Ianto Jones wasn't the kind of person who broadcast his emotions on any level. He was sarcastic, withheld and mostly kept to himself. He quite preferred it that way, seeing as how others couldn't care less about him anyway.

At least, that's what he'd thought and he couldn't have been more wrong. Jack had been upset about the whole Lisa fiasco, but he'd understood Ianto's reasoning and he'd been there to comfort him through what had happened, even though at the time Ianto wanted nothing more than to beat him to death, but then he'd listened and he'd heard about all the people Jack had lost and he realized that life sucked no matter who you were, life fucked you over regardless.

They had a talk session once a week. It started out formal enough, not having anyone else to talk to, no grief councilors or the like, so Jack had offered himself as an ear and Ianto had taken the opportunity and they'd talked. He'd told Jack about Lisa, when they'd first met, when he fell in love, so on and so on, and before either of them knew it, they were talking twice a week, then three times and soon they were seeking the other out just to talk.

They slowly became friends and Ianto was surprised. This was the man who had ordered him to kill his own girlfriend, and here he was being buddy buddy with the man, but then after rationally thinking it through he realized that Jack hadn't given the order to hurt him, but to protect the others, which he couldn't begrudge the captain for. He'd been selfish to bring his girlfriend to Torchwood, hoping he could find a way to reverse what had been done to her, and he knew it.

As the days passed Ianto noticed something about himself that should have scared the shit out of him, but it just put him more and more at ease the more he thought about it. He was falling head over heals in love with Jack Harkness. That man was just something else. He was brave, kind, loyal and a damn good kisser, something he'd learned first hand not too long ago. Jack had cornered him and kissed his breath away, and Ianto had loved every moment of it.

Ianto didn't know how he could live with himself if he got attached enough to Jack for Jack to return his feelings only for him to die and leave the captain to suffer eternity alone, and so for a long while he did nothing about his feelings. Said nothing and would be there whenever Jack wanted a snog, not that he was complaining because as he'd noticed before, Jack was a damn good kisser.

He was ready to just let his feeling fester for the rest of his life, until Jack had died facing Abaddon. He was working on something or another, he wasn't sure, the details of the day were fuzzy at best, when Gwen came running into the hub sobbing her heart out.

"Jack's dead." She'd screamed and the others looked at her like she was insane, including Ianto, until Owen had helped drag his body inside and onto an autopsy table.

"He's cold...he's never gone cold before." Owen noted and Ianto's heart had stopped beating. His reason for living had just up and stopped living, what was he going to do with himself now?

"I would like to sit with him." Ianto said, catching everyone off guard.

"Hey mate, he's..." Owen started but Ianto cut him off.

"I would like to sit with him." Ianto repeated himself as he looked around. Seeing the look Gwen shot him he added. "Alone."

"Bring me his coat please." Ianto asked as the others turned to leave. Tosh gave him a nod and followed the others back to the hub.

Ianto sat there looking at the pale face of the captain and he felt tears prick at his eyes. It was confirmed that Ianto was madly in love with Jack...who was now dead.

"You fool." Ianto said, petting the captain's hair and straightening his clothing. "Why do you always have to be the hero? I would have helped you. Come on, open your eyes." Ianto begged but Jack was still and quite dead.

"Here's his coat Ianto." Tosh said, handing Jack's coat to Ianto, who held it up to his nose and sobbed.

"Oh Ianto..." Tosh began, but what could she tell this obviously broken man that he would want to hear? So she said nothing and left. She couldn't watch Ianto fall apart. The man who was usually so composed was falling to pieces right before her eyes and there was nothing she could do to help him.

The first day Ianto sat by Jack's side went by at a snail's pace, but thinking back it was faster than the days that followed. It could have been his lack of sleep, he wasn't sure, but he could have sworn at one point it seemed like time had stopped, it was creeping by so slowly.

By the third day Ianto started talking again, hoping Jack would wake up.

"It's time you woke up." Ianto said, petting the captain's soft face. Tears kept falling from his eyes unchecked. "Please, wake up."

Owen looked at Ianto through the CCTV and his heart broke for the Welshman. To think that Ianto could actually love someone so deeply. Gwen and Tosh watched the screen alongside Owen and Gwen looked ready to stab Ianto.

"When is he going to stop this?" Gwen asked, spite evident in her voice and Tosh looked appalled at her question.

"You would do the same for Rhys." Owen said, shutting off the screen to give Ianto some privacy. Obviously he was grieving pretty bad and he didn't need anyone looking in on him at his weakest.

Three days turned to four turned to a week and Ianto still wouldn't leave Jack's side. He had draped Jack's coat over the body and was constantly petting his face and hair and straightening his clothes and hoping, WISHING Jack would wake up, but every day his hopes were dashed and finally Tosh came to him with a look of sorrow she leaned against the wall opposite him.

"It's been days." She said, looking pointedly at Ianto.

"I believe in him." Ianto said, looking at Jack's still face.

"You have to let him go." Tosh said, hoping to get through to her grieving friend.

"He wouldn't let me go." Ianto said, stubborn as always.

"We worry about you." Tosh tried hoping to get through to him somehow.

"Don't." Came Ianto's simple response as he held Jack's hand in his own. He wouldn't abandon Jack, not now.

"Please!" Tosh begged. She really hated seeing Ianto like this.

"Leave us." Ianto said, bringing Jack's hand up to his lips and kissing it. "I said LEAVE!" Ianto was getting pissed. Who were they to deny him this.

Tosh shook her head but left, not knowing what more she could do to get through to him. She was worried, hell everyone was worried but no one had been able to get through to him. He wouldn't leave Jack's side and it was only a matter of time before the body started smelling up the whole place, but maybe then Ianto would finally be able to let him go.

"Come on Jack, don't make me look the fool." Ianto said leaning forward and kissing Jack on the lips, hoping he could breathe life back into his dead captain.

His lips stung at the contact, but he didn't stop. He kissed Jack as long as he dared before standing back up and looking at Jack, who's body had started to glow. Without warning a thin ray of golden light shot from Jack and into Ianto's chest, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to stumble backwards.

Ianto coughed and held his chest. It felt like he'd been hit by a semi but the pain slowly ebbed and Ianto could breathe easier.

"Thank you." Ianto heard Jack say and any lingering pain was a thing of the past as he ran towards Jack and held his hand.

"Jack?" Ianto asked, hoping he wasn't delusional.

"Jones, Ianto Jones." Jack said, opening his eyes and smiling at the Welshman standing above him.

Ianto fell into Jack's chest and sobbed harder than he had his entire life. Jack, his Jack, was alive.

"Don't ever do that to me again. Don't leave me...don't ever leave me again. I couldn't bare to lose you again...don't..." Ianto was hysterical.

"I love you too Ianto." Jack said, wrapping his arms around Ianto and trying to calm the hysterical man down.

Ianto did eventually calm down enough to help Jack get dressed and meet up with the rest of the team, who were just as happy to see him. Hugs and pleasantries were exchanged and Jack was finally allowed to retire to his office.

Ianto made his way to the kitchen and started making a pot of coffee for the team. Once the coffee was brewed Ianto made his rounds to his team mates before making his way to Jacks office with a mug of coffee and placing it on the desk before his captain.

"I heard you didn't leave me." Jack said, taking a sip of his coffee and sighing with happiness.

"I couldn't...wouldn't leave you." Ianto said looking at Jack seriously.

"It's a good thing you stayed then." Jack said, smiling at the Welsh happily.

Jack was about to start talking again when an alarm went off. Jack looked up and ran towards the preserved hand that he seemed to always keep an eye on.

"Ianto." Jack called, and Ianto stood behind him as though he'd appeared there.

"Yes Jack?" Ianto asked, looking at Jack expectantly.

"The Doctor is on his way. I'm going to go after him, see if he can fix me. I'll be back for you." Jack said, hoping Ianto wouldn't be too upset.

"Can't I come with?" Ianto asked, not wanting to let Jack out of his sight.

"I'm afraid not. It's too dangerous. I'll be back for you, I promise." And he vanished, leaving behind a very worried Ianto.