Torchwood -- Snow Day
Title: Snow Day
redismycolour Challenge: Day Twenty-Six
Date Written: 1/29/09
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 1041
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, past Ianto/Lisa, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, OC
Spoilers: Doctor Who 02, Torchwood 01
Warnings: None
Author Notes: Sort of sequel to my horizonssing piece Hidden Asset.
winter came down to our home one night
quietly pirouetting in on
silver-toed slippers of snow
and we, we were children once again
-Bill Morgan, Jr.
Gwen’s head popped around the doorframe of Jack’s office. “Jack, I’m worried.”
Words that instilled fear into Jack’s heart, he stopped mid-pen stroke. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Ianto,” the dark-haired woman said, stepping properly into the office. “He’s usually the first one in and it’s nine-thirty and…”
Jack smiled a little. “It’s okay. He’s taking a personal day.”
“Is he sick?”
Her concern was heartwarming, but Jack knew that Ianto still had things he wanted private, separate from Torchwood. “No, he’s just taking a personal day,” Jack repeated with a smile.
Gwen frowned and tilted her head to the side. “Jack, if he’s sick we should go and check on him…”
Through the doorway, he could see Toshiko and Owen watching him expectantly. They knew Ianto’s secret through almost a year working with him.
“Fine,” Jack finally said. Ianto was going to kill him. “Get your coat, it’s snowing out.”
-----
Gwen laughed out loud when they pulled up in front of a little house with a snowman in the front yard. “Kids are out of school, I see.”
“It is a snow day,” Jack confirmed, throwing the SUV in park.
They climbed out, feet crunching through the snow as they walked to the front door. The sounds of kids enjoying their day off of school echoed up and down the street, making Jack smile. Gwen knocked on the front door, frowning when there was no answer.
As she rapped at the door again, Jack wandered off around the side of the house, towards a fenced off back garden. “Jack,” she called after him, “the lights are out. Maybe he’s just sleeping.”
“Nope.” Jack put his hands on the top of the wooden fence, grinning. “I know where he is.”
Gwen gaped at him as he vaulted over the fence, coat flapping like a cape behind him. She used the latch and quietly open and closed the well-oiled door Jack had jumped over like a burglar. “What are you thinking?”
Jack put a finger to his lips and pointed, not even looking over at her. Gwen followed his gaze, and gaped again.
Ianto Jones, dogsbody of Torchwood Three, was in the backyard dressed in two sweater and jeans, helping a little three-year-old girl build a little snow fort. She was dressed in what looked like four layers of clothes, swathed in scarves and mittens and knit hats covering her dark head.
It was obvious she was Ianto’s. She was giving her play the same sort of intensity that Gwen had seen Ianto give at work. Ianto, on the other hand, was smiling softly, genuinely, and talking quietly with his daughter, looking more relaxed than she’d ever seen him.
The little girl looked up when Gwen shuffled in the snow, and let out a brilliant, toothy smile that rivaled the brilliant white of the snow around them. She hurried over, mittens falling off from her little hands and laying forgotten in the snow, and squealed with laughter when Jack scooped her up and hugged her tight. Little arms wrapped awkwardly around Jack’s neck and she landed a kiss on his cheek. Then she looked over at Gwen, eyes wide and questioning.
Ianto approached, brushing snow off the knees of his pants and stopping to pick up her mittens. “Jack, Gwen, is everything okay?”
“I think so,” the Captain replied. He looked over at Gwen. “Is he okay?”
Ianto frowned and Gwen felt her face color a little. She didn’t quite know why. “I thought you might be ill.”
The young Welshman laughed a little, his breath fogging in the cold air. “No, no, both fine.” He looked at the little girl in Jack’s arms. “But we should go inside, get a little warmed up.” She pouted and he tickled her, making her squirm against Jack’s grip. “We’ll have some hot cocoa and biscuits, hmn Beth?”
The dark head nodded, and Ianto took his daughter from Jack. “Coffee?”
-----
Gwen settled down next to Bethany, who was watching some kid’s show that taught everyone their colors. The little girl wrinkled her nose and looked over at her.
“What?”
“You’re drinking coffee,” she said, making a face.
“I am. Your Tad makes very good coffee.” Gwen looked down at her cup before looking at Bethany again. “Is that okay?”
The little girl shrugged. “I like this more,” she said, slurping on her hot cocoa.
Gwen laughed a little. “Your Tad says that you’re from London,” she said after a moment.
The little girl nodded. “Me an’ Mummy an Taddy used ta live there.” She pointed to a picture on the side table, a pretty, dark-skinned woman holding a bundle and smiling tiredly, Ianto sitting next to her and beaming away while looking terrified.
“Is this your Mummy, pet?” Gwen asked, reaching over for a better look.
Bethany nodded. “She died,” she volunteered.
Gwen’s eyebrows furrowed. “I’m sorry to hear that.” She looked down at the picture. “She was very pretty.”
“I know.”
The older woman smiled and set the picture aside. Ianto had once mentioned working for Torchwood London. “Did Mummy work with Torchwood too?”
“Uh-huh.” She drank from her cocoa again, looking back at the television.
“Are… are you okay, sweetheart?”
Beth looked up at her, confusion painted across her round little face.
“You and Taddy. Are you okay? Do you miss Mummy?”
“Sometimes,” the little girl admitted. “But Taddy tells me lotsa stories ‘bout her, and Jack does voices when he tells me stories like she used to.”
That made Gwen pause. “… Jack’s read you stories before?”
“Uh-huh. He stays over sometimes.”
“It’s not what you’re thinking,” came a voice from the doorway.
Beth gave a big wave with her whole arm, making Jack laugh and wave back. “I think I heard Taddy mention something about finishing your snowfort?”
The little girl cheered and hopped down, hurrying to find her coat. Gwen raised an eyebrow.
“He just lost a partner and he’s got a kid. I can’t just move in and set up shop overnight,” Jack told her. “Ianto also mentioned a snowball fight,” he added before sweeping out of the room again.
Gwen wondered how much Owen would complain about how long they’d been gone even as she grabbed her coat.
redismycolour Challenge: Day Twenty-Six
Date Written: 1/29/09
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 1041
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, past Ianto/Lisa, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, OC
Spoilers: Doctor Who 02, Torchwood 01
Warnings: None
Author Notes: Sort of sequel to my horizonssing piece Hidden Asset.
winter came down to our home one night
quietly pirouetting in on
silver-toed slippers of snow
and we, we were children once again
-Bill Morgan, Jr.
Gwen’s head popped around the doorframe of Jack’s office. “Jack, I’m worried.”
Words that instilled fear into Jack’s heart, he stopped mid-pen stroke. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Ianto,” the dark-haired woman said, stepping properly into the office. “He’s usually the first one in and it’s nine-thirty and…”
Jack smiled a little. “It’s okay. He’s taking a personal day.”
“Is he sick?”
Her concern was heartwarming, but Jack knew that Ianto still had things he wanted private, separate from Torchwood. “No, he’s just taking a personal day,” Jack repeated with a smile.
Gwen frowned and tilted her head to the side. “Jack, if he’s sick we should go and check on him…”
Through the doorway, he could see Toshiko and Owen watching him expectantly. They knew Ianto’s secret through almost a year working with him.
“Fine,” Jack finally said. Ianto was going to kill him. “Get your coat, it’s snowing out.”
-----
Gwen laughed out loud when they pulled up in front of a little house with a snowman in the front yard. “Kids are out of school, I see.”
“It is a snow day,” Jack confirmed, throwing the SUV in park.
They climbed out, feet crunching through the snow as they walked to the front door. The sounds of kids enjoying their day off of school echoed up and down the street, making Jack smile. Gwen knocked on the front door, frowning when there was no answer.
As she rapped at the door again, Jack wandered off around the side of the house, towards a fenced off back garden. “Jack,” she called after him, “the lights are out. Maybe he’s just sleeping.”
“Nope.” Jack put his hands on the top of the wooden fence, grinning. “I know where he is.”
Gwen gaped at him as he vaulted over the fence, coat flapping like a cape behind him. She used the latch and quietly open and closed the well-oiled door Jack had jumped over like a burglar. “What are you thinking?”
Jack put a finger to his lips and pointed, not even looking over at her. Gwen followed his gaze, and gaped again.
Ianto Jones, dogsbody of Torchwood Three, was in the backyard dressed in two sweater and jeans, helping a little three-year-old girl build a little snow fort. She was dressed in what looked like four layers of clothes, swathed in scarves and mittens and knit hats covering her dark head.
It was obvious she was Ianto’s. She was giving her play the same sort of intensity that Gwen had seen Ianto give at work. Ianto, on the other hand, was smiling softly, genuinely, and talking quietly with his daughter, looking more relaxed than she’d ever seen him.
The little girl looked up when Gwen shuffled in the snow, and let out a brilliant, toothy smile that rivaled the brilliant white of the snow around them. She hurried over, mittens falling off from her little hands and laying forgotten in the snow, and squealed with laughter when Jack scooped her up and hugged her tight. Little arms wrapped awkwardly around Jack’s neck and she landed a kiss on his cheek. Then she looked over at Gwen, eyes wide and questioning.
Ianto approached, brushing snow off the knees of his pants and stopping to pick up her mittens. “Jack, Gwen, is everything okay?”
“I think so,” the Captain replied. He looked over at Gwen. “Is he okay?”
Ianto frowned and Gwen felt her face color a little. She didn’t quite know why. “I thought you might be ill.”
The young Welshman laughed a little, his breath fogging in the cold air. “No, no, both fine.” He looked at the little girl in Jack’s arms. “But we should go inside, get a little warmed up.” She pouted and he tickled her, making her squirm against Jack’s grip. “We’ll have some hot cocoa and biscuits, hmn Beth?”
The dark head nodded, and Ianto took his daughter from Jack. “Coffee?”
-----
Gwen settled down next to Bethany, who was watching some kid’s show that taught everyone their colors. The little girl wrinkled her nose and looked over at her.
“What?”
“You’re drinking coffee,” she said, making a face.
“I am. Your Tad makes very good coffee.” Gwen looked down at her cup before looking at Bethany again. “Is that okay?”
The little girl shrugged. “I like this more,” she said, slurping on her hot cocoa.
Gwen laughed a little. “Your Tad says that you’re from London,” she said after a moment.
The little girl nodded. “Me an’ Mummy an Taddy used ta live there.” She pointed to a picture on the side table, a pretty, dark-skinned woman holding a bundle and smiling tiredly, Ianto sitting next to her and beaming away while looking terrified.
“Is this your Mummy, pet?” Gwen asked, reaching over for a better look.
Bethany nodded. “She died,” she volunteered.
Gwen’s eyebrows furrowed. “I’m sorry to hear that.” She looked down at the picture. “She was very pretty.”
“I know.”
The older woman smiled and set the picture aside. Ianto had once mentioned working for Torchwood London. “Did Mummy work with Torchwood too?”
“Uh-huh.” She drank from her cocoa again, looking back at the television.
“Are… are you okay, sweetheart?”
Beth looked up at her, confusion painted across her round little face.
“You and Taddy. Are you okay? Do you miss Mummy?”
“Sometimes,” the little girl admitted. “But Taddy tells me lotsa stories ‘bout her, and Jack does voices when he tells me stories like she used to.”
That made Gwen pause. “… Jack’s read you stories before?”
“Uh-huh. He stays over sometimes.”
“It’s not what you’re thinking,” came a voice from the doorway.
Beth gave a big wave with her whole arm, making Jack laugh and wave back. “I think I heard Taddy mention something about finishing your snowfort?”
The little girl cheered and hopped down, hurrying to find her coat. Gwen raised an eyebrow.
“He just lost a partner and he’s got a kid. I can’t just move in and set up shop overnight,” Jack told her. “Ianto also mentioned a snowball fight,” he added before sweeping out of the room again.
Gwen wondered how much Owen would complain about how long they’d been gone even as she grabbed her coat.