Jack was sitting in Captain Jackson's chair, looking around the office with a weary eye. Leon liked things neat and clean with cedar wood desk tops and gleaming stainless steel fittings but Jack missed his old office in the hub under the water tower. He'd loved its mildew stained tiles, antique desk and dust covered nick knacks, the latter of which Ianto always complained about even though Jack told him on many occasions that he didn't expect him to dust them. What he missed most of all, however was the heath robinesque nature of the technology which his team had had to cobble together out of whatever was available. In the new Torchwood everything was up to the minute and designed for the purpose but Tosh in particular had revelled in a mish mash of alien and human items, some of them from many centuries into the future.

With a final sigh, Jack began powering down the workstation in preparation for leaving for the night. Tomorrow he would be flying to America and he wasn't sure if he would be coming back. He'd lived in Wales for decades, seen many changes and lived many lives and through it all, he hadn't once put down roots. He'd tried, with Estelle, with Lucia, even with Ianto once, but he just hadn't tried hard enough and they'd all left him in the end. Despite what everyone thought, he could be and mostly was faithful, it was them that left him, not the other way around.

Even after he'd found his Doctor, when he could have gone anywhere or any time, he came back to Wales in the 21st Century, and why? For Ianto, he'd said. "I came back for you...", but then he'd thrown it out at the last minute to encompass all his team. Why had he done that? He hardly dare say it, even to himself, but he knew it was for fear of rejection. He'd seen the look of dread in Ianto's eyes and so he did the only thing he could, he took the words back. Though in hindsight he wondered if it had been hopeful surprise and not dread he saw in Ianto's eyes that day. He couldn't help but think how things might have turned out differently if he had told Ianto the truth and let that declaration stand from the beginning, because it was Ianto, and only Ianto he'd come back for . Sure, he'd thought of Gwen when he was away, and yes the thought of coming home to her was what kept him going at times, but it was for Ianto that he made the decision to turn down the doctor's offer to travel with him.

He sighed to himself. Oh well, he thought onwards and upwards. All of a sudden a noise startled him from his thoughts. The whirring of the lift and then the tell tale ping that it had stopped on his floor had him ducking behind the door and pulling out his webly before he remembered that the new hub had a staff rotation system and people were coming and going 24 hours a day. He put his gun away and chuckled at himself before pulling open the door and frowning when he saw who it was.

"Ianto," he greeted, "I thought you were on sick leave."

Without saying a word, Ianto barrelled into Jack, backing him up until his legs collided with the Leon's desk. Before he knew what was happening, Ianto's lips were sliding over his, pulling him into a kiss that was wild and passionate, and full of teeth and tongues and wandering hands. Somewhere in the back of Jack's mind, a little voice was telling him he shouldn't be doing this. For all he knew Ianto might have been possessed by a mind controlling alien, but oh, it was getting harder and harder to listen to that voice, especially when he felt Ianto's hand on his cock, rubbing it roughly with the heel of his palm. Suddenly, without warning, Ianto pulled away, fisted Jack's shirt, turned him around and punched him hard, sending him flying to the floor.

Jack rubbed his jaw and looked at Ianto. The man's hands were held stiffly by his side and his eyes were wild and staring. He was curling and uncurling his fists as if he was getting ready to hit Jack again as soon as he stood up.

"I take it John's told you," Jack said.

"Why did you do it, Jack," Ianto yelled back.

"It's what John wants."

"But you could have said no."

Jack shook his head, he sat up but didn't feel ready to stand yet. Besides which, Ianto still looked as if he'd hit him again as soon as he was on his feet.

"I couldn't," he insisted, "I have to take him with us because we need all the help we can get. Besides, John has a working vortex manipulator, which could mean the difference between saving this world or ending it."

"Don't give me that crap. You and John are human and you're from the future, if the world had ended now, you wouldn't be here."

"First of all, how do you know John hasn't always been destined to do something. That it's only his intervention that stops the world from ending. And secondly, Saxon knows how to make a paradox machine so both realities could be true."

Ianto sagged, the truth of Jack's words sinking in. He seemed to stumble against the desk, leaning heavily against it and looking as if he might fall down if it wasn't holding him up. Carefully, Jack stood, approaching Ianto as if he was a scared animal. He sat on the desk and place a hand on Ianto's shoulder. Ianto buried his head in his hands.

"I can't do this on my own," he moaned.

"You won't be on your own. You'll have Martha to help you, and Tosh."

"I don't even know why he cares so much, he never has before."

"We both know he cares more than he lets on, besides he's probably thinking of what would happen to his children in the future if the world ends now."

Ianto's head snapped up.

"oh" Jack said, "I thought you knew."

Ianto shook his head and Jack carried on talking,

"A boy and a girl." he said, "I think in his time line they'd be about 8 and 10 now. It gets a bit confusing when you're travelling backwards and forwards in time" he explained. He hung his head for a moment and then looked at Ianto straight on, "I should probably tell you I've got a daughter too, she's called Melissa and she's 38 now. She's got a son called Stephen but he doesn't know I'm his Grandfather, he calls me Uncle Jack."

"Oh," Ianto said calmly. He pursed his lips and shook his head slowly. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. I only scratched the surface with you two after all, I never really knew either of you."

"You know me better than anyone in this century," Jack insisted.

Ianto let it pass, but he knew that by saying 'in this century,' and not 'in this time' Jack was probably thinking of someone else or several someone elses but from earlier centuries. This century wasn't that old and in Jack's long life knowing him better than anyone for that short period of time, didn't count for much, "and," Jack went on, "I think you know John better than anyone, in any century. I don't think he's ever bonded with anyone before. He did try with me once, but I guess it wasn't meant to be."

"I suppose," Ianto shrugged. He looked sideways on at Jack and smiled a little smile which had Jack's heart melting just a bit, "Jack?" Ianto asked him tentatively, "Why did you leave."

Jack made a noise in the back of his throat, like a short humourless laugh,

"Which time?" he said.

"The last time. When you moved out of the house with me and John. You know, I didn't see it coming, not at all. I thought we were happy. Sure, you did your disappearing act now and again, but you always came back so I thought you liked things the way they were. I know it was a bit unconventional, but you don't do conventional anyway."

"And what is it about me that makes you think I don't do conventional?" Jack lifted his eye-brow, "You've seen the photographs, you know I've been married. Why do you think I went through with that if I don't do conventional."

Ianto shrugged,

"I dunno. I thought maybe you needed a new toaster?" He grinned and Jack looked at him incredulously for a moment, then looked away and gave a little chuckle.

"Maybe it's just me you don't do conventional with," Ianto went on, "You know before you left, I was thinking of asking you if we could make it official."

Jack's eyes bugged and Ianto chuckled at the expression on his ex lover's face,

"Oh for gods sake, Jack," he laughed. "Not like that. I mean I wanted to ask you if it was okay if we told everyone about you and me and John but then you came back and asked me to chose between the two of you, just like that."

"I guess I've lived in this time too long," Jack sighed, "gotten used to the idea of love being a certain way and to put it bluntly, I didn't want to share you. I couldn't stand him looking at you and I wanted to smash his face in every time you looked at him."

"You never said, you never even said you loved me, not really."

"No, I didn't. Because I'm a fool, a stupid, old fool who'd rather lose everything I ever cared about than admit I had feelings that went beyond one night stands and alien orgies, and having a convenient, warm body to cuddle up to."

"You are a fool, Jack if you think for a second that John and I didn't see through that act. I know you care about people more than that," he paused, "I just didn't know you cared about me more than that."

Jack smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"S' okay," Ianto replied, he swung his legs, kicking his feet against the desk. The action made him appear so much younger than his years, "Jack?" he went on, questioningly. He turned his body towards the older man and looked at him for a couple of seconds before dropping his gaze again, "when this is all over are you coming back?"

"That depends," Jack murmured. He took his hand and used it to lifted Ianto's head by hooking a finger under his chin so that their eyes were level with each other's.

Ianto licked his lips and swallowed nervously, "on what?" he gulped.

Moving closer Jack angled his head, slowly bringing their lips together in a brief kiss that had their lips sticking together when they pulled apart. Jack's mouth lingered, blowing hot air into Ianto's ear,

"on whether I've got anything to come back for," he whispered breathily.

At that, Ianto lunged, taking Jack's head between his hands and kissing him hard. Without breaking the kiss, Jack slipped off the desk and turned so that he was standing between Ianto's legs and Ianto wrapped them around his waist, using them to pull him even closer. Their upper bodies were flush against one another but just when things were getting heated, Jack was suddenly pulled from Ianto's arms and Ianto found himself face to face with John Hart.

"Don't do it," Captain Hart implored, "can't you see he's taking advantage of you. I know you hate me right now but you'd hate yourself more in the morning if you slept with him."

Ianto rolled his eyes,

"I wasn't going to sleep with him," he tutted. "Well," he went on, his eyes twinkling, "not without asking you first."

John turned slowly towards Jack who was still lying on the floor where he'd landed when John had pulled him away. The immortal gave him a flirty smirk and a come hither eye-brow lift.

"Ianto Jones I love you," John whooped happily, "tonight Jack and I are going to give you the night of your life, for tomorrow...tomorrow, we save the world."

TWTWTWTW

Ianto gave one last wave as John and Jack disappeared from sight as they passed through the security gate. They'd all ready said their goodbyes, twice last night and once this morning. To the outside world it was important they maintain the cover that Torchwood had set up for them. That Jack and John, together with Owen, Gwen and Mickey were a group of colleagues from a hi tech company travelling to America for a convention. There could be no emotional breakdowns in the airport departure lounge, nothing that would give them away as anything other than friends and lovers fully expecting to see each other again in two weeks time. Only Martha and Ianto had decided they could maintain the pretense, the others having elected to stay at home and keep the emotional goodbyes behind closed doors.

Martha sighed as she waved to Mickey. When he was out of sight she turned and took Ianto's arm, walking with him towards the exit.

"I wonder if we'll ever see them again," she said.

"Of course we will," Ianto assured her, "The Doctor will show up soon and sort it out."

"I dunno, Ianto. He didn't when the 456 came and maybe Tom would still be with me if he had. Did Jack tell you what the doctor said to him last time he saw him, how he tried to set him up on a one night stand and refused to help you. And you know what else really stings. He told Jack he was doing something nice for all his friends before he regenerated but he didn't come and see me at all and I can't help but feel a bit betrayed about that."

"Ah but," Ianto said, patting her arm where it was linked with his, "You don't know that he hasn't done something for you in the future, or should that be he is going to do something," he shook his head, "oh you know what I mean?"

Her brow crinkled for a moment but then she grinned happily,

"Oh, I hadn't even thought of that."

"And as for the 456," Ianto went on, "maybe some things just have to happen a certain way and that was one of them, maybe me getting kidnapped was like that too."

They reached the lift leading to the short stay car park and Ianto unlinked his arm from Martha's and reached out his hand. Martha watched carefully as he pressed the button to call the lift,

"We'll pop by my surgery on the way back," she said, "and I'll prescribe something that should help with those shakes."

He drew back his hand back quickly and held it in his other one.

"Come on, Ianto," she smiled, "if I am going to treat you, we can't pretend it isn't happening."

"Yeah, sorry," he smiled back and let the hand go, holding out his arm for her to take again as they stepped into the lift.

"So," she said laughingly, "I'm right aren't i? About you and the Captain and," she cleared her throat, "um the other captain."

Ianto blushed,

"We...dabble," he smirked.

fin

TWTWTWTWTW

Coming soon...(if anyone's interested)

The Home Front

"Three minutes, Mr Prime Minister. Are you ready?"

The usually media savy, charismatic Prime Minister looked pale and wan as the make up girl, fussed around him, making last minute touches to his face. He nodded once to indicate that he was ready and the girl pulled the tissue from his collar, put away her brushes and moved away from the stand.

"Two minutes," a disembodied voice called out.

The Prime Minister read his speech over again. It was very short, only one paragraph. He could have memorised it normally but given the enormity of the situation his mind was all ready too full.

"One minute."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then repeated the action twice more before straightening his tie. He looked towards his wife who gave him a small smile and a thumbs up sign. He turned back to the TV camera just in time to hear the disembodied voice...

"Three, two, one..."

We interrupt this broadcast to bring you an important message from the Prime Minister...

TW

When the President of the United States of America, a man that would go down in history as the one no one could remember the name of, sent troops over the border to Canada, storming their Parliament and deposing the Canadian Prime Minister, it was destined to lead to war with Europe. With their partners trapped on the other side of the Atlantic, joining the local resistance in their fight to overthrow Harold Saxon and end the conflict before it turns nuclear, this is the story of how Martha, Tosh, Rhys and Ianto survive in Wartime Britain.