15

It was a flurry of activity for the next few days. David talking to a local child psychologist, then Mica as well. Ianto was told a more advanced therapist would be brought in to help the kids with their grief and their fear of not only loosing Ianto but Jack who had been shown to not be as strong in their lives as they wanted. Ianto had been trying to save them and …. Look at this. He kicked himself.

He had also invited Jack into the house, the spare room of course. He hadn't asked about those movies Jack was supposed to be making, preferring to pretend it was normal for his ex-lover to be a flatmate for now. The children's delight in having them both was enough to tell him it was the right start.

Gray happy in the other spare room, spending his day out walking the fields. Patrolling for signs of Blue really, Ianto was not stupid enough to pretend he didn't know. But it was comforting to have some back-up.

Blue was still not found, wherever he had run to … Ianto hoped it was to hell where he belonged. It was a week after the initial blow-up and Jack took Ianto to town, into the ice-cream parlour on the corner and they sat, Ianto picking at his chocolate Sunday they both knew he would not eat.

"I feel like a fraud, having ice cream without them" he said after a while.

"We will take a tub home for them. They will not mind" Jack said as he watched Ianto squirm. "Ianto. I want to talk and can I? Please?"

Ianto nodded, still poking at his plate.

"I love you. Love the bones of you and I know you love me. I am grateful for that because even as you are easy to love… I am not. I am a pig. A prick and a short sighted ….a….twat." Jack tried the word and Ianto hid his amusement as British cursing was clearly not a Harkness trait "Ianto. I never slept with Gwen. We were never alone. I admit… I did like it. Not her but … it. Everyone looking, telling us how sexy we looked, it stroked my ego. It did. I got really involved in the character and enjoyed that attention. I didn't see it from your point of view and I forgot the golden rule."

"No sex scenes?"

"Never forget Ianto!" Jack sighed. "I did. For a moment there…. All I could see was my ego, filling the room with fuckery. I lost you. I will never forgive myself you know. Never. I still reach for you in the night. I … there has been no one else. I know it's too late … I fucked up and … I know he… I know he must have been a breath of fresh air after my dark brooding and…"

"No. No. We never…. He never shared my bed either. It didn't feel right" Ianto sighed, pushing back the plate of melted smooch "I don't like men. Always said so. Just you. You are something different to me… like… I can't describe it. Male/female/ horned … I love only you."

"Horned? You mean Horny right?" Jack felt something inside him burst, slumping back as he finally saw he might still have a chance of recovery here if he stopped living in his own arsehole for a moment "Ianto. I love you. I miss you and I would love to spend the rest of my life crawling on my belly like the snake I am to try to show you that. Please?"

Ianto looked at the tablecloth.

"Hello Ianto Love"

Ianto looked up at the waitress who was looking straight at Jack with open interest.

"Bonnie. This is my … Jack. You think you know him? You do. He's a Hollywood star" Ianto smiled "Jack Harkness. He is the reason I came here to hide with my sister. Her cancer making her more important. I came here so she could live her final days happy. Now … now she is gone and Jack is hoping I might want to try again."

"I was an arsehole who didn't know what a good thing I had, not until it was gone. Now I am a kicked puppy trying not to wee on the floor again" Jack pouted and she smiled as that charm hit home.

"Well … you are a welcome improvement to Blue. That is for sure. I dated him in college ya know. Bastard broke me nose. My Pa broke his cheekbone. He doesn't bother me now"

"Good. Your Pa sounds like a good man" Jack informed her.

"He is. There he is, over at the bar" she pointed and Jack looked, surprised to see the old Sheriff sitting there with a sandwich. "Don't' worry … Blue isn't gonna be around anymore. I think Pa found a way to get him out of our hair forever. Good thing too … he still gives me the creeps after all these years. I swear to god, he sometimes still follows me home from town … doesn't speak just… watches me. I didn't tell Pa because I knew he would shoot him or something."

"A good man" Jack declared "You are a good girl with a good role model there."

"Why thank you honey. Shame … all the good ones are taken these days" she sighed.

"Really? Tell me … your Pa is law enforcement. My brother is FBI … you think you could date another man of the law?"

"Oh honey, if he is half as cute as you … he is already in with a date at least!" she winked then sashayed away as Ianto started to laugh softly.

"Trust you. In the middle of a heart-to-heart that Harkness charm switches on for Gray. Well … she is a nice girl and boy can she cook. That pecan pie was hers ya know. She does most of the food in the cabinet." Ianto smiled.

"She can cook? She's in. He has to marry her now" Jack deadpanned, reaching for Ianto's hand. "Do over?"

"I can't keep giving you those" Ianto whispered.

"You won't have to. Not ever again. Just this one more. Please love. We will go to counselling too … I will do whatever it takes. Please. I have been beyond miserable … it was like a death but worse because I caused it. Please."

"No Gwen Cooper!"

"No. Never again. Come on, we draw a line under this and start a new chapter?"

Ianto sat back to consider and Jack held his breath and hoped, the small frown in Ianto's face giving him hope as he knew it usually meant Ianto was going to give in.

"Line."