Thank you SO much for the reviews!! They are really, truly appreciated.

A/N: I wasn't actually going to write a fourth chapter to this one but then someone asked a question (thank you, Annie!! ;-) and I had to answer it. (I did have the answer all along, I sat down and decided w/ everybody got everybody else before I started writing this sequence… it became an interesting character study). But I digress…


Chapter Forty Nine: Happy Christmas (pt. 4)

One More Day

……………………………………………..

"Nobody should be alone on Christmas, Jack," Ianto said as Jack took the exit for Cardiff; it was 6 pm. Neither had gotten any sleep, but Ianto wasn't ready to go home yet, despite the fact that he had spent most of his day scrambling through rubble with Jack.

UNIT had discovered the remains of a Torchwood facility underneath the Thames Barrier in London that appeared to have recently been in use, which of course was impossible. Torchwood London had fallen apart after the Battle of Canary Wharf.

Even using the computer terminal in the SUV, which was linked directly to the Hub's main computer system, Ianto couldn't figure out what was going on at the Barrier facility or who had taken over H.C. Clements; the facility led up to their building near the Thames. Tosh would probably have more luck with the computes, though.

Besides, the less time he spent at the computer the more time he could spend scrambling around rubble with Jack. While that might not sound appealing to some people, Ianto had enjoyed every second of it. Except when Jack started flirting with UNIT soldiers… but then later he'd mentioned wanting to see Ianto in one of those caps, which had made up for having to watch him flirt shamelessly with nearly everyone they met. Flirting was a part of who Jack was and Ianto knew it. He was going to have to get over it and learn to make allowances if they were going to keep sleeping together, otherwise the jealousy would kill him.

"My car's at the Hub," Ianto continued making his argument for not going home.

The last two hours had been wonderful, just the two of them in the SUV on the drive back to Cardiff. No one would be at the Hub, either and he wanted to make the most of the time they had alone together. It wasn't something they got very often.

Ianto favoured Jack with a mischievous grin, "Somebody called me at two in the morning and insisted I come into work, remember?"

"I didn't insist…!" Jack looked honestly hurt.

"Fine then. You asked knowing full well I could never turn you down for anything."

Jack glanced over at him wearing a startled expression. It faded before Ianto had a chance to analyze it. "I can pick you up in the morning," he told the younger man.

"Or you can just take me back to your place for the night," Ianto winked. Lack of sleep was making him a little punchy.

"Well when you put it that way," Jack flashed a wicked grin. In a more serious tone, he added, "Don't you have family or something?"

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Yes, Jack, I have family. I wasn't hatched from an egg, you know."

The older man chuckled, "If you want to get technical, yes you were." He passed the exit he would have taken if he was just driving Ianto home.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Humans start out as eggs and sperm. I'm assuming even with your grades you passes sex ed."

The Welshman gave him a dark look. It only made Jack laugh harder. "What I'd really like to know is how someone as smart as you barely passed his O levels."

Ianto shrugged, "I wasn't interested in school."

"Too interested in boys… or girls?" Jack teased.

"No, not really. Well… there was this one boy," he smiled a bit at the memory. Aaron Anderson

"Oh?" The Captain coaxed. "Do tell."

Ianto chuckled, "You are not going to get me to talk about my teenaged crushes, even when I'm this tired." He sat back and closed his eyes a moment. Two seconds later Jack shook him gently, telling him they were at the Hub… Ianto was sure they'd been at least twenty minutes out when he last looked at the clock.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you home?" Jack asked him in a soft tone.

"Just because I dozed off for a second…"

"Almost half an hour," Jack corrected.

The younger man sighed, "I have to at least come in to get the book." He marvelled again at Jack having picked up on how much he had wanted it. It was the sort of thing Ianto would never have bought for himself. It cost as much as he made in a month. (And it made him wonder if he was going to see 'Christmas gifts for team' on an expense report next month. He wouldn't put it past Jack.) "Besides, you ran off yesterday without opening up any of your gifts."

"I know what I got."

"How?" Ianto followed him to the Tourist Office.

"Tosh burned CDs for everyone, so she burned one for me too, although I really hate to think about her prowling around my hard drive to see what I've been listening to lately," he shuddered a little.

"I thought you said she was the one you'd like to see in a bathing suit," the younger man countered. "I should think that would mean you'd want her prowling around your hardware," he smirked.

"Hey. I said that in strictest confidence."

"And who have I told?"

Jack unlocked the door and held it open for the younger man. "Anyway," he went on, "Owen always buys wine. Now Gwen, that one's a little more challenging to sort out," they headed down the stairs and into the Hub. "This was her first Christmas with us."

"Mine too, I'll remind you. Or do you think I'm that predictable."

"I'd say you might have given me a Weevil, but the box is too small," Jack grinned over his shoulder.

Ianto just chuckled. "You never know…"

Myfanwy swooped down out of her alcove as soon as they came into the main area of the Hub.

Jack noticed the way Ianto still flinched when he saw her. Neither of them said anything. He had no idea how it was that after everything had happened, they were not only still friends but they'd become lovers as well. But I'm glad, he smiled as he slid out of his coat.

Ianto took it from him, glancing up at the pterodactyl as she took a second turn around the Hub.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. Fine. Thanks."

"Ianto…"

"It's not what you think… what I think you're thinking."

"So what is it?" he followed the Welshman into his office.

"It's nothing."

Jack settled his hands on his hips, "You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"I know," Ianto hung up the Captain's greatcoat. "It's just… I'm sure there are some things you don't want to talk about."

"It doesn't matter if I don't want to talk about it or not. If you want to talk, I'll listen. I mean that."

He regarded the American a long moment before speaking. "My mother invited the Halletts for Christmas dinner." He waited, holding his breath, not even sure what he was afraid of.

Jack blinked, clearly startled. "And they accepted?" he finally asked.

Ianto rolled his eyes, "You don't know my mother. She can be extremely persuasive."

"Ah. So… shouldn't you be there instead of here?"

"I'd rather be anywhere but there. Not that… I mean… I really want to be here," he floundered. He wanted to be here more than any place else in the whole world… Ianto crossed the distance between them and pressed his mouth to the other man's lips, hoping to convince him without words how much he wanted to be right where he was.

Jack returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around the younger man's shaking body. "I want you to be here, too," he said softly, although where the words had come from, he wasn't sure. They were true, it just wasn't the sort of thing Jack was used to admitting out loud. He cupped the younger man's face in both hands and kissed him, long and hard, loving the way Ianto pulled himself closer… loving the way his body felt against his…

"You know, if we keep this up…" Ianto began a few moments later.

Jack cut him off, "If we keep this up it may be a good Christmas after all."

Ianto chuckled softly, placing a soft kiss on the other man's mouth. He slipped his tongue just barely between Jack's lips, hinting at what he might be willing to do with his tongue later… Jack was right about practice and improving his technique. "You still haven't opened up your presents," Ianto said when he pulled away.

"I've got something right here I'd rather open up instead," he slid his hands underneath the Welshman's shirt.

"Gifts first, Captain."

Jack sighed. "All right. Gifts first. Just as long as I get to unwrap you later."

The younger man laughed, "Where in the Hell do you come up with some of those lines, Jack? Honestly."

"What?"

He just kept laughing.

"Right. On that note, I need a drink. Scotch… or coffee?" Jack asked him.

"How about wine?" Ianto suggested.

"Wine it is." He reached for the gift bag that he knew held Owen's gift, smiling appreciatively when he pulled out the bottle. He had to give the medic marks for good taste. "Come on," he led the way to the small staff kitchen and watched Ianto watching him as he uncorked the bottle.

"I never learned how to use one of those things properly," the younger man admitted of the wine key.

Jack smiled, "Of all the useless tricks I've picked up over the years, this was not the one I would have thought would impress you."

Ianto chuckled, feeling warmth overtake his cheeks. He wasn't sure why exactly, but he couldn't help enjoying the feeling of standing there the kitchen together.

Ianto reached into the cupboard and got down a couple of glasses. While Jack poured the wine, he scrounged through the fridge and came up with some left over curry from the night before. It wasn't his favourite, but it wasn't like anybody was going to deliver on Christmas.

He popped the curry into the microwave and was startled when he realized that Jack was standing right behind him… he was more startled by how absurdly natural the whole routine felt, like the other day when they'd done the dishes together. He wondered if Jack felt it too… but then he remembered how Jack had gone running off to London the first time… I will never, ever be his first choice, Ianto reminded himself.

Moments like this, however, made being Jack's second choice bearable.

Ianto turned and laid a soft kiss against the other man's lips.

"What was that for?" Jack asked smiling at him.

"I just felt like it," the younger man replied. The microwave beeped. He got the curry and they went back to Jack's office so he could open up the rest of his gifts.

…………………………………………………………..

"So what did Gwen give you?" Jack inquired as he held up the long knitted scarf it looked like she may have made herself. He couldn't help but snicker at private thoughts of a certain Time Lord he knew and loved as Ianto wrapped the scarf playfully around his neck. (Although it occurred to him that after his earlier stunt that the young man may be trying to strangle him and that could prove to be mighty awkward when he came back to life… but Ianto didn't strangle him, he just sat there chuckling.)

"Coffee scented candles," Ianto answered the question.

Jack joined him in a chuckle and topped off their glasses. The curry was gone and so was half the wine.

"That only leaves one gift left," Ianto glanced down at the box that was from him. It was neatly wrapped with blue foil paper and white ribbon.

"Guess so."

"It isn't a Weevil," the younger man assured him.

Jack laughed a little harder. "Could be something even nastier. I might even deserve it after yesterday."

"It is a lovely tie, Jack," he said, still embarrassed by his behaviour.

"But you're worth more to me than the price of a tie."

His cheeks grew warmer.

Smiling at how easy it was to make the younger man blush, Jack set down his wine glass and reached for the box. He opened it with the same care Ianto opened all his gifts (Jack on the other hand was typically a rip-the-paper-to-shreds kind of person.) The wooden box was a surprise. He blinked. "You're sure it's not a Weevil… or… I don't know, a Weevil egg, maybe?" he teased.

"Do Weevils lay eggs?"

"I have no idea," Jack smiled up at him. He flipped the little latch on the lid and opened it. The box was velvet lined and fitted into it were a crystal decanter and six tumblers; they looked like antiques. "Wow."

"Was that a good wow?" Ianto asked a little hesitantly; he was holding his breath. He'd gone completely out on a limb with this one and he knew it. It wasn't a casual gift, not the sort of thing an employee gave his employer. It was more than one friend might give to another, too, unless that friend made a whole lot more money than Ianto did.

"That was a very good wow," Jack looked up at him, not sure what to say. This must have cost the young man at least a month's salary and he knew it. He pulled one of the glasses out and held it up to the light. He was right, it was crystal, not cut glass.

"You really like it?"

"It's beautiful, Ianto, thank you," he said.

"I'm glad you like it."

………………………………………………………

Instead of getting dressed after showering, Jack pulled the younger man into bed with him, curling his arms around him, savouring the moment and the way the young man felt pressed up against him. His heartbeat… his scent… the warmth of his skin. For the first time in a long time, Jack remembered what it felt like to be really, truly happy…

"Are you really planning on staying the night?" he asked in a soft tone as Ianto's breathing became deeper and more rhythmic, as if he might be dozing off.

"Wish I could…" the Welshman said reluctantly. "But I don't have anything to change into for morning."

Jack ignored the feeling of disappointment that threatened to ruin the otherwise perfect moment. "Why don't you sleep for a couple of hours here? I'll wake you up in plenty of time to go home and change."

"I don't want to impose…"

Jack chuckled, "After the things you let me do to you… " he shook his head and kissed the younger man's lips. "Get some sleep. I'll wake you up in a couple of hours."

"Thank you. For… everything."

"I doubt even I can take credit for everything," he shifted into a more comfortable position, pulling Ianto with him. "But you're welcome anyway."

The Welshman murmured something unintelligible under his breath and drifted back to sleep… And Jack realized he was honestly glad he'd missed the Doctor this time, just to have had this one more day with Ianto Jones...