Hello! It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry to say that Remember Me is basically discontinued until I have the motivation to write it again, but here is a guaranteed completed, 17000 word AU in lieu of that. Call it a consolation prize that's better than the original prize. Anyway, I was going to save this for next Christmas, but then I promised my followers on my Janto tumblr blog ( .com wink wink) that if they got me to 500 followers by February 29th, I'd give them this. And they, being wonderful people, totally did! I also have been working on a Torchwood family network on tumblr ( .com check it out it's awesome and I worked hard on it as did many other amazing people). So I've been busy! But anyway, here's this story, and I hope you enjoy!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas… Jack Harkness whistled quietly as he sauntered down the Cardiff street. The air was chilly and the wind biting, but he was wrapped up tightly in his blue-grey military greatcoat and had his hands shoved deep in his pockets, so he was plenty warm...well, warm-ish. Most people had the common sense to stay indoors, but not Jack. No, he was determined to return to the coffeeshop every single day until he had succeeded in getting a date with the attractive young man behind the counter.

The bell on the door rang softly as Jack entered the shop, which was, except for said attractive young man, empty. Jack was greeted by a gust of warm, coffee-scented air and a cheery call of, "Good morning, sir, the usual?"

"Yes, please, Jones, Ianto Jones," Jack answered.

"Coffee, black, no sugar?" Ianto checked.

"Aww, surely you know that by now?" pouted Jack.

Ianto was unmoved. "Just doing my job, sir." He smiled politely and turned around to set up the complicated coffee machine. Jack appreciated the rear view, too, especially when Ianto dropped something and had to bend over to retrieve it. The young man always wore an impeccable suit, sharply pressed and smart looking. Today, he looked especially fine with a light blue silk shirt and deep black coat, his tie neatly tied and arranged far straighter than Jack hoped that Ianto was. How Ianto could keep his clothing so clean in a coffeeshop was beyond him.

Ianto turned back around with Jack's order. "Here you are, sir," he said with a smile.

"Thank you very much," Jack replied, paying him and then taking a sip of the steaming drink. "Ahh, you do make the best coffee in Cardiff."

"Just in Cardiff?"

Jack widened his eyes in surprise. Ianto held an air of faint amusement about him as he finally responded to Jack's flirting in kind. "I mean…"

Ianto handed him a slip of paper, interrupting him. "Your receipt, sir."

Jack took it without looking at it. "Thank you very much."

"My pleasure." Did Ianto just wink at him? Jack shook his head in disbelief as he walked out the door, the bell tinkling merrily behind him. He took another drink of his coffee to combat the sudden cold of the outdoors, and finally looked down at the receipt, wondering why he had only received one for the first time today from that shop. Then he realized.

It wasn't a receipt. It was a phone number, scrawled in smooth blue ink with a neat hand. Jack grinned. Finally.

Ianto spent the rest of his day occasionally making people drinks, but the shop was quiet and there were very few customers, so most of the time he hovered nervously over his phone. He really hoped that he had read Jack Harkness's intentions correctly. Well, the man had been coming into his shop every morning for the past two weeks and had flirted ceaselessly the entire time, so there wasn't much room for interpretation of his actions. Ianto could tell that Jack was really hoping that he would be interested. And he was, he really was. Jack seemed nice, if a bit forward, and was certainly attractive. But Ianto was just getting over the unexpected death of his former girlfriend, Lisa Hallett, which had occurred four months ago, and wasn't sure that he was ready for another relationship so soon.

His phone beeped, and he grabbed at it, turning it on. There was a text message waiting. Hey, Jones, Ianto Jones, it read. Want to meet me for dinner tomorrow? Then another text came through, just as Ianto had finished reading the last one. We could go see a movie 1st, if u want. ;)

Hands trembling, Ianto hesitated to text back. Aren't you supposed to wait a bit? Then he won't think I was waiting for him to text me. But if I wait too long, it might seem rude. Whatever.

"Sounds lovely," he said out loud as he typed. "Where would you like to go?" He pressed send.

A few seconds later, another text came through. No, u can choose, I'm paying.

Ianto thought for a few seconds, then suggested a couple of places he knew had good, fairly inexpensive food and a nice atmosphere. No movie, though, sorry, I'm working until 6.

That's OK! I know that 2nd restaurant, sounds perfect. 7 OK?

7's perfect. Meet you there?

Meet u there! :)

Ianto tucked his phone away in his pocket, color rising to his cheeks. He hadn't been on a date with someone new in so long, and nervousness and anticipation was rising in his stomach. He didn't have long to dwell on it, though, because just then, the bell on the door rang and in came a large group of secondary school age kids, laughing and bundled up with scarves, hats, and jumpers. "Hello!" he greeted. "What can I make for you today?"

Reviews are love and life, my friends! Many thanks and much love! ~Clare