A/N Sorry it's a day late! I'm not particularly happy with this chapter but... HeyHo, I tired to fix it and there is no point making you, my lovely readers, wait while I change nothing or make it worse!

PS- If anybody didn't see my note about gay marriage in Scotland being illegal could they please look at Chapter 12: Part 11: Part 2

"Jack?" I whispered softly, he gave no response, "Jack, we have to wake up. Jack you promised!"

"Guhnfg. What?" he groaned, slowly coming round.

"Jack, you lazy sod, get up! You agreed to help me prepare for breakfast!"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, just, one more, just gimme a minute."

"Alright, I'll be in the kitchen. If you aren't there in 5 I'll be coming back to jump on you."

"That really shouldn't sound so appealing." He mumbled and wearily rubbed his eyes.

In the kitchen I, quietly as possible, began to arrange the necessary bowls and ingredients for Elspeth's birthday surprise- she'd be 62. A few minutes later and Jack lolloped into the kitchen.

"So Yan, what we making?"

"I thought we could make a vanilla sponge cake. Simple, quite quick and Elspeth loves them. I've got strawberries too but it's not really their time of year so that's only an option."

"Something to ponder as we bake!"

I laughed, "Yeah, something to ponder. But remember we have to be quiet, Elspeth's only upstairs."

"If she slept through the noise last night I am fairly certain she will sleep through a bit of clatter down here."

I blushed furiously and Jack grinned with triumph. "Could you pass me the eggs, please?"

As he passed them his hands lingered, as they were inclined to do so, on my fingers for far, far longer than necessary and I forced myself to concentrate and not get distracted by Jack's terribly bad influence. Around him I get nothing done- ever!

"Are you sure mum won't mind?" Jack asked an hour or so later, as we relaxed. "I mean, she hates to be fussed over and she hates surprises."

"This might be the last birthday we have with her and I'm giving her a bloody present whether she likes it or not." I stated, matter-of-factly, "A cake is hardly anything huge now is it?"

"I guess… Yan?"

"Yes?"

"Are you.. I mean… This is all…" he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "are you okay? We haven't spoken all that much recently."

"All we've done is talk and… All we've done is talk and shag. What is there to talk about? Jack I am talked-out! I don't know what to say anymore!"

He sighed again. "I am taking about… I don't know. I worry is all." He hung his head.

"About what?" I pushed his chine up with my fingers. "Jack, tell me."

"I worry that perhaps you have not spoken to mum. I… When mum and I go out to the garden we have our time, a little snatch of peace. You.. And mum… I never see you together. I worry that you'll regret not saying goodbye."

"What?" I gasped snatching my hand away from Jack's cheek where it had been softly stroking. "How could you… What makes you thing I am not saying goodbye? Because I don't have private moments with Elspeth makes you think I'm letting her go easily? Do you know me at all, Jack?"

"I like to think I do! I'm confused though, Ianto! You seem to be letting her go- baking cakes instead of talking to her! It's like you are in denial or something!"

I snapped. "Oh fuck you Jack! I am not in denial. You and Elspeth communicate without words, don't you? What are you actually doing when you lie out there? You're talking to each other without words! Don't you see, Jack, that physical mourning isn't the only grief people go through? I don't display my grief and I'm not much of a talker but Elspeth understands. I thought you did too, clearly not. By making cakes and helping Elspeth around the house I am saying goodbye."

"You always helped around the house!"

"And you have always gazed at stars! Maybe previously you did it in private but the message is the same. I don't know how or if I can explain it but in my own way I am saying goodbye."

"I just…talk to her, please Yan? She… she says your quiet now, too quiet."

I frowned in confusion, Elspeth said this? "Jack... I don't understand. What did she say?"

"Look, I told her it was nothing. You've been fine around me recently and I thought you were happy but-"

I took Jack's hand in mine. "I am happy."

"Good, and I know that, but mum does not believe me. She says you aren't talking to her and she's scared you aren't coping. Please, Yan, I beg this of you, talk to her and put her mind at rest- I know it is nothing but mum is ill and she's scared and its making her think like crazy and she wants to plan. She is trying to get a structure to her life and she needs you. I'm no good at that, I run in head first and think of the consequences later, so please, look after here where I can't."

"Jack I.. Didn't know. I thought she was ok?"

"She was, this came on only a few days ago and I've no idea what is wrong but, in a way, I don't want to know. Maybe she's developing a mental illness maybe it will go away, just...talk to her and we will see. Now, can we please forget this? Go talk to her now: I'll get the cake ready."

Slowly I crept up the stairs and to Elspeth's room. Inside I could see dim morning light filtered by the curtains; I walked towards them and looked outside. From this window, at the back of the house, you could see past the gardens and if I really strained my eyes I could make out what may have been the bay, but it was too distanced to tell.

The sounds of Elspeth snuffling woke me from my day dream. She shifted a little and I watched her with a fond smile gracing my features.

She looked so frail and old, in the few weeks we'd been back from Scotland Elspeth's health had deteriorated. By now, she looked ill. If I am honest, the emotional drain is what I believed did it. According to her doctor she was in great health, excusing how weak she was: some of which caused by the cancer and some by age. Still, she was only 62 and had been fit as a whistle all her life until now.

However it had attacked and it had attacked fast. I saw how much she struggled to keep the house tidy and I had often taken the moments when Jack and Elspeth were outside to race around the house tidying and preparing meals. Elspeth would give me a kind smile and I had known she appreciated it but what had Jack been talking about?

It had become clear to me, recently that Elspeth had been getting worse and maybe I might have blocked of parts of myself to prepare for the inevitable but I never believed it could affect Elspeth. The only way I could find out what was really wrong would be if I woke her and asked.

So, I lightly shook Elspeth who gave a start then relaxed with a raspy sigh. "Would you like a drink? Jack's in the kitchen."

"No." she croaked. "I am alright, what you doing here Ianto? Nothing's happened has it?"

"No, nothing is wrong. Jack said you wanted to talk to me."

"Oh, really? I can't ever imagine why, did he say anything else, my boy?"

My heart nearly broke as she struggled to think of what could be wrong. "Don't think so hard, love," I said, uncharacteristically, "he said it was something about me being too quiet. Said you were worried?"

"Oh, yes. Well… You see, Ianto. Since you came back from Scotland I've noticed you to be a little less… you have been more subdued. I wondered if, perhaps, something was wrong?"

"I…Elspeth this is not easy to say.. You are.. Let's just face it; soon you will be leaving us. Jack and I, the world, however you want to put it. I came to terms with that quite quickly; decided to seize the time we have left. I don't like it, but I accept it. However, that does not mean I will stand back and have no defences up for when then inevitable comes." I sighed at what I had been saying so often -'the inevitable'- not one of us liked the word death. We had used it, of course, but 'the inevitable' had less doom around it. Or maybe more? It didn't matter. "Saying less… Trying to hide… Closing myself from the out world… All ways I defend myself from pain. I was so much work to Jack once Lisa left. It took him months to get me to talk about it- when I did I spilled it all of course."

She chuckled softly, then reached up to touch my hair with a comforting wrinkly hand, "Ianto Jones, don't ever hide from the world. You have so much to give, so much. Here and now I place my trust in you to look after my Jack when I'm gone. And, even more importantly, look after yourself Ianto. Don't let Lisa, or Gwen, or Angelo," my eyes widened, Elspeth laughed, "you're my son, Ianto, I can tell when you hate due to jealousy!"

"I was not jealous!"

She raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? Maybe you thought you weren't, but honestly, think about him. Jack adored Angelo, did he not? The man hurt him billion times before Jack finally let go- and that was when he called him the Devil!"

"Alright, alright, I was jealous. Not that I knew it!"

She laughed. "Back to the point. Do not ever let anyone hurt you- if they try to, then take a deep breath and smack 'em one! No, I'm only joking, although take my word for it, Ianto you are worth far more than those fools. You are… You are a Harkness." She smiled.

I gazed at her for a moment, astounded by the trust, loyalty and truth in her eyes. I could barely summon the words so instead I embraced her, "Thank you."

"It's my pleasure."

Once Elspeth had been lead down to the kitchen door I paused. "Elspeth?"

"Yes?" she whispered back.

"I need to make sure you understand something. What is the date today?"

"Why, Ianto I'm not sure!"

"It's May 3rd."

At first the date undoubtedly meant nothing to her, then, as she wracked her brains, it came to her and her face took on a disapproving smile. "Ianto Jones!" she mock-glared. "How could you find it in you to remind a woman of her age!"

I smiled and slowly opened the door. Jack had transformed the room and even I gasped.

There were no streamers or banners or party poppers or party hats. Instead, the table had a deep red silk cover, there were scented red candles dotted around the room and Jack had somehow dimmed the lights. The now strawberry sponge cake was placed in the centre of the table with white candles around it. The entire room gave a vibe of relaxation and it was like stepping into a warm bath after a tiring day.

"Jack…Ianto…" Elspeth gasped, her gaze fluttering between the two of us, when words apparently failed her she simply stepped to hold me and Jack.

I wanted desperately to say something to Jack, I wanted to thank him. He had made this birthday perfect and it would be a day with Elspeth I would remember forever.

"Happy birthday." We mumbled in her ear.

When released from Elspeth's warm arms I turned towards the coffee machine and laughed to myself, flicking a look at Jack who grinned, when I noticed the red ribbon attached to it.

By the time the coffee was made, Jack and Elspeth had carefully removed the white candles and randomly placed them, still lit, around the room and the cake had been cut. Elspeth was sharing it out when I passed around the coffee.

For a long while we chatted and smiled and joked. Jack and I got into a debate about if X-Factor was a show worthy of people's time and Elspeth calmly excused herself for a lie down- we had been talking for hours.

Elspeth left and I stood up walking to Jack, extending my hand. "Come on, get up."

"Why?"

I saw he would not be rising anytime soon and chose to instead pull him to me. "Thank you." I whispered before kissing him soundly on the lips, "This day could not have been more perfect."

He grinned, "I agree. You are wearing a particularly striking shirt today." He purred.

I gave a mock-gulp and started to move away but Jack grabbed me and tugged me back to him for another hungry kiss. We gasped for breath and I sighed contently giving Jack a smile. The one that lit up his features in return made my heart skip a beat and I hid the adoring look on my face in the crook of his neck. I wasn't sure if he noticed or not but my eyes sparkled even more when I caught a glimpse of the same look on him.

A/N Cheers :D