Chapter 12
Ianto woke up alone again.
Sighing he climbed out of bed and began to get ready for work.
He had no idea where Jack ran off to these days but it was becoming a bit of a special occurrence for Ianto to wake and find the older man still with him.
He was just climbing out into the hub when his mobile alerted him to an incoming message.
Flipping the phone open he stared at the unknown number in confusion.
'I'm upstairs! Hurry up!'
"Jack are you around here somewhere?" Ianto called into the quiet hub, when no reply came he sighed grabbing a gun from the armoury before heading upstairs unsure of who or what was waiting up there.
Upon reaching the tourist office he peeked through the small spy hole that allowed the team to check that he didn't have any customers before waltzing out of the hub.
There was no sign of anything dangerous, just a woman standing looking at some brochures.
She looked familiar though he wasn't sure why until she turned to the side to check one of the notice boards.
There in the tourist office looking as perfect and relaxed as the last time he saw her stood Arabella White.
Grinning and knowing he didn't need to worry about their secrecy he swung open the door and greeted her with a grin.
Spinning around at the sound of the door opening she met his grin with one of her own before she threw herself into his arms.
Ianto stumbled back slightly as he caught her, he'd expected a joyful welcome from her, but he really hadn't expected to wear her, none the less he hugged her back tightly grinning all the time.
"Hello gorgeous, How are you?" Arabella asked as her feet landed back on the ground though she didn't move out of his arms.
"I'm good, but what in the world are you doing here?"
"Well it's almost Christmas silly. I'm spending Christmas day with Peter obviously and Boxing Day with Dexter, I wanted to spend a few days before with my other favourite boys so I came down here," Arabella explained practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Oh well, I'll go find Jack for you then." Ianto replied with a small shrug, making sure to keep the swell of disappointment out of his voice.
"I said favourite boys Ianto, plural, that means you too. Today I'm spending with you!" Arabella replied rolling her eyes at Ianto's automatic assumption that she'd only meant Jack.
"Arabella I'd love to come out with you today but I've got to work, I can't just go gallivanting off around the city with you no mater how much I'd like to." Ianto replied
"Of course you can. Jack's given you the day off, come on." Arabella said grabbing his jacket from the coat rack and pulling the confused Welshman out the door.
Jack walked up from the firing range where he'd spent most of the morning to find an empty hub.
Frowning in confusion he went to his office to check for a note from Ianto to say when he'd left but there wasn't one of those either.
The hub was still semi shutdown from the night and a quick glance down into his room revealed that Ianto was up and dressed somewhere.
Before he began to panic he noticed his mobile flashing on his desk signalling that it had received a message.
Flicking it open he read the message from Arabella and relaxed.
'I've stolen your Welshman, and you can't have him back until tomorrow. So there!'
Settling down in his office chair he quickly replied to her.
'What if I need him here?'
The answer was there within a few seconds
'Tough shit'
Jack burst out laughing, grateful that the rest of the team wasn't in yet or they'd think he'd gone mad. He was just about to send a reply when another message came through.
'Expect to be kidnapped soon; I have to spend some genuine X-mas time with both my Cardiff boys before I head home.'
'Should I change the sheets on the bed then?' Jack sent back smirking as he pictured the face she would be pulling upon reading his message.
'In your dreams lover-boy. Now if you'll excuse me I have a hot Welshman waiting for me in the change rooms'
Jack who had been precariously balanced on his chair with his feet on the desk promptly fell off his chair with a loud thump and a curse as his head hit the chair on the way down.
Arabella smirked stuffing her mobile back in her handbag before making her way toward the change rooms at the back of the shop.
They'd made it to the shopping centre just as it opened so there weren't many people around and the expensive suit shop she'd dragged Ianto into was empty apart from them.
Knocking on the door to his change room, the sales assistant smiled at her before moving off to give them some privacy knowing he'd be called back if they needed any other sizes.
"How's it look?" Arabella asked
"I don't know Arabella, it's a little more… adventurous than I normally wear," Drifted back Ianto's voice.
"Oh don't be such a baby, come on, let me see," Arabella said and was about two seconds from breaking the door open when Ianto finally exited.
Arabella let out a low whistle as she admired the man in front of her.
"Ianto Jones, if I weren't married and you weren't taken I'd be jumping your bones right about now."
Ianto went at least three different shades or red to her amusement.
"So it looks good then?" Ianto said turning to look at himself in the full length mirror beside them.
It was a gorgeous suit and much nicer than the 'funeral suits' as his sister liked to call them that he normally wore to work.
It was black with a black waistcoat, dark purple shirt and dark, almost black tie. It was a higher quality than he was used to though he could afford nicer suits he just never really bothered. Torchwood One was very much a 'funeral suits' location and he just continued to wear the same suits at Torchwood Three.
This suit however was a good fit, it showed off his slim but strong figure so much more than any of his others did and he had to admit he did like how he looked in it.
"God Jack will be drooling and you'll have him wrapped around you're little finger if you go to work wearing that," Arabella said hands resting on his hips from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder as see looked at his reflection.
"Maybe," Ianto shrugged stepping away from Arabella and into the change room to change back into his normal outfit.
"Ianto?" Arabella asked suddenly unsure about the sudden mood shift in her friend.
"It's nothing. So where are we going next I'm sure it's your turn to try something on for me," Ianto said quickly changing the topic.
But Arabella didn't answer suddenly lost in thought;
Was there something going on between him and Jack. She'd talked to both men at least once a week and both had told her they were now together. Though neither seemed willing to specify they both seemed a lot happier recently. So what had changed to bring about Ianto's sudden mood shift when it came to one Captain Jack Harkness?
"Arabella are you ok?" Ianto asked starling her out of her thoughts to find Ianto dressed in his previous suit standing in front of her with a concerned look on his face.
"Yeah I'm fine… where's the suit?" Arabella asked noticing his hands were once again empty.
"I gave it to the clerk to put back on the shelf?" Ianto replied not meeting her eyes
"You're not getting it?" she asked confused, she could have sworn he'd liked the suit and it certainly suited him.
"Nah it's not really my thing." Ianto shrugged and Arabella's reply was cut off as his PDA went off in his pocket.
"Excuse me," he muttered frowning slightly he stepped away from her and checked the alert.
While he was distracted she dashed off to find the clerk who was putting Ianto's suit back on the shelf.
Jack was climbing into the SUV with Gwen when he his mobile began ringing in his pocket.
Tosh was downstairs in the Hub about to co-ordinate them and Gwen was currently on the phone to Owen giving him directions to the airfield, so that left only one or two people who would be calling him.
"Hello?" he answered
'Do I need to come back in Jack?' came that smooth welsh accent he loved so much
"Are you having a good time Ianto?" Jack asked ignoring the curious look Gwen was shooting his way, it really was none of her business and she could be super nosey at times.
'Yes, I am. Do you need me to come back in, my PDA's hooked into the mainframe, you're about to go out do you need me back at the hub?'
"No, it's just a routine check out and pick up. If it's anything life changing I'll call you in. Go have fun and say Hi to Arabella for me."
'Of course. If you're sure Jack.'
"I am, you deserve a break every once in a while, god knows you work your ass off round here," Jack said starting the engine and throwing the SUV into gear.
'Alright, keep me up to date anyway?'
"Sure why not. Gotta go, have a good time,"
'I will, be careful Sir,'
"Always," Jack smiled before hanging up the phone and starting off heading towards their destination.
"Was that Ianto? Where is he?" Gwen asked curiously
"He's having a day off. He'll be back tomorrow," Jack replied leaving no room for argument or further questioning so Gwen fell silent beside him listening as Tosh directed Jack through Traffic to their destination.
Ianto put his phone and PDA back into his pockets before turning back to Arabella only to find she wasn't there anymore.
Heading out into the main area he found her standing just outside the shop looking up and down the arcade deciding where they were going next.
"Where to now?" He asked coming up beside her
"Well I need to get a X-mas present for Pete and I need a male opinion on it," She replied biting her lip and looking at Ianto with what he suspected was fake innocence.
"I'm sure I can be of some help, where to then?" Ianto asked
Arabella grinned up at him mischief sparkling in her eyes.
Oh god what have I gotten myself into Ianto thought as she grabbed his hand and began dragging him down
the arcade and straight into a nearby shop.
Jack sunk into his chair in his office while Owen did a physical on their three newest arrivals.
Scooping up the phone he punched in Ianto's number from memory and waited a few rings for the younger man to pick up.
'Everything alright Jack?' was the greeting he got as soon as the phone was answered and Jack couldn't help but smile in amusement, the man was a complete workaholic sometimes.
"Fine Yan, just touching base. A few people from 1953 fell through the rift. Owen's giving them physical now."
'They're going to need new identities then,' Ianto said sighing, he knew how hard these cases could be he'd seen a few of them in his time at Torchwood.
"Yeah I'll get you to do them up in the morning when you get in. We're going to give them the basic run downs today and get them settled in for the night at the Hostel, do more of the hard stuff tomorrow once the reality has sunk in a little more for them." Jack explained
'I'll do them first thing tomorrow' Ianto said and Jack could near the understanding and comfort in his voice even through the phone.
"Thanks Yan," Jack sighed before a loud giggling in the background caught his attention. "Yan where are you?"
'Currently I've been dragged to four different shops helping Arabella find something to surprise Peter with for X-mas,' Ianto replied and Jack could tell he was dodging the question
"What sort of shop Yan?" Jack asked knowing Arabella well enough to have an idea of what she was putting him through, having been there himself at least once or twice.
'I'll talk to you later Sir,' Ianto replied dodging the question
"What's she surprising Pete with for X-mas, Ianto?" Jack pressed
"Lingerie Sir," Ianto replied hanging up before Jack' laughter burst out to echo round his office.