Rumour Has It

As the cog door rolled back, three pairs of eyes looked to see who was going to walk through it.

Earlier, Ianto and Jack had argued behind closed doors for ten minutes, before the young Welshman slapped Jack across the face and stormed out. Jack had called after the younger man, but Ianto kept on going. Jack, being Jack, let at least ten minutes go by before going after the said Welshman.

That was almost three hours ago.

"They're either makin' out like rabbits, or Jack's been standing outside Ianto's flat wondering if he should knock or use his key," said Owen smirking, an hour after Jack had left the Hub..

Tosh moved closer to the cog door. "Jack? Ianto?"

Jack moved through the door and stood beside the old couch. His face was bruised and his top lip split.

"Ianto isn't coming back for a few days." He told them.

"What?" This from Gwen. "What do you mean, he isn't coming back? Is he on holiday? What happened, Jack?"

Jack sighed. "You saw what happened. He hit me!"

"No! He must have had a reason. Ianto wouldn't just lash out without a good reason, Jack."

"What were you arguing about earlier?" asked Owen.

Jack looked at the ground.

"Jack!"

Jack put his hands deep into his coat pockets.

"What did you do, Jack?" asked Tosh.

"I haven't done anything! It's what Ianto thinks I've done."

"And what's that?" asked Owen, sitting on the couch.

"He thinks I cheated on him."

"And did you?"

"No! Why would I?"

"Then how come Ianto thinks you did?" enquired Gwen, crossing her arms over her chest.

"He heard it from one of the girls in Starbucks."

"Starbucks?"

"Yeah. They told him I was walking with this guy. Real 'cosy' they said."

"But you weren't?"

"I already told you. No!"

"When was this?" asked Tosh.

"Tuesday around 8.15pm."

"I thought you were out on a date with Ianto that night," said Owen.

"He was late. Phoned to say he'd meet me in town instead of the Bay. Something to do with his car," he shook his head. "I wasn't really paying that much attention at the time. I thought he just wanted to meet at the flat."

"Did you…meet at his flat?"

"No."

"Where then?"

"I…didn't."

"Didn't?"

"No. I got a text from him a few minutes later, to say he'd changed his mind. He wanted a night in…on his own. I respected that. He needed time to himself. It's all new to him and I guess he needed some space."

"And what did you do?" asked Gwen.

"I came back here."

Tosh turned on her computer. "I can check." Her fingers moved quickly over the keyboard. "Look," she said. "Isn't that you there?"

Jack looked, frowning. "My trousers are not that short!"

"And you're definitely taller." Added Owen.

"Who is that?" demanded Jack.

"It does look like your coat."

"You can buy those coats on eBay," put in Owen.

Gwen looked directly at Jack. "Get Ianto back here. He needs to see this."

"I just spent the best part of half hour getting over his threshold and an hour and a half telling him it wasn't me. Do you think he's gonna come back just so you can tell him the same thing?"

"Show him Jack…show him," said Tosh, pointing to the monitor.

Jack waved a hand at the monitor. "You can't see their faces."

"Well, I don't think it's you." Owen told him.

Jack hung his head.

"What?"

"Ianto said this isn't the first time he's heard I've cheated on him."

Owen ran a hand through his hair. "Then he's a twat!"

"I've never…I don't know, given him reason to think I don't just want him."

"Jesus, Jack! Don't you two talk as well as shag?"

Jack frowned. "With Ianto, it's complicated."

"Sex?"

"No! Talking! We talk…about lots of things. But not our emotions. Our feelings."

"So he thinks you're playing the field?" Owen sighed. "You're both twats!"

Gwen stepped in. "So, at Ianto's flat…what did you say to him?"

"I told him straight. I wasn't cheating on him. Never had. But he said there were rumours going around the Bay."

"Not just Starbucks then."

"No. Lynne in Eddies, she said she heard about it, too."

"I don't believe this! Get 'im on the phone, now!"

"I'll do it," said Tosh.

Picking up the phone, Tosh dialled her friends number.

"Ianto, hi. I need to tell you something and you need to listen."

"Forget it, Tosh. I've had it with Jack!"

"I reviewed the CCTV footage of Tuesday night. It isn't Jack, Ianto. He's smaller than Jack and the clothes are all wrong."

Ianto sighed. "Whatever."

"Please, Ianto. Come in and talk to Jack."

"Did he put you up to this?"

"No. It was Owen actually."

"I don't want to fight with him again, Tosh."

"Just listen to him."

Ianto sighed again. "Okay. I'll be at the café in the Millennium Centre in half an hour."

"Thanks, Ianto."

The line went dead.

Jack looked at Tosh expectantly.

"Millennium café in half an hour."

Jack half smiled. "Thanks. I owe you one."

"Just go bring him back."

TWTWTW

Ianto put the phone down and nervously ran a hand through his hair. The last thing he needed right now was another confrontation with Jack bloody Harkness.

Leaning against the couch, the young Welshman closed his eyes and thought back over the events of the morning…..

Jack sipped his coffee and grimaced. "Ianto? My coffee is cold and you put sugar in it!"

"Did I?" Ianto called up to him. "Must have got it mixed up with Owen's."

Ianto made him a fresh cup.

Half an hour later.

"Ianto? Where's that file I asked you for a half hour ago?" asked Jack, leaning against the door jam of his office.

Ianto looked up in Jack's direction and shrugged. "I guess it must have slipped my mind."

Jack frowned. "Can you please go get it for me?"

Sighing heavily, Ianto put down the book he was reading and walked towards the stair.

Jack's eyes followed him.

"What's gotten into him?" asked Owen.

"Beats me," replied Jack, going back into his office.

Ten minutes later, Ianto reappeared with a file, taking it up to Jack's office. He dropped it on the Captains desk and turned to leave.

"Hold on a minute," began Jack. "Have I done something to upset you?"

Turning around, Ianto tapped a hand against his thigh. "What makes you think that, sir."

"Sir?" Jack stood up, rounded the desk and stood inches from his lover. "Out with it."

"I don't know what your referring to."

"That's bull and you know it!"

"Leave it, Jack, okay?"

"No, it's not okay."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Ianto turned to leave again, his back was to Jack. "Where were you Tuesday night? I waited for you at my flat."

"You text me to say you wanted some time alone, remember."

"No, I didn't."

"I have the text right here…" Jack took out his mobile phone and scrolled through his messages. "At least, I did."

"Convenient, wouldn't you say?"

"Why would I lie?"

"Good question."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "Where do you think I was?"

Ianto looked passed Jack and then said, "You tell me."

"I was here…alone. All night."

"Not what I heard."

"What you heard? You're listening to rumours now? I don't believe you!"

Ianto slammed the door shut, making the other members of Torchwood look up.

"I didn't send any text, Jack. Believe me, I'd remember."

"But I got one…from you."

"Which you conveniently deleted, no doubt."

Jack closed his eyes in frustration. "Why would I make up such a thing? I enjoy spending time with you."

"Enjoy fucking me, you mean."

"That's not fair."

"Neither is cheating on me behind my back!"

"Cheating on you? I never have!"

"It's all over the Bay, Jack!"

Jack went to hug the younger man. "Ianto…"

"Don't even think about touching me!"

Jack stepped back and laughed. "That's not what you said last night. You were all over me like a…"

A slap across the face cut Jack off in mid sentence.

"You bastard! You take me for granted! Well, you'll just have to go fuck your new lover."

"Ianto, there is no one else!"

Ianto opened the office door and stormed out, leaving Jack both hurt - physically and mentally - and frustrated.

Ianto got up, grabbed his jacket and headed out to his car. Once behind the wheel, he headed back to the Bay.

TWTWTW

Jack left the Hub straight after Tosh had phoned Ianto. Sitting in the Millennium café, he nursed a cup of coffee, remembering his earlier encounter with Ianto at his flat…..

"Will you at least open the door so we can speak without the neighbours hearing us?"

"Go away, Jack."

"Ianto, please."

"You have nothing to say that I want to hear."

"It isn't true. I swear it isn't."

"Who is he, Jack?"

"There is no one!"

Jack put his key in the door, but it wouldn't open. Ianto had the dead lock on.

"Please, Ianto, open the door." Jack turned, leaning against the door jam. "I'm not leavin' until you do!"

Ten minutes later, Jack heard footsteps and then the lock turning. The door opened and he saw Ianto walking back towards the kitchen.

"Thank you."

"You've got five minutes."

Ianto made coffee, but didn't offer any to Jack.

"I did get a text from you…or someone using your number!"

Ianto didn't look convinced.

"Why would I cheat on you? I…love you!"

Ianto almost chocked on his coffee.

"You love me!"

Jack closed his eyes for a second them looked at Ianto. "Yes. I love you."

Putting the coffee cup down, Ianto moved to the sink and looked out of the kitchen window. "Just leave, Jack. Please."

"Ianto!"

"Go!"

Jack left, reluctantly, walking around the city to try and clear his head.

Jack sighed. 'Who in the hell would pretending to be me!' he thought.

Going back to the SUV, Jack got inside and thumped the steering wheel. It didn't make him feel any better. Worse, if anything.

As he made his way back to the Hub, Jack wondered who was going around, dressed like him. It both maddened and upset him at the same time. Maddened because it caused Ianto to doubt him. Upset, because the young Welshman didn't want anything to do with him right now.

TWTWTW

Ianto walked slowly into the café, passed a seated Jack, and bought himself a latte. He was making Jack squirm and he knew it. Taking the cup back to where the older man was, Ianto sat opposite him.

Jack looked at him as he sat down. "Thanks for coming."

"Tosh said you had something," Ianto said, arching a brow.

Jack took out his mobile phone. "Yeah. Tosh uploaded the CCTV footage to my phone." He passed it to Ianto.

Ianto took the phone. Their hands touched and Ianto pulled away quickly, as if he'd been burnt.

"Owen says you can get a coat like that on eBay."

Ianto looked at the footage, then handed the phone back to Jack.

"Well?" asked Jack.

"It isn't you." He picked up his coffee cup and took a sip.

Jack closed his eyes and sighed.

"I'm…sorry, Jack. When I heard…well, I thought…you and me. Well, office shag came to mind." He lowered his gaze.

Jack half smiled. "You are so much more, Ianto Jones." Jack attentively stretched out a hand to the younger man. "You believe me, don't you?"

"Yes. I think I do." He smiled, but never touched Jack's hand.

"Now, if we can only work out how they sent a text to me," said Jack, putting his hand back down to his side.

It suddenly dawned on the young Welshman.

"Shit!" He threw his head back, closing his eyes for an instant.

"What?" Jack asked, concerned.

Ianto turned startled blue eyes on his lover. "I thought I'd lost my phone about…oh, four days ago, I think. I decided to call my number," he shrugged, "in case anyone found it. This guy answered and we exchanged a few pleasantries. He said he'd leave it in Starbucks…where he said he found it. I collected it a few hours later."

Jack frowned, his eyebrows almost meeting. "That still doesn't explain the nature of the text. How did he know we were an item?"

Ianto blushed.

"What?"

"I have your number under 'My Cariad'." Ianto half grinned, half grimaced. Sorry."

Jack couldn't help but grin himself. "S'okay. I kinds like it."

Ianto moved his hand across the table. Jack's hand met it halfway. Their fingers entwined for a few seconds, before they drew apart.

"So," began Ianto, after a few seconds, "how do we find this guy?"

"Oh, I think he'll find us."

TBC….later