TITLE: Family Matters 4/?
AUTHOR: Erin Giles
RATING: PG (for swearing)
SUMMARY: Ianto asks for a personal day, which in itself is an oddity. Jack's curiosity gets the better of him and before he knows it he finds himself in the middle of Ianto's family. Set from Jack's POV.
PAIRING: Jack/Ianto
DISCLAIMER: Not mine, and never will be sadly.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This part is kind of bitty (and sadly lacking in cartoon watching) but there is ickle Ianto and lots of lovely angst. Also appearences from the rest of Torchwood finally. Also the end is in sight, well I say in sight, I'm about halfway I think.

Jack didn't think about leaving until long after Rhiannon and Finn had gone home. He kept finding excuses to stay, small things like one last cup of coffee, watching the news, washing up the dishes they had used for dinner. It wasn't until Ianto was falling asleep on him as BBC News 24 kicked in after the late night film did Jack realise that he couldn't bring himself to leave.

He sighed as he used the remote to turn the television off, glancing down at Ianto who was resting on Jack's shoulder, mouth slightly open, and worry lines relaxed. Jack hated to wake him, but another night on the sofa was not conducive to proper sleep for either of them.

"Ianto," Jack whispered, bringing up a hand to run it through Ianto's unruly hair. Ianto stirred slightly, turning towards Jack and as a result burying further into his shoulder.

"Ianto, you need to wake up."

Jack watched as Ianto blinked the sleep out of his eyes, rubbing them tiredly. Jack couldn't help the smile that spread on his features. Ianto looked so like Finn had done when he had awoken from his afternoon nap that it made Jack's heart swell.

"What time is it?" Ianto mumbled through a yawn, looking round for a clock.

"Time for bed." Jack said softly, pulling himself up from the sofa.

"Don't go, Jack." The words were said with such desperate need that Jack reached out a hand for Ianto to pull him to his feet and didn't let go until they reached the bedroom. He was almost grateful to Ianto for asking. He didn't want to go back to the hub and lie awake with the thought that Ianto was doing the exact same thing, thinking of the fragility of life.

Jack was surprised to discover that Ianto wore only pyjama bottoms to bed. He had always imagined Ianto in pinstripe pyjamas, buttoned up to the neck. It was the second time today Jack had been taken aback by Ianto's wardrobe choice outside of work. Jack was discovering another side to Ianto Jones, a side that was so much more vulnerable and human than Jack could ever have imagined.

It was nice to lay underneath a duvet for a change, the heavy fabric encasing him as he rolled over to face Ianto. Exhausted eyes blinked back at him, large and sorrowful, begging to be held. Jack obliged without words exchanged and Ianto shifted into Jack's hold. It didn't take long before Ianto's breathing evened out, the week's events finally taking its toll on him, the sorrow and loss now bone deep. Jack could do nothing but hold him.

Jack awoke in the early hours of Friday morning to find himself alone in Ianto's bed. Panic set in for a moment before rationality began to seep in as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Ianto?" He called into the corridor, noting the bathroom door was still open. He found Ianto sat on the sofa downstairs, the television on, sound turned down low. He stood in the door of the living room for a long moment, watching children run around manically on the screen as someone shouted at them in Welsh. He stepped over the pile of videos that stood on the floor beside an almost empty bookcase, sitting himself down beside Ianto on the couch.

"Dad borrowed the video camera from work. We'd just moved into a bigger house, I was five at the time." As if on queue a smaller Ianto with Postman Pat slippers raced across the screen, a Christmas jumper adorning him as one of his sister's chased him with the make up they had obviously got for Christmas.

"Bryn, leave your brother alone." There was a squeal in the background as the camera panned round to the Christmas tree, an armchair beside it where a woman in her mid-thirties was picking up a young Ianto who was now howling.

Jack watched as young Ianto reached a small hand up into his mother's hair, stroking it and immediately relaxing at this familiar gesture. Ianto's mother was most definitely a beautiful woman, long auburn hair and startling blue eyes that seemed to sparkle and smile as she helped a chubby hand wave at the camera.

"Look Yan," Timid blue eyes peered out from his mother's shoulder, "Wave at Da." The warm sound of laughter crackled out from the television as Ianto obeyed his mother, smiling at the camera before bashfully hiding his face in his mother's hair.

"Since when have you been camera shy?"

Ianto hit the pause button on the remote, the image frozen with Ianto peering out from behind his mother's hair, smiling shyly as she looked dotingly upon him. Jack heard Ianto audible swallow and reached out a hand, rubbing his back.

"I can see where you get that gorgeous smile from now." Jack said softly, glancing sideways at Ianto, hoping to be bestowed with one. He wasn't disappointed.

"She was beautiful." Ianto gasped, eyes glistening with unshed tears as he smiled at memories Jack hoped one day to be privy to.

Getting ready for work was a painful process which by the time Ianto was half way ready Jack was likewise ready to suggest he take the day off. He wondered if this was Ianto's routine every morning as he watched the young man dive out the kitchen for the umpteenth time to change his cufflinks. He hoped it wasn't, and daren't ask what was wrong with this particular pair. When Ianto returned though, he was wearing a different shirt and Jack was halfway through his second bit of toast.

"Ianto, sit down and have something to eat." Ianto wasn't paying attention, was busy fiddling with his cufflinks again. Jack got up from his seat, wiping his crumby hands on his trousers before physically taking Ianto by the shoulders and sitting him down, "Sit." He repeated as Ianto gazed up at him as if he was surprised by Jack's presence.

"Why are you so nervous?" Jack questioned as he took one of Ianto's shirt sleeves and proceeded to do up the cufflink for him. He noticed Ianto's initials had been carved into them.

"I don't know, I just," Ianto took in a depth breath, held it a minute before letting it out, "I want her to be proud."

Jack let the shirt go, grasping Ianto's hand in his, kneeling down to Ianto's level.

"She is proud Ianto. From what your sister's told me and from what I've seen of the man before me and how strong he is, she is the proudest mother of all." Jack said softly, brushing a stray tear away that threatened to fall on Ianto's freshly pressed shirt, "You know you don't have to go in today if you don't want to." Jack coaxed as he moved to do up the other cufflink. Ianto seemed to consider this for a long moment, and Jack remained where he was, watching him.

"I want to."

Jack and Ianto were late into work due to Jack wasting a good twenty minutes of his life trying to get Ianto to eat something. The first sign that they were late was Owen and his snide comments already being present in the hub.

"That tea-boy's shirt?" Owen asked, feet up on desk as Jack passed him and went straight into his office, ignoring Owen.

"Anything interesting happen while we were gone?" Jack questioned, coming back into the hub once he'd deposited his coat.

"We picked up a playmate for Janet yesterday on the edge of Splott. We think there might be a nest down there." Gwen said arms folded where she was leaning on Owen's desk, eyeing Jack up. "Anything interesting happen with you?"

Jack glanced at Tosh, but she was conversing quietly with Ianto by the coffee machine, a sad smile on her face.

"Oh, you know; Alien artefacts changing the colours of things, the usual." Jack said casually, heading back into his office.

"Anything we should worry about?" Gwen asked a look of concern on her face.

"No, I don't think so. We had some help clearing it up." Jack sat down at his desk while Owen and Gwen exchanged puzzled looks before they both glanced back at Ianto.

Jack was stood behind Toshiko's chair as she explained a new computer system she had initiated yesterday while Ianto and Jack and been absent from the hub. He wasn't really listening though. His gaze was focused on Ianto stood at the coffee machine, staring with unfocused eyes as it bubbled and boiled. He hadn't even set the mugs out on the tray; two sugars in Tosh's and Owen's, milk for Gwen and Jack's black.

"Jack?" Tosh was gazing up at him through her glasses, a look of concern on her face.

"Sorry Tosh, what were you saying?"

"It's okay; I'll leave the file on your desk." Tosh replied turning back to her screen, but before Jack had a chance to move away she was speaking again, "How is he?"

Jack glanced back up at Ianto, still gazing distractedly at the coffee machine which had finished boiling and was now simmering.

"He's grieving Tosh." Jack said solemnly, looking back down at Tosh, "I don't think he even knows how he is."

"Oi, Ianto." Owen called, startling Ianto, "Sometime today would be nice mate."

"You didn't tell the rest of the team?" Jack questioned Tosh as Ianto re-animated himself, putting sugar into cups.

"It wasn't my place Jack." Tosh replied quietly before turning back to her screen.

Jack called a staff meeting while Ianto was out getting Chinese for lunch. He still wasn't sure how to handle it, but he at least needed to let the team know they were walking on eggshells.

"Look," he started, tone commanding, "I want you all to be more considerate of Ianto." Jack rubbed at the back of his neck, realising he was going to have to follow his statement up with something or they all might jump to conclusions. Owen was first to the conclusion jumping.

"Why? Because he's your part-time shag?"

Jack glared at Owen, and he looked away, Jack catching a glint of fear in his eyes.

"He lost his Mom last weekend. It was the funeral on Wednesday. That's where he's been the past couple of days." Jack was glad to see Owen looking guiltily at the conference table, shuffling from one foot to the other.

"Oh." Was all any of the team had to say on the matter.

Gwen spent the rest of the day looking at Ianto like he was a hurt puppy that she wanted to take home and care for; Owen was less snide towards him to the point it looked like he was avoiding Ianto and Tosh kept offering him cups of tea, much to Ianto's bemusement. Ianto didn't seem to notice the team's differing treatment of him though. It wasn't until Ianto was leaving to go home did Jack realise that there was something else on his mind though.

Ianto appeared in Jack's office, coat already on.

"Sir, are you busy this Sunday?" Ianto questioned, shuffling towards the door as he said it, like he was suddenly having second thoughts.

"Do you want me to come to Sunday lunch with you and you're family?" Jack asked, cottoning on quickly. Ianto nodded slightly, eyes still trained on the floor as he let out a sigh of relief that Jack had been the one to ask him. He didn't think he could ask anymore of Jack.

"Would you like a lift home as well?" Jack asked. When Ianto looked up to reply, Jack was already gathering the SUV keys from his desk and his coat from the rack, "We'll get you some groceries on the way back as well."

Ianto let his hand slip into Jack's outstretched one, fresh tears in his eyes.

"Thank you." He blubbered.