Far Horizons
The sun was just coming up over the horizon when Jack and Ianto left the Hub on a Weevil hunt together. Ianto was excited. It was his first hunt with just him and Jack. He was excited to be going along with him.
Getting into the SUV, Ianto watched Jack carefully. He didn't want to let him down. Ianto was still proving himself after the 'Lisa' incident.
He'd served his one month's suspension. It nearly drove him insane, being at home, but he knew he couldn't go into the Hub. He kept his head down over the passed month and did as he was told, when he was told. That must count in his favour, surely?
Jack gunned the engine and went off in the direction of Bute Park, where the Weevil had been sighted.
It was still early so the roads were clear enough for Jack to speed without endangering anyone.
Nearing the Park, Jack turned to Ianto. "I know you've been on a couple of hunts, but never just the two of us. Please, do exactly as I tell you. Keep the Weevil spray in your hand at all times and stay safe." He winked at Ianto.
"I….will." Ianto forced a smile.
Stopping the car and locking it, Jack and Ianto left the car and entered the park. It was deserted, save for one lone woman sat on a bench, apparently, in a day dream..
"We need to get her out of here. Go work your magic on her." Instructed Jack.
"My 'magic'?" asked Ianto, smiling.
Jack gave him a quick shove. "Yes! Go!"
Ianto walked as casual as Ianto could, under the circumstances, and sat beside the young woman.
They looked at each other.
"Nice morning," he began.
The woman nodded, giving Ianto a smile.
"You're up early."
"Couldn't sleep."
"Why's that then?"
"Bad memories."
"I have a few of those myself."
"Really?"
Ianto nodded. "Oh, yes."
"How do you cope with them, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I'm not sure I do. I just carry on somehow. I have friends." He looked towards Jack, "They help."
"I don't have many friends. My fault really." She smiled. "Too shy."
"I used to be like that. I was so far inside myself, it was painful."
"Really? How did you overcome it? It must have really been tough."
"It was, at first. Just went out one day and decided, no more." Ianto looked at Jack who was giving him the 'hurry up' sign. "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that if you don't move pretty soon, I'm going to kill you."
The young woman looked at Ianto in disbelief. "No you won't."
Ianto tutted and shook his head. "Then please trust me, and leave the park. It's dangerous right now."
She looked around her.
"What's your name?"
"Heather."
"Pretty name. I'm Ianto." He smiled at her. "Please, leave. Maybe we could meet back here later, today. Chat a bit more, but right now…"
The Weevil appeared behind Jack.
"….you need to leave."
Ianto rushed towards Jack.
"Jack, behind you!"
Ianto turned his spray towards the Weevil giving it a good dose. It turned to face Ianto, then collapsed in a heap. Turning, Ianto noticed that Heather was standing by the bench, looking horrified.
"Go!" Shouted Ianto.
Leaving a card on the bench, Heather left smartish.
Jack looked at Ianto. "Thought that was gonna take all day!"
"Sorry." Ianto hung his head.
"No problem. We got it."
Ianto walked back to the bench to see what Heather had left. It was her business card with her mobile number on. Ianto smiled and pocketed the card.
"You made a new friend," said Jack, heaving the Weevil over his shoulder. "Go open the back of the car will ya."
Putting the Weevil in the back, Jack tossed the car keys to Ianto. "You drive. I'm exhausted."
Ianto smiled. "You haven't done anything."
"Carried the Weevil, didn't I?"
"Yes, you did." Ianto laughed.
Jack nodded. "Yes I did." Echoing Ianto.
Once back at the Hub, Ianto carried the Weevil down to the cells and locked it in. "I'll be back later to feed you. Sleep tight."
Taking the card out of his inside jacket pocket, Ianto looked at the mobile number. Once he was back in the main Hub area, he punched the number into his phone.
"Hello, Heather?"
"Yes. Who is this?"
"Ianto. From the park earlier."
"Oh, hello. I hoped you call me. What was that thing?"
"Mmm. Can we meet up later for coffee, I'll try and explain then."
"I'm here on a weekend break. How about 12.30pm."
"Great. By the Bay. Starbucks. Do you know it?"
"Yes, I know it well."
"See you then. Bye."
"Bye."
Ianto hung up and smiled, placing his phone on the workstation in front of him. Gwen was giving him one of her looks, so he picked up his phone and put it in his pocket.
"Weevil settled in?" Jack asked.
Ianto nodded.
"Good." He moved closer to Ianto. "Made a date yet?"
"Starbucks. 12.30pm."
Gwen was watching him.
"Alone," he added.
Gwen clucks her tongue against her teeth and tries to stare Ianto down.
"Won't work, Gwen. I had a good teacher. My sister."
Jack laughed.
'Good for you' thought Jack, smiling.
"I have some reports that need typing up, Ianto. You wanna do them in the Information Centre?" He handed Ianto the reports. Then added. "I could help."
"Help, how?" asked Ianto, frowning.
"Okay. You got me. I just wanna do an hour or so in the Centre. See what it's like. See what you get up to. Have to deal with. I get bored here on my own."
"Excuse me. But what are we down here, chopped liver?" Asked Owen.
Jack tittered. "No. I just never tried the Centre before." "Sure it's the centre you wanna try?" Quipped Owen.
Jack looked at him sternly.
"Sorry." He wasn't.
"You can sit in there while I type out the reports, I suppose," said Ianto, oblivious to the conversation going on around him. "We might get a few enquiries."
So it was that Jack sat with Ianto in the Centre while he typed out the report. A young couple came in for information on the Millennium Centre and Bay boat trips. Jack turned to Ianto, who stood and approached the couple.
Jack listened in awe, as Ianto told them all about the concerts, plays and recitals in the Millennium Centre and the cost and duration of the boat trip.
"I'm sure you'll enjoy both," he said, smiling.
"Thank you."
The couple left, happy.
"Wow. Ianto, you were good. I'm impressed."
"Thank you. I do my best."
"I'm impressed, really."
"Right, that's the report finished."
"Oh," said Jack, a little disappointed, "already?"
"Mmmm, sorry."
Jack looked at his watch. "Nearly 12.15pm. You should be going to meet Heather."
Ianto offered the report to Jack. "Your signature is required, sir."
Jack took it. "Sir? You go straight from here. Lock up as you leave."
"Thanks."
"Take as long as you want."
Ianto smiled, "Really?"
Jack sighed then nodded. "Yeah."
Ianto then left.
Finding a table outside Starbucks, Ianto seated himself and waited for Heather.
He thought back to how he had once felt. A loner. No friends to speak of. It was difficult for him to make friends at school. He was picked on and bullied. Had his dinner money and bus fair taken from him by boys bigger than him.
Not the Ianto Jones today. He was much stronger. Had friends. He was still naïve about a few things, but that was okay with him. He didn't want to appear to worldly. He was still only young, at 23.
Heather arrived just as Ianto was about to check his watch. He stood up as she approached.
"Nice to see you again. What can I get you?"
"Oh, a tall Latte if it isn't too much trouble."
Ianto bowed his head the way he did when he spoke to Jack sometimes. "No, not at all. My pleasure."
He went into the shop and returned a few minutes later with two cups of Latte.
"So, Heather, tell me a little bit about yourself."
Heather raised her eyebrows. "Not much to tell really. I'm really shy. I was bullied at school, which made me worse. I don't make friends easily."
"Sounds a lot like me," admitted Ianto. "And I'm not just saying that."
"You look the quiet type, I must say."
"Mmm. I tend to speak only when I have something to say. Ask my boss."
"The one from the park." Heather said.
"Yes, Jack."
"He seemed….nice."
Ianto laughed. "Don't ever tell him that."
They sat chatting for twenty minutes, then Ianto asked. "Would you like to go out for dinner tonight?"
"I'd love to. But, don't you have a girlfriend you'd much rather be with?"
Ianto shook his head. "No. Not any more." He saw the curious look Heather was giving him. "It's a long, boring story. Definitely not for lunchtime conversation."
Heather smiled. "Okay, but we go dutch. I pay half."
Ianto smiled and nodded. "Okay, it's a deal. I'll pick you up?"
"I'm staying at The Sandringham Hotel on St Mary Street.
"Okay, I live close by. I'll pick you up in reception about 8pm. Is that okay? We can go from there."
"Sounds wonderful. Thank you." "Thank you. For accepting." "You're a very charming young man, Ianto."
Ianto smiled. "And you are a very wonderful woman, Heather."
They finished their coffee's, said their goodbyes and then Ianto went back into the Hub.
Jack was waiting for him. "Well?"
"I'm….taking her to dinner tonight. We're going dutch. She insisted."
"Okay." Jack continued to look at Ianto.
"Was there something you wanted, Jack?"
"Coffee would be nice." He smiled.
"Coming up."
Ianto had a spring in his step.
Jack watched him as he made the coffee. The machine did his bidding, producing the amber nectar that they all loved so much.
Putting five clean mugs on the round, silver tray, Ianto filled each one in turn. Walking out into the Hub, he started to distribute them to the other members of the team.
Jack, he left until last.
He wanted to talk to Jack. Get his advise. After all, Jack was a man of the world….more than one world, as it happened.
Ianto knocked before entering, out of courtesy.
Jack looked up from his paperwork and smiled. "Ianto, coffee."
Ianto smiled, placing the mug before Jack.
"May I have a quick word, Jack?"
"Sure. What can I help you with?"
"Heather. She's….older than me, about six or seven years, I think but….we get on so well."
"Yeah." Jack knew what was coming. Or he thought he did.
"I really like her and I was wondering if it would be inappropriate to, when she goes home, maybe phone her. Maybe write now and again."
"I'm sure Heather would like that." Jack grimaced inside.
He had a secret of his own.
"You have a way with people, Ianto. It puts them at ease. You're quiet, unassuming. Not a threat."
"Is that good?"
"With the ladies, yes."
Ianto beamed.
"Thank you, Jack. I feel better already." Ianto went to leave.
"She's a very lucky lady. You're a special person, Ianto Jones."
Ianto blushed. "I'm just me. I never thought of myself as special."
"You are too modest. Learn to accept a compliment now and again. I don't give them out lightly."
Ianto smiled. "Thanks. I'll be going down to the archives. Finish filing those papers from earlier this week."
Jack watched him leave. 'There goes my heart' he thought.
Once down in the archives, Ianto set about putting all the papers in the correct folders and filing them in the cabinets. He stopped now and again and smiled. He was really happy. He'd met someone he could have a good conversation with. Someone who had been through a lot of the 'stuff' he'd been through. He'd gotten through it, he was sure Heather would, too.
Ianto hadn't been on a date since Lisa. Hadn't wanted to. It had taken his a while to get over her death.
But this wasn't date. He wanted to turn this into a friendship. He wanted friendship for Heather's sake. He knew Heather wanted the same. They were a kindred spirit.
Looking at his watch, Ianto noticed that it was nearly 4pm. Time to make the last coffee of the day. Going up into the Hub, Ianto started up the coffee machine. While he was waiting, Ianto hummed to himself, then broke into song.
So excuse me forgetting.
But these things I do.
You see I've forgotten.
If they're Green or their Blue.
Anyway, what I really mean.
Yours are the sweetest eyes.
I've ever seen….."
Everyone stopped to listen to Ianto singing. They often heard him humming
A tune now and then, but never him singing.
"Ianto, you're good," said Tosh.
Realising everyone could hear him, Ianto blushed.
"I'm not. I'm really not."
He got on with making the coffee.
Taking Jack's up to his office, Jack invited him to sit.
"You're really taken with Heather."
"Yes, I am."
"Arh." Jack squirmed in his chair.
"I know what you're about to say."
"You do?"
Ianto nodded. "I just want Heather and I to be friends, Jack. Heather went through a lot of stuff that I went through growing up. We kind of relate to each other."
"Is that all you want from her, Ianto?"
"Mmm," Ianto thought for a moment. "I want her to feel wanted. Happy. Alive. Excited."
"I'm happy for you, I really am. But take it slow, you might scare her off with all of your enthusiasm."
Ianto giggled. "I might."
"Get out of here, you clown."
Ianto stood, saluted and left, singing.
Dead on the dot of 6pm, Ianto put his coat on and asked Jack if it was okay for him to leave.
"Sure. Have a nice evening."
Ianto waved and left.
Jack sighed.
"Wish is was you, do we?" asked Owen, entering the office..
"What?"
"I've seen the way you look at him, even if he doesn't."
"Yeah. He drives me crazy." Jack admitted.
"Then, tell him."
"Right. He's off on a date with a woman, and I confess my love for him. That'll work. Not."
Owen shrugged. "It's not a date, Jack. They're friends. Tell him or suck it up."
Ianto arrived back at his flat, got undressed and jumped in the shower. He hummed to himself. Getting out, he towelled himself down and walked into his bedroom, naked. Opening the wardrobe door, Ianto chose a slate grey suit with a narrow white pinstripe. A light blue, plain shirt with a darker blue tie. Once he was happy with his choice, he went into the kitchen, still naked, and made himself a coffee.
As he went into the living room, Ianto heard a noise from behind him. He turned, forgetting he had no clothes on.
"Jack! What are you doing here? How did you get in?"
Jack held up his handy little tool kit.
"Arh," said Ianto.
Jack looked admiringly at Ianto.
"I need to talk to you. Can you please go put some clothes on. It's very distracting." Jack smiled.
Ianto looked down. "Oh, God, yes."
He went into the bedroom and came out wearing pyjama bottoms.
"Thanks," said Jack.
Ianto just smiled. "What did you want to talk to me about? Couldn't it wait until tomorrow?"
"No, I….might not have the courage tomorrow."
"Would you like a coffee?"
"No, thanks."
"Something stronger?"
"No," Jack sighed. "Please, Yan, just let me finish what I have to say and I'll be outta here."
"Yan." Ianto signalled for Jack to sit. He followed suit.
"I….have feelings for you."
"Feelings?"
Jack glared at Ianto, who held up his hands.
"Sorry. Carry on."
"Okay," Jack took a deep breath. "Here's the thing…."
"Thing?"
"Ianto!"
"What are you trying to say, Jack?"
"I love you!"
Ianto looked at Jack, speechless.
"I love you," Jack repeated.
Ianto opened his mouth to speak. Then said, "I don't know what to say."
Jack stood up. "I better leave."
Ianto stood, standing in front of Jack. Their noses almost touched. Ianto leaned forward, kissing Jack on the lips.
"I have waited over a month to hear you say those three little words."
Jack took Ianto into his arms. "I love you so much."
They kissed.
"Mmmm. You are one hellava kisser, Ianto Jones."
"You're not so bad yourself, sir."
Jack sighed again. "I better get outta here and let you go on your date."
"Are you sure that's what you want to do?"
"Yeah, it is."
"Maybe….you could call round later. I could text you when I get home."
"I'd like that." Jack turned to leave, but grabbed Ianto and kissed him one more time. "Till later."
Ianto smiled. "Why don't you come with us?"
"On your date?"
"Well, technically speaking, it isn't a date. Just dinner."
"And you want me to tag along?"
"No. I want you to have dinner with me and Heather. If you want to, that is."
"I'd….love to."
Ianto indicated towards the shower. "Be my guest."
Smiling, Jack went for a shower and after, he and Ianto chatted on the couch.
"You really like Heather?"
"Yes. She's an amazing lady. I googled her. She'll be thirty this month, I think. But I like her, Jack. I love you."
They kissed briefly.
Ianto looked at his watch. "I better go dress. We're picking Heather up in half an hour. Don't want to be late."
"Where is she staying?"
"The Sandringham."
"Great. Just across the street."
Ianto laughed. "Now, there's a coincidence."
"Mmmm." Jack smiled.
"Where are you….we taking her?"
"I didn't ask her about her eating preferences. Maybe down the Bay. Lots to choose from down there."
"Good choice."
"And….it's close to the Hub."
"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?"
"Yes, I think I am. She's lonely, Jack. She needs a little adventure in her life. Just a quick glimpse. Ten, fifteen minutes at the most. Please."
"Let me think about it over dinner."
Ianto nodded.
"Now go get dressed….before I change my mind and take advantage of you."
"Really, Jack."
Ianto and Jack walked across the road and up the stairs to reception. Heather was waiting in the small reception area, seated on a couch.
"Heather. This is my boss, Jack Harkness. I hope you don't mind. I invited Jack along with us for dinner."
Heather smiled. "No, I don't mind at all. Nice to meet you, Jack."
"Heather," Jack took her hand, giving it a kiss.
Walking across the road to Ianto's parking space, Jack opened the back door for Heather and indicated for Ianto to get in beside her.
Ianto nodded, threw Jack the car keys and thanking him, got in.
"I wasn't quite sure what kind of food you liked to eat, so I thought, well, down the Bay. They sell most types of food. Restaurants, I mean."
Heather smiled. "I like most types of food."
"Good. And after the meal, I…we have something special to show you."
"I can't wait," said Heather.
Jack winked at Ianto in the rear view mirror. Ianto smiled back.
It wasn't lost on Heather. "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"
"Go for it," said Ianto.
"Are you two a couple?"
Jack smiled.
Ianto coughed.
"Er, we, er…."
"As of an hour ago, yes." Finished Jack.
"Good," said Heather. "You make a very nice couple," then she looked out of the window as Jack drove off.
"You're one special lady," said Ianto.
Heather beamed.
They went to an Indian restaurant. They all enjoyed their meal and each others company.
After they had eaten, Jack and Ianto escorted Heather down the stairs to the boardwalk, then on to the Information Centre. Unlocking the door and turning on the light, Ianto moved aside to let Heather and Jack enter behind him. Heather had wonderment in her eyes.
"Can I ask what we're doing in here?"
Jack put his finger to the side of his nose, as Ianto pushed a button that opened the secret door. Going throught first, Ianto waited for Heather to follow Jack and then followed.
Once down the corridor, they all entered the lift. It went down 4 levels and then slopped. Stepping out, Jack walked down the next corridor to the swing door and then through the sliding door as it opened.
Jack entered the Hub and stopped as Heather entered and then looked around her.
"Where am I?"
Ianto followed close behind her. "This is Torchwoods headquarters."
"Torchwood. I've heard of you. But….I thought it was just a rumor. Chasing aliens?" Heather thought for a moment. "In the park, that creature."
Ianto nodded. "It's called a Weevil. They live in the sewers."
"And you work down here?"
Ianto nodded. "Yes."
"How exciting." Heather beamed.
"I could make you a coffee, if you'd like one."
"You haven't tasted coffee until you've drank a cup of Ianto's nectar." Jack told her.
"That's it, then. I have to have a cup….or two," she laughed.
They sat in Jack's office, drinking coffee and chatting like old friends.
Heather was happy. Ianto was happy and Jack was happy for both of them.
THE END
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HEATHER