He stood on the other side of the street. Far enough away, so the streetlamp wouldn't reach him. Hands were stuffed deeply into coat pockets, the fabric pulled closer around his body. It was a chilly evening in November.
Blue eyes wandered over the empty street. It had always been a very quiet district of the town. There was light in quite a few windows, telling about the occupants of the flats being at home and probably eating dinner or watching TV or playing with their kids.
But it was one window in particular that drew his attention. It had been such a long time ago now. Sad eyes watched the shadow that could be seen through the window: A figure moving around in the flat, busy picking up things, moving objects and probably whistling happily while doing it. He could almost hear the tune.
Then the shadow disappeared from the window and after a few moments the flat went dark.
Straightening up, he waited. He knew what would happen next and sighed when the figure from before, who had only been a shadow then, stepped out of the front door.
He counted to three and chuckled when the figure shuddered in the chilly air and turned up his collar. Hands were stuffed in his pocket in a similar stance as his observer as he started to walk up the street.
A whistled tune was carried over by the evening breeze and made him smile. Slowly pushing himself away from the wall, he started to follow the whistling figure. He was in no hurry; he knew where the other man was going. Opting for a shortcut, and with a last glance at the man at the far end of the street, he slipped into a small alley and started to jog. A glance to his watch told him he still had five minutes and the shortcut would bring him to his destination in only three.
A little bit out of breath, he slowed down when he reached the Plass. This was the moment that was always dangerous. Quickly and with long strides, he crossed the open space and made his way to the small café by the bay.
He smiled when he saw yet another man waiting at the waterside railing. The figure was fidgeting, stepping from one foot to the other as if he was nervous.
Grinning, when he saw the man stuff one hand into his coat pocket clearly grabbing something inside, he stepped back into the shadows when he heard the whistling again. A moment later the figure from before rounded the corner and stepped to the man at the railing, slipping his arms around his waist from behind.
He couldn't hear what was said, but he knew the words nonetheless. He watched them share a gentle kiss before they turned to the café, arms around each other's waists. When they went past him, he caught a few words of their conversation, but they didn't notice him.
"Jack, is there something wrong? You seem tense?" The man from the flat rubbed his hand over the other man's back.
"Nah, everything's fine. It's just chilly outside. Come on, Ianto, let's find a table."
He watched both men disappear into the café and followed them quickly before the door fell shut again. Carefully making his way through the tables, he found a place at the far wall. Resting against the wall, he watched the couple sit down. They laughed happily and shared a loving smile when they grabbed for the menu at the same time.
He saw Ianto skid around the table with his chair, so they could look at the menu together and he grinned when he saw Jack's hand sneak onto the younger man's thigh, caressing it gently.
He watched as they placed their orders, Jack reaching out over the table for Ianto's hand. Saw them talk quietly, Jack's thumb stroking carefully over the back of Ianto's hand. Observing while they ate, feeding each other at times. A lingering gaze cast towards the couple across the room as they chuckled and laughed throughout the evening.
And he knew when the moment was close.
A smile spread across his face when he saw Jack's hand disappear into the pocket of his coat again. He could practically feel the tension of the other man, but he loved this moment and needed to remember every second of it. It was so crucial to burn every sound, every smell, and every little detail into his mind. This was his last chance to witness this moment.
He found himself holding his breath, when he watched Jack pull his hand back out of the pocket, a small box safely in his grip. His gaze focused on Ianto as he took in the curious blue eyes and the slightly open mouth, the young features now showing half a smile. He knew that Jack was gripping Ianto's hand; he knew when Jack slid the box over the table to Ianto. And he watched when the young man lowered his eyes, looking surprised at the small box.
He looked on as Ianto slipped his hand from Jack's grasp. He watched him carefully lifting the box from the table, smiling at the insecure look that flickered from the box to Jack and back. His heart was beating faster now, just as he knew Jack's heart was pumping hard in his chest. He saw Ianto open the lid of the box and watched him take in a sharp breath. He could see the young man's hands tremble, almost dropping the small box.
He viewed the scene before him, the young man looking disbelievingly at the ring in the box before he looked at Jack, his mouth now wide open.
"Will you marry me?" He whispered the words, he knew Jack was saying right now and he smiled at Ianto's slightly shocked expression that quickly changed to a beaming smile.
He couldn't stop the tear from running down his face, when he saw Ianto nodding and almost shouting a "Yes!" He watched Jack stand up and Ianto practically flying into his arms. He stared while they embraced in a passionate kiss, while Ianto had his hand wrapped securely around the box containing his ring. His vision got blurry from his own tears when he saw them crying in joy.
His hands closed tightly around the ring in his pocket. The same ring Ianto was slipping onto his finger now; the same ring that would stay on that finger for the next 69 years. Wiping his own tears away, he smiled sadly. He watched the two men pay the waiter quickly, smiling knowingly over the gracious tip that they added to the bill.
He sighed heavily before following them when they left the café to make their way down the steps to the tourist office entrance. Jack had Ianto's hand in a tight grip and practically dragged him to the door of the fake tourist information center. He saw Ianto stop him in front of the door and then watched as they kissed passionately, again, their bodies pulled tightly together by strong arms. He could almost feel the body in his arms when Jack grabbed Ianto around the waist and lifted him up. He chuckled when he spotted them whirling around in a silly Sound-of-Music way.
His hands grabbed the railing tightly when he watched Jack put the young man down and they shared another passionate kiss. His eyes started to burn again, when he saw the loving smile Ianto gave Jack. The tears were falling freely when he saw Ianto open his mouth.
"I love you," he whispered in time with Ianto.
His heart broke when he watched the happy couple enter the tourist office. He didn't have to follow them to remember what happened next.
He stood at the railing and looked out over the bay, the tears running down his face. His knuckles were white from gripping the railing so hard and he felt as if something had ripped a piece from his heart.
He wasn't surprised when he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder after a while, but he couldn't yet turn around and face the Doctor. They stood in silence for what felt like hours before the Doctor finally spoke.
"I'm sorry, Jack."
"I just miss him so much."
"I know."
Silence followed before the Doctor pulled Jack into a hug.
"He will always be with you; in your heart and in your memories." Rubbing gently over Jack's back, he pressed the sobbing figure to his chest. "But you know that we can't go back to this time again."
"I know." A stifled sob came from somewhere between them. "I just wish I could take him with me."
"But you can't. And you need to let go. We need to leave this time now. Allowing you to come back here for a third time was a risk I don't even want to think about. We can run into our two other selves any second now."
"I can't let him go."
Desperate hands were clawing at the Doctor's coat and the Time Lord sighed. It was every year at this date, the day Ianto Harkness-Jones had died, that the grief would overwhelm Jack.
"Jack, we can't go back to this day, but there are about 26663 other days to choose from, not counting the years before you met Ianto. I'm sure they are not all special or with good memories, but…"
"Every day with Ianto was special, good or bad." Jack had lifted his head and looked at the Doctor. "You would take me to other days in Ianto's life?"
"Of course, Jack. Now come on, I think the dancing penguins on Neruba 3 might cheer you up a bit." Patting Jack on the back, the Doctor untangled himself from Jack's grip and strode over the Plass to the TARDIS, which was waiting for them in a street behind the Millennium Centre.
Jack glanced back to the now closed door of the tourist office and smiled. This Jack had one hell of a time before him. And he would visit day after day of that ride.