A/N Thanks for the reviews and story alerts guys – it's easier to write when you know someone is reading.

MM sex scenes in this final chapter – but then it is Jack and Ianto so you knew that right?

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The following morning as Ianto stood at his workstation Jack came up behind him and worked his arms around the younger man's waist. Ianto jumped and struggled briefly but relaxed when Jack instantly loosened his hold.

'Sorry' he apologised.

'Don't be' said Jack 'you took a huge step last night.'

'I haven't got forever Jack' smiled Ianto 'probably haven't got long at all...I intend to have what I want most whilst I'm here...I won't let anything take it from me.'

Jack gulped. He had seen the passion with which Ianto had sought to save Lisa, the man's determination was beyond description. It was humbling and slightly unnerving to have that sort of dedication aimed at him.

'Did you do more thinking?' asked Jack.

'Yes.'

But suddenly Ianto sagged.

'I did some feeling too' he gulped.

He looked up at Jack with tears in his eyes.

'You hurt me' he sobbed.

Jack watched the tears brim over and fall down Ianto's cheeks and felt the response behind his own eyes.

'I know' he whispered 'I know.'

'Make it better Jack' insisted Ianto.

Ianto was vaguely aware that he sounded like a four year old having a temper tantrum, but he didn't care, he wanted Jack to make it better.

'I don't know how' answered Jack.

He pulled Ianto into a hug. Ianto resisted but then slumped in his lover's arms and sobbed. It was a violent but brief collapse. Ianto pulled himself up and turned to plant a kiss in the crook of Jack's neck. Jack continued to stroke the younger man's hair and neck and they just held each other for a moment.

There was genuine affection in the hug and the strokes. This wasn't about sex. It wasn't about how to get past the violence of one encounter and the clinical detachment of the next one. This was them as a couple. It made them both feel reconnected on a level that the sex of the previous night could never have managed.

The two men broke the embrace and looked at each other smiling. The hub alarm sounded and Gwen walked in. She shouted hello and headed straight for her workstation, she was quickly followed by Owen and Toshiko. Everybody started work.

The morning was uneventful, Owen stayed in his lab still avoiding Jack as far as possible. Ianto made his usual coffee runs and stayed talking to Jack in his office each time. Gwen still puzzled slightly over the atmosphere. It annoyed her that the others were keeping something from her, but despite her best efforts no further information had been forthcoming.

Just after lunch Jack joined Ianto in the archives where he was attempting to create some order in the files from the sixties. Jack made lots of noise in his approach and Ianto was standing waiting when he finally appeared. He stopped before approaching the other man.

'Is it ok that I came here Ianto?' he asked.

The archives had been the scene of many a sexual encounter between the two men, but it was also where they escaped to talk privately when the hub was busy. But mostly it was Ianto's place. It was where he went to get away from the incessant chat and activity of the team, where he could get his fix of quiet and order. Jack did not want him to feel threatened here of all places.

Ianto smiled at him and gestured for him to approach.

'I know the sixties was an era of peace and free love Jack, but that did not rule out a filing system surely?' he said in exasperation indicating the chaos.

Jack laughed.

'Oh we really had better things to think about in the sixties' he said. 'The space race, flower power, miniskirts' he continued and Ianto rolled his eyes.

'Gwen is still trying to find out what's wrong' said Jack sitting on the edge of the large table.

Ianto looked up troubled.

'I don't want her to know Jack' he said earnestly.

'I know' whispered Jack. 'She'll find something else to focus on soon, nobody will tell her anything.'

Ianto nodded knowing it was true. They spent a quiet half hour together just talking and sharing thoughts, sitting together. They were interrupted by the rift activity alarm. Jack ran and Ianto walked back to the main area.

'What is it Tosh?' asked Jack.

'Something has come through Jack, in a car park in the city centre. The signature suggests it is inorganic' answered Toshiko.

'Ok locate and retrieve. Toshiko take the portable rift locator with you, Gwen deal with any witnesses, Owen go with them' ordered Jack.

'Tosh should stay here and read the monitors, Ianto can come with us' said Owen.

He did not like the idea of the two men left alone at the hub.

'Don't be daft Owen, Ianto won't be able to lift anything heavy with his shoulder still healing' objected Gwen. 'It makes more sense for him to stay and watch the monitors'.

Owen was about to protest when Ianto interrupted.

'Gwen's right Owen, if the object is heavy I won't be much use' his eyes pleaded with Owen to understand.

Owen looked from Ianto to Jack and back again then nodded assent. They left and Ianto took up his post at Toshiko's station ready to send location details should they be needed. Jack sat with him for a time and then left to complete paperwork in his office.

The quiet was restful and Ianto let his mind wander as he tapped in location coordinates to update the others. He watched his captain wander his office and smiled to himself. These were precious moments when they were alone.

He received a message from Toshiko that the retrieval would take longer than expected. There were several witnesses and they would need to take statements and convince them of an agreed cover story. Ianto sent a message back to say he would have coffee waiting and then went to the kitchen to make himself and Jack a drink.

Jack noticed his preparations and wandered out of his office to join Ianto.

'Ok?' he asked.

Ianto smiled at him.

'Yes' he said simply.

He indicated they should sit on the sofa.

'Tosh says they'll be a while longer, complications with witnesses' he said.

'Oh' said Jack.

They sat companionably side by side, not talking just enjoying each other and the quiet. Jack picked up the report from UNIT that he had been reading and continued to peruse it. He was half way down the second page when he became aware of Ianto watching him.

'What?' he asked.

'It's a while since we've been here like this' said Ianto.

Jack smiled.

'Is it ok?' he asked.

'Yes...it's nice...but you're not harassing me...you always harass me' complained Ianto smiling.

Jack watched him carefully.

'Soon Ianto...but not yet...not until you feel safe' he said gently.

Ianto pouted.

'Well at least kiss me' he complained leaning in.

Jack was about to protest but Ianto's mouth was over his and demanding attention and Jack kissed back. Ianto tried to tell Jack how safe he felt by placing his lover's hands on his own chest and snaking his hands around his lover's waist, under his shirt and stroking his bare skin.

The hub alarm sounded to announce the arrival of the others just as they were both beginning to relax into the embrace. They broke the kiss and rested their foreheads together for a moment smiling .

'Thank you' whispered Jack before they separated to attend to duties.

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Ianto had still gone home alone last night much to Jack's disappointment. They had regained something, but steps still needed to be taken and Jack was determined to tread softly.

Ianto's physical injuries were all but healed and the atmosphere in the hub was slowly returning to normal. Even Owen was attempting to regain his moody snipes at everyone although they were less vicious now than previously.

They were all resettling into a routine. But today would test that as the rift activity alarm was sounding as they all arrived.

'What is it Tosh?' asked Jack coming out of his office.

'Something has come through...there are reports coming in of an incident in a pub...wait I'll try to get CCTV images from the area' responded Toshiko working at her monitor.

They all watched the images appear on the screen and took a sharp intake of breath. An alien had appeared, vaguely humanoid in shape and obviously in distress and this was making it aggressive. As they watched, it tore past two astonished onlookers throwing one of them to the ground.

'Let's get out there before it does some real damage' said Jack. 'Owen get some weevil spray, if we're lucky it will at least subdue it sufficiently for us to get it back here' ordered Jack.

The team started to leave, Jack grabbed Ianto's wrist.

'Ianto will you be ok out there?' he asked. 'We might need all of us'.

'I'll be fine Jack. I'm healed. I'm ok' Ianto insisted.

Jack nodded but still looked unsure. However there was no time to argue and they left the hub.

They reached their destination and split up. Owen and the girls in the direction indicated by the portable rift detector, Ianto and Jack back tracking to the original location. Hopefully the alien was still in the area between the two sites.

'Tosh have you got a location yet?' demanded Jack over the coms.

'East from your position Jack, hurry the streets are narrow where you are and you'll lose him' Toshiko responded.

Jack grabbed his lover's hand briefly.

'Be careful out there gorgeous' he winked.

Ianto rolled his eyes but still grinned at him. They both loved this, the chase, the adrenalin. Suddenly the alien shot past them in the opposite direction, it had obviously double backed. Ianto shouted to the others over his coms and followed Jack in pursuit.

The alien led them down a dark alley, both men slowing as their eyes attempted to adjust to the dark. Suddenly Ianto screamed in agony as he felt a blow in the ribs followed by claws digging into his thigh. He retaliated by throwing a punch that connected somewhere as the alien let out a scream of pain.

Jack had rushed to Ianto's aid and was now grappling on the floor trying desperately to keep jagged teeth away from his neck. With a roar Ianto launched himself at the alien and his lover. He pulled the alien off the other man and rolled over pulling the alien with him.

Jack howled in fury as he heard Ianto scream in pain again and aimed his gun at the creature. He could not get a clear shot and resorted to fists once more. Between them the two men grappled the creature into handcuffs and Jack sprayed it with weevil spray which luckily seemed to have the desired effect.

Jack helped Ianto to his feet and they both laughed manically, loving the rush of adrenalin and fear that fights produced. They looked at each other panting and with eyes full of lust.

Jack did what he always did in these situations he pinned Ianto to the nearest wall with his hands about his throat and kissed him fiercely. Whenever they went weevil hunting it always ended with Ianto pinned by his throat against a wall.

Usually Ianto continued the fight for a while making Jack earn his submission. Sometimes in these fights Ianto would win and be the one pinning Jack to the wall. Ianto was not as strong as Jack, but what he lacked in strength he more than made up for in agility and cunning. But tonight he did not fight .

The two men moaned into the kiss and ground their erections together for added friction.

Jack suddenly became aware of what he was doing and dropped his hands backing away from Ianto slightly.

'I'm sorry' he gasped.

Ianto gently placed Jack's hands back on his own throat.

Don't be sorry Jack....you know I like it' he said.

Ianto kissed him gently and then with abandon, grinding his erection into the older man's encouraging him to take further control. Jack knew Ianto wanted this, wanted what they normally had, but still was concerned not to take it further than the other man was ready for. He squeezed his hands at Ianto's neck and was rewarded by a low moan. Ianto moaned his approval into the older man's mouth as he felt his breath cut off and his cock stiffen in response.

Jack broke the kiss so that their mouths were still close and their breaths mingling still panting and rubbing their groins together.

'Ianto....I need you so badly...want you' gasped Jack his voice thick with need.

Ianto wrapped one leg up around his captain's waist and drew his neck down so that he could attack it with his lips, biting to encourage Jack to continue his aggression.

Gwen rounded the corner and took in the situation instantly. She ignored the rutting men and established that the alien was subdued. Owen quickly joined her, saw Jack holding Ianto against the wall and strode towards the two men.

'Owen!' hissed Gwen.

With the small part of his brain that could still function coherently Ianto had heard Gwen shout Owen's name and knew the footsteps he could hear coming closer were the medics. He realised his friend was misreading the situation and about to create a scene. He took his left hand off Jack's hip and held it up, palm forward behind his back signifying to Owen to stop.

Owen did stop, breathing heavily but he was not happy.

'Jack!' he shouted and waited impatiently for a response.

Jack broke the kiss and placed his forehead against Ianto's gasping and almost laughing at the same time. He turned to face Owen.

'Yes Owen' he snapped.

Owen looked at the small smile on Ianto's face and the flush of lust on his cheeks and turned back to Jack.

'Are we taking this alien back to the hub, or all having sex in an alley?' he asked.

Jack laughed and walked towards Gwen. Ianto came up behind Owen and whispered in his ear.

'Thanks sexy'.

'Oi don't take the piss teaboy' snarled Owen but they smiled at each other and went about their task of removing evidence of alien intrusion into Cardiff.

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Later back at the hub Toshiko had helped Owen to take blood and tissue samples from the alien and then helped Ianto to confine him in a cell. Ianto was making arrangements for several different types of food to be available for when it awoke.

Gwen was writing up the report to be filed when the medical tests were complete. Owen tested samples and Toshiko was running results through various computer analysis programmes that she had been working on, trying to establish a DNA database. Ianto arranged a cleanup operation, cover stories and press releases.

Jack watched his team running through their work quickly and efficiently and felt pride for each and every one of them. He thought he and Ianto had taken another step forward today and this made him very happy.

After a while Ianto appeared at his door with a mug of coffee for each of them. He smiled at the older man as he stepped into the office and placed the drinks on the table.

'That was fun out there' announced Ianto.

Jack grinned at him.

'Yes it was....' he said. 'Ianto...you usually fight me...not today..why?' he questioned.

'Didn't want you to think I actually wanted to get away' smiled Ianto.

'..Ianto....did you feel safe?' Jack questioned carefully.

Ianto came toward his lover and sat on his lap, bringing his face down to kiss Jack gently on the lips.

'Yes Jack....yes I did' he whispered.

The two men deepened the kiss, the lust from the alleyway flaring again, but more contained and softer now. Neither heard the door open and continued to kiss and touch each other, undoing buttons until they heard Owen cough. Ianto looked up at him.

'Yes Owen' said Jack.

Jack continued to kiss and nibble at Ianto's neck whilst Ianto looked at Owen directly not reacting to his lovers attentions.

'Right...what you are doing to the teaboy involves so very many levels of wrong that I'm just gonna keep right on talking and pretend I don't see it' said Owen.

'I think that's for the best Owen' said Ianto straight faced.

Owen watched as Jack licked the back of Ianto's neck and began to gently bite it, one hand sneaking under his shirt and stroking his stomach. Ianto continued to look at Owen expectantly but his eyes were beginning to glaze slightly, and his cheeks were flushed with contained lust. Owen felt a responding flare of lust lick at his own belly as he watched the two of them. He shook himself slightly and placed a report on the desk.

'I'll just send the rest of the results via e-mail' he spluttered and left the office quickly.

Ianto returned to kissing Jack, but Jack stopped him.

'Ianto I stand in awe of how you have coped with all this. I keep an important fact from you that gets you hurt badly, and yet here you are kissing me' said Jack in amazement.

'It's easy to understand Jack....I want you...I love you' replied Ianto shyly.

Jack gulped.

'I've not been loved very often Ianto' he admitted.

'I find that hard to believe' laughed Ianto.

'Oh I've inspired lots of emotions in my time' said Jack.

'Jealousy... anger... hatred occasionally... lust often... but very rarely love' he continued sadly.

Ianto looked as if he still did not quite believe what Jack was telling him.

'Few people have loved me once they knew me and all my faults...that takes an amount of patience and understanding beyond most people. You are the first to know all about me...where and when I'm from...and that I can't die...and you still love me....it's taken me a while to believe it' he said.

'Believe it Jack' whispered Ianto.

'I love you too Ianto' he stuttered.

'I know' smiled Ianto.

'You do?' questioned Jack.

'Owen told me' answered Ianto with a smile.

'Owen?' Jack said incredulously.

'He can be remarkably perceptive for an insensitive prick' laughed Ianto.

'So it would seem' said Jack still a little stunned.

'I knew anyway' whispered Ianto.

The two men just sat for a while enjoying the closeness and just holding each other.

Jack sent everybody home as soon as the most urgent aspects of the case had been dealt with and sat in his office for a while thinking of what had happened between him and Ianto that day. Things were returning to normal slowly but surely. Even Owen had returned to something approaching his usual sniping remarks, Jack had never thought he could be glad of that.

Jack left his office and was surprised to see Ianto sitting on the sofa and watching him. Jack wondered why the young man was still here, he moved slowly over to join him.

Ianto continued to watch him his face expressionless. Jack became concerned, was Ianto angry, upset, what was the young man thinking? He sat with him on the sofa.

'Ianto...what?' he begged.

Ianto took Jack's hands and entwined his own fingers with the older mans. He looked earnestly into his eyes and leant forwards to ghost a kiss across his lips. He kept his lips millimetres from Jack's and whispered

'sir'.

Jack's breath instantly hitched, this was one of Ianto's most favoured ways of initiating sex between them. But he did not want to misread what was on offer. Ianto moved slightly and tentatively kissed Jack's neck below his ear then moved his lips back to his lovers.

'Is there anything you want me to do sir?' he asked softly.

Jack let out a low moan. Ianto often used this tactic to encourage Jack to be dominant, to take the control he was being offered.

Jack could feel his whole body begin to throb in anticipation and he raised his hands to cup Ianto's face and draw it in for a still soft but deeper kiss. Ianto responded instantly by drawing his body into Jack's embrace his hands coming to rest naturally on the other mans hips and wandering down his thighs. Jack growled in response to the other mans touch, he stopped kissing his mouth and began to kiss and nibble at his neck his breath hitching as Ianto drew his head to one side offering more of his exposed neck to Jack's attention. This was how it was supposed to be.

Ianto had not stayed with him at the hub since that night. He had also not called him sir since then, Jack guessed because it sounded too submissive in the face of what had happened. He thought Ianto was offering a return to their usual activities but he wanted to be sure.

He stopped kissing and nibbling long enough to gasp.

'Is it ok...us being alone here? Is this what you want?' hope was rising in Jack. This would be the final step in getting back their relationship.

'Always' responded Ianto.

Ianto began to nibble at Jack's neck.

'Tell me what you want me to do sir' he whispered in Jack's ear.

He continued to bite Jack's neck encouraging the older man to react.

'I want us to make love' gasped Jack.

Ianto looked into his eyes and smiled.

'That's a little girly isn't it sir?' he questioned.

Jack laughed.

'Yes...I suppose.'

He became more serious.

'But that's what I want...what I think we both need...will you let me make love to you Ianto..please' asked Jack.

Ianto didn't answer just kissed the older man with more force. Then took his hand and led him to Jack's underground room.

Once there Ianto slowly unbuttoned Jack's shirt. Jack was still worried about going beyond Ianto's comfort zone and so stood unmoving. Ianto took Jack's hands and placed them on his own chest, undoing one of his own buttons and pushing Jack's fingers inside his shirt.

'Share with me sir' he begged.

Jack gulped. He was being offered his life back. He slowly unbuttoned Ianto's shirt and they helped each other to remove the articles standing bare chested before each other.

Jack could see the lust in Ianto's glazed eyes and he tested him by taking subtle control and kissing along Ianto's neck and shoulders. He felt the younger man relax and his breathing become faster as he clenched his fingers around Jack's upper arms.

Jack stopped long enough to look into Ianto's eyes as his hands fell to the younger mans fly button. He slowly lowered the zip whilst asking breathlessly.

'Is this ok?'

'Yes sir' whispered Ianto, sending fresh waves of lust through Jack's body.

Shoes, socks and trousers were quickly lost from both men and they were on the bed in their underwear.

This is how it was meant to be. They lay facing each other, one hand with fingers entwined kissing and caressing, gently getting to know each others bodies once more.

As their breathing became faster and their level of arousal heightened Jack broke away from the other man briefly.

'Ianto....loose the underwear.'

Neither man was sure if it was a demand or a request, but Ianto decided now was the time to submit to his captain and allowed the older man to strip him. They hadn't touched this intimately since 'that' night. Ianto felt slightly nervous as if it was all new again, but he looked into his lover's eyes and felt renewed trust. He looked down at his lover's body and realised this wasn't new, it was familiar and it was yearned for.

He reached down to stroke Jack's cock gently and Jack mirrored his actions.

'Together Ianto...we share' whispered Jack.

Jack kissed Ianto's neck, across his shoulders and down his chest all the time stroking languidly up and down his shaft. Ianto felt himself give in completely to his desire for this man as he felt Jack's hot mouth encircle him and suck gently.

Jack watched his lover as he sucked him making sure he was happy with what was happening. He relaxed as he saw Ianto's eyes drift closed and his hips buck up into Jack's mouth and listened to his breathing become ragged.

He felt Ianto trying to push him away and looked up again worried. Ianto pulled him up into a passionate kiss.

'I don't want to come yet' he gasped.

Jack quirked an eyebrow at him as Ianto lay down on his back and attempted to pull Jack on top of himself.

'Jack please' he whispered frantically.

He opened his thighs invitingly and Jack fell between them.

'Ianto....I don't know..' said Jack concerned.

Ianto had groped for the lube in the drawer and was lowering his resistance by rubbing it generously around his groin, massaging his cock.

'Jack listen to me...you...are my captain..I trust you with my life...I trust you with my love...and I trust you not to hurt me' he whispered into Jack's mouth.

He lifted his hips slightly and wrapped his legs about Jack's waist.

'Have faith Jack' he begged.

Jack entered his lover slowly inch by inch watching him constantly. When he was completely encased he looked into his eyes and watched the emotions play across his face.

They lost themselves in the moment...in this act of love, forgiveness and renewal.

They left the 'darkness' behind, and once more found love, life and pleasure in the light.

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A/N I like happy endings – hope it wasn't too fluffy.