PART TWO

"It's ok Jack, don't panic, he's just passed out, that's all." Owen stated having finished his assessment. He pulled out a blanket from one of the cabinets and handed it to Jack. "Here cover him; it's pretty chilly in here."

Jack obliged carefully wrapping the cotton cover over Ianto's shoulders and chest; the younger man appeared to be sleeping peacefully. Jack sighed knowing it wouldn't last. Owen took another blood sample.

"Is there any way to restore his memories?"

Owen froze for a moment, and then went back to his task. "I have to ask do we have the right to? This was Ianto's choice but in all honesty Jack it's up to him now. He may get a trigger that will unlock things, but I think he's got back all he is going to get back. Quite frankly it's a miracle serious damage wasn't done, he literally could have lost have everything right down to his language skills and the ability to take himself to the toilet. I know about all this crap with Canary Wharf and Lisa but something else happened didn't it?"

Jack looked at him from over Ianto's sleeping form. "I'm not sure it was one specific thing Owen.... just everything all at once. In the end I guess he felt he had nothing else to lose and after what he went through I can understand him wanting to forget."

"So what happens now?"

"I don't know. I guess as soon as he is well enough we find out what he wants to do. His mother lives in Cardiff I'm thinking I may be going to call her, it's possible he will want to go home. He thinks he's 19 and that his Tad is still alive and he hasn't graduated from Cambridge yet. Either way he can't stay here with Torchwood."

Owen nodded. "I was hoping you'd come to that conclusion. I'm sorry Jack. I know this is isn't easy for you."

Jack looked back down at Ianto. "I can't imagine it's that great for him either."

Owen stood there watching his boss closely. "Have you told him about your relationship?"

"Not in so many words.... I can't believe I didn't see this coming, after everything he's been through, I should've kept a closer eye on him and now I've lost him." Jack's hand absently went to stroke the side of Ianto's pale face. "This is the second time I have let him down."

"Don't blame yourself Jack. Ianto has never been good at opening up to any one of us. It's not as if you two were that serious is it?"

Jack sighed and faced Owen with a dismal look on his face. "I love him Owen and before this, he loved me. The only problem was that I was too stupid to tell him how I really felt. I kept him at a comfortable distance because it suited me, because it was easier for me, less complicated. He lost everything Owen and he was foundering and I couldn't be bothered to reach out to him. What kind of a person does that make me?"

Owen had no answers. "Too late now mate."

"Thanks for that."

"My pleasure. Now, let him rest. He's going to need some time to recover physically from the over dose, we'll have to decide what to do with him...."

"I think he's made that decision already, don't you?"

Owen had to concede the point. "What I was meaning was whether or not you want to erase his memory of today and dump him somewhere so that he doesn't remember us."

Jack was shaking his head. "No. He leaves here when he is well enough with no further interference from us. I'm not ready to lose him Owen."

"You think you haven't already?"

"Owen all Ianto has out there is an estranged mother and sister who don't want any more to do with him. He has no friends because they are dead already.... I am not going to dump him anywhere and abandon him, at the very least we can make sure he's settled on the outside with somewhere new to live and a job to go to." Jack's fingers were still caressing the sleeping man's cheek.

Owen was nodding his approval. "I'm glad to hear it."

TWO WEEKS LATER

Ianto watched silently as Owen ran the scanner down the length of his body. He thought continually about everything the others had told him. Jack had taken him to the cemetery to visit his Father's grave and then driven him to his mother's house. She had slammed the door in their faces. Ianto had cried for days after that and he had taken comfort from the little Japanese lady called Tosh and the American called Jack, supposedly his friends. How they had let him come to this? He realised deep down that they were not to blame, Ianto was well aware of how stubborn he could be. He'd asked Jack to take him through the last few 'missing' years of his life. Ianto studied the reports, photos and CCTV discs and none of it came back to him. He couldn't remember the woman he had loved and nearly destroyed everything for, couldn't remember the machines that had torn his world apart and had no recollection of getting to know and falling in love with Jack. Damn it he wasn't even slightly 'that way' inclined. Jack and Tosh had been kind and supportive and Ianto had thanked them though he still felt utterly alone. Doctor Harper completed his examination and Ianto smiled his thanks and pulled his T-shirt back on over his head.

"You're fine mate, everything's in the green."

Ianto nodded. "Thank you Dr Harper. I guess I am free to leave now am I?"

Owen nodded. "Yeah, talk to Jack."

Ianto slid off the autopsy table and wandered up the office where Jack spent most of his time. Ianto knocked on the door.

"Captain Harkness, may I come in?"

Jack gestured to the empty chair in front of his desk. "Owen give you a clean bill?"

"Yes, he did. I'd like to leave now."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I've organised a new apartment for you." He passed over a padded envelope. "That's your house keys, your wallet and phone. Torchwood will continue to pay you until you've sorted secure employment. Take your time, there's no hurry. You can even work here, if you want." He added hopefully.

Ianto took the package. "I don't think so. I did this to myself for a reason. I think that Torchwood and you are tied up in all that. Either I truly wanted to die or to start a new life, this way means I to get to start over."

"I understand." Jack didn't want to. He rose to his feet. "You need anything, and I mean anything, you call me. Whatever has happened Ianto, I still love you and I know it's too late for that, but you can consider me a friend, or the others for that matter, you're important to us. So, like I said absolutely anything, you pick up that phone."

Ianto got up and outstretched his hand, Jack shook it squeezing it gently, knowing it would most likely be the last time they would ever touch. He let go.

"Come on, I'll walk you to the door. Come back in a couple of weeks for your car, after Owen's cleared you to drive."

Ianto hesitated and looked in Jack's darkened, sad eyes. "For what it is worth, I am sorry I hurt you. You seem like a good person."

Jack almost hitched a smile. "Obviously not good enough."

FINIS....

AN: Sorry this took so long to conclude..... Anyone who hasn't read 'Silent Witness', this won't make much sense...... Ok so I still have 'don't look now' to finish....it's not forgotten, I promise.

Thank you very much as always for reading. Deeta.