Hey,

So this is like my first Torchwood fanfiction in a while. Please review and give positive feedback. Any thought of ways in which I could imrove my writing is also welcome. Depending on feedback the next chapter will probably be up within a few days. I've had the initial idea for a while but did get the urge to write it more after reading one of Mattmetzger snapshots.

It's Been Awhile

Chapter 1

It was a quiet day in the hub. At almost four in the afternoon the team had only been above ground once when a stray weevil had caught their attention. Other then that they had been pottering around, waiting for something to happen. For Jack, it was the quiet moments like this that he hated most. Yes, he was glad that for now there was no immediate danger, but the quiet time gave him too much chance to think about the dangers they have faced in the past, the dangers he had put his team, his friends, his lover in. He knew it was part of their job, they had signed up for this. But that fact never made Jack feel any less guilty when he lost one of them.

They were all sat around the sofa area, drinking Ianto's fabulous as always coffees; Gwen was texting Rhys, idly hinting to Jack that she had a life outside, or above Torchwood that she would rather be living now. Ianto was sat next to Jack, listening to his older lover tell one of his more adventurous stories involving sea-weed and three legged men. It was a funny story and even though Gwen was thinking about her life outside of aliens and Jack, she couldn't help but be fascinated with the story Jack was saying. So when a loud shrilling phone started to ring, and rudely cut off Jack's story, she was quite annoyed.

"Sorry." Ianto said as though he could sense her feelings. He got up quickly and retrieved his mobile from his pocket. Jack noticed that it was not his standard work mobile, and planned to talk to his lover after the phone call to find out more about it. Jack and Gwen exchanged curious looks, it wasn't everyday that Ianto had a personal call. "Hello... hey I'm good, how are you?..." The conversation seemed pleasant for a while and Jack smiled because just like Gwen, his lover had a normal life too.

Jack sensing that Ianto's phone conversation was going to go on for a while decided to continue the story, he cold always tell it to Ianto later, or better yet demonstrate what he was about to tell Gwen now. But then he listened to some of the conversation and thoughts of starting the story again fell from his mind, he could tell that it had fallen from Gwen's too. "What do you mean he's back?" Was the question that struck Jack and Gwen as odd. It wasn't really the question, it was a standard question in conversation. It was however Ianto's tone. Ianto sounded panicked, scared even. Jack was up already and moving closer to Ianto. "No, I'm fine." Ianto mumbled, but Jack and Gwen both noticed that he didn't seem fine. He seemed scared. "Thanks for telling me, Ian." Ianto sighed. "I'll talk to you later, bye." Ianto ended the call and Gwen was surprised when he forced himself into Jack's arms. Though it was no secret that the two were together, Ianto hardly showed any public displays of affection around Gwen.

"It's okay," Jack said softly and started to cradle Ianto back and forth. Gwen noticed that the two seemed familiar with this. She wondered curiously to herself how many times Jack has done that to Ianto. "Gwen... why don't you go and see Rhys?"

"Are you sure?" Gwen asked softly. Ianto was her friend and it was clear something was going on, maybe nothing to do with Torchwood, no alien threat but there was something upsetting her friend and she wanted to know what. She wanted to know so she could stop it.

"I'm sure. I'll call you if I need you." Jack said, Gwen nodded and patted Ianto softly on the back. She wanted to hug him, to tell him everything would be okay but she didn't want to pull Ianto away from Jack.

Once Gwen was gone, Jack moved Ianto back over to the sofa. Ianto sat more on Jack's lap then the sofa but Jack didn't mind at all. "Ianto, you have to tell me what's going on." Jack said, his tone was commanding but the gentle rubbing motions his hands were doing on Ianto's lower back were those of a lover and not a boss or Captain.

"He's... back." Ianto mumbled and more tears fell.

"Who's he?" Jack asked, trying to edge more from Ianto.

"James." Ianto said the name as though it was glass in his mouth, every letter cutting at his gums and tongue. "He's... my ex boyfriend." The words were quiet and confused Jack.

"You didn't tell me you were with other men." Jack said softly, it wasn't an accusation, just a soft conversational tone he used to fill the silence that followed Ianto's comment.

"I don't like to think about him," Ianto said and moved slightly, his head buried in Jack's neck. "He wasn't very nice to me." Jack frowned at how Ianto sounded so childlike. Like his lover wasn't twenty four but ten, telling his parents that the boys were mean to him in the playground. It reminded Jack of how young, Ianto actually was.

"Ianto, did he hurt you?" The question was serious and Jack waited anxiously for an answer. He hated the answer he got; a shy nod into his neck. "Did he hit you?" Ianto's whole body froze at the answer and Jack took that as a yes.

"Don't want to go home, Jack." Ianto said softly.

"You can stay here, as long as you like." Jack whispered softly. Ianto smiled slightly and clung to his lovers shirt.

That night as Jack held Ianto protectively as he slept, he watched him. He watched every curve in his face. He watched how his eyes would squeeze shut as he tried to fight away a nightmare. Jack watched as Ianto's face relaxed as the older of the two whispered soft nonsense in his ear. Ianto was the picture of perfection, how could anyone hurt him? Jack knew that this James had gotten to Ianto in a way that he hated. Ianto saw aliens every day. Blood hungry creatures and they had little to no affect on him, but this one man, this one ex boyfriend had him crying in his lovers arms. Jack was determined to find out why Jack held Ianto tighter when he felt his lover stir in his sleep as a nightmare haunted him once again, Jack knew it was about James. Ianto clutched Jack desperately trying to get those two words out of his head: 'He's Back'.

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