For you

Summary: "You had tuned your ears to the roar, of some metal tempered engine on an alien, distant shore" Jack grinned, tracing Ianto's lips. "But it's not that nursery mouth I came back for!" He teased, laughing at the overjoyed expression on his boyfriend's face. Pure Janto fluff. Possibly new chapters?

AN: Short, sweet, Janto fluff. Contains some Gwen bashing. Johndy, Towen on the side. I get pretty lazy with "He said/He Said" halfway through the song. So, just so you all know anything in italics is Ianto singing. Anything not is Jack. Okay? Anyway… I hope none of you are afraid of Jack singing

I totally do not own this song, otherwise I would have never let the Manfred Mann's Earth band cover it. They ruined a wonderful love song and turned it poppy! Sheesh (yuck). Springsteen is a lyrics champ!

BREAK_

Ianto smiled as the team all piled into a booth in one of the pubs close to the plass. Looking around, he nodded, approving of Jack's choice for the evening. Jack had insisted they all go out for a team pub night, and none of them had been in the mood to disagree with him.

Suddenly, Gwen waved at someone across the room. Ianto looked half expecting it to be their wayward boss. However it soon proved to be Andy Davidson, Gwen's former partner and plus one for the evening. As Andy made his way over to take his seat, Ianto rolled his eyes, remembering how Gwen had lamented over Rhys being out of Cardiff for the week. Jack had gotten so sick of her pretending to mope that he had grudgingly agreed that she could invite the PC. This, of course, had come with a strict warning not to speak about business matters, or else. No one wanted to think on the 'or else' bit – they had never been on the receiving end of Jack's true wrath, and all hoped they never would. It looked painful.

This had, however, led to Jack's impromptu announcement that he would be bringing his own guest along - who he swore to Ianto was only a close friend- and whom they were all to be polite, courteous, and on their best behavior towards. The group had grudgingly agreed to these measures, though Gwen was visibly displeased at the prospect of having a rival for Jack's affections. Not that she had ever been in the running, but Ianto was hard pressed to find any reason to go out of his way to tell her this. At least, he hoped she wasn't.

Andy was greeted by warm smiles as he took his seat in one of the farther corners of their table. Ianto was glad that they had arrived early, as the booth their party had claimed was the largest in the pub, and could easily hold eight people. Which was good, because their current party total was seven; so everyone would at least have elbow room.

However, his consideration of their surroundings was cut brutally short by the arrival of Jack and his guest. Although that in and of itself did not warrant the crude connotations of the word brutal. The ear splitting scream Gwen let out as she caught sight of Jack close friend, did though. Confused, Ianto looked over just in time to see Jack stash something next to the stage the bar used for karaoke on some nights. (This night was, unfortunately, one of those.) Jack grinned as he caught sitting of their group, waving happily at Ianto as he and his guest made their way over to the group. As the pair came closer Ianto finally realized what had prompted Gwen's violent reaction. John Hart was Jack's friend?
"Hey eye candy." The rogue time agent greeted, although this time the name was free from any cruelty or patronization. "Jacks told me how you've all been doing. Nice to see ya again in one piece."

Alright, so maybe John hadn't suddenly been replaced with a saintly clone. But that, as weird as it was, gave Ianto a level of consolation. If John had settled down in Cardiff then it only made sense for Jack to keep in touch. After all, even if the two refused to show it last time, it was apparent after just watching the pair together that they had been very good friends at one point.

"Just don't call me that in front of my mother John." Ianto cautioned, rising so that the newcomers could take seats. John smirked.

"Nice to see you developed a sense of humor finally 'Yanto. "

Ianto grinned in return, retaking his place once Jack was seated. "Oh I've always had it John. I just keep it hidden around men with loaded weapons. Some of them tend to take it the wrong way." He winked, surprised at himself for flirting so easily with the other man in public while still sober. From the looks on the rest of the team's faces, they were just as surprised as he was. Well except for Jack, who looked overjoyed at this new development. Ianto blinked, suddenly realizing what he had said.

"I am far too sober to be doing this." He announced rising from the table. "Anyone else want to help me get drinks?"

Unsurprisingly, Owen was the first to offer his assistance. The drink orders were as ordinary to Ianto as the offer of help had been. The only unusual thing about it was that not only did Jack order water, like he always did, but John did so as well. Ianto waited until they had returned to the table with the drinks before he questioned John on his beverage choice.

"It really is simple eye candy." John replied, his standard smirk firmly in place as he spoke. "All the booze in this century is weak enough it ought to BE water. Tastes like it too." At this he took a long draught from his glass, apparently unaware that he had just insulted more than half of the people at the table with him.

"This is water, right?" John asked hesitantly. That broke the tension surrounding the group enough to let them all share a laugh without awkwardness or hate. John grinned, pleased at having such an effect on them.

Jack smiled. "And I don't think that the two of you have been introduced." He gestured between John and Andy, who sat opposite.

"Hi." Andy greeted, taking the initiative, he offered his hand while grinning at the man across from him. "I'm Andrew, Andrew Davidson." He gave a laugh. "Though most of my friends call me Andy."

John's smile slipped into a well-rehearsed leer, subtle enough that few picked up on anything other than a friendly smile.

"Captain John Hart." He replied, taking Andy's hand. "And should I take that to mean you consider me a friend too?"

Andy laughed. "I'm not the kind to tease people like that." His smile changed to resemble John's more closely. "At least, not about trivial things like names. Other things, well…" he let that comment trail off.

John looked positively overjoyed at his flirtation being returned. Soon the two were leaning close together over the table, exchanging comments in hushed, intimate tones. Jack smiled fondly as he caught sight of the two subtly sliding around the table, towards sharing the bench seat at the far side.

Then, he turned his attention back to the rest of the group, plunging into the conversation whole-heartedly. They laughed and drank in pleasant company for several hours. Even Gwen joined in on the conversation, though Ianto didn't fail to notice her hand creeping steadily up Jack's leg. He growled possessively.

If anyone was going to be groping Jack, it was going to be him.

Jack, for his part, showed a very strong reaction to Gwen's "Affections". when her hand climbed farther still up his leg, he startled several inches out of his seat, choking on his water at the same time. Ianto patted him on the back as he coughed, scaring everyone at the table. Gwen at least looked suitably chastised. Ianto sent her a glare, which was clearly meant to say;

"If you want to keep them, keep your fucking hands off my boyfriend."

About an hour later, Jack glanced over his shoulder, catching the bar man's eyes. He turned back, sharing a look with John. The other man grinned, winking encouragingly at him. Setting his mind to it, he took a deep breath, before rising from his seat.

Jack grinned at the astonished faces of his coworkers as he stood. He was sure Andy would have been gaping as well if the Welshman weren't so enthralled with his conversation with John. The two had really hit it off, if their mutual griping about Eco cars was any indication. Jack made his way up to the pubs' karaoke stage set toward the back of the building winking at the man in charge of the equipment. He passed him a tenner, whispering, "That's to keep the gear off for me, alright?" as he retrieved the parcel that he had stashed behind the stage when he had first arrived. Barely giving the distracted man a chance to nod his agreement, Jack took the stage. Tapping on the microphone, he grinned.

"Hi everyone. My name's Jack, and tonight," he threw the strap of his guitar over his head, winking, "I'm gonna' sing a very special song that I want to dedicate to the most important person in my life." He looked Ianto dead in the eyes, as he continued, "I hope they enjoy it."

Without further delay Jack picked up the chords to a song he knew by heart and would always remember as Ianto's song.

"Princess cards she sends me with her regards. Barroom eyes shine vacancy, to see her you gotta look hard. Wounded deep in battle, I stand stuffed like some soldier undaunted To her Cheshire smile. I'll stand on file, she's all I ever wanted"

Ianto's heart sank, fearing he had interpreted Jack's actions the wrong way. After all, this was clearly a song written for a female lover, not for him. Then he realized that the pronouns really didn't mean anything. Hadn't Jack been complaining earlier in the week about the lack of good, male directed love songs, that didn't make him sound completely gay? Smiling with that revelation, Ianto was content to remain in his seat for the rest o the evening. Unfortunately Jack had other plans.

"But you let your blue walls get in the way of these facts; Honey, get your carpetbaggers off my back. You wouldn't even give me time to cover my tracks: You said "Here's your mirror and your ball and Jacks." But they're not what I came for,"

In the brief pause between words Jack made a vague gesture towards their group. Without realizing it, Ianto stood, surprising everyone at the table as he made his way slowly to where Jack was standing, still belting out lyrics.

"And I'm sure you see that too I came for you, for you, I came for you, but you did not need my urgency"

Ianto's throat constricted painfully as he continued to make his way up to the stage disturbingly aware of all gazes in him. His back stiffened as he reached the stage noticing for the first time just how crowded the pub was. But it was too late to turn back now and doing so would hurt Jack more than Ianto could ever bear. Also it came with the hefty price tag of his life, if the warning glares John was giving him were any indication. Jack grinned as he caught sight of Ianto but continued singing none the less.

"I came for you, for you, I came for you, but your life was one long emergency. And your cloud line urges me, and my electric surges free."

Ianto took the available microphone next to Jack's, calming himself during the brief guitar solo. Finally, he stole a look at the lyrics Jack had brought with him. Even without using marked sections, Ianto could easily tell which parts were intended for each of them. Grinning, he took one final breath, and put his long past singing lessons to good use.

"Crawl into my ambulance, your pulse is getting weak, Reveal yourself all now to me girl while you've got the strength to speak" Jack gave him an encouraging smile as he switched over parts.

"`Cause they're waiting for you at Bellevue with their oxygen masks. But I could give it all to you now if only you could ask"

Ianto swallowed before the next bit, barely realizing he had already begun to sing aloud.
"And don't call for your surgeon even he says it's too late, It's not your lungs this time, it's your heart that holds your fate. Don't give me money, honey, I don't want it back."

BREAK_

Tosh met Owen's eyes across the table, grinning at the Medic. She opened her mouth to say something, but found herself completely unable to speak. Embarrassed by her failure, she looked away.

Suddenly, Owen reached out, taking her hand. Tosh looked up, astonished. Owen gave her a feeble smile, the kind that she had only seen in pictures of him before Katie. She blushed, suddenly hesitant.

Sensing her distress, Owen rose, releasing her hand as he announced his intentions to go for another round of drinks. When he returned, Tosh had managed to compose herself enough to give him a soft smile, the kind that expresses true emotion more than any toothy grin could.

Owen returned her smile with one of his own, his eyes softening as he passed her her drink. Their hands touched briefly, just long enough to recognize the contact, then it was gone.

Both found they had never wanted to let it go.

Reaching under the table, Owen smiled shyly when his fingers came in contact wither leg. Tosh returned his smile, taking his hand in hers. The two communicated silently like that for a while, oblivious to the world around them. Neither noticed the jealous, angry glares sent their way by a shunted ex-PC.

BREAK_

"You and your pony face and your union jack. Well take your local joker and teach him how to act; I swear I was never that way even when I really cracked"

The next part came and went so quickly, switching between singers every two or three lines, that Ianto barely had time to check himself, let alone analyze anything. But he would most definitely later. Ianto was already planning on making Jack's song choice the main topic of conversation as soon as they returned to the table.

"Didn't you think I knew that you were born with the power of a locomotive; Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound?"

"And your Chelsea suicide with no apparent motive, You could laugh and cry in a single sound. "

"And your strength is devastating in the face of all these odds. Remember how I kept you waiting when it was my turn to be the god?You were not quite half so proud when I found you broken on the beach. Remember how I poured salt on your tongue and hung just out of reach."

"And the band they played the homecoming theme as I caressed your cheek. They ragged, jagged melody she still clings to me like a leach. But that medal you wore on your chest always got in the way, like a little girl with a trophy so soft to buy her way."

"We were both hitchhikers but you had your ear tuned to the roar of some metal-tempered engine on an alien, distant shore. So you left to find a better reason than the one we were living for"

BREAK_

John looked to his left, noticing for the first time that Andy was watching him with the same intensity. He smiled, cursing himself for acting so weak. He had never felt this disturbed before, especially not around other people. What was it about the PC that did this to him?

Unbeknownst to him, Andy was having a similar internal debate. His breathing was ragged, and his smile weak, as he tried to convince himself that everything was alright. Swallowing, he subtly wiped his palms on his jeans, hoping that John wouldn't notice his reaction.

John looked down, watching intently as Andy's hands moved over his legs. He bit his lip, as his body reacted to the action. He took a deep breath, steeling his frantically peeling nerves.

John reached out, gently taking Andy's hand. He looked up, astonished at how close to one another they had moved in the short span of time. Andy gazed at him in surprise, glancing between his face and their joined hands.

Finally, their eyes locked. John's heart settled, and he relaxed more than he had ever dared to since the decimation of his planet. Staring deeply into the young PC's eyes, he felt secure, able to forget that he was a member of an endangered species. At least for a little while.

Andy smiled, shifting even closer to the other man. His throat closed up, and joyful tears threatened to pool in his eyes. He didn't dare hope, but found himself casting a faint wish for john to feel this way too.

BREAK_

Jacks voice, rough with passion and an angry conviction Ianto had rarely heard outside of work, surprised his singing partner. When the lyrics finally hit him, Ianto had to bite back a sob, as the message Jack was desperately trying to convey to him at long last revealed itself.

"And it's not that nursery mouth I came back for! It's not the way you're stretched out on the floor; `Cause I've broken all your windows and I've rammed through all your doors!"

Ianto stole into the verse giving Jack a chance to catch what breath he could in a short space of time.

"And who am I to ask you to lick my sores? And you should know that's true,"
With barely a thought both men jumped in on the final chorus eyes still locked with one another as their voices blended into one.

"I came for you, for you, I came for you, but you did not need my urgency. I came for you, for you, I came for you, but your life was one long emergency. And your cloud line urges me, and my electric surges free."

Ianto grinned, taking in the team's stunned faces. He had to physically hold back a laugh at Gwen's expression. She glared at him with all her feeble will power, as if praying that he would spontaneously combust.

'Not going to happen Gwen' Ianto thought, before turning back to his singing partner. Jack beamed at him, pride and joy clear on his face. As he concluded the last chords of the song, the previously quiet pub burst into applause.

Smiling back at him, Ianto took Jack's hand, before turning back to the audience and bowing. Jack allowed himself to be led back to their table, laughing uncontrollably as they took their seats.

John gave him a knowing smile, to which Jack responded with a wink. He broke down laughing soon after, however. Ianto couldn't stop himself from grinning uncontrollably, all of his earlier hesitance forgotten in the rush which was singing. His chest blossomed with love as he thought back on his lover's choice of song.

Suddenly, Jack found himself with a lap-full of Welshman, enthusiastically kissing him as if the world were about to end. Then again, with their occupation, it may very well. Jack kissed back with just as much energy, overjoyed at reconnecting with Ianto after his disappearance.

Ianto pulled away, giving Jack and odd look. It took the other man a while to figure out what Ianto was saying, but he smiled when he did.

"Really Jack?" The younger man asked, one eyebrow raised. "Bruce Springsteen?"

Jack shrugged. "It fit. Besides." He leaned closer, not caring that the rest of the group could – an were – listen in.

"I came back for you."

Ianto grinned again, claiming Jack's mouth once more.

BREAK_

Later that night, Jack and Ianto lay entwined in their bed. Jack paused, wondering exactly when Ianto's flat had transformed into "Theirs". But he found, to his deep relief and shock, that he didn't even mind. There was nothing that could disappoint him about the man in his arms, he realized, looking lovingly down as Ianto.

Ianto's nimble fingers had made quick work of Jack's belt and the t-shirt he had donned for the evening. Jack, for his part, already had Ianto half naked, and was working steadily towards removing Ianto's jeans. This was made difficult by the younger man laughing, interrupting his efforts by half-heartedly thrusting his hips against the conveniently placed hands. Jack had eventually given up, satisfying himself with holding his lover in a tight embrace.

Ianto grinned broadly up at him, ghosting his fingers over Jack's face.

"Reveal yourself all now to me?" He questioned gently, hoping desperately that this meant Jack was finally willing to tell him about his past. "While you've got the strength to speak." The last line came out choked, as he thought back on how frequently Jack was hurt in their line of work.

Jack gave him a sympathetic smile. "But I could give it all to you now if only you could ask." He swore.

"It's your heart that holds your fate." Ianto shot back, smiling as he became accustomed to this playful bantering. He could easily see how Jack had picked this song above all others.

"And you should know it's true; I came for you." Jack replied, taking Ianto's face into his hands.

"Didn't you think I knew you were born with the power of a locomotive? Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound?" Ianto teased, grinning up at Jack, his playful response proving that he understood Jack's point. Jack had come back for him, and only him. Everyone else was just a bonus.

"And your Chelsea suicide with no apparent motive," Jack bit back tears at the thought of how torn up the young man had been after the Lisa debacle. "You could laugh and cry in a single sound." To prove this, Jack kissed Ianto with bruising care, so soft and loving that the other man couldn't help but let out a joyful sob. Jack smiled as his point was shown.

"And your strength is devastating in the face of all these odds. Remember how I kept you waiting when it was my turn to be the god?" Ianto answered softly, thinking back on the rare times he had been allowed to take care of Jack, caring for the older man in one of his sporadic bouts of tears. Ianto felt weak tears roll down his cheeks, wiping them angrily away. "You were not quite half so proud when I found you broken on the beach. Remember how I poured salt on your tongue and hung just out of reach."

Jack sighed, remembering the last time Ianto had built him back up after tearing him down. Whenever he became too arrogant, or grew too high and mighty, Ianto would always bring the world crashing down around him, bringing back his humility and humanity back.

"Well take your local joker and teach him how to act; I swear I was never that way even when I really cracked"

Ianto seemed nonplussed, but nodded his acceptance. He frowned, realizing that he was still uncomfortable with the other man's sudden reappearance. He knew Jack had promised not to run away again, but…

"You had tuned your ears to the roar, of some metal tempered engine on an alien, distant shore." Ianto stated, fixing him with a serious look. Jack grinned, tracing Ianto's lips.

"But it's not that nursery mouth I came back for!" He teased, laughing at the overjoyed expression on his boyfriend's face. Both of them understood exactly what noun Gwen was in the song.

"You better not." Ianto warned, rolling them over so he was straddling Jack's hips.

"I promise, I'm not even remotely interested in her Ianto." Jack swore, struggling weakly against being pinned to the bed. Ianto grinned.

"Promise?" He teased the man under him, leaning more of his weight against Jack's chest to keep him down.

"I promise." Jack all but growled this time, wriggling even more. "Damn it, Ianto!"

Ianto chuckled. "You're sure?" He asked, deciding to torment Jack a little longer. It had been a long time since he had felt this secure and confident. He was not about to let this pass.

"You're absolutely positive," He leaned down to whisper in Jack's ear, "That you aren't thinking about her when I do – this?" he grabbed Jack roughly through the jeans he had changed into earlier. Jack gasped, arching violently off the bed.

"Yes!" His voice was nearly a scream as he answered. Ianto smiled.

"Good."

BREAK_

Should I continue? (Johndy and Towen installments?)
Review!