Just Imagine...

Your Wounds Make Me Bleed

"Idiot." Jack muttered as he bridal-carried Ianto into the hub and towards the autopsy bay where Owen was waiting to patch him up.
"You're the idiot." Ianto mumbled, eyes half closed. Apparently nearly being mauled to death by a starving Dune Tiger wasn't enough to stop him from arguing with Jack.
"No, you're the idiot," Jack insisted, "why the hell did you do that, Ianto? You could've been killed!"
Jack felt tears forming in the corners his eyes and furiously blinked them away, but it was too late. Ianto had noticed.
"Oh no, you're crying," he murmured, trying as hard as he could to reach up and touch Jack's face, "it's okay, I'll be okay."
"Don't jinx it." Owen muttered as Jack gently placed Ianto on the autopsy table.
"Owen." Gwen said sternly from her desk.
"Kidding, kidding." Owen said with an exaggerated grin even though Gwen couldn't see him.
"What I'd like to know is what the hell happened out there," Sam spoke up, following Jack down into the autopsy bay and taking about three steps at a time, "one second we had split up to cover more ground at the crash site, the next heard lanto screaming and came rushing to beat the shit outta whatever was attacking you. See, this is why never turn my back when you two are alone, stupid stupid stupid!"
"Sam, this wasn't your fault," Ianto assured her quietly, "that creature came out of nowhere."
"That ship that crashed must've been some kind of alien circus," Jack added as Sam put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "they parade around alien animals from different planets for money. Usually the animals aren't well cared for, as you could see by the state of that Dune Tiger."
"Ow." Ianto said faintly as Owen injected him with morphine.
"That didn't hurt and you know it." Owen said sternly.
"It did so!" Ianto protested.
"Boys." Sam cut in, parenting instincts activated by how shaken Jack seemed.
"I don't understand why you did that, Ianto," Jack murmured, "why did you do it? You know I can't die."
"Mmmyeah," Ianto drawled as the painkillers started to kick in, "but... you suffer a lot every day... you die so much... it's not ffffair. I wanted to... spare you the suffering."
"Well that was stupid," Owen put in, "do you know how hard work to keep you lot alive?"
"I know, b-but," Ianto whimpered, "what about Jack? Nobody keeps him alive."
"You keep me alive, Ianto!" Jack murmured, leaning in to grip lanto's hand in both of his. Tears sprung to his eyes and this time he didn't try to hold them back.
"Really?" Ianto asked, sapphire eyes sparkling.
"Yes. You do. Knowing that you're never going to leave me keeps me going every day. don't need you to jump into danger for me."
"But what if you get hurt?"
"I'll be okay. The only time wouldn't be okay is if you weren't okay. So promise me right now that you're going to be okay, Ianto Jones."
"I'll be okay, Jack."
"Oh, sweetheart..." Sam murmured, rubbing Jack's shoulders as Ianto's eyes slowly closed.
"He needs to rest," Owen muttered, avoiding eye contact although it was clear to see that he was a little weepy, "it'd be best to give him some space. I'll take care of him."
"C'mon, Jacksie," Sam said, nodding towards the stairs, "take a break."
"That was so sweet, Jack." Tosh murmured when Jack and Sam reached the top of the stairs.
"Just know that it goes the other way too," Gwen added, "don't sacrifice yourself for Ianto - or any of us - when you don't need to, okay? We need you."
Those last three words hung in the air for a second as they all thought about the three months when Jack had been away. Then Sam broke the silence with a cough.
"Hey," she said encouragingly, "why don't the four of us go track down the rest of those animals that escaped. They still need to be looked after, and there's no use sitting around here like lumps while Ianto sleeps."
Jack cast a hesitant glance in Ianto's direction, then slowly nodded.
"Good idea." He said softly.