Fic: The Boy Is Gone 2/?
TITLE: The Boy Is Gone 2/?
AUTHOR: Erin Giles
DISCLAIMER: Torchwood and its characters are property of the BBC. The Family Jones is of my own creation.
RATING: PG-15
PAIRINGS/CHARACTERS: Jack/Ianto, Gwen, OC’s
SUMMARY: The Rift has never been the most stable influence in Ianto Jones’ life but when children in Cardiff start disappearing all over the city, Ianto’s family life crashes rather dramatically with Torchwood.
AUTHOR NOTES: This is the sequel to my stories, “Family Matters” and “A Nostalgic Yearning” and is the finale in the series “Footprints in the Sand”. It will not make sense unless you have read these. Set in post Exit Wounds.
Fluff be in this chapter. Although please don't expect it to last forever. For those of you that didn't ignore the opening paragraphs you will not be surprised to hear the rest of the story will be full of drama and angst... someone asked me to define a genre for it... eh... Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Angst/Adventure/Mystery/Family etc etc...
| Part 1 |
Friday 8th August 6.39pm
“Jack?”
“Gwen?” Jack looked up from the paper work he was finishing off to find Gwen stood nervously in his office doorway.
“I was going to head off now if you don’t need me for anything else.” Gwen gestured nervously over her shoulder.
“No, I think I’m pretty much done for the night as well,” Jack replied, shuffling some papers into a pile as if to emphasise his point.
“Okay.” Gwen nodded before reluctantly backing out the office and moving over to the coat stand. Jack got up from his desk to follow her.
“Gwen?”
“Yes?” Gwen swung round to face Jack, an eager look on her face.
“Rhys is on that business trip this weekend isn’t he?” Jack wasn’t in the mood to beat around the bush; in fact he was generally as a rule bordering on blunt.
“Yeah, I was just going to stay in with a bottle of wine and the telly.” Gwen paused slightly as if she wanted to say something more, as if she wanted to ask Jack to stay with her, but he beat her to it.
“If you want you can come with me to Ianto’s?” Jack asked as he reached past her to pull his own coat from the stand.
“Don’t be daft Jack, I don’t want to intrude on your night in together.” Gwen put up a token resistance as she too reached for her coat.
“Did you see Ianto earlier on?” Jack asked with a half smile on his face, “I doubt he’ll be able to lift the fork to his mouth he’s that tired.”
“As long as you don’t mind.” Gwen tried once more to make it look like she wasn’t being pathetic about the fact she didn’t want to spend the night on her own.
“Ianto won’t mind. It’ll have to be the couch though I’m afraid; his sister and nephew currently occupy his spare bedroom. Although I can vouch for the comfort of the couch,” Jack replied as he held out his arm for Gwen to take.
“Did Ianto kick you out one night?” Gwen asked as they ascended in the lift.
“He might of,” Jack answered slyly, causing Gwen to chuckle in reply.
Friday 8th August 7.04pm
“This is where Ianto lives?” Gwen asked as she stood at the gate to Ianto’s front garden. She was stood in front of an old terraced house that looked like it belonged to a young family rather than the Ianto Jones she had come to know and love.
“Number 51. Yup.” Jack nodded, amused by Gwen’s disbelief, “Unless he’s moved.”
Jack pushed the gate open and started walking up the path to Ianto’s front door. Gwen expected him to ring the doorbell when he got there but he fished a large bunch of keys out his pocket, finding a bright red one that he stuck in the front door. Gwen watched in almost disbelief as Jack wiped his feet on the mat at the door before toeing off his boots and hanging up his coat. Jack turned to take Gwen’s jacket from her as she shut the door behind her before feeling obliged to remove her own shoes.
In the hallway it still didn’t feel like it was Ianto’s house, even with the mail on the hall table addressed to Mr. Ianto Jones. A pair of Thomas the Tank Wellingtons sat on the mat next to Ianto’s highly polished work shoes and she almost baulked at the domesticity of it all. Jack seemed to take pity on her as she continued to gaze round at the small hallway in disbelief.
“Trust me, he does live here. There are things labelled in the freezer,” Jack joked as he shuffled down the hall to the living room. Gwen smiled at his retreating back.
“Ianto?” Jack called out to the docile house, listening for a reply. None was forthcoming but it didn’t seem to worry Jack. He peered into the living room and when he found nothing untoward continued on down the hall to the kitchen.
“Do you want a drink or something? I think there’s some wine in here somewhere,” Jack called back to Gwen who had entered the living room, another room to marvel at.
“Whatever,” Gwen called back as she crossed the room to the bookcase. She found a variety of reading material ranging from old children’s book’s like 'The Famous Five' to Agatha Christie. There was Dylan Thomas stood next to Emily Dickinson; Shakespeare sharing shelf space with Ian Rankin. She spotted photo frames with pictures of what she could only presume were family members of Ianto’s. There were even several of Ianto when he had been a child. One in particular caught her eye though. It was of Jack and Ianto leaning into each other, both with matching smiles, a small child in the middle that Gwen recognised as Ianto’s nephew.
“There’s only cans of beer in I’m afraid, Ria must of drunk the last of the wine. Also there's not a lot in so I don't think Ianto's been to the shops in a while,” Jack apologised as he handed Gwen a can of Brains.
“When was this taken?” Gwen questioned, pointing at the photo of Ianto, Jack and Finn. Jack chuckled before he answered taking a sip of the water he had retrieved for himself.
“When Ianto, Finn and I went to Aberystwyth.” Jack laughed, obviously remembering some fond memory, “That’s not the best one from that weekend though.”
“Do I want to know?” Gwen asked as she opened her can of beer, slurping at the edge of it as it threatened to spill over.
“What do you fancy for dinner? I think I saw some chicken defrosting in the fridge,” Jack commented, changing the subject as he turned to head back out the living room.
Gwen frowned, worrying slightly, “Can you cook?”
Friday 8th August 8.12pm
“Dinner’s almost ready, will you go and wake Ianto up?” Jack asked over his shoulder, looking at Gwen who was sat at the kitchen table finishing off her can of beer.
“Eh,” Gwen suddenly felt nervous as she reluctantly pulled herself to her feet.
“Top of the stairs first door on your right,” Jack encouraged with a smile.
Gwen tentatively set off, hesitating at the bottom of the stairs. She caught sight of some of the pictures hung on the walls, landscapes of Welsh countryside and foreign beaches that seemed so homely, yet very Ianto at the same time. She was sure that if she asked Ianto he would probably be able to tell her some story behind every one of them. She paused outside Ianto’s bedroom door that was half closed, knocking nervously.
“Ianto, pet?” Gwen called through the gap before gently pushing on the door handle. The room was shrouded in semi-darkness and she could make out the mound in the middle of the covers that appeared to be Ianto shaped.
“Ianto?” she called again, stepping into the room, floorboards creaking below her in protest. Ianto shifted slightly under the covers, a low groan emitting from him.
“Jack?” he grumbled, rolling over in the bed to face Gwen. Gwen had to give him his due though, for all he looked startled to discover her in his bedroom he held his composure well.
“Sorry pet, Jack sent me up to tell you dinner’s ready,” Gwen apologised, already edging back out the room as Ianto pulled the covers from him.
“When did you get back?” Ianto asked through a yawn as he crossed to his dresser, opening one of the drawers. It took Gwen a moment to reply, slightly shocked by Ianto’s candour as he wandered about in his underwear.
“Eh, about an hour ago. Rhys is out of town tonight and Jack asked me back here, he said you wouldn’t mind if I stayed,” Gwen said apologetically.
“No, that’s fine, I’m afraid it’ll have to be the couch though since my sister and nephew are in the spare room at the moment. I’ll get you some sheets after dinner,” Ianto mused as he pulled on a pair of scruffy looking jeans that were ripped in places and covered in paint. He then pulled a baggy polo shirt over his head, not even bothering to fix his hair as it stuck out at odd angles. He paused though when he turned to face Gwen.
“You ok Gwen?”
“What? Yeah. I mean, I’m just so used to you in suits that I suppose I forgot what you look like in anything else,” Gwen said apologetically.
“I know, it's shocking to find a human underneath all that tailored fabric.” Ianto chuckled as he exited his bedroom, shuffling down the stairs sleepily as he muffled a yawn, rubbing at his eyes.
“Something smells good,” Ianto commented as he entered the kitchen, trying to stick his finger in the pan, but Jack was swatting his hand away. Gwen watched from the doorway, slightly amused by Jack and Ianto and somewhat surprised to find them so at ease with one another. Sure she saw them together at work but there was always a professional demeanour about them that was full of self-restraint. (Apart from that one time in the hot house.)
Now as she watched them stood beside each other, Ianto’s bare foot rubbing against the side of Jack’s socked one as they jointly dished up dinner onto three separate plates, she found herself smiling. They were so like an ordinary couple that for the moment Gwen could forget that they worked for Torchwood and that not long ago they’d lost two of their team.
“Gwen you fish a couple of beers out the fridge?” Ianto asked as he placed two plates on the kitchen table, crossing back over to one of the drawers to retrieve some cutlery. Jack shoved the last plate on the table, throwing the dishcloth he had used to pick it up with back on the side of the kitchen work surface. As Gwen pulled up her seat at the table, handing Ianto a can of beer she saw Jack returning, running a hand through Ianto’s hair to flatten it slightly. She watched as Ianto barely reacted, digging into his food with gusto.
“Something wrong with my cooking?” Jack questioned Gwen as he too picked up his fork.
“No.” Gwen suddenly reanimated, picking up her own fork and smiling slightly before she took her first bite of Jack Harkness’ culinary skills. She figured Ianto was eating it willingly so it couldn’t be that bad.
It was better than Rhys’ cooking - which was really saying something, and also something she would never be telling Rhys.
“Oh my god Jack, where did you learn to cook?” Gwen said round a mouthful of chicken, savouring the taste.
“I’ve picked up a few skills over the years,” Jack answered slyly.
Friday 8th August 9.47pm
“Ianto?”
Gwen started, not realising that she’d been dosing off in the chair watching a James Bond film. She glanced over at Jack and Ianto on the couch, but Ianto was apparently dead to the world, nestled into the side of Jack as she heard feet running over the floor. Jack’s finger flew to his lips, making hushing noises as a little boy with brown hair came skidding to a halt beside the couch.
“Is Uncy Yan sleeping?” Finn asked in a loud stage whisper, looking down at Ianto with curious eyes. Jack nodded, smiling slightly.
“Hi, Jack,” Ria greeted as she appeared in the living room doorway looking slightly harassed. Jack smiled up at Ria who turned to head into the kitchen as Gwen straightened herself in the chair slightly, suddenly feeling out of place. Jack carefully extracted himself from Ianto’s clutches, lowering the slumbering Welshman’s head onto a cushion.
“Come on kid,” Jack uttered before he swung Finn up into his arms, heading out the living room and motioning for Gwen to follow.
“How was Dylan?” Jack was asking when Gwen appeared in the kitchen doorway, watching as Jack retrieved a carton of juice from the fridge, pulling the straw out the wrapping and puncturing the carton with it before handing it to Finn.
“How he always is, foul mouthed and bad tempered,” Ria grumbled as she set the kettle going before sitting down at the kitchen table. It was only now that she noticed Gwen stood awkwardly in the doorway. Ria smiled hesitantly at her before Gwen suddenly realised she should be introducing herself.
“I’m Gwen Cooper, I work with Jack and Ianto. My husbands out of town tonight, so Jack said I could come back with him,” Gwen explained, not sure how much Ianto’s sister knew.
“Neither of us really wanted to be on our own after last week,” Jack added, seeing to Ria’s tea, motioning with the kettle to ask Gwen if she wanted one. Gwen nodded in affirmation.
“I can understand that.” Ria nodded solemnly as she started rubbing tiredly at her belly, groaning slightly.
“When’s it due?” Gwen asked, grinning as she sat down opposite Ria at the kitchen table. Ria smiled fondly, looking down at her stomach, it was Finn who answered for her though.
Evans is coming on the 27th of September,” Finn told Gwen matter-of-factly, looking up at her over the top of his juice carton.
“And are you getting a baby brother or a baby sister?” Gwen asked Finlay, just as excited as he.
“I don’t know.” Finn shrugged, “It’s a surprise.”
“There you are ladies,” Jack announced as he placed two cups of tea on the table. “And yours is camomile before you say anything,” Jack added to Ria.
“Oh Jack, you’re a pet,” Ria sighed as she pulled her tea into her hands and clutched it to her chest gratefully.
“You can cook and make tea?” Gwen teased, eyeing Jack incredulously.
“The things I’m learning about Jack Harkness today,” Gwen said as she sipped her tea.
“He does dishes as well. Wears marigolds and everything,” Ria added, smiling up at Jack cheekily as Gwen burst out laughing.
“I’m telling Ianto on you.” Jack pouted, picking up two more cups of tea before disappearing out the kitchen. Both women looked at each other before laughing. The laughter followed Jack down the corridor to the living room before he realised a set of feet were padding behind him as well, slurping the last of apple juice from the carton.
“You better not be thinking of attacking Uncle Ianto,” Jack warned before he turned into the living room. When he turned back Finn was looking up at him with wide eyes, shaking his head innocently.
“Did Uncy Yan get another owie?” Finn asked, clambering up into Gwen’s vacated seat as Jack sat down on the coffee table next to the mugs of tea.
“No, Uncle Ianto’s just sleepy,” Jack replied, reaching out a hand for Ianto’s shoulder, shaking it slightly.
“Is he sick then?” Finn asked again. Jack was grateful that Ianto roused at that moment, opening his eyes groggily and yawning.
“I made you a cup of tea,” Jack offered, picking up one of the mugs and holding it out to Ianto as he shuffled on the sofa slightly so he was sitting up. Finn was already clambering down from his seat and crossing the living room to pull himself up onto Ianto’s lap.
“Hello trouble,” Ianto greeted his nephew as he took the mug of tea from Jack.
“Did you have a good time at Grandpa’s?” Ianto asked before supping at his tea gratefully, almost spilling it as Finn wriggled restlessly on his lap.
“Mummy and Grandpa yelled a lot about Daddy so I went and played in your room,” Finn answered solemnly, picking at one of the holes in Ianto’s jeans, pulling on the threads. Ianto looked back up at Jack who was now sat on the other side of the sofa, pretending to channel hop.
Silence descended upon them as Jack settled on The Simpsons. Finn continued to pick at the threads in Ianto's jeans, not really paying any attention to the television as he sucked all the air out of his now empty carton. Ianto took it from him with his free hand and placed it on the coffee table.
"Mummy said we might have to move because there's not enough room for you and Uncle Jack and me and Mummy and the baby. So does that mean that Uncle Jack will be moving in permanently with us?" Finn asked innocently.
"I think," Ianto hesitated, not wanting to break his nephew's heart. "I think Mummy means you and her and the baby will be getting a place of your own while I stay here."
Finn let out a little 'oh' of understanding, not his usual questioning self, which showed how much his mother and grandfather arguing had affected him. Finn's head dropped onto Ianto's shoulder, and when Ianto looked down at the little boy in his arms his eyes were closed, as he seemed to drift to sleep.
"Come on you," Ianto coaxed softly, handing Jack his mug of tea before he pulled himself to his feet, his nephew in his arms.
"Beddy byes," Ianto hummed before trying to muffle a yawn.
"For both of you I think," Jack commented, switching the television off before he pulled himself to his feet too.
"I'll put this one to bed, do the dishes then I think I'll go to bed too," Ianto agreed.
"Dishes are done. Just go to bed Ianto," Jack urged, before kissing both Finn and Ianto respectively on the forehead.
"Night night," Jack said softly before heading towards the kitchen.
"Shall we say goodnight to Mummy?" Ianto asked his nephew who just nodded tiredly into Ianto's shoulder as Ianto shuffled down the hall into the kitchen where Gwen and Ria were having an animated discussion.
"We've just come to say goodnight," Ianto announced, leaning down so Finn could press a kiss to his mother. Ianto followed suit, pressing a kiss to Ria's forehead before he straightened up again.
"You going to bed as well love?" Ria asked, flexing her feet that were now shoeless and resting on one of the spare seats from round the kitchen table.
"Yeah, I'm still knackered," Ianto admitted before turning to Gwen.
"I'll get the sheets out for you Gwen."
"Oh, thanks," Gwen smiled, bringing herself to her feet.
"Night Mummy, Night Uncle Jack," Finn called over Ianto's shoulder as Gwen smiled to herself at Finn's addressing of Jack before she followed Ianto and Finlay up the stairs.
"Night kid," Jack called after them.
Gwen watched as Ianto disappeared into the spare bedroom with Finn and Gwen hovered outside, unsure whether to go in or not. She got her answer a moment later.
"You can come in you know," Ianto called out to her and Gwen bashfully pushed the door open and entered the room to find Ianto wrestling the clothes from Finlay who was now clutching at a well-worn rabbit, thumb in his mouth.
"There's some sheets and blankets in the bottom drawer," Ianto said, indicating the chest of drawers as Finn decided to be helpful and tugged his t-shirt over his head while trying not to let go of his rabbit.
"Finn you'll need to put Owen down if you want to take your top off, he's not going to fit through your sleeve."
"Will too," Finn argued grumpily and proceeded to tug on the rabbit in an attempt to prove his Uncle wrong. Gwen was meanwhile eyeing the rabbit suspiciously after having heard its name.
"Owen?" Gwen questioned as she clutched the blankets and sheets she'd retrieved to her chest. Ianto plucked the rabbit from his nephew's hands and waggled it in Gwen's direction.
"Meet Owen the rabbit. I bought him for Finn when he was born. Don't think he's put him down since," Ianto commented as he finally managed to get Finn's pyjamas on him before putting the rabbit back in his grasping hands. Gwen tried to suppress a chuckle as she thought of the connotations of her ex-colleague being a rabbit, fondly watching Ianto as he tucked his nephew in under the covers.
"Night trouble," Ianto said softly, bending to kiss his nephew on the head. Finn dug the rabbit out from under the covers, pressing him up into Ianto's face.
"Night Owen." Ianto voiced, pressing a kiss to the rabbit's left ear before he tucked him under the covers next to Finn.
"Now remember Gwen's sleeping in the living room tonight so if you want to watch 'toons in the morning you'll need to knock before you go in. Okay?" Ianto prompted his nephew. Finn looked behind Ianto at Gwen who was now hugging the covers to her chest, a soft smile on her face. Finn seemed to consider her for a moment before he nodded in reply, settling further under the covers and closing his eyes.
"Okay, sleep well Finn," Ianto said, patting the little boy's leg through the covers before pulling himself to his feet.
"Night Uncy Yan," Finn mumbled, already falling asleep as Ianto and Gwen exited the spare room, Ianto pulling the door over behind him.
"I don't know how you kept a straight face at work when you came home to a rabbit named Owen ever day," Gwen smirked.
"Ironic isn't it?" Ianto replied with a sad smile of his own.
"Anyway, I'll get you something to sleep in and you'll have to use the en-suite since the hot water's not working in the main bathroom again, and I haven't got round to fixing it yet." Ianto voiced, leading the way into his bedroom now.
Ianto flicked the light switch and it was only now that Gwen got a proper look at Ianto's bedroom. Only it wasn't just Ianto's bedroom. There were clothes on the chair by the bed that she recognised as Jack's, there were cufflinks on the dresser that were Jack’s; there were shoes at the end of the bed that were Jack's. And Gwen could probably guess that she would find a toothbrush in the bathroom that was Jack's. It was more domesticity that Gwen was surprised at. Ianto was fishing in a drawer now, pulling out an over sized t-shirt which he handed to Gwen before indicating the en-suite.
"Help yourself to what you want, also you can use the purple toothbrush if you want; it's Jack's," Ianto said in a tone that Gwen wasn’t sure was serious or mocking.
When Gwen re-emerged from the bathroom Ianto was in bed again, face down under the covers. He looked exhausted as he lay there unmoving, Gwen trying to tiptoe out the room, clothes clutched to her chest.
"You know that's why Jack stays round here." Ianto's voice startled Gwen slightly but she turned back to him.
"What?" Gwen questioned, taking a half step towards the bed as Ianto's eyes flickered open.
"He doesn't like being alone anymore. That's why you came round tonight, you didn't want to be on your own either." Gwen blushed, shaking her head slightly, trying to deny it.
"It's ok. I ask Jack to stay because I don't like being alone anymore either," Ianto paused as he shuffled in the bed, sitting up slightly so there was room for Gwen to join him. Gwen hesitated before it suddenly dawned on her how open Ianto was being. She didn't know if it was due to sheer exhaustion or the fact they had become so much closer since Tosh and Owen had left but she liked this softer, more open side to Ianto that she rarely glimpsed. She perched tentatively on the bed.
"That's how Jack and I started, because I couldn't bare being alone after Lisa and Jack was just looking for respite from the never ending loneliness of his existence."
"I worry that one day I'm going to wake up and you're going to be gone as well. Or Rhys will get caught in the crossfire again and this time he won't come back to me, and I don't think I could handle that Ianto," Gwen admitted, tears welling in her eyes as she settled back into the pillows, pulling her knees up to her chest so she could tuck her cold feet under the duvet. She pulled the oversized t-shirt down over her knees in an act of comfort as Ianto's hand reached out to cover her own.
"We'll always have Jack though," Ianto admitted rather sheepishly.
"Yeah, but he's not always going to have us." The words were out of Gwen's mouth before she had a chance to process them, leaving her and Ianto to sit in solemn contemplation for a long moment.
Friday 8th August 10.53pm
Jack flicked the light off in the kitchen, moving out to stand in the hallway as he listened to Ria shuffling about upstairs. He hoped she hadn't woken Ianto, although he doubted the end of the world would wake him considering how exhausted he was. Jack moved down the hallway, knocking on the living room door before pushing gently on it, expecting to find Gwen fast asleep on the sofa. He was surprised to find the living room empty though, the standard lamp in the corner still on and the curtains still open. Jack moved to switch the lamp off before he tiptoed quietly up the stairs, missing the seventh step that always groaned vulgarly under his weight. He pushed open Ianto's door, guessing that Gwen had maybe decided to take a shower, but he couldn't hear any water running as he let his eyes adjust to the dim light in the room.
The sight that met his eyes made his heart swell. Ianto and Gwen were both nestled under the duvet facing each other as if they had been in the throws of conversation before exhaustion had got the better of them. He leant against the doorjamb of Ianto's bedroom secretly wishing he could crawl under the covers beside them. He couldn't though; he knew Ianto's bed wasn't really big enough for three grown adults nor did he wish to disturb them. He eventually crossed the threshold, retrieving the sheets, blankets and a spare pillow that was throw down on Ianto's side of the bed. He hesitated, watching Gwen and Ianto's relaxed features in sleep. He sighed with contentment, happy that he still had them both before he bent towards Ianto, his lips brushing Ianto's forehead. He stirred slightly but didn't wake as Jack rounded the bed, kissing Gwen on the brow as well. Gwen didn't even so much as stir. Jack took one last longing look at them before he left Ianto's bedroom, trudging back down the stairs to make himself comfortable on Ianto's couch.
On to Part 3
AUTHOR: Erin Giles
DISCLAIMER: Torchwood and its characters are property of the BBC. The Family Jones is of my own creation.
RATING: PG-15
PAIRINGS/CHARACTERS: Jack/Ianto, Gwen, OC’s
SUMMARY: The Rift has never been the most stable influence in Ianto Jones’ life but when children in Cardiff start disappearing all over the city, Ianto’s family life crashes rather dramatically with Torchwood.
AUTHOR NOTES: This is the sequel to my stories, “Family Matters” and “A Nostalgic Yearning” and is the finale in the series “Footprints in the Sand”. It will not make sense unless you have read these. Set in post Exit Wounds.
Fluff be in this chapter. Although please don't expect it to last forever. For those of you that didn't ignore the opening paragraphs you will not be surprised to hear the rest of the story will be full of drama and angst... someone asked me to define a genre for it... eh... Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Angst/Adventure/Mystery/Family etc etc...
| Part 1 |
Friday 8th August 6.39pm
“Jack?”
“Gwen?” Jack looked up from the paper work he was finishing off to find Gwen stood nervously in his office doorway.
“I was going to head off now if you don’t need me for anything else.” Gwen gestured nervously over her shoulder.
“No, I think I’m pretty much done for the night as well,” Jack replied, shuffling some papers into a pile as if to emphasise his point.
“Okay.” Gwen nodded before reluctantly backing out the office and moving over to the coat stand. Jack got up from his desk to follow her.
“Gwen?”
“Yes?” Gwen swung round to face Jack, an eager look on her face.
“Rhys is on that business trip this weekend isn’t he?” Jack wasn’t in the mood to beat around the bush; in fact he was generally as a rule bordering on blunt.
“Yeah, I was just going to stay in with a bottle of wine and the telly.” Gwen paused slightly as if she wanted to say something more, as if she wanted to ask Jack to stay with her, but he beat her to it.
“If you want you can come with me to Ianto’s?” Jack asked as he reached past her to pull his own coat from the stand.
“Don’t be daft Jack, I don’t want to intrude on your night in together.” Gwen put up a token resistance as she too reached for her coat.
“Did you see Ianto earlier on?” Jack asked with a half smile on his face, “I doubt he’ll be able to lift the fork to his mouth he’s that tired.”
“As long as you don’t mind.” Gwen tried once more to make it look like she wasn’t being pathetic about the fact she didn’t want to spend the night on her own.
“Ianto won’t mind. It’ll have to be the couch though I’m afraid; his sister and nephew currently occupy his spare bedroom. Although I can vouch for the comfort of the couch,” Jack replied as he held out his arm for Gwen to take.
“Did Ianto kick you out one night?” Gwen asked as they ascended in the lift.
“He might of,” Jack answered slyly, causing Gwen to chuckle in reply.
Friday 8th August 7.04pm
“This is where Ianto lives?” Gwen asked as she stood at the gate to Ianto’s front garden. She was stood in front of an old terraced house that looked like it belonged to a young family rather than the Ianto Jones she had come to know and love.
“Number 51. Yup.” Jack nodded, amused by Gwen’s disbelief, “Unless he’s moved.”
Jack pushed the gate open and started walking up the path to Ianto’s front door. Gwen expected him to ring the doorbell when he got there but he fished a large bunch of keys out his pocket, finding a bright red one that he stuck in the front door. Gwen watched in almost disbelief as Jack wiped his feet on the mat at the door before toeing off his boots and hanging up his coat. Jack turned to take Gwen’s jacket from her as she shut the door behind her before feeling obliged to remove her own shoes.
In the hallway it still didn’t feel like it was Ianto’s house, even with the mail on the hall table addressed to Mr. Ianto Jones. A pair of Thomas the Tank Wellingtons sat on the mat next to Ianto’s highly polished work shoes and she almost baulked at the domesticity of it all. Jack seemed to take pity on her as she continued to gaze round at the small hallway in disbelief.
“Trust me, he does live here. There are things labelled in the freezer,” Jack joked as he shuffled down the hall to the living room. Gwen smiled at his retreating back.
“Ianto?” Jack called out to the docile house, listening for a reply. None was forthcoming but it didn’t seem to worry Jack. He peered into the living room and when he found nothing untoward continued on down the hall to the kitchen.
“Do you want a drink or something? I think there’s some wine in here somewhere,” Jack called back to Gwen who had entered the living room, another room to marvel at.
“Whatever,” Gwen called back as she crossed the room to the bookcase. She found a variety of reading material ranging from old children’s book’s like 'The Famous Five' to Agatha Christie. There was Dylan Thomas stood next to Emily Dickinson; Shakespeare sharing shelf space with Ian Rankin. She spotted photo frames with pictures of what she could only presume were family members of Ianto’s. There were even several of Ianto when he had been a child. One in particular caught her eye though. It was of Jack and Ianto leaning into each other, both with matching smiles, a small child in the middle that Gwen recognised as Ianto’s nephew.
“There’s only cans of beer in I’m afraid, Ria must of drunk the last of the wine. Also there's not a lot in so I don't think Ianto's been to the shops in a while,” Jack apologised as he handed Gwen a can of Brains.
“When was this taken?” Gwen questioned, pointing at the photo of Ianto, Jack and Finn. Jack chuckled before he answered taking a sip of the water he had retrieved for himself.
“When Ianto, Finn and I went to Aberystwyth.” Jack laughed, obviously remembering some fond memory, “That’s not the best one from that weekend though.”
“Do I want to know?” Gwen asked as she opened her can of beer, slurping at the edge of it as it threatened to spill over.
“What do you fancy for dinner? I think I saw some chicken defrosting in the fridge,” Jack commented, changing the subject as he turned to head back out the living room.
Gwen frowned, worrying slightly, “Can you cook?”
Friday 8th August 8.12pm
“Dinner’s almost ready, will you go and wake Ianto up?” Jack asked over his shoulder, looking at Gwen who was sat at the kitchen table finishing off her can of beer.
“Eh,” Gwen suddenly felt nervous as she reluctantly pulled herself to her feet.
“Top of the stairs first door on your right,” Jack encouraged with a smile.
Gwen tentatively set off, hesitating at the bottom of the stairs. She caught sight of some of the pictures hung on the walls, landscapes of Welsh countryside and foreign beaches that seemed so homely, yet very Ianto at the same time. She was sure that if she asked Ianto he would probably be able to tell her some story behind every one of them. She paused outside Ianto’s bedroom door that was half closed, knocking nervously.
“Ianto, pet?” Gwen called through the gap before gently pushing on the door handle. The room was shrouded in semi-darkness and she could make out the mound in the middle of the covers that appeared to be Ianto shaped.
“Ianto?” she called again, stepping into the room, floorboards creaking below her in protest. Ianto shifted slightly under the covers, a low groan emitting from him.
“Jack?” he grumbled, rolling over in the bed to face Gwen. Gwen had to give him his due though, for all he looked startled to discover her in his bedroom he held his composure well.
“Sorry pet, Jack sent me up to tell you dinner’s ready,” Gwen apologised, already edging back out the room as Ianto pulled the covers from him.
“When did you get back?” Ianto asked through a yawn as he crossed to his dresser, opening one of the drawers. It took Gwen a moment to reply, slightly shocked by Ianto’s candour as he wandered about in his underwear.
“Eh, about an hour ago. Rhys is out of town tonight and Jack asked me back here, he said you wouldn’t mind if I stayed,” Gwen said apologetically.
“No, that’s fine, I’m afraid it’ll have to be the couch though since my sister and nephew are in the spare room at the moment. I’ll get you some sheets after dinner,” Ianto mused as he pulled on a pair of scruffy looking jeans that were ripped in places and covered in paint. He then pulled a baggy polo shirt over his head, not even bothering to fix his hair as it stuck out at odd angles. He paused though when he turned to face Gwen.
“You ok Gwen?”
“What? Yeah. I mean, I’m just so used to you in suits that I suppose I forgot what you look like in anything else,” Gwen said apologetically.
“I know, it's shocking to find a human underneath all that tailored fabric.” Ianto chuckled as he exited his bedroom, shuffling down the stairs sleepily as he muffled a yawn, rubbing at his eyes.
“Something smells good,” Ianto commented as he entered the kitchen, trying to stick his finger in the pan, but Jack was swatting his hand away. Gwen watched from the doorway, slightly amused by Jack and Ianto and somewhat surprised to find them so at ease with one another. Sure she saw them together at work but there was always a professional demeanour about them that was full of self-restraint. (Apart from that one time in the hot house.)
Now as she watched them stood beside each other, Ianto’s bare foot rubbing against the side of Jack’s socked one as they jointly dished up dinner onto three separate plates, she found herself smiling. They were so like an ordinary couple that for the moment Gwen could forget that they worked for Torchwood and that not long ago they’d lost two of their team.
“Gwen you fish a couple of beers out the fridge?” Ianto asked as he placed two plates on the kitchen table, crossing back over to one of the drawers to retrieve some cutlery. Jack shoved the last plate on the table, throwing the dishcloth he had used to pick it up with back on the side of the kitchen work surface. As Gwen pulled up her seat at the table, handing Ianto a can of beer she saw Jack returning, running a hand through Ianto’s hair to flatten it slightly. She watched as Ianto barely reacted, digging into his food with gusto.
“Something wrong with my cooking?” Jack questioned Gwen as he too picked up his fork.
“No.” Gwen suddenly reanimated, picking up her own fork and smiling slightly before she took her first bite of Jack Harkness’ culinary skills. She figured Ianto was eating it willingly so it couldn’t be that bad.
It was better than Rhys’ cooking - which was really saying something, and also something she would never be telling Rhys.
“Oh my god Jack, where did you learn to cook?” Gwen said round a mouthful of chicken, savouring the taste.
“I’ve picked up a few skills over the years,” Jack answered slyly.
Friday 8th August 9.47pm
“Ianto?”
Gwen started, not realising that she’d been dosing off in the chair watching a James Bond film. She glanced over at Jack and Ianto on the couch, but Ianto was apparently dead to the world, nestled into the side of Jack as she heard feet running over the floor. Jack’s finger flew to his lips, making hushing noises as a little boy with brown hair came skidding to a halt beside the couch.
“Is Uncy Yan sleeping?” Finn asked in a loud stage whisper, looking down at Ianto with curious eyes. Jack nodded, smiling slightly.
“Hi, Jack,” Ria greeted as she appeared in the living room doorway looking slightly harassed. Jack smiled up at Ria who turned to head into the kitchen as Gwen straightened herself in the chair slightly, suddenly feeling out of place. Jack carefully extracted himself from Ianto’s clutches, lowering the slumbering Welshman’s head onto a cushion.
“Come on kid,” Jack uttered before he swung Finn up into his arms, heading out the living room and motioning for Gwen to follow.
“How was Dylan?” Jack was asking when Gwen appeared in the kitchen doorway, watching as Jack retrieved a carton of juice from the fridge, pulling the straw out the wrapping and puncturing the carton with it before handing it to Finn.
“How he always is, foul mouthed and bad tempered,” Ria grumbled as she set the kettle going before sitting down at the kitchen table. It was only now that she noticed Gwen stood awkwardly in the doorway. Ria smiled hesitantly at her before Gwen suddenly realised she should be introducing herself.
“I’m Gwen Cooper, I work with Jack and Ianto. My husbands out of town tonight, so Jack said I could come back with him,” Gwen explained, not sure how much Ianto’s sister knew.
“Neither of us really wanted to be on our own after last week,” Jack added, seeing to Ria’s tea, motioning with the kettle to ask Gwen if she wanted one. Gwen nodded in affirmation.
“I can understand that.” Ria nodded solemnly as she started rubbing tiredly at her belly, groaning slightly.
“When’s it due?” Gwen asked, grinning as she sat down opposite Ria at the kitchen table. Ria smiled fondly, looking down at her stomach, it was Finn who answered for her though.
Evans is coming on the 27th of September,” Finn told Gwen matter-of-factly, looking up at her over the top of his juice carton.
“And are you getting a baby brother or a baby sister?” Gwen asked Finlay, just as excited as he.
“I don’t know.” Finn shrugged, “It’s a surprise.”
“There you are ladies,” Jack announced as he placed two cups of tea on the table. “And yours is camomile before you say anything,” Jack added to Ria.
“Oh Jack, you’re a pet,” Ria sighed as she pulled her tea into her hands and clutched it to her chest gratefully.
“You can cook and make tea?” Gwen teased, eyeing Jack incredulously.
“The things I’m learning about Jack Harkness today,” Gwen said as she sipped her tea.
“He does dishes as well. Wears marigolds and everything,” Ria added, smiling up at Jack cheekily as Gwen burst out laughing.
“I’m telling Ianto on you.” Jack pouted, picking up two more cups of tea before disappearing out the kitchen. Both women looked at each other before laughing. The laughter followed Jack down the corridor to the living room before he realised a set of feet were padding behind him as well, slurping the last of apple juice from the carton.
“You better not be thinking of attacking Uncle Ianto,” Jack warned before he turned into the living room. When he turned back Finn was looking up at him with wide eyes, shaking his head innocently.
“Did Uncy Yan get another owie?” Finn asked, clambering up into Gwen’s vacated seat as Jack sat down on the coffee table next to the mugs of tea.
“No, Uncle Ianto’s just sleepy,” Jack replied, reaching out a hand for Ianto’s shoulder, shaking it slightly.
“Is he sick then?” Finn asked again. Jack was grateful that Ianto roused at that moment, opening his eyes groggily and yawning.
“I made you a cup of tea,” Jack offered, picking up one of the mugs and holding it out to Ianto as he shuffled on the sofa slightly so he was sitting up. Finn was already clambering down from his seat and crossing the living room to pull himself up onto Ianto’s lap.
“Hello trouble,” Ianto greeted his nephew as he took the mug of tea from Jack.
“Did you have a good time at Grandpa’s?” Ianto asked before supping at his tea gratefully, almost spilling it as Finn wriggled restlessly on his lap.
“Mummy and Grandpa yelled a lot about Daddy so I went and played in your room,” Finn answered solemnly, picking at one of the holes in Ianto’s jeans, pulling on the threads. Ianto looked back up at Jack who was now sat on the other side of the sofa, pretending to channel hop.
Silence descended upon them as Jack settled on The Simpsons. Finn continued to pick at the threads in Ianto's jeans, not really paying any attention to the television as he sucked all the air out of his now empty carton. Ianto took it from him with his free hand and placed it on the coffee table.
"Mummy said we might have to move because there's not enough room for you and Uncle Jack and me and Mummy and the baby. So does that mean that Uncle Jack will be moving in permanently with us?" Finn asked innocently.
"I think," Ianto hesitated, not wanting to break his nephew's heart. "I think Mummy means you and her and the baby will be getting a place of your own while I stay here."
Finn let out a little 'oh' of understanding, not his usual questioning self, which showed how much his mother and grandfather arguing had affected him. Finn's head dropped onto Ianto's shoulder, and when Ianto looked down at the little boy in his arms his eyes were closed, as he seemed to drift to sleep.
"Come on you," Ianto coaxed softly, handing Jack his mug of tea before he pulled himself to his feet, his nephew in his arms.
"Beddy byes," Ianto hummed before trying to muffle a yawn.
"For both of you I think," Jack commented, switching the television off before he pulled himself to his feet too.
"I'll put this one to bed, do the dishes then I think I'll go to bed too," Ianto agreed.
"Dishes are done. Just go to bed Ianto," Jack urged, before kissing both Finn and Ianto respectively on the forehead.
"Night night," Jack said softly before heading towards the kitchen.
"Shall we say goodnight to Mummy?" Ianto asked his nephew who just nodded tiredly into Ianto's shoulder as Ianto shuffled down the hall into the kitchen where Gwen and Ria were having an animated discussion.
"We've just come to say goodnight," Ianto announced, leaning down so Finn could press a kiss to his mother. Ianto followed suit, pressing a kiss to Ria's forehead before he straightened up again.
"You going to bed as well love?" Ria asked, flexing her feet that were now shoeless and resting on one of the spare seats from round the kitchen table.
"Yeah, I'm still knackered," Ianto admitted before turning to Gwen.
"I'll get the sheets out for you Gwen."
"Oh, thanks," Gwen smiled, bringing herself to her feet.
"Night Mummy, Night Uncle Jack," Finn called over Ianto's shoulder as Gwen smiled to herself at Finn's addressing of Jack before she followed Ianto and Finlay up the stairs.
"Night kid," Jack called after them.
Gwen watched as Ianto disappeared into the spare bedroom with Finn and Gwen hovered outside, unsure whether to go in or not. She got her answer a moment later.
"You can come in you know," Ianto called out to her and Gwen bashfully pushed the door open and entered the room to find Ianto wrestling the clothes from Finlay who was now clutching at a well-worn rabbit, thumb in his mouth.
"There's some sheets and blankets in the bottom drawer," Ianto said, indicating the chest of drawers as Finn decided to be helpful and tugged his t-shirt over his head while trying not to let go of his rabbit.
"Finn you'll need to put Owen down if you want to take your top off, he's not going to fit through your sleeve."
"Will too," Finn argued grumpily and proceeded to tug on the rabbit in an attempt to prove his Uncle wrong. Gwen was meanwhile eyeing the rabbit suspiciously after having heard its name.
"Owen?" Gwen questioned as she clutched the blankets and sheets she'd retrieved to her chest. Ianto plucked the rabbit from his nephew's hands and waggled it in Gwen's direction.
"Meet Owen the rabbit. I bought him for Finn when he was born. Don't think he's put him down since," Ianto commented as he finally managed to get Finn's pyjamas on him before putting the rabbit back in his grasping hands. Gwen tried to suppress a chuckle as she thought of the connotations of her ex-colleague being a rabbit, fondly watching Ianto as he tucked his nephew in under the covers.
"Night trouble," Ianto said softly, bending to kiss his nephew on the head. Finn dug the rabbit out from under the covers, pressing him up into Ianto's face.
"Night Owen." Ianto voiced, pressing a kiss to the rabbit's left ear before he tucked him under the covers next to Finn.
"Now remember Gwen's sleeping in the living room tonight so if you want to watch 'toons in the morning you'll need to knock before you go in. Okay?" Ianto prompted his nephew. Finn looked behind Ianto at Gwen who was now hugging the covers to her chest, a soft smile on her face. Finn seemed to consider her for a moment before he nodded in reply, settling further under the covers and closing his eyes.
"Okay, sleep well Finn," Ianto said, patting the little boy's leg through the covers before pulling himself to his feet.
"Night Uncy Yan," Finn mumbled, already falling asleep as Ianto and Gwen exited the spare room, Ianto pulling the door over behind him.
"I don't know how you kept a straight face at work when you came home to a rabbit named Owen ever day," Gwen smirked.
"Ironic isn't it?" Ianto replied with a sad smile of his own.
"Anyway, I'll get you something to sleep in and you'll have to use the en-suite since the hot water's not working in the main bathroom again, and I haven't got round to fixing it yet." Ianto voiced, leading the way into his bedroom now.
Ianto flicked the light switch and it was only now that Gwen got a proper look at Ianto's bedroom. Only it wasn't just Ianto's bedroom. There were clothes on the chair by the bed that she recognised as Jack's, there were cufflinks on the dresser that were Jack’s; there were shoes at the end of the bed that were Jack's. And Gwen could probably guess that she would find a toothbrush in the bathroom that was Jack's. It was more domesticity that Gwen was surprised at. Ianto was fishing in a drawer now, pulling out an over sized t-shirt which he handed to Gwen before indicating the en-suite.
"Help yourself to what you want, also you can use the purple toothbrush if you want; it's Jack's," Ianto said in a tone that Gwen wasn’t sure was serious or mocking.
When Gwen re-emerged from the bathroom Ianto was in bed again, face down under the covers. He looked exhausted as he lay there unmoving, Gwen trying to tiptoe out the room, clothes clutched to her chest.
"You know that's why Jack stays round here." Ianto's voice startled Gwen slightly but she turned back to him.
"What?" Gwen questioned, taking a half step towards the bed as Ianto's eyes flickered open.
"He doesn't like being alone anymore. That's why you came round tonight, you didn't want to be on your own either." Gwen blushed, shaking her head slightly, trying to deny it.
"It's ok. I ask Jack to stay because I don't like being alone anymore either," Ianto paused as he shuffled in the bed, sitting up slightly so there was room for Gwen to join him. Gwen hesitated before it suddenly dawned on her how open Ianto was being. She didn't know if it was due to sheer exhaustion or the fact they had become so much closer since Tosh and Owen had left but she liked this softer, more open side to Ianto that she rarely glimpsed. She perched tentatively on the bed.
"That's how Jack and I started, because I couldn't bare being alone after Lisa and Jack was just looking for respite from the never ending loneliness of his existence."
"I worry that one day I'm going to wake up and you're going to be gone as well. Or Rhys will get caught in the crossfire again and this time he won't come back to me, and I don't think I could handle that Ianto," Gwen admitted, tears welling in her eyes as she settled back into the pillows, pulling her knees up to her chest so she could tuck her cold feet under the duvet. She pulled the oversized t-shirt down over her knees in an act of comfort as Ianto's hand reached out to cover her own.
"We'll always have Jack though," Ianto admitted rather sheepishly.
"Yeah, but he's not always going to have us." The words were out of Gwen's mouth before she had a chance to process them, leaving her and Ianto to sit in solemn contemplation for a long moment.
Friday 8th August 10.53pm
Jack flicked the light off in the kitchen, moving out to stand in the hallway as he listened to Ria shuffling about upstairs. He hoped she hadn't woken Ianto, although he doubted the end of the world would wake him considering how exhausted he was. Jack moved down the hallway, knocking on the living room door before pushing gently on it, expecting to find Gwen fast asleep on the sofa. He was surprised to find the living room empty though, the standard lamp in the corner still on and the curtains still open. Jack moved to switch the lamp off before he tiptoed quietly up the stairs, missing the seventh step that always groaned vulgarly under his weight. He pushed open Ianto's door, guessing that Gwen had maybe decided to take a shower, but he couldn't hear any water running as he let his eyes adjust to the dim light in the room.
The sight that met his eyes made his heart swell. Ianto and Gwen were both nestled under the duvet facing each other as if they had been in the throws of conversation before exhaustion had got the better of them. He leant against the doorjamb of Ianto's bedroom secretly wishing he could crawl under the covers beside them. He couldn't though; he knew Ianto's bed wasn't really big enough for three grown adults nor did he wish to disturb them. He eventually crossed the threshold, retrieving the sheets, blankets and a spare pillow that was throw down on Ianto's side of the bed. He hesitated, watching Gwen and Ianto's relaxed features in sleep. He sighed with contentment, happy that he still had them both before he bent towards Ianto, his lips brushing Ianto's forehead. He stirred slightly but didn't wake as Jack rounded the bed, kissing Gwen on the brow as well. Gwen didn't even so much as stir. Jack took one last longing look at them before he left Ianto's bedroom, trudging back down the stairs to make himself comfortable on Ianto's couch.
On to Part 3