A/N: Hello again my lovelies here is the next oven fresh chapter, I really enjoyed this one and I really hope you guys do too.

A massive thank you to everyone who has reviewed or favourited, hell even if you've just read it. It really does make my week to know you guys like it and for some unknowable reason want more, so THANK YOU! Also to everyone who has given feedback even if it's about my atrocious spelling, it means a lot to know that you want to help me improve it so to you an even bigger THANK YOU!

Oh yeah blah blah blah still own nothing!

xxx

Ianto grunted as Owen manhandled him once again "Don't make noises like that, Harkness'll murder me in if he things I got there first." Ianto didn't quite know how to retort that one, it was the first real verbal recognition of the obvious attraction between the pair and Ianto wasn't too sure how he felt about that.

Owen had been poking and prodding him for at least half an hour, testing his reactions and the limits of his arm's present abilities.

It had been two hours since his confession to Jack, and this was the first he'd seen of anyone. There'd been a lot of movement, he'd seen it through the door, heard muffled conversations and half caught the louder exclamations. From what he'd gathered they were swatting up on Torchwood 3.

Something was going to happen and Ianto had his last pound on the fact that it was to do with the drop, but no one would tell him a damn thing. He'd tried arguing with Owen, insisting that he could help, strategy was his speciality, the least they could do was listen to him, but Owen had out right ignored him, muttering something about nobody letting him do his bloody job.

Ianto grunted again as Owen dropped his arm, apparently not quite satisfied that he'd caused Ianto enough discomfort, Owen merely rolled his eyes before walking away.

And just like that Ianto was alone again, left to stew in his own half baked ideas and theories. God he really hated mercenaries.

Xxx

Jack had all the information he needed, well probably not everything they needed but it was all they could get so it would have to be enough. He knew the drop point layout better than the back of his hand and the Torchwood 3 team almost as well as Tosh and Owen. His hands held written versions of every piece of contact he'd had with Brian. He had enough and it was time to stop stalling. Taking a deep breath Jack pushed open the door to the med bay.

Xxx

Jack needed this to go off without a hitch, which wasn't very likely, so he needed the plan to be solid, for it to have contingency plans and for those plans to have contingency plans. In short, he needed Ianto. Ianto's files all complimented the man on his remarkable strategizing, he had years of Torchwood training, and on top of that he was sharp as a knife.

Jack knew it was a good idea, the boy could tell them how Torchwood thought, how they would react. Brian was a twat but he wasn't stupid, he'd be prepared.

It was also a great way to integrate Ianto, to show him they trusted him, that he would be part of the group. It was an opportunity to see how well Ianto would fit in, to test his limits and his commitment to them.

On paper the Idea was fantastic, in reality . . . Jack was scared, not that he'd admit it under pain of death, but he was.

He'd admit that some of it was pride, he'd put up his usual hard man front, the one saved for all his marks and now he had to drop it, to show Ianto who he really was. What if the boy laughed him and his plans out of the room, Jack had to concede to Ianto's superior knowledge in this area.

Jack would also admit to some of it being the chemistry between them. He wasn't in anyway worried about getting Ianto, in that he was supremely confident, where in lay the problem. Jack had had nothing but a long string of one, or two, night stands. It had been a very long time since his last real commitment; his Doctor had made it very hard for Jack to want to settle for anyone, but Ianto and he were going to have to work together. Jacks fears lay in the possibility that it didn't work out, that they grew resentful, that it affected their work and Tosh or Owen would pay the price.

The crux of it was what if Ianto was like the idea of talking to him, perfect on paper but not in any other way. What if Ianto didn't mesh, what if he worked too much like Torchwood, it wasn't a ludicrous conclusion; Ianto had been nobody until Yvonne had swept him away, all his note worthy skill came from Torchwood training.

Tosh had told him not to be ridiculous; you only had to look at the boy, his good heart was written all over his body, the weevil had done it for him. Owen had nodded knowingly over her shoulder.

And that was the thought which shook the hesitation out of him, how could he judge the boy without giving him a chance. Anyway if it all went to hell and Ianto was useless he could be their coffee boy, he couldn't possibly make it any worse than Owen did.

Xxx

Ianto looked up as the door swung open and caught Jack's eye, together they held the gaze, held it well past the point of awkwardness, testing each other's commitment.

"You took your time" Ianto forced the smirk into his voice he did not want Harkness thinking he had the upper hand.

"In reference to what exactly, Mr Jones?" Jack's smirk was anything but forced; he'd missed the banter that Ianto's stronger personality had delivered over the past few days.

Ianto's eye roll was almost audible; Jack was trying to force him onto uneven ground, and it may have worked, if it was anyone other than Ianto. "I am far from a simpleton Harkness. I know you're going after Torchwood and I know you're here for strategy. The only thing I don't know, though I'm sure I could hazard a guess, is why." The falter of Jack smirk was minuscule, but enough. "Cut the crap Jack, we both know I can help."

Jack's slip was born of surprise; it was short lived and the only one he would make. Ianto may not have been trying to undermine his authority but Jack wasn't about to be back seated on this. If this was going to work there needed to be a clear leader and Jack had never been very good at following orders.

Jack threw the plans in Ianto's lap "Tomorrow, 6pm. You're drop." Jack's tone was clipped and Ianto felt guilt flare up in his gut before he remembered this was his life they were playing with and he swiftly flicked through the information Jack had discarded.

The room was silent but for the scrape of metal as Jack dragged a chair to Ianto's bedside.

Ianto flicked through the pages, once, twice, three times pausing every now and then to read in more detail.

Jack watched the concentration on Ianto's face and let warm licks of lust curl in his belly.

He broke the silence, Ianto had gotten a good enough look, and he was starting to get edgy, "so?"

"You've got Brian's formation down to a tee, two with him, two on higher ground for observation and possible take out and at least two more to close in behind you once you're there. How do you know he'll only use his people?"

Jack's smirk slipped back in place "He's your typical paranoid conspiracy theorist. He's tried to keep me on a short leash, he doesn't use or like outside help. I doubt he really trusts his own people but there's no way he'll use anyone else for something as important as this drop. But don't let it go to your head."

Ianto ignored Jack's last comment and the accompanying wink, but he had to admit that he was impressed, Harkness, or Tosh, had done his homework.

The plan in itself was simple and all the better for it. It basically consisted of two parts, the first being Tosh and Owens, the second Jack and Ianto's.

The way Jack wanted to play it went like this; Tosh and Owen never made face time with any of their clients and were both basically unknowns so when Jack turned up with Ianto alone it wouldn't be questioned. Jack and Ianto were basically the bait, their job was to keep Brian occupied while Tosh and Owen took out all his back up leaving Brian outnumbered and highly persuadable.

The plan was risky; it relied heavily on chance and Brian's own paranoia. Which is where Ianto came in; his personal knowledge would dramatically decrease the risk factor. Ianto knew Torchwood protocol and technique; he could tell Jack where Brian would place his people for the strategic advantage. His previous encounters with the man would help Jack pin down how Brian was likely to react. Ianto would know the weaponry, the code words and hand signals, the defence patterns and procedures. In short Ianto was Jack's very own Torchwood dictionary.

They sat, heads bent together over the sheets of paper, refining the plan and escape routes over and over.

A couple of hours past, Owen had come in twice to check on the patient, or 'kill the mood' as Jack had put it.

Tosh had come bearing food at one point, it may have been sandwiches but neither man paid it too much attention.

They worked together well, easily bouncing ideas off one another, neither afraid to knock or praise the others ideas and neither man holding back.

Xxx

It was eleven pm when Ianto finally looked up from the papers splayed on his bed, it was getting late and there was little more that could be done to their plan, what they needed now was rest.

He turned to look at Jack and his breath caught in his throat. Jack was a lot closer than he had expected. Sure their shoulders had been in almost constant contact but he had been sure that it was due to them both leaning in rather than close proximity.

Jack was turning to look at Ianto, his attention caught by the younger mans gasp.

Their noses brushed at the tips as Jack fully straightened.

Ianto was transfixed by the look in Jacks eyes. They were suddenly dark with lust and completely telling. Ianto could see in them just how long Jack had wanted him, how hard it had been to hold back and Ianto felt sure that same fact shone in his own eyes.

But Ianto also saw hesitance, he saw something holding Jack back even now.

Ianto wanted to say so much, he wanted to assure Jack that he wanted this too, wanted so much more. He wanted to say that the future didn't matter right now, hell they might not even make it past tomorrow. He wanted to scream that he hadn't felt this before, that Torchwood had scooped him up too young for anyone to have affected him the way Jack did. He wanted to shout that no one had looked at him the way Jack had, for so long he'd just been a disposable body. He wanted to rave that he would give this a go if Jack would. He wanted to snark that love at first sight was fairy and unicorn worthy, but the tug in his chest said otherwise. He wanted to cry, he wanted to be held, he wanted to be loved.

He wanted Jack.

All that Ianto managed however was a barely audible "Jack . . ."

It was enough. Jack tilted his head a little to the right and never breaking eye contact; he pressed his lips to Ianto's.

The flood gates burst, Ianto whimpered at the gentle touch and Jack pressed closer hands sinking into Ianto's unruly brown locks as his bit Ianto lower lip just to hear the noise again.

Ianto clutched at Jacks arms and shoulders, whatever he could reach to pull himself closer to warmth of Jack's body.

Jack was pressed so close, tongue lapping at Ianto's mouth begging entrance, he was granted it so very willingly.

Only then did things slow a little as Jack took his time learning the feel of Ianto's tongue on his own, the shape of the boy's canines, the texture of his gums and the intoxicating taste of his breath.

Ianto could merely cling on, he was far from a blushing virgin but Jack made him feel innocent. Jack was strong and confident and Ianto felt safe, something he hadn't felt in a long time.

He would take it to his grave, but all Ianto wanted to do was lock himself in this room with this man, in this moment. He wanted Jack to hold him and protect him.

Ianto was practically purring and Jack had to pull back, just for a moment, just to fully take in the gorgeous man in his arms.

Ianto, though he would later deny it, whimpered at the loss of the touch and Jack chuckled before leaning in again to press his forehead to Ianto's. They boy's eyes were huge and dark with lust, Jack could read something else there to it wasn't just affection but total undiluted trust.

That coupled with another breathy moan of his name had Jack disregarding any thought of Ianto's fragile body as he climbed on the bed to straddle the younger man; once again capturing those kiss bruised red lips.

Too caught up in each other to care, neither truly noticed Ianto's racing heart monitor, unfortunately the violent movement of the doors and Owen's shout were harder to ignore.

"STOP MOLESTING MY PATIENT!"

A/N 2: hope you enjoyed it and the next one will be asap I swear :D! Please review, con crit is always welcome but please be gentle with me, I bruise easily ;)