AN: And here is chapter 14. Hope you all enjoy.
Chapter 14: Yelling at Gwen is Therapeutic?
Ianto had gone down to the archives. The others rarely ventured down there, it was kind of like his part of the hub. He had tears streaming down his face and he was trying not to sob. It was just silly words after all. He heard and felt Jack coming down. Jack was seething. He then heard a second lighter set of footsteps. Must have been Tosh, Gwen wouldn't dare show her face right now.
Jack found him easily enough and wrapped Ianto in a tight hug. He guided the younger man's head to his shoulder and rubbed his back. Despite being murderously angry at Gwen, his touch was sure and gentle, offering comfort. Tosh appeared on his other side and laid a gentle hand on Ianto's back too. "Don't listen to her Ianto. She's just a stupid cow." The Japanese woman offered her friend a shaky smile. "She doesn't matter." Jack silently agreed with the computer genius and tightened his grip on his lover. "She's right Yan." He whispered. "What that bloody woman thinks doesn't matter. What matters is what we think. And I have never been more proud of you, or loved you more than when Owen announced you were carrying out child." Tosh was doing a good impression of pretending she couldn't hear them, keeping up a soothing stroking on Ianto's shoulder.
Ianto turned and hid in Jack's arms without a fight, tears still falling. He buried his face in Jack's shoulder and clung to him. He heard what they were saying, and was grateful for it. He sniffled a little. "St-stupid h-hor-hormones..." he stuttered. Stupid Gwen, he said to Jack though. He was shaky now, but wanted to stay there with Jack.
Jack cradled the younger man close, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "Shhh it's alright. Shhh..." I know. He added silently. Owen's up there now, yelling at her. Owen always seemed to be yelling at Gwen these days. Jack reckoned it must be therapeutic.
Ianto hugged Jack, his sobs turning into hiccups as he calmed down. Suddenly he had to shove Jack and Tosh out the way as he launched himself at the nearest bin and threw up.
Jack grimaced sympathetically and rubbed the younger man's back in soothing circles. "Oh my poor Yan." When he had finished, Jack gathered him to his chest and held him close, rocking him gently.
Ianto lent shakily against Jack. "Please don't let me be one of those that has morning sickness all the way through" he muttered. He thanked Tosh as she gave him some water to sip.
The Captain cradled him gently and also thanked Tosh. "You're a good friend Toshiko." The Japanese woman blushed a little and ducked her head with a shy smile. Ianto was her best friend and she was over the moon that he had someone to love him. And now they were having a baby. She lifted her head and smiled broadly at them. "I really am happy for you both." Jack pulled her in for a one-armed hug, cradling two of his favourite people close.
Later that day the team went home. Ianto stopped in the shop to get some decaf coffee and tea. Once home he put the shopping away then went for a shower. Once finished he stood in front of the mirror in his boxers, one hand on his stomach, looking at himself.
Jack had had to stay back at the Hub, there was some important paperwork he had to sort through and several phone calls that he'd been avoiding for weeks that he could no longer. It was late by the time he finally got home. Home... He smiled. It had become their home, Jack rarely stayed at the Hub anymore and that was only when it was so ridiculously early in the morning that he would get home and have to turn around again anyway.
He found a plate that Ianto had left covered for him in the fridge. He debated heating it up, but didn't want the beep of the microwave to wake the Welshman if he was asleep. Grabbing a fork, Jack shovelled the food into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten for days.
Ianto had got dressed after his shower, dug out the second coffee machine he had and set that up so he could make decaf in one and normal for Jack in the other, then made dinner hoping Jack would be home in time. He wasn't, which made Ianto feel ridiculously upset, but put it down to hormones. He'd known that Jack might not get home in time. He'd then sat down and watched some TV. After a while he started to doze so had gone upstairs to bed.
As usual he found it hard to sleep without Jack there, so had ended up cuddling Jack's pillow as he fell asleep. He was still asleep when Jack finally came home.
Finishing the food, Jack washed his plate and set it down gently in the drying rack and made his way upstairs. He'd toed his boots off and hung his coat up as he'd come inside. It'd taken a while but Ianto had finally gotten him into the habit of doing that.
Once in the bedroom, he quietly changed into loose cotton pants and slipped in beside his partner. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around the younger man, hoping he didn't wake him up.
Ianto automatically let go of the pillow and transferred his grip to Jack, cuddling closer and resting his head on Jack's chest, as if listening to Jack's heartbeat. It was something he'd done after Jack had been alone at the hub one night and had been killed by something that had come through the rift that he'd gone after alone thinking he could deal with it.
Ianto had felt Jack die, and had raced out to find him. Whatever had killed Jack had gone back through the Rift, and Ianto had taken Jack home with him. The thing had poisoned Jack, and poisons were nasty as they stayed in the system even after death, so Jack had died multiple times that night, with Ianto cradling him close until the poison finally dissipated. He had held Jack close on their bed, soothing him each time he came too and trying to comfort him through the painful deaths. They'd stayed home the next day, both too exhausted to come in, and Ianto had slept with his head on Jack's chest as if to reassure himself that Jack wasn't dying anymore, that it was over.
The Captain carded his fingers gently through the Welshman's hair until the other had fallen back to sleep. "It's alright," he whispered. "I'm here, it's okay. You're okay." With that, he followed his partner into dreams.