It was Sunday morning and Jack and Ianto walked hand in hand into the dining room. They had intended to eat with the rest of the family earlier on in the week but were never out of bed in time to do so.

Two weeks had passed since Cassandra had discharged Jack from the Cardiff Institute and everything was falling into place nicely.

"Good morning!" Jack called cheerfully to everybody in the room.

They all looked up, clearly shocked at seeing Jack and Ianto at breakfast.

Cassandra broke the shocked silence and grinned. "Good morning. To what do we owe this pleasure?"

"Ianto thought it would be a good idea to start eating with everybody else instead of hiding away in our room." Jack explained as he and Ianto took their seats at the table.

"Well I couldn't agree more." Cassandra smiled.

The table was set with everything that Jack had expected. It was a "help-yourself" meal and they each grabbed one of the empty plates from the middle of the table and filled them with food.

Amber sat next to Cassandra and was quietly discussing something with her and Emma was sat next to Sam and they sat giggling to each other as they ate their breakfast.

"It looks like Sam's date went well." Ianto mumbled to Jack as he cut a sausage.

"Yeah, I hope it goes well for them." Jack agreed as he observed his cousin and her new boyfriend.

"I have a feeling that it will." Ianto grinned and took a bite of the sausage. "Ooh! 'S hot!"

Jack chuckled at Ianto as he seemed to do the same thing every time he ate a cooked breakfast.

"Have a drink." Jack suggested and promptly poured Ianto a glass of orange juice.

Ianto downed the drink gratefully and sighed as his mouth cooled down.

"Thanks." Ianto smiled and put his now empty glass down.

"Anytime." Jack returned the smile and started eating his own breakfast.

"So, when do you two go back to school?" Jack asked his cousins.

"We leave on Tuesday but school doesn't actually start until Wednesday." Amber informed him.

"Are you going back by train?" Ianto asked and just before Amber answered there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get that." Jennifer jumped up from her seat at the table and went to answer the door as Malachy and Carys began gathering all the dishes that were finished with.

"I wonder who it is." Cassandra's brow furrowed as she tried to think of who could be knocking at her door at 8 o clock in the morning.

A few minutes of silence passed as everybody tried to make out the voices in the hallway.

"Are they in here?" the voice said and Jack's eyes widened.

The door to the dining room burst open and a figure stood in the doorway.

"I'm sorry Cassandra, she just pushed past me." Jennifer apologized.

"It's okay Jennifer." Cassandra dismissed the servant with a wave of her hand and Jennifer went back to clearing away the dishes. "What can I do for you, Linda?"

"What can you do for me?! I will tell you what you can do for me." Linda replied, mockingly. "You can start by giving me some answers."

"Okay. Amber, Emma, I would like you to go to your room and start packing." Cassandra ordered.

"But we're not leaving for two days!" Emma protested.

"Do as I say." Cassandra replied and both girls swiftly left the room and went upstairs to their bedroom.

"I want answers." Linda repeated.

"And you'll get them." Cassandra replied calmly. "Let's take this into the living room."

********

"Okay, you want answers? Ask me some questions and I'll tell you some answers." Cassandra said as she sat beside Jack and Ianto on one sofa and Linda sat on the other.

"Why did you take Jack out of the Cardiff Institute?" Linda asked. She was stressing her words in an attempt to sound menacing.

"I visited Jack and what they were doing was torturing him. He was being forced into denying himself and how he felt." Cassandra answered smoothly. "Next question."

"Why did you hire my servant and allow him to see Jack after I fired him for getting too close to my son and turning him into the disgusting thing he has become?" Linda spat.

"I hired Ianto because I can see that he truly loves Jack and true love is rare and should not be denied. It shouldn't matter if you love a man or a woman." Cassandra explained.

Linda sat in silence for a minute and glared at Jack and Ianto who were sitting with their hands firmly clasped to show their union.

"Anything else?" Cassandra asked.

"Jack," Linda started and turned to her son. "I have known for a week that you were here and I have given you a week to see that what you are doing is wrong and repulsive. It is unnatural, Jack. I demand that you come home with me today and forget about that nobody. You can still marry Jessica Evans and have a lovely, respectful life like me and your Father."

Ianto glanced sideways at Jack and his heart sank as he tried to read his face. It showed no signs of anger. Ianto quickly looked away and bit his tongue to stop the tears from streaming down his cheeks.

"Mother, I don't know how I am going to tell you this in a way you will understand but I love Ianto. And as for living a lovely respectful life like you and my Father, I don't think that is possible. You don't love my Father. Just like he doesn't love you. Your idea of a lovely life is to appear perfect. Live like everybody expects you to; live by the rules and be respected. I don't want respect if I can't have Ianto by my side." Jack looked at Ianto as he said this. "I am not going home with you today or any other day. I'm staying here with the man I love and with people who love me for who I am and won't make me change."

At this point, Ianto was unable to hold back his smile and he let it spread across his face proudly.

Linda sat gobsmacked and shocked by what Jack had just said. Her own son was defying her.

"Well then. If that is how you feel." Linda mumbled.

"Yes, it is." Jack nodded.

"Then I guess I have no other choice. If you insist on "loving" the servant, you are no longer my son." Linda finished and stood up. "Cassandra, I am here to visit all day and I intend to do so. I shall not get in your way and will leave when I am ready." Linda quickly left the room and closed the door behind her.

"Jack?" Ianto quietly asked.

"Yes?" Jack said.

"Are you okay?" Ianto turned to face Jack.

"Well, considering that my Mother has just disowned me, I'm feeling okay." Jack replied and put his head on Ianto's shoulder.

"I know she was judgemental and stuck up and bossy and a whole bunch of other things but she was still your Mother, Jack. We'll understand if you're upset." Cassandra leaned over and placed her hand on Jack's knee.

"I know. I am a bit worried that she isn't finished yet. I mean, why would she stay the whole day if that was the only reason she came here?" Jack sat up straight and looked directly into Cassandra's eyes.

"I don't know, honey. You don't need to worry about it though because you have me, Ianto, the twins and servant's backing you up." Cassandra reassured him.

"I know." Jack sighed. "Could I have a little time on my own? I just want to sit for a bit and think about everything that's happened."

"Sure. Ianto, will you accompany me to the gardens?" Cassandra asked as she stood up.

"Yes." Ianto stood up and started following Cassandra outside but stopped for a moment and walked back to where Jack was still sitting. He took Jack's face in his hands and looked deeply into his eyes. "I love you, Jack." Ianto whispered and pressed a chaste kiss to Jack's lips before turning and following Cassandra outside.

Jack gazed after Ianto and muttered to himself. "I love you too, Ianto."

He was unable to hold back the tears as he choked out Ianto's name. Jack let out the sob that had been building up in his chest and allowed the tears to flow freely down his cheeks.


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