"Ianto!"

Ianto stopped, took a deep breath, and turned around. He wasn't ready to see Jack, let alone talk to him. He was glad Jack was back, yes, but at the same time so much had happened while Jack had been gone, not to mention in the few hours since he'd returned, that Ianto needed time to think. Alone. To work this new development into the life he'd led for the last four months.

"Yes?" he asked. Jack slowed down, hands in his pockets, that same nervous reticence from the office block coloring his face and actions.

"Did you…" He trailed off and cleared his throat. "Did you have any plans for the rest of the night?"

Ianto raised an eyebrow. "I'm trying to avoid my past self by hiding out in a luxury hotel. I'm not sure whether to catch up on sleep or take every advantage I can."

"The girls are taking advantage," Jack pointed out. "Massage, manicure, the works. If you were interested."

Ianto toed at the ground. "Not really my style."

"Right." Jack glanced up, met his eyes, and looked away. This strange lack of confidence was almost unnerving. Ianto wondered why Jack was like this, what had caused it. Did it have to do with Jack's absence? Had something happened to him? Or was it just a ploy to get Ianto back into bed as soon as possible, a manipulation to gain his sympathy and forgiveness for leaving them without so much as a word?

"Did you want to get a drink? Maybe something to eat?" Jack asked.

Ianto wanted to, he really did, but he couldn't. His head wasn't clear enough. He needed time alone first, and then maybe he could withstand whatever Jack threw at him. Because he needed that strength. Jack had asked him on a date, and Ianto had said yes, but it had been an instinctive response. Saying no would have shut the door on any future between them, and Ianto knew one thing: he wasn't ready to shut that door. Not personally and not professionally. He needed to hear Jack out and decide what he wanted once he knew what was really going on, what Jack was offering when he'd asked Ianto out on an actual date.

"I'm not that hungry," Ianto lied. Jack's face fell. Ianto wanted to change his mind, just to see Jack's broad smile, but he still needed time. They waited in awkward silence for a moment or two, until Jack stood straighter and held his eyes.

"I was serious about what I said earlier, about dinner and a movie," he said. "Or whatever you like to do on a date—a game, the opera, a bay cruise—"

"Jack." Ianto stopped him, but Jack kept going.

"I know you have questions," he said quietly, taking a tentative step forward. "You have every right to ask them, and I will try my best to answer. You also have every reason to start shouting at me right now, maybe even throw another right hook." He grinned, but Ianto was mortified and shook his head.

"Or not," Jack said quickly before Ianto could get a word in edgewise. "Which is a good thing for me, I suppose. But can we…can we at least talk? Soon?"

Ianto sighed. They'd never been much for talking, certainly not about themselves, but Ianto didn't think he'd be able to move on without some answers. He didn't kid himself that Jack would tell him everything, because that was Jack, keeping his secrets close. Ianto suspected there was a lot more to Jack than any of them knew, and that he kept his secrets for good reason. He couldn't die, after all; that was probably enough right there to shut people out. Yet Ianto needed something to hold onto, some truth about Jack to believe in after so much had changed.

"Yes," he said. "I suppose we should. There's a lot for you to catch up on from while you were gone."

Jack shook his head. "Not that. I read some of the files while the team was out. You're all alive and still fighting, and that's…that's brilliant. I couldn't ask for more." His gaze turned inward, as if he were remembering something. It must have been painful, because Ianto was fairly certain Jack was getting emotional from the memory, especially when he ran a hand over his face and cleared his throat.

"What are you going to do now then?" he asked. Ianto studied him for a moment before deciding to be honest.

"I was thinking about going to the pool. I saw some swimming shorts in the gift shop, and the pool doesn't close for another hour." He shrugged. "I used to enjoy it, haven't gone since I moved back."

Jack's face lit up. "You in tight wet shorts, nice! Want some com-"

"No," Ianto said sharply, hating the look on Jack's face as his mouth abruptly shut and his shoulders slumped. It was so out of character for the man who had left them, who would have responded with more quips, more banter, more innuendo. He wondered if Jack was disoriented to be back, or if he'd really changed somehow, someway.

"I'm sorry," Ianto said, and he was. "I could use some time to myself, though. It's been a long day. Maybe we could talk after?" He cringed, both wanting to see Jack later and wanting to curl up in his expensive hotel room in a fluffy bathrobe and order everything he could possibly eat from room service.

Jack was so genuinely happy, his smile so honest, that it threw Ianto off. What was going on? Jack stepped closer again, but Ianto kept his guard up. "You could come down to my room whenever you're ready, I'll be there."

"No," Ianto replied, shaking his head and tempering it with a smile. "That's probably a bad idea."

"Why?" asked Jack, and he actually looked confused. "I'm right down the hall, you can leave whenever you want."

"You wanted to talk, Jack," Ianto pointed out. "I think somewhere other than a lavish hotel room with a king size bed would be more conducive to actually talking for us."

"Oh." If Jack had been the type of man to blush, Ianto could almost picture it happening right then. But he wasn't and he didn't, although he also didn't come back with any innuendo.

"I wasn't even thinking about that," Jack said. "But the bar is open late. Do you still like gin and tonics?"

"Yes," Ianto replied, surprised that Jack knew it was his favorite cocktail, let alone remembered.

"Then let me buy you a drink. Meet you in…" He trailed off, leaving it to Ianto.

"Hour and a half?" Ianto replied. "Gives me time to shower after."

"Great, it's a-" Jack cut himself off with a sheepish grin. "It's a plan. I'll see you then."

"Right." Ianto turned toward the gift shop as Jack headed toward the lift back to his room.

"Ianto?" he called just before Ianto walked away.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for giving me a chance," Jack replied quietly.

Ianto nodded and left. He was glad he had time to think things through before they met again.

Passing through the lobby, Ianto was not surprised to see Owen at the bar. Then again, the man had taken some serious painkillers after being shot, so alcohol was probably not a good idea. Reluctantly, Ianto walked over to check on him. He didn't even have to say anything; apparently the look on his face was enough.

"I know, I know," Owen grumbled. "I shouldn't be drinking, I should be resting, blah blah blah."

"Spoken like a true doctor," Ianto remarked. Owen snorted.

"Sod off," he said. "The girls are getting pampered and I'm not ready to deal with Jack, so the bar it is, just the one." He paused and looked Ianto up and down. "You're not back in bed with him yet, that's good. Care to join me?"

"Actually, I'm going swimming," Ianto replied, and grinned when Owen rolled his eyes. "What? I'm hoping to have the place to myself. There's a whirlpool and sauna and everything. I'd suggest it, but open wounds are not usually encouraged in public swimming facilities, and I prefer the solitude."

"I wouldn't be caught dead in the water with you," Owen replied. "Enjoy your swim, fishboy."

"You could always get your nails done," Ianto tossed over his shoulder as he left. "I bet Gwen could pick you a great shade of puce."

Owen gave him a two-fingered salute, and Ianto left him to it. He pulled out his phone to text Jack, until he realized he didn't even know if Jack had a phone, or whether it would work during a time loop. He'd catch Jack before coming downstairs, and suggest they have a drink at the restaurant instead of the bar to avoid any entanglements with the others.

After purchasing the only swimming shorts in his size, Ianto made his way toward the spa and the pool. He changed in the small locker room and slipped into the cool water with a shiver. He'd always loved the water, and though it had been ages since he'd been swimming, he could feel the tension floating away immediately as the water surrounded him. He had the place to himself and took advantage of it, swimming a few quick laps before floating a bit, then trying a few more before moving to the whirlpool. The hot water relaxed him so much he almost fell asleep, and a part of him regretted agreeing to meet Jack as the thought of retiring to the large, soft bed in his room upstairs was far more appealing than awkward conversation with his boss and former lover.

He decided to skip the sauna, instead jumping back into the cold water to wake himself up. Grabbing a towel, he headed upstairs, his suit tucked away in the shopping bag, the towel draped around his shoulders. Idly wondering what the others were up to, Ianto was not surprised when Jack poked his head out of his door as if he'd been waiting and grinned.

"Nice view!" he called down the hallway. Ianto rolled his eyes, trying not to smile.

"I'm soaking wet, Jack," he said. "I'll be out in twenty minutes." Before Jack could reply, he opened his door, then remembered they'd agreed to meet at the bar. "Owen is at the bar, so you might want to get a table at the restaurant if you'd prefer some privacy. Nice view, and I could do with something to eat now."

Jack nodded. "I'll head there in a few minutes. I'm glad you suggested it, I'm starving."

"Right. See you there." Ianto headed into his room with a sigh. His time at the spa had been good, as he'd put all thoughts of Jack out of his mind and simply enjoyed the water. Now it all came rushing back. He was not only meeting Jack for a drink, but now he was having dinner with him. It certainly sounded like a date, though Ianto told himself it was nothing more than two coworkers stuck in a time loop and nothing more.

Which reminded him of John Hart, and all of a sudden every doubt Ianto had about the situation came rushing back. John Hart, former coworker, past lover, stuck in a time loop with Jack. Sounded familiar, and it made Ianto even more determined to avoid any physical entanglements with Jack that night. That night would be for talking. Ianto needed to know where things stood between them before anything else happened.

He showered quickly and pulled on his clothes, wishing he had a clean change of pants at the very least. He left off the jacket and tie and styled his hair as best as he could, then sat for a moment on the bed, trying not to fidget nervously. A quick glance at the minibar revealed a small bottle of wine. Pouring himself a generous glass, Ianto went to the balcony and stepped outside, sipping the dark red and hoping it might calm his racing heart.

It was strange having so little idea what would happen when he went downstairs to meet Jack. Before Jack had left, he and Ianto had shared a meal many times, even going out once or twice on their own after the others had left. But it had never felt like anything more. Like a date. This did. Jack had asked him on a date back at the office block, and this was probably it. Ianto had no idea what to expect.

Even worse was not knowing what he wanted to happen when he went downstairs. He'd accepted Jack's invitation, but did he want a real date, now that Jack was back? Though he'd dated some after Jack had disappeared, it had been hard. Torchwood didn't lend itself to a normal dating life. He'd met some nice people, but had not felt the same strong attraction he felt with Jack with any of them. But he'd felt it as soon as Jack had returned, that pull toward the man that had been so hard to resist. He'd missed that feeling.

He had only given in to that attraction so many months before because why not? They'd both been both hard and lonely, and they got on well with the banter and flirting. The chemistry had been there from the start, so when they'd finally tumbled into bed, it had felt far less awkward than Ianto could have ever anticipated given their history. Sex with Jack had been brilliant, but they'd kept it casual, even on nights when they'd had dinner or shared a nightcap in Jack's office. What kept throwing Ianto now was the apparently sincere intent behind Jack's offer of a date. It implied more than casual in Ianto's mind. But why now? Why him?

He finished his glass of wine, took one more look in the mirror (like a damned nervous school boy, which he most certainly was not), and then headed downstairs to meet Jack. A part of him almost wished he'd run into Tosh and Gwen so he could drag them along as a buffer, but then the thought of Jack and Gwen getting into it…whatever it was between them…soured him enough to take a deep breath and calm his nerves. Jack wanted to see him, not the others. Him.

He stepped into the restaurant, glanced around, and walked slowly toward his first official date with Jack Harkness.


Author's Note:

Another short story, detailing the night the team spent hiding out from themselves after Jack's return. Possibly not what you're expecting, unless you're expecting a lot of dialogue. And maybe a small twist or two. Don't hate me for Ianto's reticence, I'm exploring some ideas here I've always wanted to take a crack at. The swimming idea came to me at the pool, go figure. Apparently I daydream about Ianto Jones in a swimsuit as much as Jack. Enjoy!