You Don’t See ME... THE MEETING!
You Don’t See ME... The Meeting! Part B
Ianto grabbed Jack’s hand under the table and squeezed it... hoping to calm Jack down. He was pushing down his own desires to leap over and slap Gwen into next week... and possibly the week after that... actually... for the rest of the year... but no... he said to himself... decorum at all times... so for now... he linked his fingers with those of his fiancé... yes... his fiancé... and inwardly smiled out loud!
“Right... Gwen... you think that... us... you and me... we have a relationship?”
“Yes... of course...”
“But you are engaged to Rhys... what about Rhys?”
“Well... easy... I will just tell him we are over... and that you and I are going to be a couple...”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that! Yeah why not... best to tell him straight away...”
“So you would instantly dump Rhys and jump into my bed? Is that how it goes?”
“Yeah of course... what is the problem Jack? You know what we have is real...”
“The problem? The problem Gwen is that this little scenario is pure fantasy on your part... tell me have I ever told you I love you?”
“Well... no... not exactly... but it is obvious you do... the way you flirt with me...”
“Really? And... have I ever said to you that I wanted us to be in a relationship with you?”
“What? Well... no... but you did tell me you came back for me...”
“No what I said was I came back for Ianto... and all of you as my team... the team I valued so much and thought about so much whilst I was on the Valiant. I came back because of your so-called humanitarian look on life... which had been a stark contrast to what I had gone through with the Master... That is what I said... I never said I came back for you personally... you took on that interpretation... you chose to believe that it meant something completely different.”
“But... but... you love me... I know you love me...”
“Gwen... yes I love you ... like I love all of my team... the same way I love Owen... God know’s why ...he is lucky he is still sitting on that chair... and the same way I love Tosh... I love you all as my team... the people I can depend on and look to... but... Gwen you have to understand... I am not IN love with you... I never have been...”
“What? I don’t understand...”
“Gwen the only person I have ever been in love with is Ianto... he is the only person I will ever be in love with. And Owen... as for me shagging the Tea Boy... you couldn’t be more wrong... further from the truth... Ianto is my partner... my lover... my best friend... someone who I could not possibly live without... so by you calling him names like that you are not only insulting him... but you are insulting me too... and I won’t have that happen... that stops now... do you understand Owen?”
“Mmmm.... yes boss...” Owen said rather sheepishly... he knew he was wrong... and deep down amongst his bravado and lack of emotion... he knew about fairness... and apparently he had not been fair to Ianto... he looked over at Ianto... “Sorry mate... I didn’t mean anything by it...”
Ianto nodded at Owen... accepting his apology.
Gwen sat open mouthed... she could not believe what she had just heard.
“Gwen... close your mouth dear... you don’t want too many flies to land do you?” Tosh smirked... Grief... this was better than East Enders... better than Neighbours!
Without realising... Gwen closed her mouth... well for an instant...
“Are you telling me that you and Ianto are in a relationship of some sorts and we [pointing to her colleagues] didn’t know?”
“You didn’t know Gwen maybe... but I knew...” Tosh said before cramming the last of her delicious pastry into her mouth...
“What... you knew?” Tosh nodded... Gwen turned to Owen... “But you obviously didn’t?”
“Well not exactly... I mean I knew they were sha... I mean I knew they spent nights together... that they were lovers... that bit was obvious... but as for a real relationship... well it seems I wasn’t looking properly for that... I didn’t see it...”
“So why didn’t I know?” Gwen was nearly hysterical...
“Drink your coffee Gwen... you will feel better...” Ianto said... “Gwen... you saw what you wanted to see... you chose not to see what was in front of you... you made up your own reality... it was as simple as that... there never was a relationship between you and Jack... I can promise you ... there NEVER would be... not whilst I am here...”
“No Gwen... you took my flirting to mean something completely different. You did not see that I flirt with everything... everyone... but for me... it doesn’t mean anything... it is just the way I am... it is who I am... But at the end of the day I go home to Ianto... our home... to our bed... make love to him... because I love him... he is my partner...” Jack said... then taking Ianto’s left hand in his left hand and placing them on the table in front of everyone... so their rings could be plainly seen... “He is my fiancé... that is what this meeting was supposed to be about... not you Gwen... not your fantasies... we were going to tell you that we are getting married...”
Gwen choked on her coffee, spluttering it all over the table... Owen patting her hard on the back...
Tosh leapt up and ran over and kiss both Ianto and Jack... “That is wonderful news... I am so happy for you both... my two best friends getting married... although may I just say Jack Harkness... it is about time... how long have you had those rings?”
Jack looked down... “I know Toshy... I am an idiot ... I should have done this ages ago... but...”
“But....” Ianto interrupted not wanting Jack to dwell on what could have been... “now it is all settled and he proposed and I obviously said yes... I mean who wouldn’t want this gorgeous man?” Ianto laughed grabbing Jack’s face and planting a very passionate kiss on him...
“Well I think it is great...” Owen said going over to shake hands with them both... “Congratulations mate...” he said to Ianto... “And no offence mate... before... you know that right?”
“Yes Owen I know... it was just you being a twat as usual...” Ianto laughed...
“Yeah ... well... anyway... you too boss... congratulations...”
Gwen just sat there... she couldn’t move. She didn’t know what she was feeling... a mixture of things... embarrassment... how could she have got things so wrong? ... Jealousy... how could Jack love Ianto... Ianto of all people and not love her? Then another thought struck her... just a thought though ... not Ianto... or Tosh...
“Mmm... wait a minute... you both live together?” Gwen squeaked...
Go to Part C: pinkpolyanthus.livejournal.com/28582.html