Author's Note: I'm getting back to some semblance of rhythm. And plot - scary concept. Thanks for reading, I love you all

Oh, and 'xxxxx' has replaced line breaks, because I am tired of eating them

Jack stretched forwards carefully and hesitated with his hand hovering over Ianto's shoulder, content, for the moment, to just study him. His partner was partly curled into himself, knees bent slightly and arms tucked under his chest, and his face was turned away from Jack, cheek pressed into the pillow. The light from the open bathroom door fell over both of them, casting shadows in the familiar dips and curves of their naked bodies. Jack shifted again and pressed himself gently against Ianto's back sliding his hand down and curling his fingers around Ianto's biceps as he moulded himself against Ianto's slumbering form.

In the week they'd been here, this house had come to feel as much like home as the Hub did; maybe even more so. The constant humming of the plumbing; the quiet creaking of ancient timbers; occasional birdsong from outside the leaded windows and, closer than any of them, the soft noises of Ianto's almost constant presence since they had arrived had lulled him into regarding the place with an ease and fondness which he hadn't felt in too long. And, of course, there was the cat, purring somewhere on the other side of Ianto and taking up more space than they were between them. Jack smiled against the back of Ianto's neck and groped out with one hand until it brushed against soft fur, resting it there and twitching his fingers lightly. The peace and quiet here, the sanctuary... he'd been here so many times before, but he'd never look at it the same way again. One day, he'd have to come back here alone.

He swallowed hard and closed his eyes, pressed a light kiss against Ianto's shoulder and settled down again. The night was ticking away towards a final day of deal brokering, agreement trading and contact sharing; hopefully he would leave this evening with better relationships with more people than he had worsened relationships with, and agreements to at least ignore each other with a few others. And he did have a very 'cordial' relationship with the new head of Torchwood London.

Once he deemed it a reasonable time, i.e. one that wouldn't piss Ianto off on their last day together, Jack renewed his ministrations to Ianto's shoulder, kissing and nibbling whilst his free hand roamed softly down Ianto's chest. He grew more playful and teasing as Ianto woke up – some parts of him faster than others – and nuzzled his way up past the junction of shoulder and neck, where he paused to give the spot his full attention, and then up to his earlobe to nibble it. Ianto turned his head, bumping his cheek against Jack's nose for want of anything approaching coordination, and let Jack guide him into a kiss. It was gentler than Jack's groping would have suggested, and was broken, not for hasty gasps of breath, but for Ianto to yawn hugely.

Jack let himself be pushed backwards by Ianto's shoulder, a lazy roll that indicated the direction that Ianto wanted him to move in more than actually moving him. When he was out of the way, propped on his side with his cheek resting on his open palm, Ianto rolled over onto his back so that his side crashed into Jack's front, and his elbow connected with Jack's chest with a dull thump. "Sorry," he apologised thickly, and rested his other hand over the spot whilst Jack laughed. "'s too early."

"Really?" Jack smiled and laced his fingers through Ianto's on his chest, holding them in place.

Ianto nodded and tried to answer through another yawn before giving it another go. "And it's your fault."

"I missed you," Jack protested. "Your sparkling company, your dry wit, your gorgeous smile, your fabulous... kisses?"

"Arse," Ianto smiled and rested his palm against Jack's cheek, holding him in place to study his face. "You weren't sleeping?"

Jack turned his head to kiss the pad of Ianto's thumb. "Not tonight. You were, though."

"I was," Ianto agreed, stressing the past tense of that statement. "And you should have been."

"We're awake now, though," Jack pointed out, leaning forwards and over Ianto, whilst Ianto's hand trailed off his cheek and down his shoulder to rest on his back. "We should make the most of it, whilst we're here..."

Ianto lifted his head to kiss Jack again and pulled him down at the same time, then drifted his lips to Jack's temple. "You'll see me again really soon, remember? I'll be back before you know it... you have all my clothes, for starters."

Jack laughed and kissed his cheek. "I know. But don't you think the last week has been... special? Maybe even charmed..."

"It's this house," Ianto agreed, sounding a little awed himself. "It's so... old, and calm. It should be a respite centre for universe-weary Torchwood and UNIT personnel, not a rarely used conference centre."

"Work your magic on them," Jack suggested seriously. "You can get people to agree to anything."

Ianto smiled as Jack nestled down against him, and started running his fingers through Jack's soft brown hair. "I'll try."

They lay there in the quiet as the house woke up around them, kissing and touching each other just for the knowledge that they were both there, rather than any desire to take the promise of sex further just yet. There was still time – Jack has made sure of that by waking Ianto so early – and it was enough, for the moment, to just be together, savouring the moment. Eventually, with his lips still brushing against Jack's, Ianto sighed. "I can't believe this, some days," he confessed, nuzzling closer when Jack's hold on him tightened. "Some days, when I wake alone in London, it's like... like you're a fantasy I've been dreaming to get myself out of bed every day. But then I see something, like a photo, or... I'm not making sense, sorry."

When he tried to look away, Jack pulled him back and kissed him. "I love you too," he smiled into it and laughed at Ianto's sigh. "That's how it starts, I think. First you realise that you like being with someone, then you're glad that they exist. Before you know it, you're choosing curtains and sofas and watching... whatever it is that Gwen and Rhys watch together," he chuckled and combed Ianto's hair with his fingers. "I don't think we'll ever get to that stage, somehow... Curtains, yes though."

"I already choose your curtains," Ianto pointed out, mostly bemused. "You..."

"I know," Jack shook his head and rested it on Ianto's chest instead. "I like your style. It fits with this century."

"Hmm," Ianto patted his head clumsily. "Jack?"

"Yes?"

"Less talk, more sex now?" he smiled as Jack squirmed up the bed again to begin on fulfilling his request, and decided that if this was a dream, it was one he never wanted to wake up from.

Xxxxx

Amanda approached Jack and Ianto with a smile and held her hand out. "Captain, Mr Jones, I'm so glad you could make it for the whole week this time. We're in New York next year, do you think you'll be able to make it again?"

He laughed and squeezed her hand. "I wish I could commit to every conference, but you know how it is. Saving the world takes precedence over talking about it."

"Of course," she smiled back and gestured to the dining room behind her. "Your team are already at breakfast. They said you might be delayed," she added with a hint of disapproval.

"Well, you know how it is," Ianto shifted Tybalt higher on his shoulder as he spoke. "Five minutes turns into half an hour, and before you know it it's the next day."

"Yes, well, you're fortunate to have arrived in time for breakfast then," she stepped aside and made to continue on her way. "I won't hold you up any longer."

Ianto put Tybalt down before they got into the dining room, and they just managed to keep him out. "Okay, next time we are not bringing the bat," he insisted, turning serious when he saw Jack's face. "What are you thinking?"

Jack tried a smile and shook his head. "Doesn't matter, I'm just being sentimental, you know."

Taking Jack's hand to tug him to the table, Ianto nodded. "I'm going to miss you too."

Gwen turned around in her seat and waved them over to the table where she and Tosh were already eating a full English breakfast each, and Owen was ripping a croissant apart over the morning paper. "Morning boys," she called cheerfully, dragging a wince out of Owen. "You disappeared early last night, I hope you're alright..." she trailed off and Tosh coughed next to her.

Ianto sat down and smiled reassuringly. "We've been here a week and had a lot to pack, didn't want to have to get up ridiculously early this morning to do it."

Tosh smiled at him from behind her hair and pushed it out of the way. "Did you sleep well, then?"

"I did, Tosh," he reached for the plate of pastries and held them out for Jack to take one first. "He didn't, of course, but those beds are excellent."

"Out as soon as your head hits the pillow?" Gwen asked with a smile.

Owen snorted and seemed to regret it, but Ianto just smiled and put the plate back down, minus a chocolate croissant for him. "Not quite that quickly, but quickly enough."

Jack's hand came to rest, out of the way of the food, just above the jut of Ianto's hip. After a brief, warm, glance at his partner, Ianto went back to ignoring him. "You two slept well then?" he asked Tosh and Gwen.

Gwen nodded happily, with a mouth full of sausage, and Tosh laughed quietly. "Wouldn't have got up if I hadn't had to, I just wanted to bring the duvet down with me."

"It's a lovely house," Ianto tipped his head back and looked up at the plaster-worked ceiling, sadness clouding his eyes. "I'll miss it."

"Will you ever come back?" Gwen asked quietly. "I assume you get summoned to all the UNIT meetings that Jack keeps ignoring."

"I probably will," he agreed absently. "I don't know that I'll pay them any more attention..."

"Unless Jack's going," Tosh added for him.

He looked at Jack again and leaned slightly into the arm that was still around his waist, conceding, "I might make an exception in that case."

"Thought you might," she smirked, ducking her head again. "What have we got today, then?"

"Just leaving," Jack retrieved his hand to reach for another pastry. "I want us to be back in Cardiff by seven, so we'll have to leave by one at the latest."

"I'll leave whenever Gordon does," Ianto shrugged. "I'm sure he'll hang around that long if I ask nicely and promise him coffee, though."

"He's a very obliging Prime Minister," Gwen looked around to find him.

Ianto snorted. "Except on matters of budget; yes, he is."

"Oh, Ianto, your toygirl, what's her name?" Owen looked at him, smirking at something.

Gwen and Tosh shared a badly hidden smile and Ianto eyed them all warily. "You mean Ally? What's she done this time?"

"Well," Owen pointed a spoon at the head table. "Maybe you could suggest to her that chatting up royalty might seem like a brilliant idea, but..."

He didn't have to finish it. Ianto groaned and shook his head. "Sometimes I worry about that girl. Either she has plans for world domination, or she's doing it by accident."

"You think she's an alien?" Jack asked, semi-seriously.

Ianto shrugged and started spreading jam on a slice of toast. "I know she's an alien, but I don't think she's a threat. She just likes her men unattainable, I think."

"Unattainable?" Gwen tilted her head. "How so?"

"Well, there was me – engaged, Gordon – gay, Harry – royalty, Anthony – a twat..." he shrugged. "I'm seeing a pattern."

"Wait," Jack was frowning. "You?"

"Oh yeah," he smirked at his toast. "She fancies me something rotten, but so do all the girls in the office." He turned to kiss Jack's cheek. "Let that remind you of how lucky you are, Captain."

Jack rubbed his leg and his guarded look melted away. "If I ever need reminding, I'll think of that. Is that Anthony coming over here now?"

Ianto looked around and tried to hide his sigh. "That's him. Not in the best of moods, by the look of it. Mind you, his ex-girlfriend was flirting with another man last night... which is understandable." He schooled his features into a bland smile as Anthony got within hearing range and stood up to meet him. "Anthony, good morning."

"Good morning, Ianto; nice of you to join us at last," he looked past Ianto at Jack and his smile slipped slightly, but it was back in place when his eyes met Ianto's again. "Gordon sent me to ask if you wanted a lift back with us to London, rather than going back to Cardiff to come to London."

"If there's room for me in the car, that would be great," Ianto accepted, his smile not warming at all. "Can you tell him that I'll find him later, after breakfast?"

"Of course." He nodded to the team and to Ianto, and made his way back through the tables to Ally and Gordon, who were concentrating on their breakfasts again.

Ianto sat down, shaking his head and smirking, and Jack frowned. "I thought Gordon knew he was taking you back?"

"He does," Ianto glanced up at the top table again and his smile became genuine. "Gordon wanted to tell Ally off and needed to distract Anthony."

"You're like her parents," Gwen laughed at him. "And she probably listens to you just as much."

Ianto shook his head and leaned back as one of the waiting staff arrived with a fresh pot of coffee and breakfast for him and Jack. "Ally is an extremely talented, professional and sociable woman. She just has lousy taste in men and puts it into practice when there's a free bar. She needs friends, not parents. And to learn to hold her drink, but that will come with time."

"You're not worried about her?" Tosh asked, "I mean, she's very young."

"Four years younger than I am," Ianto agreed. "Far too young." Beside him, Jack sighed. "But she has the talent and she will have the training. Beyond that, it's innate cunning and physical fitness that keeps us alive."

"And not being in the way of the bullet," Owen added bitterly.

Ianto swallowed and nodded. "Sorry."

Owen waved him off. "One day, it'll be a joke."

"One day," Ianto agreed, dropping his gaze. They started eating again, quietly, and Owen stopped playing with his desiccated croissant in favour of toying with the spoon again. After a moment, Tosh put her cutlery down and made her excuses, scurrying over to a group who'd just sat down, who greeted her enthusiastically. "Who are they?" he asked curiously as she sat down with them.

Gwen leaned to the side to look past him and smiled. "The UNIT team working on the translation programme. She said that she and Jacqui are going to work with them for a while?"

"Oh, yeah, they are. Jacqui's hoping to spend a week with them either before Christmas or in the New Year. Are they..."

"Went last night," Owen finished for him. "They wanted to beat the traffic and sleep in their own beds."

Ianto nodded, not really seeing the appeal of his own bed. "They didn't fit in at Torhcwood, did they?"

"No, not with us," Jack agreed. "They're good, but..."

"Not us," he looked at them and snorted. "Not mad enough or gay enough."

Jack laughed and nearly choked on his breakfast. "You don't have to be gay to work with us," he pointed out reproachfully.

Ianto patted his leg. "No, but you didn't argue with 'mad'."

"You'd all laugh at me," he joked. "Besides, one thing at a time."

"Men," Gwen added. "Can't multi-task."

"That's a dreadful stereotype," Ianto said scornfully.

She reached across the table to cover his hand and said, earnestly, "You're an honorary woman, Ianto."

"I'm not sure that's the compliment you mean it to be," he looked bemused and carried on eating until her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth nervously.

"I'm sorry, Ianto, I didn't mean..."

"I know," he smiled gently at her and shook his head. "But it was a bit of an own goal."

Nodding sheepishly, she opened her mouth to speak, but apparently thought better of it.

Jack hid his smile in a napkin as he wiped his mouth, then reached out for his coffee and drained it. "I've got a couple of people I need to speak to before we leave. Owen, Catherine Gaunt was looking for you yesterday, don't know if she found you..."

"She didn't," he pushed out of his chair and stood up. "I'll go and see what she wants this time."

"Right," Jack put his mug down and also stood, bending down to kiss Ianto's temple. "I'm going to see a man about a fish, and then a woman about a spaceship, and I might have time to see the other man about a computer. Gwen, can you do me a favour and keep an eye on the Doctor, please?"

"Sure thing," she smiled brightly at him and reached for the jug of orange juice as he left. Whilst Ianto finished his coffee, watching the top table distantly and with half a smile, she took the opportunity to study him. "You two really are happy, aren't you?"

He blinked at her and nodded. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"Well, I though..." her forehead creased in slightly guilty consideration of her next sentence. "he's not stopped flirting, you know. I thought, if he was settled and happy..."

Ianto shook his head, amused. "It's just how he talks, Gwen; don't worry about it."

"Oh. You don't think he..."

"I'd know." He shrugged and set his mug down carefully. "If he wanted to, he'd have talked to me about it and we'd have... I don't know, decided something. We're both too happy, too lucky, to risk it."

"Right, okay," she looked around the room and tried to hide her discomfort. "I should find the Doctor..."

"And I should find my cat, they're probably in the same place, though. Can you look after Tyb as well, if you find him?"

"Of course," she brightened. "He's such a softie."

"That's because he knows he's gorgeous," Ianto laughed. "And Gwen..." she paused, halfway out of her seat and looked at him worriedly. "Thanks, for looking out for me."

Her fact lit up and she kissed his cheek over the table. "Alright, pet. Now..."

"Go on," he made shooing motions and pointed to the kitchens. "Cat will be in the kitchen, being a pest. The Doctor will be somewhere near him."

Ianto shook his head fondly as she hurried through the grand dining hall and got up to catch his errant second in command as she tried to escape. She squeaked when he planted a hand on her shoulder from behind, and glared balefully at his snort of laughter. "Morning, Ianto. Sleep well?"

"Very well, thanks. Fancy a walk?"

Ally looked out of the window at the torrential rain and raised an eyebrow at him. "As long as it's not outside." She slid her arm through his and they set off down the corridor at a sedate pace. "So, what's this about?"

"Just catching up with you after a week when I've been... a little distracted," he shrugged and held a door open for her. "How have things been in London?"

"Oh, quiet, you know. We've been working on getting the archives fully noted and online, building the system, putting some of the older documents through the translator, stuff like that. Busy work, and not a lot to show for it."

"It's good, we're getting somewhere with it," he nodded, mostly to himself. "How far off finished do you think we are?"

"Probably about seventy five, eighty percent complete, why?"

"Do you think it'll be ready by the new year?" he asked, a hint of a possibly evil smile forming.

"It... might be. You want me to take it with me?" she didn't look at him as they contemplated the idea.

"It might be worth it. Either that, or I'm going to have to get it all online when I go back, which would set us back three months." He pulled her to a stop in a snug corner with a couple of armchairs and settled in one of them. It was partly hidden from the corridor by tall bookcase, and formed in the corner between the rectangular dining hall and the hexagonal conference room. Ally dropped her high heels onto the floor and tucked her legs underneath her, propping her chin in her hand and leaning on the chair arm. With a small nod, Ianto smiled at her. "Don't make it your first priority; that's still getting you trained as a field agent and team leader. But If you make a start on it, I can finish it more quickly."

"Okay. What about the two meetings before then? Gordon's going to China for that meeting about... whatever it is this time, and then you're supposed to go to Australia to look at their collection of spaceships. Do you want me in charge here whilst you go?"

"No, I want you with me," he decided. "It'll do you good to experience both – you won't get any experience of that sort in Cardiff, because Jack doesn't do talking to people. Unless he gets you to play interference for him, which he might do. I'll talk to him about it. Either way, I'll arrange for you to join us on both. Have you spoken to Delilah?"

She nodded and pulled her knee up to hug it to her chest and rest her chin on it. "Spoke to her briefly the other night. She seems to think that the structures at UNIT are too rigid, and was very interested in the way we do it at Torchwood."

"What do you think of her?"

"She seems nice," Ally's eyes half-closed thoughtfully. "I'd like to get her working with the team before we think about bringing her in, though."

"Got any ideas?" he smiled as her eyes closed fully and she turned her head so that her cheek was against her knee and her face was away from the corridor.

"Christmas," she said at last. "UNIT want to be on high alert in London this year. If we can arrange to back them up, have a command centre either at Downing Street or at the Tower, and teams at Torchwood locations through the city... We could persuade them to send her to the command centre, or out on patrol, as long as she's with a few of us. We'd better be desk duty, really, as none of us is exactly field capable, apart from you."

"And I won't be there," he pointed out.

Her eyes flashed open. "What?"

"I'm going home for Christmas, spending it with Jack and my family," he shrugged. "It's on the calendar."

"Mmph, fine," she buried her face again and sighed. "So... what?"

"I'll arrange for UNIT to cover it and offer you as operations back-up," he suggested. "That way only a couple of you need to do it, maybe you and Tiff; or you, Martin and Jacqui, as they've had the Torchwood experience. I'll get them to send Delilah as your assistant for it, and you can see how the three of you get on with her."

A slow smile was creeping across her face when she raised her head. "Good thinking, that man. Should I go find her now?"

"Before you do, I wanted to mention Prince Harry." Ally groaned and her eyes darkened. "Good thinking," he smirked at her look of surprise. "You'll need to cultivate relationships like that, you'll probably end up working closely with his father, maybe even his brother, and definitely his grandmother. What's he like?"

"He's lovely," she shook her head. "Totally mad, but very lovely. And really interested in what we do."

"That's good," Ianto said, relieved. "There's nothing worse than the person pulling the strings not caring what happens at the other end of them."

"Yeah, definitely." She uncoiled herself and stretched. "Any idea where I might find Delilah?"

Ianto shrugged and gestured lazily to the corridor. "I sent Gwen to look after the Doctor and Tybalt, you might find them together. Possibly in the kitchens."

"Thanks, I'll go and see what I can do. Take care."

"Will do." He settled back in the extremely comfortable armchair, closing his eyes and letting the soothing sounds of the house – the quiet, sedate ticking of the clock in the hall; the sounds of unhurried footsteps and low conversation; the hum of the plumbing; lull him and calm him.

His peace was broken before very long by footsteps which stopped outside his sanctuary, and Gordon's unusually soft enquiry, "are you asleep?"

Ianto opened his eyes and smiled up at the Prime Minister. "No, just comfy. Join me?"

"Don't mind if I do," he sat in Ally's vacated seat and stretched his legs out, crossing them at the ankle. "How are you?"

"I am..." he considered it. "Very content. Happy. And I feel like we've got somewhere."

"You have, Ianto. You've taken great steps towards rebuilding Torchwood and uniting the world in our defence, especially for one so young." Ianto snorted derisively and Gordon fixed him with a stern look. "You have. You've achieved enough to be able to retire at thirty, happy that you've done what lesser men couldn't achieve by eighty. But you won't."

"I doubt I ever will," Ianto shrugged. "It's not a job you retire from."

"You'd keep your memories if you did, surely?"

"Well, yes." He raised his eyebrows at the ceiling. "At the moment, we don't have the ability to wipe enough without killing me."

"How very grim." Ianto made a noise of agreement and waited for Gordon to speak again. "Doesn't it worry you, the number of people who die in the job?"

He shrugged. "I'm trying to bring it down, but not for me. Torchwood will be the death of me, one way or another, and I've long since accepted that. Doesn't mean that I have to accept it for everyone else under my charge, though."

xxxxx

Jack found them a couple of hours later and Ianto, seeing the look on his face, pushed himself out of his chair and tucked himself into Jack's embrace, chin on Jack's shoulder, one hand on the back of his neck and the other on his waist. "You're going?"

"Yeah, need to beat the traffic," Jack sighed and pulled back, framing Ianto's face in his hands and kissing him, slow and deep. "Come and see us off?"

Ianto stood on the steps to watch Jack load his bags into the Jaguar and Tosh, Gwen and Owen load theirs into the SUV. Tosh and Gwen hurried back up the steps to join him in the dry and hug him, and then Jack joined them and claimed him for one last, lingering kiss. "I think we're ready. I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah, you will," Ianto agreed, kissing him back. "I'll come over Friday night, at least, and I'll try to get over mid-week. You'll barely know I'm gone."

Jack growled and hugged him tightly once more, then stepped back out into the rain. "I guess I'll see you when I see you, then."

"Yeah," Ianto called, wrapping his arms around himself against the weather. "Drive safely."

"I will." With one final smile, Jack got into the car and started the engine, then pulled away from the entrance and headed down the long driveway, towards Wales.