A/n:This chapter tangles with the infamous engagement scene between Jack and Gwen. Namely, this: http: / www. youtube. com /watch? v= PM43N3ARsoM
(just delete the spaces and you should be fine.)
"Here we are," Jack said, parking the car outside Ianto's house. He looked at the young Welshman at the co-driver's seat and grinned broadly. "Was it as good for you as it was for me?"
"It was different," Ianto replied diplomatically, nevertheless smiling back.
Jack made a face as if wincing. "Ooh, sounds ominous."
Ianto couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, okay, I wouldn't go that far."
"Does that mean I'll get to enjoy your company in my office tomorrow morning?" the former time-agent asked in a shy manner, fingers gently tracing the back of Ianto's hand. It was a soft touch, an almost innocent one. It nevertheless had the power to make Ianto face Jack, his eyes locked on Jack's.
"Why wait till tomorrow?" he asked softly.
Jack regarded him for many long moments, and then he leaned in his direction. Ianto stayed where he was, swallowing hard as the man came closer, his lips descending. He could already imagine the velvety touch on his mouth, making his heart beat rapidly against his chest with eagerness and anticipation.
Except, for the second time that evening, the lips landed on his cheek.
"I want to make things right," Jack said softly.
The shrill sound of a mobile phone rang and cut into Ianto's musings, startling him. It was no longer night-time, he wasn't in a car, and Jack certainly wasn't with him. He was at his desk, in the Hub, resting his chin on a palm as he lost himself in thought – till now, that is. Shaking his head and ridding himself of the last remnants of his daydreaming, Ianto reached for his pocket and answered the call.
"Yeah?"
"Ianto, it's Tosh. Where are you?"
Ianto frowned. "At the office, as usual. Is something the matter?"
"Good, you're a lifesaver," Tosh said. "I missed the bus this morning and I won't be able to make it for another hour at the very least. Could you do me a favour and scan this week's recordings and erase the useless files for me?"
"If you want me to," Ianto replied. "You won't be able to do it when you arrive?"
"Not today, no. Jack has asked me to work on the frequency beams of that new equipment the Rift brought and it will take up all my day."
"All right; I'll go through the recordings then," Ianto said, smiling.
"Thanks, Ianto. I owe you one," Tosh said, audibly relieved. "Talk to you later."
"Later, Tosh," Ianto said, and then hanged up, putting the mobile back in his pocket. Well, Owen and Gwen seemed to be running late today as well, and Jack had gone out to get some breakfast, so he had some free time to spare. He logged in with a few expert strokes on the keyboard and started deleting the files that had little to no interest at all; mostly nightly recordings when there was hardly a mouse stirring. It was an easy enough procedure and, at that rate, Ianto's task would be finished in no time.
The thought had barely crossed his mind when he caught sight of the last recordings, the ones that contained Jack's return to the Hub. He saw the whole interaction frame by frame, recalling it in his mind's eye as well. There was Jack, standing by the stairs, watching them work with a warm look in his eyes as if he was some sort of a proud father. Then Gwen pushed him away, accusing Jack of leaving them. Then there was the conversation that followed as the air was finally cleared among them. And then the words 'I came back for you' as he looked at all of them…
Ianto stopped at once as he spotted one recording that he hadn't been aware of. By the look of things, Jack and Gwen had a private conversation of their own once the reunion was over. Feeling curious and before he could help it, he pressed the enter button and watched.
"You know everything about me, Jack. Why do you keep shutting me out?"
Ianto sighed. He supposed he should have expected Gwen would have wanted more answers than just 'I've found my doctor'. She was stubborn like that, after all. On the other hand, so was Jack, and if he hadn't been willing to say it before, then he would never say it now, even in private.
Sure enough…
"Here and now, that's what's important. The work we do; the person I am now. That's what I'm proud of."
"Then why did you desert us?"
Ianto froze. Something in that tone, something in that look in Gwen's eyes told him that, by 'us', she wasn't really referring to the whole team.
"Where did you go? I want to know, where did you go? Tell me."
Ianto swallowed hard and watched, even though a part of him screamed that he should stop the recording and get out. It was as if he was glued on the spot, unable to move away… unable to look away.
"Talk to me."
Ianto looked at Jack. He seemed so thoughtful, so wistful. He had never looked at him that way…
"I have died so many times and dragged back into life… like being hauled over broken glass. I saw the end of the world."
Ianto felt like his heart stopped. What?
"How?"
"It doesn't matter now. But after it was all over… I knew I belonged here."
"Don't smile… Don't look at her that way, please…" Ianto thought desperately. Yet the recording continued playing relentlessly. And what he heard next had the young man's world come crashing down.
Ianto was still sitting at his desk when he heard the wail of alarms and Jack's holler 'I'm back!'. A part of him wondered at the timing, since Jack arrived so soon after his own discovery. Another part of him was glad, though. It meant that he would get to deal with this… issue… while the iron was still hot, sort of speak.
"Hey, Ianto. You alone?"
"For the moment, yes," Ianto said in a neutral tone.
"Good. I've got some pancakes here with your name on them…" But something in Ianto's posture or look must have warned Jack that this was no time for jest or light-hearted talk, for his voice trailed off and his smile faltered. "What's going on?"
Ianto decided not to answer in words. He simply pressed enter, and the recording played anew.
"I've died so many times and then been dragged back into life…"
Jack's eyes widened. "Ianto…"
Ianto raised a hand, stopping Jack. "There's more."
"I saw the end of the world…"
"Ianto, listen to me-"
"Listen to the damned recording!" Ianto shouted, reaching his boiling point. If looks could kill, the younger man was sure that he would have killed Jack on the spot in that moment.
Jack complied, sighing. Both of them knew what words would follow next.
"But after it was all over… I knew I belonged here. What kept me fighting was the thought of coming back to you."
Ianto pursed his lips, putting his anger back in check before pressing enter to stop the video.
"Ianto…"
"I have work at the archives, sir," the younger man said coldly, getting back on his feet and heading for the exit.
"Ianto, will you just listen for a second?" Jackcried, exasperated.
"No, I won't."
And with that word of finality, Ianto walked out, not bothering to look back. As far as he was concerned, they were done.
Ianto placed another file at its rightful place, and then picked up the next one, scanning through it so he would be able to label its contents. The room was quiet, just as he preferred it. Even so, his insides were anything but calm. The video kept playing in his mind's eye, and he unwillingly recalled every glance and every touch Jack and Gwen had exchanged even after Jack had confessed to her he had come back for her... The hand sliding down to clasp hers, feeling the ring on her finger. His look as he demanded to know what that was… Her look of mock surprise as she answered… She had relished the attention, even jabbed at him to say the right word that would make her forget Rhys and the engagement.
Yet neither took that step. He kissed her on the cheek, wishing her the best of luck; and then, as if they were the lead couple of a romance novel doomed to never have their happy ending, settled for the convenience Ianto and Rhys provided them with.
He felt so cheated… so humiliated… Jack must have thought that he was such an idiot, believing his feelings were genuinely returned rather than out of an obligation…
A droplet of warm, clear liquid fell on the file and Ianto cursed under his breath, taking out his kerchief. Even as he wiped the paper carefully so none of the letters would get smudged, however, he felt more tears stinging his eyes, and his shoulders tensed as a sob threatened to flow out of his throat.
"Ianto…?"
At the sound of Jack's voice, Ianto bit back his lip and forced his emotions back in check. The last thing he needed was to give the former time-agent the satisfaction that he was crying over their… whatever it was they had. So, he kept his back to him, stubbornly looking at the file at the pretence of examining it.
"I haven't finished working yet, and if it's coffee you want, the kitchen is in the other direction."
"Ianto, don't be like that."
"I apologise, sir. I'll be more pleasant next time."
"That's not what I meant and you know it!"
"If you don't like it, I can always file in my resignation!" Ianto snapped coldly, standing up and finally facing Jack. "It seems I'm quite the obstacle, after all."
"Ianto, you weren't an obstacle," he said, raising his hands in a sign of peace. "I do care about you."
"So much that you only considered me as an option after you saw the engagement ring!"
"That's not how it went!" Jack exclaimed. "I know how it looked in that video, but I meant what I said. I came back for all of you, not just Gwen!"
"She doesn't seem to think that. She certainly wasn't speaking to you as a mere friend."
"Even if she wasn't, I've already made my choice," Jack said, his eyes never leaving Ianto's as he took another step forward.
Ianto didn't really want to admit it, but his feelings of anger slowly ebbed away, replaced by curiosity, a wish to understand. "Is that why you asked me out?"
"I do want to make things right this time," Jack replied softly, boldly taking Ianto's hand in his. "I want to woo you properly, Ianto Jones. Will you let me?"
Ianto pursed his lips, contemplating on the situation. It was true that it wouldn't have been below Jack to claim Gwen if he really wanted to. And it wouldn't have been below Jack to simply not ask Ianto out on that date. Moreover, he came down here to salvage what they had after their argument, which meant that he was regarding this relationship seriously.
"Well, as long as you don't put roses on my desk with little love notes attached to them. I'm allergic," he finally said.
Jack grinned. "Consider it done. I have something else in mind anyhow."
"And that would be?" Ianto asked curiously.
"You'll find out tomorrow," the former time-agent said with a wink and headed upstairs, his step audibly lighter and happier.
Ianto watched him go, smiling to himself, and then continued working. He couldn't help but wonder what Jack had in mind this time. Something told him, however, that he would be in for another surprise.
TBC...