Author's Notes: I didn't mention this in the prologue, but this will be a far more light-hearted story. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it'll be humorous, because I suck at writing comedy, but with the angst of the three stories especially, a switch was necessary. Also, in case you haven't noticed, these stories aren't written to be like an episode. My brain doesn't seem to be wired that way. We'll get back to what Angelo and his lawyer were discussing in the next chapter. In this chapter, it's the morning after the planned threesome and Owen and Esther reflect on how it came to pass; while Natalie makes breakfast and Octavia behaves like an older sister. Well, she does that anyhow, but she's particularly gleeful about it this time around. And just as a reminder, Jack and Esther are sort of involved in this series.

Chapter One

A Good Start to the Day

Tregarth Homestead, Oklahoma

December 2011, a few days before Christmas

The first early morning rays of the sun were just starting to filter through the blinds when Dr. Owen Harper awoke. It took him a moment to get oriented, but the warm weight of a body against his own helped with that … once he remembered whom the body was, of course, and then Owen looked down with a small smile. After nearly a week of planning, he and Esther Drummond made their move the previous night. Owen kissed the top of Jack's head, drawing a soft sigh from the sleeping man, and the captain snuggled closer. A quick glance to his right informed him that Esther was awake, and judging by her indulgent smile, she'd been awake for some time. She winked at him and leaned forward to lightly brush her lips along Jack's spine, before snuggling against his side.

It wasn't quite what people generally had in mind when they talked about threesomes, but Owen found he enjoyed it. It actually only took him and Esther about a day to plan their seduction of Jack … finding the right time was the rest of the battle. The previous night, though, Jack returned from a Rift alert looking exhausted and frustrated and he was terrifyingly close to tears. Like so many men, Owen had a hard time seeing a woman cry … but to see Jack crying? He wouldn't talk about what happened, though Esther admitted to him that the Rift alert was in the general area of where they saw Ianto Jones, months earlier. Owen was willing to bet Jack was hoping to see their Tea-boy, even if he wasn't really their Ianto.

In any event, he found Jack slumped in front of the computer, updating their database. That was a suggestion made by Natalie, to ensure that not all of the work fell on one person. She pointed out, quite rightly, that she couldn't always read people's handwriting, and didn't want to run the risk of putting the wrong information into the database. Her father agreed with her suggestion, and Natalie showed everyone how to use the program. The previous night, Owen discovered his team leader staring dumbly at the computer screen. He keyed what Jack told him, the immortal's voice almost a monotone, and then hit 'enter.' Jack stared at the computer screen, looking lost, and Owen's heart nearly broke at his expression. He had a feeling that Jack saw far more than nothing, but he wouldn't push Jack. At least, not that way.

Instead, he pulled the rolling chair away from the computer and began to massage Jack's shoulders. His captain all but melted against him with a soft moan, head lolling back to rest against Owen's sternum. When Jack's shoulder muscles were a little more relaxed, Owen helped him to his feet, gave Esther a significant Look, and gently led Jack upstairs to their room. He sat Jack on the bed, began massaging his shoulders once more, and Esther quietly entered the room. She knelt before Jack and began undressing him … taking off his boots, unbuckling his belt, and unhooking his braces (the latter of which required Owen's help). And then, once he was fully naked, the two made love to him.

It was so strange. Owen and Esther never touched one another … only Jack. He touched them in turn, but they touched only him, and Owen thought it was one of the most surreal, and most beautiful, experiences of his life. He and Esther took turns holding Jack while the other pleasured him, but it was in Esther's arms that Jack wept with release as Owen stroked his hair and his back. Eventually, Esther eased the drowsy Jack into Owen's arms, whispering that she'd be back in a few minutes. By the time she did return (her eyes dry but red), Jack was curled up against Owen, sound asleep, and a sweet smile touched her pretty face as she lay down on the other side of Jack, spooning up behind him.

She was the last to fall asleep and the first to awaken. And now, she was gently awakening Jack with kisses. Owen could feel it in the rhythm of his breathing, even before Jack breathed, 'thank you' against his skin. The doctor kissed his forehead, whispering, "No need to thank me for anything. I've wanted to shag you and Esther for a while. 'Course, it didn't quite play out the way I originally planned, but sometimes, that's a good thing." Owen didn't ask Jack what put him in such a mood the previous night. If there was one thing about Jack Harkness that hadn't changed in the last four years, it was that he talked about things when he was damn good and ready, and not a microsecond before then. Besides, there were some things that weren't his business. Not many, as the group doctor, but some.

"And where does that leave Adriane?" Jack teased softly. Owen's eyes narrowed, even though his captain couldn't see that. Evidently, someone was paying attention at the dance, even when he was dancing with Natalie and the others. Hmm. He would have to do something about that. Owen looked at Esther, smirking at her evilly. And smart girl that she was, Esther caught on immediately. She flashed him a devious grin, wiggled her fingers, and Jack actually yelped as Esther began stroking her fingers teasingly across his ribs and sides. Oooh, he was ticklish? Owen never knew that! Jack squirmed and laughed, and Owen took full advantage of the new access he had to roll Jack into Esther's arms and whisper a trail of kisses down the column of his throat. Jack all but melted, laughter giving way to moans.

Despite his harassment of Ianto (or maybe because of it, it was hard to tell sometimes), Owen was always curious about what Jack would be like in bed. And now, Owen found himself wondering if the man whom he touched and caressed was the real Jack, with no masks. His captain's first inclination was always to reciprocate, but he was so careful not to step outside of Owen's boundaries. And while he had no doubt that Jack enjoyed being tied to the bed, Owen convinced him that dropping his guard demonstrated just how much he trusted the doctor. And he did trust Owen, a faith the Londoner considered sacred. But for now, he and Esther held Jack between them, cherishing him and loving him, just as he deserved.

TWTWTWTWTWTW

Esther was more than a little nervous the previous night when Owen caught her eye in a meaningful Look. They'd been discussing and planning a threesome ever since the night of the dance, but she wasn't sure if this was the right time to put those plans into action. Jack was obviously exhausted and hurting, and she honestly wasn't sure if he needed a threesome. He did … just not the kind Esther anticipated Owen having in mind. That didn't mean that she, or Owen, couldn't change their plans. They could and did, especially after she entered the boys' room to find Owen massaging Jack's shoulders. That set the tone for the entire encounter. The point of this wasn't sex for sex's sake, but sex to take care of Jack. Taking care of him, loving him, cherishing him … this was about tenderness, not passion.

And so, she knelt in front of Jack, removing his boots and then his socks, stroking her fingers over his feet and ankles in that oh-so-delicate balance between caressing and tickling. With Owen's help, she took down his suspenders before unbuttoning his shirt, kissing his forehead, his cheeks, and his closed eyes all the while, until it was time to remove his shirts. Here again, Owen helped, stopping the massage just long enough to slide the button-down shirt from Jack's shoulders and then ease the undershirt from his body. Once Jack's torso was bare, Owen returned his attention to the massage, while Esther's fingertips grazed lightly over his chest, ribs and abs, softly tracing those muscles. Jack's breath hitched, but Esther waited until his body relaxed more against Owen before she went to work on his trousers. Her fingers wanted to tremble, but she forced herself to remain in control of her limbs and her muscles.

Unbuckling his belt and the unzipping was easy, but as he slumped backward, his hips canted forward, and Esther was able to slide his trousers down. Jack kicked them off and Esther looked up at Owen, who nodded and told Jack, "Esther and me, we're going to meet in the middle, Jack: massaging and petting and kissing you, and then, we'll shag you slow and sweet and playful. What do you think, Esther … every time one of us makes him moan, the other has to take off one item of clothing?" Esther raised her eyebrows at him, smirking a little. Well, that took a lot of the fun out of it! To demonstrate her point, she pushed Jack's legs apart, just a little, and began kissing the inside of his knee, allowing her long hair to sweep along his skin at the same time. Jack shuddered and gasped, and Owen muttered, "Oh, all right! I take your point … oi! Enough with the double entendres! 'Sides, Harkness ain't exactly a patient man. What do you suggest?"

"Every time one of us makes him whimper or beg, then the other person takes an item of clothing off. Might as well make it interesting," she answered brightly. And oh, they made it very interesting! To say nothing of poignant, as Esther wept in the bathroom after their first go-round while Owen held a sleepy Jack. To his credit, the doctor didn't say anything about her tears when she returned to her boys. Instead, he held out a hand to her and she curled against Jack. They held him between them, surrounding him and shielding him through the night. One thing Esther realized early on: everyone needed someone to shield them, to protect them. Even Captain Jack Harkness … or maybe, she thought, especially Captain Jack Harkness.

At long last, Jack murmured, "We should get up. Esther, aren't you going into town today with Natalie and Sophia?" She was … there were a few last minute Christmas gifts to buy. Alys and Melanie's gifts were bought, as were everyone's except Jack and Rex. She knew what to get Rex, thank to Octavia, but Jack's gift was proving to be more elusive. And it didn't help when Sophia advised her that Esther's loyalty and steadfastness was a gift enough for Jack. It wasn't that she didn't know what he liked; she did. But it was a matter of finding something. Hopefully, between the three of them, they'd be able to find an extraordinary gift for an extraordinary man.

"I suppose. Who wants the shower first? Owen?" Esther suggested. She was actually quite happy to remain here, snuggled against Jack, even if it was somewhat different from their normal positions. A hand waggled on the other side of Jack, and Esther said, "Good. Gives me more snuggle time." The hand remained up, but four of the five fingers went down. Esther retorted, "Didn't you get enough of that last night?" Jack laughed outright, Owen sat up and stared at her incredulously, and Esther added, "Go. Shoo. And stop sulking, you don't do it well enough to make you look anything other than silly."

"Well, fine," Owen mock-pouted as he rose to his feet, "just fine, be that way." Esther rolled her eyes as Owen slipped out of bed and onto his feet, presenting his bare ass. Over his shoulder, he winked at her, and then yelped as Jack slapped the entirely-too-tempting target. Esther snickered, burying her face against Jack's shoulder, and Owen said, waggling his finger, "You will pay for that, Harkness, just see if you don't!" He winked again, and then sauntered off, wiggling his butt at them. Jack rolled toward her, adjusting his position, and slipped his arms around Esther, just in time for her to start giggling helplessly. His body trembled against her own, and she knew he was fighting back his own laughter. Owen called from inside the bathroom, "OI! I heard that!"

Jack lost his battle with his laughter, setting off Esther once more. Something thumped against the door … Owen making his displeasure known, obviously … and Jack laughed even harder. Once the spasms eased, they lay companionably in each other's arms, Jack lightly stroking Esther's hair. She murmured, "I won't ask you if you're all right, or what happened to put you into a state like that. But thank you for last night." There was far more to say, but that summed it all up. Thank you for letting your guard down, thank you for trusting me, thank you for still being able to love after the betrayals you've endured. Esther was young, but she wasn't a fool. The incident in 1928 wasn't the first or last time someone hurt Jack in such a terrible way because of his immortality. And what she hated most of all was that somewhere down the line, someone would hurt him like that again, and it absolutely broke her heart. Jack kissed the top of her head, and Esther snuggled closer.

"Something came through the Rift last night," Jack began. Esther listened intently as he described a box that was unfamiliar to him (which scared the hell out of Esther, since he was from three thousand years in the future), but found old wounds and tore them open. It was then that Esther realized what happened. One of his lost friends, he saw someone he lost … oh, Jack. She was right. It was Toshiko Sato, as he last saw her in life, as she died in his arms. He didn't need to say anything, but she had a pretty good idea what happened. Jack continued, his voice unusually flat, "Charles Havelock was there. He helped me return it to the Rift."

Esther just hugged him, because really, what was there to say? She knew that Jack had a lot of guilt, a lot of regrets, even after seeing that he did far more good than bad. Owen told her softly about Gray and what he did, why he did it, the full story she'd never heard before, and it broke her heart even further. Jack went on after a moment, sounding a little more normal, a little more like himself, "After it was gone, we sat in his truck and talked. He's got so much guilt in his soul, Esther, because he couldn't do as much as he wanted to on the Valiant. He's a protector at heart, and he was absolutely helpless on the Valiant. It's been eating away at his soul, ever since he saw me again, and then the Kinnickkinnock …"

Esther didn't speak, her hand gliding across his ribs as she remembered the encounter with the body-jumpers. Jack was the one who was beaten to death, but it left its mark on them all, no pun intended. For her, it was the final push to start showing Jack how she felt about him. Yes, it was just a kiss at the time, but it was the first real kiss they shared. And then came Lola Wycliffe with her half-baked idea of using Natalie and Ailsa to lure Jack into a trap, and Esther realized just how close they all came to losing him. He came back from the dead, but they would have had to find him if the Pharm's plan worked.

Finally, she said, "You know, I've come to the conclusion that there are two types of people in the world: those who don't think they do enough and those who think everyone else doesn't do enough. They both can be a pain in the butt, but I think the second group is worse. They demand and exhort, not understanding that everyone has a role to play, and that role may not be what they think it is. I won't lie, I've done that in the past. The first group demands a lot of themselves, and it hurts them so much when they can't save everyone or even a majority. They also make it very hard for other people to take care of them." This was said as she poked at Jack's ribs and mock-glowered at him.

He yelped, reaching over to grab her hand before she poked him again, and asked, "Are we talking about anyone I know?" Esther rolled her eyes at him, and then rolled over on top of him. Jack's arms wrapped around her as he added seriously, "I do understand what you're saying, Esther, but it isn't your responsibility to take care of me. You did that already, and you did an outstanding job of it." She rolled her eyes again, and this time, she decided to take a much more direct route … and kissed him. Kisses, she discovered even before they made love for the first time, were very good for getting Jack to shut up.

When she pulled back, she said softly, "You listen to me, Captain Jack Harkness. I'm not trying to take care of you because I feel responsible for you; I'm trying to take care of you because you matter to me. That's what friends do for each other. They take care of each other, and when they can, they lighten each others' burdens. I can't bring the dead back to life, any more than you can, but I can and will take care of you, the way Tosh and Ianto would have done."

She knew that Tosh comforted Jack as best as anyone could have after they returned from 1941, and she knew that Ianto looked after Jack in whatever way was available to him. Jack talked a lot about them, sometimes when he was delirious and sometimes when he was fully coherent. They weren't here to comfort or look after him, and so Esther would do that in their honor. She never met them, and she knew Carlyon didn't have much use for them, but Jack loved them. And that was all she needed to know. Jack murmured, drawing her attention back to the present, "As fierce as ever. What would Rex say your place is?"

"It doesn't matter what Rex says, because you and Carlyon are now my immediate superiors. But I know where my place is, Jack. It's at your side, watching your back, wherever you need me to be. And I don't think there's anything more to say," she answered quietly, staring into those lovely blue eyes. There was a long moment of silence as she and Jack stared at each other, and then Jack smiled up at her. He caressed her face, before reaching around to the nape of her neck to draw her face closer to his own. He kissed her, a soft, chaste kiss which seemed all the sweeter for that chastity.

"Hear hear. She's right, mate. Our place is at your side, watching your back. It's not like it was before. Esther, it's your turn. Figure we'll give Jack a show, between you heading into the en suite and me dressing here in the room," Owen said, emerging from the bathroom with just a towel around his hips and his hair still wet. Esther smirked down at Jack, who responded with a pleased grin, and rolled off him. His knuckles brushed her bare rump, and she wiggled a little in response to the touch. Owen groaned, "Oh, I think I've created a monster!" Both Esther and Jack laughed, and she was still smiling when she stepped into the shower. It was anyone's guess what the rest of the day held, but today was off to a good start.

TWTWTWTWTW

"How are the nightmares?" she asked the slight, dark-haired woman who stood at the kitchen counter in pajamas and bare feet with wet hair. As greetings went, there were better, but Octavia Tregarth hadn't recently had a chance to talk to her little sister much in the last few weeks, and after her own experience with the choice of betray or not betray, she knew that nightmares would be haunting Natalie for months to come, maybe even years. David was there to help her through, once she had him and their boys back, but there was no one to hold Natalie when she awoke from a nightmare, gasping for breath. Nat looked up from what she was doing (buttering bread, and it looked like a jar of cinnamon sprinkle on the other side of the pan) and smiled. It was a real smile, not 'I'm not fine, but I don't want to let you know it' smile.

"I only had one last night, so that qualifies as a good night. They're getting fewer and further apart," she admitted and Octavia nodded. Yup, that was a jar of cinnamon sprinkle Nat just picked up. This was a good sign; Natalie only made breakfast when she slept well and could focus on what she was doing. This was a very good sign. However, she avoided the other question: was she trying to make amends to Jack? Their friend loved Natalie's cinnamon toast. However, Natalie smiled at her a little, adding, "This isn't a 'making amends' breakfast, Tavia, this is an 'I hope you're feeling better this morning' breakfast."

Ah. Yeah, Jack did look a bit rough the previous night when he returned. Oh, he flirted and cracked jokes, as he always did, but his eyes were haunted and exhausted. Octavia replied, "I know he'll appreciate that." Nat smiled at her and returned her attention to lathering the slices of bread with butter. Octavia was silent for several moments, just watching her sister work. In the days since the dance at the community center, it seemed Natalie was growing a little more comfortable with Jack. Octavia really couldn't blame her baby sister … Jack could be somewhat overwhelming. Not because he wanted to be, necessarily, or that he tried to be, but it was just part of whom and what he was. She didn't want him any other way, but she could see how Nat needed time to adjust to him.

Rex observed how important first impressions: at first glance, when they met, she was a seasoned agent, warning Jack not to sacrifice himself to get Esther to safety. Octavia laughed at that, saying that Natalie always got like that when she was tired and had a job to do. Rex acknowledged that truth, adding that as he got to know her, he realized that she was a helluva lot more vulnerable than he initially noticed. As pillow talk went, it was a little strange, but they were curled together after a particularly energetic 'dance,' and Octavia had been worried for her little sister ever since Wycliffe took her long walk into the Rift.

"Hey, is that cinnamon I smell? Nat, are you making cinnamon toast?" a familiar voice asked, and a few seconds later, the familiar dark head of Captain Jack Harkness poked into the kitchen. Natalie blushed, especially after Jack swept her into a hug. She did not, however, push him away. On the contrary, she wrapped her arms around him just as tightly. Although, Octavia had to admit, that might have been simply for balance, especially after Natalie's feet left the ground. She sometimes forgot how tiny her sister was in comparison to their friend.

And because she was an older sister, who was finally allowed to be a sister, rather than an aunt, Octavia couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease Natalie. She said, "Before you start fretting, Jack, this is not a 'making amends' breakfast at all, but an 'I hope you're feeling better this morning' breakfast." She was rewarded with Natalie's dirtiest look as the captain carefully settled her back on the ground. Octavia just smiled at her brightly, but that smile dimmed when she saw the way Jack was staring at Natalie … there was nothing sexual or dirty. On the contrary, it was breathtakingly tender.

"You don't need to take care of me, Nat," he said softly, putting his hands on her shoulders, just as Esther and Owen entered the kitchen. Octavia rolled her eyes. Just who in the hell did they were kidding? The whole damn house knew this was coming. It was one of the reasons her 'dance' with Rex the previous night was so energetic … the former agent was fretting about his 'little sister,' never mind that said little sister was twenty-six years old, and hardly a child. On the other hand, Octavia remembered all the elaborate revenge plots she and Priscilla concocted after Ethan broke Natalie's heart, and she was twenty-three at the time. Maybe she shouldn't have given him a hard time about; on second thought, why not? He expected that, and she would hate to disappoint him.

"Of course I do. You're my friend, and that's what friends do. Right, Tavia?" Natalie asked. It took Octavia a moment to catch up with the conversation. Of course, when she did, she stepped up beside her sister and put an arm around Natalie's waist, presenting a united front. Owen face-palmed, as if he knew what was coming … which he probably did. Esther just smirked, dark eyes dancing with laughter.

"Absolutely. In fact …" Octavia replied, and then stopped when she saw her younger sister's raised eyebrows. Jack snickered, Owen just shook his head, and Octavia sighed, "Right. Okay, boys, make yourselves useful. Jack, you can take care of the plates and Owen, pouring juice for everyone is your responsibility. Esther, just sit there and look pretty; I know, you get the easiest assignment of all, but someone's got to do it. I need to go check on Sexy Rexy, and then see about my boys. Nat, where is Mij sleeping?"

"I checked on her and Ailsa, and they're both still sleeping. No, Owen, Mij doesn't just sleep with you and Jack … okay, that sounded just a little squicky," Natalie confessed, blushing once more, especially when Jack snickered. Octavia swatted his butt to get him moving, and Natalie teased, turning back to the oven and sliding the sheet of toast inside, "Careful, sis, that's harassment." Both Jack and Owen stopped and stared at her in astonishment, a shadow crossing Jack's handsome face. Esther looked at the two men, but it was Natalie, noticing the silence, who asked, "What? What did I say?"

"It was something Ianto always used to say when I commented on how great he looked in suits, or flirted with him. 'Careful, sir, that's harassment.' Just one letter of difference," Jack replied. Natalie blanched, hand flying to her mouth and her eyes widening with horror. The immortal took both of her hands, adding, "Don't you apologize, Natalie Sophia, don't you dare apologize. You had no way of knowing. And it doesn't ache, not like it use to. More like a sting. I'm okay, and there's nothing to forgive." He released her hands to cup her face, thumbs stroking along her cheekbones. Octavia chanced a look at Esther, who was smiling softly. She wasn't jealous. Interesting. Very interesting.

"I just don't want to hurt you, Jack. That's the last thing I want, even if it's by accident," Natalie answered softly, her dark eyes wide and earnest. Owen approached the pair, putting his hand on the back of Natalie's shoulder. Octavia carefully moved out of the way. She felt a bit bad, even though she knew it was no more her fault than it was Natalie's, and it seemed as if the boys had it under control. Esther smiled up at her, putting her hand over Octavia's on the back of her chair. Her smile brightened when Jack drew Natalie into an embrace, kissing the top of her head.

"You didn't. Okay? I have a lot of memories, a lot of people I've lost. Sometimes those memories, sometimes the grief, comes closer to the surface. But I don't want you second-guessing every word that comes out of your mouth. I'm a very old man, and being reminded of someone I loved and still love will not destroy me. All right? We good?" Jack asked. A tiny smile touched Natalie's mouth and she nodded. Jack kissed her forehead, adding, "That's my girl. You should probably go get your daughter up."

"Considering how much she loves cinnamon toast, probably a smart idea," Nat answered as Jack released her. She looked over at Octavia, asking, "Keep an eye on it for me? I should be back in time, but you know how Ailsa can be about waking up." Octavia nodded, and as Natalie started to leave the kitchen, Jack's hand connected with her rump. Esther giggled and Nat turned, startled. Jack was smirking. For a moment, Octavia thought her sister would bluster and fluster. But something changed in her eyes, and Natalie smirked, saying, "Careful, Captain. Your hand is making promises that your body can't keep." Oooooh! OOH! Octavia switched her attention to Jack, and found his eyebrows were trying to climb into his hair. Ooh, that was good!

"You'd be surprised at the promises my body can keep, sweetheart," Jack fired back, all but laughing at Natalie's cheekiness. He was rewarded with a bright smile, as well as laughter from Esther. Natalie bowed to Esther, before sashaying from the room. And if there was the slightest sway to her hips, well, who could blame her? Certainly not Octavia, who was incredibly proud of her little sister in that moment. Jack smiled as he began to assemble the plates, observing, "She's getting more comfortable around me. That's good." Yes. Yes, that was very good.

TBC