Chapter Text
Nicholas seemed surprised as people stood up and clapped as he walked back into his office, plastered arm in a sling. Alex smiled to himself; the slightly bashful act was well done. It was easy to forget that there were two corpses in the FBI morgue with Nicholas's bullets in them and a few without. It was one of the things that made him a good embedded agent, Alex realised, the ability to play down what he was and what he did to the point were his colleagues just forgot.
Alex followed Nicholas into his office and Nicholas shut the door behind them. Alex couldn't help thinking abut the first time he had been in the room for his interview with Nicholas. The tensions that had permeated that meeting were gone and this time they sat easily with each other. He had passed whatever personal test Nicholas made of new acquaintances. And Nicholas had passed his in return, Alex realised. There was something about going into a fire-fight with, and for, someone that helped to clarify one's feelings about them. Maybe it wasn't much but, his loyalty to Torchwood aside, he would think twice before acting against Nicholas' interests. In the sneaky bastards' brotherhood that was practically commitment.
"Do we think they'll try again?" Alex asked, "or were the ringleaders among the attackers?"
Nicholas studied him carefully but Alex could not detect any suspicion in the gaze, just a restrained curiosity. It wasn't the reaction that Alex was expecting. A certain amount of satisfaction for having foiled the attack, concern over whether it was over, but not the close examination he was being subjected to. It made him want to fidget, although that was a temptation he had no intention of giving in to.
"I saw you there," Nicholas admitted, "during the attack. I recognised the way you moved. I don't know how you managed to be in two places at once." He held up a hand to stop Alex's denial. "And I am not going to ask. I just wanted to say... thank you."
How much Nicholas knew about Torchwood and Jack, Alex wasn't sure. Obviously enough to make some educated guesses and decide not to pry. Alex hoped he wouldn't expect him to be able to do it again but, equally, it was nice to get the credit.
Nicholas's face crinkled into a smile. "Although the biker outfit did make you look like an SAS Village People reject."
"And here I was aiming more for an extra for 'Nights in Black Leather'"
Nicholas' smile shifted to something more smoky and Alex couldn't help but match the expression. They both recognised the attraction as being to the danger as much as each other.
The intercom buzzed, startling them, and Nicholas picked the handset up. He listened for a moment before pressing the mute button and looking back to Alex.
"Call from Torchwood for you. You can take it in One."
Nicholas nodded towards the first of the secure rooms and Alex didn't need to be told twice. He could hear Nicholas instructing the operator to patch the call through as he left the room.
Expecting Jack, Alex was surprised when Ianto's face appeared on the screen.
"Ianto?"
Something wasn't right.
"Alex, you need to come back." Ianto looked strained and pale behind the professional mask.
Alex felt the leaden feeling in the pit of his stomach spread out through the rest of him. "What happened?"
Ianto opened and closed his mouth a few times as if the words wouldn't come. Alex wanted to believe that it was the quality of the video link that made his eyes seem red and the skin around them puffy. A trick of the light, just like the way that Ianto appeared to be carved from ice; beautiful, burning cold. No warmth or he would melt into nothing.
"Jack's dead," Ianto whispered, "and we don't think he's coming back this time."