"I mean, we did expect this" Ianto chuckled from the sofa as Jack rushed around the living room getting ready, "you said so yourself, Gwen as a bride was always going to be a lot to take"

"I know but Ianto she's going to kill me" Jack sighed, draping himself across Ianto's lap and putting a hand to his forehead dramatically, "she's been engaged a month and she's already working me to death".

Ianto rolled his eyes, sweeping Jack's hair back fondly with his fingertips as he looked down at the man,

"She's your best friend, she's getting married and she's excited. Its your duty as bridesman or whatever it is…"

"Man of honour" Jack said tiredly, "I know its my duty, and I'm honoured but god its exhausting and she's only just started with the planning! I'm meeting her in town now to make a list of potential venues to go and see, apparently she wants to make a shortlist before she even shows it to Rhys. That way she'll have a clear idea what she wants already before Rhys weighs in"

"It all sounds very meticulous actually" Ianto pointed out, "I appreciate that level of organisation"

"Yeah well you would" Jack pouted, "She's text me 5 times already this morning checking I know the right time to be there, warned me not to be even fashionably late"

"She knows you well" Ianto smirked, "now get going"

Jack groaned as he peeled himself up off the sofa, "Fine, I'm going. Thank God she's picked a bar to meet, I will be in desperate need of a drink to get me through this"

Ianto got up to see him off just as his phone vibrated, and he grinned as he looked at the screen, reading aloud,

"'Ianto, if Jack hasn't left to meet me yet please kick up him up the arse. Love, Gwen'"

Jack grinned fondly as he picked up his keys, knowing his best friend probably wouldn't stop at just the one text. Right on cue, Jack's eyes widened as the house phone started ringing,

"Oh god that woman is relentless! Tell her I left already" Jack rushed out the door before Ianto could answer the call and drop him in it, blowing Ianto a quick kiss as he swept out.

Ianto laughed fondly as he picked up the phone, expecting to hear Gwen's insistent tones, "Hello?"

There was silence on the other end, the kind of tense silence that comes from somebody trying to work out what to say,

"Hello?" Ianto asked again, confused, "Anyone there?"

"I… this was a mistake" the voice was male, American and apparently incredibly nervous.

"Can I help you?" Ianto asked, "Are you looking for Jack Harkness?" Ianto had only given a few regular callers the house number, so unless his mam had been passing it round the relatives he'd assume the caller would be for Jack. And of course the accent gave a bit of a clue,

"I'm sorry, I…. forget it"

The line went dead, and Ianto looked at the phone for a moment in confusion. He shrugged it off, placing the phone back. No sooner had the phone hit the base unit until it started ringing again, the shrill sound making Ianto jump. He reached for the phone in annoyance,

"Hello?" he said again, more tersely,

"I'm sorry" the voice stuttered again, "this is a stupid idea"

"who is this please?"

"I'm Jack's…. you know what it doesn't matter, I shouldn't have called"

"Gray, what are you…." A new voice had called in the background before the line once again went dead.

Ianto looked at the phone, noting the number was withheld which only added to the confusion. He would tell Jack when he got home he was sure, but what information he even had he was unsure. The man on the other end of the phone clearly knew Jack somehow, but they definitely didn't speak regularly.

As if on cue, Jack came flying back through the front door,

"Forgot my wallet" he said breathlessly, rushing upstairs to grab it then thundering back down again almost immediately, wallet clutched triumphantly in his hand.

"Jack, wait a minute".

"I can't she'll have my balls!" he laughed, "and that would be a crying shame" he winked

"Someone called for you, it was a bit of a weird one".

"Who?" Jack was barely listening as he fumbled through his wallet to check for his card, knowing he'd be buying the biggest bottle of prosecco he could find when he got to Gwen,

"I think his name was… Gray?"

Jack's head snapped up as the wallet slipped out of his hand, landing with a dull thud on the wooden floor. His face darkened, his jaw set grimly and his eyes cold,

"Forget about it" he said tightly, turning towards the door without meeting Ianto's eyes,

"But Jack…."

"Leave it Ianto!" he snapped harshly, storming out of the house without retrieving his wallet or even a glance at his boyfriend. Ianto watched him go in bewilderment, hurt at the tone at which he'd been dismissed. Who could possibly have produced such a reaction from Jack? Who, exactly, was Gray?