Moonlight Sonata
Ianto rattled the door handle one last time before pressing the button on his coms system.
"Jack…Jack…where are you?" he whispered, his voice tinged with panic. It was gone dusk and the clouds hid any light from the moon. Ianto shone his torch out into the Bay, his right hand reaching for his gun and his eyes scanning the area for signs of danger. He made a mental note to install a light outside the HUB's 'tourist' entrance at the next available moment.
"Jaaack!" Ianto whispered.
"Ianto!" the cry came at last. "And how's my lovely Welsh-"
"I can't-" began Ianto.
"Fancy going Weevil hunting?" Jack continued. Perhaps he hadn't heard the Welshman, but Ianto suspected he had.
"No I can't-"
"Oh but why?" Jack whined. "I've been-"
"Jack!"
"and I haven't-"
"Jack…will you just shut up listen for a minute!" Ianto snapped.
There was silence at the other end of the line. Ianto sighed before continuing.
"I can't get into the HUB. For some reason the key isn't working. I've tried the lift, the override system, the alternate key, the code. Everything. I can't get in. Where are you?"
"I'm near the Millennium Centre. I was just about to come and find you actually, but I got talking to this security guard and then you rudely-"
"Great! So we're locked out then."
Ianto shone his torch onto the door and tried turning the key again.
"Jack, what's going on? Why are you laughing?"
"You're locked out of the HUB and I wasn't laughing."
The tone of his voice suggested otherwise.
"And I suppose there's no chance Gwen is in there?"
"Nope, she's with Rhys visiting the in-laws. I could say something clever by comparing them to aliens but we've done that joke already."
Ianto huffed and Jack laughed again.
"Stop playing games Jack. If you know why we can't get into the HUB, I'd like to know. Some of us have jobs to do. Places to go, people to see, aliens to catch," Ianto tried to keep the severity in his voice, but the more he spoke, the more his tone softened.
"Coffee to make? Why don't you come and find me Ianto and then I'll show you the reason."
"I don't like surprises, Jack" Ianto stated flatly.
"Good because its not a surprise, it's a present."
"What for?"
"Being you."
"Doesn't sound like a very good excuse for giving me a present."
"It's a perfectly good excuse, now are you coming or not?"
Ianto rolled his eyes, replaced his gun and cursed Jack.
"OY! I heard that!" Jack called though the earpiece.
"You were meant to," replied Ianto, grinning.
Walking across the Plass, Ianto could see the Captain leaning casually against the glass windows of the Millennium Centre. There didn't look to be anything unusual about him or the surrounding area, but you could never quite tell with Jack. As Ianto approached, the Captain raised a hand in salute.
"Where's my present then?" Ianto called.
"Patience. All good things come to those who wait."
Ianto stopped several paces away from Jack and waited for the American to make his next move. He reached out for Ianto's hand.
Leading the way to the fountain, Jack stopped at the invisible lift. Uttering something that sounded vaguely alien, he stepped onto the stone and waited for Ianto to join him. Slowly, the lift descended into the HUB.
"I thought we were locked out!" Ianto exclaimed.
"You were locked out," Jack corrected him, but before Ianto could reply, he was stunned to silence.
Flooded with the light of a thousand candles, the space was transformed. The flickering honey glow shimmered in the water and sparkled in the glass. Beside the fountain, Jack had laid a red carpet which led across the HUB towards his office. The way was lit with yet more candles. From somewhere in the distance played soft piano music.
"Moonlight Sonata" breathed Ianto.
Jack nodded.
Still holding Ianto's hand, he guided him towards his office. Inside, Jack's usual desk had been replaced with a small table and chairs. A single candle provided intimate lighting. Two places were set for a silver service dinner and Jack offered Ianto the seat nearest to them.
"What do you think?" Jack asked hesitantly.
"Beautiful. It's beautiful Jack."
Jack grinned broadly and crossed the room to the small dinner trolley.
"Pizza ok? Can't cook to safe my life…actually I did once but that's besides the point."
Ianto smiled as Jack brought the plates over and handed one of them to him.
"It's gone a bit cold" Jack complained, taking the seat opposite Ianto and tentatively cutting the pizza. "You know, I once worked in a pizza place, it wasn't much…Ianto why are you looking at me like that?" Jack was unnerved.
"This is our date. Our first proper, uninterrupted, actual date."
"Umm I suppose it is," replied Jack casually. Their past 'dates' hadn't been wonderfully successful. Needless to say, aliens didn't plan their arrival with consideration of people's social lives and Gwen had really bad timing. Really really bad timing.
Ianto leaned over the table and kissed Jack lightly on the lips.
"Perhaps we can just skip the cold pizza," he suggested.
He intended to make the most of their time alone together.
Jack nodded in agreement and returned Ianto's kiss.
That night, the only interruption was the soft melody of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, drifting through the candlelight, across the HUB.