Ianto looked down at the menu, trying to decide what to order. He could feel Jack's eyes watching him intently.
"What is it Jack?" Ianto looked up to see Jack's blue eyes peering over the top of his menu.
"I was just thinking, this is the first time we've been out on a date since we had the twins. It was nice of Gwen and Rhys to offer to take them for the evening." Jack smiled at his boyfriend and began to scan the menu.
"Yeah, maybe we could come to some arrangement and get out more." Ianto nodded thoughtfully and turned his attention to the waiter who was approaching their table.
"Are you ready to order?" the waiter was tall; his slender figure leaned confidently to the left. He reminded Ianto slightly of Jack and he smiled to himself thinking about how much Jack had changed since they had started dating. The waiter looked down and smiled at Ianto, even his smile had a movie star quality to it.
"I'll have Spaghetti Bolognese. Jack what are you having?"
"I'll have the same as you and could I have a glass of mineral water please." Jack looked up at the waiter as he ordered. Even though they were getting a taxi home, he didn't want to drink in case there was any rift activity or a problem with the twins during the night. It had been like this ever since Caden tripped and hit his head off the coffee table 3 years ago, Ianto and Jack had been sharing a bottle of wine and were unable to get him to the hospital themselves. Luckily, Tosh had been on her way over to see the twins and drove them to the hospital. Caden had split his head open and both Jack and Ianto had got a fright when they saw their little boy with blood running down the side of his face. They agreed to take drinking in turns after that.
"I'll have a glass of white wine please." Ianto grinned over at Jack as the waiter left with their order. "So, it's our first date in almost 5 years. I remember our very first date. We went out to a see a movie and then you came back to mine for coffee and spent the night."
Jack nodded, also remembering their first date. "I seem to remember that I practically moved in that night." Jack reached over the table and took Ianto's hand in his own.
Ianto rubbed circles into the back of Jack's hand with his thumb. "It was either that or I moved into the Hub and shared your bunker." Jack laughed at the thought of the pair of them sharing his tiny bunker. Jack slowly stopped laughing and looked at Ianto. He still found it hard to believe that Ianto was his partner, he'd felt even more nervous than when he fought aliens when he asked him out.
They sat and talked about Bethan and Caden's upcoming birthday and what they planned to buy them when their meal arrived.
A comfortable silence fell between them for the first time since they had gotten to the restaurant. This is nice, thought Ianto, just talking to Jack and dinner.
As Jack gulped down the last of his water and Ianto swallowed his final mouthful of spaghetti, the waiter brought the bill. Jack took one look at it and handed over his credit card. As the waiter left Ianto looked over at Jack and sighed.
"What's up Yan?" Jack knew his partner too well; he was wondering whether or not he should voice his thoughts.
"You're going to laugh at me if I tell you." Ianto shook his head.
Jack grinned. "If I promise not to laugh, will you tell what's on your mind?" Ianto nodded. "Ok, I promise I won't laugh."
"This is the first time we've left the twins with anyone and went out, they're usually in the play area of the Hub when we're at work and we always go separately on missions so one of us is always with them. I can't wait to go home now to see them. I know it's stupid because we've only been out for 2 and a half hours." Ianto stopped and searched Jack's face for any signs of laughter. "I've missed them."
"Ianto, that's natural! Did you seriously think I would laugh at you for being a normal parent?" Ianto looked down at the table, hoping Jack didn't notice him blushing. "I missed them too." The waiter returned and handed Jack his credit card and Jack stood up and thanked him.
"I hope you enjoyed your meal. Please come again." The waiter followed them to the door and went to get their coats off the coat rack behind the till. He returned with Jack's military coat in one hand and Ianto's black Belgian pilot jacket in the other.
They walked out of the restaurant arm in arm and walked slowly towards the telephone box over the road. Both Jack and Ianto squeezed in the small phone box to escape the cold evening air and call a taxi.
Once the taxi was booked they went to stand outside the restaurant. Jack's arm automatically wrapped around Ianto's shoulders and Ianto's hand lifted up to find Jack's.
"It's cold tonight, isn't it?" Ianto noted and looked up at the dark, cloudless sky. He leaned further into Jack's embrace to protect himself from the bitter night air.
"Hmm. How do you think we should celebrate Bethan and Caden's birthday this year?" Jack wondered aloud.
Ianto shrugged his shoulders. It was something he'd been thinking about last night but hadn't managed to come up with anything special. "I think we should ask them what they want to do. When I was 5, my mother organised a party in a soft play for me and my friends."
Jack thought about it for a moment. "But Caden and Bethan don't have many friends. Only little Megan. It's hardly a party with one other guest."
Ianto sighed. He hated the fact that Bethan and Caden couldn't go to a normal school like normal children. Jack didn't like it either but he insisted it was for the best. Bethan and Caden were both really fast healers and quite clever for their age and Torchwood was a secret organisation which could do without being broadcasted by toddlers at nursery. Any children a Torchwood team member had were to be educated at the Hub by Tosh and Owen. Owen handled Science and English whilst Tosh taught them Maths and ICT. Other subjects were taught using online lessons and files that Tosh had obtained by hacking into the local primary school's computers.
The taxi pulled up outside the restaurant. The driver leaned his head out of the window and asked "Taxi for Harkness-Jones?" Jack nodded and held the door open for Ianto. Once they were both Jack stated their address and his thoughts went back to what they were going to do for the twin's birthday.
Ianto had sat in silence for most of the journey home and suddenly had an idea.
"Jack, we could always take them to stay at my mam's house. They've not been to visit them in ages and we could stay for the weekend. Mam would love it and the kids would probably have loads of fun because Rhiannon would spoil them." Ianto suggested.
"That could work. We'll ask them about it in the morning. No doubt they'll be exhausted after tonight. They always are after playing with Megan." Jack contemplated the situation. The taxi pulled up outside their house and Ianto paid the driver and gave a generous tip.
The couple closed the gate behind them and walked hand in hand up their garden path. Jack paused when they reached the door.
"It's been a lovely evening Mr. Harkness-Jones. I would love to come in for some coffee." He gave Ianto a perfect grin and Ianto laughed.
"Yes, I had fun too. In fact, I would love it if you moved in with me." Ianto played along with Jack's game.
"I'm one step ahead of you. I've already moved all my stuff in." Jack leaned forwards and captured Ianto's mouth in a sweet kiss. Pulling away after a moment, Jack rested his forehead against Ianto's and laughed. "I suppose we'd better go and relieve Gwen and Rhys of the twins." Jack opened the door and was instantly hit by noise from the three kids and the television. He grinned again at Ianto and stepped into the hallway being followed closely by his partner.
"We're home!" Ianto called over Jack's shoulder. The television was immediately turned off and little footsteps could be heard running towards the hallway.
"Daddy! Tad!" Bethan and Caden emerged from the living room and ran towards Jack and Ianto.
Ianto crouched down and opened his arms as his and Jack's children reached him and threw themselves at Ianto. "Hey kids! Did you miss us?"
"Yeah! Gwen and Rhys played Snakes and Ladders with me, Caden and Megan!" Bethan left go of her Tad and looked up at Jack.
"Really?" Jack squatted down to his daughter's level and gave her a hug. "Who won?"
"Caden." Bethan withdrew from Jack and folded her arms across her chest, clearly annoyed that she hadn't won.
Just then, Gwen walked into the hallway from the living room and smiled. "Did you enjoy your meal?"
Jack stood back up and took Bethan's hand. "Yes, we actually couldn't wait to get back." Gwen look puzzled. "We missed the twins." He explained as he picked Bethan up and carried her like a baby into the living room. "Hi Rhys."
"Hi Jack, did you and Ianto have a nice time?" Rhys was just tiding Snakes and Ladders away when Jack walked in.
"Yeah, the meal was lovely. We missed the kids though so I don't know if we'll be going out again anytime soon." Jack explained and sat on the sofa with Bethan on his knee. Ianto walked in the room and looked oddly like Jack as he was also carrying Caden like a baby. He sat next to his partner and looked around the room.
"Ianto, I made sure nobody made any mess so stop looking!" Gwen noticed Ianto scanning the room for anything that was out of place.
"I wasn't!" Gwen raised her eyebrows. "Okay, I was. I'm sorry, it's just..."
"You have to have everything perfect." Gwen finished his sentence for him. "Jack, I'd love to stay and chat about how our evenings went but I really think it's time we went home and got Megan to bed."
Jack nodded, not daring to move much or talk as Caden had fallen asleep in his arms. Ianto smiled at his partner and followed the Cooper's out of the living room to see them out.
"Thanks for babysitting." Ianto whispered to the couple, he still had Bethan in his arms and her eyelids were starting to drop.
Gwen leaned over and gave Ianto a kiss on the cheek. "Anytime Ianto. You and Jack need some time as a couple and you've babysat Megan for me and Rhys." She picked Megan up and turned back to Ianto. "Well, I'll see you at work then." Rhys was already waiting in the car and Gwen went to buckle Megan in the booster seat in the back and climbed into them passenger seat. Ianto waved to them until they turned the corner and were out of sight.
Closing the door behind him, Ianto walked back into his house and saw Jack climbing the stairs with Caden still asleep in his arms. Ianto stifled a giggle as Jack stood on the creaky stair and stopped abruptly in case their son woke up. Once he was certain Caden was not going to wake up, he continued to walk up the stairs. Ianto grinned to himself and followed Jack to their children's bedroom to tuck them in.
