Epilogue

Tosh and Andy

Throughout the dance class, Tosh steps on Andy's toes six times, but he never complains. Instead, he provides her with encouragement. When the Russian tells Tosh that she's not swiveling her hips enough and places her hands on Tosh's hips to show her how, Andy blushes, and his eyes grow wider. The polite thing would be not to stare, but he can't help himself. He tells himself that he needs to watch this for the learning process.

"Don't fight the music," the Russian says as she hands Tosh back to Andy.

"Yes, because the rhythm is gonna to get you. You know, tonight," Andy says in a deadpan voice.

The teacher looks at Andy with an empty expression. "What?"

"So says Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine," Tosh says, stifling a laugh like the good student trying not the crack up over a class clown's remark. Andy is relieved that she got the joke.

"Oh, of course. Very funny," the teacher says with a dour face. When she moves on to another couple, they both snicker.

After class, Tosh shakes his hand. "Thank you. It was a pleasure."

"You… wouldn't… want to go out for a drink, would you?"

Tosh pushes a strand of hair from her face and checks her watch. Any other night, she would already be home. It's only ten o'clock. "Just one."

When they enter the pub, Andy opens to door for her and bows. When Tosh giggles, he admonishes himself for bowing. Opening the door was good, but bowing? he thinks to himself. Who bows? For my next smooth move, I should just call her ma'am.

"How long have you been working for Torchwood?" he asks once they've gotten a table.

"Five years."

"And what'd you do before that?"

Oh, I did a little industrial espionage and spent time in solitary confinement in a UNIT facility, Tosh thinks to herself. She mumbles, "I worked in the Ministry of Defense."

He intuits that he's hit a sore spot. Wanting to gain points, he changes the subject, "I say we didn't do too bad for our first attempt at the salsa. Before this, the closest I've ever gotten to all that Latin heat was a microwaveable burrito. Burned the roof of my mouth."

"I felt as stiff as a piece of Styrofoam," she admits.

"You looked lovely," he says with a strong urge to reach out and hold her hand.

"You don't have to say that."

"I mean it," he adds earnestly.

"I got all the steps wrong," she sighs.

"But you were trying, and eventually you got them."

Toshiko nods. "That's right. I put myself out there."

Later that evening, Andy walks Tosh back to her car with a huge grin plastered across his face. Prior to this night, every time he saw Tosh, she was always so serious, focused and confident on the job. On several occasions, she's breezed past him without so much of an acknowledgment. Seeing her in class changes his perspective. Suddenly, she's human. He sees that she's slightly vulnerable and very sweet.

"I guess, I'll be seeing you next week when we do the merengue," he says hopefully.

"If my job will allow it. Sometimes emergencies pop up, and my evening is ruined."

While he nods comprehendingly, he is a bit disappointed that perhaps he won't get to stumble through another dance with her. "Well, can I see you outside of class? Maybe we could have lunch together."

Whenever Gwen has brought up Andy, he seemed like an afterthought - someone that can be easily dealt with or pushed aside. Gwen had never mentioned to Tosh that he was actually quite witty, considerate, and charming. She never expected him to have a genuine interest in science. And when Andy told stories about being on the force, she thought it was funny that he kept apologizing for being too technical.

"I think lunch might be nice," she says.

"Sunday? How about Sunday?" Andy asks, hoping that he doesn't sound too eager or desperate.

"That could work. I should get your phone number in case something happens," she replies.

"Yes," he says, giving her a double thumbs up. Feeling less than romantic after that gesture, he impulsively gives her a kiss on the cheek.

Tosh presses her lips together, but is unable to stop the corners of her mouth from forming a smile. She clutches the strap of her bag and watches Andy jump and click his heels together in the middle of the car park.

"How's that for a dance move?" he shouts.

She claps for him, feeling very glad she didn't leave the classroom.


Rory and Owen

The same night, Owen anesthetizes himself with a neat double scotch. He looks around at the other patrons at the crowded club in his search for his next conquest when he notices a woman at the other end of the bar whose dark curly hair sends a shock of electricity coursing through his body. He continues to watch the woman, hoping to get a better look at her face, but her back is to him and customers keep moving to and from the bar further obscuring his view. When a young, handsome man approaches her and leans in for a hug, Owen feels as though he's been suckered punched. He asks himself, if I don't want to be with her, why do I have the urge to touch her every time we're in the same room together? Why does this Rupert Epstein bother me if I've never met the bloke?

He orders another drink and glowers at the couple until he sees the woman's face. She is definitely not Rory, but that doesn't negate the envy Owen felt for a split second. He is so busy staring at the amorous couple that he doesn't notice the drunk, red-haired woman until she throws herself on the bar, spilling the scotch on Owen's lap. As a bouncer takes her car keys, Jack's words ring in his ear, "You idiot."

xxxx

The next day as Rory unpacks her books in what will be her study, her security system alerts her of Owen's presence before he even reaches the door. She opens the door before he can even knock, looking a bit out of breath. "Hey."

"Hello." Owen doesn't have anything planned, and although he's a master at improvisation, his next move eludes him. So he goes for the easy opening. "I just wanted to see how you were. Any stomach problems?"

"No. I even had curry last night," she says, utterly confused by Owen's presence.

"I know I should have called before coming out here. I meant to, but I couldn't find your number."

"Would you like to come in?"

"Nah, that's okay."

"You sure?"

"I should let you get on with your day."

"Baklava!" she exclaims with a little jump. "I just made some today. It should be cool by now. Would you like any?"

"Er, yeah." Owen follows her into the gourmet kitchen and can't take his eyes off of her as she cuts up the pastry. Once she places a piece on a plate for Owen, she licks her fingers which causes Owen's heart to beat just a bit faster.

"Take a bite and tell me what you think," she says as she puts on the kettle, turning her back on him to do so. But when she faces him again, Owen cups her face in his hands and kisses her.

"Do your really want to be with this Rupert guy and have to lie to him and have human sex with him? Or would you rather be with someone who lets you be who you are?"

A worried expression makes its way across her face, "Are you sure?"

He shakes his head, "No, but maybe we could give this a chance." He kisses her again, this time feverishly, moving her backwards.

"The cooker is on!" she cries before he leans her against it. When he's about to sweep off all the items on the island including her pastry, she yells, "No!"

"You're ruining the bloody moment!" Owen insists.

"I worked hard on that!"

"Leave it to you to be difficult even when I'm trying to be romantic!"

They both laugh, and the shadow of Diane creeps in his mind, but it's only to remind him that the pilot never made him laugh like this. She hops on a kitchen stool and draws him into her arms.

"Poor Rupert," she says as Owen nuzzles her neck. "But maybe it wouldn't have worked out."

"Why's that?"

"I asked him if he believed in aliens, and he said no. I don't think I should date anyone who doesn't believe in me."

Owen chuckles and rolls his eyes. "Let's fix that cup of tea," he murmurs in her ear. She runs her fingers through his hair and places a soft kiss on his lips.

Owen savors his piece of baklava as Rory tells him of her plans for the rest of the house, letting him know that she doesn't plan on going anywhere anytime soon.


Jack and Ianto

"Interrogation room. NOW!" Jack orders.

I thought she'd never leave, Ianto thinks to himself as he complies.

Before Jack entered his sex life, Ianto Jones had always considered himself a generous, yet gentle lover with a healthy and genuine respect with the women who shared his bed. And although he still enjoys soft, lingering caresses, he also relishes the Captain's rowdy, athletic love-making sessions that often require a safe word lest things get too rough. On the nights they carefully straddle the line between pleasure and pain, Ianto forgets about the cool, reserved gentleman that he has sought to become, and the grunts and moans are so loud that they have had to limit these encounters to certain rooms so that they don't spook Myfanawy. And while he wouldn't recommend this sort of activity to any couple, Ianto appreciates the trust the two have built together on these nights. The added bonus is that these go-for-broke sessions - which have included various activities such as nude Greco-Roman wrestling, judo and kinky cop/naughty perp - have been the best training Ianto has ever received for field work that involved manhandling any offenders and have certainly raised his endurance.

"Tell me I'm hotter," Jack demands.

Ianto laughs between violent thrusts which repeatedly slam the table that they're leaning on against the wall, "No."

"Say it!"

"Not… yet."

"Say it!"

"Oh, sir!" Ianto explodes along with Jack. He falls on his stomach on top of the table with Jack hovering over him, dripping with sweat.

There was a time when Jack would have immediately gotten dressed and told Ianto to clean up before he left, but times do change as it becomes increasingly clear how much the relationship means to both of them. The older man places gentle kisses on his boyfriend's back. "Say it," he purrs.

Ianto pulls himself together and slowly stands up. He faces the Captain and says with a naughty smirk on his face, "Why do I have to say it if you already know how I feel?"

The young man saunters to the corner of the room and picks up a bottle of whiskey. After pressing Jack into a chair, he takes a swig and leans over him pouring the alcohol from his mouth into his lover's.

xxxx

On a rare, quiet Saturday afternoon in his boyfriend's flat, Jack rifles through Ianto's DVD collection while the Welshman is in the bathroom and confirms that his boyfriend has every DVD featuring Daniel Day-Lewis including The Gangs of New York, where he looks downright scary with that freakish glass eye. And they are all set aside on a different shelf along with various framed movie stills. They all reside right under his Montgomery Clift collection - another actor with a lean physique.

"Did you want to watch something?" Ianto asks, catching Jack in the act.

Jack scoffs. "Do you? It's a good thing he isn't a very prolific actor. I can't imagine spending all that money on that stick. Do you have a thing for skinny men? Is that you're type?"

"Why can't you let this go?"

"I just didn't think you'd pick a male celebrity crush," Jack says with a matter-of-fact tone.

"It's not as if I'm going to meet him and run away with him any time soon."

"Do you fantasize about him when we're together?"

"Do you fantasize about other people when you're with me?" Ianto asks which shuts Jack up. Ianto raises his eyebrow.

"This is silly. You know I'm not the jealous type."

"Oh, I know."

"I know I'm better looking than he is," Jack adds.

"Good for you." Ianto gives Jack a small peck on the lips. Jack pulls him in tight and gives him a deeper kiss When he lets him go, he smacks the Welshman's ass as he walks away.

Ianto snickers as he turns on the television. "You ever watched My Beautiful Laundrette?"

"No, but I guess we could."

He places the DVD in the player and waits for it to load. "I was seventeen when I watched it with my girlfriend for the first time. Daniel Day-Lewis plays this guy named Johnny, and he helps his friend Omar open an laundrette. Anyway, turns out they're more than just friends. In one scene, Johnny is working on the shop's façade, and all of Johnny's mates are in loitering on the street." Ianto places Jack's arms around his neck. "Omar comes out and gives Johnny a hug to show him how much all of his work means to him. While they're hugging, Johnny does this."

Ianto gives the other man a quick lick on the base of the neck. Jack closes his eyes and shudders with pleasure.

Ianto continues his story as he sits on his ottoman. "And he just walks away with a smug, mischievous grin on his face. I thought that it was so cool and sexy. And after seeing that movie, it was the first time I told anyone that although I liked women, I was also attracted to men."

"You told this to your girlfriend?"

"Yes."

"And how'd she take it?"

"Not very well, but things weren't great between us already. I hardly think that revelation was what did us in."

"And you never did anything about it until you met me?" Jack stands in front of Ianto, allowing the younger man to fondle him.

"Came close a couple of times, but both attempts were highly awkward. I just never found the right man until now."

The older man searches for the remote and, then, clicks off the TV. "I don't think we're watching this movie just yet."

Ianto leans back on the chair and appraises Jack with a hungry look on his face. Yet, in spite of his appetite, he is in complete control. "Take off your clothes," he says softly, but the sentence isn't a command. It sounds like an irresistible dare.

The Welshman doesn't get up until Jack has slowly removed every item of clothing, preferring to drink in every second with his eyes. He gets up and walks around the Captain with his hands behind his back until he's standing behind him. Ianto kisses his lover's shoulder and makes his way up to the neck.

Seconds later, the two men fumble their way to the bedroom, loudly bumping into the walls on their way. In his haste, Ianto wrestles with his t-shirt, struggling to get it off when a framed movie poster with Daniel Day-Lewis on it catches Jack's eye. He never gave much thought to the movie poster that his boyfriend kept framed in the bedroom, but now, he finds it distracting. The Captain removes the poster from the wall and turns it around. For a moment, both men pause, but it doesn't take long for Jack to join Ianto on the bed.

After making love, the immortal man rests his head on his lover's chest.

"Jack?"

"Yes?"

"I think I could stand it if you slept with someone else and it was just about sex," Ianto confesses.

Jack chuckles. "When would I find the time to cruise for other lovers?"

"I'm serious," he insists. "But I don't think I could stand it if you cheated on me with someone you loved."

Jack moves up the bed to Ianto's side and is immediately disconcerted by his troubled expression. Death will separate the men one day, and after that Jack will have time to find new lovers, and perhaps he will fall in love again, but Ianto is with him now. "So it's official. We don't see other people."

"Are you sure?"

"This is our time, Mr. Jones," he says sweetly.

THE END


Author's note: FYI, "Take off your clothes" is one of DD-L's lines from The Unbearable Lightness of Being. And in My Beautiful Laundrette, Johnny passes a mouthful of champagne into Omar's mouth. There was a reason why I picked Daniel Day-Lewis.

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