missthingsplace | The Torchwood Institute 9/?

Title: The Torchwood Institute
Author: missthingsplace
Parings/characters: Jack/Ianto, Owen, Toshiko, Gwen, Rhys, Rose, Mickey, Rhiannon
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: When Jack agrees to go to The Torchwood Institute for one month after being in rehab he never expected to find love there.
Warnings: Slash, fluff, romance, angst, humour, AU
Spoilers: Anything is fair game
Rating: NC17 for series

Week 3

Jack couldn't keep his eyes off the young man on the far side of the room from his chosen spot in the circle of chairs, his mind not at all on the group session in any shape or form. It had been three days since their lunch date and he wanted nothing more than to get Ianto alone again, something to which everything seemed to be conspiring against.

When Ianto hadn't turned up on the Saturday and then the Sunday as usual to visit his sister Jack had begun to panic that he'd done something to scare the young man off, which sent his feelings reeling. It was bad enough that he was staying away so as not to see him, but to not visit his sister when he was all she had?

It was after hours of fretting quietly to himself on Sunday afternoon that Jack sought out Toshiko and asked of she had heard from Ianto, relieved somewhat with her answer and then worrying for other reasons.

“He's sick Jack,” Toshiko answered his question, peering at him over the rim of her glasses. “nothing for you to get worked up about, he just has a throat infection and doesn't want to risk passing it onto his sister. How are you Jack? Are you feeling okay?”

“I'm fine why?” Jack had answered, swallowing and ignoring the slight itch at the back of his throat.

“Are you sure, you look a little pale?” Toshiko pushed when Jack cleared his throat.

“I'm fine, just a little tickle in the back of my throat,” Jack insisted.

“Well, then it won't hurt to get you check out then, will it?” Toshiko said, giving the Captain a knowing smile and leading him from her office to the medial nurses station just along the hallway and explaining why they were there.

The nurse donned plastic gloves and asked Jack to open his mouth wide, she depressed his tongue and peered into this throat making a little 'aha' noise as she nodded.

“It looks like you have the beginnings of a throat infection,” the nurse confirmed. “I'll prescribe some antibiotics and if they don't work you need to come and see me again in three days.”

“Thanks,” Jack said, ignoring the smug look that Dr Sato was giving him, there was obviously no keeping anything from the woman.

Jack took the small bottle of pills and walked back to the recreation room with Toshiko as she explained that Ianto had called her again that morning to say he was feeling much better and would be visiting Rhiannon as usual on Monday.

“That's great, I know she doesn't show it but I'm sure she misses him when he doesn't visit,” Jack replied.

“Just Rhiannon?” Toshiko asked, giving a soft laugh at the innocent look upon the Captains face. “Oh come on now Jack, I've seen the way you two look at each other and lunch Jack? That was more than just an innocent lunch now, wasn't it?”

“Yeah, yeah!” Jack admitted with a grin and a shrug. “I like him, he likes me.”

“Now, that wasn't so hard to admit now, was it?” Toshiko grinned back. “Why don't you go and sit with Rhiannon for a while? I'm sure Ianto will appreciate it, let alone his sister.”

“I wouldn't have any idea what to talk to her about,” Jack said,giving another shrug.

“At this point, I don't think that really matters, just talking to her about anything could spark something inside her,” Toshiko answered. “talk about something you know, about being a pilot?”

“I'll give it ago,” Jack agreed, he hated seeing the woman stuck in her silent world as much as anyone and took a seat beside her and began to speak.

Toshiko Sato watched them, she could tell that Jack was putting everything he could into his one-sided conversation. At worst, it would have no effect whatsoever. And at best, it might help, something they all wanted. It could even help Jack too, if he touched upon his accident and the after effect.

Sensing he was being watched Jack glanced around and spotted Toshiko, he gave her a smile and then turned her attention back to Rhiannon. He had been talking to her for some while before he noticed something, where as he thought that she was just staring into space, she appeared to be intent on something upon the shelf in the nurses station but he couldn't determine what.

TBC