Ianto watched in silence from the sanctuary of the Hub's greenhouse as Jack introduced their newest potential recruit to the marvels of Torchwood. Although, he had to concede that calling it a greenhouse was a bit of a misnomer. So far, all it housed was one slightly wilting green and fluorescent pink fern from a planet whose name even Jack couldn't pronounce. They had briefly possessed a lovely looking bouquet of flowers from the planet Geb, but Jack had been forced to incinerate them after they tried to eat Toshiko.

He shook himself back to reality, and returned his focus to the new recruit.

Dr Owen Harper. It took some effort not to think that without a grimace, but honestly? When Jack had said he was taking a solo trip to London to deal with what he believed was some form of incubus, Ianto hadn't expected him to come back three weeks later with a new medic.

Yes, they needed one. Ianto wasn't disputing that. What he did dispute was the wisdom of hiring someone whose fiancée had just been killed by an alien. Jack wanted to establish a new Torchwood that kept an open-minded attitude towards alien life. He wasn't so sure that Owen Harper was the best candidate, given those parameters.

"Oh, he is cute."

Ianto raised his eyebrows as Toshiko came to stand beside him.

"Compared to what?"

Tosh smacked him lightly on the arm.

"Don't be like that. Jack made a good choice. Have you seen his records from his time in A&E?"

"Have you seen his record for being arrested for drunk and disorderly in the two and a half weeks since his fiancée died? I didn't think it was possible to be arrested that many times in a twenty-four hours period."

"He's still mourning, Ianto. Leave him alone. Let Jack sort him out."

Ianto held his tongue and chose not to respond. The truth was that he felt a very real concern over whether they were going to be able to cope with Owen's unique brand of PTSD. When he'd convinced Jack to consider Toshiko for their team, he admittedly had played on Jack's own PTSD by turning his attention towards someone with whom he could empathise. Both Tosh and Jack were damaged and wounded souls, but having been through similar experiences they were able to help each other in small but significant ways. Ianto honestly could not see how Jack could practically help Owen Harper to heal from his hurts, and not be hurt himself in the process.

More than anything, Ianto wanted to save Jack from being hurt again.

He came back to the present once more at the sensation of Toshiko nudging him.

"Jack's calling us. I think it's time to meet the newbie."

Ianto groaned softly.

"I just hope Jack isn't making a mistake."

Toshiko looked at him reprovingly.

"Ianto, you're going to have to start trusting him to make decisions on his own about this place, even if they do turn out to be the wrong ones. After all, you're the one who keeps insisting that he needs to be more independent. How can he be, if you keep second-guessing him?"

With some embarrassment, Ianto realised Toshiko was right. He was advocating independence to Jack, while at the same time undermining him by constantly questioning his decisions and choices. Tosh looked amused.

"Anyone would think you were worried that Owen might be competition."

"Tosh!"

"Well, really, Ianto. You've been skulking up here since Jack arrived back, instead of going straight down there and showing him how much you've missed him."

Heat spread through Ianto's cheeks. He was finding it increasingly hard to maintain his composure and dignity.

"I'm not so sure that Owen would appreciate the wanton display of affection, given his circumstances," he pointed out, but Tosh only rolled her eyes.

"I'm hardly suggesting that you throw him down and shag him right in front of us," she retorted, and Ianto felt his face heat up even more. "Just go down there and give him a hug, and maybe a quick kiss. You can save your wanton displays of affection for home, thankyou."

"Or down in the archives, knowing Jack," Ianto retorted. "The man has just gone three weeks without sex. If he can bring himself to wait until we get home tonight, it'll be a bloody miracle."

Dr Owen Harper was impressed. Oh, he had no intention of ever admitting it, but he was impressed. When Harkness had described the Torchwood base to him during their train journey from London to Cardiff, the man really had not done the place justice.

When Harkness had invited him to come to Cardiff, he hadn't really taken it seriously. In fact, if it weren't for what he'd seen protruding out of Katie's skull inside that OR, he would have been questioning the man's sanity. As it was, he was quietly questioning his own.

But he'd gone with Harkness, and now here he was, surrounded by things his weary mind could barely comprehend.

"This is a world away from London," Jack told him quietly, "away from A&E. It's not a safe place, either. Don't kid yourself otherwise."

"Why me?" Owen asked finally. "Out of everyone you could've picked, why me?"

Jack shrugged.

"Convenience."

Owen laughed bitterly.

"At least you're honest about it."

"That's not the only reason," Jack went on. "You didn't just dismiss what you saw. You didn't let other people convince you that you just imagined it. You've got a strong mind, Owen. Put that together with your medical skills, and you're exactly who I need."

"I'm a natural born sceptic," Owen told him.

"Scepticism is healthy."

"I'll only end up pissing you off."

"So? We can take our frustrations out on each other. What d'you say, Owen? Give me a chance, and I'll prove to you that you belong here."

A wry smile creased Owen's thin lips, and he accepted Jack's outstretched hand.

"Challenge accepted. Now, where are your little sycophants that you mentioned?"

Jack's eyebrows went up.

"Trying to piss me off already? I thought you might have waited for at least twenty-four hours."

Owen smirked.

"Why waste valuable time? And anyway, is it working?"

It was Jack's turn to smirk.

"My patience isn't endless, but believe me when I say it'll take a lot to tip me over the edge. My team, on the other hand, have guns and they know how to use them."

"And we're also rather good at cover-ups."

Owen turned to look at the young man who had spoken – barely an adult, by his reckoning – and the woman with him, as they approached. He couldn't stop himself from appreciating how pretty she was, only to immediately suffer a sharp pang of guilt as his memories flashed back to his precious Katy. Before he could stop himself, he found himself opening his mouth and speaking before he could think twice.

"Nice bit of skirt you're keeping here, Harkness. Is she on the benefits list, or are you keeping her to yourself?"

Tosh went bright red at the crude assumption, but before either she or Jack had a chance to speak, Ianto stepped forward and took a swing. His fist collided with Owen's jaw, and the pain that flared through his hand was momentarily drowned out by the satisfaction of seeing Owen stagger backwards.

"Congratulations," Jack said dryly. "You've managed to piss off your teammates before you even met them. That's got to be a record."

"Jack, I want him out of here!" Ianto snapped. "I don't care how good a doctor he is, or what his issues are. He does not get away with treating Tosh like that."

Jack gave Ianto a look that pled for patience before turning back to Owen with a hard stare.

"Owen. I'd like you to meet Ianto Jones, my second-in-command, and Toshiko Sato, our expert in all things computer. So not only is she incredibly beautiful, but she's brilliant as well, and you do not get to treat her like chattel. You hear me, Dr Harper?"

As he spoke, Jack's voice took on a distinctly warning tone. He never made a move to touch Owen in any way, but the doctor seemed to get the point regardless. When he looked back at Tosh, there was genuine apology in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I really am. That was totally unacceptable."

"Yes, it was," Tosh agreed. "Lucky for you, I'm big on giving people second chances. Now, come with me and I'll show you the autopsy bay and med room."

"I'm still not happy about this," Ianto fumes once they were out of earshot.

"He'll find his feet," Jack assured him. "Just, can you at least try to give him a chance? He might be a bit abrasive..."

"A bit? Did you not hear what he said about Tosh?"

Tosh can defend herself," Jack countered. "We need him, Ianto. I think he'll do good here."

Ianto met Jack's gaze, and let his breath out slowly. There was a hopeful look on his lover's face, one that begged for patience and understanding.

"Do you really believe that, Jack?"

"Yes. I do."

"All right, then. But you do realise that Tosh thinks he's cute?"

"She likes him, huh? That's great! That makes it a mutual attraction."

"A what...? Bloody hell, Jack, please tell me you're not playing match-maker here!"

How Jack managed to look so innocent was a mystery that was completely beyond Ianto's comprehension.

"What?" Jack protested when Ianto glared at him. "They'd be good for each other!"

Ianto shook his head in aggravation.

"If he hurts Tosh in any way, Jack, I'll kill him, and then I'll kill you."

"That Jones bloke is a bit testy," Owen grumbled.

"He tends to be very protective," Tosh conceded.

"Of you?"

"Partially, but mostly of Jack…"

"What? You're not about to tell me that they're shagging, are you? Bloody hell, what sort of place have I walked into?"

Any further remark was lost when Tosh gave him a look that had him feeling like a leper.

"That's hardly any of our business, but there are other issues there. You'll eventually understand, if you're here for long enough."

Owen grimaced.

"That doesn't sound encouraging."

"Well, it depends. Your odds of surviving will improve dramatically if you can keep from regularly insulting the boss and his second-in-command. Secondly, this isn't the safest place to work, Dr Harper. Surely Jack made that clear, at least? We deal on a daily basis with things that could get you killed. If you're going to work here, and survive beyond the first week, then you'd better be prepared to put aside your issues and work with us. Not against us."

Owen's gaze shifted from speculative to appreciative.

"You don't take any crap, do you, Miss Sato?"

A small smile graced her features.

"No, and if you're here long enough to earn our trust, then you might eventually find out why. And for the record, it's just Tosh."

He accepted her offered hand but rather than shake it, he brought it to his lips and brushed a feather-light kiss over the knuckles.

"Owen, at your service."

"You see?" Jack practically crowed as Ianto switched off the CCTV footage they'd been watching. "I told you she could handle him."

Ianto rolled his eyes. He was relieved for Tosh's sake, of course, but that didn't stop him from feeling peeved that Jack had apparently been right.

"Fine," he said shortly. "I'm just going to do a quick tidy-up around the Hub, and then we're going home."

He stalked away before Jack had a chance to respond.

Ianto was just finishing cleaning the coffee machine when Jack's arms slid around his waist, and he felt Jack's chin come to rest lightly on his shoulder.

"What's wrong, Yan?"

"Nothing's wrong. Jack, please, I'd like to finish this so we can go."

"Not until you tell me what's bothering you. If we have a problem, I don't want to take it home with us. Talk to me, please?"

Ianto fell quiet. How could he explain something that he didn't fully understand himself?

"Is it Owen?" Jack pressed. "Are you really that much against having him here? Because if you are, I'll cut him loose first thing in the morning..."

Ianto turned swiftly, so that they were face to face.

"No, Jack. Don't do that. I admit, I don't like him particularly, but you're entitled to choose whoever you want to work here. After all, you are in charge."

Jack didn't look especially appeased.

"We're in charge. Both of us, together!"

"Come and sit down," Ianto murmured. He ushered Jack over to the couch. "Now, listen to me. This is your command, Jack. You are the Director of Torchwood now. You're in charge."

"And you're second-in-command."

"Yes, but it should be your right to make final decisions. I appreciate that you want my input, but you don't need me to validate your choices. I may not like all the choices you make, but that doesn't mean they're the wrong ones. Tosh was right. I need to start trusting you to make your own decisions." He paused as a moment of revelation struck, and he looked at Jack in sad wonder. "I think I know what it is that's really bothering me, and it's not Owen. It's that you're making decisions on your own now – like with Owen – and it proves that you're becoming more independent. I think what's bothering me is that you just don't seem to need me as much anymore."

"That's not true!" Jack protested, and Ianto soothed him with a gentle kiss.

"Just hear me out, cariad. I'm not saying that I'm worried you'll decide to dump me. I know you won't do that. All I'm saying is that it wasn't all that long ago that you wouldn't do anything at all without my approval. This just shows how far you've come."

"Are you saying you miss that?" Jack wondered, and Ianto couldn't help but look sheepish.

"I suppose I do, just a little."

"Well... I'm not averse to a little role-playing..."

Ianto shut his eyes briefly. He knew full well what Jack was hinting at, and that was a path he had no intention of going down.

"Not a chance, Jack. That would just be too weird. No, I'm just trying to say that even though I do miss your reliance on me a bit, it's still a good thing that you've come into your own finally. I just have to learn to adjust."

"I might be making decisions on my own," Jack said carefully, "but I still need you. And what you think is important to me. I don't want to do things you don't like."

"That's inevitable. Just like it's inevitable that I'm bound to do things that you don't like. But that's all just a part of being a couple."

"Compromise?"

Ianto chuckled at the gleam that suddenly lit up Jack's eyes. Oh yes, he'd come a long way since that day on the TARDIS when he'd asked for a kiss in exchange for wearing a suit and tie.

"Sometimes, yes. But sometimes I'm just going to have to be willing to accept the decisions you make."

"So... Does that mean you're okay with Owen staying?"

"Yes," Ianto conceded. "But I'm still going to have his head if he hurts Tosh."

Jack grinned and launched himself off the couch with fresh enthusiasm.

"Okay, then. Let's go home."

Ianto smiled ruefully as Jack bounded away to get their coats. He didn't need to be psychic to know that he wasn't going to get much sleep that night. He only hoped the followed day would be a quiet one.

to be continued...