A/N : Just a little wishful thinking ….
Disclaimer : All characters are borrowed and used without any ill intent …..
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Sometimes you just have to do the right thing ….
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Chapter One
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"Are you sure you don't want me to wait? Or I could come with you if you want."
Ianto couldn't decide whether Gwens tone was one of concern, jealousy or both. He watched, relieved, from the back seat as Jack silently shook his head at her then stepped from the front of the vehicle.
In an instant she turned to face him . . "Ianto, where's he taking you?"
Still a question he was hoping to find out the answer to himself his offer of a confused frown told her all she needed to know. Clutching at his back-pack he gave her a smile before climbing out to join their enigmatic leader.
The passenger window slid down, she was still trying.
"Well, do you want me to meet you somewhere instead, then?"
Jack rested a hand on the side of the vehicle and stooped down to peer in at her . . "See you back at the hub in a couple of days…."
"Couple of days?" . . so far, with one shoulder strap in place Ianto chose momentarily to forget about the other . . "But we're walking. A couple of days?"
Jack ignored him.
Taking this silence to mean 'this matter is not up for discussion' he snaked his left arm out behind him and flexed his fingers to snatch hold of the other strip of material.
"It's still pretty quiet, Gwen. No rift predictions so you should be fine, oh, and if anyone asks just tell them we've gone undercover."
"Under the cover of what, exactly?" . . finally managing to hoist the second strap into place Ianto glanced up at the threatening grey above.
"Jack, he's got a point you know."
As Jack ignored them both Ianto nodded to the car suggesting that might like to listen to at least one of them.
"Jack, you can't just go walking off into the middle of nowhere ….. It's just bloody hills and valleys for miles, how do you expect to find anything out here?"
As Jack heaved a desperate sigh at the pair of them Ianto flapped an open palm in the direction of the suv suggesting that he agreed wholeheartedly with everything his colleague was unwittingly saying on his behalf.
Still wordless, Jack sucked on the end of his forefinger and lifting it into the air he rotated it slowly.
Ianto tried very hard to stop his eyes from moving. This was all going to end in tears, he just knew it.
"Wind's south, south-west. If we get going now we might just beat the cold air and rain coming down from the north."
Ianto fastened the front clip before leaning down to smile in at Gwen . . "He's making it up, he always makes it up." . . he scrunched his nose as she laughed her agreement . . "He hasn't got a bloody clue really."
As a more genuine form of explanation of how they might actually get to where they were supposed to be going Jack raised his left wrist . . "Comes complete with compass and can pick up any atmospheric changes within a five galaxy radius."
Ianto looked totally unimpressed but, still, Jack continued . . "Fortunately I've had experience of orienteering with several groups of young guys … now there's some camp fire stories I could tell ya!"
"Yes, well maybe you could save your gings gangs and goolies for a later date, Jack." . . Ianto was looking to the skies again . . "If it is going to rain I'd rather not be around when it gets here, thanks."
The moment Jack folded his arms tightly to his chest Ianto just knew he'd said something to upset him.
"You know, Ianto, it always amazes me how somebody that comes from Wales can be so scared of a little wet weather. You need to toughen up a bit, embrace the Welsh elements, feel the Celtic wind on your face."
Ianto looked down at his feet; thoroughly unimpressed with what he was seeing . . "I'm wearing walking boots, god help me, that's plenty tough enough for now, thanks."
"Right, boys, if you're sure you don't need me …."
Gwen started the engine . . "Rhys is at rugby all afternoon. I might try and get back before he gets home, have a nice long soak in the bath, catch up on a few of the soaps, that kind of thing."
Ianto raised a brow.
Jack followed suit . . "Are you trying to tell us you watch soaps?"
"Yeah,"
As both men pitched down to peer in at her she gave them both her trademark grin . . "They're totally unrealistic; the perfect form of escapism. Right, I'll catch you boys later then."
After a quick wave she turned the car in the road. As the suv pulled away her voice floated back to them . . "And don't you dare get bloody lost!"
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"Right, Ianto Jones."
Rubbing his hands together Jack stared in to the distance then turned back to face him . . "I'd say we've got another seven hours of daylight. Let's see how far we can get before nightfall."
As he waited for a show of enthusiasm Ianto refused to join in and instead simply rubbed the edge of one finger into an already weary eye. Why here? And why him? Jack knew how he felt about the countryside and here they were with no vehicle to escape with, no protection from the rain, no protection from anything at all for that matter, and to top it all he had no idea where this bloody mystery tour was going to end up.
"Nightfall? So you're saying that we're not actually aiming for anywhere specific to spend the night, then?"
Jacks arms splayed wide . . "Come on, Ianto, we can make a camp fire, we could rub two big sticks together…."
Ianto refused to indulge the innuendo.
"It'll be cosy …." . . he sent him the grin that he knew he hated with a passion . . "And I could tell you some of my more interesting stick rubbing stories."
Still unimpressed Ianto simply shucked the back-pack into a more comfortable position.
Still with the biggest of grins Jack spun on his heels to point out into the distance . . "Okay, Ianto Jones, let's go see what's out there waiting for us….."
With a heavy sigh Ianto watched on dejectedly as Jack purposefully stuffed his hands into his pockets and began to march off in the direction of the first grassy knoll.
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IJ JH IJ JH IJ JH IJ JH IJ JH IJ JH
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tbc