This is set early second season and is a companion piece to Friendly Conspiracy. (Not necessary to read that first.) I hope you enjoy reading this.
Roman Holiday
Chapter One
When Ianto Jones was disturbed or upset he tidied up and cleaned. He did this everywhere, in his flat, the Hub or his car. He had even been known to tidy shelves in supermarkets especially books for some reason; he hated seeing the covers bent up or titles muddled together. On this occasion he was cleaning the Hub, swabbing the cells out with meticulous attention to the corners and under the shelf-beds. Jack found him there and stood admiring the play of muscle under the shirt. It was a feast for the eyes and he could have watched all day but time was pressing.
"We need to get cracking, Ianto."
The Welshman made a few more swipes with his mop then paused and looked at his boss and lover. "I don't think this is a good idea."
"You don't want to spend two days alone with me? I'm hurt." Jack pouted and moved closer, catching Ianto round the waist and standing close.
"Of course I do, you know that's not the problem." He stood unresisting in Jack's arms breathing in his unique scent.
"Then you're saying the rest of the team are crap and can't cope without us? Or without you anyway." Jack raised his eyebrows enquiringly, pressing his body to that of the younger man.
"I'm not saying that either," protested Ianto.
"I really don't know what your problem is. We arranged this break weeks ago. The others are quite capable of covering and if there's a major alert we won't be that far away. We can be back in an hour." He peered into Ianto's eyes. "I thought you were looking forward to it."
"I am."
"Then get your pretty arse up those stairs! We have to pack." Jack stepped back and slapped said arse.
Ianto hesitated then shrugged his acceptance. "All right. I'll just finish off here -"
"Oh no you don't. Owen can finish here, you are coming with me." Jack removed the mop from Ianto's hands and let it fall to the floor before frog marching Ianto up the stairs only pausing once to allow him to pick up his suit jacket from the archives.
"You found him then," commented Gwen. She was crossing the lower level of the Hub and smiled at the two men. Jack had Ianto's arm in a firm grip and was propelling him along.
"He's abducting me," complained Ianto but the smile on his face belied his words. He rather liked being manhandled by Jack.
"Lucky you!"
Jack laughed and grinned at her. "Get Owen to clear up the cells when he gets back. I had to drag this one away mid-swab." He deposited Ianto at his desk. "Five minutes for any last minute tasks and messages," he said sternly, "and then we're going." He went off to his office for his own final preparations.
The new arrangements for allowing all the team to have a regular weekend off, without interruptions, was working well. After he and Ianto had been to Porthcawl, Toshiko had had a long weekend with her family in London and Owen had gone to the Isle of Man for the TT races. Gwen and Rhys had had a few days in Shrewsbury seeing the sights and being pampered in a luxury spa hotel. Everyone seemed happier for the break from monitoring the Rift and it had increased team spirit as they each had a better understanding of one another's roles within it. And now it was Jack and Ianto's turn to get away again. It was marginally harder for them as it was two people missing from the team but the others had proved they could cope and were happy to cover.
As Jack passed Toshiko at her desk he said, "Tosh, got a minute?"
"Sure." She followed him into his office. "Well done, by the way. I didn't think you'd persuade Ianto to go."
"Between us? I had my doubts too." He grinned like a schoolboy who had pulled off a trick behind the teacher's back. "But I'm going to get him away from here if I have to sedate him and throw him over my shoulder!"
Toshiko laughed at the thought. "He'd enjoy that!"
"How do you know so much about what he likes? Been peeking at the CCTV again?" He chuckled when she reddened. "Hey, I don't mind, better not tell Ianto though."
"I don't mean to pry, Jack, but when I'm checking the tapes -"
He cut her off. "I understand, and it's not as if we're particularly discreet. Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk about." He handed her a thick folder from his desk. "If you get a chance over the next couple of days I'd like you to look through this. It's UNIT's analysis of the artefact they found in Newport a couple of months ago. See if they've missed anything."
"I'll get on it right away."
"It's not that urgent. Just if you have a spare moment."
He smiled as she left the office, she was so easy to embarrass. Jack slipped down to his quarters to get a couple of things. Most of his casual clothes were now kept at Ianto's flat and he would use the shaving kit and toiletries from there too. What he wanted from here were his notebook where he'd been recording his memories and a small box. Back up in his office he slipped these into a bag with his Webley, spare ammunition and a can of alien sedative; they just might be needed.
"I thought this was supposed to be a break from work," said Ianto from the doorway. He had seen the last couple of items going into the bag.
"I never go anywhere without a weapon." He smiled and closed the bag. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," the Welshman sighed. He had Jack's greatcoat held ready for him to put on.
"Don't sound so excited." Jack slipped his arms into the coat and leant back just a little bit into Ianto. "Thanks," he murmured.
"If we're going, let's go." Ianto smoothed the coat over Jack's shoulders, letting his hands linger, then moved away.
"Be good, kids," shouted Jack as the two men walked through the work area. "I'll call to check all's well but make sure you phone me if there's anything you need help with. Understand?" He looked round at Gwen and Toshiko, fixing them with a stern gaze.
"Yes, Dad," they chorused before dissolving into giggles.
"I've emailed you a list of things that will need to be done over the weekend," added Ianto. "I think I've covered everything but if you're unsure, call me."
"Ianto," began Gwen slowly, "your email is thirty pages long. I don't think you've missed anything. Now will you please just go!"
"I think they want to get rid of us," said Jack, his voice full of mock hurt. "We're going. Have fun."
"Bye," called Toshiko watching the two of them walk out of the cog door. "It's like pulling teeth," she said to Gwen.
"I know. As if we can't cope without them!" The two women went back to their tasks.
Jack was in buoyant mood as he sat beside Ianto in the latter's car. He was going on holiday with Ianto, things didn't get much better than that. Glancing to his right, he placed a hand onto Ianto's thigh. "This'll be fun."
"I know." Ianto looked across and grinned. "I do want to go away with you, Jack, it's not that."
"Then what it is? Why are you so reluctant all of a sudden?" Jack turned in his seat, keeping his hand in place, and waited for a reply.
There was silence as Ianto manoeuvred round a stationary lorry making a delivery. It was so hard to put into words. Ianto just had a feeling that it would better if they didn't leave Cardiff, that something bad was going to happen. It was ridiculous and he wanted to dismiss it but he couldn't. He glanced across at Jack again. "I just feel we shouldn't leave the team short-handed."
"Why?"
Ianto loved this about Jack. He always took Ianto's concerns seriously and applied logic and reason to show him they were unfounded. That was what Ianto needed now. "I have this feeling that something's going to happen."
"Had it before?"
"Occasionally."
"And did something happen?"
"No." Ianto drew out the word, seeing the path Jack was taking him down.
"Then why should this weekend be any different?" He squeezed Ianto's thigh. "Look, there's no major Rift activity predicted. All the stuff from the past few days is done and dusted. The three of them can cope, they've proved it. And if, horror of horrors, your prediction should prove true, we can come back immediately." He paused. "Please, Ianto, don't spoil the weekend for us."
Turning into his street, Ianto smiled. "If you put it like that … To hell with it, let's enjoy ourselves."
"Thank you." Jack waited until Ianto had parked before leaning forward and kissing him. "Now, let's go get packed!"
Jack and Ianto had very different personalities and this was reflected in the way they approached packing for a weekend city break. Ianto took his time, considered what he needed and laid his choices on the bed before making his final selection. When he had decided what to take he placed them tidily in his overnight case, wrapping his toiletries in plastic bags in case of spillage and using tissue paper to prevent creases in his T-shirts and shirts. Jack, on the other hand, opened drawers and the wardrobe, grabbed items and flung them into a travel bag. He was finished in less than ten minutes and went off to sit in the living room to wait for Ianto. Waiting for Ianto had become routine after these few months of being together and Jack used the time to flick through the TV news channels. When he had seen all the bulletins, he switched off the TV and went back to the bedroom and saw immediately that Ianto had not even reached the packing stage, all his belongings were still on the bed.
"Fancy a sandwich?" Jack asked.
"Please. There's some cheese and an odd tomato, use that up."
"Okay."
Jack went off and pottered round the kitchen. There was nothing left in the fridge once he'd removed the sandwich ingredients; Ianto had been running it down all week. Whistling to a tune on the radio, Jack buttered the bread and fiddled with the cheese, grating it instead of cutting his usual slabs and slicing the tomato evenly. Finding a packet of crisps in the cupboard, he added these to the two plates. He glanced at the coffee machine but thought better of using it, he didn't want to upset Ianto. Instead, he put the mugs and other essentials out ready to hand and took the sandwiches to the dining table with a couple of bottles of water. He stood irresolute, facing the bedroom door. Making the sandwiches had been stretched out as long as he could make it and there was still no sign of Ianto. What was he doing in there? Shaking his head he sat on an easy chair and waited.
In the bedroom, Ianto had finished his own packing and was going through Jack's bag. He checked and rearranged the contents tidily, adding more underwear. He also put in a second dress shirt and a tie; they would be going out in the evenings and he wanted Jack to look smart. Next he placed a jacket with the bag; Jack may be wedded to his greatcoat but Ianto did not want him wearing it all weekend. Leaving the bags on the bed, Ianto went out and found Jack watching children's television and laughing uproariously at Shaun the Sheep; he was such a child. Walking to the kitchen, Ianto turned off the radio that was still playing and made the coffee, grateful Jack had not attempted it.
"Jack, lunch." Ianto set the coffees down and sat at the table.
"Okay." Still watching the screen, Jack stood up and walked to the table, not looking where he was going.
"Turn that off," instructed Ianto. "Talk to me."
Jack looked over at him and smiled. "You sound like one of my wives," he said but did as he was told, flinging the remote back onto the couch.
"Which one? The one who left you or the one who left you?" asked Ianto sarcastically, biting into his sandwich.
"Hey, that's not fair." Jack took his seat and affected to look hurt. "They just couldn't cope with my overpowering sexuality."
"Your casual affairs, more like," snorted Ianto.
"I am pained that you could say that about me," replied Jack, hand on heart. The effect was marred by the grin on his face and him chewing noisily.
"Right." Ianto was resigned to Jack's wayward nature although he didn't think the older man had been indulging so much lately. Either that or he was getting better at covering up. "I think we should leave about two," he continued, looking at his watch. They had another half an hour.
"Whatever you say, I am in your hands." Jack leered. "Oh, that reminds me, didn't pack the toys."
"Don't worry, I did." They shared a conspiratorial grin. Both men were looking forward to some uninterrupted free time to … dabble to their heart's content. Rift activity had been fairly routine for a while so they had managed to spend time together most nights but the threat of being called to an alert limited their imagination and inventiveness. "Not that we're going to spend all the weekend in bed," warned Ianto, taking a drink of the coffee.
"Shucks. I suppose that means you've got an itinerary planned." Jack was resigned to Ianto's need to plan out their time just as he was to the time it took the man to pack. It was part of Ianto's nature and Jack wouldn't change him for the world. "As long as it's not all sightseeing. There are some amazing sights to be seen in the bedroom." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Ianto laughed, a real deep satisfying belly laugh. "Jack, you can be such a fool sometimes."
"Only sometimes?" It was wonderful to hear Ianto laugh like that, he did it so rarely that each occasion was special. Perhaps he ought to start recording those times in his memory book.
"Yep, only sometimes." Ianto pushed back his chair and got up. "I'll wash these things up. Won't be long."
"Want any help?"
"No thanks." The kitchen was not large and Ianto would manage better, and quicker, alone. He had everything cleared away in ten minutes and spent the rest of the time before they had to leave going round the flat tidying and checking windows were locked. His final task was picking up the bags and placing them by the front door.
"You ready to go?" asked Jack from his position lolling on the couch. He had given up on the TV and was just staring at the ceiling. Being with Ianto had undoubtedly taught him patience.
"Uh huh." He bent and unplugged the TV.
Jack rose and put on his greatcoat. He had seen the jacket Ianto had placed with his travel bag and would wear it while they were away but he was not leaving his coat behind. He watched Ianto pause and do a final visual inspection of the kitchen – honestly, he thought, you'd think we're going away for months! – and then stop to plump up the cushions on the couch which Jack had flattened.
"Right, let's go." Ianto smiled at Jack and for the first time started to look forward to a few days away with this man.
Jack grinned back at him and stole a kiss. "That's a taster to hold you over until we get there," he said. Picking up the bags and the jacket, he strode through the front door.
With the car packed and their outer coats on the back seat, Ianto started the engine. "This was so much easier last time," he said, easing out into the street. "I wish the others had sprung this on us again."
"It was fun," agreed Jack, smiling at the memory of their just about perfect weekend at Porthcawl. "Remember the kites?"
"Of course."
They spent the time it took to get to Newport and the M4 reminiscing about their last holiday. Ianto negotiated the junction, already busy with people leaving for home and their weekend away from work. When he was on the motorway they settled in the inside lane much to Jack's disgust. He would have been in the outside lane, powering past all the other vehicles and driving many miles above the speed limit. But not perhaps in this car, he thought, looking round the immaculate interior. It was a … nice car but not the sort of vehicle a dashing hero like himself should be travelling in. He wished they could have brought the SUV but the others needed it. It was bit daft to bring a car at all, they wouldn't be using it and parking was hard to find in the city, but relying on trains to get back in an emergency was a non-starter: the journey took an hour and a half at the best of times and involved two changes. He'd been more than happy to pull in a couple of favours to organise secure, free parking.
"I've always wondered about this," Jack mused as they came up to the Severn Bridge. "Why don't we have to pay to get out of Wales, only to get in?"
"Because Wales is such a wonderful country. It's worth a few quid to be allowed to experience it." Ianto flashed him a grin as they started over the bridge.
"Sometimes, you are so Welsh!"
"Thank you, I take that as the sincerest compliment."
Jack hit his arm, not hard, and grinned. "Why do they put these screens up?" he complained, gesturing to the sides of the bridge. "Can't see anything."
"Not much to see, only England."
"Oh very funny. When we come back I won't be able to see Wales," Jack pointed out.
"And that's how it should be." Ianto slowed before passing a lorry. "Keeps the air of mystery and anticipation going that bit longer."
"You have an answer for everything, don't you?"
"I try."
They were now on the other side of the bridge and Ianto continued on the motorway. "You going Bristol way?" asked Jack lazily. The smooth ride, smoother than it would have been if he'd been driving, was making him drowsy.
"No. I'll take the A46, it's a more direct route and avoids Bristol all together. We'll turn off at junction 18 if you're interested."
"Not really. I have every faith in you getting us there in one piece." He closed his eyes and leant his head back.
"Hey, don't go to sleep. Talk to me."
"You're getting very demanding all of a sudden." Jack cracked open one eye and peered at Ianto. "Hope this is a sign of how our weekend will go." He was delighted when Ianto blushed.
"Go to sleep then."
Ianto refused to look at Jack and concentrated on his driving. He heard the other man chuckle, loving it when he managed to embarrass the younger man. Ianto had no idea why he was embarrassed by the comments. He'd been hearing them for the past year and he and Jack had shared sufficient … innovative love making to ensure nothing shocked him any more. Yet every time he blushed like a schoolgirl. Perhaps there was a pill he could take for it, he would have to ask Owen. On second thoughts the doctor would only want to know why he wanted the pills which would be even more embarrassing. Smiling he risked a peek at Jack and saw he still had his eyes closed. The man had not been sleeping well for the past few weeks and Ianto was concerned. He was going to ensure he got some rest this weekend.
Exiting the motorway at junction 18, Ianto headed for their ultimate destination: Bath. They had each made a number of suggestions for places to go, at home and abroad. Ianto would have liked to go to Dublin, a city he had never visited but which he had heard a lot about. Jack would have agreed but it had been obvious he didn't want to be so far from Cardiff: relying on flights or ferries was worse than trains if they were needed urgently. In the end they had settled on Bath. It was around an hour's drive from Cardiff, had a lot packed into a small area and neither man had visited it before. Ianto wanted to visit the Roman Baths and Jack had spoken of an American Museum he would like to see. As it was so rare for Jack to express a preference, Ianto was going to make sure they went there.
"Are we there yet?" asked Jack, opening his eyes.
"Does this look like a city?" retorted Ianto, gesturing to the fields on either side of the road.
"Suppose not. How much longer?"
"Quarter of an hour or so. Could you get the instructions for the car park? They're in the glove compartment." Jack reached in and took out a neatly printed piece of paper. That was so typically Ianto, no scribbled notes on a Post-it for him.
Ten minutes later they were threading their way through the city streets, busy on this late Friday afternoon. They followed the instructions they'd been given and found the police station in Pierrepont Street and Ianto pulled up to the barrier. After a quick word with the guard they were allowed through and directed to a parking spot in a far corner. Getting out of the vehicle, Jack looked round him and smiled. He could see across a river to what looked like a cricket ground and hills in the distance. It was very … English and the mix of old and new buildings completed the impression.
"Come on, let's get the bags and go." Ianto was standing on the other side of the car, watching him.
Carrying their belongings they left the police station car park – Jack knew the Chief Constable who had been happy to accommodate the car for the weekend - and turned right up the road towards the Abbey which they could see rising above the roofs of the intervening buildings. Just before the road veered to the left, and in accordance with Ianto's detailed directions, they turned into a narrow street with small old buildings housing shops and restaurants. A short distance further on, they emerged into a pedestrianised square surrounded by gracious Georgian buildings built of cream coloured Bath stone. Their accommodation was in one of these buildings, literally in the shadow of the Abbey and the Roman Baths. They had arrived.
