Title: Don't Know What You've Got 'Til It's Gone

Characters: Jack/Ianto, the team and John

Rating: T

Word Count: ~ 2,600

Summary: Jack doesn't seem to realise how important Ianto is to him. So when John shows up offering to help Jack see the light in a slightly unorthodox way. Will Ianto accept, after all Jack won't know what he's got 'till it's gone?

A/N: I think Ianto is really out of character, and I'm not sure about the story in general but the plot bunnies wouldn't leave me alone. Please review and be kind. Here goes...

"You should see his manners in bed, they're atrocious,"

Gwen's words echoed in his head. Ianto had suspected something was up, but that moment of confirmation hurt more than he expected. Ever since Jack had returned and told Gwen that he'd returned for her. It was an unexpected kind of ache he felt, he knew that he and Jack weren't like that, but still. He thought things would change, how stupid, how naïve, he was. Did he genuinely think things would change just because Jack asked him out on a date?

It was going to be a quite night, no rift activity until mid-morning the next day. Ianto was waiting for everyone to leave, silently hoping they would have their date that night. But no, important reports needed to be finished with Gwen! Important reports! You'd think they'd at least come up with a believable cover, there were no reports, for them to do. But ever the professional, Ianto made a final round of coffee, smiled and left.

And now he was sitting in a bar, because he really didn't want to go home to an empty flat. It wasn't too crowded, but it wasn't empty, just somewhere to be, so he didn't have to be alone. He felt so pathetic, it was frustrating. He was acting like a little child, who wasn't getting enough attention. He was sulking, he was a grown man and he was sulking over Jack and Gwen bloody Cooper. This was ridiculous, he knew it was, but he couldn't seem to stop himself falling into this childish spiral.

Three words pulled him from his thoughts. They were probably the last three words he wanted to hear, especially tonight.

"Hello, eye candy!"

"Piss off John" Ianto said without looking up.

"Oh, come on eye candy" John said sitting down next to Ianto at the bar.

"Seriously, not tonight."

"That's alright, I'll wait."

"If you're looking for Jack, he's not here."

"Oh, eye candy, I'm disappointed in you." He stood moving close to Ianto his mouth practically in Ianto's ear.

"I'm not looking for Jackie Boy, I'm looking for something a little more…" his husky voice trailed off as his eyes raked over Ianto's body.

Ianto stood and pushed John against the bar his forearm pinning the time agent in place. The act wouldn't stop John usually, but he hadn't been expecting it.

"Calm down eye candy! Like I said, I'll wait…but then again …" John pushed back against Ianto, dislodging himself from the young mans grip.

Ianto stepped back from John and the bar. He was now in the centre of the room, everyone was staring and he couldn't bring himself to care.

"Not that I'm adverse to a little rough and tumble." John sauntered up to meet Ianto. John was radiating a calm assuredness he always had. Ianto was tense, and held himself completely still ready to attack.

A small group of security guards seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Sirs, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down or leave" one of them said standing between Ianto and John.

Without realising, both John and Ianto mirrored each others moves.

Ianto reached for the gun, he'd taken to keeping in his belt.

John grabbed the gun from the holster on his left hip.

Neither aimed at anything in particular just held them in the air on display.

"I think it's you who ought to leave" Ianto said in a smooth and placid voice, which made the threat so much more alarming.

Most of the small crowd gathering ran from the building at the sight of the guns. The security guards seemed to pause considering whether to try and pacify the situation or just to run.

"I suggest you listen to the eye candy, we'll be just fine on our own" John threatened, with a lewd smirk. Somehow his words didn't loose their menace.

The men left the building in silent retreat.

John holstered his gun, Ianto let his hang by his side.

"So, eye candy. The police are being called as we speak. You've got a thing with timing. How long until your precious Jack shows up to save you" John sneered moving closer to the young man.

"He's not my Jack" Ianto bit back. "Twenty minutes, almost certainly longer. They probably won't show up at all."

"Pity, so, why aren't you with Jack? Shouldn't you be all over him, I know I was."

Ianto pushed past John back to the bar, whilst returning his gun to his belt.

"Shut up, John. Really not what I need tonight."

"Don't worry eye candy, I do other things" he stepped in close to Ianto. He was surprisingly tall, almost the same height as Jack.

Memories of his time at Bar Reunion, standing in front of Jack, flooded his mind. Ianto didn't move away, just stood there, breathing heavily, just like Jack had.

"This is familiar, when Jack showed up, he was standing right there. I didn't know if he was going to kiss me or kill me, just standing there. Breathing on me, and you know what he did?"

Ianto just stood there staring down at him. John's head was begging to spin, Jack had good taste. The young man smelt so good, he could feel the tension rolling off Ianto. Goddesses it was sexy.

Ianto raised an eyebrow, silently requesting to be enlightened.

John pulled Ianto's head down into a hot messy kiss, mirroring the one he and Jack had shared. Ianto didn't fight him, just held on tight, and kissed back just as hard. John pushed the Welshman back so he was at arms length.

"What no paralysing lip gloss?" Ianto said half surprised half mocking.

"As much as I want you eye candy. I like my lovers responsive" he ran one hand up to Ianto's face. He pulled back from the touch and shrugged off John's hands. Ianto swung at him. John didn't move to dodge the fist, letting it contact the side of his face.

"Alright I deserved that" he admitted quirking an eyebrow. Ran his thumb along his lip, he could taste the blood. Ianto seemed more relaxed now, a little less likely to explode. "Something tells me you need a punching bag right about now."

"I wouldn't need one if you weren't here" Ianto spat back leaning against the bar facing John.

"Come on eye candy. Jack's pissed you off, hasn't he?"

Ianto stayed silent.

"I'll take that as a yes then. If it's any consolation, I'm probably the only person in the universe who knows exactly how you feel."

"Really John? I suppose you think you were like brothers or something? Let me tell you this, we are nothing like each other."

"We're both the ex's. Who's he with now, freckles?"

Ianto decided to stay silent again. He had that stupid feeling that if he didn't say it, it wasn't true. If he didn't say it, then he'd somehow wake up and it all would have been a nightmare.

"Come on eye candy, talk to me" John moved to the bar but gave Ianto space. He reached over the bar grabbing a bottle, "I would offer you one, but whatever it is I don't think you're meant to drink it straight" he shrugged and downed half the bottle of foggy brown liquor.

"Yes, he's with freckles now" Ianto muttered bitterly, "But we were never together so I can hardly be his ex."

"I knew he was stupid, but no one would turn you down eye candy."

"Yeah well, he did" he snatched the bottle from John and took a swig.

"So he's abandoned his gorgeous piece of eye candy, for freckles. I like you better, she's a bit too gullible, a little too 21st century for my liking. But you don't know what you've got till it's gone…" John let the statement hang in the air. Almost like an offer.

"No way John, I'm not going anywhere with you" he reached for his gun.

"Calm down, eye candy, well it was worth a try. How much longer?"

"Five minutes, like I said they won't show up."

"Pity, wouldn't it be good to see his face? A bit of role reversal, wouldn't that be fun? You, sitting here with me, like an old friend, only he won't feel hurt or guilty. Hell he'll probably invite us to join him and freckles. He'd do something like that, he never was very apt or tactful. Always made our trips more exciting" he seemed to go far away, and then shook himself back to reality.

"I'm sure" Ianto smiled a little, despite himself. Something about John seemed to put him at ease, it was an unexpected feeling. He wanted to tell himself it was unwanted, but John's own brand of attention was actually quite welcome.

"Come on eye candy, it could be fun. We could go any where do anything, and be back at the end of the week. Let Jack sweat a bit, then when you're back he'll throw himself at you. We all win. You fix your Jack problems and get an adventure, I get to make him jealous and spend some time with you."

"No, like I said. I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Fine," John seemed to admit defeat "I am a time traveller, we could just jump forward, less than seconds with me, as long as you want away from Jack."

"What do you have to gain from that?" Ianto asked baffled by John's offer.

"Can't a guy just be nice?"

"No, what do you have to gain?" Ianto repeated, he knew John was planning something.

"Did you see Jack's face when I told him I found Gray? I want to see his face when he knows I have you too. Okay, because I'm a sick bastard and I want to see him jealous of me!"

Ianto considered the offer. Common sense told him it would be madness, suicide even to go with John. Although it could be fun to see Jack sweat a bit, even if there wasn't anything between them it would put him through hell. Then again it wouldn't be fair on Toshiko. It was too complicated, how could he just decide, not then.

"Come on eye candy. You up for it?"

Ianto stayed silent, he didn't know how to respond. The sound of an engine could be heard, Ianto recognised it as the SUV.

"Well they've arrived eye candy. Make a decision, you attack me or I attack you, all for show. Are you going to make Jack suffer or are you going to walk. Remember he won't know what he's got 'til it's gone."

Ianto heard the footsteps coming, a few seconds to make a choice that could at worst kill him. Then again at best, he and Jack will get back together, keeping his hands off Gwen as well.

Ianto removed his gun from his belt, threw it to the ground and kicked it away and raised his hands in surrender.

"I like you eye candy," John moved to pull him into the centre of the club in plain view of the door. He held on of guns to Ianto's head, everything in plain view. More for show than anything else, "I knew you were smart."

As if on cue Jack and the rest of the team stormed in, guns drawn.

"Hello, Jack, got your eye candy" John taunted.

"John…" Jack began to reason.

"No Jack! This is payback, you don't want me, well you can't have eye candy here either."

"Ianto" Tosh gasped unsure what else to do.

"I'll be fine, Tosh" he offered a weak smile, as guilt rushed through him.

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure of that. Rehab really didn't work out."

Jack's eyes widened at the thought, murder rehab.

"John come on we can negotiate" Jack tried to keep his tone even.

Ianto couldn't help but fill with warmth; Jack was trying to save him. He knew that Jack would do the same for all of the team, but still. Take comfort in small pleasures.

"No Jack, I don't think we can. You made your opinion of me last time, quite clear! So I'm off, and I'm taking your precious eye candy with me. Maybe we can have some fun" John suggested, running his other hand down Ianto's side.

With that John took hold of Ianto, opened the vortex and pulled them into it.

"Keep your eyes open and keep breathing normally" John whispered as they went.

"No!" Jack called moving forward but it was already too late.

Ianto saw bright colours flash before him, but he followed John's instructions keeping his eyes open, and trying to steady his breathing. He was being held tight by John, which he was thankful for considering he'd probably have floated away, in this weightless tunnel of light. Suddenly he felt something solid under his feat and the colours seemed to fade. His knees gave way and he fell to the ground, grass, wet grass. He picked himself up trying to ignore the damp feeling all across his left side. John was standing nearby watching, a small smirk on his face.

"You'll get used to it eventually."

Ianto merely groaned hoping he wouldn't lose his lunch.

"It's been two and a half weeks since I took you."

"Right, good" Ianto murmured regaining the ability to speak, "Where are we?"

"Some kids park. Anyway, I need you to stay very still."

Ianto was about to ask why when he grabbed a small bottle from his pocket. He opened the bottle and a small yellow cloud surrounded Ianto.

"Don't move. They're Nano-genes, usually repair wounds, but I've programmed them slightly differently."

Ianto's body began to itch and tingle all over. For a moment he panicked wondering what these things were going to do to him, until John continued.

"They'll give you a minor set of injuries; make it look like I roughed you up a bit. It's surprisingly useful, all the pretty colours of a good bruise, without most of the pain for yourself." The cloud eventually moved back to the bottle.

He checked his wrist strap, "So, eye candy, Jack's not far off now. You want me to hang around?"

"Just go John" Ianto couldn't stop the slight bitterness in his voice.

"Hey! I helped you eye candy. I thought the 21st century had a big thing about manners." John's voice dropped off into a whisper. "Don't fall in love with him. I did, I got burnt, at least his brother thinks I'm worth something. But Jack, he hasn't changed, no matter what he says he's still the kid I met in the time agency. Don't love him Ianto, he's a bastard" then the yellow smoke of the rift swallowed him.

Ianto didn't have long to gather himself before the SUV pulled up. Jack practically ran from the vehicle, "Ianto!"

Tosh wasn't far behind, Owen wasn't quite running but he was still close behind them.

"Ianto, are you okay?" Tosh called.

"I'm fine Tosh" he replied moving towards her ignoring Jack.

She pulled him into a tight hug, "We were so worried" she said refusing to let him go.

Her tight hold on him flared a slight pain in his ribs, John wasn't kidding.

"It's okay" he held her tight. He felt so bad for putting her through that. Two and a half weeks of worrying, she didn't deserve that.

"Ianto," Jack's hand appeared on his shoulder. He reluctantly let go of Tosh, turning to face Jack.

"I'm sorry" Jack whispered holding Ianto even tighter.

Ianto was back in Jack's arms, just what he wanted. But the whole time there was only one thing he thought.

Sorry John, I already have.

Well that's it, please review and let me know what you think