Paradox

Jack had been alone in the Hub when the message had come through. Ianto and Gwen were out investigating reports of a gang of Blowfish roaming the streets of Grange Town. The message had been badly garbled and static ridden;

"Attention all agents of the Galtosh Empire in this sector, Tyractienn Vont – tyrant and murderer is believed to be in this star system…three galaxies for crimes against sentient beings …. highly dangerous. Approach with maximum caution…..be advised he is in possession of …message ends"

Jack's face became stony. He knew of Tyractienn Vont and nothing he knew was good. He was a Dalaxian and the most belligerent of a highly belligerent race. Jack hoped that he would not become Torchwood's problem.

Two hours later, when Gwen and Ianto limped back through the cog wheel door, Jack knew his hopes were not to be fulfilled.

'We had the whole gang of them cornered.' Reported Gwen, 'They were just adolescents blowing off steam, not a serious threat, they weren't even armed'

'What happened' asked Jack sharply,

Ianto took up the story, 'That's the problem Jack. Neither of us is entirely sure. We were chasing the gang – you know what Blowfish are like – they were about 10 metres ahead of us, we rounded the corner not five seconds behind them and they were all dead.'

Gwen looked unhappy, 'Not just dead,' she added, 'shredded, honestly Jack it was like sushi'

'Thing is, ' volunteered Ianto, 'I'd swear there was no-one else anywhere around. We brought back the remains. I don't know what could cause so much carnage in so short a time – but I really want to find out'.

Jack looked solemn; 'I can save you the bother' he said, 'I think I already know' and played the message to them both.

Two hours later, the team were still discussing, well arguing about, strategy. Gwen was in favour of full disclosure to the Cardiff police force and a city wide publicity campaign. 'Jack what on earth can the three of us do? This needs a fully coordinated police operation.'

Jack thumped the table with his fist, 'Gwen if you put more police on the street, all you are going to get is more dead policemen! Tyractienn Vont is a psychopathic killing machine, he has no conscience, no scruples and his way of dealing with the most minor of life's little problems is to kill them. This man is wanted in thirteen different star systems for genocide and torture. The only way to find him is to follow the dead bodies; the only way to catch him is with a tight and covert operation'

Gwen rolled her eyes and seemed about to speak when Ianto broke in, 'Jack, what do you mean follow the bodies?'

Jack looked grim, 'if only a small percentage of the stories about Tyractienn Vont are true, then there'll be more bodies, lots more. Murder is his hobby.'

The next day, Ianto was in work by 6 a.m., but Jack was already at a work station monitoring the police and emergency channels, the city CCTV system and keeping an eye on local TV and news reports. He barely acknowledged Ianto's greeting. Ianto went straight to his butler's pantry and brewed a pot of Jack's favourite industrial strength coffee. He poured two mugs and went to join Jack.

'Have you been at it all night?' he asked, as he handed him a large mug of coffee. Jack nodded. Ianto put a gentle hand on Jack's back, 'Can I help? Jack shook his head, his eyes still fixed on the CCTV feed. Ianto took hold of Jack' shoulders and forcibly turned him away from the monitors to face him. 'Jack, why is this so important to you? What has this man done to you?'

Jack's shoulders slumped, 'He murdered fifteen members of my family' he said softly. Dismayed, Ianto pulled Jack away from the computers and led him to the sofa; he sat next to him with his arm around him as Jack told him about Tyractienn Vont. 'I was brought up on the Boeshane peninsula' he told Ianto, 'but the rest of my father's family, my grandparents, my uncles and their partners, my aunt and my cousins, lived about 50 kilometres up the coast in a family compound.' Ianto couldn't help but be fascinated, Jack had rarely revealed anything about his past life, Jack continued, 'Tyractienn Vont was on his way through our star system when his shuttle developed problems and had to make an emergency landing for repairs. He needed some where to stay whilst the repairs were being undertaken; he liked the look of my grandparent's compound, so...' Jack's voice broke.

Ianto couldn't believe it, 'So he killed everyone who lived there?'

Jack nodded, tears welling up in his blue eyes 'easier than negotiating terms apparently, also cheaper than buying food'

'He ate them?'

Ianto slid to the floor and knelt in front of Jack; he pulled him into his arms and held him tightly. Ianto had never encountered such grief. Eventually, as Jack calmed, Ianto pulled back from the hug and raised Jack's head so that he could look into his eyes. 'I'll help you catch him', Jack' he said seriously, 'We'll make him pay for what he did to you.'

Tyractienn Vont had decided that he liked this little planet. He had found himself somewhere to live by the simple expedient of following a man who was approximately the same height and build as himself home. He had killed him without a second thought and was living in a nice penthouse apartment on the bay, ironically not far from the Torchwood base. With somewhere to live, a decent wardrobe and a freezer full of the previous owner of the apartment, Tyractienn Vont was ready to have some fun. He poured himself a drink and walked out onto the balcony of his new home. He looked out over Cardiff and stretched his arms wide, embracing his new playground.

Gwen wasn't sure what had gone on between Jack and Ianto before she had got into work but their relationship had changed subtly. Usually, Jack was so self assured in his relationship with Ianto that it almost seemed as if he took him for granted but today Ianto seemed to be shielding Jack from everything he possibly could, as if Jack was somehow newly vulnerable. He was quietly protective of Jack and Gwen noticed that he moved around the Hub with a new confidence. She was used to the little glances and smiles that usually passed between the two men but this was different somehow, Ianto was watching Jack all the time. It was like, hell it was like, Ianto was calling the shots for once. So when Gwen picked up reports of a series of stabbings down by the old docks with follow up reports from the police on the scene that the knifeman had been contained within an old sugar warehouse, it was Ianto she spoke to first. 'It must be him' she said, 'Police reports are saying the bodies have been filleted'.

'Bodies?' queried Ianto

Gwen nodded sadly, 'first reports estimate at least six kids who were messing around down there have been found slaughtered, they can't be more precise because of the state of the remains, but they've found six heads'

'Have the livers been taken?'

Ianto and Gwen swung round guiltily to face Jack; they hadn't heard him come up behind them, 'Have they?' Jack insisted.

Gwen checked the report in her hand and nodded.

'Then it's him, Ianto, you're with me, Gwen prepare the high security vault, we'll be bringing back a visitor'

As Jack threw the SUV through the streets of Cardiff, Ianto watched his face. He had seen Jack, helpless with laughter, consumed by passion and alive with the thrill of the hunt but he had never seen such grim and heartbroken determination on his face before. Ianto reached out and placed his hand on Jack's leg, the muscles were like iron underneath his touch, for the first time in their relationship Ianto was aware that Jack was from an alien time and place and he was a little afraid of him.

'Jack, please' said Ianto softly, 'you said you wanted me with you so let me be part of this with you, don't you dare shut me out'

Jack glanced across at Ianto, 'I can't do this without you but I have to know that you will do exactly what I tell you to, even if that is to run – got that?' Ianto opened his mouth to protest but Jack just kept talking over him,

'Ianto I can't do this if I'm worrying about keeping you safe, OK?'

'Ok, Jack'

Jack drove for a couple of kilometres in silence, then;

'Ianto'

'Yes. Jack?'

'I'm glad you're with me'

Jack parked the SUV behind the police cordon and strode up to the person in charge. 'Torchwood' he said shortly, 'we'll take it from here' then he headed on towards the derelict warehouse.

Ianto following closely behind him offered a small apologetic smile and a muttered 'thanks, guys'.

Jack and Ianto were about to enter the warehouse, guns at the ready, when Jack dragged Ianto to one side. Jack pulled two identical pieces of kit out of the pocket of his greatcoat, he handed one to Ianto, 'we can track him with this' he said, 'he excretes bilirubin salts through his skin and this little gizmo can pick it up'

'Bilirubin?' mused Ianto, 'is this something to do with the missing livers?'

'Yeah, he has a medically created metabolic problem. He's only been captured once and that was by the Zarcodai Collective. He managed to escape, of course, but not before they had genetically altered his metabolism to facilitate tracking him.'

'Clever' said Ianto admiringly

'Yeah, well, unfortunately he discovered that the problem can be partly alleviated by ingestion of human liver, so this thing has a really short range'

'How short?'

'10 to 20 metres'

'Great' Ianto straightened up, 'let's do this thing' he said in his best James Bond growl. Jack ruffled his hair fondly and together they entered the building.

Gwen was prowling around the Hub, muttering to herself. 'Where the hell are they?' She had prepared the high security vault and taken the precaution of drawing up any number of tranquilliser darts. She had secreted a number of stun guns around the Hub. She hated not knowing what was happening. 'Never work with a couple' she told herself, 'C'mon boys, where are you? If you've stopped off somewhere for a quick shag, I'll kill you both myself'

Jack and Ianto had worked their way to the fourth floor of the warehouse when the flashing lights on Jack's detector changed from green to red. Jack took hold of Ianto's arm, 'wait here' he whispered.

'What?!' exclaimed Ianto, 'no way Jack, you said this needed two of us'

Jack looked at him, 'you promised' he hissed, 'I can't do this if I'm worrying about you. I shouldn't have bought you here. If he sees you he'll use you to distract me. Please Ianto'

Reluctantly Ianto nodded. Jack kissed him, looked for a full minute into his face and then slipped through the doorway leaving Ianto with the uncomfortable impression that Jack had just said goodbye to him.

Jack entered cautiously, gun at the ready. Tyractienn Vont stepped out of the shadows behind him. He was humanoid, tall, taller than Jack, with distinguished grey hair, a deceptively kindly face and a mild, gentle voice,

'well, well' he said, 'Captain Jack Harkness, this really could not be any better. I know your reputation, naturally'

Jack turned, and took aim, 'And I know yours.' He said, 'you made a big mistake coming to this planet Vont. I won't let you hurt any more of these people; I'm here to take you in'

Tyractienn Vont smiled, 'I take it you heard the Galtosh Spatial Alert?' Jack nodded; he kept his eyes on

Vont at all times. 'So this won't be a surprise to you then?' Vont held up a slim weapon.

Jack's eyes widened, 'That's a...'

'Non Corporeal Identity Transfer Device. Ah I can see by your face that this is a surprise after all, how delicious. Wanna see how it works?'

Jack was enveloped in a haze of turquoise light and lost all interest in the proceedings for a brief while.

Ianto waited for a count of ten before muttering to himself, 'screw this' He drew his gun and charged into the room. Jack was standing with his gun pressed hard to Tyractienn Vont's head; he saw Ianto and eased his finger off of the trigger. A puzzled frown crossed his face;

'Hi there' he said uncertainly, 'If you've come to help, you are just in time to work some handcuff magic'.

Ianto frowned; it was almost as if Jack didn't recognise him. Ianto also noticed that Tyractienn Vont looked confused and disorientated, far from the sociopathic killing machine that Jack had described. He cuffed Vont's hands, turned to Jack, and placed a loving hand on his neck 'Are you OK' he asked.

Jack gave him a searching glance as if seeing him for the first time, 'never better' he grinned.

Tyractienn Vont raised his head and spoke quickly, 'Ianto, it's me – he's pulled a body swap. I didn't hear all of the transmission; I didn't know he had a Non Corporeal Identity Transfer Device - don't trust h...'

Jack viciously clubbed Vont to the ground then kicked him several times in the body and head. Ianto looked shocked and protested, 'Jack!'

Jack looked at him 'what?'

Ianto looked troubled, 'Jack, this isn't what we do'

Jack shrugged dismissively, 'Let's go – you drive'

Ianto did a double take, 'Really? You never let me drive'

Jack hoisted Tyractienn Vont's semi-conscious body over his shoulder and pushed past Ianto, none to gently 'Are you gonna argue with me or shall we get going?' He swept out and Ianto trailed behind him looking puzzled and worried.

Gwen looked up as the cog wheel door rolled back and Jack pushed a defeated and battered figure into the Hub. He caught sight of Gwen, 'Hellooo gorgeous' he said leering wolfishly

Gwen looked at him and scowled, 'You want to try that again Jack?' she said dangerously.

Jack winked at her and pushed Tyractienn Vont toward her, 'lock this bastard up' he said, 'and I'll contact the Galtosh fleet, tell them to come collect their trash'

Gwen looked at the state of the prisoner, it was clear he had taken quite a beating. She raised her eyebrows at Ianto, who shook his head slightly. 'I'll help you' he offered and between them they dragged their captive to the vaults.

Tyractienn Vont raised his head, 'help me' he whispered, painfully, 'Gwen, Ianto don't trust him. Never be alone with him. Don't let him be alone with me, please'

'Enough' said Ianto as he pushed Vont into the vault, he stepped back in alarm as Vont lifted his shackled hands and tried to touch his face.

Sealing the vault, Ianto and Gwen turned and walked away. Vont called after them, 'Don't trust him, please. Don't let him be alone with me, he'll kill me'

'Ianto' whispered Gwen, 'did Jack beat that man up?'

Ianto nodded miserably, 'he has good reason, Gwen'

'Even so' protested Gwen

'I know' said Ianto sadly, 'but honestly Gwen I couldn't stop him and after what he told me I couldn't blame him too much'

Jack slumped despondently against the wall of the vault. He couldn't believe that Vont had taken him so easily.

He hadn't known about the Non Corporeal Identity Transfer Device. He had heard of them, of course, everything that made him Jack Harkness with the exception of external appearances had been transferred into Vont's body, which meant that Ianto and Gwen were in the Hub with Vont's psychopathic character in Jack's body. He closed his eyes and sank into despair.

A chuckle from the corridor made him look up. Vont was looking at him from his own face, 'Harkness' mused Vont, 'Harkness – I know the name of course but why do I know your face?' Jack looked at him. 'Oh I know' said Vont, 'Harkness is what you call yourself now isn't it? I knew of your family under a different name on the Boeshane peninsula. You look a lot like one of your cousins, you know, such a sweet boy, as I recall. The whole family, so tender'

Jack banged furiously upon the glass, 'I will get out of here' he ground out, 'and I will kill you'

Vont laughed, 'you better be quick about it then, the Galtosh fleet are on their way. They are very grateful to me for capturing such a vicious and dangerous man, there's talk of a medal. I think they have a nice cell picked out for you on a Rigellian prison planet, I hope it's Rigel Four, it's by far and away the most brutal regime. In the meantime I quite like this planet, I can see a lot of opportunities here for a man like me and your little friend, what's his name, Ianto?, looks as if he has considerable potential, he looks biddable...obedient...fragile'

Jack banged on the glass again, 'If you hurt him I will...'

'Kill me' finished Vont, 'I believe you have already mentioned that'

'I'm going to kill you anyway; you harm Ianto in any way I do it slowly and painfully'

'Oh how sweet, you really do care for the boy' Vont winked, 'gotta go – it's playtime'

Vont made his way back up to the Hub, Ianto was tidying up, he looked up and gave a tentative smile, 'It's been quite a day, eh Jack? Are you OK?'

Vont walked up to him, looked him up and down, spat derisively into Ianto's face then slapped him hard, knocking him up against the wall.

Mutely, Ianto looked at him; he was in a state of complete shock, the imprint of Vont's hand livid on his pale face, a bruise forming where his temple had impacted the wall and a small smear of blood apparent where his lip had split. Vont moved closer, sucked the trickle of blood away from Ianto's lip. He unzipped his pants to free his erection, then tangled Jack's fingers into Ianto's hair and roughly pushed him to his knees, thrusting roughly deep into the younger man's throat, smiling as Ianto gagged. 'I will be. '

In the depths of the vaults Jack could hear the screaming, sobbing and pleading. From time to time he heard Ianto shriek his name, beseeching him to stop. He slumped to the floor and covered his ears. It went on for most of the night.

At first,the next morning, Ianto Jones thought he was starting the new day in his favourite way. Dozing in the warm hinterland of sleep he had been dreaming of his Jack and was waking up hard. He could feel a strong broad chest resting against his back and an erection was lodged between his buttocks; he shifted slightly, tensed his gluteal muscles and heard a small grunt of encouragement. Ianto took the hand which had been draped over his hip and moved it downwards towards his cock. Despite the enthusiasm which he had for, what he had once described to Martha as, Jack's "innovative" approach to sex it was these less frenetic moments of shared intimacy that he cherished the most. It was as they lay together, spent and mutually satisfied, Jack tracing lazy patterns on the skin around Ianto's nipples with his finger nails, that Ianto felt closest to him.

Then the memory of the previous night came flooding back, with all the fear and pain associated with it and he tensed. Ianto had had appallingly violent things done to him; he had been treated like an enemy or a commodity not a lover. He felt the hold on his body tighten and he was pulled closer to the hard body behind , there was warm breath in his ear 'remind me of your name, again, boy' Jack's voice said and Ianto was bitten savagely on the shoulder. He heard Jack laugh as Ianto struggled to escape from his embrace and then he was entered brutally. 'Oh, yes please,' hissed the voice in Ianto's ear, 'do resist – it makes everything so much more fun!'

Two and a half hours later, Ianto was curled miserably on the floor of the shower watching the red tinged water flow down the drain as the lukewarm spray made the deep scratches and bites on his back bleed once more. He had recovered to find himself alone in the Hub, discarded on the floor. Contemptuously, Jack had left a note taped to his body;

Gone out to get supplies to ensure that tonight will be something you will carry with you for the rest of your life – get some rest, you are going to need it

Ianto's eyes filled with tears and he felt the looseness of fear in his bowels. Pulling himself up from the floor, he had dragged himself to the bathroom and looked at his damaged body in the mirror. His face was bruised from where he had been punched and slapped, he had the imprint of fingers around his throat where he had been semi-asphyxiated and a bouquet of bite marks, like purple pansies, blossomed on the inside of his thighs, across his abdomen and around his pubis.

This isn't Jack he thought to himself, something very, very bad has happened. Ianto knew that that their play occasionally had an edge in the past but Jack had never shown the level of aggression and violence towards Ianto that he just had. Ianto wouldn't have believed that Jack had it in him.

Ianto straightened up slowly, painfully as, for the first time, he began to critically analyse the past thirty-six hours. What was he thinking? He knew that Jack didn't have it in him; Jack lo...cared for him, he just wouldn't do these things to him. What had happened last night had been fuelled by a lust that was grounded in hatred, not affection? So what had happened and when? Ianto had been at Jack's side for almost the whole of the time they had been searching for Vont, apart from that brief interlude that Jack had left him to subdue the fugitive. Wait a minute, though - the first thing Tyractienn Vont had done when Ianto had burst into that warehouse storeroom had been to call him by name. How had Vont known him, when Jack clearly hadn't? Also, Vont had been trying to warn Ianto about some kind of body swap, just before Jack had beaten him senseless.

Now that Ianto had started this train of thought more things were occurring to him. He had never seen Jack beat a helpless prisoner, Jack hadn't let him drive the SUV since that time he had tested its sea-going capabilities. And look at how he had reacted to Gwen. Ianto was starting to feel very sick indeed. So much of Jack's behaviour over the last few hours had been paradoxical but if there had been some kind of personality exchange everything became a lot clearer. He had to talk to the man in the vaults before whomever or whatever was masquerading as Jack came back.

Jack had spent the entire night in the vaults a prey to his worst fears and nightmares, picturing what Vont might be doing to Ianto. When the screaming had stopped Jack had feared the worst. So he was more than relieved to see Ianto slowly making his way towards his cell with a tray of food. When Ianto got to Jack's cell, Jack let out an exclamation of dismay as he saw the wreckage of Ianto's face with its myriad bruises.

'God Ianto' said Jack, softly 'what did he do to you'

Ianto looked at him, then up at the CCTV camera, 'Back away from the door, face the wall.' Jack did as he was told. Ianto opened the cell door and stepped into the cell. He put down the tray of food and pushed Jack into a position where they would not be seen by the CCTV monitors.

Jack turned to face him, speaking fast and urgently, 'Ianto please leave the Hub, run, get as far away as you can. It doesn't matter about me – I'll find a way to survive, I always do. Look at what he's done to you. Another night like last night will kill you. Please believe me, I know I look like Tyractienn Vont but I am Jack Harkness – I don't, I don't know how to prove it to you but...'

'Sshh, keep your voice down', Ianto looked over his shoulder and moved closer; he looked searchingly into the face Jack was wearing, Vont's face, as if trying to recognise him. Jack reached out a tentative hand and softly touched Ianto's cheek, stroking the bruises tenderly with his fingertips.

'oh gods, Ianto,' he said, 'this is all my fault' He took Ianto's face in his hands and kissed him gently.

Ianto broke the kiss and stared at him with a relieved smile.

'Jack'

Jack pulled Ianto into a big hug, 'this is gonna be really hard on you. He'll keep you alive to play with in order torture me because he knows what you mean to me but we need to keep Gwen away from him, he'll just kill her so her won't have to watch her' he whispered, 'and we need to get that Non-Corporeal Identity Transfer Device – do you think you can do that?'

Ianto nodded, 'it will have to be soon, he's contacted the Galtosh fleet to let them know he has you - him -‐ whatever. I'll do my best, Jack'

Jack smiled at him and kissed him again, 'you never do anything less, Ianto'

Vont was back and prowling around the hub making himself familiar within the workings of the Torchwood base when Ianto returned from the vaults. Finding a quiet corner in the hothouse Ianto got out his phone and called Gwen. Looking up Vont noticed Ianto on the phone. Silently he moved closer to listen.

'No' Ianto was saying, 'Jack was very clear – take the rest of the week off. If we need you we'll call you' He finished the call and spun round in alarm as Tyractienn Vont plucked the phone from his hand.

'Keeping the gorgeous Gwen away eh?' he said, 'want me all to yourself, do you?'

I can't let him know I suspect him, thought Ianto; he pouted, 'Jack, you know how little time we get to...play. I just thought with everything quiet around the rift and this Vont guy locked up we deserved some fun time, having Gwen around just spoils things'

Vont grinned; 'So, you do like what we do eh? I thought so. Good. I have some interesting games for us to play later but I need to interrogate our prisoner first – call it an appetiser, something to get me in the mood' He moved in closer to Ianto, slipped a fondling hand between his legs then gave him a spiteful kiss which opened his split lip again and strutted off towards the cells.

Ianto found himself shaking; the thought of what Vont might have in store for him had him terrified. I must pull myself together, he thought, Jack is relying on me. He looked around desperately and found one of the stun guns that Gwen had secreted around the Hub. Good girl Gwen he thought to himself as he slid the gun into the waist band of his trousers and followed Vont down to the vaults.

Vont was standing outside of the cell taunting Jack,

'...I can see why you like to keep him around, he's so submissive and compliant – and remarkably resilient, although to be fair I did go quite easy on him yesterday'

'You call that going easy? I saw what you did to him' snarled Jack, 'You bastard, I promise you that I'm going to hurt you'

Vont sniggered, 'in eighteen hours time you will be on your way to Rigel and enjoying the hospitality of the Galtosh Empire. I'm sorry to tell you that you were quite a spectacularly naughty boy on their homeworld and I understand they are planning to take at least part of the journey to the Rigellian system at sub-light speed all the better to enjoy your company. I'll be left here in your body... and with Ianto. Oh, I can think lots and lots of uses for him and when he breaks, as he eventually will, I'll just move onto the spare. Maybe tonight I'll play with him down here so that you can watch. Would you like to watch Jack? It would give you some memories to take with you – sustain you on your journey!'

Jack hammered on the glass in an agony of impotent fury. Ianto couldn't suppress a small sound of dismay at what he had heard and Tyractienn Vont swung round,

'what are you doing skulking over there' he snarled, 'are you spying on me, boy? Are you trying to earn a punishment?'

In the cell, Jack looked horrified but Ianto just smiled. He walked up behind Vont 'I missed you, is all Jack' he said, putting an arm across Vont's chest and pressing close to his back. 'Why are you wasting time with this scum? I thought we were going to have some "us" time'

Vont laughed at the look on Jack's face, 'fickle little soul isn't he? Oh, did you think he loved you? Did you kid yourself that you were special to him? He can't even tell that it's not you in here. Was he this demanding of you or do I satisfy a different kind of need in him?'

Ianto leant in and kissed his neck, nibbled his ear, 'I don't know what you are talking about,' he murmured. He looked straight into the eyes of the man in the cell, 'It's you Jack, it's always been you' He slid his hand lower.

Vont arched back against him, pulling Ianto's hand down to rest on his bulging crotch and grinning smugly at Jack's dismayed discomfiture. Eyes fastened on Jack's he twisted to bite Ianto hard on the lip. Ianto gave a small mew of pleasure, then produced the stun gun from behind his back and discharged it twice into the back of Tyractienn Vont's head. As Vont lay unconscious on the ground Ianto shackled him and transferred him into the cell. He looked up at Jack.

'Sorry about that' he said, 'I didn't want him to suspect me,'

Jack merely looked at him and shook his head admiringly. 'Ianto Jones, you never cease to amaze me!'

Ianto chuckled and knelt to search though Vont's clothes until he found a slim pen-like gadget.

That's it!' cried Jack, excitedly 'That's the Non Corporeal Identity Transfer Device.'

Ianto smiled, 'Ok Captain Harkness, let's get you back where you belong.' Briefly, he studied the mechanism, then pointed it at Jack and enveloped him in the turquoise transfer field for a second time. Ianto stood looking anxiously at both of the shackled unconscious bodies.

Jacks eyes fluttered open at the same time as Tyractienn Vont began to stir 'Nice work Ianto, now unchain me' said Jack.

'No, Ianto, no, the transfer didn't work!' said Tyractienn Vont almost at the same time.

Ianto looked at the two men for a brief second, his face impassive. Then he turned to Tyractienn Vont.

Where were we when you told me you loved me for the first time?' he asked.

'In bed' said Vont immediately

Ianto turned to Jack, 'same question' he said'

Jack smiled into Ianto's eyes, 'we don't use that word, even though I do and you know I do, I've never told you that'

Without a change of expression, Ianto stunned Tyractienn Von again then knelt to release Jack.

'Good question' said Jack

'Good answer' replied Ianto, 'but I think I need to verify my results'

Jack smiled, pulled Ianto close and kissed him tenderly.

As they left the vaults Jack tried to steer Ianto to the medical bay. 'I want to check you over, just to be sure you are OK' he told Ianto. Then he stopped, surprised.

Ianto had come to a dead halt, muscles locked, his eyes wide but unfocussed and his pupils dilated. He was trembling from head to foot, like a frightened horse. The sharp smell of urine and the spreading stain around his crotch indicated the consequences of his panic and his terror. His lips were moving but no sound was coming out.

Jack moved in closer to him,

'No' Ianto was whispering, 'no, no, no, please, no, please, please'

'Ianto' said Jack, reaching out for him but Ianto was already in motion. He pulled his arm away from Jack and hurriedly undoing his flies and sliding his trousers and pants down he dropped to floor on all fours, hands grasping his arse cheeks to spread himself open to Jack.

'Here' he begged in a soft voice 'I'll do anything, you can be as rough as you want but please, please don't take me back to the medical bay'

Jack took a shocked step back; he was appalled; he had seen Ianto face all sorts of dangers so bravely, what had Vont done to him to reduce him to this? He looked at the bite marks and tears around Ianto's anus and swallowed heavily. He pulled Ianto up into his arms and turned him away from the medical bay.

'It's OK Ianto,' he said, 'you're safe, I'm here, I'll keep you safe.' He repeated this mantra until he felt Ianto's body relax into his embrace and, redressing him he walked him slowly to the bedroom they shared. Once there he gently undressed Ianto, lay down beside him in the bed and held him in a comforting hug until, exhausted Ianto slept.

When Ianto awoke, he had only the haziest memory of his earlier melt down but with Tyractienn Vont shackled in the high security cell and Jack once more back in his own body and Ianto's arms, he at least felt like his world was making sense again. He and Jack were curled up on Jack's bed in each other's arms. Jack smiled at him

'Feeling better?' he asked Ianto nodded and Jack kissed him gently on the forehead. Jack reached across and took the Non Corporeal Identity Transfer Device from the bedside table. He held it out to Ianto,

'Secure Archive?' said Ianto,

Jack nodded. Ianto scrambled off the bed and into some clean clothes and headed out. Jack watched him go, looking at the scratches, bites, bruises and burns on Ianto's back, all done by Vont in Jack's body, wearing Jack's face, using Jacks hands. Jack was mystified how Ianto could bear to be touched by him. As soon as Ianto's footsteps faded away, Jack went down to the medical bay. He had to know.

He stood in the small infirmary looking at one of the beds; the sheet that covered it was heavily stained with a variety of body fluids. Restraints were still attached to the head and the foot of the bed, and a knotted leather lash, a vicious looking blade and some quite horrific looking butt plugs and gags were close at hand. At the foot of the bed were the items that Vont had collected to use later, barbed wire, various household cleaners and medical tubing. Shuddering Jack bundled them into a cupboard and locked it, Ianto must never see this he thought. He reflected upon the damage he had seen on Ianto's body and imagining what he had gone through, closed his eyes in pain; the ache in his heart was almost too much for him.

'Catastrophic mistake, Vont,' he whispered as he turned to leave.

When Ianto returned from the secure archive there was no sign of Jack but Ianto knew exactly where he would be. He made his way down to the vaults and stood silently in the shadows. Jack was standing in the corridor looking at Tyractienn Vont through the open cell door. He had his gun in his hand.

'The Galtosh really aren't that fussy about whether they have you alive or dead' Jack was saying, 'so I guess it's my call. What do you think I should do?'

Tyractienn Vont laughed, 'If you had the guts to kill me we wouldn't be having this conversation. You pride yourself on being a principled man, that makes you weak, Harkness'

Jack levelled his Webley at Vont, 'I warned you what I would do to you if you harmed Ianto' he said quietly, 'but you were too arrogant to listen to me. I'm going to kill you now'

'Really?' Vont said, 'I'm imprisoned, shackled, chained to a wall and you are going to shoot me? What honour is there in that?'

'You have eradicated the populations of entire cities simply because they spoiled the view from your window. Where is the honour in that? You murdered and did unspeakable things to my family to get food and a bed. What honour was there in that?' replied Jack, his voice cracking with pain, 'You raped and tortured for your own entertainment and gratification. What honour was there in what you did to Ianto?'

Vont laughed again, 'you fool! None of that was done for honour' he sneered, 'I did it for pleasure, for fun, I enjoyed it. Why do you even pretend to care? People you will never know on planets you will never visit; what are those nameless populations to you? Your family have been dead to you for hundreds of years; what are they to you now? And the boy? You think you care for him but he is a fleeting amusement, a disposable pet, of no importance'

Jack shook his head, 'No' he said, 'you are wrong, they matter, they all matter. And Ianto? He matters the most of all' In the shadows, Ianto smiled.

'But you like to think you are so much better than me, don't you?' Vont continued, 'Captain Jack Harkness, so noble, so selfless; you are pathetic; your honour makes you feeble. Kill a bound and unarmed opponent; it will erode a piece of your soul'

Ianto watched with widened eyes as a Jack Harkness he never dreamed existed walked into the cell. Ianto knew that Jack had worked as a torturer far back in his past but Jack would never speak of that time and Ianto had never speculated on what being a torturer really meant. Now he saw and he stood frozen as Jack calmly and deliberately shot Vont through both knees.

'That's for all those nameless populations he said.

Vont screamed and collapsed to hang supported by the chains that held him to the wall. Ianto closed his eyes and thought of the things Vont had done to him, thought about the pain, the degradation and the fear. No matter how he tried he couldn't make himself hope that Jack would stop.

Jack pulled a wicked looking knife from his boot; he undid Vont's trousers, pushed them roughly down past the shattered knees, more screams. Then deliberately and slowly he sliced Vont above and below his genitalia, then leisurely cut the perineum and, as Vont bent forward to try to alleviate the pain and protect himself, stabbed him through one of his eyes, Vont shrieked in agony. Jack slid his hands down and lifted Vont's penis and balls, caressing them gently before slicing them off and holding them up before Vont's dazed and pain filled eye 'That's for Ianto.' He moved closer and stabbed Vont through the throat, 'and this…this is for my family'

Jack stepped back as Vont's blood cascaded over the floor of the cell. Ianto could see that Vont was still alive, though barely. Jack moved in very close and looked into the rapidly clouding eyes of Tyractienn Vont.

'Kill a shackled and unarmed man and lose some of my soul?' he asked softly and he pressed the muzzle of the Webley up against Vont's temple. Jack smiled and pulled the trigger; 'I can live with that'