Author's Note: A few of you haev probably realised by now that review replies means that it's update time, so here's the update :D Sorry it's so late, but I have a really, really exciting story written for the Reel_Tw challenge (well I think it's exciting), which will be going up here when the posting day for that comes.

To Ikasu - no, it's not over, far from over in fact.

The worsening weather brought darkness early on Friday evening. Shortly after the results of the week's voted measures were announced to the gathered delegates, Jack closed the door behind them and leaned against it with Ianto's jacket folded over his arms, giving the other man room to pace and stew himself into a corner. When Ianto finally stopped in front of the window, running his hand through his hair distractedly and fogging the glass with low, aggravated sighs, Jack laid the jacket out on the bed and went over to him, wrapping one arm around his waist and bracing the other across his chest, planting the heel of his hand on Ianto's shoulder-blade. "It passed," he told him firmly, holding on when Ianto tried to shrug him off. "They passed it, and there's nothing they can do now. It's not even yours, any more. It's all Ally's."

"That's not what this is about, and you know it," Ianto growled, trying again to pull away.

He held him in place though, and Ianto finally met his eyes in the reflection. "I know, Ianto. I know you; they don't. They're just vicious mudslingers, looking for an easy target. Of course they are, they're politicians. They wanted you to break, and you didn't."

"What's this then?" he asked with a sigh that released the tension that had still been straining against Jack's hold.

Jack smiled and tried to cheer him up. "Hey, you're doing well. You've not hit me yet."

Ianto tensed again and his hands moved to grip Jack's arm where it braced over Ianto's heart in the blink of an eye. He stared at Jack's reflection earnestly. "I never would. Never."

"Hey, I know," Jack nuzzled against Ianto's neck and kissed the corner of his jaw. "You're far too tense and stressed. I prescribe a long, hot bath, just you and me and..."

"We haven't got time for a long bath, and the tub's not big enough for one grown man, let alone two," Ianto pointed out. "I wouldn't say no to a shower though."

"That we can definitely manage," Jack squeezed him tighter rather than let go. "Backrub, blowjob?"

Ianto chuckled and tipped his head back onto Jack's shoulder. "What would I do without you?"

"Cope better than I do without you," Jack pointed out. "Come on. Shower, backrub, blowjob, ready to face the world again in time for the opening dinner."

"I'll not complain," he smiled at last and tugged on Jack's arm. "Clock's ticking."

Gwen knocked on the bathroom door and adjusted her neckline in the mirror next to it. "I'm ready, Tosh, you can come out now if you want to."

A moment later the bathroom door opened and Tosh drifted out, still hooking her earrings in. She looked over Gwen's shoulder into the mirror as she passed and leaned against the desk opposite the foot of her bed. "Let me have a look, then."

Tugging the neckline down a little further, Gwen stepped away from the mirror and struck a pose. "What do you think?"

"It's lovely," Tosh smiled shyly and brushed her hair out of her eyes yet again. "It's nice, getting the chance to dress up like this."

Gwen bit her lip and nodded, then clapped her hands and gestured for Tosh to stand up. "Come on, Tosh, my turn."

Tosh stood up and gave her a tiny twirl, smoothing the skirt down again before sitting down on the end of the bed. "You don't think it's too much, do you?" she asked. "I think I may have overdone it in a fit of excitement."

"Oh don't be silly, Tosh," Gwen chided. "You look gorgeous. Tonight's your chance to bag a hot UNIT technician who can keep you intellectually stimulated," she pointed out, as if she'd read the phrase and heard that it was important. "There's not many places you'll meet someone who understands what you do. God knows that none of us do."

"Jack does," Tosh protested, blushing. "All it takes is the training and education, anyone could do it."

"Now you really are being silly," Gwen plonked herself down on the bed next to Tosh and looked at their reflections in the mirror over the desk. "Even I can tell you're a genius."

The other woman smiled again and looked away from the mirror. "How's Rhys taking it? I'm surprised he's not here..."

"Oh, he'd already arranged to go on this weekend in Amsterdam whilst I was here," Gwen sighed. "Dozy prat. He's... he's still a bit taken aback by it all, you know?"

"Weren't we all, once?" Tosh sighed, then turned to look over her shoulder as the shower in the next room stopped. "Do you wish you still were?"

Gwen followed her gaze and nodded. "Sometimes. Although there are advantages."

"Aren't you worried about what Rhys is up to in Amsterdam?" she asked thoughtfully.

"Not really," she shrugged and turned slightly to study Tosh's profile. "As long as he doesn't, you know, bring it home."

"Men."

"Hmm, not all men, though," Gwen nudged her and nodded to the wall. "Jack's eyes haven't strayed, even when Ianto left him."

"No, but if you were looking at Ianto, would yours?" Tosh rolled her eyes at Gwen's splutter. "Oh you must have noticed, he has a great bum."

"I... well... yes, alright, he has a great bum," Gwen conceded, "and he gives excellent hugs."

"And I bet he's..."

There was a loud knock on the door and Owen walked in. "This maybe a really stupid question, but does either of you have a safety pin?"

They shook their heads and Owen cursed. Tosh asked with a sigh, "what have you done, Owen?"

He held his cuff up and gestured to the lack of button. "It came off, and now I can't find it."

They looked at each other and sighed, then Tosh leaned over to pick up her handbag. "Come here. If you'd asked if I had a button... oh, I've got a safety pin anyway."

He stared at the mysteriously appearing sewing kit and tried to tug his arm back from Gwen's grip. "It's okay; just give me a safety pin and everyone will be happy."

"Hold him still, Gwen," Tosh instructed, threading a needle. "This will only take two minutes."

"You're worse than Ianto," he grumbled, holding still and wincing every time she made a stitch. "And quite scary."

"I could get him to do it for you, if you like," she suggested sweetly. "But I think he's otherwise engaged."

Owen digested this information, then his head swung around to stare at the wall whilst she put the kit away again. "Do they ever get out of each other's pants?"

"Yes, Owen," Tosh pointed out, more sharply than she appeared to have intended. She wavered a little at his shocked look, but hardened her gaze and swept her shawl up off the bed. "They live three hours drive apart and see each other when their work allows."

"Alright, alright," he held up his hands and shrugged. "I get it." There was a knock at the door and he turned to face the door instead. "Come in."

Tosh sat down abruptly when she saw Jack standing there. "Wow, Jack. You look fantastic."

He grinned and leaned in the doorway, hands in the pockets of close-fitting black trousers pulling back the tuxedo jacket and revealing a crisp white shirt stretched just tightly enough over his broad chest. "Why thank you, ma'am," he drawled, leaning heavily on his American accent. "You're looking mighty fine too."

"Stop it," she blushed and folded her hands in her lap. "Where's Ianto?"

"He's coming," Jack's smile softened and Tosh immediately realised that it wasn't just the clothes that were different, but that Jack actually looked shy, an expression he'd never normally allow himself to show. "You know, being Ianto."

"Recovering?" Owen guessed.

He coughed and looked like he'd blush if he knew how. "We've had a call from Ally – her Majesty's arrived with Prince Harry."

"Her..." Owen looked down at himself. "Okay, now I feel under dressed."

"You'll be fine," Jack grinned. "It's not like you'll be allowed anywhere near her anyway."

"Charmed," he sighed. "Ianto, nice of you to join us."

Ianto smiled past Jack at them and rested one of his hands on Jack's back. "I've shut the cat in this time; it seemed safest."

"Good thinking," Jack turned just his head to smile at Ianto. "I like the suit."

"You always like the suit," he put the other hand in his trouser pocket, which flashed the deep red lining of his suit jacket, and slipped his arm around Jack's waist fully so that his curled fingers rested on Jack's hip. "Are we ready, then?"

"I am," Tosh stood up again and offered her arm to Gwen. "Miss Cooper?"

"Miss Sato," Gwen slipped her arm through Tosh's and looked down her nose at Owen. "Excuse me, sir."

Owen looked over at Jack and Ianto and stood, holding his hands out to Gwen and Tosh. "Oh come on; one on each arm, ladies?"

Tosh and Gwen looked at each other and sighed theatrically. "Alright, then," Gwen relented, "I'm sure we can put up with you for a while."

"You were flirting with her," Ianto accused with heavy amusement as they were ushered away. "I really can't take you anywhere, can I?"

Jack grinned and passed him a glass of wine, then slid his now free hand around Ianto's waist. "Are you jealous of our esteemed monarch, Ianto?"

"No," he kissed Jack on the lips quickly, then tilted his head to repeat it more slowly and gently. "I just didn't realise you knew her so well," he admitted when Jack pulled back reluctantly. "What's the story?"

Jack laughed and steered him through the milling crowds, back towards their table. "I was a decorated hero of the war, who had spent years behind enemy lines and had just returned to Britain, one of the last to do so. She was the beautiful princess who threw a ball for invited veterans, and I was the only man who danced with her twice."

"You danced with her?"

"Of course," they sat down and Jack leaned his elbows on the table, chin in his cupped hands. "A waltz and a polka, I think. And then I went back to Torchwood, and she became the monarch, and we kept in touch through work."

"You never mentioned this before," Ianto smiled and tilted his head. "It sounds like you were close."

"For a while," he looked over to the top of the room, where Gordon was introducing a procession of delegates to the Queen and to Prince Harry. "Work again. The sixties and seventies were fairly mad for both of us."

"It's sad when work comes in the way of a friendship," Ianto sighs.

Jack nods. "Yeah, it is," he catches Ianto's eye and then leans in for a very brief kiss. "It's never irrevocable, though."

There were lots of speeches. With over a dozen heads of state present, plus assorted heads of defence organisations and the Doctor, they went on for nearly two hours between the starter and the main course. Jack gave the speech for Torchwood, promising increased communication both within and outside the organisation and reiterating his warning that great changes were coming soon, along with an exhortation for the organisations to work together to be ready. He slipped his hand into Ianto's under the table when he sat down again and squeezed it tightly, leaning in to mutter, "And yet they never listen."

"Of course they don't," Ianto whispered back without taking his eyes from whoever was now talking, he'd long since lost track. "They heard the first five minutes of Gordon's introduction and nothing since."

"You weren't listening either, were you?"

"I was," he sounded slightly affronted. "You were the only one I listened to."

Jack bit the inside of his cheek to try and fight back the laugh. "Why? It was horrifically dull."

"Well, I wasn't going to say anything..." Ianto grinned at him and retrieved his hand to applaud politely. "Please tell me that's the end?"

"Yeah, the kitchen staff are hovering," Jack pointed out. "I think they're trying to make us explode."

"And they expect us to dance afterwards," Ianto chuckled and dropped his hands, one onto his own lap and one onto Jack's closest thigh. "You're allowed to share yourself around, as long as I get the first and last."

"I can cope with that," Jack laced their fingers together and smiled down at them. "I didn't stay for this last year, did I?"

"No, you had to come back on the Wednesday to deal with that Hornx crash in Barry," Ianto reminded him. "It took us all weekend, and it was the first time you spent the night at mine."

"I definitely remember that," Jack mused. "That's what I really regret about the... that year," Ianto squeezed his fingers and he smiled tightly. "That was a year ago for you, and two years ago for me. It..." he trailed off and shook his head. "Doesn't matter."

"You've been in a relationship with me for twice as long as I've been in a relationship with you," Ianto said softly. "That matters, but... I'm catching up, Jack."

A plate was put down in front of each of them and Ianto looked around. "Very private conversation, very public place..." he swallowed and retrieved his hand to start eating. "You're a bad influence, Jack Harkness."

"Bad influence?" he checked, digging into his own steak. "And there was me thinking that our conversation was a sign of supreme confidence."

"Well... yes, alright," he smiled into his dinner and knew that Jack would be grinning. "Behave."

"I am behaving," Jack told him, although his sincerity needed work. "I might not be behaving well, but I'm behaving."

Ianto shook his head and chuckled, and the dining hall was filled with the sounds of contented eating. The music started up halfway through the meal, a gentle lilting from a highly talented string quartet who mixed ghostly versions of pop and rock hits with more traditional classic arrangements. If he actually paid attention to it, Ianto could see the eclectic range of the music they were enjoying, but mostly he was distracted from it by the food and the company.

After the plates were cleared away, there was the compulsory hesitation as everyone tried to decide the protocol for either taking to or fleeing from the dance floor. Prince Harry took the initiative by requesting a dance from the daughter of the President of the United States, and guided her onto the floor and into a ballroom hold. People watched them for a few moments, then a gradual movement started, most people towards the bar, but a few couples onto the floor. Jack stood and held his hand out. "Ianto, would you dance with me?"

Ianto slipped his hand into Jack's and let Jack pull him up and lace their fingers together, guiding him through the crowd to the nearly empty floor. There, he stepped into Jack's hold, and one of Jack's hands pressed into the small of his back whilst the other held Ianto's hand against his chest and Ianto's other hand rested just below the back of his neck. He sighed with contentment and rested his cheek against Jack's, whispering, "I love you; never doubt that."

Jack nodded, and his cheek rubbed against Ianto's. "I don't, and won't. And I love you too."

"I know you do," he closed his eyes and let Jack lead. "Are people looking?"

"A few," Jack told him. "Why?"

"Just wondered," he smiled. "We're gorgeous together, after all."

"And they accuse me of vanity," Jack huffed against his ear. "I'm a very lucky guy, aren't I?"

"We both are."

Ianto smiled drowsily at Jack's approach and let himself be pulled up and into warm, strong arms. "Have they not danced you out yet?"

"I'll always save myself for you, Ianto, you know that," Jack smiled easily and held Ianto close, swaying to the music where they were. "But I think the band want to go to bed. Maybe we should take this upstairs and let them?"

"That sounds like a good idea."

Still, Jack held him, staying where they were, and sighed. "I don't want to let go."

"Get me upstairs, then you can hold on all night," Ianto pointed out into his shoulder.

"And if that's not a metaphor for our relationship," Jack mused as he finally eased away, "I don't know what is."

"Come to bed, Jack," Ianto tugged on his hand and headed out of the room. "The metaphor will be there in the morning."