A Complex Man; Chapter 5

TWTWTW

Leaving by the tourist office entrance, Jack and Ianto made their way up to Tesco a few hundred yards away.

"I hope this works," said Jack, eyeing Ianto. "Or you move to a safe place. Maybe back to London for a while." He read the look of defiance on the younger man's face. "That's an order."

Ianto didn't look at Jack, he just nodded.

"Tosh," said Jack, as they reached the supermarket, "turn off the alarm to the store. Don't want anyone coming to investigate."

"Will do."

Jack looked at Ianto. "How's the arm?"

"It's….fine."

"Alarms are off, Jack."

"Thanks Tosh. We're goin' in."

Once inside they grabbed a handful of carrier bags and went to the aisle where the salt was. They packed as much salt as they could carry, relocked the store and headed back to the tourist office. Before going back inside, Jack spread the salt from the stairs leading to the boardwalk right up to the tourist office door.

"That should burn them, or whatever it does."

Ianto watched from the safety of the office. Jack insisted.

"Tosh, have you turned the alarms back on?"

"Done," came the reply.

Putting all the empty packets back in the carrier bags, Jack placed them behind the counter and pushed Ianto back through the secret door and down to the Hub.

Before they got back to the cog door, Ianto turned to confront Jack. "Jack, will you please stop it!"

"I just wanna keep you safe."

"I will be…I am!" He sighed. "They can't get down here." He frowned stepping through the cog door. "There's salt up there." He went over to the coffee machine. "Please, just lighten up!"

Owen raised an eyebrow. "He's got a point, Jack. All we can do now is wait. See if it works. He'll be fine here."

Jack shot Owen such a look.

"Oi, Harkness, watch it! You might be shaggin' Tea Boy, but he's old enough to take care of himself."

Ianto grinned.

Jack wasn't so sure, but didn't voice his opinion. He just stared after Ianto.

"Jack," called Tosh. "They're on their way back."

"Where are they now? Bring it up on the monitor, Tosh."

"They're up by the Welsh Ring. Should be here any minute."

Ianto walked back from the kitchen, after putting the coffee maichine on. "I hope it works." He stole a sideways glance at Jack.

Jack just looked at him.

"I'm sorry, okay? I know this is all my fault. I….just wanted to help." Ianto walked back to the kitchen and made the coffee, taking a tray of cups to the low coffee table, he seated himself on the couch.

Owen looked at Jack and inclined his head towards Ianto, mouthing 'Go talk to him'

Jack frowned, but conceded, walking over to the couch and sitting beside his lover. "I know you thought you were helping. I know that. But sometimes you just need to listen to what I say." Jack placed a hand on the younger man's arm. "Nobody blames you, okay?"

Ianto wasn't convinced, but nodded anyway.

"We just have to hope and pray this works, cos they'll call for more and then we won't stand a chance in hadise of getting rid of them all."

"There are six of them, just approaching the salt," Tosh informed them.

"They called for more!" whispered Ianto.

"They've stopped!"

"Shit!" exclaimed Owen.

"Wait, ones moving forward. They seem to be following it."

"Come on, come on," muttered Owen.

Ianto closed his eyes and made a secret wish.

"They've made a line and are all moving forward!"

"Fingers crossed," said Gwen, taking hold of Owen's hand.

"No! They've stopped again!" cried out Tosh.

"I need the men's room," said Ianto, getting up.

Jack gave him a weak smile, watching him leave.

Ianto went passed the men's room and down to the garage. Going out through the main entrance, he made his way to the 'Salt Kitchen' restaurant, where he got inside, setting off the alarm and proceeded through to the kitchen. Finding what he was after, Ianto made his way to the area above the tourist office, where he proceeded to throw handfuls of salt at the Warriors. In their panic to get away from it, they stepped onto the generous layer already on the boardwalk and began to howl in pain.

"An alarm just went off in 'Salt Kitchen'!" said Tosh.

"Scan the area," Jack told her, getting off the couch and going to the monitor above her desk.

Tosh moved the CCTV cameras until they picked up Ianto Jones.

"Damn! Ianto!"

"He must have broken into 'Salt Kitchen'!"

"It's working! Look!" said Gwen.

They watched as Ianto continued to rain salt down on them and they howled in pain, as one by one they began to disappear into the sky. A portal opened and they drifted back through the Rift.

"He did it!" said Owen, slapping Jack on the back.

Jack sighed. "Yeah."

"There's a police car on it's way," said Tosh.

Jack touched his comslink. "Ianto, get back in here. The police are on their way."

"Thanks, Jack."

As Ianto started for the garage, the heavens opened.

"It's raining," said Ianto. "It'll wash the salt away. No questions there then."

As Ianto entered the main Hub, Jack approached him, a solemn look on his face.

"I don't understand you sometimes, Ianto Jones. You are so complex. You do the darndest things." He broke into a smile. "And sometimes, they work."

"You're not mad at me then?"

"Hell yeah, I'm mad at you….but, not for long."

He pulled Ianto into a hug, kissing the side of his head.

"Er, Jack, not here, okay." Ianto pulled away, smiling at his colleagues.

They all laughed.

"Just time enough for everyone to go home, catch a few hours sleep and get back here for, oh, 9.30am."

Gwen, Tosh and Owen headed for the cog door, without another word.

"Coffee?" asked Ianto.

Jack screwed his nose up. "It's cold!"

"I'll….make another pot."

"Mmm, definitely," answered Jack, putting his arm around his Welshman's waist. "In bed?"

"Jack, you're incorrigible!" Ianto smiled, giving his lover a kiss on the lips. "I like that."

"Would you have me any other way?"

"No!"

FIN