Chapter Text
Jack knew how to con. He knew how to survive. He would be damned if he could figure out how to be a good boss. Tosh kept telling him there were rules, but he couldn't find anything. He always slipped back into combat mode when threatened, and flirt mode the rest of the time. It was possible that was the reason his team felt like it was crumbling around him, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Jack knew that he could call each one into his office, sit them down and ask what was wrong, and every one of them would lie to him. They might not mean to do it, but they would. He could already hear their voices echoing in his empty office and shook his head. Talking to them wasn't the right thing to do. The problem with taking the best, no matter what their personal issues were, meant that when things went wrong, they went very wrong, very fast. Jack knew the basics of the problems, but just didn't know how to fix them.
"Do you have a moment, sir?"
"Ianto, what's wrong?" Jack asked sitting forward in his chair. It was rare for the younger man to seek him out during work unless he had coffee, food or paperwork for Jack to sign.
"I've just been going over our inventory for the end of the month, I wanted to get it done early just in case the rift decides to give us problems like it did last month," Ianto replied. "We're missing retcon, sir."
Jack blinked a few times. "Ianto, I would swear you just told me we're missing retcon," he said, head tilted to the side slightly.
"We are, sir. I counted the doses three times yesterday and twice today, in case I had made a mistake," Ianto started.
"Come on, Ianto, I've never seen you make a mistake when it comes to supply or inventory," Jack interrupted. "I also know you've already checked the CCTV to see who's been taking it, so just tell me so we can get it back."
"It was Gwen," Ianto said. "But I fear it's too late to get it back, sir. She's already used it."
"Damn it," Jack exclaimed, falling back in his chair. "How do you know she's used it already?"
"Sir, why do you think she was here last night while we were out chasing after the people who were kidnapping weevils?" Ianto asked. He shifted his weight slightly, finding a more comfortable position to stand in. "I took a look through the footage from that time and found that she came back well before she made contact with us. She brought pizza and was crying. That meant something happened at home and, when I checked the small camera you asked me to place in their living room..."
"I asked for the bedroom, Ianto," Jack interrupted.
"In the living room, sir," Ianto continued, "I found that Rhys was unconscious on the sofa and there were two glasses on the coffee table. A closer look showed there was slight residue in one of them and, when I retrieved it, proved to be retcon."
"Ianto, how do you find the time to do all of this?" Jack asked. "You don't have some sort of time travel device you're not telling me about, do you?"
"No sir," Ianto said. "I don't keep secrets from you, sir. Not anymore. While the rest of you were fussing over Owen, I ran over to Gwen's house and took care of the situation for you."
Jack sighed. "I've told you before, Ianto, you're not the butler around here."
"I do clean up after you though, sir," Ianto smiled. His gaze flicked to the desk for a second and then back up to Jack's face. "What do you want me to do about the missing retcon, sir?"
"Aw hell, send Gwen in here and let me see if I can get some answers out of her," Jack sighed. "Don't think I didn't see that little shift in your focus, Ianto. You know I'm game for whatever you want to try out."
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," Ianto smiled. "However, once everyone is gone for the evening, we might be able to discuss things again. I'll find Gwen for you, sir."
"Coffee too, please? I think I'm going to need some to get through this. Oh, and call the hospital. See how Owen's doing."
"He's ready to be released, sir. Would you like me to pick him up?"
"No, I'll go once I've talked with Gwen," Jack said. "Thanks, Ianto. Things probably would fall apart around here without you."
Ianto smiled, smirked, and left the office. Jack moved forward so his lower half was more under the desk, cursing softly under his breath. Ianto knew what that smile did to him, and knew the other man had done it on purpose. Along with the extra butler routine. Letting Ianto know how hot Jack found him in full butler mode was probably a mistake.
"Jack, you wanted to see me?"
"Have a seat, Gwen, and tell me about last night," Jack said. "Like why you were back here when I told you to go home and spend time with your boyfriend.?
"Rhys was out for a stag do with some friends, I was lonely so I came back here," Gwen said. "It's a good thing I did too, otherwise we wouldn't have found Owen in time."
"So if I were to call Rhys up and ask him about last night, what would he tell me, Gwen?" Jack asked.
"I'm not sure, he was passed out when I went home to change," Gwen replied. "He drinks a lot when he's out with his friends, he does."
Jack nodded thoughtfully. "Adding scotch on top of beer isn't the brightest idea either," he said, watching Gwen closely. "Especially when you haven't watched the drink be made. It's hard enough to trust people, it's such a shame when someone you've already learned to trust betrays you."
"Jack, I don't know what you're talking about," Gwen said.
"Did you know that we keep a tight inventory of our retcon, Gwen?" Jack asked. "It's something I asked Ianto to do after I found out how badly Suzie was abusing my trust in her. Ianto checks it weekly and does a monthly inventory. With his memory, he doesn't need to write everything down all the time, you know. Imagine my shock when he told me we're missing doses."
"Jack...."
"Don't, Gwen. I thought you'd know better, after what happened with Suzie. Ianto checked the cameras and saw what you were doing. He found the glass at your flat with the residue in it," Jack said.
"He broke into my flat?" Gwen demanded.
"It's hardly breaking when you leave the door unlocked when you leave," Ianto commented, coming into the room with a mug of coffee for Jack. "I made sure to lock it behind me, Gwen. I wouldn't want anyone stealing any of your things."
"Thanks, Ianto," Jack said, taking the coffee. "Ianto, how many doses are missing?"
"Five, sir," Ianto replied. "I've added a padlock to the cabinet with a secure lock on it."
"Good work, Ianto. Thank you."
"Sir." Ianto left, shutting the door behind him.
"I don't believe this," Gwen said, turning back to Jack. "You sent him to break into my flat?"
"No, I didn't. I told you the first day you met everyone, Ianto cleans up after us," Jack said. "He takes care of everything. I think you'll find that Rhys spent most of the night in bed rather than where you left him. You already know he's not going to remember what happened to him last night, but I want to know exactly how much you gave him, Gwen. Retcon is not a toy. It's a drug and it's dangerous."
"A single dose, no more than you gave me that night," Gwen replied. "He's lost 24-hours, no more. He went under so fast, Jack."
"What would you have done if he'd had some sort of reaction to it?" Jack asked. "How would you have explained his symptoms to the rescue squad? We wouldn't have been able to help you, we were all out in the field trying to solve a case. Where's the rest of it, Gwen?"
"In my bag," Gwen said. "I wasn't going to use them, Jack. I just wanted to have them with me in case of an emergency."
"An emergency like your boyfriend finding out about your affair with Owen?" Jack asked.
"How'd you know about that?"
"I'm not blind, Gwen," Jack replied. "I can see what's happening in front of me, even if people think they're hiding it. Most of the time. There have been a couple of times when I've been taken by surprise, but I've learned from them. Compared to that, you're easier to read than a primary school book."
"Like you're not?" Gwen demanded. "You think you know everything, Jack, but you don't. You don't know what it's like to try and hide something like this from someone you love. What else am I supposed to do?"
Jack leaned back and studied the woman across from him closely. "Are you talking about hiding the job or hiding the affair?" he asked.
"How dare you?"
"I dare because you put an innocent at risk to get rid of your own guilt," Jack interrupted. "Doses on my desk, Gwen, before you leave today. We're not here to help you cheat on your boyfriend. You can't have it both ways, Gwen. You either come clean to Rhys when he'll remember that you've been cheating on him or break it off with Owen. If I find out you've dosed anyone with Retcon for any reason other than a direct link to a case, I'll dose you and dump you back into real life."
"That's your answer for everything, isn't it, Jack? Running away and hiding," Gwen said. "Never having to face up to the mistakes you made."
Jack's face went hard and cold and Gwen, who had just stood up, stepped back in fear. "Leave, Gwen," Jack said softly. His tone was hard, almost frozen, and Gwen had never once heard him sound like that before. "Put the stolen doses of Retcon on my desk and get out."
"Jack."
"Now!"
The shout echoed out into the Hub. Gwen felt her face burning when the whole team saw her run out of Jack's office towards her work area and her bag. Jack stood up and started towards the door, face dark and frozen.
"Your coat, sir."
"Ianto."
"I'll be here when you get back, Jack," Ianto said softly, as he helped Jack into his coat. "For the record, she's wrong. Go walk, get the anger out of your system, and come back to me. I'll be waiting."
**********
Ianto watched Gwen leave, followed fairly quickly by Owen and Tosh. He sighed. There were days he wished he was closer to his co-workers than he was, but he knew they didn't really see him. Not for who he was. He was just the tea-boy. The one who hid the monster in the basement. The one who was always there when needed. Jack was the only one who really saw him. Saw his pain and understood it and helped ease it when the nights became too dark. It was one of the reasons Ianto was at his side more than he was anyone else at Torchwood. Jack put on a good front, but Ianto knew what darkness looked like, and he saw it in Jack's eyes far more often than he was comfortable with. The Captain had secrets, everyone had secrets, but Ianto sensed that Jack's were far heavier than those that any human carried.
It wasn't hard to work out that Jack wasn't from their time. He hid it well, most of the time, but Ianto was good with computers, with research, and with reading people. It was something that let him hide in plain sight so well. Jack knew too much about the future, about the past, to have done anything other than lived it. A time traveler. A person from the stories, and Ianto worked with him. There were days Ianto wanted to ask Jack where he was from, see if he could get the older man to open up to him, tell him some small tid-bit that would make him seem more human and less alien. He doubted it would happen. Jack was so silent about himself, and Ianto helped him hide. He smiled softly to himself, wondering what the rest of the team would do if they knew Ianto had hidden records from them. Owen and Tosh were so curious about Jack, tried to figure out who he was and what he was, and Ianto was the one who blocked them at every turn. There were days when Ianto thought Jack knew what he was doing, smiles sent his way that seemed to have no meaning behind them, unless it was to tell Ianto that Jack approved of a new suit.
"Ianto."
"Sir?" Ianto's hand went to the ear-piece he was still wearing.
"Come up to the Plas and join me," Jack said. "I want to show you something. Use the lift."
"Yes sir," Ianto said. He put the bag he was holding down, tying off the ends so it wouldn't spill while he was gone, and went to the lift. He wasn't surprised when it started on it's own, knowing that Jack was up top watching for him. Ianto didn't really like using the lift, he was always a little afraid he was going to fall off, which was the reason he almost always came and went via the tourist office.
It wasn't hard to spot Jack, standing just off to the side of where the lift was going to be and smiling. "You need me, sir?" Ianto asked as he stepped out into the Plas.
"I'll always need you, Ianto," Jack replied. He took Ianto's hand in his own. "Come on, it's down here."
"Jack, you know that Gwen was out of line tonight, right?" Ianto asked softly, dropping his work facade. "She should never have said those things to you."
"I've done a lot of running in my life, Ianto," Jack said just as softly. "But I've faced up to my mistakes, taken actions that have save millions of lives, and no one can know about that. Ever.Just pieces of the past floating behind me, things that only I know and remember."
Ianto squeezed his hand. "You aren't planning to try and get me to go swimming again, are you?" he asked. "It's too cold."
"No, down here," Jack said. He pulled Ianto down a set of steps and into a tunnel that Ianto normally wouldn't have dared in his good shoes, but with Jack to hold onto, he figured he would be okay. If nothing else, shower sex with Jack was steamier than the water most days.
"What are they?" Ianto asked, looking into what had to be a nest.
"Cattons," Jack replied with a soft smile. "They must have slipped through the rift, they shouldn't be here. Will you help me get them down to the Hub?"
"How do you know about them?"
"I'll explain when we're back in the Hub," Jack said. He picked up one of the tiny kittens, kittens with wings and some sort of beading around their paws and neck, and tucked it carefully into the place made in his coat. "We're going to need bottles, milk, sugar and fish oil, Ianto. Here, tuck the others in with this one."
Ianto was half expecting the small creatures to feel cold, but their fur was soft and warm under his hands. "Five of them, Jack," he said. "Where's their mum?"
"Dead," Jack said. "I saw her fall when I was out walking and started looking around for a nest. I do know someone who can come and collect them, but I don't know how long it will take her to get here."
"Jack."
"Run to the shops for me, Ianto? Please?"
"Okay," Ianto ran his hand through his hair. "You get in touch with your friend. I don't want Myfanwy eating them."
"She won't. I'll keep them down in my bunker," Jack said. He kissed Ianto gently. "This is a miracle, Ianto. You'll see what I mean when we get back to the Hub."
"Yes sir," Ianto sighed.