Title: Torchwood Twyn
Author: bookwrm89
Prompt: Notting Hill
Pairing(s): Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Owen/Tosh, Jack/John, Andy/Kathy Swanson, past Ianto/Rose, past Ianto/Tosh
Rating: PG-13 (mainly for language)
Warnings: angst, brief mention of mpreg
Spoilers: All of Torchwood
Disclaimer: I don't own either Torchwood or Notting Hill
Summary: The life of Torchwood agent Ianto Jones changes forever when he meets the most famous actor in the world.
Author's Notes: Written for Round 2 of the reel_torchwood fic challenge. Thank you to my wonderful betas and handholders - cjharknessgirl , faithharkness , and teachwriteslash. Any remaining mistakes are all me!
***
Prologue
I'd seen his films, of course, and always thought he was – well - fantastic. But he existed a million miles from the world I inhabit, which is Torchwood…Torchwood Twyn, to be exact.
Torchwood Londinium is an office in London; a very strange young woman named Suzie runs it. Torchwood Gaidhealtachd's kind of gone missing from Edinburgh, but we'll find it one day. Torchwood Twyn is Cardiff. Torchwood Caoran was in Dublin, but it was destroyed in the Battle of Tolka Quay.
Torchwood Twyn isn't a bad place to be – even with a Rift in Space and Time running right through the middle of Cardiff. All sorts of things get washed up here – creatures, time-shifts, space junk, debris, flotsam and jetsam.
What's great is that most of my friends ended up working for Torchwood as well. They've all been affected by the Rift in one way or another. Except me – I came to Torchwood through a different path, but we'll get into that later.
So, this is where I spend my days and years, running the second-hand bookshop that doubles as the cover story for Torchwood. It's a strange half-life I lead; chasing aliens, selling books and sharing a flat with my mate, Rhys.
It was another routine Wednesday, for Torchwood anyway, that I set off for work. Little did I expect that it would be the day that would change my life forever…
Chapter 1
Ianto Jones ran his fingers through his hair and grinned at his boss. "Well, Doc, it's a good thing the shop is a front for a secret alien hunting organisation," he chuckled. "Profit from our ‘major' sales push is…minus 347 pounds."
The Doctor looked around at the over-full shelves of books surrounding them and laughed. "You must have sold something after all; you spent 350 pounds on flyers and adverts."
"Hmm, a couple of sixth form students were looking for a cheap copy of Shakespeare's plays." Ianto moved to the coffee station behind the counter and started brewing a cup. "Coffee, Sir?"
"No, thank you, Ianto," the Doctor replied. "I think I'm going to run over to Starbucks; I'm in the mood for a banana chocolate smoothie."
Ianto shook his head and turned back to his coffee as the Time Lord left the shop. The bell over the door tinkled again as someone entered.
Barely looking up, Ianto called out, "I'll be with you in just a moment."
The sound of the espresso machine covered the shocked gasp from behind him. Finishing making the cup of coffee, Ianto inhaled the aroma of the beverage, closing his eyes in appreciation. Taking a small sip, he turned toward the person that had entered with a smile.
"Can I…help you?" His voice rose slightly in shock when he saw the person standing just inside the doorway.
Jack Harkness – six feet of lean muscle, dark hair, strong jaw line, perfectly sculpted lips, and stunningly gorgeous blue eyes. The Hollywood heart-throb, A-list actor, and highest paid American film star in the business was standing in his little second-hand bookshop in Cardiff, Wales.
"N-no, thanks," the man replied. "I'll just look around."
Ianto noted the strained smile on the actor's face and decided to treat him just like any other customer. He imagined that even a famous Hollywood actor would like to be treated like a normal person once in awhile.
He turned back to his computer and the monthly expense reports he'd been working on, casting furtive glances at the man browsing the shelves. He sent a quick message to the team below, letting them know that there was a customer in the store and not to use the secret entrance from the Hub.
When he saw Jack flipping through a travel book about Barcelona, he could no longer keep quiet. "That book's really quite a load of rubbish – just in case, you know, browsing turns to buying."
"Really?" Jack looked up from the book with a slight smile on his face.
"Yes," Ianto replied walking over and picking up another book about the city. "This one is quite good, though." He grinned. "I think the person that wrote this has actually been to Barcelona, which helps." Although it's nothing like the planet, he thought to himself.
"Thanks, I'll think about it," the actor replied.
Ianto couldn't help but notice that - even though the man was smiling - the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. The azure gaze seemed shadowed; a look of desolation and longing was visible for a brief moment before the long eyelashes swept down and obscured Ianto's view.
The bell over the shop door rang again and a couple of teenage girls walked in giggling. Ianto rolled his eyes and sighed in irritation. He glanced towards the man next to him, only to find the space empty.
Going back to his desk, he surreptitiously checked the internal CCTV system and smirked when he saw the actor hiding in the back corner behind a row of shelving. Sitting on his stool, Ianto sipped his cooling coffee and divided his time between watching Jack Harkness on CCTV and keeping an eye on the tittering girls at the front of the store.
He relaxed a bit when the teenagers left after only a few minutes. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw the man in the back wipe a hand across his eyes but then dismissed it as his imagination. What would Jack Harkness have to be upset about?
"I think I will take this one," Harkness said, startling Ianto out of his reverie.
Ianto looked down at the book on Barcelona that he'd said was rubbish. "Oh, right. On second thought, maybe it isn't that bad. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."
He rang up the sale, took the actor's money, and watched him walk out the door and out of his life. Ianto slumped back onto his stool and gazed unseeingly at the door, only coming back to himself when the bell rang again, readmitting the Doctor.
"That was a refreshing walk," the Time Lord raved.
"Mmm," Ianto said absently. "I don't think you'll believe who was just in here."
"Ooh, someone famous?" the other man asked, looking towards the door.
Not quite sure why, Ianto found himself wanting to keep his encounter to himself. "No. No, no one famous," he replied.
"It would be exciting though, wouldn't it?" the Doctor enthused. "Did I ever tell you about the time I met Ringo Starr and George Harrison? I was trying to go to Earth's Fourth Great and Bountiful Empire, but miscalculated…"
The Doctor's voice seemed to fade away and Ianto found himself thinking about the man he'd met just a little while ago. It wasn't that Jack Harkness was a famous actor, or even that he was sinfully handsome. Ianto had met plenty of famous people while travelling with the Doctor.
No, there was something different about Jack. Like something in Ianto recognised the same something in Jack – a tingle of awareness that had seemed to flow between them.
Ianto had dated both men and women before, so it wasn't a surprise that he found the man attractive. It was more than attraction. Sighing in resignation, he stopped trying to figure it out. It wasn't like he'd ever see the man again anyway.
><><><><><><
All thoughts of Jack Harkness were swept away a little later that morning. Torchwood had been called out to investigate a strange disturbance in a residential area and Ianto found himself running through his own neighbourhood looking for the Weevil that had escaped the sewers.
He'd just rounded the corner onto his own street when Owen called his comm to let him know that they'd found it and were heading back to the SUV. Distracted by talking to his best friend, Ianto barrelled right into the man walking in the opposite direction.
"Shit!" the man exclaimed as his coffee spilled down the front of his pristine white t-shirt.
"Oh, god, I am so sorry," Ianto apologised, looking the man in the face. A thrill of recognition ran through him when he saw the striking blue eyes of Jack Harkness looking back at him in annoyance.
"Look, I live just over the street there," he hastened to say. "You could get cleaned up."
Jack paused, a flare of…something flashing in his eyes. "No, thank you. I just need to contact my driver and get my car back."
"I also have a phone," Ianto said persuasively. "I'm confidant that in five minutes we can have you spick and span and back on the streets." He could feel his ears heat up as he blushed at the smirk on Jack's face and realised just how that statement had sounded. "In the non-rent boy sense, obviously."
Jack's rich laughter surprised him and Ianto found himself grinning back at the man standing, covered in coffee, in front of him.
"Okay," Jack capitulated. "So what does ‘just over the street' mean, exactly? Give it to me in yards."
"About eighteen yards," Ianto clarified. "That's my house there, with the blue door."
Jack looked across the street, then down at his stained shirt and nodded. Leading the way, Ianto crossed the street and strode up the steps, unlocking the door and ushering Jack inside.
"Come on in," he invited, preceding the man into the kitchen. Taking a quick look around, he silently thanked Rhys for tidying up. It had been a busy week with Torchwood and Ianto hadn't been home much.
He turned to Jack and took the crushed coffee cup the man was still clutching. "The, uhm, bathroom is right at the top of the stairs," he directed, nodding towards the staircase. "There's a phone on the desk up there."
"Thanks," Jack replied, smiling hesitantly. He set the bag from the bookshop down on a chair and, grasping a bag from Howell's, began climbing the stairs.
Ianto watched him walk slowly up the staircase, only turning away when Jack disappeared on the second landing. "Get a grip, Jones," he muttered, automatically beginning to make coffee just to keep himself occupied.
"Ianto? Where the hell are you, mate?" Owen's voice crackled in his comm unit, making him jump.
"Owen, sorry," he apologised. "Go on without me. I ran into someone, literally, and spilled a drink all over both of us."
Owen laughed in his ear. "So, of course, you being you, you offered to let her clean up at your place, right?"
"Yes," Ianto admitted, chuckling.
"Well, I just hope it's some gorgeous damsel in distress this time and not someone's grandmother," Owen snorted. "You need to get a wife, Jones."
"You're such a wanker, Harper," Ianto casually insulted his best friend. "Just because you have a gorgeous wife, doesn't mean the rest of us are dying to get married. Besides, it's a bloke."
"Yeah, like that ever stopped you before," Owen snorted. "See you back at the shop, when you can tear yourself away."
"Arsehole."
"Loser."
Closing the connection, Ianto heard Jack making his way back down stairs and looked around. His heart rate doubled and he found himself breathless when he saw what Jack was wearing.
The man had been gorgeous in a t-shirt and denims, but now he was sin personified. Black, fitted trousers encased those long legs, accentuating the narrow hips and firm buttocks. The indigo-coloured silk shirt flowed over Jack's powerful shoulders and toned chest; bringing out the deep blue of his eyes.
Ianto blinked and mentally shook himself. Stop acting like a desperate fanboy, Jones, he thought derisively. "Would you like a cup of coffee while you wait for your car?" he asked.
Jack raised an eyebrow in amusement and let his gaze wander to the drying stain on Ianto's shirt. "I'd love a coffee," he replied, lips quirking with humour. "I didn't get more than a couple sips off my last cup for some reason."
Sure that his face was turning pink; Ianto cleared his throat and turned to the coffee pot. "Yes, well…cream? Sugar?"
"No, thank you," Jack replied.
"How about something to eat?" Ianto asked, inexplicably nervous. He handed Jack a full coffee cup and opened a cupboard, inventorying the contents. "Biscuit? Crackers? Crisps?"
"No, really," Jack answered. "Just the coffee – which is delicious, by the way, Mister…?"
Ianto cursed quietly. "Jones. Ianto Jones," he replied. Wonderful, not only do I not have any manners, apparently I think I'm James Bond.
"I'd better be going," Jack declared, his voice oddly choked. "Thanks for your help, Jones, Ianto Jones. And for the coffee."
"You're welcome," Ianto replied following Jack to the door, "and, may I also say, fantastic. Just taking my one chance to say it." He smiled self-deprecatingly. "After you've read that terrible book, you're certainly not going to be coming back into the shop."
The inexplicable sadness was back in Jack's eyes but his famous smile flashed across his face. "Thank you, Ianto."
"Yes, well, my pleasure," Ianto said. "It was nice to meet you."
"It was nice meeting you, too. Surreal, but very nice." Jack chuckled softly and opened the door. "Thanks again, Ianto Jones." He winked, walked out the door and pulled it closed behind him.
Ianto stared blankly at the back of the door. Surreal, but nice?! What the fuck does that mean? He turned and went back to the kitchen, picking up Jack's coffee cup and placing it in the sink. As he went to pour himself another cup, he heard a knock on the door.
Jogging down the short hallway, he opened the door and once again came face to face with Jack Harkness.
"Oh, hi," he greeted a small frown on his face. He stepped back, allowing the other man to step inside. "Did you forget something?"
"Yeah, I forgot my bag," Jack replied sheepishly.
"Oh, right," Ianto exclaimed, grabbing the shopping bag from the chair Jack had placed it on and holding it out. "Here you go."
"Thank you," Jack said. "Well…"
Ianto was trying to define the look on Jack's face when the man suddenly leaned forward and pressed their lips together. The kiss was soft and gentle, almost hesitant; but Ianto sensed a longing in Jack's kiss that surprised him.
They broke apart at the sound of a key in the lock. Ianto's shocked gaze flew to meet Jack's.
"My flatmate – I'm sorry," Ianto apologised. "He's a bit outspoken at times."
The door opened and Rhys Williams walked in. Barely glancing at the men standing awkwardly in the entry, he went straight through to the kitchen.
"I'm just going to get some food and then I'm going to tell you a story that will make your balls shrink to the size of raisins," he called back to Ianto.
Hearing a muffled choke from the man next to him, Ianto turned to see Jack struggling to suppress his laughter to the point there were tears in his eyes. He rolled his eyes at the other man's amusement, then grinned and shrugged.
"Probably best not to tell anyone about this," Jack said twirling his fingers in a vague motion.
"Right. No one," Ianto replied. He grinned. "Well, I'll tell myself sometimes but don't worry – I won't believe it."
Smiling wistfully, the actor raised his hand and ran his finger gently down Ianto's cheek. "Good-bye, Jones, Ianto Jones," he whispered.
Ianto watched Jack open the door and walk out of his life. He leant back against the door, rubbed his fingers across his lips and sighed. Definitely won't believe myself.
Rhys appeared in the hallway holding up several DVD's. "On for a video fest tonight, Rift permitting?" he asked. "I've got some absolute classics."
Spotting a couple of films that starred Jack Harkness, Ianto grinned. "Just let me check in with the Doctor first."
Next part...
***
"Any messages for me, Rhys?" Ianto asked, stretching out in the chair in their little rooftop garden.The Rift had been going non-stop for the past couple of days and Ianto was exhausted. The Doctor had given the team two days off, barring the apocalypse, and Ianto intended to enjoy them.
"Yeah, I wrote a couple down," Rhys absently replied. His attention was focussed on the South Wales Echo. "Hmm, another gas leak in Splott, I see. Owen's turn to come up with the cover stories this week?"
Ianto snorted in amusement and lazily gave his friend a two-fingered salute. "So, there were only two messages then?"
"Yes – no, I forgot, your sister called to remind you about her party tonight," Rhys said frowning in concentration. "There was one more – that's right, some American bloke named Jack called a couple days ago."
Ianto sat up and looked at Rhys in disbelief. "What did he say?"
"It was bizarre," the Welshman responded. "He said, ‘Hi – it's Jack. Call me at the St. David's.' and then gave himself a completely different name."
"Which was?" Ianto prompted.
"Absolutely no idea," Rhys said unhelpfully. "This is why I have a secretary at the restaurant; I'm rubbish with names."
Ianto grabbed his mobile, rang directory inquiries and requested the listing for St. David's Hotel. A short time later he was connected to the front desk.
"May I help you, Sir?" the refined voice inquired.
"Yes, this is a slightly odd situation, but I'm a friend of Jack Harkness'," Ianto explained. "He rang me at home the other day and left a message that he was staying there."
"I'm sorry; we don't have anyone of that name staying here, Sir."
"No, I know," Ianto hastened to reply. "He said he was using another name, but the problem is he left the message with my flat-mate, which was a serious mistake."
Rhys glared at him from across the room but Ianto just rolled his eyes and tried to think of another way to convince the desk clerk to connect him to Jack's room. He really didn't want to play the Torchwood card; the Doctor would kill him – twice.
"Try Tintin," Rhys suggested.
Giving his friend a suspicious look, Ianto spoke into the mobile. "Does ‘Tintin' mean anything to you?" he asked hesitantly.
"I'll put you right through, Sir," the hotel clerk replied.
"Oh my god," Ianto exclaimed wondering what Jack could possibly want.
"Hello?" The smooth American accent sounded in his ear and Ianto felt a shiver go down his spine.
"Hi, it's Ianto Jones." He paused. "I, uhm, work in a book shop?"
Great, Jones, way to impress him with your wit, there, Ianto mentally chastised himself.
"Ianto, I was beginning to think I was wrong about you," Jack purred. "You've been playing it pretty cool, waiting three days to call."
Ianto could hear the smug grin that permeated the actor's voice. Bastard, he thought, even as he grinned to himself.
"I've never played anything cool in my life," Ianto replied. "Time is too precious to waste playing those types of games." He thought he heard a gasp from the man at the other end of the line and hoped he hadn't offended him. "Rhys, who'll be on decaf for a month, didn't give me the message until just now."
"Oh, good," Jack responded. "I'd, um, invite you over for coffee but, having tasted yours, I'd be embarrassed to offer you what they serve here."
"Well, maybe I could stop ‘round for tea?" Ianto prompted.
"Yeah, I'd like that," Jack answered back. "Things are going to be pretty busy this afternoon, but I should be free by four o'clock."
"Great, I'll see you then." Ianto disconnected the call and grinned at Rhys. "Fantastic!"
**********
Ianto took a deep breath and knocked on Owen and Toshiko's door. He smiled nervously at the man beside him and wondered how exactly he'd ended up bringing Jack Harkness as his date to his sister's birthday party.
When he'd shown up at the actor's hotel suite that afternoon, he'd felt like a salmon swimming upstream as he made his way through the departing members of the press. Jack had looked fatigued but spectacular.
The actor had apologised for kissing Ianto. As if anyone, male or female, would be upset about being kissed by Jack Harkness, Ianto thought.
Somehow they'd gone from the apology to flirting, to Ianto asking Jack out to dinner, to remembering about the birthday party, to here - standing on the doorstep of his best friends' house next to the most famous actor in Hollywood.
Owen opened the door, startling Ianto out of his musings. "Hello, come on in." He quickly turned away and rushed back to the kitchen. "Slight food crises."
Ianto and Jack followed Owen down the short hallway into the living area. Toshiko rolled her chair forward to greet them.
"Hey, sorry," she said, hugging Ianto as he bent down to kiss her cheek. "The guinea fowl is proving more complicated than expected."
Ianto choked back a laugh. "He's cooking guinea fowl?"
"Don't even ask," Toshiko replied rolling her eyes. She glanced past Ianto to where Jack stood awkwardly behind her friend. "Hello. Good lord, you're the spitting image…"
"No, Tosh," Ianto hastened to introduce her to his date. "This is Jack. Jack, this is Toshiko."
From the look on Tosh's face, Ianto knew to expect an inquisition at the first opportunity. The slight tension was broken when Owen stood up from checking the oven and turned towards the small group.
"Okay," he declared. "Crisis averted."
"Owen, this is Jack," Ianto introduced, watching his best friend closely to see his reaction.
"Hello, Jack," Owen began then took a double look, his eyes widening as he recognised the actor. "Harkness – right. Would you like some wine?"
Jack grinned widely. "Thank you, I'd love some."
The doorbell rang and Owen threw a pointed glare at Ianto on his way to answer the door. Ianto just grinned and moved to pour Jack a glass of wine.
He could hear his sister's voice responding to Owen's low murmurs but the tone of her voice told him that she wasn't really listening to what the doctor was saying. Their voices got louder as they got closer and Ianto turned to watch her reaction to his guest.
"Hi, guys," Ianto's sister exclaimed looking around the room. Her eyes opened wide when she caught sight of Jack. "Oh, holy fuck!"
"Gwen, this is Jack," Ianto quickly made the introduction. "Jack, this is Gwen – she's my little sister."
He missed the look of shock on Jack's face as Gwen cuffed him on his shoulder and he wrapped her in a suffocating hug in retaliation.
Laughing, Gwen turned in her brother's arms and looked at Jack. "I know this is one of those moments in life where it's possible to be really, genuinely cool but I'm just going to fail one hundred percent if I try." She dissolved into giggles when Ianto tickled her ribs and cuffed his shoulder again. "Oi, you may be taller than I am, but I was still born before you – behave."
Ianto propped his chin on the top of his sister's head and looked at Jack. There was a smile on the actor's face and a twinkle in his eyes. He looked like he was having a good time and Ianto found himself relaxing infinitesimally.
The connection he felt with the other man was unexpected. It had been a long time since he'd been this attracted to anyone – male or female – and for a moment he wished everyone else would just disappear so the two of them could explore this - whatever it was - between them.
His reverie was broken by the sound of the doorbell.
"That'll be Andy," Owen mused, grinning maliciously and ignoring his wife's admonishments to be nice as he went to answer the door.
"I'm sorry I'm so late," Andy apologised as he walked into the room. "That cute DI down at the station was giving me the eye again; couldn't get away from her."
Ianto rolled his eyes, knowing that Andy had been closeted with the Doctor all afternoon after letting their resident Weevil escape during feeding time. It had taken the rest of the team the better part of two hours to find it in the lower tunnels of the Hub and get it back to its cell.
"Andy, this is Jack," he began before the other man interrupted the introduction.
"Hi, Jack, it's good to meet you," Andy said heartily, immediately turning away towards Gwen. "Gwennie! Happy birthday to you."
Ianto felt Jack shaking next to him and turned to see laughter glowing in the man's eyes. By tacit agreement they decided to see how long it would take before the penny dropped for Andy.
Following Owen into the kitchen, Ianto helped him pour wine for everyone.
"So, have you slept with him yet?" Owen asked smirk firmly planted on his face.
Ianto rolled his eyes. "That is a cheap question and the answer is no comment."
"No comment means yes," the doctor pointed out.
"No, it doesn't," Ianto argued.
Owen gave him a knowing look. "Do you ever masturbate?"
"Definitely no comment," Ianto growled.
"See? It means ‘yes'." Owen laughed at the look on his best friend's face and carried the wine through to the other room. "Right, I think we're ready."
Jack stood up from where he'd been chatting with Andy and looked at Toshiko. "Excuse me, could you tell me where…?" his voice trailed off as he made a gesture with his hand.
"Oh," Toshiko exclaimed. "It's just down the corridor on the right."
"I'll show you," Gwen offered.
Jack gave them both a brilliant smile and followed Gwen out of the room. Toshiko and Owen crowded around Ianto.
"Quickly," Tosh whispered. "Tell me what you are doing here with Jack Harkness?"
"Jack Harkness?" Andy exclaimed, a horrified look on his face. "The movie star?"
"Got it one, PC Davidson," Owen teased. "With observational skills like those it's no wonder you never made DI."
"Oh, bollocks." Andy banged his forehead against the wall as the others dissolved into laughter.
><><><><><><
Ianto watched Jack as dinner progressed. The other man seemed to be relaxed, laughing and joking with ease, but occasionally Ianto thought he saw a hint of anguish in the actor's eyes.
Owen placed a plate of brownies on the table as Ianto made sure everyone's coffee was filled. Sitting down, Owen looked towards their famous guest.
"You know, Jack," he began. "Having you here firmly establishes something I've long suspected – that we really are the most desperate lot of under-achievers."
"I'm sorry?" the actor questioned, laughing.
"It's not a bad thing," Owen continued. "In fact, I think it's something we should be proud of. I'm going to give the last brownie to the saddest act here."
Ianto laughed, glancing around the table. His eyes lit on the man sitting next to him. "Andy," he began.
Everyone laughed as Andy rolled his eyes. "Well, of course it's me, isn't it? I work at a job I keep bollocking up. I haven't had a girlfriend since…well, puberty. Nobody fancies me and if my hairline recedes anymore they never will."
"Nonsense, I fancy you," Gwen declared. "Or at least I did before you lost all that hair."
"Great, thanks, Cooper," Andy grumbled as everyone laughed.
"Unless I'm much mistaken, your job still pays you rather a lot of money," Owen pointed out. "Whereas Miss Cooper here earns practically nothing flogging her guts out in Cardiff's seediest pub."
"Yes," Gwen crowed. "And I've got funny, goggly eyes and a gap in my front teeth the size of Pont-Rhyd-Y-Groes Gorge. I'm attracted to cruel men and, no one will ever marry me because my bosoms have actually started to shrink."
"On the other hand, her best friend is Jack Harkness," Toshiko chimed in, causing the others to laugh again.
"It's true," Gwen said airily, grinning impishly across the table at Jack. "What can I say? He needs me."
"And most of her limbs work," Tosh continued. "While I'm stuck in this thing day and night in a place full of ramps. I've totally given up smoking, my favourite thing ever. And, the truth is…we can't have a baby."
Ianto stared in shock as Owen reached out and tenderly brushed his wife's cheek. He thought he heard Jack whisper a strangled "Toshiko" but dismissed it as his imagination.
"Still, we're lucky in lots of ways," Tosh continued smiling brightly. "But surely that's worth a brownie?"
"Well, I don't know," Owen drawled. "Let's look at Ianto. He runs the most unsuccessful bookshop in Cardiff. Used to be handsome but now his age is starting to show. And he's guaranteed never to hear from Jack again after he's heard that Ianto's nickname at school was Stubby."
Ianto buried his face in his hands, peeking through his fingers at the dazzling man across from him. "You did – I can't believe you told him that." Lifting his head he mock-glared at Owen. "Still, that means I get the last brownie, right?"
"I think so, yes." Owen grinned as his friend reached for the final brownie.
"Wait a minute," Jack's voice startled them all. "What about me?"
Ianto raised his eyebrow and shared a look with Owen.
"I'm sorry?" the doctor asked giving the actor an incredulous look. "You think you deserve the brownie?"
"Well, a shot at it at least," Jack maintained.
"You'll have to prove it," Ianto warned him teasingly. "This is a very good brownie and I'm going to fight for it. So, make your case."
"Well, I've been on a strict fitness regimen since I was twenty-five, which basically means I've been hungry and sleep deprived for a decade. My private life gets splashed across the headlines for entertainment, especially when I charged my ex-boyfriend for assault. Every time I'm not chosen for a role, it gets blamed on my sexuality."
The table grew silent as they listened to Jack enumerate the downside of being famous.
"Someday, not long from now, my looks will fade. They'll discover that I can't act and I'll become a lonely, middle-aged man, who looks a bit like someone who used to be famous for awhile."
Ianto watched the other man, wondering about the bleak sadness shining deep in those magnificent blue eyes. Jack blinked and the icy despair was replaced by faint amusement and a self-deprecating quirk of the lips.
Toshiko scoffed, "Nice try, gorgeous, but you don't fool anyone."
"Pathetic attempt to hog the brownie," Ianto chastised, biting into the gooey chocolate and exaggerating his pleasure at the taste.
"Well, I had to try," Jack replied laughing. His heated gaze focussed solely on the man eating the brownie. "The way you're enjoying that is practically pornographic, you know."
Ianto gave Jack a teasing look through his eyelashes while licking his lips slowly. "They do say that chocolate is an aphrodisiac, sir."
"Oh, please! Get a room you two," Owen groused. "My dinner is threatening to reappear."
"With your cooking, I'm not surprised," Andy shot back.
The room echoed with mirth as the entire table dissolved into laughter. ***
"So, Stubby, huh?" Jack's teasing voice broke the contemplative silence.
"It's the nose," Ianto exclaimed. "It's to do with the nose."
"I think it's a very cute nose," Jack maintained. "I alw…why is she in a wheelchair?"
Ianto wondered what Jack had been going to say but didn't want to pry. Instead he answered the actor's question. "It was an accident – about eighteen months ago." He could still hear the sickening crunch as the weevil threw her against the wall.
"And the pregnancy thing?" the other man asked. "Is that because of the accident?"
"I'm actually not sure," Ianto mused. "I don't think they'd tried for kids before the accident."
"Would you…?" They laughed as they both started talking at the same time. Ianto gestured for Jack to go first and the actor smiled a small smile.
"I was just wondering if you'd like to take a walk with me?" Jack asked. "The Wetlands Reserve is just over there. It's been years since I walked through it – a lifetime ago."
Ignoring the curious blend of regret and sorrow in the man's voice, Ianto quickly agreed and they were soon walking slowly along the footpath.
For once it was a clear evening in Cardiff and the moon shone brightly, illuminating their path. Ianto revelled in the beauty of the tiny slice of wilderness surrounded by the large city.
A small sound from the man next to him made Ianto turn his head. Jack was standing in front of one of the benches that lined the walkway, fingering the memorial plaque on the edge of the bench.
"Some things don't change," the actor murmured, almost like he was talking to himself.
Ianto silently read the engraved words.
For Catrin, who loved to watch the birds – from Gethin, who always sat beside her.
Catrin Roberts, 1917 - 1992
"Some people do get to spend their whole lives together," Jack whispered.
There was such aching, devastating sorrow in the other man's voice that Ianto instinctively reached out and lightly caressed Jack's cheek comfortingly. The touch seemed to break something loose inside the actor.
A strangled noise came from Jack's throat as Ianto felt himself pulled forward into the man's arms. All thoughts of why the man would be choking back a sob flew out of Ianto's head when Jack's lips brushed against his own.
Their lips separated for a second or two and Ianto wasn't sure who initiated the next kiss but it didn't really matter. All that mattered was the feel of Jack's mouth on his own - the taste and touch, the raw, burning desire consuming them both.
They parted long moments later; dishevelled with chests heaving as lungs gasped for air. Ianto closed his eyes as Jack's fingers wandered the contours of his face.
"Ianto," Jack breathed, eyes shimmering brightly in the moonlight. "What am I doing here?"
"I don't know," Ianto replied quietly stepping back from the embrace.
By unspoken, mutual consent they turned and began walking back towards the hotel. Ianto watched as Jack's eyes darted from the hotel to Ianto and then back again. When they stepped onto the pavement of the hotel's car park, they stopped.
"Do – do you want to come up?" Jack asked, a mixture of desire, hesitancy and longing permeating his being.
Ianto quirked his eyebrow, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "There seem to be lots of reasons why I shouldn't," he answered, thinking of all of his own reasons why he didn't try to have relationships anymore.
"There are lots of reasons," Jack agreed, pausing and then coming to a decision. "Do you want to come up?"
Coming to his own decision, Ianto nodded yes and watched that famous smile light up Jack's face. Ianto couldn't help but grin in response.
"Just give me five minutes," Jack insisted pressing a light kiss to Ianto's lips.
Ianto watched the other man stride confidently across car park to the hotel entrance. He marvelled at the fact he was seeing that swagger in person. The only thing missing was the long black coat the actor had worn for the role of Neo a few years back.
Ianto had to admit – he'd really liked that coat.
><><><><><><><
"Hey," Jack said quietly standing in the doorway.
"Hi," Ianto replied. He lightly kissed Jack's lips. He frowned at the lack of response. "Aren't you going to let me in?"
"Uhm, you've got to leave," Jack pronounced nervously.
Ianto narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Leave? Why?"
"Because my boyfriend, who I thought was in America, is in fact in the next room," Jack explained in a heated whisper.
"Boyfriend?!" Ianto exclaimed.
"Jack, who was at the door?"
Ianto's eyes widened as he recognized the man strolling over to stand behind Jack. Well, not recognised enough to place his name but Ianto remembered Gwen making him watch that ridiculous show about a teenage vampire slayer and this was the guy that had played her love interest – John or James something.
"Hello and who might you be?" the man, Jack's boyfriend, asked eyeing Ianto appreciatively.
"Behave, John," Jack admonished. "Mr. Jones was here for the press interviews earlier and thinks he may have left his mobile here."
Ianto, despite his many years of experience, blushed slightly under John's knowing gaze.
"I see," John drawled. "What publication did you say he was with?"
"Uhm…Horse and Hound," Ianto replied quickly, mentally rolling his eyes at his lame response. He made up cover stories for a living for fuck's sake; the least he could've done was come up with the name of an actual entertainment magazine.
"Well, I'll just leave you to find your ‘mobile' phone, then." The actor turned and walked toward another room in the suite, stripping off his shirt as he went. "Don't stay up too late, Jack. God knows you need your beauty sleep. I don't want people to say ‘There goes that famous actor with his aging, haggard boyfriend'."
"I should go," Ianto murmured, staring straight into Jack's eyes and letting all his hurt and disappointment show.
"I'm – I'm sorry, Ianto," Jack apologized. "I don't know what to say."
"I think good-bye is traditional," Ianto replied with finality. ***
"Must you read that rubbish?" he asked irritably.
"Maybe if you read this ‘rubbish' you'd have known he had a boyfriend," Owen needled, wincing when Toshiko cuffed his shoulder.
"Bloody hell, you knew?" Ianto asked. The looks on his friends' faces, including the Doctor's, all said that they had known. He rolled his eyes. "Wonderful, my love life ruined because I don't read ‘Hello' magazine."
"You need to face facts, mate," Rhys began. "This was always a no-win situation. Harkness is Hollywood royalty and you know what happens to common people that get involved with royalty."
"Buggered, is it?" Ianto smirked.
"Every time," Owen replied. "But I have the perfect solution to your problems."
Ianto shared a look with Toshiko and chuckled at the wary expression on the Doctor's face.
"Her name is Donna and she works in the medical records office at the A&E," Owen continued. "The hair, I admit, is shockingly red. But her breasts more than make up for that and she kisses like a nymphomaniac on death row. Apparently. So I've heard."
Ianto was too busy laughing at Owen being attacked simultaneously by both Toshiko and Gwen to notice the look of cunning plans being hatched by most of his friends.
><><><><><><><
Ianto jumped nervously at the sound of the doorbell. Tosh gave him a sympathetic look and Owen clapped him on the shoulder.
"Buck up, yeah?" the doctor instructed. "Even if she's not the love of your bloody life, you could still get a good fuck out of the evening."
"Remind me again why you're my best friend?" Ianto retorted as Owen went to answer the door. He turned to Tosh. "And how you manage to stay married to him?"
Tosh grinned, shrugging. "He kind of grows on you after a while."
"Yeah, like mold," Ianto muttered.
A brash voice announced his ‘date's' entrance into the kitchen. "I got completely lost – it's real difficult isn't it? Everything's got the word ‘wood' in it – Oak Wood Avenue, King Wood Close, Pine Wood bloody Crescent."
Owen hadn't lied about her hair – or her breasts. The hair was a particularly loud shade of red that matched her voice and her fulsome figure was prominently on display in a tight, black mini-skirt and low-cut purple blouse.
"Donna, this is my wife, Toshiko," Owen introduced the two women.
"Hello," the red-head exclaimed eyeing Toshiko's chair. "You're in a wheelchair!"
"Yes, I am," Tosh agreed pleasantly, giving her husband a pointed glance that promised retribution.
Ignoring the small danger signals, Owen continued the introductions. "And this is Ianto," he said leading the woman over to his friend.
"Hello, Ianto." Donna nudged his side slyly. "Owen's told me all about you – you naughty boy."
"Has he?" Ianto's voice came out strangled and tight.
Owen, finally sensing the tension from both his friend and his wife, tried to diffuse the situation. "Wine?"
Because that's what will make this situation bearable – alcohol, Ianto snarked to himself.
"Oh, yes, please," Donna agreed enthusiastically. "C'mon, Yan, let's get sloshed."
Ianto threw a desperate look Toshiko's way. It was going to be a long evening…
><><><><><><><
Ianto sighed in relief and leant against the entrance door, glaring balefully at Gwen.
"When you invited me over for dinner, you neglected to mention you were having another guest, too," he growled.
Gwen gave him the wide-eyed innocent look she'd perfected over the years. "I thought you two would have a lot in common, Ianto," she maintained. "He's very interested in aliens."
"Science-fiction, Gwen, not aliens," Ianto exclaimed incredulously. "I swear, if I'd had to endure one more minute of hearing how Scotty and Chekov were secret lovers, I was going to shove an ice pick through my ear-drums and then retcon Eugene back to his nappies."
"I was just trying to help you move on, Ianto." Gwen's pout reminded him of when they were kids and she wanted to get her own way about something.
He laughed and hauled her into a hug. "Thanks, Sis," he whispered into her hair. "Just remember, you may have been born five years before I was but I'm still bigger than you. I won't hesitate to turn you over my knee and paddle you if you ever try to set me up like that again."
Gwen giggled into his shoulder. "You and how many Weevils, Ianto?"
><><><><><><><
Rhys set a pint of bitter in front of Ianto and slid into his own chair. "There you are, mate," he said heartily. "Just what the barmaid ordered."
Ianto took a long pull off the beer before setting the glass back down and wiping the thin film of foam from his upper lip. "You and your barmaids," he snorted.
"A man's got to have a hobby, Ianto," Rhys said virtuously. "It's not like I've got a wife at home waiting for me. Just a right soppy git of a flat-mate that needs to bloody cheer up."
Rolling his eyes, Ianto took another drink of his beer. It had been two months since Jack had disappeared back to the lights and glamour of Hollywood and he was still feeling like a part of himself was missing somehow. He'd never felt this way before, not even when Rose was trapped in an alternate universe. Yes, he'd mourned his lover for years but he'd never physically ached like he did now.
What was it about Jack Harkness that called to him so strongly? He'd been with men just as handsome and famous before. Will Shakespeare'd had him almost as tongue-tied as a twelve year old girl, but hadn't come close to matching the attraction he'd felt to the American actor.
"Sorry I'm late, gorgeous!" A tall, blue-eyed blonde man was standing next to Rhys, kissing his cheek while eyeing up Ianto.
The man was wearing tight, black jeans with a silver-studded belt. He also sported a tight blue t-shirt that exactly matched the colour of his eyes and a black vest. Ianto took a deep draught of his beer; he had a feeling he was going to need it.
"Ianto Jones, we meet at last. Rhys has told me so much about you." The coy look and wink that accompanied those statements made Ianto want to roll his eyes but he resisted the temptation. "I'm Banana. I'm sure you can tell why."
Because you come up in spots and go soft quickly? Ianto snarked mentally. He shot a glare at Rhys before smiling politely and shaking – seriously? – Banana's hand.
"It's nice to meet you, uh, Banana," Ianto replied, ignoring the rest of the man's comments and silently consigning Rhys to hell. "How do you know Rhys?"
Banana slid into the chair next to Ianto and scooted closer, placing his hand on Ianto's arm. "Oh, I went to Uni with the big lug. Tried my damndest to get him to switch sides but he's far too fond of his barmaids. Which is probably why he didn't tell me how stunning you are!"
Ianto abruptly stood up, smile strained and eyes glaring daggers at Rhys. "Drinks! We need drinks. Can I get you something? Rhys, another?"
Drink orders in mind, he made his way to the bar. Catching the attention of the barman, he placed their orders and asked for an additional two shots of whiskey immediately. Downing the first one, he shuddered slightly as the alcohol burned its way into his stomach.
A hand came to rest on his shoulder and, without looking to see who it was, he downed the second shot. "I'd sleep with one eye open if I were you, Rhys," he growled. "You will pay for this."
"I'll keep that in mind, mate," Rhys said chuckling. "Tonight, I intend to see that you have fun at least. So drink up, Jones."
Rhys grabbed his drink and Banana's, leaving Ianto to follow with his own. Quickly ordering another shot of whiskey, Ianto downed it and headed back to the table.
"Wonderful," Ianto muttered. "Bananas always did make me vomit."
><><><><><><><
"Delicious coffee," Lisa praised smiling softly at Ianto.
A month had passed since the last disastrous attempt by one of his friends to set him up. This one, Lisa Hallet, was Tosh's attempt. And she was lovely. Beautiful, intelligent, funny – everything he looked for in a lover.
"Sorry about the lamb," Owen apologised.
"No," Lisa hastened to reassure the doctor. "It was – interesting."
Ianto snorted. "Interesting means inedible."
Biting her lip, Lisa started to laugh. "Really inedible, yes."
Ianto, Toshiko and Lisa all laughed gaily while Owen hurled good natured insults at them.
Later, Ianto walked Lisa to the door, kissing her softly on the cheek.
She smiled up at him. "Maybe we'll meet again sometime," she said hopefully.
"Yeah," Ianto agreed. "That would be – great."
Shutting the door quietly behind her, Ianto made his way slowly back to the living room where Tosh and Owen were waiting for him. He rolled his eyes at the looks of excited anticipation on their faces.
"Well?" Tosh asked eagerly.
Ianto chuckled, pausing just long enough to tease the Japanese woman. "Perfect. She's perfect."
"And?" Owen questioned, narrowing his eyes warily at the reserved tone of Ianto's voice.
Ianto made a soft, exasperated noise. "I think you've forgotten just what an unusual situation you two have here," he began. "To find someone to love, who'll love you – the chances are…miniscule."
Owen started to say something but subsided at Ianto's look.
"Look at me," he continued. "Aside from the American, I've only loved two others in my entire life – both of them total disasters."
"That's not fair," Toshiko exclaimed.
"No really, one of them takes me travelling all over the Universe and then gets sucked into the Void between Universes." Ianto paused, giving Tosh an enigmatic look. "The other, who seriously ought to have known better, casually marries my best friend."
"She still loves you, though," Tosh said gently.
Ianto snorted. "Yes, in a depressingly asexual way."
Tosh cocked her head, studying Ianto intently. "I never fancied you much actually."
Owen roared with laughter while Ianto buried his face in his hands, chuckling helplessly.
"I mean, I loved you – you were terribly funny," she continued. "But all that kissing my ears." She shivered dramatically.
"Oh no," Ianto moaned. "This is just getting worse. I'm going to find myself, thirty years from now, still sitting on this couch."
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Owen groused walking out of the room.
Tosh grinned at her friend. "You want to stay?"
"Why not," Ianto agreed. "It's not like I've got any reason to go home. I can get Rift alerts here just as well as at my place."
Owen came back moments later with a couple of blankets and a pillow, dumping them in Ianto's lap. He turned, lifting Toshiko out of her wheelchair and headed for the staircase.
The couple called their goodnights and disappeared upstairs. Ianto sighed and got up to use the facilities. He walked back into the living room, turning off lights along the way, and stripped to his boxers. Settling down on the comfortable couch, he sighed and stared at the ceiling.
He fell asleep imagining a pair of indigo blue eyes smiling down on him.***
Ianto stood in the bathroom shaving. He carefully avoided looking himself in the eyes. It had been a rough couple of weeks at Torchwood. The Doctor had been called away to help the Shadow Proclamation with a dispute and all hell had broken loose while he was away.Creatures from the dawn of time, not aliens; spirits, faeries, mara. Whatever they were called, they were ancient and powerful. They had chosen a little boy to join them. Ianto couldn't find a way to save the boy without giving up the world and, in the end, let the creatures have him.
The Doctor had come back to Earth and berated him for not finding a way to save the boy, saying that if he'd been there he would've been able to do it. But he wasn't there – and Ianto had done the best he could.
The team had backed him up and the Doctor finally saw what it had cost Ianto to do what he'd done. He'd forced him to take a few days off and have nothing to do with Torchwood.
"What the fuck am I going…?" His mutterings were cut off by the sound of the doorbell.
Frowning at the clock, Ianto wondered who could possibly be at his door at eight-thirty in the morning. Throwing on a pair of jog bottoms and a t-shirt, he padded barefoot down the stairs and opened the door.
"Hi." Jack Harkness stood on his doorstep in faded denims, a grey hoodie and sunglasses despite the overcast morning. "Can I come in?"
Too shocked to say anything, Ianto nodded and stepped back, allowing the actor to enter his house. The nervous smile Jack gave him as he walked past looked out of place on the normally confident man.
Realising he was just standing there staring, Ianto closed the door and turned to where Jack was standing in the hallway.
"Would you like some coffee?" he offered hesitantly, not having any idea what Jack was doing there.
"Coffee would be good," Jack replied smiling briefly as he pushed back his hood and removed his sunglasses.
Ianto busied himself making coffee and listened to the small sounds of the other man settling at the kitchen table. He tried to think of something to say - something that didn't sound bitter or bitchy. Before he could, he heard Jack's low voice.
"I'm sorry." Jack was looking down at his hands but he looked up when Ianto turned to watch him. "About last time? He – He just flew in and I had no idea if he was ever going to fly in again. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I even wanted him to."
Pouring them both cups of coffee, Ianto set Jack's cup in front of him and sat down across the table from the other man. He kept quiet and just let Jack talk.
"I've fucked up every relationship I've ever had, one way or another. I needed to try, you know?" Jack shook his head. "I should've known better. If there's one constant in the multi-verse, it's that John Hart is a bastard."
"What happened?" Ianto asked quietly.
Jack snorted. "You probably don't pay any attention to awards season in Hollywood, but the Oscars were just given out."
"I saw that you were nominated," Ianto admitted sheepishly.
"Yeah?" Jack's grin lightened his whole face.
"Yeah," Ianto said, ducking his head shyly. "I didn't get a chance to watch it, though. Did you win?"
"Yes, for all it matters now," Jack muttered. "The day after the awards ceremony a story broke about John and his current co-star. They've been filming in Las Vegas. He's playing the leader of a gang of criminals doing a casino heist; she's playing his ex-wife who he's trying to win back. Apparently he succeeded in real life – publicly."
Ianto reached out and grasped Jack's hand. "I am so sorry, Jack."
"Thank you. I'm only in Cardiff for a couple of days," Jack explained. "But with your papers, it's the worst place to be. The hotel is surrounded. I didn't know where to go."
"This is the place," Ianto assured him. "You can stay here. What do you need? More coffee…something to eat…a bath?"
"A bath would be wonderful, yes." Jack almost moaned in anticipation.
Laughing, Ianto shooed him upstairs. "I'll see if I can find something for you to wear, too. Just toss your clothes out of the bathroom door and I'll put them in the washer for you."
><><><><><><
Later that evening they were once again seated at the kitchen table, polishing off the last few slices of a meat feast pizza.
Jack had just taken a large bite of pizza and was still chewing as he gestured toward an art print on the wall. "I can't believe you have that picture on your wall."
"You like Chagall?" Ianto asked, glancing at the print.
"Yes, I do," Jack murmured seemingly lost in thought. "A very close friend of mine from a long time ago had the exact same print on his wall." He smiled softly. "It feels like how being in love should be. Floating through a dark blue sky."
Ianto cocked his eyebrow. "With a goat playing a violin."
"Well, yes," Jack replied seriously. "Happiness wouldn't be happiness without a violin-playing goat."
"Of course," Ianto agreed completely deadpan.
They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
><><><><><><
Lying on the sofa staring up at the ceiling, Ianto huffed in annoyance. He didn't really sleep much anymore but he knew the importance of getting at least a couple of hours every night.
He turned over and tried thinking about something other than the fact that a newly single and available Jack Harkness was upstairs sleeping in his bed. Unfortunately, his thoughts drifted to the day they'd just spent together. It had been fun – full of laughter, teasing and casual touches.
The staircase creaked and startled Ianto out of his musings. He tensed as he heard a stealthy footstep in the hallway. Half sitting up in anticipation, he fell back in disappointment when Rhys crept into the room.
"Ianto," Rhys whispered. "Could I have a word?"
"Rhys, go back to bed," Ianto groaned.
"Don't be daft, mate," the Welshman admonished. "He's just broken up with his boyfriend, yeah?"
"Yes," Ianto answered.
"And his first thought was to find you," Rhys continued. "You two get on well?"
"So what?" Ianto protested.
"Well, what the hell are you doing down here on the sofa, then?" Rhys questioned. "You should be up there trying your bloody best to get off with him."
"Fuck, Rhys," Ianto whispered heatedly. "Get a grip! He's having a difficult time right now; I'm not going to try and get a leg over."
"Right, you think it's the wrong time. Fair enough."
"I'll talk to you in the morning," Ianto said, hoping his flat-mate would take the hint and go back to bed.
"Fine, good night. It might be too late, though." Rhys crept quietly away.
Ianto punched his pillow into shape and settled back down to try and sleep. Just as he was getting comfortable, the stairs creaked again and he heard more footfalls.
He groaned out loud. "Oh, please, just sod off!"
"Well, I would but there's some type of alarm going off in your bedroom that's driving me insane," Jack said, chuckling.
"Sorry, I thought you were Rhys," Ianto explained sitting up. "I'm delighted that you're not."
"Good to know," Jack replied. He paused and then prompted. "Uhm, the alarm?"
"Oh, right," Ianto said distractedly. Jack was wearing boxers – and nothing else. Ianto found himself just staring at the smooth chest and well-defined abs. "Oh, shit!" he exclaimed, realising just what the alarm in his room meant.
He threw off the duvet and sprinted up the stairs to his room. Grabbing his PDA from the dresser, he quickly punched in his access code to see several Rift alerts showing up on the screen. Ignoring Jack, who'd followed him upstairs, Ianto ran back down to the living room and grabbed his mobile.
Dialling the Doctor's number, he struggled to pull on his jeans at the same time. Still ignoring the fact that Jack had followed him back downstairs, Ianto waited impatiently for the Doctor to answer.
"Doctor, I got the alerts on my PDA," he said breathlessly. "What's going on?"
Listening intently, Ianto didn't realise that Jack had handed him a shirt to put on.
"Okay, so you've got the main issue covered with the rest of the team then?" Ianto questioned. "Alright, I'll check out the secondary location and let you know if I need backup." He paused. "Yeah, I've got a kit in the boot of my car, you know that. Yes, I'll keep you posted; let me know if you need help where you are."
Hanging up his mobile, he tossed it on the couch and sat down to pull on his socks and shoes. Movement in the doorway caught his attention and he glanced up to see Jack, fully dressed, standing there with his arms crossed.
"You work for Torchwood, don't you?" the actor asked bluntly.
"Torchwood?" Ianto feigned ignorance. "Don't know what you're talking about, Jack."
"Uh huh, don't try to con a con man, Ianto," Jack sneered. "Torchwood. You work for them and you just got a Rift alert on your PDA, didn't you?"
Grabbing his gun from the side-drawer of the desk, Ianto cocked it and aimed it directly at Jack.
"Who are you and how the fuck do you know about Torchwood?" Ianto snarled.
Jack straightened up from where he was leaning against the door frame. "I know about Torchwood because in the Universe that I'm from, I used to work for them."***
"Bollocks," Ianto spat. "I know every person that's ever worked for Torchwood since its inception. There has never been a Jack Harkness that has worked for this Institute.""I think you missed the key phrase, Ianto," Jack sighed. "In the Universe that I'm from. I'm not from this Universe."
"You're mad," Ianto said incredulously. "Completely mad."
"Ianto, you work for Torchwood," Jack reasoned. "If I'm right, you were just speaking to the Doctor, an alien from the planet Gallifrey. You know it's possible. Scan me. I'm sure that PDA of yours has a boost of some type of alien tech that will show you that what I'm saying is the truth."
Knowing that the fastest way to get to the bottom of this was to do the scan, Ianto entered the appropriate keystrokes and watched as the enhanced PDA scanned the actor. A soft beep indicated that the scan was complete and Ianto looked down at the data flashing across the screen.
"It's true," he whispered wonderingly. "You're really from another Universe. Shit."
Jack grinned, almost bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Oh, Ianto Jones, the stories I could tell you! Don't you have a Rift alert to check out?"
Ianto shook his head, bringing his mind back to the task at hand. "You're right. This can wait for another time. You're welcome to stay here, I'll be back as soon as I'm done."
The actor snorted. "Yeah, right. That could be three days from now. I'll go with you."
"I can't take you with me," Ianto exclaimed. "You're a civilian."
"You're wasting time," Jack pointed out.
Huffing in irritation, Ianto grabbed his keys and stalked towards the front door. "Fine, we can argue about it in the car." He looked back at the other man and cocked his eyebrow. "Well? Are you coming?"
Jack's grin could more accurately be termed a leer. "Not yet, but chasing aliens has been known to get my juices flowing."
"Good god," Ianto murmured opening his car door and settling behind the wheel. "Do those lines actually work?"
The actor just laughed and strapped himself into his seat.
Ianto concentrated as best he could on following the directions to the Rift alert but his mind was whirling with hundreds of questions. Jack spoke before Ianto could gather his thoughts enough to ask any of them.
"Was I right, about you talking to the Doctor?" he asked curiously.
"Yes, the Doctor is the Director of Torchwood," Ianto answered absently, startled when the man next to him gave a surprised whistle.
"How the hell did that happen?" Jack questioned.
"Queen Victoria knighted us after we saved her from a lupine-wavelength haemovariform," Ianto smiled in reminiscence. "She asked us to stay and help set up the Torchwood Institute to protect the Earth from other aliens."
"He actually stayed around?" Jack's shock was obvious. "Wait a minute, you travelled with him?"
"Yes, I travelled with the Doctor - and Rose," Ianto replied, subdued.
"Rose Tyler?" Jack asked, a fond smile on his face.
Ianto gave him a sidewise glance. "If you tell me you shagged her, I may have to shoot myself." He thought for a moment. "Or you."
"No, I never shagged Rose," Jack admitted, laughing. "She only had eyes for the Doctor." He paused. "Are you saying you did?"
"We were in love," Ianto replied sadly. "Even thinking about getting married – until Tolka Quay."
"Tolka Quay? In Dublin? What happened there?"
"The battle between the Daleks and a race known only as the 456." Ianto sighed, shaking his head. "Torchwood Caoran never had a chance. The Daleks destroyed the 456 but not before the 456 released a deadly virus in the lower floors of Caoran tower. Their bio-hazard air filtration system kept it confined; unfortunately everyone from the upper floors were rushing down to escape the Daleks."
"How many?" Jack asked, his voice cracking.
"Nine hundred and eighty-two," Ianto stated baldly.
"Rose?"
Ianto shook his head. "No, I sometimes think it would have been better. We were on the top floor helping the Doctor. He'd managed to find a way to suck the Daleks into the Void. Rose got knocked loose and was being sucked in. I couldn't get to her in time."
"I'm sorry," Jack murmured, placing his hand comfortingly on Ianto's knee. He continued bitterly. "At least the Daleks did one thing right; they destroyed this world's 456."
"You encountered them, too?" Ianto asked.
"I lost everything to them," Jack replied flatly.
Placing his hand over the hand on his knee, Ianto squeezed lightly. The rest of the trip passed silently, each man lost in his own thoughts.
><><><><><><
Ianto read the data from his scan of the abandoned warehouse. "One life sign, endothermic. From the movement and location, it appears to be flying. Approximately 20 kilos."
"Ianto, do you happen to have any nets in your kit?" Jack had been studying the warehouse intently, now he turned to Ianto with an odd look on his face.
"No, we have quality kit but no nets," Ianto replied in confusion.
"High powered sedative? Rope? Chocolate?" Jack continued.
Ianto frowned at the last item. "Chocolate?!"
"Yep, preferably dark," the actor continued.
"Mad," Ianto muttered grabbing sedative, rope and a couple bars of chocolate out of his emergency stash. "Utterly mad."
Jack's grin was infectious. "You'll see," he promised, winking.
They advanced to the door, opening it cautiously and slipping inside. Ianto caught his breath at the sight that greeted them. A pterosaur flew past them overhead, squawking shrilly.
The animal landed at the far side of the warehouse and awkwardly turned to face them. It seemed to be favouring its right leg and Ianto could see that its foot appeared burnt and shrivelled. He turned when the man next to him gasped.
"Ianto, do a scan for a device emitting a frequency of 1900 mega-hertz with a standard Torchwood data-burst," Jack demanded frantically.
Ianto began the scan, his PDA confirming the existence of the tracker immediately.
"My God, it's her," Jack whispered in awe, tears falling silently. "Myfanwy. My Myfanwy."
"It's from your world?" Ianto shook his head incredulously. "You had a dinosaur for a pet?"
Jack chuckled wetly. "She was more a mascot than a pet, except to…" He broke off and wiped his eyes. "I thought she was killed when the Hub was blown up. The explosion that close to the Rift must have thrown her across the multi-verse."
He began to walk slowly toward the agitated animal. "Shh, girl. It's okay. It's me, Jack. Remember me?"
Ianto watched in stupefied silence as the man deliberately moved closer to the wounded creature.
"Ianto, toss me one of the bars of chocolate," Jack murmured. "Get ready to come around the other side and sedate her."
Tossing the candy to the other man, Ianto watched as Jack unwrapped the bar, keeping his movements slow and steady. "Are you crazy? That thing is going to rip you to shreds."
Jack ignored his words of caution, still talking soothingly to the beast while he tossed it bits of chocolate.
"That's it; chocolate is your favourite, isn't it?" he murmured. "It's good for your serotonin levels, although we never did find out if you had serotonin levels. He could never convince you to let Owen get close enough to you to test your blood."
Ianto was startled when Jack said Owen's name. He wondered if any of the others had worked for Jack's Torchwood. Realising that his pondering wasn't doing anything to capture the pterosaur, he grasped the sedative tightly in his hand and began to creep up behind the animal quietly.
Just as he reached her, she swung her head around, squawked and took off, grabbing the back of his jacket as she went.
"Shit!" he yelled, clutching the animal's leg convulsively and hoping that, when he fell, he wouldn't break his damn neck. Looking down, he sighed. "Well, it's not that far down, it's doubtful a fall will kill me."
Grasping the syringe with the sedative in it, he reached up and injected the drug into the creature's leg. It worked immediately, the talons holding onto his jacket relaxed and he could feel his grip loosening.
"So much for dignity," he murmured to himself as his hold gave way and he started to fall.
Twisting in mid-air, Ianto realised that Jack had positioned himself underneath him. He isn't going to try to catch me, is he? Ianto thought, just before crashing heavily into the man and tumbling both of them to the ground.
The quiet grunt from the actor sounded for a moment like he'd said ‘déjà vu' but then Ianto was being rolled over and over until they were several feet away and Jack was lying on top of him. They were both breathless and laughing as the pterosaur landed right where they'd been lying.
Ianto turned his head and looked up into Jack's deep blue eyes - eyes that were darkening and getting closer to him until everything faded away except for those shining eyes.
Soft lips moved tentatively against his, advancing and retreating without satisfying. He threaded his fingers through Jack's thick hair and held the man still in order to plunder the dark recesses of the actor's mouth.
Gasping for breath, they pulled apart at the sound of Ianto's mobile ringing insistently in his pocket.
"I should get that," Ianto whispered, trailing the back of his hand down Jack's smooth cheek.
Jack nodded and moved off of Ianto before rising to his feet. He reached down a hand to help Ianto off the floor as Ianto dug in his pocket for his phone.
"Doctor, hello," he answered. "No, just fine – nothing dangerous. In fact, we'll have a new pet in the Hub. What? Oh, you're going to love it…you'll be the only head of a secret agency with it's very own pterosaur…"
><><><><><><
Loading the sedated animal into the back of Ianto's vehicle didn't take very long and the two men were soon on their way to Torchwood. The drive was completed in relative silence, each man lost in their own thoughts.
Ianto turned into the alley and parked next to one of the back entrances to the Torchwood Hub. He was still lost in his thoughts as he rounded the back of the car and didn't see the Weevil until it was too late. There was a flash of pain just before everything went dark. The last thing he heard was Jack's anguished cry of, "No!"
Gasping back to life several minutes later, the first thing Ianto was aware of was being held tightly against a strong chest, being rocked back and forth. Jack's head was buried in the crook of Ianto's neck and shoulder; the actor murmuring brokenly against his skin.
"You can't be gone," Jack wept. "I can't lose you again, not like this. Please, Ianto. Please don't leave me again."
"Jack?" Ianto said softly, knowing this was going to be a difficult explanation. "Jack, it's okay. I'm here."
"Ianto?" Jack raised his head, his arms tightening around Ianto's body. "B-but you were dead. How is this possible?"
"It's a long story, Jack," Ianto explained. "Something happened to me while I was travelling with the Doctor a long time ago on a space station far in the future."
Ianto lost his balance as Jack suddenly pushed him away and rose to his feet. The actor began to pace back and forth, running his hands through his hair and muttering to himself.
"No, no, this is all wrong. This isn't right. You're wrong," Jack shouted. Ianto moved to step closer to Jack but stopped when the man cringed away from him. "This isn't supposed to happen - ever. How did it happen? Tell me!"
"Rose. We were fighting the Daleks," Ianto began but Jack interrupted him.
"How long did he leave you there?" Jack demanded. "How did you get back?"
Ianto frowned in confusion. "Leave me there? What are you talking about? They didn't leave me there; the Doctor wouldn't have done that even if Rose had let him. The Doctor got Rose settled into the TARDIS and came looking for me, even though he was dying."
Jack's entire frame seemed to sag. "But, no, that's not right. He's a Time Lord and you're a fixed point – you're wrong, a freak." Jack's voice sounded like it was coming from a great distance. "I can't - I can't do this. I'm sorry, I've got to go."
Ianto stood in the alley next to his car, shocked to the core, as he watched Jack Harkness walk out of his life for the second time. ***
Ianto couldn't begin to describe how intrigued he was by the possibility of another immortal in the Universe. None of his friends or family could really understand what it was like for him, except for the Doctor; which is why the Doctor was the only person that Ianto had told the truth to about Jack.
He'd also worked out that Jack had quite likely known, and loved, his alternate self in that other Universe. From Jack's reaction to his death, he thought it was a safe bet that the other Ianto Jones had died in the line of duty.
His musings were interrupted by the sound of the bell over the door of the bookshop. Sighing, he looked up to see Gwen and Rhys walking in. Gwen was beaming with excitement and waving a small slip of paper in her hand.
"Ianto, have we got something for you," she exclaimed. "You're going to love me so much you'll want to hug me every single day for the rest of my life!"
"What's that, then?" Ianto said indulgently.
They'd been close ever since his mom had married her dad when he was four and Gwen was nine. Now she was thirty-two and he was eighty-five but the years apart hadn't damaged their relationship at all.
"I am holding the private number of Jack Harkness' London agent, Martha Jones," Gwen crowed in delight. "You think about him all the time, now you can ring him!"
Ianto accepted the slip of paper and smiled warmly at his sister. "Thanks, Gwen," he said. "That's great."
"It is great, isn't it?" she replied happily. "See you later tonight, right? You're going to be there for my debut as hostess at the restaurant come Weevil or invasion by Dalek."
"Oi, are you trying to invite the apocalypse down on us, Ms. Cooper?" the Doctor admonished, entering the bookstore from the hidden entrance.
Rhys and Ianto collapsed in laughter at the comical look on Gwen's face. It was the look that Ianto privately called her guppy face.
Glaring at her brother and her new boss, Gwen grinned at the Doctor. "Oh, you, don't be silly. The Daleks wouldn't dare mess with me tonight."
The Doctor chuckled indulgently. "I don't think they would at that."
Grabbing Rhys' hand, Gwen pulled him toward the door. She looked back over her shoulder and winked at the Doctor. "By the way, Doc – you're looking very sexy in that blue suit!"
Ianto watched her run out the door, Rhys in tow, still chuckling at the astonished yet smug look on the Doctor's face. He glanced down at the telephone number in his hand and sighed. Folding the paper neatly, he dropped it in the waste bin next to his desk.
He glanced up to see the Doctor watching him with a questioning look on his face.
"He knows where to find me," he said quietly.
"And you?" the Doctor asked. "How long will you wait for him?"
Ianto looked down at his hands. "I'm not waiting for him, not really, but – we both have time. It's not waiting; it's just leaving myself open to future possibilities."
><><><><><><><
Ianto looked up as Toshiko tapped a spoon against her wine glass and delicately cleared her throat.
"I have a little speech to make but I won't stand up because I can't…be bothered," she began, sticking her tongue out at the assorted groans from the gathered friends at her dark humour. "Exactly one year ago today, Rhys took a chance and opened the finest restaurant in Cardiff."
"Cheers, Tosh," Rhys grinned.
"Being the fantastic chef that we all knew he was, it wasn't very long before there was a waiting list to get a reservation," she continued. "Tonight, we're here to celebrate Cymdeithion being awarded not just one, but two Michelin stars!"
Amid cries of ‘Hear, hear' and ‘Congratulations', Rhys popped the cork on a bottle of Dom Perignon and filled everyone's glasses. After the first toast to Rhys, Andy stood up.
"Since we're celebrating accomplishments this evening, I thought you all might be interested to know," he began, "that DI Kathy Swanson finally said yes to a date next Saturday evening."
"A toast," Rhys exclaimed. "To Torchwood agent Andy Davidson, whose prospects are definitely starting to look up."
"Thanks, mate!" Andy grinned at the chef. "Any chance of a reservation at Cardiff's most popular restaurant?"
"I said your prospects were looking up," Rhys joked. "Not to start expecting miracles."
Ianto was laughing with the rest of them and almost didn't hear Gwen's voice until she stood up.
"I have an announcement as well," she said. "Uhm…I've decided to get engaged."
The silence that followed her statement was broken by the sound of Ianto's chair being pushed back. He remained seated at her gesture but tensed in preparation for – something.
"I've found myself a nice, slightly average looking bloke who I know is going to make me happy for the rest of my life," Gwen announced.
"Wait a minute," Ianto protested. "I'm your brother and I don't know anything about this."
"I'll keep you informed," Gwen said archly as she sat back down.
Excited babble broke out all around him but Ianto just watched his sister closely. When she leant over and whispered something to Rhys, suspicion overcame him that he knew exactly whom his sister intended to marry. Suspicion that became certainty when Rhys' face lit up and the man kissed Gwen soundly.
"Looks like we're going to need more champagne," Owen murmured quietly.
Ianto nodded his agreement but couldn't tear his eyes away from his sister and his good friend.
"Are you okay with that?" Owen asked sympathetically, gesturing to where Gwen and Rhys were still plastered together.
"Yeah, Rhys is a good bloke and he'll balance her out," Ianto replied, glancing towards his best friend. "Besides, even if I didn't approve, do you really think Gwen would listen to me?"
Owen eyed the headstrong woman in question and shook his head, chuckling. "No, probably not." He studied his closest friend. "What about you? Anything you want to share?"
"Well, I have, as you know, been slightly down in the mouth lately," Ianto deadpanned.
Owen snorted. "There's an understatement. I've seen three day dead aliens in better form."
Ianto rolled his eyes. "Yes, well, I've turned a corner and intend to be impressively happy from here on out."
"So, you don't give a damn about the famous bloke?" Owen enquired archly.
"Other than wishing him well," Ianto replied. "No."
"Which means you won't be distracted by the fact that he's back in Cardiff and can be found filming at the castle most days?" Owen laid a copy of the South Wales Echo in front of him, folded to show a picture of Jack standing in front of Cardiff Castle in period costume.
"Fuck," Ianto muttered.
"So, not over him then, eh?" Owen smirked.
"Sometimes, Owen, I really hate you."
><><><><><><><
Ianto approached the barrier keeping curious onlookers, of which there were quite a few, away from the filming area and crew. A security guard stepped forward and halted Ianto in front of the makeshift gate.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"Yes, I was, uhm…" Ianto paused. "I was looking for Jack Harkness."
The guard gave Ianto a knowing look. "Does he know you're coming?"
Knowing his cheeks were tinged with pink, Ianto replied, "No, no he doesn't."
"I'm afraid I can't let you through, sir," the guard stated.
Tempted to use his Torchwood ID, Ianto resisted the impulse. "I am actually a friend, not some lunatic."
The guard just shrugged and turned away. Ianto's attention was caught by a trailer door opening a few yards away. Jack stepped down dressed as a 19th century gentleman. Ianto's breath caught at how natural the actor looked in the period costume.
Jack turned to say something to the attractive black woman that had followed him out of the trailer, his gaze sweeping across the lot and landing on Ianto. The actor's body tensed and he began to walk towards where Ianto waited.
His eyes completely on the man walking over to him, Ianto barely acknowledged the security guard standing aside to let him through the barrier. Finally coming to a halt in front of Jack, Ianto stood awkwardly, forgetting everything he wanted to say.
"This is a, uh…" Jack's voice trailed off an uncertain smile on his face.
"I only just found out that you were here," Ianto admitted.
Jack shifted nervously. "I was going to ring but…I wasn't sure…after last time…"
"Jack," the woman's London accent managed to convey both interest and impatience at the same time.
The actor acknowledged the unspoken suggestion and half-shrugged in apology. "Sorry, things are – not going well on set and today is our last day."
"No, I'm sorry," Ianto hastened to reply. "I'm interrupting when you're clearly very busy."
He turned to walk away, not really sure why he'd come in the first place, and was startled when felt Jack's hand on his arm halting his retreat.
"Don't go," Jack entreated. "There are…things that need to be said."
Debating the wisdom of opening himself up to further heartache, Ianto finally nodded his agreement.
Jack's famous smile flashed across his face. "Have some tea – there's lots of tea and, trust me, the coffee is crap."
Ianto watched as the actor strode away, surrounded by hair and make up people. He'd almost forgotten the woman by his side until she spoke.
"I'm Martha Jones," she introduced herself. "Jack's agent. Want to have a look?"
Shaking himself out of his reverie, Ianto smiled and nodded. They followed the same path Jack had taken.
"So, are you a Conan Doyle fan, Mr…?" Martha asked.
"Jones. Ianto Jones," Ianto replied. "This is a Sherlock Holmes film?"
They stopped next to a bank of sound equipment being run by an elderly gentleman.
"This is Wilf," Martha said, indicating the older man. "He'll give you a pair of headphones so you can hear the dialogue."
She walked off leaving Ianto to watch the controlled chaos around him. Wilf handed him the headphones, showing him the volume controls, and Ianto placed them over his ears scanning the actors for Jack.
He saw Jack standing on the castle steps with another actor. Ianto recognised the man who was obviously playing Watson but couldn't remember his name. Some Welsh bloke with three names that Gwen insisted looked just like him. Ianto had never seen the resemblance. He jumped when the young actor's voice sounded in his ear.
"We are living in cloud cuckoo land," the man fretted. "We'll never get this done today."
"We have to," Jack replied absently. "I have to be in New York on Thursday."
"Stop showing off," the other man said irritably. He turned to watch an actress walk past in front of them. "God, that's an enormous arse."
Ianto rolled his eyes when he saw Jack turn and eye the woman himself. "I'm not listening."
"No, but seriously – it's not fair," the younger actor continued. "So many tragic young girls with anorexia and that girl has an arse that she could share round to at least ten different other women – and she'd still be big-bottomed."
"I said I'm not listening," Jack insisted. "I think, looking at something that firm - at your age? – you should have something on your mind besides insults."
Ianto laughed and studied the woman in question. He had to agree with Jack; that was not something to complain about – at all. His attention was drawn back to the two actors when the younger man started speaking again.
"So, who was that rather diffident chap you were talking to on the way up?"
Jack seemed to be gazing unseeing across the grounds. He paused before answering.
"Oh, no one. No one," Jack said uninterestedly. "Just some…guy from the past. I'm not even sure what he's doing here. It's a bit of an awkward situation really."
"Of course," Ianto muttered to himself taking off the headphones. "What was I thinking, coming here?"
He set the headphones on the table and murmured a ‘thank you' to Wilf. He took one last look at Jack and sighed before turning and walking away without looking back. ***
They'd learnt something from the experience, though – Weevils couldn't swim. As if the team doctor knew Ianto was thinking about him, Owen's voice sounded in his comm unit.
"Get your arse up here, Jones," Owen growled. "There's a delivery."
Wondering why the Doctor continued to send Owen to cover the bookstore, Ianto huffed in annoyance and started making his way up to the secret entrance from the Hub.
"Taking deliveries is part of covering the bookshop, Owen," Ianto sniped.
"It's not for the shop, you git," the medic barked. "It's for you personally."
Ianto slipped into the backroom through the hidden door and walked into the shop. He stopped short when he saw Jack Harkness standing nervously next to the counter. Ianto didn't even notice that Owen had gone back down to the Hub, locking the outer door on the way.
The actor was dressed in a style unlike anything Ianto had seen him in previously. The dark grey trousers, blue button-up shirt with white t-shirt underneath, braces and boots reminded Ianto of the flyboys he'd met during World War II. Ianto had to admit that the style looked good on him. All that was missing was the coat.
"Hi," Jack said. "You, uhm, you disappeared yesterday."
"Yes, I had to leave. I'm sorry," Ianto apologised. "I didn't want to disturb you."
"How have you been, Ianto?" Jack asked diffidently.
Ianto knew his smile didn't quite reach his eyes but he still smiled. "Fine. Everything is pretty much the same, except Gwen." Here his smile warmed his entire face. "She proposed to Rhys night before last. I don't think they were even dating first."
Jack's rich laugh echoed through the shop. "That sounds like Gwen. She always was impulsive and headstrong."
"Did you know all of us, then?" Ianto asked quietly. "In your Universe? Even me?"
A brief look of intense sadness crossed the actor's face as he nodded slowly. "Yes. You, Gwen, Owen, Toshiko. You all were my team; my family really. Until I lost them all."
"How?" Ianto could feel that Jack needed to talk about them and quietly encouraged him.
"How isn't important now; just the fact that they're gone," Jack replied sadly. He seemed to shake off his melancholy mood and squared his shoulders as if bracing for a dreaded task. "The past isn't why I came to see you today, other than to apologise for my behavior the last time we saw each other."
Ianto remained silent, not sure what Jack wanted but willing to find out.
"Yesterday was our last day of filming so I'm off," Jack explained hesitantly. He touched the flat package leaning against the bookshelves next to him. "I, uhm, I brought you this from home. I thought I'd give it to you."
"Thank you, should I…?" Ianto asked, gesturing towards the wrapped package. It was about 2' x 3' and wrapped in heavy brown paper.
"No, don't open it yet," Jack insisted. "I – no."
Bewildered, Ianto aceded to Jack's request and set the gift aside. "I don't know what it's for, but thank you."
"I actually had in my apartment in New York and it reminded me of you," Jack said. "I wasn't sure at first. It's just been sitting in the hotel, but then you showed up and I thought, maybe…"
"Maybe what, Jack?" Ianto asked softly.
The actor straightened his shoulders, his confidant smile tinged with uncertainty. "I have to go away today but I wondered, if I didn't, if maybe…dinner? A movie? Maybe see if you could like me again."
"Jack, my liking you isn't the issue," Ianto began. "Yesterday, that actor asked you who I was and you just dismissed me. I heard you – you both had microphones. I was wearing headphones."
"You expect me to tell the truth about my life to the most indiscreet man in Wales?" Jack asked incredulously. "Nothing is off limit when that man drinks."
"Okay, what about the Ianto Jones you lost?" Ianto challenged. "He was more than just a team member, wasn't he? He was your lover?"
"Yes, he was," Jack admitted. "And when I first met you, yes, I was attracted because it was like a second chance with him. I loved him but I never told him. I think he knew – I hope he knew before I lost him to the 456."
Ianto started at the name of the aliens that had been partially responsible for Rose's loss. He could tell that the other man was struggling to control his emotions and gave him time to collect himself.
"When I came back last time," Jack continued. "I thought it was because I'd put all that behind me. Yes, I loved him and lost him – and I'll always remember him – but you are a different person. I wanted to get to know you. Then I found out that you're like I am; immortal. And I found myself resentful – why you and not him? Why didn't the Doctor abandon you on the Game Station like he did me? So I ran."
Not knowing what to say, Ianto kept quiet, waiting for Jack to finish.
"I've spent the last couple of months confronting and working through those feelings," Jack said earnestly. "I finally realised that Ianto, my Ianto, would kick my arse from here to the Orion Nebula if I let a chance at love pass me by again. I want to be with you, the Ianto Jones standing right in front of me. I want to give us a chance. Do you – do you think…?"
Before Ianto could even think about answering, the hidden door to the base opened and Owen, Andy and the Doctor rushed out.
"Sorry, mate," Owen called. "Weevil alert. It's just one, so no worries. Tosh is on comms. Nice seeing you again, Harkness!"
Ianto blinked as the door slammed shut behind the medic. He shook his head and smirked when he heard the lock click home, realising that Tosh was probably down in the Hub watching the whole scene play out on CCTV. Bet she's got a bowl of popcorn, too.
He watched Jack shift nervously in front of him and pondered what the actor had said. Ianto wanted to believe that Jack wasn't just trying to replace his dead lover with a doppelganger but he was afraid to.
"I apologise for that," he said, gesturing towards the door and stalling for time.
"No," Jack hurriedly replied. "That's okay. There's always a pause while the jury considers it's verdict."
"I want to believe you, Jack, but I'm just not…" Ianto sighed and ran his hand through his hair, discreetly making sure his comm unit was turned off. "Look, can I just say ‘no' to your request and leave it at that?"
Jack's face showed surprise and a brief flash of hurt at Ianto's words before he smiled sadly. "Yes, that's fine. I understand. Of course, I'll just be leaving then. It was nice to see you again."
"It's just, the truth is," Ianto explained. "With you I'm in real danger of losing my heart. You say you want to be with me but I don't think I'd recover if you discovered it wasn't really me after all. There are just too many pictures of you everywhere, too many films. You'd go and I'd be, well, buggered, basically."
"I see," Jack said. He paused before he went on. "That really is a real no, isn't it?"
He turned to go and then turned back again. "You know, after living for hundreds of years keeping people at a distance, there's one thing I've finally learned. No matter how much it hurts, no matter the risk, you have to keep your heart open and take the chance on true love when it comes along. Otherwise, you may as well be like the Daleks – no emotions whatsoever."
Jack stepped forward and Ianto didn't resist when the actor slid his arm around Ianto's waist. "No matter how old I am or what's happened in my past or how famous I am – I'm still just a man, standing in front of another man, asking him to love me."
Ianto closed his eyes as Jack's lips brushed gently against his own, only opening them again when the actor released him and stepped back.
"Good bye, Ianto Jones," Jack murmured, turning to leave.
Ianto watched as Jack walked out the door without looking back. He had to restrain himself from running after the man and telling him he'd made a terrible mistake.
><><><><><><
"So, what do you think?" Ianto asked. "Good move?"
They were all gathered in the closed bookshop – the Doctor, Gwen, Toshiko, Owen and Andy. The only one missing was Rhys, and he was on the way.
Gwen waded in where the rest of them feared to go. "Good move," she agreed. "After all is said and done, he wasn't all that. I saw him taking his trousers off and I definitely saw a bit of cellulite down there."
Ianto chuckled half-heartedly, giving his sister a fond look.
"Good decision," Tosh said bracingly. "All actors are mad as snakes anyway."
"Great," Ianto said, relieved. "Doctor?"
"Never met him," the Doctor replied. "Never will."
Ianto moved on quickly; he knew the Doctor was watching him closely and just waiting to get a moment alone to interrogate him.
"Brilliant. Owen?" Ianto asked.
"Absolutely," the medic retorted. "Never trust a bloody American."
"Excellent," Ianto said. "Thank you."
At that point, Rhys breezed through the door. "I was called and I came. What's up?"
Ianto was grateful when Gwen hastened to explain. "Ianto has just turned down Jack Harkness."
"You daft prick!" Rhys exclaimed.
"Ianto?" Tosh questioned. "That painting – it isn't the original, is it?"
Ianto looked down at the partially unwrapped canvas of the Chagall painting Mariee.
"Yes, I think this one may be," he confirmed. He watched their faces carefully.
"But, he said he wanted to date you, right?" Andy asked.
"Yes," Ianto answered. "Sort of, I think."
"That's nice," Andy mused. "Someone saying they want to go out with you. It's pretty great, isn't it?"
"It was kind of romantic, really," Ianto mused. "I mean, I know he's an actor and he can deliver a line – but he said it didn't matter about his past or his fame, he was still just a man, standing in front of another man, asking him to love him."
He looked up and saw the looks on their faces. Andy was staring dreamily off into the distance, Tosh was staring at him almost pityingly, Owen looked like he wanted to hit someone – mainly Ianto, the Doctor was watching him knowingly, Gwen looked completely gobsmacked and Rhys was looking at him like he was the stupidest man on the planet.
"Oh fuck," Ianto exclaimed. "I've made the wrong choice, haven't I?"
He saw them all just looking at him while Rhys nodded emphatically.
"Right, who's got the keys for the SUV?"***
Ianto clambered into the front passenger seat, Owen to his right and everyone else climbing into the back."Okay," Owen crowed. "If anyone gets in our way, we have small nuclear devices!"
"Owen, the Doctor said you couldn't install those," Ianto admonished. "You didn't, did you?"
"Has your age started addling your wits?" Owen questioned acerbically. "Of course I didn't. It would be nice, though, wouldn't it?"
Ianto shared a boyish grin with his best friend before the medic turned to see if everyone was ready to go.
"Where's Tosh?" Owen asked.
"She's not coming," Gwen answered quickly.
"Oh, sod that," Owen exclaimed, climbing out the vehicle and running to get his wife. "Rhys, in the back!"
While Owen settled Toshiko in the back seat, Ianto stowed her wheelchair in the boot. Rhys squeezed in next to it and gave him a thumbs up.
Once they were all settled, Ianto heard Tosh's voice ask the question he'd been dreading.
"So, where are we going?"
"The St. David's," Ianto replied. "All I can think is the St. David's."
><><><><><><
"You should take the Central Link road to the A4119," Andy insisted.
"Crazy," Tosh argued. "Take Lloyd George Ave past the Millenium Stadium."
"That's right," Gwen agreed. "Then the A4232."
"Or you could go down Dumballs Road," Rhys called from the far back.
"No!" Ianto yelled.
He had to brace his arm against the dash as Owen slammed on the brakes.
"Just stop right there," Owen demanded. "I will decide the route, all right?"
Ianto rolled his eyes as the rest of the group grumbled their assent.
Starting the vehicle moving again, Owen grouched, "James Bond never has to put up with this sort of shit."
><><><><><><
The SUV screeched to a halt in front of the St. David's Hotel and Ianto jumped out almost before the vehicle stopped moving. Gwen was hot on his heels.
"Bloody hell, this is fun," she swore, grinning up at him.
Shaking his head in fond exasperation, Ianto led her to the main desk in the lobby.
"May I help you, sir?" the concierge asked.
"Yes, is Mr. Harkness staying here?" Ianto inquired.
"No, sir," came the austere reply.
"How about Mr. Tintin?" Ianto asked hopefully.
Again the reply was a bored, "No, sir."
"Or Batman…maybe, I don't know, Shrek or Prince Charming?"
"No, sir," the concierge replied, shaking his head.
His shoulders slumping, Ianto stepped back. "Right. Fair enough. Thank you."
He turned to walk away, Gwen's hand placed comfortingly on his arm.
The concierge cleared his throat. "There was a Captain America in room 703 but he checked out about an hour ago. I believe he's holding a press conference at The Royal Hotel before flying on to America."
Ianto could feel the relief pouring through him, making him giddy. He almost laughed out loud when Gwen jumped up and stretched across the counter, kissing the concierge sloppily on the mouth.
><><><><><><
Ianto drummed his fingers on the dash, cursing under his breath at the snarled traffic in front of them.
"Just hit the running lights and make them move out of the way," Gwen demanded.
Glancing back at his sister, Ianto patiently explained why they couldn't abuse their Torchwood privileges.
"Bugger this for a bunch of bananas," Rhys growled, opening the back of the SUV and climbing out.
Ianto watched in disbelief as the Welshman boldly walked out into the traffic, opening up a path for them. As they worked their way through the maze of cars, Gwen rolled down her window and leant out.
"You're my hero!" she yelled at her fiance, grinning broadly.
><><><><><><><
Ianto rushed into the lobby of The Royal Hotel. "Excuse me," he asked breathlessly. "Where is the press conference?"
The man at the front desk looked down his nose. "Are you an accredited member of the press?"
Once more seriously tempted to use his Torchwood ID, Ianto pulled out a card and flashed it at the man quickly.
"Yes," the clerk replied condescendingly. "That's a Blockbuster video membership card, sir."
"That's right," Ianto tried to bluff. "I work for their in-house magazine ‘Movies are our Business'."
"I'm sorry, sir," the man began.
"He's with me," Toshiko's voice echoed across the lobby.
"And you are…?" the clerk asked.
Tosh smiled as she wheeled her chair closer to the main desk. "I'm writing an article on how Cardiff hotels treat people in wheelchairs."
Ianto choked back a laugh at her audicity and raised a questioning eyebrow at the desk clerk.
"Of course, madam," he replied. "It's in the Scott Room. I'm afraid you're rather late."
Ianto took off at a run, wondering what the hell he was going to say when he got in there. He opened a side door and slipped quietly into the room, a little intimidated at the sheer number of people and cameras gathered there.
Jack was sitting at a table at the front of the room, Martha next to him and a bank of microphones gathered on the table in front of him. Ianto saw him take a sip of water as Martha singled out a reporter from the crowd.
"Yes, you…Dominic," Jack's agent said.
"How much longer are you staying in the UK, then?" the man, Dominic, asked.
"No time at all," Jack replied. "I fly out tonight."
Ianto's heart ached at the look of tired resignation on Jack's face.
"Which is why we need to wrap this up," Martha insisted, pointing at another journalist.
"Is your decision to take a year off anything to do with the rumors about John Hart and his present leading lady?" the reporter asked.
"Absolutely not," Jack answered emphatically.
"Do you believe the rumors?" the same reporter asked.
"It's really not my business anymore," Jack stated. "Though I will say, from experience, that rumors about John do tend to be true."
Ianto watched as all the reporters scrambled to make notes on that juicy bit of gossip. Like vultures, he thought disgustedly, working his way closer to the front of the crowd.
"Jack, the last few times you've been to Cardiff, you've been seen in the company of a young Welshman," a reporter insinuated. "What's happening there?"
Holding his breath in anticipation of Jack's answer, Ianto watched the actor's smile dim.
"We're just friends," Jack responded, subdued.
Before he realised what he was doing, Ianto raised his hand to ask a question.
"Yes, you in the red shirt." Martha pointed directly at him.
A little nervous, Ianto asked his question. "Mr. Harkness, are there any circumstances in which you two might be more than just friends?"
He watched Jack's head snap up from where he'd been staring at the table and caught his breath at the look of hope in those stunningly blue eyes.
"I had hoped there would be," Jack answered directly into the microphone. "But I was assured that there wasn't."
"What would you say…?" Ianto began, only to be cut short by Martha.
"No, I'm sorry, only one question per person," she dismissed.
"It's okay," Jack hurriedly assured his agent. He looked back at Ianto. "You were saying?"
"Yes, I wondered whether, if this man realised that he'd been a daft prick," Ianto continued. "And got down on his knees and begged you to reconsider, if you would, in fact, reconsider?"
Ianto smiled as Jack's eyes started to shine. He barely noticed that Toshiko, Gwen, Owen, Andy and Rhys had all entered the conference room and were situated next to him.
Jack leant closer to the microphone, never taking his eyes off of Ianto. "Why, yes, I believe I would."
Grinning broadly, Ianto teasingly replied. "That is very good news. The readers of Horse and Hound will be delighted."
He saw Jack whisper something to Martha and a confused look crossed the agent's face. Shrugging slightly, she turned back to one of the reporters.
"Dominic, if you'd like to ask your question again," she invited.
Bewildered, the reporter asked, "Jack, how long are you intending to stay here in Wales?"
Jack looked questioningly at Ianto, who smiled and nodded. Jack's blinding grin flashed across his face as he answered.
"Indefinitely."
Tonight a full moon is shining brightly over the city we both protect. The light is illuminating the Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve where we are settled on ‘our' bench. My head is pillowed on Ianto's thigh; his fingers trailing idly through my hair. I can't help but smile as the small life inside of me stretches under my hand. I've been feeling little flutters for a week or two now, but nothing I could share with Ianto. This is different. His excited exclamation echoes through the warm night air as he feels our child move underneath his hand. I couldn't help but think back to that afternoon over a hundred years ago, when I had walked into his tiny, little, second-hand bookshop. I'd been so shocked to see Ianto Jones standing there, alive and well and making coffee. I knew there was a possibility of meeting this Universe's Ianto but I truly wasn't prepared for the reality. Standing next to him at our wedding reception four months after that fateful press conference was one of the happiest moments of my long life. Ianto was gorgeous in his morning coat and top hat; I could barely keep my hands to myself. The subdued glint of titanium shining from our left hands matched the glow that suffused my entire being. I couldn't resist pulling my new husband closer and snogging him senseless. Laughing breathlessly, Ianto led me to the dance floor and pulled me into his arms. Remembering the last wedding I'd danced at, I couldn't help but look at the familiar faces that surrounded us. They were the same-yet worlds different-from the people I'd known then. Gwen, the maid of honour this time and not the bride, was keeping an eye on the serving staff of the restaurant. She was never far away from her fiancé, Rhys. He was supervising the placement of our wedding cake – a triangular confection he'd created that had a goat playing a violin on the side. Owen, full of life, laughter and love, was holding Toshiko in his arms. Using a discrete bit of alien tech to make her feather light, he danced her around the room; her feet dangling just above the floor and her arms looped around his neck. I had to laugh at the look on Andy's face. He was standing patiently still while his girlfriend, Kathy Swanson, straightened his waistcoat and tie. Watching the Doctor standing next to my agent, Martha Jones, was surreal. Her face was a picture in astonishment while the Doc gestured excitedly about whatever he was describing… I never thought I'd see Ianto Jones as nervous as he was two months after our wedding when our limousine stopped at the edge of the red carpet for the world premiere of Sherlock Holmes. Light bulbs flashed everywhere as we stepped out of the vehicle. When I saw him chewing nervously on his lip, I couldn't resist leaning forward and kissing him softly. Cheers and whistles followed us along the walkway as I waved to my fans. Ianto clutched my hand in his, only relaxing his grip as we entered the theatre. I've realized that I will never get tired of running through the back alleys of Cardiff with my husband, chasing Weevils and subduing them. Even though there is no real danger to either of us, the chase still raises our adrenaline level. It's not always me who can't wait to get back to the Hub or our home to act on that rush, either. Ianto is just as likely to crowd me up against the side of the vehicle and have his way with me as I am with him. In fact, I think that may be how this little one was conceived. In spite of all the heart-ache and loss we've both endured to get to this point; losing our friends, families, even the Doctor; we still have each other – and I wouldn't change that for the world. fin ***
Epilogue
