"Ianto? Ianto, wake up…"
Ianto woke with a start, staring into twinkling blue, getting his bearings before sitting up and looking around. He was sitting in a hammock strung between two large leafy trees, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and Jack was sitting next to him, grinning at him.
"What time is it?"
"4'o'clock. That must have been some dream you were having. I was calling your name for ages."
Ianto frowned, trying to gather the disjointed scraps floating around in his head.
"It was…strange. It was…a strange dream."
Jack raised an eyebrow, managing to look amused, concerned and curious all at the same time.
"Want to share?"
"It…I think I was dying."
Jack looked startled.
"What?"
"I was wearing a vest…and trousers and a white shirt…and a tie, I think…and I was dying."
He looked up at Jack, a little bewildered.
"You were there as well."
Jack's eyes widened.
"I was? Was I dying too?"
"No…I don't remember…I can't remember anything else."
He sighed in frustration. Jack shifted closer and put his arms around Ianto, gathering the smaller man into his chest.
"Hey, it was a dream. Just a dream. It's okay."
Ianto sighed and shifted closer.
"It's just…"
He sighed.
"What is it?"
"I can't remember anything that happened or what anything looked like. It's just…there was so much sadness, Jack."
"Sadness?"
Ianto nodded. For some reason, there was a lump in his throat.
"There was this great…sadness over everything. Sadness, all mixed in with regret and longing…and pain. God, so much pain…"
Jack rubbed Ianto's arms and kissed his temple, slowly rocking him back and forth.
"Hey, it's okay…it was just a bad dream. That's all it was…you're awake now…"
Ianto snorted, still leaning against Jack.
"Promise?"
Jack grinned as Ianto pushed himself away and looked at him.
"Scout's honour."
Ianto rolled his eyes and then looked at Jack contemplatively for a moment. Jack, still smiling, took one of Ianto's hands in his and gently brushed his lips over the knuckles. Ianto was suddenly seized by a nameless fear. He intertwined Jack's fingers with his and gently pulled the older man forward to kiss him.
Jack allowed the chaste contact for a moment before grabbing Ianto's shoulder and pulling him closer. His tongue teased the seam of Ianto's lips before they opened and gave him an invitation he could not refuse. He deepened the kiss, drawing a soft little moan out of Ianto before he softened the kiss and gently pulled away. He rested his forehead against Ianto's, listening to his breathing even out, before drawing away and looking Ianto in the eye.
"Not that I'm complaining…but what was that for?"
Ianto shook his head. Instead, he lifted a hand to Jack's cheek and gently stroked it with his thumb.
"Jack…you won't ever leave me, will you?"
Jack looked into deep blue eyes for a second, before smiling wide. He put his hand up to cover Ianto's and held it there, turning his face to place a soft kiss on his palm.
"Is that what you're worried about? Don't worry…you're stuck with me forever!"
Ianto laughed, leaning forward to place one quick kiss on Jack's lips before he got up and looked around, running his hands through his hair, trying to comb it with his fingers.
"Where is everybody?"
Jack tilted his head in the direction of a sprawling farmhouse some distance away from the hammock.
"They're all up at the house. That was why I came to get you, actually, Suzie's waiting to cut her cake."
He got up, laughing.
"You know, I don't think I've seen a six year old this excited about cake since Gray's sixth birthday."
He took Ianto's hand and they started back towards the house.
"Remind me to take you to meet Rhi and the kids the next time a birthday comes up."
Jack laughed again, drawing Ianto closer.
When they got inside, a pink and white blur raced toward them, attaching itself to Ianto's leg and finally resolving itself into Jack's six year old god daughter.
"Uncle Jack, did you get Uncle Ianto? Can I cut my cake now?"
"Well, kiddo, I'm not quite sure. Why don't you tell me whose leg you're hanging on to?"
He hoisted Suzie into his arms and gestured towards Ianto.
"Does that look like Uncle Ianto to you?"
Suzie giggled and Ianto smiled as she leaned towards him.
"Yes!"
"Okay then, I guess you can cut your cake."
He set her down and she ran into the next room squealing with laughter as the two men followed her inside, chuckling softly.
"Well, it's about time! What took you so long?"
Jack's best friend, Gwen, looked up from where she was putting paper plates next to a castle made of waffle cones and chocolate cake. Toshiko, sitting at the table across the cake, grinned before Jack could answer.
"It's alright, Jack, we don't need to know."
Gwen rolled her eyes before calling to her husband in the next room, where he was watching the game with Gray and Owen.
They came in, still discussing the last play, and Owen took a seat next to his wife, Gray taking up a place next to Ianto, before Gwen lit the candles and Suzie finally got her dearest wish.
As Gwen started handing around slices of cake on plates, Ianto got up and started toward the kitchen.
"Anyone for some coffee?"