Nothing breaks like a heart
;
.
Ianto's hands stilled as he heard the soft murmuring from the office, Jack standing behind the closed door talking softly to someone with a gentle tone that he usually had reserved for him these days and he felt that familiar twist of a knife in his gut.
"I know. I know. Ianto is coming, probably on the other side of the door trying to hear …gotta go" Jack said softly, unaware that Ianto could hear him clearly, always could. He could hear more intently than he let on, letting them all think they could talk about him safely. Normally he could learn thing they needed, wanted … this was the first time he heard something he had feared he would one day.
Jack was hiding something from him. He knew how Ianot felt about secrets. Lisa has been a bloody pro at keeping him on a line, surely Jack… no. He told himself not to tar Jack with the same brush as his unfaithful ex.
Toshiko looked up as Ianto walked down the stairs, the office door swinging open and Jack grinned at the empty space he expected Ianto to be in, his smile fading as he stepped out and saw Ianto on the sitars "There you are. Coffee? Please?"
Ianto knew he should be annoyed with that 'please' being an afterthought but those begging hands and big eyes always got him what he wanted, Ianto nodding as he went to the kitchen and Tosh rose to follow him, finding him gripping the sink.
"Ianto? Are you OK?" she asked softly "You seem distracted."
"Tired. We all are I guess" Ianto straightened up and smiled softly as he turned to face her "I am looking forward to the quiet weekend you predicted. Lots to do at home. Got a list."
"Maybe you should table a little sleep on that list" she smiled back, reaching out to pat his arm and he smiled while hiding the desire to scream at her that she has no fucking idea what he needed. He was sick of everyone trying to handle him. Like he was a fucking toddler needing telling when to eat. When to sleep.
"OI! Tea Boy!" Owen roared from his hovel… I mean med-bay "COFFEE!"
"YES OH SMALL ARSE!" Ianto roared back, then took a deep breath as Gwen's braying laughter rang out. Shit. Slippage.
Tosh looked at him with surprise then she snorted "He has been demanding lately."
Ianto felt badly, getting out the good biscuits and putting two on Owen's tray by way of apology and he placed it down in the mess Owen played in, the medic looking up and lighting up as he saw chocolate in his near future. "Ta mate."
"You are welcome" Ianto left and then headed up to Jack once the girls were watered.
He found the man sitting on the edge of the desk looking at something and he stood quickly, hiding the piece of paper in his pocket. Ianto was suspicious but didn't want to show it, now clearly interested in what the man was up to.
Ianto walked to the large glass wall to look out over the hub, Gwen sitting at her desk looking up at him with wide eyes. What the hell was she looking like that…. Oh. Ianto felt the floor shift under his feet as he now knew who Jack had been hissing at. He knew this was coming sooner or later. She had been around the office after all. Owen, Andy … even felt up Tosh in the taxi cab the other night. Well.
He turned to smile at Jack, "Anything else?"
"No, thanks Ianto" Jack said distractedly and Ianto slipped from the room, determined to know what the piece of paper had said.
Now … little known thing about our archivist, he is as good with his fingers as Toshiko, the keyboard fairly humming as his fingers flew across it, pulling up the CCTV for the office, then a soft curse as he tried the other one in the corner….there. Ianto's' eyes narrowed as he froze and enlarged. Enlarged. A little to the left. Ianto craned his head, looking at the piece of paper.
HILTON GRAND HONEYMOON SUITE
"What?" he said softly, his heart stopping as he looked at the date and time of the reservation.
Tonight.
"Ianto?"
His coms crackled and he jumped. "Gwen?"
"Sorry pet, I was gonna leave early. Jack said I could so … I left the paperwork you need to file on my desk. OK?"
Ianto felt that heat rising from the soles of his feet, his temper making him taste bile.
"Sure Gwen, have a nice weekend" he said calmly.
"I intend to … gonna have a nice hot bath and shave me legs. Got a hot date!" she giggled and Ianto froze, his anger now about to spew into the wastepaper basket. Bitch. Rhys away for the last two days, not due back until Wednesday next week on his mate's rugby crawl she had whinged about all fucking week.
"Well … have a good night" he said as he tapped the coms to silence then sat back to laugh softly, the haggard sort that usually turned to a sob if you are not careful.
He rose and went up to get the paperwork, Owen and Tosh heading out too. He was glad to see Owen helping her with her coat as he told her he would drive. At least he had his head on straight. Finally.
Ianto entered Jack's office and found it silent. Jack humming in the bathroom down below so Ianto picked up the cell phone, hitting the button to get confirmation. Last four calls were to her. Then the Hilton. Five…six…seven… well FUCK ME! Eight more to her? Within the span of 24 hours?
Well … OK then. Fuck you too. Lisa was so much better at hiding her affairs ya know.
"Hey" Jack said as he exited the bathroom, climbing the ladder to find Ianto leaning again the desk with some files he had picked up from the 'Done' basket. "You ready to go home?"
"Just gonna add these to my pile for tomorrow." Ianto smiled as he turned and went out to his desk under the stairs, dropping the files on top of Gwen's. He turned to find Jack coming towards him.
"Come on Ianto, that storm out there is getting worse, Let's hustle" Jack barked and Ianto nodded, accepting the coat in Jack's hand to place on him, patting his shoulders out of habit before remembering he wanted to strangle him.
They headed to the garage and Jack held the SUV door "Come on. You can't walk today. I know you like to walk home but the lightening and thunder is not as much fun as they seem."
Ianto climbed into the passenger seat without a word and settled as Jack got in and turned on the SUV. Roaring up out of the garage and into traffic. Ianto laid his head back and went over the lists that needed doing, then Jack said softly "You will not file those tomorrow. You have the weekend off remember? We all do. Quiet phase. Please take some time for yourself Ianto."
"Yes sir"
Jack sighed as they turned a corner, Ianto looking up and frowning "Where are we going?"
"Something I have to do" Jack said as he grimaced at the thunder rolling above them, the rumbling that matched Ianto's mood "Gotta pay for something."
Ianto was gobsmacked as they pulled up to the Hilton and Jack got out, running inside as Ianto sat there with open confusion. He's paying for his dirty weekend with Ianto waiting in the vehicle?
"Oh hell no!" Ianto hissed getting out and storming inside to tell him what he thought only to slow, then stop with horror as he saw Toshiko turning to look at him with equal shock.
"Ianto?" she gasped "Oh no. No. He didn't bring you … get out. Get. Back to the vehicle before he realises you followed him."
Ianto was confused. Hurt but so damned confused as he went back and climbed back in, his mind whirring as he thought of her open alarm, waving her hands at him as she begged him to hide himself from Jack.
What the hell was going on.
Then Jack was there tapping on the window "Hey. My card won't work. I think I am putting in the wrong number. Can you come sort it? I did the three swipes and now it's not working."
Ianto rolled his eyes getting back out and gong in with Jack, Toshiko now missing from her post. He was getting nervous now as Jack led him to a side room and he entered to …
"SURPRISE!"
"See?" Jack said "I told you he wouldn't suspect a thing!"
Ianto looked around with shock, balloons and streamers. Food, a cake … little parcels and … oh my god. Ianto rushed over to the crib, all made up with ribbons and a little plush tiger in it wearing a hat with flaps and …. Oh. Oh. It's a baby shower. Oh.
Ianto started to sob as he picked up the tiger.
Not an affair.
A baby shower for him.
Ianto sat and Jack crouched "Babe? Hey. Tiger? You OK?"
"Hormones" he managed to choke out, tears flowing as he seized Jack's face for a kiss.
"Well … worth it now" Jack said as he leaned on Ianto's knees, his hands touching the barely there bump "You are both worth it."
"The Hilton" Ianto hiccupped "How much is this costing?"
"This? Wait until you see the room we are staying in tonight. We can watch the storm up high" Jack grinned, "You really didn't know?"
Ianto shook his head as he looked over at Gwen, her pride evident as she beamed at him. Of course. Jack always made her scout ahead.
Ianto sighed happily as his hands slid over the bump to meet Jack's.
His heart started to beat again.
.
.
.
Nothing Breaks Like A Heart"
This world can hurt you
It cuts you deep and leaves a scar
Things fall apart, but nothing breaks like a heart
And nothing breaks like a heart
I heard you on the phone last night
We live and die by pretty lies
You know it, oh, we both know it
These silver bullet cigarettes
This burning house, there's nothing left
It's smoking, we both know it
We got all night to fall in love
But just like that we fall apart
We're broken, we're broken
Mmm, well nothing, nothing, nothing gon' save us now
Well, there's broken silence
By thunder crashing in the dark (crash in the dark)
And this broken record
Spin endless circles in the bar (spin 'round in the bar)
This world can hurt you
It cuts you deep and leaves a scar
Things fall apart, but nothing breaks like a heart
Mhmm, and nothing breaks like a heart
We'll leave each other cold as ice
And high and dry, the desert wind
Is blowin', is blowin'
Remember what you said to me?
We were drunk in love in Tennessee
And I hold it, we both know it
Mmm, nothing, nothing, nothing gon' save us now
Nothing, nothing, nothing gon' save us now
Well, there's broken silence
By thunder crashing in the dark (crash in the dark)
And this broken record
Spin endless circles in the bar (spin 'round in the bar)
This world can hurt you
It cuts you deep and leaves a scar
Things fall apart, but nothing breaks like a heart
Mhmm, and nothing breaks like a heart
Nothing breaks like a heart
Mhmm, and nothing breaks like a heart
(My heart, my heart)
Nothing, nothing, nothing gon' save us now
(My heart, my heart)
Nothing, nothing, nothing gon' save us now
Well, there's broken silence
By thunder crashing in the dark (crash in the dark)
And this broken record
Spin endless circles in the bar (spin 'round in the bar)
This world can hurt you
It cuts you deep and leaves a scar
Things fall apart, but nothing breaks like a heart
Mhmm, but nothing breaks like a heart
But nothing breaks like a heart
Mhmm, but nothing breaks like a heart
