Author note: Thank you for all the fantastic reviews, I'm glad that you are enjoying the story. Torchwood belongs to the BBC.
Chapter Four
Jack didn't want to go to the flat alone, the loneliness he had felt when Ianto was away felt like nothing compared to what Jack felt now. He felt like a part of him had died, the best part, he had lost Ianto through his own stupid actions.
Jack walked in and felt sad, it still felt like home, it felt like Ianto was going to walk in at any moment. He didn't notice any changes until he hit the kitchen, he could see last night's bed linen stuffed in the bin, his heart ached a little more.
The biggest change was in their bedroom, he couldn't feel Ianto anymore. He opened every draw to see that Ianto's underwear, ties and t-shirts had been removed, there were no suits in their wardrobe and his heart broke when he saw his toothbrush sitting alone in its holder. Jack spent the night hugging his knees, the aching hollow in his chest making it painful to breathe.
Ianto lay on Tosh's couch, unable to sleep. He flicked on the television and muted the sound so not to disturb Tosh and stared at the screen blankly. Ianto wondered if he did the right thing going back to work so soon and facing Jack and Gwen, his melt down after he had returned from the flat showed that he shouldn't have, but he needed the distraction from his mother's death. Ianto felt a pang in his heart, he's been thinking about Jack more than his mother and he felt like he was betraying her memory, caught up in his own drama. "Sorry mam" he whispered into the dark living room. Ianto had spoken to Rhiannon on the phone earlier and they had begun to arrange the funeral, Rhiannon had already booked the church. Sophie Jones had not left much money behind but Ianto was determined that his mother should have the best; he earned enough at Torchwood so had told Rhiannon that he would pay for everything, he was determined that he mother should have a decent goodbye.
Ianto sighed and switched off the television, deciding that he needed a clear head for work tomorrow. He lay in the darkness wondering what he was going to do; he couldn't stay at Tosh's forever. He needed to talk to Jack.
Gwen and Rhys lay in the dark, both pretending to be asleep with their back to each other. Gwen lay unable to sleep, her thoughts centred on Jack, he was so angry with her and she had been scared before Ianto had interrupted them in the office. Her breathing quickened as she contrasted that angry Jack with Jack in bed. Even whilst drunk he had been good...fantastic even. Rhys had certainly never made her feel the way that she had, Owen had only come close. Her eyes closed involuntarily as she remembered mapping his taught stomach with her fingers, how he had played her body easily, making her feel amazing. She wondered how the evening would have continued if Ianto hadn't come walking in. Gwen sighed heavily, Ianto, guilt had been gnawing at her all day; he'd lost his mother and had to deal with this on top. But no matter how guilty Gwen was feeling about Ianto she felt worse about Jack hating her, she only wanted him to love her.
Rhys lay in the dark and listened to Gwen's breathing, she clearly wasn't asleep and he didn't know why she was pretending to be. He frowned as he heard her sigh, something was up and he got the feeling that it wasn't good. He also got the feeling that for once it wasn't her job that had unsettled Gwen so much. She'd come back last night in a right mood and had refused to open up or be comforted, she'd just jumped in the shower and went straight to bed. Today was no better, she kept yelling for stupid reasons and if he didn't know better she was both feeling angry and guilty about something. She hadn't let him kiss her all day and Rhys knew better than to try anything that night with her. Rhys felt a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach as he realised that something bad had happened.