It had taken the team almost an hour of searching to back-track the exact coordinates of the rift activity before they were finally able to locate the object which had sounded the alarm, discovering the artifact hidden among the weeds surrounding a decaying factory. Jack picked up what appeared to be a small, wooden box of some kind, intricately carved with a futuristic-sort of geometric pattern.

Tosh carefully placed the box inside the super-dense alien alloy case they kept in the boot of the SUV. The case was able to safely contain any residual rift energy the items placed in it may have retained after falling through the Rift. The four of them tiredly settled into their seats for the fairly long drive back to the Hub.

Ianto noticed that while normally unflappable, Jack was suddenly unusually quiet on the drive back, none of the typical innuendos, 'colorful' jokes or leering glances. He knew when something was bothering his lover, Jack was fairly easy to read once you got to know him, but with all that had happened to Jack he thought maybe he wouldn't push for an explanation just this once.

*<Jack&Ianto>*

Once back at the Hub, bags were dropped next to workstations, and coats slung over chairs, except for Ianto's which was carefully hung on the coat rack, as they each settled in for what appeared would be a very long night.

“I suppose we could all use some coffee, yeah?” Ianto said to no one in particular but looking at each of them in turn for an answer. “Industrial strength?”

“Yeah, and you better keep 'em coming, Teaboy!” Owen barked from the med bay as he took his turn running the first tests to determine the safety of handling the artifact. 'Looks like we're gonna be here a while' he muttered to himself.

Ianto simply rolled his eyes before looking towards Tosh, flashing a smile at his friend.

“Yes, please, that would be fantastic, Ianto” Tosh replied with her usual polite, sweet smile.

Ianto turned his attention to Jack's office, expecting him to be in the doorway, lusting after him as usual and was shocked to find he was not. In light of the day's previous events, he took the steps up to the office a little faster than usual. Ianto's arrival uncharacteristically was unacknowledged by Jack as hesat back in his chair at his desk, his hands resting on his stomach, fingers laced together and silently staring at the desk top.

He tapped on the door frame before walking to the desk. “Just about to make some industrial strength, bring you a cup?” He smiled softly at Jack, fingers gently pushing a strand of hair off his lover's forehead before placing a gentle kiss there.

“Huh? That sounds great, Ianto.” he said quietly as his arm snaked round the young man's waist, his head coming to rest against Ianto's chest. Ianto had started rubbing his back in slow circles when Jack pulled away abruptly. He walked out of the office without a word, Ianto left staring in confusion at his back before frowning and heading to the kitchenette to make some much needed coffee.

“So how's it coming with those scans, Owen?” Jack said, forcing a smile as he leaned on the rail above the med bay.

“Well...” looking up at Jack, he started but then pausing as Ianto came down the stairs with his coffee mug. He looked at Ianto eyes full of the apology he was about to give when Ianto held up his hand and shook his head “Don't worry about it, long day for everyone.” as he turned on his heel, he couldn't help but notice Jack avoided his stare.

Owen noticed the exchange but kept his tongue. “Soooo... I've run all the scans I can to make sure this thing is safe to handle and that it is not emitting any weird alien 'sex gas' or anything” he smirked at Jack who returned the smile, albeit halfheartedly. “It seems to be just an ordinary wooden box, well, ordinary except for the carvings, that is.” he shrugged. “I gave it to Tosh about 20 minutes ago, she may have something more for you.”

Jack re-entered the main part of the Hub, quickly glancing round for Ianto, wanting to apologise for his distance, but he was nowhere to be seen. Jack darted his attention to the coat rack and was heartbroken to see Ianto's coat no longer occupying a hook. He smiled, though it never quite reached his eyes and walked over to Tosh.

“Whaddaya got for me, Tosh?”

Tosh, quite frankly, was stumped. She had examined every inch of the curious looking box and discovered, much to her annoyance, it had no obvious means of opening and it would probably take her several more long hours of scans and analysis to determine it's origin and possible threat level, if any, of it's contents.

“Honestly, Jack? Well … nothing.” she answered looking rather embarrassed. “I can't even figure out how to open it, much less what's inside.” she quickly continued, determined not to give up so easily. “But give me another hour or two and I should be able to give you something.”

The box had already been scanned thoroughly and deemed by Owen to be safe or at least to not be emitting anything dangerous, and therefore could wait. Jack put his hands on her shoulders and gently squeezed, kissing the top of her head.

“Go home, Tosh.” she spun round to look at him questioningly. He nodded, indicating that she had heard him correctly. “It'll keep til morning.”

He called over his shoulder to the med bay, “You too, Harper!” using that patented Jack Harkness 'Don't even think about arguing with me' voice.

“Don't have to tell me twice.” he quipped, putting on his jacket as he headed for the door before turning back, “Come on, Tosh, I'll give you a lift.”

“No thanks, Ianto's going to give me a lift.” she glanced around the Hub, brow furrowed “Wait, where is Ianto?”

Jack shifted uncomfortably at the question. “I'll let him know you got a lift from Owen. Go.” He met Owen's gaze over her head.

“C'mon, Tosh, Teaboy'll understand.”

“Okay, but I'll be back first thing tomorrow-” Jack cut her off.

“And you'll dazzle me with your brilliance when you open it.” he flashed her a smile, “Tomorrow.”

Owen, in an uncommon mood, acted every bit the gentleman and helped Tosh into her coat before offering her his arm as they both exited the Hub once the cog door rolled open.

After the cog door rolled shut, Jack called up the CCTV footage to look for Ianto. He watched as an hour earlier, Ianto had busied himself finishing the cleaning up of work stations and going round emptying bins, then grabbed his coat to leave. Jack turned off the cameras and trudged up to his office, assuming he had gone home.

Jack sat back down at his desk, exhausted. It was finally so quiet he had time to think, not that he'd wanted to, about all that had happened. He had laughed it off in the pub, for their sake, they didn't need to know how much it had broken him, it was too personal … 'Nothing's too personal for Ianto.' Ianto always pushed, even if it was only a little, when he knew there was something troubling Jack, tried his best to sooth him if he could. But just leaving? Without saying goodbye? That wasn't like his Ianto, it was almost like … like him.

There, in that place, it had all seemed so real, they had seemed so real, when it couldn't have been further from the truth. Jack had mistakenly thought he had returned home, it was so much like any 'normal' day … all except for Ianto, like now. A horrifying thought crept in 'Am I really home or is this just another 'hell' all over again?' The sudden irrational thought had him panicked, his mind racing as dread welled up inside him. He tried desperately to process everything he'd experienced there and weighed it against his 'real' life praying that it was finally over and he really was back home … with his Ianto.

*<Jack&Ianto>*

Ianto had come up from the archives, grabbed his coat and been almost out the door, (after having decided that if Jack was going to ignore him or shut him out for the rest of the night, he'd make it easier on himself and just go home) when he suddenly couldn't remember if he had turned off the coffee machine or not. 'Would serve Jack right if it was on and it burnt out … no morning coffee.' he grumbled to himself as he ascended the kitchenette stairs.

He turned off the coffee machine, which he had indeed left on, an oversight on his part he realised was due to his worry over Jack. Pouring himself the last cup, he sat down at the boardroom table where just hours before, he thought he had lost Jack forever and subsequently how elated he was to get him back only to now feel like he was losing him all over again.

He should be in Jack's arms right now, holding him, comforting him after all he'd been through, he thought. No, he had tried to soothe his lover and Jack had rejected him, ignored him. He obviously didn't want Ianto's comfort no matter much Ianto wanted to give it to him, the thought making Ianto's heart ache. 'Had something happened in that place to make him turn away from me?'

He was hurt and angry at Jack for pushing him away, the anger quickly fading, after all it was Jack that had been in 'Hell' or something like it and though, try as he might, the hurt remained. He remembered the anguish and terror he felt when he found Jack at the base of the water tower, so broken he was unwilling to move and thereby slowly allowing himself to drown, a breath at a time after having given up all hope. How much must Jack have endured, it must have been something unfathomable because Jack was the strongest man Ianto knew and whatever it was had obviously broken Jack, for him to just surrender his life without a fight.

Jack was home, he was still alive and that was all that mattered. Helping Jack to heal from whatever trauma he had endured while 'there' was next on Ianto's list. That was only if he could get Jack to talk to him and Ianto doubted sadly that he ever would as he still refused to talk much about his time away with the Doctor.

'Oh … Jack.' A single choking sob wrenched itself free of Ianto, he held his head in his hands and then he silently wept for the man that he loved.

To be continued.....