SUMMARY: Gwen and Ianto keep disappearing at lunch time. Jack isn't worried, no, not at all.
RATING: PG
Written for redisourcolor Challenge 19 on LJ- Theme: Celebrations. Words: pormanteau, dense, ravel and the sentence: "I'm so hungry I could eat an elephant!"

"Something's going on, it's not like Gwen and Ianto to ask for a day off without an explanation, let alone the same day," Jack thought.

"I know Gwen's been a bit out of sorts ever since she found out about Owen and Diane, I wonder…No! They wouldn't; that's impossible."

Jack refused to consider that Ianto and Gwen could be having an affair. He knew he wasn't the most emotionally demonstrative of lovers, but surely Ianto knew how he felt about him. Didn't he?

Part of Jack's brain was telling him that nothing was happing between Gwen and Ianto, while a tiny corner of his mind was pointing out that Ianto didn't need Jack's permission to see other people, ("but Gwen, of all people").

The largest part of Jack's brain was berating him. "You treat him like part of the furniture, why shouldn't he be attracted to Gwen?"

"Because he's mine," Jack growled not realizing that he was speaking out loud.

Tosh had just been entering Jack's office when he voiced his thoughts.

"Something wrong, Jack?"

"No, everything's fine. Got any special plans for March first?"

"Uh, no, why do you ask?"

"Just checking as Gwen and Ianto are taking the day off."

"Well I wasn't planning on taking that day off, and I certainly won't be if they are both going to be out of the office."

Jack took a deep breath. Either Tosh knew nothing about this day off, or she was an expert liar.

Owen wasn't much help either. He had been sulky ever since Diane had disappeared through the rift. When Jack questioned him about Ianto and Gwen, Owen scowled.

"What? You think they're having a go? Come on, Tea Boy and Gwen? Really? Now that would be fun. Part-time shag and some-time slag, yeah?"

Owen wisely shut up when he heard a growl deep in Jack's throat.

"Looks, like I hit a sore spot," Owen snickered, as Jack stormed out of the medical bay.

Back in his office, Jack was seething. It was bad enough to be worried about Gwen and Ianto, to then have Owen speak so dismissively…he was going to ravel out what was going on if it's the last thing he did.

The rift was quiet the next day. Jack was on the phone with UNIT all morning discussing their upcoming joint training exercises. Once off the phone he strolled into the main area of the Hub to see if lunch had arrived.

"Where's Ianto? Did he go to get lunch?"

"He ordered lunch for delivery before he and Gwen went out. Said they had some things to do," Tosh replied.

Jack didn't like the sound of that one bit. 'What kind of things Tosh? Did they say?"

"Don't know," she replied looking at Jack curiously. "They're always back in about an hour. And then they head off to the showers. I can't imagine how they'd get so hot and sweaty in February."

Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew Tosh wasn't always the most perceptive of people when it came to personal interactions, but how could she talk about Gwen and Ianto coming back hot and sweaty and not think that he would find this disconcerting.

He could see Tosh finally realizing that what she had said might be upsetting to him.

"Don't worry; I'll take care of getting lunch from the tourist office," she told him in her most reassuring voice.

"Do that," Jack snapped and stormed back to his office.

As Tosh looked back at her computer screen a small smile blossomed on her face.

Jack pulled up the employee tracking program he had on his computer. Everyone had these programs linked to their cell phones so they could be located quickly if the world was coming to an end.

He found Gwen and Ianto's signals without much difficulty. The signals were moving together through a nearby park. So at least they weren't at a hotel, or one of their flats, Jack thought with relief.

Day after day, work permitting, Gwen and Ianto continued to disappear at lunch time. And every time Jack looked at where they were, he found them moving around together. Mostly in parks, but sometimes their signals would register at the shopping mall or on residential streets of Cardiff. Jack couldn't make sense of it. They'd appear back at the Hub about an hour later. Gwen would mumble hello and duck down into the shower room first. Ianto would grab some lunch and head down to the archives. About a half hour later, he'd see Ianto dressed in jeans, sweatshirt and trainers going into the shower room, reappearing not long after, neat and tidy in his suit.

Jack observed Ianto carefully and noticed only one other change in his routine. Every morning he came in with a portmanteau and then left with the old battered leather bag at night. The one time in recent weeks that Jack went home with him, Ianto stashed the bag in his closet to 'deal with later.' The next morning the bag was waiting at the front door as Ianto had obviously 'dealt with it' during the night.

"Could Ianto be taking items home from the archives? And how would that involve Gwen?" The thought frightened Jack more than he wanted to admit.

Then there came an evening when Ianto has been swiped by a weevil and while he let Jack drive him home, he made it clear that Jack wasn't welcome to stay. And funny thing, Gwen left the Hub right after Jack returned. "Stop it," Jack berated himself. "Nothing is going on." Still…he took out his cell.

"Oh Rhys, its you, is Gwen home? Is Gwen there?"

His mood darkened as Rhys said she wasn't. Jack asked him a few questions about their upcoming wedding to see if he could detect anything wrong. Just as Jack was about to hang up, Rhys interrupted, "Hang on, she's at the door."

A few moments later Gwen came to the phone. "Jack what's wrong?"

"Where were you?" Jack asked his irritation clear.

"What? I stopped on the way home to pick up groceries. You didn't try my cell did you? Is everything OK? On no, did something happen with Ianto?"

Jack realized that Gwen's concern was genuine. She obviously wasn't coming home from Ianto's.

Jack suddenly felt foolish. "I just wanted to make sure you are OK."

"Yes I am. I know you're worried about Ianto, but we're fine here, honestly."

Jack ended the call as quickly as he could. He needed a new plan to find out what Ianto and Gwen were up to. He considered following them but knew that Tosh and Owen would catch on and probably tell Gwen and Ianto, which would make both of them angry with him.

The fifth time he asked Tosh what Ianto and Gwen were doing at lunchtime, she was obviously annoyed. "I don't know Jack. Why don't you just ask them?" she said as she rolled her eyes.

Jack mumbled something about not wanting to appear nosy and skulked back to his office.

That night the Team minus Jack went out for drinks.

"He's making us crazy," Tosh confessed to Ianto and Gwen. "Please let us tell him what's going on."

Owen laughed. "I can't believe he hasn't figured it out. How long has he lived in Cardiff?"

"A hundred years, plus or minus. And don't forget, he still can't speak more than ten words of Welsh," Ianto snarked.

After some debate, Gwen and Ianto agreed that Tosh and Owen could talk to Jack the evening before their day off.

Jack got more distracted and irritable as March first drew near. Gwen and Ianto both left promptly at 6 PM on the last day of February. Owen was also packing up to go while Tosh was still working at her computer. Jack managed to pick a fight with Owen and then ordered Tosh out of the Hub.

"Well since no else is working, there's no sense in you staying either. Go home Tosh."

When Tosh tried to argue, Jack snapped.

"I said go home. Now," he yelled.

Tosh was going to yell back, but Owen intervened just in time. "Come on Tosh; let me buy you a drink. We'll just leave mister cranky-pants here alone."

It wasn't until they were at a nearby pub that Tosh realized that they hadn't talked to Jack.

"Oi, if you think I'm going back there to make him feel better after the way he treated you, you're bonkers."

Tosh found it hard to disagree.

2 AM. A rift alert sounded.

"Yeah, I'm on my way," Owen said sighing into the phone. When he arrived at the Hub, Tosh was there as well.

Jack was furious. "I tried to reach Ianto and Gwen, but they aren't answering their cells."

"Well they do have the day off you know," Tosh pointed out.

"That's tomorrow, not today," Jack replied.

"Uh…it's tomorrow, Captain, March first. And really you don't need all four of us to catch a couple of Weevils."

"I decide who gets called out…"

Tosh couldn't listen to Jack anymore. "Stop it Jack. Stop before you say something you'll regret later. Just what is your obsession with Gwen and Ianto lately?"

"I don't like them spending so much time together."

"Why not? It's not like you have any commitment with Ianto is it?" Owen retorted. "And even if you did, why would Ianto have to report to you what he did with his friends?"

Jack didn't know what to say. "It's not like that. Ianto and I… Let's just go get the weevils and be done with this," he finally replied.

The weevils were easily located but subduing them was another matter. One of the weevils swiped at Jack and ripped open his arm in the process. And while Tosh and Owen knew that Jack would heal, they wasted no time getting him back to the Hub.

Jack sat in the medical bay brooding while Owen monitored his condition. Tosh pulled up a chair next to Jack. "What happened out there Jack? You almost got yourself killed."

"Thinking about Tea Boy and Gwen, I bet," Owen snarked.

"Yeah, I guess I was. I'm just worried that something's going on that they are hiding from me."

"And just what do you think they would be hiding?" Tosh asked.

"Maybe Ianto's sick and he doesn't want me to know. Or maybe Gwen's having problems with Rhys. Or maybe its Ianto's sister or niece or Gwen's mother or I don't know."

Jack's answer surprised Tosh and Owen. "So you don't think they are having an affair," Owen asked.

"No," Jack answered, adding "well I thought that at first" when he saw the look of disbelief on Owen's face. "But that can't be it. They just walk around for an hour or so. They can talk to each other in the Hub; it would have to be something really private and serious for them to have to go off somewhere to talk."

Owen and Tosh looked at each other. "Ok, I'm going to tell you what's going on. Tomorrow is March first. Do you know why that day would be important to Ianto and Gwen?" Jack shook his head 'no.'

"You've lived in Cardiff for a century and you really don't know, do you?" Owen snarked. "Earth to Captain Oblivious; it's St. David's Day." Seeing the black look on Jack's face, Owen continued, "St David, you know the Patron Saint of Wales."

"Ok…"

"The last few years Cardiff has been holding big celebrations in honour of St. David's Day."

"There's a parade by school children and this year First Minister Carwyn Jones, who is Ianto's third cousin, will be making the opening greeting. There are going to be musicians and storytellers at the Central Library, various choirs performing as well as other events. Didn't you notice the daffodils all over the city?" Tosh asked.

Tosh was incredulous when Jack said he hadn't. "So Gwen and Ianto are taking off to celebrate," Jack said, the relief palpable on his face. "But why so secret about it?"

Owen smiled. "There's also a ten kilometer race. While you were in London a month ago, UNIT called and challenged their best male and female runners against ours. Ianto and Gwen volunteered. Said they had to uphold the good name of Torchwood as well as Wales. And before you complain, remember you are supposedly an American."

"So they've been running at lunch time."

"Exactly. Outdoors when they can but indoors when it's too cold." Owen shook his head at Jack. "You really can be incredibly dense Harkness. You could have asked Ianto. He was surprised that you never did. Or Gwen. She wouldn't have been able to keep a secret from you for ten minutes let alone three weeks."

"But why was it a secret in the first place?" Jack asked genuinely puzzled.

"They thought you'd tease them about it, or make fun of their running 'for the glory of Wales.'"

"I wouldn't…yeah I probably would." Jack admitted. "I haven't had a real home or country for so many years, I forget that others take great pride in their roots. So what time are all these events, especially the race?"

"Jack, what are you thinking?" Tosh asked suspiciously.

Jack smiled.

The next day found Tosh, Owen and Jack attending the opening ceremonies of the St. David's Day in Cardiff. To Tosh's and Owen's astonishment, Jack was dressed in a bright red waistcoat with a jacket of grey wool; along with a pair of grey breeches and stockings. The whole outfit was finished off with a black felt bowler hat.

"What is that you're wearing?" Owen asked staring at Jack.

"I'll have you know this is the Welsh National Costume. Not those silly cilts you see some of the men wearing, they're a recent addition, not at all authentic. See all the lovely women in their red cloaks, and checkered aprons and black hats? That's authentic. And I'm wearing what men of the same period would have worn. Some people should do their research more carefully," Jack said without a hint of sarcasm.

"And what's that in your lapel?" Tosh asked.

"A leek, the traditional symbol of Wales. Daffodils," Jack sniffed, "another modern convention."

"And you know this how?"

"The Google is my friend," Jack said proudly. Owen snorted and Tosh bit her lip to keep from laughing.

Tosh and Owen were in for another surprise. When the ceremonies opened with the singing of the National Anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, Jack loudly sang the whole anthem in Welsh. His beautiful voice caught the attention of other attendees who complimented him on his perfect Welsh and his costume.

"There's a man who's a true patriot," one elderly Welshman said thumping Jack on the back.

Jack held his head a little higher as he listened to the speeches. He never noticed Ianto and Gwen watching from the side of the crowd.

"Oh my god, look at Jack," Gwen said trying not to laugh.

Ianto peered around trying to find the sight of the familiar coat he loved so well. "I don't see him."

"Over there," Gwen said pointing. "The man in the outfit, yeah that's the one."

Ianto almost snorted his coffee up his nose. "I think he's on to us."

"Well then we better do Wales and Torchwood proud today," Gwen replied. "Aren't you going to eat something before the race begins?"

"I had something earlier. I don't want to eat anything else until the race is over." They headed over to Ianto's flat to get ready for the race.

A little before 2 PM, Gwen and Ianto lined up for the race in Butte Park. They were behind the elite runners, grouped with several participants from some of Cardiff's better running clubs as well as with the UNIT runners.

"Enemy at eleven o'clock," Gwen said trying to quietly point out their competition.

Ianto just smiled. Jack was no where in sight and he felt relaxed and strong. Gwen was nervous, but she had trained hard and was confident that she'd run a good race.

At the sound of the starter's pistol, their group took off running at a steady pace. For the first half of the race, Gwen and Ianto maintained a slight lead over their UNIT opponents. They began to tire a bit and the UNIT runners caught up and passed them at the six kilometer mark.

"Oi, they're cheating," Gwen said as Ianto dropped back to run by her side. "They couldn't have had that much of an increase in speed at this point in the race."

"Don't worry, I have my secret weapon."

"I'm not going to cheat, Ianto, we win this fair or not at all."

Ianto pulled two tiny plastic bags from the pocket of his fleece vest. "My specially blended chocolate covered espresso beans. Perfectly legal," he said handing one of the bags to Gwen.

Within five minutes of eating the beans, Gwen and Ianto were gaining on the UNIT Team. They were neck and neck with the UNIT runners as they entered the last stretch of the race. The finish line was just visible in the distance. Ianto and Gwen pushed themselves to a faster pace.

The crowd was screaming. Someone shouted, "'Y ddraig goch a ddyry gychwyn.'*

"That's Rhys," Gwen realized as she moved just ahead of her rival. She could see Ianto and his opponent moments from the finish line. They looked dead even.

Ianto was sweating so hard he could hardly see. He had sped up but the UNIT runner had matched his pace. Three steps from the finish line he heard a familiar 'American' voice yell, "Fe Godwn Ni Eto."**

Ianto was so startled that he stumbled forward his chest crossing the finish line ahead of the UNIT runner.

Gwen finished moments later also beating her UNIT counterpart.

Jack ran over and helped Ianto to his feet. "I knew you'd win," he said squeezing Ianto tightly.

"Can't breathe Jack," Ianto gasped.

"Oi, give the man some room will ya," Owen said pushing Jack back.

Meanwhile Rhys had made his way to the Finish Line and was hugging and then snogging Gwen half to death.

The rest of team looked on as they continued to kiss. "And you were worried about Ianto and Gwen," Tosh chided Jack.

'What?" Ianto said turning to Jack. And then he saw it. "What is that in your lapel?"

"It's a leek, its traditional…"

"I'm so hungry I could eat an elephant!" Ianto interrupted as he grabbed the leek and began to munch on it.

"So much for tradition," Tosh said as she replaced the leek with a daffodil from the bunch she had brought for Gwen and Ianto.

Rhys and Gwen had finally stopped kissing and walked over and joined the others.

"Time to get back to work, kids," Jack said after the UNIT runners came over and congratulated Gwen and Ianto.

"Still starving here," Ianto snarked. "We'll need to stop on the way back and pick up lunch."

"Nonsense," Rhys told the group. "I've made lunch and there's enough for everyone. Thought I'd go for something traditional, so its Leek and Cheese Rarebit followed by Cawl and Llanddarog Fair Cakes for dessert."

"Maybe we could skip the dessert and go home and make some of our own," Jack whispered suggestively as they walked toward the SUV.

"How about you behave yourself at lunch and we'll have a full course buffet dinner at my flat?"

"I like the way you think, Jones, Ianto Jones."

Welsh translations:

*The red dragon will lead the way

**We shall rise again.

And if you want to try the dessert for yourself, (no, not what Jack and Ianto are having unfortunately) here's the recipe for Teisennau Ffair Llangadog (Llangadog Fair Cakes)

The original Llangadog Fair was a stock fair held on the first Monday after the 20th of September and drovers used to come from far and wide with their stock. Later, like so many local fairs, it became a pleasure fair rather than an agricultural fair. According to local legends the 'cakes' (biscuits actually) were served in the local taverns to the travelers who over-nighted there for the fair (hence the addition of ale as the binding agent).

Ingredients:

360g self-raising flour
240g butter
180g caster sugar
3 tbsp ale
120g mixed fruit

Method:

Sift the flour into a bowl, add the butter and rub into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Combine the sugar into the mixture then add the ale until mixture comes together as a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll until about 12mm thick then cut into 6cm rounds with a pastry cutter and press the fruit into the surface. Place on a well-greased baking tray and cook in an oven pre-heated to 190°C Bake for about 15 minutes, or until well browned and cooked through.

Allow to cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.