3

Three weeks later and Lisa was still on the periphery of their lives, as was Gwen. Gray had asked to stay for a while as he and the 'olds' were fighting about Lucy. Ianto saw nothing wrong with this as this was really Jack's penthouse they were staying in and if he was OK with it, so was Ianto.

The first problem came when he entered his bathroom to find Lisa in there. She smiled as she explained that Gray had stunk up the guest one and she thought he wouldn't mind, given the fact she had seen all of his products before.

Ianto felt a spike of anger as his ex grinned at him widely, letting her eyes track to the tight underwear on the edge of the bath where Jack had flicked it. This man would never get the knack of using a clothes hamper.

"Lisa, what are you doing here? Gray? Seriously?" Ianto scoffed as the bedroom door opened and her eyed widened, pushing past him with a loud sob.

"Well, fuck you Ianto!" she cried, rushing to Gray's arms as Ianto gaped at her.

What?

Jack then entered and asked what had happened, which Ianto repeated word for word. Jack looked at him "Are you sure? She said you called her a gold digging whore."

"Jack, when have I ever said that when Harlot is a better one for a Hallett? Get it? Come on, I've called her Harlot before, Lissy Harlot?" Ianto said with a sigh, then groaned as he saw Gray in the doorway listening.

"If this is how it is, we can find somewhere else" Gray said angrily.

"Oh cut it out" Jack said angrily "Ianto is right. He does not use the term whore. Mom does. I don't want you to leave but I want some respect here for our space. She should never have been in our room!"

The evening meal was in stilted silence and in bed that night Ianto apologized for letting her get to him. Jack then shrugged as he admitted "Well it could be worse. Gwen was sniffing around him too. In the night club the other night I am sure she had him in one of the stalls. Shame Lisa does not know, same as Gwen. He will go back to Lucy, he always does."

"Hmmm, I think they are texting again" Ianto agreed.

What a mess.

.

.

"So, last night Gray went back to Gwen's place" Toshiko said as she watched Ianto's hands move effortlessly over the keyboard, then freeze. She grinned as it was rare to stall him out so she added "seems to be a regular shagfest."

"Oh god, so he DOES have Lisa and Gwen on the go. God… ew. Hope he washes it before porking the next one. Oh god… did you hear that? I sounded just like Owen. The little shit is rubbing off."

She giggled as she watched Ianto shift his chair back and her laughter died "Still a dicky tum?"

"Yah. It's all this stress with Lisa haunting the place again, god. What if she finds out about Gwen, what a shit-show that will be" Ianto groaned. "Does me gut no good, all this stress."

He shot to the loo as Toshiko went over things in her head knowing Ianto was right. Whatever way you looked at it, this was not going to end well for any of them.

She was worried… for all of them.

.

.

"Lucia?" Ianto said as he stood with the penthouse door open, then he stepped aside to let her in. He then sighed as he exited the apartment to go to the main corridor to get her luggage the doorman had dumped there with an eyeroll.

"Is he here?" she demanded.

"No, he is off with his brother. They will be back soon, would you like a coffee?" Ianto asked, deciding to act like this was normal. The relief on her face was obvious as she agreed.

She shot to the loo and afterwards they sat and talked, Ianto rising to use the loo as well and finding himself staring at the pregnancy test with a weird sense of doom. Oh man. Really?

"Do you think… do you think I am mad? For coming back?" she asked after they had talked for a while and he shook his head.

"You have to do what is right for you. This is a big thing, a massive thing. A baby. Jesus, this is more than just a little oops." Ianto advised "You need to have his side of things too. Is he going to step up? How much do you want him to step up. Work that out for yourself first, don't cave to his wants if they don't match yours. Do you want the ring, the house and the dog? Or co-parent? If you want your own life, I suggest the co-parent thing. His family has money, you will get money to help with her, share her on holidays and such. If you think you will cleave his skull of you marry… don't. Not for the child. Consider yourself in this. Personally… if things went south with me and Jack with a baby involved I would run for the hills and leave no trace I ever existed. That family has money. Power. His mother alone would be unbearable as a Grandmother from Hell. Hell, I might not keep the baby at all. A termination for me, if I lost Jack. Shit. Don't listen to me, I might want the keep the baby and go nuclear on his arse! Does your head in trying to find a way forward… just… take a breath."

"I am. I am trying." She smiled softly.

The door opened with both men talking excitedly, then Gray's face changed at the sight of her, rushing over to engulf her in a hug as he said through tears "Oh thank god. I thought I would die without you."

Ianto rolled his eyes at Jack who grinned as he placed the box of pastries down and settled at the counter "Coffee babe?"

"I prefer Coffee King, but apparently beggars can't be choosers" Ianto winked back, Jack's laughter bouncing off the walls.

For better or worse, she was back.

And Ianto dare not think what that will do to the Lisa/Gwen contingent.

They both lost the moment he saw Lucy at the counter on that stool.

What a mess.

Ianto had a lot to stew over now.