Time line: Day Three, CoE. Just after Ianto delivered the stolen clothes. And before the beans.

"Thanks for the clothes," Jack said, dropping onto the floor beside Ianto. "Kinda makes me feel more …..."

"Like yourself?" Ianto finished. Jack nodded. "I knew it would," Ianto said contentedly, leaning into the arm that dropped around his shoulder. "I had to do something. That tracksuit was annoying you. You were on the verge of ripping it off. And that would have upset Rhys. He hasn't gotten over seeing you naked when we got you out of the cement. I think," Ianto decided with a grin, "It made him feel inadequate."

"Does that mean I've got the biggest antlers, then?" Jack asked, remembering a long ago conversation.

"I haven't got a basis for comparison yet. Do you want me to check out Rhys antlers and get back to you?"

"You've gotten cheeky," Jack said, "Since you turned into a criminal."

They smiled into each others eyes. Content just to be together, for the moment.

"You scared the hell of out me, you know," Ianto said casually. "And annoyed the hell out of me too."

"I've done that a lot. Which time in particular?"

"You had a bomb in your stomach. That scared me."

"Yeah."

"And you sent me away. Threw me onto the lift like a piece of luggage. That annoyed me."

"You know I had to. I've always said you wouldn't die if I could stop it. So I did. Damn fine goodbye kiss, too."

Ianto shuddered. "You were blown to pieces, Jack. I was afraid," he stopped. "I was so afraid you couldn't come back from that. I wanted to stay with you."

"What good would that have done? You couldn't have stopped the bomb, Ianto. And you," Jack's breath caught. "You would have died." He traced a finger along the wound that marred Ianto's cheek. "Bad enough that you were injured."

"It's nothing. Just a scratch."

"Just one that I can see. What else is there?"

Ianto waggled his eyebrows. "I'll show you later. If I can get us some privacy."

"Cheeky," Jack repeated. "But I like it." He leaned in slowly and kissed the injured cheek. Then along his jaw to his mouth, ears alert for any sound from inside, pulling away at the sound of Rhys' voice. The voice passed by, but the moment went with it. There was too much left to say. "Thanks for finding me," Jack said, thinking how inadequate the words were. "How did you do it?"

"Saw the car they took you away in. Traced the license plate. But I didn't get there in time. I wasn't with you when you woke up." Ianto's voice shook as he remembered the screams, remembered being too far away, too helpless.

"You were there. I knew you were. Somewhere. It helped."

"And then," Ianto's voice shook again. "The cement."

Their hands locked.

"You saw that?" Jack asked, in a voice that tried to be strong. "Not my finest moment."

"I saw it. I heard it." Those hadn't been screams. They'd been worse. He'd never heard Jack sound scared before. But the sounds he'd made as that choking, liquid death poured over him…it was the closest he'd ever known to Jack being broken. And he'd done nothing to stop it. Couldn't.

"Creative," Jack said, trying for lightness. "I've been buried alive, but no one's ever tried to turn me into a living fossil before."

"I should have stopped them." Ianto fretted.

"You couldn't," Jack said firmly. "They'd have killed you if you tried. Then," Jack added, before Ianto could argue, "You wouldn't have been there to get me out. With a forklift. A stroke of genius, that."

"Desperation," Ianto countered.

"The most beautiful sight I've ever seen," Jack commented "was you in that green safety vest. And I was crushed by the complete lack of response. You didn't even hug me."

"Didn't think that would be a good idea, given your…er….condition. You might have taken it the wrong way. And we had company."

Jack chuckled. "You'd rescued me from the evil government agents and you looked unbearably cute. And antlers," he added, with a rare attempt at delicacy. "Sometimes have a mind of their own."

"I did notice," Ianto said. "A bit difficult to miss, actually. Gwen noticed, too, much as she tried not to look. And Rhys is probably scarred for life."

"If he's scarred," Jack concluded. "He must have smaller antlers. So you don't have to check them out, after all."

"Damn."

"Are you implying my antlers aren't enough to keep you entertained anymore?"

"I wouldn't say that," Ianto said thoughtfully, "Then again, I might need a reminder."

Jack grinned. "Right now?"

"Or sooner," Ianto agreed, his voice roughening. But again, voices intruded just when things were getting interesting.

"Back in a minute," Ianto said breathlessly, pulling away suddenly. "I need to talk to Gwen."

Jack grabbed and missed.

Ianto wasn't gone long, but when he returned he sat carefully out of touching distance. Damn. Then again, there was a hell of a lot still left to talk about. And he'd put it off for too long already.

"Is Rhiannon OK?" Jack asked. "And her family? Her kids?"

Ianto nodded. "She's been helping. She got me a laptop. Wouldn't have been able to find you without it. And I've got her car still. Actually, I kind of stole that. Not as fancy as the one you stole, of course." He frowned suddenly. "I hope she got home OK."

Jack chuckled.

"We talked about you," Ianto added quietly. "Finally."

Jack tensed. "And?"

"Went better than I thought. She spluttered and giggled a bit but she mostly wanted to know if you were nice."

"I hope you said yes," Jack said with mock severity.

"I didn't get a chance. Johnny came in and got into the insults. But he hugged me too, so I suppose it could have been worse."

"So when this is over, can I meet them?" Jack asked hesitantly.

"Course you can," Ianto said. "You've still got to charm them into submission. You aren't getting out of that. I was humiliated in a restaurant for it."

"And after them, would you" Jack began. But he stopped. How was he going to do this? Alice hated that he looked younger than her. How was she going to cope with her father having a boyfriend nearly half her age? But damn, it, she had to meet him. I want him to know my family, too.

And there was the rest. Ianto had told him everything about himself, however much it had hurt him to do it. I owe him. No more secrets. A chill swept through him. I have to tell him about those twelve kids.

"Would I what?" Ianto prompted, then broke off at the sound of footsteps behind them.

Gwen and Rhys. "We're going on a date," Gwen announced.

"Off to pinch more food," Rhys said.

"Shoplifting at high noon," Ianto commented. "Romantic."

Gwen smiled. "It's a good time. Lunchtime rush. Customers everywhere, in a hurry to get back to work before their break's over. Cashiers are too busy to watch the cameras."

Rhys hugged her. "Isn't she brilliant?" he asked proudly.

Gwen dropped an unexpected kiss onto Ianto's cheek. He smiled and nodded slightly. The couple left.

"What's with you and Gwen?" Jack asked suspiciously.

"Well, you know," Ianto said innocently. "She's seen me naked, too." Jack choked on a laugh. Ianto had never referred back to that night. Except as 'the night you moved in'. "And we were stuck in the Hub together while you were off saving the world with the Doctor," Ianto continued. "We've bonded. And we've got a common goal at the moment. We've launched a conspiracy. Come on." He got to his feet, tugging Jack with him, and led him back inside. Towards the shabby couch.

"Ianto, they could be back any minute," Jack protested as Ianto dragged his coat off his shoulders.

"But I've missed this coat," Ianto commented. He inhaled deeply. "Not quite there. You haven't been wearing it long enough. Doesn't smell right yet." He draped the coat carefully over the side of the couch. "Lean on that, it might help speed up the process."

"The supermarket is only five minutes away," Jack reminded him. Not that objected to where this seemed to be going, but Rhys walking in on them would definitely kill the mood. Again.

"So we should stop wasting time," Ianto suggested, winking. Then he collapsed onto the couch, laughing at the expression on Jack's face.

"It's OK," Ianto explained, "She'll be gone for forty-five minutes at least. After which we'll find some excuse to leave. Their turn, you understand. We're on a schedule. Now get over here before I start to worry you've gone off me."

Jack laughed in disbelief. "She's pregnant!" But he wasn't arguing anymore. He dropped onto the couch beside Ianto, who promptly dived on top of him.

"When we're done," Ianto said, working on Jack's braces, "You can research the effect of pregnancy hormones. She's about as desperate for it as I am right now."

"Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?" Jack asked comically. "And can I keep both of you?"

"Stop with the labels," Ianto instructed, sliding buttons out of buttonholes with intense concentration and excruciating slowness. At which point Jack decided he was just going to lean back and enjoy himself. Because he suddenly understood where all this was coming from. Ianto thought I wouldn't come back from that bomb, he realized. And if this is how he's chosen to reassure himself, I'm not going to be stupid enough to argue. Except, if we really are alone, this has got to be the ideal time to tell him….about all of it.

"Exactly how are you planning to introduce me to your sister, then?" Jack asked, thinking that if he turned the conversation back to family he might be able to work it around to Alice and Stephen. Somehow. But Ianto's next comment threw him again.

"I was considering the straightforward approach," Ianto said. "Something like - Rhi, this is Jack. Sexiest man alive; and he's mine? How's that?"

"Works for me," Jack agreed, feeling his heart begin to thud. There was a degree of possessiveness in that 'mine' that had never been there before. It was the closest Ianto had ever come to a declaration of love. Jack's eyes closed, willing him to go on.

But instead Ianto pulled away slightly, misreading the tension as withdrawal. "Is something wrong Jack?" he asked anxiously. "Have I done something wrong? Don't you want this?"

"You know I do. And nothing's wrong. You're amazing. I'd tell you exactly how amazing," Jack added, pulling him close, "But you made me promise not to." Ianto smiled and brushed a finger along his lips. "Don't," they said together.

"It's just that I was enjoying talking with you," Jack added. He looked up into his lover's beautiful blue eyes, watching the pupils dilate. "There are things I need to tell you."

I have to stop hiding from you, he thought. I need you to know. I need you to forgive me. Those kids. Will you forgive me? You said you could forgive me anything, but can you really? So I can forgive myself?

"I liked talking too," Ianto agreed. "But talking is something we can do when other people are around. Unlike this." Jack chuckled, torn between relief and disappointment. But he was right. They could talk later. Who knew when they'd have a chance to be alone like this again? And if he doesn't forgive me, at least I'll have this to remember. I'll have the memory of the one time he wanted me so much he didn't care who knew about it. And any second now I'm going to be incapable of stringing a sentence together anyway.

"Are you sure?" Ianto asked suddenly, laughter in his voice. "That everything grew back? Because that's the only excuse I'm accepting for the fact that I'm still dressed."

Jack reached up. "Everything grew back. Bigger and better. I'll prove it." Too many buttons. He got the vest undone before he ran out of patience. Shirt buttons sprayed across the room.

"That was my only spare shirt," Ianto complained. Only he wasn't really complaining.

"I'll steal you another one," Jack promised. "And you can start with the Don'ts now, because I…."

But right then he lost the capacity for speech. Too many other things happening with his mouth. And anyway, they only had thirty-five minutes left.