Necessary

Timeline: AU, mostly canon compliant pre-Reset

Rating: this chapter is T for innuendo (possibly K+, but let's be safe here) but the arc as a whole is rated M

Pairings: Jack/Ianto, later Jack/OFC (But trust me, this is a Janto fic as a whole!)

Disclaimer: Obviously, we know who owns these characters and it's not me - with the exception of Tess, she's my fault. If I did own them, we'd never get anything of substance done, so it's probably just as well. ;)

Author's notes: Again, the .-.-.-. can either denote a change in scene or a switch of perspective; either way, they are always linear. Xx, cd

CHAPTER THREE

The first thing Tess noticed was that the archives were oddly clean. After her first hour observing the team it made perfect sense, though: Ianto. The man was wicked capable, and incredibly efficient. Detail oriented. No wonder Jack wanted his talents elsewhere, but Tess was quickly learning there was even more to that story.

Torchwood was proving very different from her post at UNIT. Obviously it was cleaner. But also, the relationships here were shocking, not in the sense that she was shocked by displays of human intimacy, but in the way that they weren't hidden - were almost encouraged, in fact.

She'd thought there was something between Owen and Gwen when she'd first arrived. Assuming the rules were the same as she'd always known, she'd quickly written it off - especially once she'd learned about Rhys - but now she wondered. And Toshiko? Where did she fit in?

It was fascinating and worrying, the personal freedom that Torchwood allowed, the blurring of the professional and the recreational, and she was lost in her thoughts on the topic as Jack stepped into the room with his usual undetectable prowess.

"Very impressive."

In a split second, Tess had dropped into a clever pratfall, feinting left and taking a steady crouch as she aimed her Walther P99 instinctively at the space between his eyebrows.

His hands spread out slowly at his sides, but otherwise Jack barely reacted to being held at gunpoint. It was hardly the first time it'd happened, and there was no possibility it would be the last.

"Jesus!"

"Not quite." Jack's smile was charismatic as he gestured to the gun with a tilt of his head. "Want to put that away?"

Tess held her ground for a minute, staring him down before clicking the safety on almost reluctantly, storing the weapon back in its holster without taking her eyes off the captain. "So you're in the habit of sneaking up on all of your colleagues, then?"

Jack's grin widened, the slight shadow of dimples denting the smooth planes of his cheeks. "Some of them like it."

Tess raised an immaculate eyebrow, colouring ever so slightly and deliberately changing the subject. "I take it you've come to check my progress, then?"

"I thought I'd pop in while I was down here, yes."

"You thought you'd sneak up on me while I'm cataloguing your archives instead of waiting for my week's end report, you mean?" Tess ran a hand through soft blonde waves, more frazzled than she wanted to appear. "Well… you can see the floor, so I'll call it progress." She glanced around the room at the crates and boxes still left to tackle before she turned her attention back to Jack; he was still watching her.

"We like progress around here." He nodded, moving to the door. "Like I said - just checking in. I'll expect that report this afternoon. I trust Ianto showed you the meeting room…?"

Tess was sure she saw a flicker of giddyness as the captain mentioned the original archivist, but the hint was gone as quickly as she'd noticed it.

"Yes, Sir, he was quite thorough." She immediately kicked herself for the double entendre while the captain just grinned, his fingers gripping the doorframe as he paused.

"That he is. And precise… speaking of which, 4 'o clock. Keep up the good work 'til then."

Tess just stood in the vault, eyes fixed on the door left slightly ajar, her mouth searching for a reply as the echoes of his boots died out along the corridor.

.-.-.-.

Weekends had taken a quiet turn around Cardiff, and this Friday was no exception: the rift spike predictor didn't show anything they needed to worry about in the immediate future. As the team shuffled out from their debriefing, Jack straightened the stack of reports in his hands against the lacquered tabletop and caught Ianto's eye. The younger man tried to keep a straight face, hands habitually moving to adjust his tie, and Jack just chuckled.

"You're all free to go, looks like another quiet weekend here - though it's your weekend to check the predictor, Tosh. Not that I think much will happen." Jack spoke to the computer genius as she distractedly punched a code into her phone.

"Not a problem. I'll be in touch if I need you, but you may as well relax, have a lie in." Toshiko smiled sweetly; she knew the odds of that happening were slim to none.

"Not a chance." Jack grinned with a wink, all but clicking his heels together in merriment.

"I'll be around for another half hour or so if you need me, I'm going to set up a system to catalogue my progress on the catalogues…" Tess hadn't been aware how dull that sentence would sound out loud, but thankfully no one pointed it out to her, though doubtless they were all thinking it.

"I'll be around for a bit longer as well, Sir… just a spot of housekeeping I'd like to get out the way." Ianto was careful not to look at Jack, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep the hopeful look from his face.

"You two overachievers… I'm headed home to Rhys and footy on the television." Gwen rolled her eyes with a laugh. "At this point I'm not sure I'm thankful it's going to be a quiet one, I could almost go for some rift activity."

"Oi, touch wood, you. I'm headed to the pub. Rift activity or no, I'm out of commission til I've got a pint or two down me." Owen slipped his jacket on, zipping it as he strode towards the exit. "You lot are welcome to join when you're finished, of course…"

"I might stop in," Tosh piped up, "…if that's alright?"

Owen cleared his throat, flickering a glance to Gwen, who was busy with her phone, and nodding quickly. "'Course. May as well stop at the Chinese for takeaway too, I'm bloody famished…"

After a few waves and general goodbyes, the team went their separate ways, and Jack headed back to his office.

.-.-.-.

Sitting at the keyboard, fingers restlessly typing then backspacing, Jack flicked through the CCTV archives as he waited, though he found nothing entertaining.

Three minutes later, right on cue, a section of the server flickered to life. It looked like Tess was running the rift predictor from her office, but Tosh had just reported it would be a quiet weekend, so a rerun of the program wasn't exactly necessary. Jack typed in a master code, acting on a hunch and taking an undetectable look at her desktop in real time. Unsurprised to find her inbox open, he watched as the letters spelled themselves out into words:

From: Tess NicNairne

To: Gen. Ewan Abbott

CC: Col. Kent Evans

BCC:

General Abbott,

This week has allowed me time to explore the facilities here. So far, the biggest concern on that front is the lack of serious security protocols concerning the archives; most items classified a threat level C or below are immediately available to the staff without processing.

Perhaps the bigger concern, however, is Captain Harkness himself. It's come to my attention that the secondary archivist position at Torchwood has been utilised first and foremost to promote Mr. Ianto Jones, whom Captain Harkness has taken as a lover.

It's my opinion that his leadership skills are in poor standing; his personal relationship with each staff member directly affects their work, both in demeanor and actual assignment. It is my recommendation that Captain Harkness be subject to UNIT review, or, failing review (as I know our past difficulties with the man,) we entertain the possibility of a transfer for Mr. Jones.

As always, I will continue with regular updates about my post - this sector of the Torchwood server has been scrambled to resemble low-level rift activity, and as such it is virtually invisible. Any communications on it are secure.

Sincerely,

Tess NicNairne, UNIT correspondent via Torchwood

Still unsurprised, Jack powered down his machine thoughtfully. Several courses of action sprang to mind, but he wanted time to think. Leaning backing his chair, he laced his fingers together behind his head as he brainstormed, and it was this position Ianto found him in as he slipped into the office without knocking.

"Manners, Mr. Jones." Jack reprimanded playfully, his mind still half occupied.

"Please come home with me, then?" Ianto's voice was low; Jack loved how he was so proper at the most improper of times.

"It will have to be later, I'm afraid. Something's come up."

"Weevils again?" Ianto stood. "I'm not quite tired yet, I can go with you if there's one needing to be dealt with."

"No, this is just correspondence stuff. You know how official mail is, late in the day, etcetera." The captain's voice warmed considerably. "But I can see you later… much later, if it's not a problem?"

The Welshman looked slightly crestfallen that his afternoon would be so uneventful, but he nodded quickly at Jack's query. "Of course. You know where to find me, Sir."

"Yes. Yes I do, Mr. Jones."

After a moment of unspoken communication, Ianto ducked from the office, zipping his jacket against the inevitable breeze of outside and heading home. Jack watched him leave, taking in the familiar stride as he moved, a smile curving itself across his lips.

After he'd gone, the captain put up his screensaver and headed into the main Hub, busying himself with a minor diagnostics program at Gwen's computer, as it was nearest the exit.

A few moments later, Tess walked into the room, in the process of winding a light scarf around her neck. She raised a hand, slender fingers waving as she took in Jack's form at the computer.

"Have a good weekend, Sir."

Jack looked up, standing and pretending he hadn't heard her office door close two minutes ago. "You as well… any plans?"

"I thought I'd catch up with Tosh and Owen for a spot, actually - otherwise no. Is this what you've got planned…?" She gestured at the computer, wondering idly if the man ever left.

"No, this is just a maintenance program Tosh forgot to run after the meeting… I'll be on my way soon. I may even stop by the pub myself." There was a hint of promise in his voice, and it made Tess' pulse quicken, even if she didn't understand the whole of it.

"I suppose I might see you later, then…" She smiled, her gaze not missing a detail as she peered up at him through the fringe of her eyelashes.

"You just might." He nodded towards the door. "Mar sin leibh an-drasda, Tess."

The blonde gave a musical laugh in response, her smile immediately more genuine.

"Ceart gu leor - tioraidh, Sir!"

As soon as she had tucked her ID badge into her purse and slipped through the exit, Jack switched off Gwen's computer and headed back to his own, settling down at his desk as he began to type with purpose.

.-.-.-.