A/N: I found Gwen's speech, as well as Jack's actions, at the end of Meat really selfish and hurtful. I've read quite a few stories that deal with Ianto's reaction, but none that show how Gwen's words and Jack's behavior might have affected Tosh and Owen. This story is my take on that.
A/N-2: This is the first fic I'm posting here, so I would really appreciate your reviews and comments, whether positive or negative.
"Ianto." Jack yelled from his office as soon as Ianto stepped into the Hub.
Ianto rubbed the bridge of his nose, he was expecting this. All he wanted to do was sleep, but since it would only be the two of them that day, he had to come into work at this ungodly hour.
"My office. Now!" Jack bellowed.
Ianto sighed and walked towards the Captain's office. It was best to just get it over with.
"Yes, sir?" He kept his stoic mask on. He was absolutely furious with Jack, but now wasn't the time to let out his anger.
Jack stared at him for a good minute. Ianto stared back, not flinching once.
"No coffee?" Jack finally asked.
Ianto stopped himself from curling his fingers into fists; he knew Jack was observing him very closely. "You called me to your office before I had a chance to make any." He replied, making sure his voice remained flat. "Shall I go make some now?"
Jack nodded, and Ianto turned to the door. He'd just about put a step outside when Jack spoke again. "You disappeared yesterday. Where did you go?"
Ianto turned around. "Did you need me, sir?"
Jack shrugged. "Not for Torchwood business, but I guess I would've appreciated the company."
Selfish bastard, Ianto thought to himself. He decided it was best to get this conversation—that was bound to happen sooner or later—over with. "Toshiko and Owen needed the company more."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Toshiko and Owen? Is that where you were?" He smirked, the bastard actually smirked. "I thought you were home sulking."
Ianto took a deep breath. He was quickly losing his patience, and it was becoming more and more difficult to keep his calm demeanor, but he figured that Jack wanted him to blow up. Jack wanted an argument, a fight, and he was hoping Ianto would give him one. "And why would I be doing that, sir?"
"I don't know. I thought you might have been a little jealous after my conversation with Gwen."
Ianto snorted, no longer able to contain himself. "You overestimate your importance in my personal life, Jack."
Jack frowned. Okay, Ianto knew that was a bit of a low blow, but Jack's comment hurt a bit. Why did everyone see him as a lovesick teenager? It couldn't be farther from the truth.
"What were you doing with Tosh and Owen?" Jack's voice had taken a rough tone to it.
"I don't think that's any of your concern, sir." Ianto was going to tell Jack what happened the night before, but he wanted to rile the man up a bit first.
"Ianto." Jack said through clenched teeth. "They're my team, and I need to know they're okay. I'm ordering you to tell me."
Ianto smiled wryly. "Oh, it's an order now, is it?" Ianto said. "And what'll you do if I don't tell you? Suspend me?"
Jack stood up and slammed his hands down on his desk. "I gave you an order. You will obey."
"Fine, fine. No need to tear you vocal cords." Ianto said before the wry smile on his face was replaced with a scowl. "I was holding Tosh while she cried herself to sleep."
Jack sat back down, his eyes wide. This was obviously not what he was expecting to hear. "What...is Tosh okay?"
"Oh, so now you care." Ianto couldn't help but snap.
"Ianto." Jack clenched his jaw.
Ianto sat down in the chair in front of Jack's desk. "I think she's better now."
"What happened last night?" Jack asked. His voice was gentle this time.
Ianto felt a sudden wave of affection for the man go through him. Jack sounded genuinely concerned. He was honestly worried about Toshiko. Ianto suppressed it quickly. It was, after all, partly Jack's fault that Toshiko had had a breakdown the night before. "She was feeling cold and lonely, Jack. I got a call from a bartender to come pick her up. She was crying and drunk so I took her home.
"She sobered up a bit after I made her coffee, but then she started crying again. She said she could feel the cold and loneliness. That the man she loved didn't even notice her. She thinks that's how she'll die, cold and lonely because everyone she's ever loved has either betrayed her or died or doesn't want her. She believes she's just a pathetic nerd that will never earn anyone's affection.
"She swore she hadn't forgotten her humanity like Gwen so frequently insists. If she had, she wouldn't be sacrificing her own life and happiness to keep just that alive in the world. Anyway, she cried herself to sleep after that."
Ianto couldn't quite read Jack's expression, but he could tell he wasn't happy. "Why didn't you call me?"
"Why should I have, Jack? It wasn't a work matter, and you're not exactly her friend. Especially not right now." Jack glared at him. Ianto simply raised his eyebrows, daring the immortal to contradict him.
Jack finally looked away. "And Owen?"
"Got a call from the hospital."
"What? Is he okay?"
Jack actually sounded distressed and panicked. That made Ianto feel another wave of affection for his leader, but once again, he suppressed it. Ianto continued as if Jack hadn't spoken. "He got drunk and tried to pick up a woman because he was tired of, in Owen's own words, being cold and lonely." He emphasized the last two words. "The woman turned out to have a boyfriend with quite a temper. He and a heavily inebriated Owen got into a bar fight which left our medic with a dislocated jaw, a black eye, and a concussion.
"The hospital let me take him home on the condition that he wouldn't be left alone. I had to wake him up every couple of hours to make sure he was okay."
"Is he okay?" Jack asked again.
"He's fine now. He woke up about an hour ago with a god-awful headache and a sore jaw. He can't eat anything solid for a couple of days."
"Is he by himself?"
Ianto shook his head. "No, I called Toshiko and asked her to come keep an eye on him since I had to come into work." Ianto smiled. "I have to say, a hungover Toshiko is absolutely adorable."
Jack smiled as well before he realized what Ianto had said. "Wait, when are they coming in?"
There we go, time for the yelling to start. "I gave them the day off, Jack. Neither one of them is in a fit state to come in. Neither physically nor emotionally."
"What? We're already a man down. I already gave Gwen the day off."
"And that's why I came in early, even though I got no sleep last night."
Jack narrowed his eyes at him. "And since when do you have the authority to give someone the day off?" His voice rose in volume over the length of the sentence.
Ianto remained calm. "Since you and your so-called second-in-command are busy acting like selfish teenagers."
"Ianto, how dare you..." Jack started but Ianto interrupted him.
"Then, please enlighten me, sir." He put as much disdain as he could in the honorific. "Please tell me what that show you two put on yesterday was. Tell me how professional and selfless your words were."
Jack stared at him, his jaw still clenched before looking away. "So, it's only the two of us, today?"
"Unless you want to call Gwen in, yes." Ianto said. "I checked Tosh's rift-predictor program before I gave them both the day off. It should be quiet enough today." Jack had acquiesced too easily. Maybe there won't be a fight, after all. Ianto felt relieved. He was far too tired for one.
"How are you, Ianto?" Jack asked gently, all signs of anger gone.
That was a question Ianto wasn't expecting. For the first time that morning, Jack managed to surprise him. "Um, I'm fine, sir." And he really was fine. Despite what everyone thought, Ianto Jones was much stronger than to get upset because of a few hurtful words and childish actions. He stood up quickly. "I should go make coffee."
"What should I have done, Ianto?" Jack asked before Ianto had a chance to move. "Should I have made her Retcon Rhys? Should I have risked losing an agent?"
Ianto sighed and sat back down. "She was bluffing, she'll never leave Torchwood. She loves this job too much, working here gives her a feeling of superiority that she knows she won't get anywhere else. And, Rhys, he's a good guy. I'll go see him tomorrow and make him sign the Official Secrets Act. Then, I'll keep him under surveillance for a few months to make sure he doesn't talk, but I really don't think he'll be a problem. He loves Gwen too much to cause any trouble for us." Gods know why, he thought to himself but didn't say it out loud.
"Then what should I have done differently, Ianto? You tell me that." Jack pleaded. Ianto felt sorry for him.
"You shouldn't have let her get away with her little diatribe. You wouldn't let the rest of us walk away with something like that without any consequences. Letting her go without a reprimand just seems like a confirmation of everything she said."
"Well, I don't agree with any of it. You, Tosh, Owen, and I are family. It'll never be cold and lonely for us while we have each other. That's what I believe."
Ianto smiled. "Thank you, sir." He said earnestly. He knew Jack's words were true. The four of them would always keep each other warm and loved, which was why Gwen's words hadn't hurt him.
"No, thank you, Ianto." Jack said. "Now, how about you go sleep in my bunk for a bit? I can look after the Hub. If anything comes up, I'll call Gwen and tell her to come in. And tomorrow, I'll talk to her and make her apologize to everyone for what she said. And I'll talk to Tosh and Owen; let them know how much you all mean to me." Jack smiled. "Now, ready for a nice nap?"
Ianto yawned before he could respond.
"Well, that's answer enough for me." Jack stood up and ushered Ianto to this bunk. "Go on then. Oh, and you should sleep naked. I've heard it's good for you." Jack winked.
Ianto laughed as he made his way down the ladder, hoping a certain Captain would come check on him later.