Owen whined and swatted at the hand that was physically dragging him from his comfortable, warm cocoon of blankets.

"Jaaaack! Aw come on,” he grabbed on to a corner of the mattress and tried to hang on. “Do we have to do this every morning?"

"Look on the bright side.” Jack, Owen decided, was too goddamn chipper. “At least this week you're actually getting to work somewhat on time, for the first time since I hired you.”

"Oh yes. I'm thrilled beyond fucking belief!" Owen growled as Jack herded him up the ladder from their bedroom.

"Oh Owen. What would I do without you, you morning ray of sunshine? You're just so perky and cheerful! It brightens the whole room!"

Owen pushed down the urge to shoot his teasing lover though the forehead.

Jack pulled him in for a quick, but passionate kiss, then pushed him out of the office.

Owen frowned at the dark and quiet in the hub. "Jack! Gwen and Tosh aren't even here yet, why are you waking me up early?"

"We're meditating when they get here, remember?"

Owen made a disgusted noise. "It's not even a guarantee yet. Ianto only said he'd talk to Tosh. She could say no. I'm going back to sleep." He headed back for Jack’s office.

Jack grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pushed him towards the showers. "No. Ianto wants to do this, and we're going to be supportive. Even if it kills us."

"I bet it will." Owen said sulking.

"I already talked to Tosh on the phone this morning.” Ianto said as they passed by him. “She thought it was a brilliant idea. She’s bringing some cushions, music and things in with her." The Welshman held up a cup of coffee, without looking away from the computer screen. Owen grabbed it, and drank it quickly as he stumbled down the cold halls.

"Wonderful." Owen muttered as Jack gave him a light shove into the locker room.

"Oh don't pout. I don't like it any more then you, and I doubt it's going to help, but it can't hurt, it's a couple minutes a day, and it'll make Ianto happy."

"Fine, but I swear to god if there's incense I'm walking out of there!"

Jack smirked and shoved Owen under the cold spray, making him yelp. "Deal."

---

Everyone was gathered in the conference room. A CD of soft forest noises was playing and the lights were dimmed. Someone, probably Ianto, had shoved the table to one side.

Tosh smiled at them all. "Okay, first get comfortable. You can sit in a chair, sit on the floor, lay down, whatever works for you." She waited a few minutes while everyone shifted around. Only Jack and Tosh herself stayed in the chairs. Gwen and Ianto sat cross-legged on the floor, and Owen stretched out between them, on his stomach with his head hidden in his arms.

"Relax. Close your eyes and take a slow deep breath...and out. Imagine all your stress and tension flowing from your body like water.” She watched as they all did so.

“Breathe in...and out. Starting at your feet slowly, gently tense your feet, then release, tense, release. Now tense your calves, and release. Tense, release. Tense your thighs, and release, tense, release." Tosh slowly worked her way up the body, having them tense and release muscles as they went. She frowned slightly as she realized Ianto was completely still, not following along with the others. Well, at least he looked relaxed.

She continued, paying special attention to Jack and Owen’s reactions. Ianto had told her what to look for in case they started having problems. "Now reach your eyebrows all the way up, feel the tension in the top of your head, hold it...and release.” She tried to keep the giggle out of her voice as Jack waggled his eyebrows at her. She nudged him and he went still again, relaxing further into the chair.

“And relax. Now focus on your breathing. Slowly, deeply. In 1-2-3-4, and hold, 1-2-3-4-5. Out 1-2-3-4," For the time being Tosh just wanted to get them all used to relaxing, before she even thought about trying to mention anything metaphysical with them. She knew Owen and Jack weren't too thrilled with this in the first place, so best to just get them used to relaxing for a few minutes at a time.

"As you breathe feel your self going deeper and deeper. More and more relaxed. Now picture a calm lake. You're sitting, floating, in the middle of it. You can see the gentle movement of the water; you can see the tree on the shore waving gently in the breeze. Feel the peace and calm sink into every cell of your body. You are completely relaxed. You can come here any time you need to feel peaceful and relaxed. This is your special space."

Jack snickered and she nudged him again.

Tosh let the music play, taking the time to walk through the initial relaxation again silently. If they kept this up she was going to have to see if one of the others could guide the meditations as well. Ianto would, without a doubt, be great at it. She had heard the voice he used on Jack and Owen when they were working with their senses. If she could dip that voice in chocolate and sell it… Tosh coughed quietly.

"Now it's time to come back. Every time you meditate you will go deeper, and deeper, quicker and easier. I am now going to count to 5. When I get to 5, you will wake up feeling refreshed, alert, and still relaxed. 1, coming out slowly, 2, 3, awake and alert, 4, 5, fully awake." Tosh opened her eyes and stretched, looking over at Gwen and Jack doing the same. Owen was laying motionless.

"Owen? Owen are you okay?" Tosh asked.

Jack tilted his head with that look that said he was listening with his enhanced hearing, and then rolled his eyes. "He's asleep."

Gwen snorted and rolled her eyes. "Of course. Want me to kick him? I don't mind. Really."

Tosh chuckled and glanced over at Ianto who appeared to still be meditating.

"Why don't we try again for a bit longer, till Ianto comes out, then we can kick Owen, and give him some coffee or something, before trying this again tomorrow."

Jack and Gwen looked at Ianto and shrugged. Jack didn't look thrilled but he shifted to get more comfortable and closed his eyes again.

Tosh led them back though breathing and relaxing exercise, feeling her self easily slip into a relaxed state again.

After several minutes she pulled them all out for a second time. Only, again, Ianto failed to come out.

"Jack? I- I don't know. He's not waking up.” Tosh tried to keep the worry out of her voice. “ I mean…if you want to you can ignore the whole 'you will wake up' part and stay longer, but you can still hear the outside world and he should be waking up."

Jack frowned, concerned and tilted his head again, watching Ianto’s chest. His eyes widened and he was at Ianto's side instantly. "His pulse is slow. Breathing shallow. Ianto? Sweetheart, mediation time's over. Time to wake up."

Gwen gasped and sharply jabbed Owen in the ribs He shot up and started to yell, but his eyes shot to Ianto and jack, and he bolted over. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"He's not waking up."

"I fucking told you this was a lousy idea!" Owen snarled, pressing his fingers against Ianto's throat. "Shit. He’s freezing. Yan, wake up!"

Ianto's slow steady breathing didn't change.

Gwen looked concerned, even more so when she seemed to realize Ianto hadn't flinched at the emotion. She and Tosh both moved to join the men on the floor. "Ianto?” Gwen said quietly, reaching out to touch a cold cheek. “Love, you're making us all worry. Please? Please wake up?" she tried.

"Ianto? They’re never going to meditate again if you don’t get back here now!" Tosh warned lightly, reaching out to stroke his hand.

Jack threaded his finger though Ianto's hair, mussing it. "Come on Yan, you're scaring me! We're the ones who zone. Not you!"

"Not fair! You're stealing our job! Get back here right now!" Owen ordered, shaking him slightly. Ianto moved easily with the motion, but didn’t seem to be any closer to waking up.

Jack stroked Ianto's arms and back like he'd seen him do to Owen during zone outs. "Come on, please? Come back to us?" he looked up at Tosh, and she hated the fact that all she could do was shake her head, just as lost as the rest of them.

"Ianto you wake up now! Or...or I'll touch your coffee pot!" Owen growled threateningly, a shaky hand running up and down Ianto’s crossed legs.

Ianto's eyes snapped open. "Don't you dare! You're deadly!" He was going to rant further, but he swayed suddenlt, and four sets of hands reached out to steady him,

"Is...something wrong?" he blinked up owlishly at Tosh. “ Did it go okay?”

"You wouldn't wake up." Owen snarled gripping Ianto’s wrist now instead of feeling his pulse against his throat. "Lay down. Gwen go get my kit!"

Ianto tried to shake him off. "Owen I'm fine. I was meditating. That's what we're doing in here remember?"

"You were really deep. I've never seen someone go that far." Tosh said, resisting the urge to reach out again. Ianto never did seem to be comfortable with personal contact at the best of times.

Ianto opened his mouth to argue, but pushed him self off the floor instead, stepping carefully over Jack. He headed out of the room, stumbling slightly

"Phone!" He called after him, and Tosh could hear the relief in his voice. She put a hand on Jack’s shoulder to keep him from following, and saw Gwen do the same with Owen.

"...What the hell was that?" Owen demanded, staring after the fleeing man.

Jack shrugged. "Uh. I know as much as you. Which is pretty much nothing."

A phone rung quietly in the main hub. They looked at each other.

Tosh rubbed her temples. "That was weird. I've never in my life, seen anyone go that deep into meditation the first time. I've heard of people going that deep, but it takes years and years of meditating, sometimes for hours a day, everyday. Not just a first lesson, and he’s there in 10 minutes!"

"We are not doing that again!” Owen put his foot down. “Ever! I told you it was a stupid idea! But do you listen to me? Nooo! And Ianto nearly winds up in a coma! His pulse was slow, his breathing shallow. He was cold as a fucking ice cube."

Jack nodded, looking guilty and concerned. "I shouldn't have let him talk me into it."

"We should try again.” Tosh said, thinking of ways to understand what had happened. “Maybe run some scans at the same time, and see what happens." There had to be some scientific explanation. Maybe if they knew how it worked.

"No!" Owen barked harshly. "We're not risking Ianto's health so you can play mad scientist!"

"He doesn't look hurt.” Gwen tried to sound reasonable. “He woke up and was just confused about why we were hovering over him, then he was flying out of here."

"And what was that? That whole, 'phone!' and then it rings a second later?" Owen asked.

Tosh opened her mouth, then closed it and shrugged. "I'm not sure. That's why we should try it again, and see what happens. And stop growling at me Owen." The man was actually, literally growling, and it was more than a little unsettling

Owen visibly bit back another grumble, and crossed his arms over his chest.

Jack rubbed a hand over Owen's back comfortingly. "It's okay. It's fine. Ianto's always been a bit... “

“Weird?” Owen suggested.

“Good at knowing what we need. He always has the coffee ready as soon as we finish a cup, has the files we need before we ask. This must be the same thing. Maybe a little...sharper."

Owen shook his head. "I don’t care. We're not doing this again, end of story. I'm going to get to work. And run some scans on Ianto when he's not looking."

The rest of them followed Owen out of the conference room and headed to their own desks. There was a steaming cup of coffee on each one, though Ianto was noticeably absent.

Tosh reached out and grabbed Owen again as he headed towards the archives. An over-protective, over-bearing Sentinel was not what Ianto needed at the moment. He just needed some time to gather himself back up. Tosh knew that when he was ready Ianto would slip back in with a file or artifact, like he had never been gone.

Owen growled at her again.

Frankly she could do with a bit of hiding herself.