear liquid in it, another needle and some vials.

Ianto moved so fast that Owen didn't even have time to cry out as he was seized by the throat and lifted into the air.

"NO!" Jack screamed, raising the Webley and aiming for Ianto's head.

Then he saw it.

Only for a second as Owen struggled and Ianto looked over at Jack betraying his true emotion.

Relief.

Jack lowered the gun and placed it on the table, watching Ianto's face crumble as he released Owen and stepped back.

"I'm not going to kill you" he informed him.

"Why not?" Ianto whispered, "Are you going to torture me first?"

"What?" Owen swung to stare at Ianto as his hand rubbed his neck, amazed that he wasn't injured.

Ianto's face was streaking with tears as he looked at Owen and smiled weakly through them.

"Protocol 673, subsection B." he whispered, "I have committed a breach of security. I must now be put to death."

Owen paled and swung to gape at Jack, giving Ianto the time to check the distance to the door and then run.

Owen was thrust into Jack's arms, allowing Ianto time to simply smash right through the bullet proof glass of the booth, missing Tosh who was about to open the door, and head into the hub as she screamed his name.

"DUCK!" Ianto roared as he entered the main hub.

Gwen instinctively did, allowing Ianto to vault over her and down the hallway to the lower levels.

Jack was panting as he slammed into walls, chasing the Welshman who was faster than Jack ever imagined, reaching the basement.

"Fuck!" Owen's voice crackled in Jack's ear "Don't go in the basement. You know there is always a fucking monster in the basement. Horror movie rules. Some Queen Bitch Alien thing shitting out Cyberman eggs or some shit"

Jack sighed and tried to open it, cursing as it denied access.

He used his override code and pushed in, finding the large door to the incinerator open and Ianto standing in front of it.

The man was clearly in complete terror as he wailed and his fingers dug as his own face, taking another step towards the flames waiting to consume him.

"Ianto" Jack said softly, "Come here."

"I can't" Ianto sobbed and another stop and had him grimacing against the heat.

"Ianto please. Just come here" Jack begged, stepping closer to him as Owen's voice started cursing down the coms that Ianto must be starting to get heat burn, the CCTV camera in the corner giving those in the hub a bird's eye view of the action.

"I'm so sorry" Ianto whispered, looking at Jack as he took another step.

Gods Jack could smell his suit starting to scorch as Ianto made eye contact, the raw sorrow was horrible to see.

"Ianto, please, come to me" Jack was close enough to reach out, his fingers almost grasping his lapel.

"For what it's worth, I did fight her, I fought as hard as I could" Ianto sobbed, "I am so sorry Jack. You are a good man, I wish … I wish I were one too."

Ianto jumped.