Title: The Perfect Host
By: Jennie-x
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Jack's team gets taken hostage and it's up to him to save them before its too late, but he stumbles across some one who was made to be perfect. A handsome male, who can't age and can't die - The Perfect Host. It's up to the Torchwood team to look after him and name him. The perfect Welsh name - Ianto Jones.

***

There was dust everywhere. The abandoned building looked and smelt as though it hadn't been touched by a human in years. Jack would go so far to say centuries even. He cursed under his breath as the floor board creaked under his large boots. He wasn't even sure what he was looking for. You can trust an alien to pick the largest building to hide in, he thought dully. He was loosing faith in himself. His team, his friends were in here somewhere. If they wasn't stone already. He walked along another one of the endless corridors. It didn't smell like the many others he had already explored. It smelt of life. He just hoped it was his team. He headed to the door, listened intently for any signs, but there was nothing. Opening it cautiously, Jack looked around. There was no one. But the room was different, polished, neat, tidy. No dust. He was thankful for that. Dust particles rarely came out of his greatcoat properly. In the centre of the room was a large table, much like the one homed at the hub in the autopsy bay. Machines were plugged in all around it, Jack noticed them straight away as life support machines. He didn't know whether he should be pleased that their was a steady heartbeat. He didn't know what he was going against here.

He stepped closer to the body on the table. It was a human, that much he could tell. Pale features, brown matted hair. Perfect skin. Reaching out, Jack pulled the cloth of the males face. He couldn't tell the age, he looked young, but old at the same time. His fingers brushed against the cold skin, it calmed and scared Jack. He was freezing, yet radiating warmth. His eyes and mouth shot open. Breathing in deep as though it was his first breath he looked at Jack.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked, the man looked like he was in pain. His eyes – an intense blue that Jack could feel himself loosing himself in.

"Run," Jack stood rooted to the spot. "Run!" He was louder this time, but his voice wasn't quite reaching Jack's ears. "Run, I have to run," Was all he was saying. Then Jack understood. He wasn't telling Jack to run, he was telling himself to run. Helping him with the wires, he disconnected him from the machines and helped him stand.

"What's your name?" Jack asked as they made there way out of the room. The man next to him was wearing nothing but a gown, showing lean arms and legs, and paler than pale skin.

"What's your name?" He repeated. Jack recognised the accent straight away – Welsh.

"Jack," He replied.

"Jack," Jack stared at the man with wide eyes. "Jack, I like that name. Can I have that name?"

"No, that's my name. Who are you?" Jack asked, he checked around the corners and noticed some guards standing near a door.

"I am you," The man repeated. "And we have to run,"

"My friends are in there!" Jack stated in a hushed tone.

"Then they're dead," He said simply. "They protect him, they bring him food,"

"Who is he?" Jack asked, needing to know everything about what he was up against.

"He scares everyone," The man shuddered. "He's weak. He needs to feed for the energy,"

"Can we kill it?" He couldn't hide the urgency in his voice.

"Yes, you can kill him. But I don't know how, I'm sorry," The man stared at the floor.

"Will you help?" Jack asked. "Then I can help you." In return the man nodded. "I want you to stand behind me," Another nod. Slowly, Jack moved forward, the man behind him.

"Who are you?" Finally, Jack had been noticed by the guards.

"Captain Jack Harkness and you are...?" His grin was plastered to his face.

"He has the host, don't shoot!" Another guard shouted.

"Host?" Jack asked, staring at the man from the guard. "What's going on?" He demanded.

"Who are you? You shouldn't be here!" The guards raised there gun to Jack. The man pushed Jack out of the way of the bullets before they had been released from the gun.

"What the...?" Jack stared at the man who had saved his life. Well one of many but he hadn't known that at the time.

"You brought me to life, I saved yours," He summarised. The guards were staring at them in shock. "Your friends are in there, but so is he,"

"How do you know he is in there?" Jack asked curiously, taking out his own gun. He raised it at the guards, who still looked to be in shock.

"He is me, like I am a part of him," The man replied quietly. "I was made to be his host,"

"Made?" Jack asked. He approached the guards just as they seemed to break from the trance. Jack raised his fist and hit the man square in the jaw, knocking him out with one quick but vicious blow. Jack took care of the two remaining guards in the same way, he didn't want to kill them as they were human, and he figured they were being possessed by whatever was in the next room.

Jack opened the door with as much force as he could. His team were huddled in a corner, chains on their hands and feet. In the centre of the room was a large fountain, only with red water and it seemed to be pouring down, instead of spitting upwards. But looking up there was no source of the red liquid.

"Harkness, about bloody time!" Owen spat.

"Where he is?" Jack asked, as he moved over to his team. Suzie, Toshiko and Owen were grateful once Jack had unlocked the chains.

"He's in there," The man of mystery – as Jack thought of him now, spoke up and pointed to the fountain.

"Who the hell is he?" Owen asked, eyeing the clothes he was wearing, or lack of.

"No idea," Jack mused. He moved closer and peered over the edge of the fountain, along with his team.

"If you're going to kill him, I recommend you do it now sir," The man said, and Jack nodded, he still didn't know how to kill it. He raised his gun and lowered it over the fountain, grumbling slightly as his coat started to absorb the red liquid that smelt a lot like blood. He aimed for what looked to be a giant shadows head, and shot.

"Jack!" Suzie yelled, as she caught the man in his arms.

"Owen, check him out," Jack ordered. He watched with one eye as the man fell to the floor.

"Guards, they'll be up soon, finish it off Jack," The man's voice was barely a whisper now. Jack nodded and fired more bullets into the creature. The blood that was falling from the air slowed down slightly. When the creature at the bottom of the fountain stopped moving, Jack lowered his gun and stared at the mysterious man. His eyes opened weakly and stared at Jack. "He's gone, I can't feel him any more," Jack looked back down the fountain, the liquid has stopped falling completely and there was no sign of any aliens present. Least he didn't have to bother with cleaning anything up.

"How are you feeling?" Jack asked as he knelt down knelt down next to him.

"Alive," He smiled. "I'm alive because of you,"

"What does he mean?" Toshiko spoke up as she helped Owen lift him up.

"I don't know, we'll take him back to the hub where Owen can run a full analysis on him." Owen nodded in understanding.

They walked along the corridors, Jack spotted several guards looking dazed and confused making his corrections right about them being possessed. "What's your name?" Toshiko asked.

"He hasn't got one," Jack said, realising now just how strange that was.

"Wait he hasn't got a name?" Suzie asked, "Maybe he's had his memory taken,"

"I don't think so," Jack sighed and they piled into the SUV. He noticed the man's eyes widen as he stared at the world for what looked to be the first time.

"Everyone has a name," Toshiko said trying to understand.

"What's yours?" The man asked back, and Jack wondered if he was going to say the same thing.

"Toshiko,"

"I like that name," He said hopefully.

"You can pick a name," Jack said with an amused smile.

"What name can I pick?" He smiled.

"Any," Suzie smiled. "You're obviously Welsh, so a Welsh name."

"I don't know any Welsh names, I only know Jack and Toshiko, and I like Jack's name,"

"You can't have my name," Jack laughed.

"Maybe he banged his head or something?" Owen suggested.

"My heads fine," The man smirked. The rest of the drive back to the hub was done in silence, the man sat between Toshiko and Suzie staring out of the windows with a smile that reminded Jack of a small child.

Jack and Owen got out of the SUV first, and opened the door for Toshiko and Suzie, the man getting out and stood next to Toshiko. "Maybe we should get him some clothes," Toshiko smiled when she realised a few tourists were staring at him.

"Good idea," Jack grinned. They headed in through the tourist office entrance. "How you feeling?" Jack asked as he stepped behind him.

"Anxious, I feel, anxious?" He asked as though he was looking for permission.

"We'll find out who you are," Suzie said, still going with the theory he had a heavy dose of amnesia.

"I'll go get you some clothes, they'll be a bit big but better then walking around in a night dress," Jack smiled and moved to his office. Owen guided the man downstairs to the autopsy room, he was looking around with wide eyes.

"What's your name?" He asked curiously.

"Owen, and no you can't have it." He smiled. "I'm going to shine this light in your eyes okay," The man nodded, he pulled away at the light at first but then allowed Owen to do his analysis. "Eyes seem okay, no amnesia or concussion," He stated. Suzie and Toshiko were watching over the railings with interest. "Okay, ears." Owen said, he then prodded around with his ears before declaring they to were okay. "Okay, so all your senses seem to be fine," He said. "No bump to the head, no physical injuries."

"He was wired to a machine," Jack said as he walked down the stairs, a bottle of water in his hand and some fresh clothes. "Put these on for now, you can get dressed in my office up there," He said pointing to the large office looking over the rest of the hub. "And drink this," The man nodded, taking the drink and the clothes before leaving them alone.

"What's going on here, Jack?" Suzie asked, her tone demanding as always.

"He was wired to a machine. He had a strong heartbeat, but he was cold. But he was warm, he felt warm but his skin was cold," Jack shrugged at his own confusion, "I touched him and he woke up,"

"When you shot the alien, he felt it though. We all saw it," Toshiko said, her head trying to take in as much information.

"He was made to be the host. The alien was weak, that's probably why he was killed easily by bullets. He said that he was a part of him, as the alien was a part of him." Jack said, remembering every detail.

"Do you think he's alien?" Suzie asked.

"He seems to be human, Owen run a full alien check," Jack said, just as he walked down the stairs dressed in the jeans and tee that Jack had given him. Jack stared for a minute, he really was a handsome male. "Owen is going to run some more tests," Jack smiled.

"I know, I heard." He replied, in a slightly deadpan voice that made Jack's skin shiver slightly.

"Sit back down here please, mate."

"Mate? Is that my name?" He asked, his eyes shining slightly.

"No, its a saying," Owen stammered, not knowing what to say.

"I know," He laughed, and Owen just glared a little. Owen raised a silver device over the man and listened to the beeps it made.

"He's human," Owen declared. "Though, he is only five hours old, and doesn't appear to be ageing."

"The perfect host," Jack smiled.

"Come again?" Owen asked with a raised eyebrow. He stared at the man in front of him. He was impossible, he was wrong.

"I was made to hold the alien inside of me forever, to keep it strong." The man said clearly.

"So, you're a human who can't age and can't die?" Owen's head wasn't getting around it. Neither was Toshiko's or Suzie's.

"Is that bad?" He asked.

"Nope, not bad at all," Jack grinned.

"Jack, what are we going to do with him?" Suzie asked loudly. "He hasn't even got a name!"

"We'll name him," Jack smiled. There was something about the young mystery man that had his lips plastered into a grin. "He can work here, we can't exactly let him wonder around the streets of Cardiff on his own,"

"I can stay?" He sounded hopeful. Jack's eyes wondered to Toshiko, Owen and Suzie, who all shrugged.

"Yes, you can stay," Jack grinned. "So, we need to give you a name,"

"A Welsh name," The man smiled looking up at Suzie who nodded.

"Sean?"

"No,"

"Matthew?"

"No,"

"Gareth?"

"Nope, how about Ianto?" Toshiko offered.

"I like that," He grinned. "Ianto," He repeated.

"Ianto Jones," Jack added.

"Jones, Ianto Jones," Ianto smiled.

"Welcome to Torchwood, Jones, Ianto Jones!"

***

Ianto Jones sat at one of the desks not knowing what to do with himself. He looked around nervously; everyone was working. The excitement that existed earlier that day had vanished, and he was now bored. No one seemed interested in him any more. Toshiko was sat next to him at her desk, but her fingers were busy typing away at the keypad in front of her. Owen was mumbling something about the smell of dead bodies that Ianto didn't quite understand, and Suzie was working on something far too complex and secretive for him to get his head around. And Jack was in his office, behind closed doors. Without thinking, Ianto picked himself up from the chair and headed upstairs.

He stared at the door a few minutes before opening it. A startled Jack looked up and smiled slightly. "You scared me," He smiled.

"Did I do something wrong?" Ianto asked quietly. He didn't want to make any mistakes. He already liked it here.

"No, just people normally knock on doors," Jack smiled. "Sit down."

"Sorry," Ianto sighed. "Maybe I'll get it right next time?"

"I'm sure you will you're just adjusting at the moment," Jack smiled. "Sorry. I was going to stick around but Unit called."

"Unit?" Ianto asked. There was a lot that he didn't know.

"They're a bit like the army, only they deal with aliens, like us." Jack answered. Ianto simply nodded. "How are you?"

"I'm... adjusting," Ianto smiled, repeating Jack's words thinking it was the right thing to do. "I don't want to make any mistakes, sir."

"You can start by not calling me sir," Jack smiled. "And don't worry about making mistakes, you're human. You'll get used to it."

"Do you make mistakes?"

"All the time." Jack answered truthfully. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

"I'd like that," Ianto smiled back politely. "I haven't got any shoes." He felt daft for pointing out, but he realised there was little that he did have.

"We'll go shopping, you can borrow mine or Owen's I think they'd fit you better," Jack smiled.

Ianto nodded excitedly. He stood up and followed Jack out of his office, he listened eagerly to the older man talk about shoes and shopping, and smiled at all the sarcastic comments Owen shot at him. Jack was right, Owen's shoes had fitted his feet better than Jack's giving them an indication to his shoe size. They headed out of the hub together smiling, Jack with his great coat and Ianto had borrowed Owen's leather jacket.

"You okay?" Jack asked. He was worried about how the young man would fit in with the team.

"I'm excited," Ianto smiled. "Everything feels so new, well I guess it is."

"When you were made do you remember anything about it?" Jack asked casually as they settled into the SUV.

"I remember being cold, and people around me talking. I'm part of everyone who visited the factory, everyone who touched me, something from them went into me. But I think I was sleeping. I could hear everything around me, but couldn't wake up. Then you touched me." Ianto smiled fondly at Jack who grinned back.

"What can I say? I have a magic touch," He winked making Ianto laugh slightly. Jack loved his laugh, it was shy and quiet but full of happiness at the same time.

"Did you mean it when you said I could stay?" Ianto asked, his voice was a little shaky.

"Why? You having second thoughts?"

"No. I was made to be the perfect host, Jack. I haven't got a purpose now," His voice was sad, and Jack didn't know what to say. Instead he placed a hand on his thigh and squeezed slightly.

"You don't need a purpose, you've got a life now. You can do what you want."

"Can I stay with you?"

"Yeah, you can stay with me." Jack grinned.

Four hours later, Jack and Ianto arrived back at the hub laughing. "Did you leave any clothes in the shops?" Toshiko laughed.

"Did we buy too much?" Ianto asked staring at the bags with confusion.

"No, we didn't." Jack grinned.

"So can we see what you brought?" Suzie smiled. Jack grinned, Suzie was trying to get her head around Ianto, she was a woman who needed numbers and technology to explain everything, much like Toshiko.

"Fashion show," Jack laughed.

"Oh god," Owen groaned.

"You can just see them when I wear them," Ianto smiled. "Thank you for letting me borrow your stuff," Ianto said as he handed Owen his leather Jacket, and shoes which were in a bag as he was wearing a pair of converse trainers he had brought.

"No worries, mate." Owen smiled.

"Not even a tiny fashion show?" Jack laughed.

"No. Where should I put my stuff?" Ianto asked.

"That's a point, where is he going to live?" Toshiko asked.

"He could stay here?" Jack suggested.

"Your bed is hardly big enough for one let alone two, and besides I don't think that would be such a good idea," Toshiko smiled innocently.

"Miss Sato what are you suggesting I meant?" Jack laughed.

"We could find him a Bed and Breakfast to sleep in until we find him a place to live?" Suzie suggested.

"Sounds good, what do you say Ianto?"

"I don't sleep," Ianto said simply. "I wasn't made to sleep."

"So you don't get tired?" Jack asked.

"I don't think so," Ianto smiled sheepishly.

"Then you can stay here, keep me company." Jack grinned. "I don't sleep much either." Ianto smiled back his hands still playing with the handles on the bags. "You can go put them in my office until we find some where to put them," Jack said and Ianto nodded and walked to Jack's office.

"Stop hitting on him!" Owen laughed.

"I wasn't..."

"Jack, you can't possible be thinking about sleeping with him? He's only been alive a day!" Suzie laughed.

"He's a grown man," Jack argued.

"That's been human for what nine hours?" Toshiko laughed, joining in.

"Besides, he's probably been made straight." Owen pointed out.

"I've shagged straight people before," Jack smiled.

"Look, he has his hopes set on staying here, Jack. You sleeping with him just for he fun of it is likely to mess with his brain a bit," Toshiko said with reason.

"You're right," Jack sighed. "Probably shouldn't have brought him those really nice suits then," He mused just as Ianto walked down the stairs.

"So, Ianto." Owen started.

"Yes, Owen?" The look of pure innocence threw Owen off a little, and he stopped talking.

"Nothing," Owen sighed. "So you had a fun day with Jack?"

"Yeah, it was fun." Ianto smiled.

"Why don't you all go home? Nothing going on here that needs all our attention." Jack grinned.

"Are you sure?" Toshiko smiled.

"Positive, now go." Jack smiled.

"Remember what we said," Suzie said sharply.

"I'll behave," Jack promised. "Now go before I change my mind."

Half an hour later and Ianto and Jack were sat in his office on the comfortable sofa. Jack wasn't sure of what to say and by the nervousness in Ianto's eyes, neither was he. "We should probably find you a place to live," Jack said after a little while.

"Where do you live?" Ianto asked interestingly.

"Down there," Jack gestured to the small hole in the ground, a steel lid covering it. "Bit cramped."

"You live here?" Ianto asked a little surprised. "What about Toshiko and the others?"

"They all have nice homes, you should have one too."

"What about you though? Don't you want a nice home?"

"I've never had a nice home, I wouldn't know what to do with one," Jack smiled. "And besides, I need to be here."

"Oh," Ianto said quietly. "What am I supposed to do here?"

"What do you mean?" Jack asked curiously.

"Owen, he's the doctor. Suzie is the brains. Toshiko does the technology. And you're the hero. Where do I fit in?"

"I don't know," Jack replied honestly. "What are you good at?"

"I was made to be good at everything. But I don't know. I feel useless."

"You're not useless. You're just..."

"Adjusting. Yeah, I know." Ianto sighed dejectedly.

"It takes time," Jack said, he reached for Ianto's hand and smiled when he felt his fingers twist with his. "And I'll be here to help. I'll help you fit in." Jack promised.

"Thanks, Jack." Ianto smiled sheepishly.

"Come on, lets go out some where." Jack smiled.

"Where?" Ianto asked excitedly. He didn't know much about the world, or himself. But he knew he liked spending time with Jack.

"Cinema? You'll love it." Jack grinned. "We can worry about work and everything else in the morning okay."

"Okay." Ianto smiled.

***

"I don't understand," Ianto sighed, as he and Jack walked aimlessly around Cardiff.

"What don't you understand?" Jack asked. They had seen a classic alien film at the old theatre house, he was glad to see that Ianto had enjoyed himself.

"All these people," He gestured to the other people walking around the streets, "they watch alien films and they think it's make believe, but it isn't. The films aren't real, but aliens are."

"It's easier that way," Jack smiled. "If people knew what was really real, then there would be panic on the streets." Ianto nodded, Jack could tell he was still trying to get his head round the idea. "So what do you want to do now?"

"I don't mind," Ianto smiled. "I like this, just walking. When I was back there it was like everyone was rushing around in my head."

They walked around for ages, talking absent mindedly to each other as though they've known each other a life time. Jack explained what Torchwood was, and just what they did there. They spoke about the rest of the team and everything else that came to mind.

"I'm glad it was you," Ianto said nervously.

"What do you mean?" Jack asked, they headed towards a bench overlooking the bay and sat down next to each other.

"Who woke me up. If it was the aliens then I wouldn't be here now, and I'm glad I am," Ianto looked up at Jack and smiled. Jack felt his heart flutter in its cage something that hadn't happened for a very long time. "I don't understand how you did it though."

"I told you, magic touch." Jack grinned. He was so close to Ianto and all he wanted to do was kiss him, hold him. But Toshiko's words echoed in his head, he didn't want to mess with Ianto. He couldn't commit to something, not when he was waiting for his doctor.

"Yeah, well over a hundred people, aliens, you name it touched me when I was there all trying to make me ready, all willing me to wake up. But one accidental touch from you and I'm full of life."

"I'm going to tell you something, and you have to promise me that you wont tell any one," Jack said sternly. He wasn't too sure what was possessing him to tell Ianto the truth about him. It could be the guilt, he had brought this man into the world forever and he thought he was alone. In a world that confused him, stuck forever alone.

"I promise," Ianto smiled. Without thinking, Jack reached across and held Ianto's hand in his. There was something about his hands, soft and new.

"I can't die," Jack started. Ianto looked at him, a confused expression on his face. "A long time ago, something happened. A stupid wish and now I can't die. Well I can, but It doesn't last."

"So you're going to live forever?" Ianto asked quietly.

"I don't know. I'm waiting to meet my doctor..."

"You mean like Owen, he's a doctor."

"Not Owen. My doctor is just the right kind of doctor who can help. One day soon he'll come here, and I'll go with him and he'll explain everything to me."

"So you're leaving?" Ianto asked sadly.

"One day. But I promise, I'll be back." Jack smiled. "I belong here now."

"And your team don't know, I mean about you leaving?"

"No, they don't. And they can't know, Ianto. About any of it."

"So why tell me?"

"Because I want you to be able to trust me, and I don't want you to think you're alone through all of this."

"But when you go, I will be alone." Ianto mumbled.

"You'll never be alone, I'll always be there okay."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Jack smiled, he squeezed Ianto's hand just as his phone started to ring. He answered it with a frown, when ever the police rang it was never a good thing. He hung up a few moments later and sighed. "We got to go, work to do."

"What work?" Ianto asked as he followed behind Jack.

"There's been these murders, police are clueless as always. And there's just been another one so we better go back to the hub, phone the team so we can go and use this glove..."

"Glove?"

"It's hard to explain, but I've got the files in the hub, while we're gone you can read them? Get to know what's going on in the case?"

"Like be part of the team?" Ianto asked excitedly.

"Yeah, like part of the team." Jack smiled.

***

Ianto watched as every one left, Jack had asked frequently if he was going to be okay on his own. Ianto nervously said that he would be fine, though now that he was actually alone he wondered whether or not he was okay. The hub was strange, and it scared him. He much preferred to be outside on the streets, in the open where he knew what should happen. He didn't know what to think about dinosaurs flying above his head, though he knew they were meant to be extinct. He knew what should happen, what should be there, in his mind he knew what was supposed to be right. But he was stuck in a place that seemed so wrong. Computers shouldn't look like that, he thought as he stared at Toshiko's work stations. Pieces of technology like that shouldn't be here yet. He missed Jack. The older man had captivated him, brought him to life and helped him through everything. The thought that he one day might leave scared him.

He sat on the floor, cross legged. He didn't know why he felt so comfortable in that position. He read the files that Jack had given him, he was determined to feel part of this team. He read the files through four times, testing himself on the knowledge. Five murders, four men stabbed from behind, one woman stabbed from the front. Jack had informed him that the knew victim was also a male and had been stabbed from the back. He knew the dates of murders, who did autopsies, what the results were, and he knew practically everything about the victims. What he didn't understand was why Torchwood was looking into them.

There was nothing alien about them. He remembered Jack saying something about a glove, he had given Ianto the file on that too, which he had read seven times. It didn't make a sense. A metallic glove with the power to bring back some one from life, even if it was temporary. No, that's just wrong. Once dead you should always be dead. He thought about what Jack had said about him not being able to die. Jack was wrong too, but the man knew it, made no case in denying it. Ianto admired his honesty, even if it was only to him. He didn't know why Jack had confided in him. But he knew it had helped Jack, and himself settle.

The cogs door rolled open and Ianto stood up quickly. Jack smiled at him, and Ianto smiled back with just as much enthusiasm. "Did you read it?" Jack asked as he stood close to the young man.

"Yes. Did the glove work?"

"For about a minute and a half," Owen laughed.

"That's the longest it's worked so far," Ianto pointed out.

"How do you know that?" Suzie asked.

"It's in the report," Ianto shrugged. "The first time you tried it, it worked for ten point nine seconds, the second fifteen point ten..."

"You remember it all?" Owen asked a little baffled.

"Yeah." Ianto shrugged.

"Weird," Suzie smiled. "You must have been made with a good memory."

"He was made to be perfect remember," Toshiko smiled.

"And so far I'm not seeing any faults," Jack smiled. He watched as a blush crept on Ianto's cheeks, it made him look even more perfect.

"So, what are we going to do about that police woman?" Suzie asked.

"She didn't see much." Toshiko commented.

"If we see her again then we'll give her the retcon." Jack sighed. "She'll probably go home, go to sleep and not think about us again."

"Mind if we head home now?" Owen yawned. "Been a hell of a long day."

"Sure," Jack smiled. "I'll try not to call you in with any more murders."

"Bye Jack, Night Ianto." Toshiko smiled.

"Bye," Ianto smiled.

"So, what do you want to do?" Jack grinned.

"Can I look through some folders?" Ianto asked anxiously. "Only, I want to understand everything that goes on here."

"Course, I'll show you to the archives. Read what you like down there," Jack smiled. The older man signalled for Ianto to follow him, which he did eagerly.

The archives could only be described as a mess. "When was the last time any one has been down here?" Ianto coughed, as he moved his hand in front of his face not to breath in any of the dust particles that were flying around freely.

"A while," Jack laughed.

"Would you mind if I cleaned it?" Ianto asked, he was still unsure where he was supposed to fit in.

"Do what you want. In fact it will be perfect if you could actually put them in some sort of order."

"I'll try my best," Ianto smiled.

"Want some company?" Jack asked as he settled on what looked to be a chair, but with the dust it was hard to tell.

"I'd like that," Ianto grinned. He'd like that a lot.

***

"Where's Ianto?" Owen asked as he walked into the hub. The first thing he noticed was the fact that Jack was sat on the sofa alone.

"Archives," Jack answered with a smile. "Believe it or not he told me to leave him on alone because he couldn't concentrate on the work," He laughed.

"I can actually believe that," Owen grinned.

"I'm surprised at how well he's fitting in," Suzie commented from her desk. Owen practically jumped out of his skin, he hadn't noticed that she was there.

"Bloody hell woman!" Owen groaned. "Ringing bell or something." The cog door rolled open and Toshiko walked in with a cardboard tray of coffees. She handed them out and gave Ianto's to Jack.

Jack wondered down to the archives. He grinned when he wasn't instantly covered in dust. The place looked completely different, he shuddered at the thought that this place could be mistaken for the archives at Torchwood one.

"Ianto!" Jack called, the archives seemed to have gotten bigger since he was last down there.

"Down here!" Ianto called back, Jack tried to follow the voice but he seemed to be getting lost. It took him five minutes to find Ianto, and he couldn't help but smile at the site he saw; Ianto was on his knees in front of a filing cabinet, his top was covered in sweat and his jacket was thrown carefully on the floor.

"Looks brilliant," Jack chirped. "But I think you need a break."

"I'm almost done with this case," Ianto sighed.

"You can finish it later, come on." Jack practically grabbed Ianto up and forced him away from the archives. "You're such a perfectionist," Jack mocked making Ianto glare at him.

"Am not!"

"Oh you so are," Jack smiled. "But that's good."

"Morning Ianto." Owen smiled.

"Morning," Ianto smiled back cheerfully. "Can I use the shower?"

"You don't have to ask," Jack laughed. "You know where it is?"

"Yeah," Ianto replied.

"Towels are in my bunker," Jack said and watched with a smile as Ianto walked off, coffee in hand.

"He seems to be fitting in really well," Toshiko smiled.

"A word of advice, don't go down into the Archives if you want to get a good bollocking!"

"So that's why you went down there," Toshiko giggled. "So, you and him haven't done anything right?"

"I said I wouldn't," Jack sighed. "Though it's getting rather hard not to make a move..."

"I don't think I want to know!" Owen laughed. There was a loud beeping noise coming from the computers, Jack walked around to Toshiko's computer to see what was happening.

"Weevil at the hospital," She told him. "Just one."

"Owen, come on." Jack grinned. Weevil hunting was one of his favourite activities. He blamed the doctor for that, it involved a lot of running something the doctor seemed to love to do. "Tell Ianto we'll be back in a bit," Jack said before rushing off with Owen.

Ianto smiled as the hot water washed the tension away in his muscles. It had been a good night last night, becoming part of the team, finding something he was good at in the hub even if it was just cleaning it still gave him a purpose. He was glad that the rest of the team wasn't acting strange around him because he was different. He guessed it had something to do with them being there from the beginning.

He stayed in the shower for forty minutes, he couldn't help but laugh. Technically he was twenty one years old, well that's what Toshiko had written up on his birth certificate, and this was his first shower. He laughed at the thought as he got dressed, he decided to try one of the suits Jack had brought him. He smiled as the cotton touched his skin, he looked in one of the mirrors and grinned. He looked good.

He walked up into the main area of the hub and noticed that two people were missing. "They've gone to catch a weevil," Toshiko called out.

Ianto had read about weevils in the Archives, he knew they had weevils in the cells downstairs and nodded in understanding. "Said they'll be back soon." Suzie added.

"You fancy coming to get some coffee?" Toshiko asked.

"I'd love too," Ianto smiled. He was hoping he would be able to go for a walk with Jack today, he had decided he liked walking. Even if it wasn't with Jack walking felt good. And he needed to make friends with Toshiko, because one day Jack would leave them and he didn't want to be left on his own.

***

Jack and Owen walked into the hub carrying the weevil between them, it was sedated and Owen had been ordered to run some tests on it, see if they could somehow find out how they worked mentally, and to see if they could get an idea of where they were from, because maybe one day they'd be able to send them home.

"Where's Ianto and Toshiko?" Owen asked.

"Coffee," Suzie smiled. "Did it go okay?"

"Apart from that police woman was there," Owen sighed. "Followed us back here."

"That's why she's walking around the tourist office looking for an easy way in?" Suzie laughed.

"So much for going to sleep and forgetting," Owen muttered. "What do we do?"

"We'll wait to see what she does, let her make the first move," Jack grinned. He made his way up to his office and smiled as he saw Ianto's bags aligned neatly in the corner. He looked out across the hub and sighed, it seemed emptier than normal. Even though he had only been there a day, Ianto made the place more exciting, and he could already sense the change when he wasn't there.

"So, what do you think of Torchwood then?" Toshiko asked. They had prolonged their trip by sitting in and drinking the coffee, they would order the others some once they finished theirs and then head back.

"Honestly, it confuses me. But I like being part of it."

"Why does it confuse you?" Toshiko asked as she took an experimental sip of her vanilla latte, she had decided to try something knew today.

"Because it's meant to help people, it does help people. But the minute you help them, you make them forget."

"You read a lot of the files then?" Toshiko laughed. In every file where a civilian was mentioned it also mentioned that there memories had been tampered with.

"Almost half," Ianto sighed. "I know it's a secret organisation, but don't you get lonely I mean you're the only people that know what you do."

"We do, you keep saying you, but it's we now. You're part of Torchwood."

"I know. Just still trying to get my head around the fact that you'd want a freak on the team."

"Ianto, you're not a freak!" Toshiko argued. "You're different, beyond your control. But that doesn't make you a freak, it makes you special."

"Special?" Ianto laughed.

"You're not like us, any of us. You're brilliant!" Toshiko smiled. "Jack thinks you're brilliant."

"He does?" Ianto smiled.

"Yes, he does. Less of the freak talk yeah?"

"Yeah," Ianto sighed. "I just wish I could be like every one else."

"You know if you asked any one here, give them the choice they would rather be like you."

"It's too confusing being me," Ianto laughed.

"Why is it confusing?" Toshiko asked, she had a feeling that he hadn't told any of this to Jack because he seemed to stumble over his words, something that he hadn't done before. She made a mental note to talk to Jack about it when they got back.

"Because I'm feeling things for the first time, and I'm trying to understand everything at once and most of the time it just turns out to be a mess in my head."

"It will get better in time." Toshiko smiled. "You just need time to adjust," Ianto tried to bite down a remark about her sounding a lot like Jack, and smiled. "We should get back."

Toshiko walked up the stairs to Jack's office, when they had got back he was on the phone to the head of UNIT, and Ianto had headed straight to the archives, Toshiko guessed that he was going to try and do some more thinking.

"How was the coffee trip with Ianto?" Jack asked brightly. He was thrilled that Toshiko had invited him out on her lunch time ritual.

"It was fun," She smiled. "But I think you should talk to him."

"Why? Is everything okay?"

"He's confused about a lot of his feelings. And I'm guessing they're about you."

"Why would they be about me?" Jack asked.

"You brought him to life, Jack. You've given him the life he has now, and I can tell around you he feels the most comfortable. Plus the way you are around him, I bet you're all in his head making his feelings all clogged up."

"So you think I should give him some space?" Jack asked not too sure what to do.

"No. I think you should talk to him, an honest to god conversation, maybe over dinner."

"You're telling me to ask him on a date."

"Let him decide if it's a date, but talk to him. Oh and Owen told me to tell you that the stalker police lady is out side again."

***

Next part of The Perfect Host.