Chapter 2

It was a rush to get there by train and he felt somewhat over-dressed, so Ianto wore a long overcoat to cover the dinner suit. He'd decided that a red tie would lessen the formality of the outfit. He had no real idea who else would be there. At the entrance to the restaurant he was greeted by the maître d', who looked him up and down with a face that suggested that he might have just crawled out from under a stone.

'I'm here to see Ms Toshiko Sato. My name is Dr Ianto Jones.'

'Ms Sato hasn't arrived yet,' he was informed, 'but if you care to wait at the bar, we'll let you know when her party arrives.'

Jack Harkness sat at the bar. He was wearing a blue dress suit, pale blue shirt and had a silk scarf around his neck. He'd already had a few drinks. He needed the Trust to give him some more money and, although he often claimed otherwise, for some reason Toshiko Sato had proved to be immune from his charms.

'See, like that,' he told the barman, as the olive landed expertly into his mouth for the second time. 'Now, you said three in a row for a free martini?' He flipped the third olive and missed. It landed on the floor just as Ianto approached. The Welshman found himself on his arse, his face level with a man's groin. He looked up and sighed.

'You again! I might have guessed it!'

Jack pulled him to his feet. 'I'm so sorry! Are you alright? Nothing damaged?' He turned Ianto around. 'Oh, you've an olive stuck on your behind!' He took out a handkerchief and dabbed at it. It really was a fine specimen, he thought.

'What the hell were you doing, throwing olives about?' Ianto asked impatiently.

'Oh, it's a trick the barman taught me. It takes practice; you're always going to drop a few. Don't be angry.' He gave Ianto a look with such puppy-dog eyes that the Welshman felt lost for a moment. 'What can I do?' Jack asked, bringing his hands together as if in prayer.

'You could leave,' Ianto barked.

'But I was here first,' Jack protested.

'Then I'll go away!'

Jack watched him go and then walked over to a table, where a man was sitting with a plate of hors d'oeuvres. Ianto watched as Jack picked up another olive from the man's plate. He attempted the same trick whilst the man looked on, somewhat surprised. 'Are you sure you don't want the rest?' Dr Owen Harper snarked.

Jack looked down. 'No, I'll just sit and practise if that's okay with you.' Jack's scarf dropped on to the floor unnoticed. 'Haven't we met before?' he asked.

'No, I don't think so. I'm Dr Owen Harper; I have a practice on Harley Street. I specialise in psychiatry.'

'Really,' Jack said. 'My name is Jack Harkness. I'm surprised we haven't met. I've been to a few shrinks in my time. Why, when I was seven I, well, that's another story!' Jack popped another olive in his mouth. 'So, what is it you do exactly, Dr Harper?'

'I specialise in nervous disorders,' the doctor explained.

'Ah well, that explains it. I'm never nervous,' Jack said. 'A little mad, bad and dangerous to know, but not nervous! I always know what I want and I usually get it!' He looked over to where Ianto was perched nervously on the arm of a sofa. Jack leaned in. 'Now, Doctor, can I ask your professional opinion about something? What would you say about a man who continually follows another around?'

Owen raised his eyebrows; there were many things he could say about that!

'And then, when he talks with him,' Jack continued, 'all he wants to do is argue!'

'Do you and this other man have relationship issues?' Owen asked.

'Oh, no, I hardly know him. I only met him today. He just follows me around and argues with me.'

'Well, the love impulse in men very often reveals itself in terms of conflict. Perhaps the young man fancies you but doesn't know that he is that way inclined.' Once the handsome man had mentioned his name, Owen knew exactly who Jack Harkness was. And about his reputation!

'The love impulse,' Jack replied, looking over at Ianto.

'Without me meeting this young man I would say that he's developed some sort of fixation on you.'

'That's marvellous,' Jack said. 'I'm eternally grateful to you, Dr Harper.' Jack picked the scarf from the chair next to him, stuffed it in his pocket and went over to Ianto. 'You know why you're following me,' he said. 'You're fixated.'

'I'm not following you! I've been over here avoiding you. You're following me!' Ianto replied indignantly.

'But you're always behind me!' Jack said mischievously.

'Oh no I'm not! I've no desire to be behind you at all, now or ever!'

'You're angry now, aren't you?' Jack said, pouting.

'Yes, I am,' Ianto replied.

'It's the love impulse.'

'The what?'

'The love impulse. It frequently reveals itself in terms of conflict,' Jack explained.

'What?' Ianto said again. 'I'm getting married tomorrow – to a woman. I can assure you I have no love impulse towards you at all.'

'Oh, you'd be amazed how many times I've heard that,' Jack said. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the scarf. 'Just hold this a minute,' he said to Ianto and then walked away. He winked at Owen as he went past.

'Who's that?' Owen's wife Diana asked.

'Oh, it's Jack Harkness, you know the playboy. I'd love to get him on the couch.'

Diana laughed. 'I've heard that's not very difficult. Owen, where's my scarf?'

'I don't know, darling. It was here a moment ago.'

'Owen, my diamond pin is in it! You know, the one shaped like a plane? There,' she said, pointing at Ianto as he approached.

'Sir, that's my wife's scarf!'

'No, it isn't. I was given this by that man over there!'

Jack turned around to see the discussion. Oh dear, he thought.

'Mr Harkness, please tell this man this isn't your scarf!' Owen insisted.

Jack leant down and picked up his scarf from underneath the table. 'No, this is my scarf,' he said.

'But you gave me this!' Ianto insisted.

Jack took the scarf and gave it to Diana. 'Sorry, it's all my fault,' he said 'This gentleman is totally innocent.'

Ianto stormed off towards the stairs. Jack grabbed at his jacket, which ripped up the back to the collar. Ianto turned slowly. 'This is a thousand pound bespoke suit and you've just ruined it!'

'Yes, I have!'

'Please,' Ianto said, 'I'm going to cover my eyes and when I count to ten, I want you gone. This day has been a disaster. I haven't even had the chance to talk to the person I was meeting.' Ianto accidentally knocked his glasses off and Jack bent down to pick them up, ripping his trousers just as a waiter dropped several plates. Ianto saw that Jack was obviously wearing nothing underneath. He pressed the man against a pillar.

'Oh, now you're interested,' Jack said grinning. 'But isn't this a little public? Come with me.'

'No, stay where you are,' Ianto said.

'Really, you are quite bossy, aren't you?' Jack replied. 'Still, I'm not averse to a little role play! OK, I'm all yours!'

'No, you idiot, I'm trying to help you, that's all! You've torn…'

'Look, I'm sorry about your coat,' Jack interrupted.

'It's not only my coat you've torn!'

Jack strode back into the restaurant; Ianto had no choice but to stand behind him. Everyone stared.

'My, I don't even know your name, let alone your intentions,' Jack said.

'Oh for God's sake, you've ripped your trousers and your behind is hanging out,' Ianto whispered.

'Oh, such a gentleman,' Jack replied. Truly he wouldn't have cared if the whole of The Ivy's clientele had seen his arse. It was a good arse and to be honest, a few people there had already seen it close up, but he wasn't going to miss this opportunity. 'Get behind me then,' he said, 'and press closely.' As he did what he was told, Ianto felt his body react. Shit, what the hell was going on, he wondered, and would Jack notice.

Later, back at Jack's London flat, Ianto speculated as to how he was going to sort this problem. Jack had insisted that he could repair Ianto's jacket and somehow he'd agreed.

'Look, I've simply got to see this person I was meeting, or I'm lost. The museum needs the money. I've got to see Ms Sato,'

'What? It's Tosh you're going to see?' Jack asked. 'You're in luck. I know her well and I can persuade her to do anything.'

I bet you can, Ianto thought. There was certainly something about this monstrous man that Ianto found fascinating.

'Look, I've still got your car. We can go to her house. It's just a bit outside London. It'll take about an hour.'

'But I've got to get back to Cardiff! I'm getting married tomorrow!' Ianto explained.

'Really? Oh, well, I'll take you back. I'm going there anyway; my sister has a place up there, so that'll save you getting the last train, which I think you've actually missed now. I'm sure she'll understand.' Jack really didn't want him to go anywhere, the man he now knew as Dr Ianto Jones. There was just something about him.

'Alright,' Ianto agreed. He knew Lisa would be furious if he missed a chance to get the money.

An alarming hour later, during which Ianto had feared for his life more than once, they pulled up at a big house at the end of a long drive. Toshiko Sato must be a damned good lawyer to afford this, he thought. 'Do you always drive like that?' Ianto asked, loosening his grip on the sides of his seat.

'Shut up, Ianto, or I'll not help you.'

The house was all in darkness. 'I'll wake her up,' Jack said. 'By now she should be back from the restaurant.' He picked up some gravel and threw it at a window, before Ianto could stop him. He wanted to leave, or curl up and die, whichever was quicker. Jack picked up another rock, just as Toshiko pulled up the window. It caught her square on the forehead and she dropped like a stone. Jack ran, pulling Ianto with him.

'But, shouldn't we…,' he said.

'I'll call her secretary, Adam Smith. He lives above the stable block; he'll sort it.'

By the time they got to Cardiff, Ianto was exhausted. 'Don't worry, Ianto. Tosh will have calmed down and I'll talk to her tomorrow. I'll tell her it was all my fault. She's used to me, and she loves me.'

'But, Jack, look will you listen to me? I'm getting married tomorrow.' Ianto suddenly wondered who he was trying to convince.

Jack laughed. 'What for?' he asked. Ianto stared at him.

'My future wife regards me as a man with promise and dignity.'

Jack put his hand on Ianto's arm. 'But things aren't the same now, are they? You've met me and I've met you. And are you sure you still want to get married? You know, forsaking all others.'

Ianto looked at Jack Harkness. He saw the shiny dark hair, those blue eyes as deep as the ocean and that smile that lit up a room. He thought he'd put all these feelings behind him but this man had stirred everything up again. And now Ianto was confused beyond reason. And the truth was he'd had fun.

'Look, it isn't that I don't like you, Jack, because after all, in moments of quiet, I'm strangely drawn to you. But there haven't been any quiet moments! Our relationship has been a series of misadventures from beginning to end, so if you don't mind, I'll see Ms Sato alone.'

Jack grabbed Ianto's tie and pulled him towards him. He kissed him hard and after a while, Ianto responded and then pulled away. 'You kissed me,' he said.

'You noticed,' Jack replied.

'Now, Jack, I'm going to say goodnight. You've got your car back and I've got mine, and I hope I never set eyes on you again.' It took all the strength he had to say that.

'You don't mean it,' Jack said.

'Yes, I do,' Ianto replied, as he slammed the car door shut, before tripping up the step. As he adjusted his glasses, Jack thought he looked so endearing. He watched him go. Somehow he knew he had to get that money for Ianto, even if it meant giving up his own plans. And somehow he was going to stop that wedding. He knew Ianto fancied him, he could tell, and he was never wrong about that sort of thing – ever.