FIC: Notorious (Part II of II)
***
The party was in full swing by the time Jack managed to slip past the security detail. He ducked into the wine cellar, and a hand appeared over his mouth, warm breath tickling his ear.
“. . . and Ally likes her reds very bold, yes, too bold for my taste, ha!” An older man’s stuffy voice issued from further into the cellar, and Ianto pulled Jack deeper into a corner by the door. Jack closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling the other man’s aftershave and sweat. Almost a week.
“Right, two more ought to do it for now,” the voice huffed closer, and Jack could see a portly little old man, red faced with drink and the responsibility of choosing the wine, waddling into view. Ianto released him, and Jack crouched behind a barrel as Ianto walked forward and opened the door for the old gent.
“That’s perfect, Anderson. I’ll be up in a bit; I think she was storing some cognac in a box in the back that I want to pull out,” Ianto clapped him on the shoulder as he gently steered him out the door, shutting it behind him.
Jack was up in a flash, so hungry for his touch, starving for the feel of Ianto’s lips against his own. They had gone longer without the touch of skin on skin (and now Jack was expertly pushing down Ianto’s trousers and pants, belt buckle clanging on the stone floor) but they had functioned in tandem for so long that being without Ianto’s presence had left Jack feeling somehow unreal. He slid his hands over Ianto’s stomach, slightly furry, slightly yielding, and felt more wholly here than he had in a week. Ianto groaned when he pulled his mouth away, and Jack had to take a moment to get his breath back, from the kisses and the way his throat closed up at the sight of Ianto, so fully aroused, so burning with lust. He fell to his knees and drew him into his mouth, watching through his lashes as Ianto threw his head back in a loud gasp. It was over quickly, much too quickly, and Jack had to reach up with his hands to catch Ianto and ease him gently to the floor as his legs quivered in the aftershocks.
Ianto leaned into him as he began kissing the tops of Ianto’s cheekbones, the crinkles by his eyes that only came out when he smiled. Jack could always get Ianto to smile, and his tongue flicked out to lick Ianto’s chin in a reassuring confirmation. Ianto snorted, lips curving up, and reached for Jack’s belt buckle -
“No, no, no; I have the reserve cognac for our meeting,” Alexandra’s voice was directly outside the door. Ianto froze, eyes wide, before struggling to pull up pants and trousers and belt. Jack stumbled to the door and held the handle in place.
“Oh, would you be a dear and go find Anderson? He went wandering off with some of the inferior swill awhile ago, but we’re still going to need him.” Alexandra continued from the other side.
Ianto smoothed his hair down and grabbed a random bottle of cognac. “Over there,” he hissed at Jack, slipping the Cruzer into his hand and taking his place at holding the door. Jack scooted behind some oak casks as Ianto pulled the door open.
“Alexandra! Cariad,” he faked his surprise, “I was just going to find you!”
Jack could hear Alexandra’s throaty laugh. “Were you now? Tell me, Ianto, did my cognac best you? Let me see that bottle.” Jack craned his neck, and saw Alexandra’s hand on Ianto’s backside as she surveyed the cognac. His own hand twitched, and he grabbed his knee to hold still.
“Oh you silly boy,” she practically giggled, “I am not going to drink this one! We are definitely going to require a different bottle. What were you doing down here, anyway?”
“Making sure Anderson didn’t make off with the good stuff,” Ianto lied smoothly, and Alexandra threw her head back and laughed.
“You’re wicked, you know that? Come here,” she coaxed, a predatory gleam in her eye, “I need help reaching the top shelf.” She fisted her hand in Ianto’s tie and pulled him back into the wine cellar. Jack crouched even lower in his hiding place, but poked an eye out from behind the casks in time to see Ianto position himself to block Alexandra’s view. Alexandra tugged him closer with the tie and began to moan into the kiss. She sounded like a stuck pig, Jack thought with some amusement, before remembering that he had just been moaning into one of Ianto’s kisses not fifteen minutes ago. Ianto’s hands slid down to cup her arse, and Jack stared, frowning. He couldn’t shake the sense of déjà vu, haunting like the bitter taste of metal on his tongue.
“Ally?” It was Anderson again, farther down the hall, and Jack was happy to hear him this time.
“Oh, bugger!” Alexandra swore, and Ianto laughed. “Are you laughing at me?” she pouted up at him, red lips swollen and gleaming.
“It . . . passed, cariad,” he smiled down at her. “Please, by all means, keep practicing your British insults.”
She kissed the tip of his nose, and Jack heard her say, “Straighten your clothes and follow me to the conference room in three minutes.” She picked up a different bottle of cognac and exited the wine cellar, sashaying her hips for Ianto’s benefit. “Anderson!” trailed back from the hall.
Jack popped up from behind the casks. “Cariad?” he asked, eyebrows climbing.
Ianto shrugged and straightened his tie, reddening slightly. “She thinks it sounds romantic and exotic.”
“You play her well,” Jack commented neutrally, walking over and helping Ianto tuck his shirt in.
Ianto rolled his eyes. “That is what I’m here for, after all.”
Jack nodded. “Of course.” He smoothed down the front of Ianto’s shirt and gave his waist a gentle squeeze. “You should get back to her. I’ll arrange to see you tomorrow at some point.”
Ianto turned to leave, hesitated, and crossed back over to Jack. The kiss was rough and needy and if it had gone on any longer, Jack would have blown their cover, but Ianto pulled back. “See you tomorrow,” he whispered, and slipped out the door, leaving Jack hard and alone, and still rather unsettled at being back in the basement.
***
Ianto walked the last of the clients out to his car and driver shortly after. Alexandra, Mathis, Anderson and two other men were gathered in the conference room when Ianto joined them and sat beside Alexandra. Mathis stood up and unrolled one of the maps. It depicted Cardiff - a Cardiff covered in brightly colored dots.
“Ladies,” Mathis began, “we have a unique opportunity here in Cardiff to work with someone who really knows the lay of the land, so to speak. Jones here is a Cardiff boy.”
The men around the table gave him nods and hooded looks, except for Anderson, who beamed and sipped at his cognac.
“I have every faith that he’ll be able to handle whatever kind of antique we can find. And being as how he is so familiar with the city,” Mathis was smirking now, “I am certain we’ll be able to locate even more marvelous objects for our clients.”
As the meeting went on, it became obvious to Ianto that only Mathis truly knew what they were selling. Even Alexandra, who had her suspicions, hadn’t guessed that the objects were otherworldly. No, she just thinks we’re stealing and overcharging. Anderson mentioned getting Morris to help in Madrid and Ianto struggled to keep his face smooth. Luke Morris, Executive Assistant to the Head of Alien Technology, Torchwood One.
It wasn’t until the meeting was breaking up that he realized he had forgotten to put in his earpiece for it. He would need to get a message to Jack about Morris.
***
Jack cracked a muscle in his neck and glanced over at Gwen. She sipped at her take-out coffee desultorily, not even bothering to make a face at the taste, as she’d been doing for the past week sans Ianto. “What have you got, Gwen?”
They’d been at the information from the Cruzer all night. Mathis had set up quite the operation. Alexandra Sebastian provided the money and the sheen of legitimacy, plus she had several established clients who were interested in what Mathis had to sell. The maps charted the leavings from the Rift. Jack had been a little unnerved by the amount of times Torchwood had missed picking up on something coming from the Rift, although the vast majority of sites marked on the maps fell under One’s or Two’s jurisdiction. There were also storage warehouses in London, Edinburgh and Madrid. Jack had spent hours on the phone with UNIT, working out joint raids and arranging the capture of Mathis’s people. They would need two more days to arrange everything and confirm the information. Jack was already chafing at the delay.
Gwen shot him a commiserating look. Neither of them were any good at patience. “I’ve found out why I can’t find Emile Hupka.”
Jack stiffened. “How’d they do it?”
“They used an ‘antique’ - Mathis would have known exactly how it works. One of those Glavid things you saw - it just vaporized him.”
Jack tapped his lip. “I can’t wait two days on this. I need to warn Ianto.”
Gwen shook her head tiredly. “Jack, he already knows about the Glavid devices, and if you go over there now, you could blow his cover and make it extremely difficult for him. I hate the waiting, too, but Ianto’s not going to appreciate you butting in now.”
Jack shrugged clumsily into his coat. “Then I’ll just keep an eye on him.”
Gwen opened her mouth to argue some more, but Jack forestalled her. “I’ll stay in the shadows, Gwen. Trust me!” he yelled back over his shoulder as the cog door rolled back.
***
Ianto was sitting in the garden drinking coffee, alone, when Jack made his stealthy way to Alexandra’s mansion. “Psst, Ianto,” he hissed through the fence.
“Jack!” Ianto kept his eyes on his mug. “What are you doing here? Is there a problem?”
“I need to talk to you.” He peered through a slot in the fence. “That tool shed. Meet me there.” The tool shed was in the back corner of the garden. Jack surveyed the area, then grimaced and jumped the fence. He was just sliding through the back window when Ianto entered the front door.
“Dammit, Jack, what’s so important? What’s happened?”
Jack gave him a lopsided grin. Ianto was just wearing pajama bottoms and a thin t-shirt, his hair still rumpled from sleep. “I came to warn you,” is what he meant to say, but it came out, “I miss you.”
Ianto gave him an exasperated smile. “I miss you too, but we’re a little busy here, don’t you think?”
“Yeah,” Jack agreed, feeling his cheeks heat a bit. “Yeah, we’re planning a maneuver with UNIT in two days.”
“Who’s hitting the Madrid place? Luke Morris from Torchwood One is in charge of that operation.”
“I’ll pass it on. All you have to do is bring Sebastian to that Italian place just off the Plass, with the green awning, tomorrow night for dinner. We’ll take her into custody and UNIT will take out Mathis and the others.”
Ianto frowned. “We’re taking Alexandra into custody? Good; I don’t want UNIT getting their hands on her.”
Jack frowned back. “Why? Are you losing sight of what she is?”
“What she does,” Ianto corrected absently. “No; I just don’t think she realizes precisely what she’s gotten herself into here.”
Jack cocked a brow. “And we’re so much more understanding?”
“Yes,” Ianto replied simply.
Jack shrugged uncomfortably. “Well, you’ll get your wish.”
“Good. Now come here. You want some of this coffee?”
Jack began to smile as he took the mug from Ianto and inhaled the unmistakable aroma of Ianto-coffee. He’d missed that, too. Still, he nearly dropped the mug at the first touch of Ianto’s lips to his neck. His coat was pushed back, becoming a makeshift mattress on the dusty tool shed floor. He pulled Ianto down on top of him, and their hands fumbled to pull off shirts, slide off braces, push down trousers and pants and pajamas. Ianto took them both into his hand, and the friction and the heat combined to bring Jack almost immediately to the brink. A week, now. Jack arched his neck and held Ianto in a bruising kiss, gasping raggedly against his mouth as Ianto’s hands slid over him and his cock rubbed against his own.
Jack’s hands pulled Ianto closer, closer, feeling the scars from Sebastian’s nails, and he growled low in his throat and came with a gasped, “Mine!” Ianto wordlessly followed him directly after. Ianto rolled off of him, and they lay side by side, catching their breaths. Jack surveyed Ianto’s face through his lashes. There were stress lines on his forehead and small bags under his eyes, the flush of sex only a temporary cure. Jack crawled over him, and began to lazily kiss his face and neck and shoulders. The lines were beginning to disappear from his forehead when they both heard the back door of the house open.
“Ianto? Darling? I was hoping we could play a game of chess; are you out here?” The door closed again a moment later, and Ianto struggled up on his elbows.
“I should go to her,” he said, reaching for his pajamas and t-shirt.
“Since when do you play chess?” Jack asked, looking around for his own clothes.
“Fifteen years,” Ianto mumbled under his breath. “She likes the chess. It makes her trust me.”
Jack gave him a skeptical look. Ianto stood up, straightening his appearance. “Slip out the back in half an hour or so.”
“I have done this before, Ianto,” Jack answered testily.
“Sorry.” Ianto hesitated at the door, and Jack wished fervently he would come back, just for a minute. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.” Ianto shut the door behind him without looking back. Jack stayed in the shed for a full hour.
***
Gwen looked up with a start when he re-entered the Hub. “I thought you were going to be tailing Ianto today,” she said, rubbing at a crick in her neck.
“He has it well in hand,” Jack said, pulling up a smile for her benefit.
“Ooo-kay.” They looked at each other for almost a full minute before Gwen started again. “I need some sleep. I’m taking the afternoon - and UNIT called. They want to go over the stuff we think is in the Madrid warehouse.”
Jack grunted his understanding, and Gwen, yawning, stumbled out of the Hub.
Jack spent almost two hours on the phone with the UNIT officers who were planning to search the Madrid warehouse. According to Sebastian’s records, it contained mainly what amounted to alien jewelry. Nothing too dangerous, and Jack grew increasingly irritable, his thoughts returning to Ianto’s words -- it makes her trust me -- as the officers nattered on about security precautions. He finally cut them off. “Look, you have two squads: one should be on the lookout for Luke Morris, and you get one of your other guys with a camera down to the warehouse tonight, assure yourselves, and be prepared to take it over tomorrow night. You have enough soldiers to surround the place. Do it.”
There was a pause on the other end, and finally an affronted, “Yes, sir.”
“Good. We’ll all get the signal at 20:00 Cardiff-time, 21:00 for you. If everyone can’t confirm before then, you’ll be contacted. Now I have to run.”
Jack snapped the phone closed and sighed heavily. He returned to playing over his conversation with Ianto. He’d played chess for fifteen years? He never played with Jack. He snorted to himself. Chess was a stupid thing to get upset about, but even so, he couldn’t squash the flicker of hurt that Ianto had never shown him this glimpse of his past. He sighed and pulled up Tosh’s search engine and set it to look for Ianto, chess and the mid-90s. He got three hits, three trophies Ianto had won.
Jack drummed his fingers on his desk, and walked through the events of the prior night and the morning in his mind. Ianto was playing Sebastian like a fiddle. How easy it was for her to trust him! How easy it was for Jack to trust him! But this time Ianto was keeping things from him - important things, like the meeting Sebastian had invited him to the night before. He shrugged back into his coat, set the security for the Hub, and made his way back over to Sebastian’s mansion.
He was in luck. Ianto was just pulling up in the driveway and stopped, startled, when Jack called his name.
“Jack! What are you doing here again?”
“This is worth the risk,” he answered curtly, slipping an arm around his shoulders and leading him inside.
Ianto gave him a strange look, but led him up the curving staircase to a bedroom and shut the door.
“Alexandra went to the warehouse - she’ll be back soon. What’s the matter?” Ianto asked.
“Why didn’t you wear your comm link for that meeting last night?” Jack asked with no preamble.
Ianto blinked. “The meeting?”
“Yes, Ianto, the meeting. The meeting Sebastian told you about last night in the wine cellar, the meeting that convinced you that she was just some glorified dupe. The meeting you said you’d let us listen in on when you started this whole thing. So why didn’t you?”
Ianto took a step back at the tone of Jack’s voice. “I just forgot. It was hectic. I told you what happened at it. And I never said Alexandra was a glorified dupe; I just don’t think -”
“Yeah, you didn’t. I’m the Captain. I’m sending in all these troops, and it’s all based on your word alone. I haven’t heard anything directly from them.”
Ianto stiffened. “I gave you a copy of all her information, the maps -”
“And nothing in them makes her out to be any less culpable than Mathis! That’s just your impression, and nothing you have told me makes me think she’s any better. Unless you have any other secrets you’re hoarding?” Ianto scowled and started to retort, but Jack cut him off. “Why? I just want to know why. Is this another little private thing between you and her? Like the chess?” Jack’s voice was sharp.
“The chess? Jack, what does that have to do with anything?”
“Oh, nothing. It’s just that you had never told me that you were some chess prodigy,” Jack answered offhandedly, waving a hand in the air.
Ianto rolled his eyes. “Because it wasn’t important. And I was not a prodigy.”
“You won awards. I had to look it up,” Jack said evenly.
“Not any good ones,” Ianto shot back.
“Sebastian knew all about your chess playing.” Jack’s voice was getting lower now, a definite warning sign, but Ianto ignored it.
“Stop beating around the bush, Jack,” he snapped back. “This has nothing to do with chess. You’re just mad that I told her something about my past that I didn’t tell you. You’re being ridiculous; this is entirely unimportant.”
“Except that without your little secret, we never would have gotten the intel we need!”
The accusatory tone of voice, added to the stress of faking his way through the past week, set Ianto off, and he rounded on Jack. “Fuck you, Jack! You are in every part of my life! Every fucking part! There’s no longer any part of me that’s just me! For fuck’s sake, can’t you let me have one miserable little thing that’s just mine?!”
“Hey, I never said -”
“You didn’t have to say it! You’re Captain Jack Harkness! You’re larger than life; you’re from the future, you’ve fucked more people and aliens than exist in all of fucking Cardiff, you swagger through life with a wink and a smile, and everyone just rolls over for you! Especially me! God, Jack, I always give you what you want!”
“And Lisa? Was she what I wanted?”
“Of course you would bring her into this,” he muttered, drawing a hand through his hair. “Jack. While she was here, who made your coffee, filled out your paperwork, fetched your dry-cleaning, allowed you to fuck him over your desk? And then you inserted yourself into the one part of my life that was separate from you, and you won. You always fucking win.”
“Oh, is that so? And that time you and my entire team murdered me, did I win then, too?” Jack’s voice was dangerously quiet.
Ianto looked suddenly wary. “That was -”
“What, different?” Jack moved up into his face. “Tell me how I always win when you keep betraying me?”
Ianto swallowed. “I am loyal to you, Jack.”
“Are you?” Jack’s mouth was barely a finger’s breadth from Ianto’s. “Oh, now your actions are very loyal; you give me your body, your time, your intellect. But what do you feel, Ianto? What would it take to have you turn against me for the third time?” Jack raised his hand, and trailed a finger down Ianto’s cheek. “What lies would you tell me? With your pretty little mouth?” His thumb slid across Ianto’s lower lip, and Ianto reached up and grabbed his wrist.
“I am loyal to you, Jack,” Ianto said again. “I am your man. Don’t you understand that? Whatever you ask of me, I do.”
He looked in Ianto’s eyes, and the fight went out of him. “Why?” he whispered. Ianto didn’t say anything. Jack huffed a bitter laugh. “I’m asking you, Ianto. Didn’t you just say -”
“I love you, you bastard,” Ianto gritted out. “I love you to the point that I forget my own name, anything else that I want, anyone else that I see, anyplace else I would rather be. I love you more than the rush of blood in my own veins. You terrify me, you fucking bastard. I love you.”
Jack gaped at him, eyes wide. Neither man heard a door slam downstairs, or feet pad up the stairs.
“Ianto? Darling? Are you here?” Alexandra paused in the doorway, taking in the sight of Ianto’s hands on Jack’s wrist and shoulder. “Who is your guest?”
Ianto cleared his throat and took a step away from Jack. “An old acquaintance of mine. James Harper.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Harper. I’m Alexandra Sebastian.” Alexandra faked a smile as she offered her hand, and Jack had to struggle to pull out an answering smile in response as he bent and kissed her hand. “Will you be staying for dinner?”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly intrude,” Jack finally managed to speak again. “I have to go . . . do . . . something.” He gestured vaguely over his shoulder. “It was lovely to meet you, Ms. Sebastian.” He nodded to her. “Ianto, I’ll find you later.” Another nod, and then he was down the stairs and out the door.
Alexandra watched him go, then turned back to Ianto. “You’re chewing your lip, darling,” she said, a trifle sharp. Ianto raised his brow at her, and she quickly smoothed her features. “I don’t want you to get full. I’ve made us dinner.”
Ianto smiled his first genuine smile in awhile. “You cooked?”
“Don’t be stupid, darling. The cook cooked. But I hired the cook.” She held out her hand to him. “Shall we?”
The dining room was set for two, one lone candle providing the light. Alexandra bade him sit, and she would go tell the cook to begin serving. Ianto twisted his napkin in his lap and tried to still the furious pounding of his heart. Damn Jack for showing up here again. Damn Jack for making me say what I said. He almost spilled his water when he reached for it, and took several deep breaths to calm himself. He thought he smoothed his face enough by the time Alexandra joined him.
They chatted about chess and the weather during three courses. As they finished their pudding, Alexandra raised her wineglass. “A toast! To Cardiff and antiques and love affairs!”
“Cheers,” Ianto mumbled, and clinked his glass with hers, hoping the red wine would calm his nerves more.
Alexandra eyed him over her glass. “Of course, this is a very strange love affair.”
Ianto fumbled for his glass. There seemed to be two of them. “Why?”
“Maybe the fact that you don’t love me.”
Belatedly, Ianto realized he should probably say something. But his tongue was swelling up and it was just so hard to concentrate.
“Tell me, darling, cariad, do you really have such a low opinion of my intelligence? You let Captain Jack Harkness into my house. My house!” Ianto’s vision was sparking, Alexandra’s angry face coming into and out of focus. “How could you do that to me? You know what Mathis would do to me if he saw Harkness here!” Rationally, that made sense to him, and Ianto tried to nod, but he had lost control of his actions. “Did you really think I wouldn’t have been warned about him? Mathis is not a complete idiot! What were you doing with your hands on him?” She moved closer, and he could feel her breath on his cheek as she hissed, “Did you ever fuck him in my house?”
He slid bonelessly from his chair, the wineglass slipping from his fingertips and shattering on the floor. Her face filled his vision. He had breath enough for just one act of defiance. “Yes,” he croaked. Blackness covered him.
***
Ianto was supremely surprised to wake up again. He blinked wearily and tried to turn his head. Morning sunlight streamed in through the open curtains.
“Comfortable, cariad?” Alexandra asked in a sing-song voice. She leaned over him and Ianto tried to focus on the room around them. They were in the bedroom and from the distant dull aches all up and down the backs of his legs, she had dragged him up here herself. “Just lie back and think of Cardiff.” She smiled humorlessly. “I really wish you hadn’t brought me to this, darling. But you shouldn’t be in much pain - you’re practically paralyzed and the whole thing should be done in 24 hours, and no one will ever be able detect it.” A line appeared on her brow. “You understand, yes? I cannot have you revealing that I’ve been found by Captain Jack Harkness. Mathis would kill me!” She smoothed a lock of hair off his forehead and he tried very hard to glare at her. “You’ll be dead by 9:00 tonight. Any last words?”
He couldn’t swallow. His throat felt like it was stuffed with old socks, but he tried. It didn’t sound much like “Christmas,” and Jack and Gwen couldn’t hear him anyway, but he wanted to say it. “Christmas,” he stuttered out again.
Alexandra watched his struggles dispassionately. “I have no idea what you are saying, but your accent is still adorable.” She stood up. “Now I must be off. I’ll check on you later, cariad.”
Ianto lay back in the bed and tried to move a muscle. He couldn’t. Darkness was creeping in again, and he fought to keep his eyes open. He failed at that, too. God, he wanted Jack.
***
Jack paced the length of the conference room in UNIT’s Cardiff headquarters. Orders had been given, reconnaissance teams were in place, and confirmation of the alien tech was trickling in from London, Edinburgh and Madrid. He checked his watch one more time. It was just after 7:00. Almost time. He resolutely went over the plans one more time in his head; anything to distract himself from his last conversations with Ianto. His heart ached at the rawness of Ianto’s confession and his shoulders twitched at the weight of responsibility. I am your man. I am your man. I am your man.
“Jack.” Martha appeared at the door to the conference room. She would be acting as UNIT’s representative when he took Sebastian into custody. “Did you want to leave now?”
He nodded and cleared his throat. “Yes. Yes, let’s get into position.”
He gave her his arm, and they walked out into the staging area. Gwen was suiting up in SWAT gear, and her eyes twinkled as Jack laid his hands on her shoulders and addressed her as “Most High Commander of UNIT.” Gwen would be leading the UNIT squad in taking down the warehouse, and Jack preened at the flush of leadership that colored her cheeks.
Jack and Martha took an unmarked sedan to the Italian restaurant and waited at a table with a view to the door. And waited. And waited. Martha kept up a steady stream of chatter, and Jack recognized it for what it was: a way to set him at ease. He flashed her a patented Harkness grin, but could tell she wasn’t fooled. The clock in the restaurant ticked past 8:00 with no sign of Ianto and Sebastian. Martha’s comm link began to blip and she hissed at them to hold steady. 8:05. 8:10. At 8:15, Jack rose to his feet.
“Something’s gone wrong. Martha, we have to get to Sebastian’s right now.”
Martha grimaced. “Jack, I agree, but you need to convince the others to hold off for just a little longer.” She passed him her comm as they ran back out to her car.
Gwen sounded slightly panicked on the line, the UNIT leaders irritated. “Where’s your man, Harkness? I thought he was supposed to be the signal, yeah?” one of them asked.
“Something’s happened,” he answered, gripping his armrest as Martha cut a corner extremely close. “We’re going to pick them up at the mansion. You just hold tight.”
“Mansion, is it?” That was the commander from London. “How do you know he hasn’t pulled a runner? Rich mistress and all that.”
“Ianto is my man. He’s not at the restaurant, that means something has happened to him. You just sit tight,” he gritted out.
“Ianto’s Torchwood,” Gwen chimed in. “Don’t worry, Jack, we’ll wait for your signal. Take care.”
Martha glanced at him as he muted the comm. “Are we going for stealth here, Jack, or are we just busting in, guns blazing?”
“Guns blazing,” he answered immediately. Their argument was playing in a continual loop in his head, reaching down and tying his stomach into knots.
“In that case,” Martha cut across traffic to turn on Sebastian’s street, “grab my pack in the back. Meds,” she answered his questioning look.
Jack opened his door and sprinted for the entrance to the mansion before Martha even got the car in park. She caught up to him as he slammed into the door and continued into the foyer. Alexandra Sebastian was coming down one side of the marble staircase, and she froze, mouth agape at the sight of two furious, armed agents. And the guns that were trained on her.
“Where is Ianto?” Jack barked out. She stared at him mutely, but gave a squeak and turned to run as Jack bounded up the stairs. She didn’t get very far before he seized her by the scruff of the neck and turned her to face him. “Where is Ianto, you miserable excuse for a human being?!”
Sebastian squeaked again, wide eyes flicking between him and a closed door down the hall. “Answer me!” He pointed the gun at her face.
“Jack!” Martha came up beside him. “Leave her with me. Look, her eyes keep going to that door over there,” and she pointed to the bedroom door. “You go look there. We’ll follow,” she finished grimly.
Jack leapt up the last few steps and rushed down the hall. “Ianto! Ianto!” The door swung open at his touch.
Ianto was lying in Sebastian’s large bed, utterly frozen. Jack gave a low cry and crossed the space between them in three steps. “Ianto!” The only thing that moved on him were his blue eyes, tracking Jack’s movements. Jack could feel his heart breaking at the look in his eyes; trust and forgiveness and hope, all rolled into one shining look. Jack pulled him to his chest and kissed his strangely feverish brow, stroked his cold arms. “Martha!” he yelled in the direction of the hall. “I need you!”
Martha pushed a cuffed Sebastian into the room in front of her. “Let me see him, Jack.”
Jack reluctantly stepped back from the bed as Martha bent over Ianto’s still form. “We’re just in time. You’ll be okay, Ianto.” She looked back up at Jack. “I’ve seen this before. She poisoned him with nectar from the aldishy plant - very common, but no less dangerous because of it. Luckily the antidote is also very common and I always include it.” She shrugged off her pack and began to rummage inside it.
Jack turned on Sebastian. “So! Not so innocent, are you?”
“I have nothing to say to you,” she sulked back.
“Good thing I don’t give a damn to hear anything you have to say on the matter.” Jack reached up and hit his comm. “Gwen? We have Ianto. Proceed. All of you, proceed.”
“Proceed? With what?” Sebastian asked sharply.
“Taking you down,” Ianto croaked out from the bed, and they both turned to see Martha helping him sit up. Jack let out a sigh of relief that came from the very tips of his toes, and crossed back over to the bed. Martha tactfully moved aside and let him help Ianto sit up.
“What do you mean by that?” Sebastian’s eyes were starting to look a little wild. “Ianto? What is he talking about?”
Jack shot her a murderous glare. “You don’t get to talk to him. You haven’t earned the right.”
Ianto huffed a shaky laugh. “I was actually trying to protect you from Mathis, you know,” he addressed her, “but now, I’m going to make sure that he knows exactly who it was that revealed the inner workings of his smuggling ring.”
Sebastian’s eyes widened. “You can’t do that! Do you have any idea what he will do?”
Jack ignored her. He slid one arm around Ianto’s waist. “Do you want to try standing?” he asked quietly.
“Yes, please,” Ianto mumbled. He wobbled unsteadily on his feet for a moment, then leaned heavily on Jack.
“Ianto! What are you going to do with me?!” Sebastian’s voice lost all trace of throaty purr and entered the range of shrill harpy.
Jack helped Ianto walk past her. He reveled in the sensation of the other man’s closeness, right there at his side where he belonged. He took a deep breath, breathing in Ianto’s scent that, though slightly off from the sickness caused by the poison, was still Ianto. Martha gripped Sebastian’s forearm and followed them out into the hall towards the staircase.
“Jack?” Ianto whispered. “Thanks for coming to get me.”
Jack paused and looked him in the eye. His hands circled Ianto’s waist, steadying him. There were new lines on Ianto’s forehead, and he kept looking away from Jack’s eyes. “Ianto. Ianto, look at me.” He waited until Ianto did. “I will always come to get you. Always.”
Ianto began to smile, tentatively, and then broader when Jack cupped his chin and kissed him. “Because you’re the captain.”
Jack smiled back. “Because I’m your captain.”