Title: The Butlers Day Off
Author: Outside Edge
Pairing: light Jack/Ianto
Fandom: Torchwood
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters merely borrow them from time to time.
Summary: Ianto takes some time off from Torchwood. A series of drabbles and ficlets on the results.

***

Regrading

"Where's Ianto?" Jack demanded.
Tosh shrugged "He was here a moment ago."
"Took a phone call." Gwen supplied, pinning up another mug shot on her incident wall.
"I'll go find him." Tosh said, heading off in the direction of the Hub kitchenette.

The sound of sobbing cut through the silence as she approached the kitchenette area. Ianto was sitting on the floor, arms wrapped around his drawn up knees, his mobile phone clutched in one hand.
"Ianto?" Tosh said quietly.
Ianto looked up at her and hastily wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Are you alright?" Tosh asked.
Ianto nodded, a brave look on his face and then crumpled into floods of tears again.

"Find him?" Jack asked as Tosh came in through his office door.
"Jack I think you need to deal with this." Tosh said. "He's crying."
"Owen hasn't been purposefully misfiling again has he?" Jack asked with a resigned sigh. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm running a kindergarten here."
"He won't tell me." Tosh replied. "I think it's more than that."

"Hey buddy what's up?" Jack asked, trying to keep his tone light as he entered the kitchen area.
Ianto got to his feet, clearly flustered.
"Nothing, I'm fine, it's nothing" he said, wiping his face on the tea towel.
Jack regarded him with his arms crossed.
"If it's Owen again, I'll tan his hide." he warned.
"No, no it's not Owen. It's personal." Ianto went on.
Jack crossed over to the younger man and put his arm around his shoulders.
"Come on Ianto, spill the beans." he said, softly.
Ianto took a deep shuddering breath.
"It's my grandfather, he's dying, cancer. Mam says he's asking for me." he said in a small voice.
"Then go to him." Jack said gently.
"I can't!" Ianto said angrily "Who would look after all of this" he waved his arm to indicate the Hub.
"We'll manage." Jack said firmly. "Go pack some gear, I'll take you."
"I'd like to get there alive." Ianto replied.
"I'll go easy on breaking the speed limit." Jack replied with a grin.

In the boardroom ten minutes later, Jack called the team together.
"Okay guys listen up. Ianto is not going to be here for the next couple of days, personal business. So I need you guys to start taking some responsibility for housekeeping and stuff. Try putting your rubbish in the bin for once."
"Great, how comes the teaboy suddenly gets leave whilst the rest of us are up to our eyes in it?" Owen grumbled quietly.
"I heard that Owen" Jack said.
"Shit, bat ears." Owen cursed.
"In fact Owen here has just volunteered to take over Ianto's duties in his absence." Jack continued with a grin.
Owen grimaced.
"Mines tea with two sugars" Gwen said.
"And can we have some of those pink wafers this week?" Tosh asked.
"Bog off" Owen replied sinking further into his chair with a scowl on his face.
"I, I have a list" Ianto said, giving a clipboard to Owen.
"You bloody well would have." Owen said, slamming the board onto the table.
"Right, I'm going to take Ianto home. I'll take the SUV, anything comes up you know how to get me." Jack said. He turned to Ianto "All set?"
Ianto nodded.


"Look at this sodding list, who does he think I am bloody superman?" Owen demanded as he made his way back to his desk.
"Oh quit moaning and make us a coffee will you?" Gwen said.
"Sod off."
"I'll take that as yes ma'am." Gwen replied.
"Does this mean you'll be calling Jack Sir?"
"Who do I look like - his rent boy?"
"That's a bit harsh Owen" Gwen said, "I mean, we don't know that they're, you know, not for certain like."
"Ever heard of rabbit syndrome?"

***

Wardrobe Mistress

"Owen, Owen!" Jack called
"What?" Owen replied, testily.
"Where the hell is my coat?"
" How the hell should I know, wherever you left it."
"It's not on the hanger." Jack protested.
"That's because you didn't leave it there."

Gwen found Jacks greatcoat where he had thrown it as they entered the Hub earlier that day.
"Is this it?" she asked, holding it up.
"Thanks sweetie." Jack said, flashing her a grin.
"If you want you bloody coat on the hanger you should leave it there. I'm not picking up after you. " Owen ranted. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have item 24 to do my list. Feed the Weevil. Oh deep joy!"
"Oh and while you're down there, the drains seem to be backing up again. Sort it out will ya, we don't want to be knee deep in Weevil shit." Jack called after him.
"Item 127, shovel Weevil shit." Owen called back "It's on the list."
"That's my Ianto" Jack said proudly "Thinks of everything."
"Is he alright?" Gwen asked.
"Who, Owen, yeah fine. Just give him some protective clothing and he'll have those drains sparkling in no time." Jack assured her.
"I meant Ianto and you damn well know it Jack Harkness" Gwen replied.
"Yeah he's fine." Jack said, quietly and gave Gwen's arms a comforting squeeze. "Come on lets go."
"Don't forget the drains Owen!" he shouted down the corridor.
"Sod off Harkness" came the reply.

***

On-Line Gaming

"Finally!" Owen said, as Jack, Gwen and Tosh left the Hub to check on reports of Weevil activity in the Butetown area.

He crossed to his computer console and powered up, immediately accessing an on-line gaming site.
"Let the games begin." He said, putting his feet up on the desk and resting the keyboard in his lap.

Two hours later he was still engrossed in his game as the rest of the team arrived back at the Hub.
"Hey Owen, what are you up to?" Jack asked.
" Two million, four hundred and twenty." Owen replied, concentrating on the screen. "No make that fifty, got the bugger."
The screen went blank.
"No!!" Owen shouted, jabbing frantically at the keyboard "You can't do this to me, that was my highest score!"

Jack appeared from behind Owen's CPU, holding up the power lead.
"Game over buddy." He said, with a grin. "Now back to work."
"Ever heard of the saying 'All work and no play makes Owen a dull boy'?" Owen grumbled.
"I kinda prefer 'All play and no work makes Jack one pissed off boss'," came the reply.

***

Item 127

"Now there's a sight for sore eyes" Jack commented. Owen was on his hands and knees, his arm down a manhole cover trying to sort out the drainage problem.
"Back off Harkness." Owen warned.
"What - can't a guy look for chrissakes?" Jack asked. "Anyway, isn't it a bosses prerogative to flirt with the workforce?"
"Flirt with someone else." Owen growled. "Now are you gonna stop ogling my arse and give me a hand with this or not?"
"Oh gee, I love it when you talk dirty." Jack replied.
"The only dirt you're getting is a faceful of weevil shit if you don't help me shut off this valve." Owen said, with menace in his voice.
"Okay, okay" Jack said. "Are you sure you're turning it the right way?" he asked.
"Is the Pope Catholic?" Owen replied.
Together they applied pressure to the valve.

Suddenly a plume of excrement gushed out of the pipe covering them from head to foot.
Jack solemnly wiped his face.
"Guess he converted" he said, wryly.

***

I Drove All Night


Jack sat alone in his darkened office, a glass of whiskey untouched on the desk in front of him. He took out his mobile phone, no need for speed dial here. Reaching into his desk drawer he brought out a small black volume and thumbed to the back page. Carefully he dialled the number written there.

"Yan it's me" he said softly.
"Jack?" Ianto sounded all alone.
"Who else would it be?" Jack asked. "How are you doing?"
"I need a hug." came a small voice in reply.

Jack grabbed his greatcoat from the coat stand in the corner of his office and headed for the SUV.

Driving through the Welsh countryside, breaking every known speed limit, the SUVs blue lights pulsed rhythmically. Jack turned on the radio; the sound of Roy Orbison singing poignantly filled the area.

I drove all night to get to you
Is that alright
I drove all night
Crept in your room
Woke you from your sleep
To make love to you
Is that alright
I drove all night

An hour later Jack pulled up outside a small cottage in a remote mining village. As he walked to the front door, he flicked open his mobile, ready to call Ianto to let him know he'd arrived. There was no need, the door opened as if be magic.

Jack gathered Ianto into his arms.
"God I've missed you," he whispered into the other man's hair.
Ianto snuggled into the protective custody of Jack's greatcoat.
"Hold me. Please."
Jack didn't know how long they stood like this, until he felt Ianto shiver slightly.
"Come on, let's go inside." he said gently.

They shared Ianto's bed. Jack providing a cocoon of strength as Ianto cried his heart out in grief about the grandfather he had lost. The once proud miner who had lost everything when the pits had closed and had become like a second father to Ianto when his own father had walked away, unable to cope with the despair of unemployment and no prospects.

Jack listened, stroking Ianto's head, holding him tight, whispering words of comfort until he cried himself to sleep.

As dawn started to break over the Welsh mountains Jack gently kissed Ianto's cheek and left the house to make the long journey back to Cardiff and Torchwood.

I drove all night...to hold you tight.

***