Ianto and Gwen were running.

Neither of them were completely sure where they were running to, or even if they were running anywhere at all. The endless darkness and lack of landmarks could mean that they weren't going anywhere. But they ran on, away from the growling rumblings in the darkness. Gwen imagined the streets and alleyways of Cardiff as she was running. The familiarity reassured her, and she could almost see dustbins and darkened doorways in her peripheral vision. She reached out to drag her fingertips along the wall as she ran, anticipating the feel of coarse brick and crumbling mortar. And then she screamed.

"Why are we doing this again?" asked Chase. "The lumbar puncture should have shown any nerve damage."

Cameron shrugged, and then imperceptibly flicked her eyes to the back of the room.

"Because the one with the ovaries couldn't run fast enough to get a history, and there wasn't a high white blood cell count in the spinal fluid, so meningoencephalitis is out."

Chase turned to see House leaning against the doorway. For once, he was wearing a white coat, and Chase wondered what he was up to. House only ever acted out of the ordinary to benefit himself. House followed his gaze, and pouted. "Sometimes, Daddy likes to play doctor too. And right now, Daddy has a new playmate…"

"If you're talking about Jack, he isn't here. I told him to go and get something to eat – he hasn't left their side in hours, never mind slept."

House limped to the lift to find Jack, hiding his annoyance at Cameron's obvious concern over Jack's wellbeing. And the suddenly, he was annoyed that he cared. It wasn't often someone intrigued him as much as this man. He seemed so young, yet old; friendly and enigmatic, yet lonely. And, aggravatingly, profoundly astute.

Chase watched him leave, then smiled slowly at Cameron, who was just beginning to test Gwen with electrical impulses. Cameron met his eyes.

"So, how are the ovaries?"

The look of indignation could have cut steel, if it had not been interrupted by a scream.

Then, as suddenly as it began, it ended.

Ianto looked at Gwen in terror, uncomprehending. "What?" he asked concernedly. The tone of his voice held a hint of fear. That scream would alert anyone, or anything to their presence. Not to mention the device; this had calmed down considerably since they had been on the move. It was currently humming contentedly in Ianto's suit pocket.

"It felt like fire. My arms are burning. Or… they were. I'm not so sure anymore." She stared at her arms, which seemed to belong somewhere else. "I'm scared Ianto."

Those three words told the man that this was serious. Unflappable, ineffable Gwen was trembling in fear, and had somehow found her way into his arms. Despite not being able to feel that he was there, the closeness of spirit was calming. The tall Welshman kissed the top of her head.

"It's ok. I'm scared too. But I know we'll make it. Jack will save us."

They drifted, and the glow around them began to dim as the contemplated their fates in silence.

Gwen thought about Ianto's unwavering faith in Jack. When the captain left with the Doctor, Ianto was angry that Jack didn't even stop to say goodbye. But he was the one who always maintained that he would return. Right now, his hope was the only thing that was keeping the both of them from utter despair – however unlikely it seemed.

House ignored his pager as he sat across the table from Jack in the Cafeteria. Promptly, he stole a sandwich.

"Hey, that was mine!" Jack protested as he clutched his coffee to him. It was nowhere as good as the ones Ianto made, but Jack sorely needed the caffeine. Smiling, he added "You definitely owe me some sort of sexual favour now…" His face suddenly fell when he remembered that Ianto wasn't particularly in the position to be distributing sexual favours right now.

House gave a wry smile. "If you're into bondage and whores…" he trailed off. "What I really wanted to do was ask a couple of questions."

Jack grimaced.

"If that's ok." House added, after noting the expression.

"Shoot." Jack put on a smile, and prepared for the interrogation. He was confident of his ability to find his way out of anything.

"What exactly is your line of work? I know you work for the government, but then again I've noticed a few interesting scars."

Damn those weevils… "Oh, anything from IT" not strictly a lie "to pest control." Definitely true.

"So, any chance of animal bites? Or electrocution?"

"We've all had our fair share of accidents." Even if mine tend to involve dying. "I wasn't actually aware of what happened to Ianto and Gwen. I just found them." Jack felt proud. No outright lies just yet.

"And you all seem very… close." House had heard about Jack's kisses on the forehead, and his holding their hands.

"Ianto is my … boyfriend. And Gwen is a close friend, she has a husband back in Cardiff, called Rhys." I guess he is my boyfriend. I don't normally label things, but this is good. Weird, but good. I wonder what he would say about it.

House was hopeful. Not necessarily about the case either. Well, he had a few ideas, more like inklings, but it wasn't that. Anyway, the proof was in the medicine – everybody lies. It was Jack's casual admittance of what seemed like his sexual preference. Not that he was interested. Not really. It was more Jack's confidence, and the respect he commanded. Something that House had, but not in the same way. Regardless, hope wasn't something that was usually even considered by House. He had his methods, and they got results. And that was all that mattered.

The pager beeped again, and this time House looked. "Something happened." He told Jack, brusquely, trying to maintain his cold, calculating exterior.

The two men raced through the hospital, as fast as House's leg would allow.

It was dark and cold. And all Ianto wanted to do was sleep. So that's what he did.

Holding the exhausted Gwen in his arms, they drifted together.

Time passed. Or maybe it didn't.

They awoke to the sound of insects.