13
Ianto was about to get into bed when he heard a sharp ping against the side of the house. His heart almost leapt out of his chest. Pressing a hand against the afflicted organ to ensure it remained in place, he approached the window.
Another barrage hit the glass, and he jumped again, even as he realized it was pebbles. Someone was throwing rocks at his window. Someone named Jack Harkness.
"What are you doing?" he half-yelled-half-whispered when he opened the window.
"Getting your attention."
"Are you crazy? Go home, Jack. You'll wake my father up."
He folded his arms across his chest. "I'll wake the whole neighbourhood up if you don't come down here and talk to me, Ianto Jones."
"I'm not coming down. It's late."
"Okay." He knelt down and picked up another handful of pebbles. "Which one is your father's room? This one on the end?"
At that moment, the window on the end slid up, and his father poked his head out. "Just go down and talk to the man, Ianto."
"Tad!" Embarrassment heated his skin until he was pretty sure he might spontaneously combust. Jack could probably see his blush even in the dark.
His father pointed to the ground. "Go."
Ianto closed his eyes and shut the window. Grabbing a robe, he padded downstairs. Jack was leaning against the porch railing when he opened the door.
"You've never heard of ringing the bell?" Ianto asked.
"You would have just ignored it or had your father answer so you could continue to avoid me."
"I'm not avoiding you," Ianto said, dragging his gaze away from the accusation in his eyes.
"Really?" Jack moved closer, invading his space. "You closed up shop in the car. Shut me out. You don't still believe the fire was your fault?"
"I don't know, but I was in charge and the last to leave."
"I was there, too," he pointed out.
"I know, but it was my responsibility."
He shook his head.
"Contrary to your belief, Ianto, you are not responsible for the entire world and everything that happens," he said, his voice losing any hint of gentleness. "That's someone else's job."
Ianto gasped at the deliberately cruel words. "You don't understand—"
"Oh, I understand all right," Jack said, his jaw tightening with frustration. "You've been guilt-stricken over your mother's death for so long that I don't think you know any other way to live. You've spent every year since in an ivory tower of responsibility and obligation, trying to absolve yourself from something that was never your fault. You're like Rapunzel, only you locked yourself in."
"That's not true," Ianto said, his own temper catching fire. "How dare you. My family needed me. I had no choice but to step in."
"There are always choices, Ianto, and that makes me wonder what choices you're going to make after tonight."
"What does that mean?"
"I'm wondering how you're going to punish yourself now," Jack said. "By cutting me off and retreating back into your prison of guilt? You're probably wondering if the fire was a sign that you're supposed to stay in there forever."
Hadn't he called him Psychic Minister earlier?
Ianto swallowed. "Nothing has gone right since I started trying to change everything."
"Really?" One eyebrow winged up, and he stepped even closer, until his scent invaded Ianto's being. His arm slipped around his waist, and he brought Ianto up flush against his chest. "Nothing?"
"Jack—"
"Ianto, be quiet and let me kiss you."
The kiss had him practically melting into the door.
"Do you think this is nothing?" Jack asked, trailing kisses along the column of Ianto's neck.
Ianto arched back to give him better access. "If I say no will you keep going?"
Jack's breath puffed out in short huffs as he laughed. Then he stepped back, releasing him, and Ianto had to put a hand against the frame to stay upright. "I have to go."
"What?" Ianto's eyes flew open, and he stared at him in confusion. "You're leaving?"
"There's something I need to do."
"What could you possibly need to do right now?"
Jack framed Ianto's face and gave him another quick, potent kiss. "I have to ensure you stay out of that tower from now on."
Then he was gone.
Ianto stared out into the darkness, still reeling as he started up his car and pulled away. He stared long after Jack was gone.
Jack might be a genius at reading him, but he had the wrong fairy tale. He was Alice and he'd fallen down a rabbit hole. He just didn't know if he'd end up losing his head…or his heart.
.
.
.
When dawn broke the next morning Ianto was already awake to greet it. He hadn't slept at all. Jack's words kept reverberating around his head, especially his accusation about locking himself away and refusing to have a life out of penance for his mother's death.
Everything in him screamed Jack was wrong. Ianto had chosen to stay home and take care of his family because he'd been the only one to do it.
Or had he?
He didn't like to think every choice he'd made as an adult had been driven by a sense of guilt so strong it caused him to refuse any happiness for himself. Heaving a sigh, he got out of bed, showered and dressed, and made his way downstairs.
As Ianto rounded the corner into the kitchen, he spotted his father standing in front of the sink. He suddenly remembered he'd been witness to his late night visitor.
"Hi Tad." Keeping his face averted, Ianto reached for a travel mug and poured coffee into it.
He leaned back against the counter. "Morning, honey."
"Did you sleep well?"
"Once Jack went home, I did."
Coffee splashed over the edge of the mug. Ianto grabbed a cloth and mopped up the mess. "Sorry about that."
"I don't mind if a man comes here, ready to fight for my son's affection."
"Is that what you think he was doing?"
"Well, I hope so, otherwise I might need to have words with him," he said, his voice gruff and serious.
"Tad!" Ianto spun to look at him, only to see him smiling back at him.
He winked. "I think it's about time a man fought for you. How long has this been going on between you two anyway?"
"Nothing's really gone on," Ianto said, in absolute honesty. "We barely know each other. I don't know what would make him come here in the middle of the night."
"Don't you?" he asked, raising a brow.
Ianto looked away. "We should get over to the church."
He stared at his son for a long moment and then shook his head. "I'll get my keys."