Kate_Andromeda: Wasn't too dramatic I hope. I was trying to make the whole relationship important to Jack; he's given himself to Ianto in a way he's never done with anyone else and he feels betrayed. Hope that makes sense :/
Silenceaftersilence: Yes, yes I'm going to fix it. This chapter was just a joy to write even though I had to re-write the end bit a little bit to make it fit. I've been thinking about what happens here in this part for a while now... I think after they make up it's going to skip forward a few months.
lainsmyfriend: Thank you and I'm sorry *hugs*
DoctorWhoXTorchwood: Sorry for taking so long, real life got in the way. Hope this chapter makes it better!
socalrose: Glad you liked it, thank you *blushes*
Nia_Jones: OC in what way? Is it because it's AU? I think it just has to be that way, I imagine it's the only way to have Jack as sexually confident as Torchwood Jack in an AU fic.
XxTypoMasterxX: Of course; Jack, Gwen and Owen have become a family of sorts since (apart from Gwen) they've not had the best family lives. Gray and Adam are going to be appearing more in the chapters after this.
Cherry-Anne Sponge: Yes, she is. Very sneaky. *Cough cough*
deemama66: Again, glad you liked the hog. There will be more appearances and the motorbike (Maggie) will become sort of a character in this. Rhiannon isn't going to dump Johnny even though I've made him a bit of an arse in this. Keep watching this space for more goodness!
hotflower901: Not even a little bit? Is it coz of the baby?
Jessie Blackwood: Indeed...
DANFLAN: Tosh will become better in this, I normally like Tosh and not Gwen. I've gone wacky with all that!
jantochryed: This pleases me! It's good to be happy...
katwinchester: Rhi is more than okay with it. She'll save the day! I like Rhiannon a lot for some reason, the person they got to play her really does look like a 'Jones'.
TeamBarrowman: He won't... not on the rebound at least. I'm dabbling with some ideas regarding Tosh and Owen and whatever happens happens.
SpecialFaiths: Me too. I'd like to hug Ianto and Tosh... maybe a group hug... hm...
Authors/Note: Hello, hello! Firstly need to say that real life got in the way with updates, I'm slightly hung over from an awesome party I went to last night (a friend's birthday and I got chatted up by a very nice lady friend) and I'm sorry for taken so long with all this. I'm writing out the next part of EaE and I'm going to try and get that out today. I've got a few things on the backburner that I'm going to try and get out in the next few days. Anyone read Shoes? Remember Jenny? She'll be making an appearance in another oneshot soon enough and yes it will be that kind of oneshot! :] There is also a few other things I'm working on and again it'll all come out this week. I've been working on a XOver between Torchwood and Roswell... yes it can work if you get the right angle... Now, back to the Little Things! Want to thank everyone who left feedback, there was a lot of you! Don't think there's been this many ever! I did have de ja vu replying to your feedback so if I have answered it already then just ignore it. Please be aware that I am slightly hungover from bar hopping and my coherency is about as good as you'll get right now. Rhiannon saves the day! Rhiannon meets Jack and looks after Ianto... as always just read, review and enjoy!
Chapter Fifteen
It didn't take him long to get home but when he did he was exhausted, the cuts on his elbows weren't very deep but the blood had pooled through his shirt staining it. Ianto dropped his keys on the table as he passed, toed his shoes off and padded to his bedroom. He climbed into bed, wrapping the blanket around his body like a shroud and cried himself to sleep.
When Ianto woke up the next morning the time was crawling up to eleven and there was blood and dirt on his sheets. Looking at the stains on his normally white sheets he just couldn't care they were ruined and needed to be washed, he just couldn't care at all. The evening had had so much promise and it seemed to go wrong so quickly; he didn't know what to do to make this right. He staggered out of bed into the living room to pick up his phone; she answered on the fourth ring
"Hello?"
"Rhi?" his legs gave out, he crumpled onto the couch as the tears returned
"Ianto? What's wrong? What happened?"
"Can you come over? I need you" Ianto told her, and he did. He needed his big sister "I really need you to come over"
"I'll be there as soon as I can" she replied before the dial tone sounded. Ianto disconnected the call and stayed on the couch, crying, and waiting for Rhiannon.
She lived up to her word and forty five minutes later he heard the key sliding into the lock, she let herself in and spotted her little brother sitting forlornly on the couch. She shut the door behind her and stuffed her keys back into her pocket before crossing the room to sit down next to him
"Rhiannon" his mouth turned downward and his face scrunched up once more as he felt into her arms. His body shook with heaving sobs as he cried
"It's okay, Ianto, it's okay. I'm here" she told him quietly as he stroked his back "It's okay"
"No, no it's not" stated Ianto as he pulled back. Rhiannon looked him over then noticed the blood stains
"What happened? Did someone hurt you? Were you jumped? Coz, if you were then I'll call Johnny and we'll teach the bastards a lesson!"
"No. I wasn't jumped" he shook his head
"Then what happened, love?" she stroked his knee trying to calm him down enough to tell her
"I screwed up. I had something really good and I screwed it up" she gestured for him to lay down. He rested his head in her lap as she stroked his hair "I was really happy"
"Ianto, I need to clean up your elbows and then we'll get you into some clean clothes" Rhiannon said as she began to unbutton his shirt; he could tell her everything afterwards.
He sat quietly as she cleaned the blood and tiny bits of gravel from his arms. The cuts weren't all that deep but there was a fair bit of gravel and dirt in them, once they were clean she carefully pressed dressings over them. When she was done she expected him to go get changed but he just sat there unmoving staring into space; it was like when their mam was in Providence Park "Ianto?"
"Jack wasn't short for Jacqueline and she isn't my girlfriend. Jack is my boyfriend... was my boyfriend and I loved him" he told her, their eyes met "I was in love with him and he was in love with me and I destroyed him. I took everything he gave me and turned it to shit"
"Oh Ianto" she sighed, leaning back "You tried to tell me about him before didn't you? When we met for coffee; you were so happy when you said about Jack and when I asked if it was short for Jacqueline you looked hurt but relieved. That's my fault... heh, I just never expected you to tell me that you were in love with a man"
"Am I bad?" he asked quietly, avoiding her eyes "Is it bad? Y-you don't hate me do you?"
"No, no, Ianto of course I don't hate you and no it isn't bad. If Jack makes you happy then I don't care if he's a man"
"But I've ruined it Rhi, I don't know what to do to fix this" he continued, desperately reaching out for her hands
"Well, tell me what happened. What did you do that was so bad?" she urged him to tell her
"Jack let me... well we... I... and him we... he let me y'know" stammered Ianto nervously, rather embarrassed about telling his sister what he had done with Jack. Rhiannon nodded her head in understanding and he continued "Afterwards when we went back up to his bedroom, he was asking about my family. Said he wanted to know more about me... he asked what you thought about him being my boyfriend. I didn't want to say anything because you didn't really know"
"So what did you tell him?"
"I told him the truth, I didn't mean to, I told him that I told you that he was my girlfriend" he sniffed hard shame returning once more "He got so angry, so upset with me... and he had every right to be! He lets someone like me make love to him, the first time he truly loved someone and finds out I've done this"
"You weren't to blame, Ianto, you must have been scared people would find out. There's your job to think of... surely he must understand what it's like to be in the closet?" she pointed out trying to reason with him. Ianto shook his head, roughly wiping the tears away
"No that wasn't it. I was okay being called his boyfriend, I was okay holding his hand and letting people know but I was ashamed of him, so ashamed that I couldn't tell you or mam"
"We would have understood, we're not backwards" she told him "You didn't have to be ashamed of him"
"Yes I did because it's wrong! I should not feel what I do for him! It's wrong and I shouldn't! I shouldn't... I can't!"
"Why not? There's nothing wrong with it!" she hissed grabbing his waving arms to calm him down "I don't mind if you're gay. It's not going to change you being my little brother... I know why this bothers you so much. It's because you have the chance to be happy; you've always done that in the past! You believe that you'll never be happy and push away the things that will make you happy; it's something you learnt off mam. You did it with your business studies at Uni and you're doing it now"
"I am not"
"You are and you need to get over it. You need to talk to Jack... you need to talk with him and explain to him why you did what you did"
"He doesn't want to speak to me, doesn't want to see me ever again and I think it's what I deserve" he stated finally before standing up to wander to his bedroom. His clothes were itching him and he wanted to get changed and clean the mess he'd made of his bedsheets.
Rhiannon sighed, her head turning as she thought about making some tea and lunch for them when her eyes landed on the coffee table. An idea popped into her head and she couldn't help but smile as it developed into a good plan. She stood up and went to make lunch, all she needed was to get Ianto to sleep for a bit so he wouldn't notice her not there.
She put the kettle on and heard Ianto pottering around in the bedroom, after ten minutes she noticed that the tea was starting to cool and he still hadn't come out of his room. Rhiannon went to investigate
"Ianto, cariad? You okay?" she called as she gently pushed open his door. The dirty sheets were on the floor and he was wrapped up in clean sheets sobbing to himself "Oh, Ianto"
"I-I-I miss him so much" he sniffled. She crossed the room, climbed onto the bed and pulled him into a hug "I love him, Rhiannon, I really love Jack and I don't know what to do. I don't know how to make this better"
She rocked her little brother in her arms until he cried himself silent, his steady even breathing tricked her into thinking that she was asleep. She lifted up but his arms tightened around her
"I thought you were asleep" she whispered
"Nearly..." he replied, his voice thick with sleep "Tell me one of mam's stories, tell me a bedtime story"
"Well... long ago, in a time that wasn't like this" she began her favourite story their mam used to tell. When they were little and their mam had just gone to Providence Park, Ianto thought the stories would stop but Rhiannon was there and she told them then. He knew that she told those stories to Micah and David.
Once Ianto was fast asleep, she climbed off the bed to gather up the sheets and put them in the wash then she put her plan into action. She got changed before rooting for Ianto's address book, it didn't take long for her to find it; he was still as organised as ever! She had Jack's address and everything she needed to make this right apart from the keys that had inspired this whole mad idea. Rhiannon grabbed the keys and left quietly, hoping she would be back before Ianto woke up.
Jack woke up crying, his back ached and he realised he'd fallen asleep on the floor against the front door. His back complained and protested as he pulled himself up and trudged to the kitchen to make coffee... really strong coffee. When Jack opened the fridge for the milk he spotted the box of tiramisu from the date... he slammed the door shut before sinking down burying his head in his hands. He missed Ianto, he'd missed cuddling up with him and he wished he hadn't been so fucking stupid to actually trust the Welshman!
"God, I still love him" he said, feeling angry with himself. Jack drank his coffee black without milk and vowed that there would never again be milk or tiramisu.
He was halfway through the strong coffee when he heard a familiar noise, it stopped then a moment later the doorbell rang. Jack slammed his mug down and went to answer the door, sure enough Ianto Jones was stood there dressed in full leather bike gear including helmet. His beloved motorbike sat on the curb just outside Jack's walled off garden "You didn't even bring me flowers! What a shit apology this is starting out to be" he snapped.
Ianto pointed into the house and took a step forward but Jack shook his head and held out his arm stopping him from going in "No, you don't get off that easily. You're not coming into my house until you stop lying to yourself... and me... and tell your family that we're together"
Ignored Ianto took another step closer, gesturing again to go inside but Jack shook his head. Ianto clasped his hands together almost begging but Jack wasn't giving in "No, Ianto, I love you. I do but I won't be treated like this! I get that it's scary being in the closet and I was being supportive because of your job but your family aren't going to reject you. I might if you don't tell them about me, all I want to know is that I matter to you and if... forget it. I'm wasting my breathe aren't I? Heh!" Jack rolled his eyes upward feeling them shine with heavy tears "There's been hundreds of people who I've been involved with but I never loved any of them, the first time I actually fall in love with someone he turns out not only to be straight but a completely cruel bastard! I love you, Ianto Jones, I always will but I can't be with you if you deny me and tell your family that I'm your girlfriend and what is with that stupid helmet?" he hissed noticing that Ianto hadn't taken off the helmet or popped up the visor.
Ianto reached up with leather covered hands and slowly lifted the helmet off. Dark brown hair spilled down from under it revealling a curvy face with big blue eyes and a nose similar to Ianto's
"Hello" said the woman definitely not Ianto
"What?"
"I'm Ianto's sister, Rhiannon" she announced and suddenly it all fell into place. Jack couldn't help the slow smile that formed
"H-He told you? About me?"
"I think we better talk inside" replied Rhiannon, he nodded and she followed him in. Once the door was shut and Jack had led her to the living room, gesturing for her to sit she socked him hard in the face
"Ow!" snarled Jack nursing his now split lip from her impressive right hook "What was that for?"
"That was for throwing him out, he split both his elbows open and there was blood everywhere. No one hurts my little brother and gets away with it! Even if they are his lover"
"Hm, I don't like being punched in the face but I can see where you're coming from. I have a kid brother too and I would have probably done the same in your position"
"Good" she said then unzipped her (Ianto's) leather jacket and sat down on the couch "Now, all I want to know is do you love my brother?"
"Yes, there's no question there" he told her as he pulled himself up off the floor and into his overstuffed armchair "I can't believe he told you"
"You doubted that he would? He cried himself to sleep sobbing how much he loved you and how sorry he was that he'd ruined things... poor love was beside himself because he didn't know what to do to fix it. That's why I'm here... all this is my fault. Ianto tried to tell me about you but I just assumed that you were a girl and it went on from there. I'm sorry that it was like this"
"He wants to fix it?" he asked quietly, she nodded "I'll call him and maybe we could do something all together? I want to be apart of Ianto's life and his family means so much to him... you and his work and since I can't really be apart of his working life, apart from watching the games"
"Talk to him"
"I can't..." Jack shook his head "I really hurt him didn't I? I shouldn't have lost my temper..."
"What's done is done, there's no point dwelling on it. All you can... should be doing now is making it up to my brother"
"How?" gasped Jack. Rhiannon just grinned
"Leave it to me. You just be here tomorrow and bring flowers" she wrote her address down on a piece of paper then stood up "I better get back. Ianto's very moody about Maggie, he'll flip his lid when he finds out I took her"
"Maggie?"
"The bike. Yeah, I know it's daft to give a name to an inanimate object but Maggie's got sentimental value to the both of us. Tad and Ianto worked on it for years, I helped with the paint job... it was just scrap when tad got it. I know Ianto sees it as a link to tad, he really misses him"
"You be careful going back"
"Oh I will be" she pulled the helmet on and Jack couldn't help but smile. It really did look like it was Ianto under there, he wasn't surprised that he'd been easily tricked.
After she was gone Jack returned to the living room, sitting in his favourite chair staring at the little piece of paper there. How many chances was he going to have to settle down? You're not exactly getting any younger, his mind pointed out much to his annoyance. Jack really did care for Ianto, more so than he was really wanting to admit at that moment; he was scared that this was it. Scared because if this was it then he could have let it all go... Ianto had lied but Jack could have talked to him instead of throw him out in the middle of the night. He was just as much to blame for last night as Ianto was. Yeah, it's my fault but I can try and make it right, he thought finally before he grabbed his wallet and keys and left to buy flowers.
Ianto woke up in the guest bedroom at Rhiannon's and scowled at the window, it wasn't sunny, it was raining and fat, heavy raindrops hammered at the pane. He got up, he thought about getting dressed but decided against it, just pulled a shirt on to cover his chest and padded downstairs.
Micah and David were sitting on the couch watching children's TV and the curtains in the kitchen were still closed
"Where's your mam?"
"Still in bed. They don't get up until ten on Sundays" said David not tearing his eyes from the TV. Micah, however, was excited that her famous uncle Ianto was here to play! She climbed down from the couch hurrying over to the kitchen table carrying the doll her mam had gotten her with the money Uncle Ianto had given her and sat down opposite him
"Uncle Ianto, will you play house with me and Brandi?" she asked waving the doll; Micah instantly felt like she'd said the wrong thing when his eyes teared up and he looked away
"Uncle Ianto isn't very good at playing house, Micah" replied Ianto quietly
"Is this coz of Uncle Jack?" she asked, her voice low as she cuddled the doll to her chest tucking it under her chin. David's head snapped round when he heard what his sister said
"Micah! You're not supposed to tell!" he shouted jumping off the couch to rush into the kitchen
"Tell? Tell what? How do you know about Jack?" Ianto inquired, his nerves filling his stomach with butterflies
"I was awake that morning when he was over" explained David "His stuff was still there, I didn't know where he slept so I went to ask you and he was in bed with you"
"D-Does your mam know?" Ianto held his breathe waiting for the answer. David glanced at his little sister who opened her mouth ready to spill everything but he jumped in before she even uttered a word
"No, she doesn't. I only told Micah, I didn't know what mam would do. I didn't want her to be angry"
"Good, thank god" Ianto ran his hands over his face, Rhiannon would kill him if she knew that David had seen them in bed. Yes, nothing was happening at the time but still... David was a kid, a young and impressionable kid who was certainly not ready to know about stuff like that!
Johnny lumbered down the stairs effectively ending any conversations about playing house or Uncle Jack. David went back to the TV, keeping a watchful eye on his sister in case she said something she shouldn't.
Micah sat there moving from side to side still clutching the doll, she really liked her uncle Ianto. He was cool and she wanted to spend time with him... no one in school had an uncle as cool as him!
"Morning" grunted Johnny. Ianto grunted back in response then spotted that Micah was still staring at him, with a slowly spread grin he gathered her up and pulled her onto his knee to tickle her. The little girl giggled happily until she called for him to stop.
Rhi came into the kitchen dressed in her dressing gown, rolled her eyes at her little brother tickling her daughter then pushed Johnny aside to open the curtains
"I'm doing a roast today" she announced like it was an every day occurrence
"You are?" gasped Ianto looking up, Micah snuggled into his shoulder and her little nimble fingers inched down Ianto's sides in anticipation of retaliation "Why?"
"Because I was going to last time you came round but you didn't stay. So I'm doing it now... we always do it on family get togethers"
"But, Rhi, I come here every Sunday. Why are you going to all this trouble for me? You're... you're not trying to make me feel better about my break up are you?"
"No. I'm not... I don't think I'm the right person to make you feel better about that... anyway why shouldn't I do a roast? I feel like today's special... we're all here together, that's cause enough, right?"
"Yeah, yeah. You're right..."
"Of course I am. Now go get yourself a shower, you stink" Rhiannon told him, Ianto rolled his eyes but did as his big sister said.
"Mam, Micah nearly told" David told his mother when Ianto was out of the room
"I did not!" the little girl shouted in retaliation
"Did too!"
"Enough!" cried Rhiannon ending the argument before it started "Does Ianto know that Jack's coming?"
"Nope! I saved the day!" grinned David
"Good, now not another word until Uncle Jack gets here"
"I thought you only had one brother?" Johnny mumbled, wondering to himself why this other brother hadn't been at their wedding. Rhiannon rolled her eyes before turning back to get the vegetables out for dinner.
Several hours later, Ianto was setting the places at the small table in the kitchen. Micah was handing him the cutlery while David and Johnny sat watching the TV
"It smells really good, Rhi" said Ianto after he sniffed the air. The smell of the roast reminded him of when he was younger and he suddenly felt really lucky that he had a sister who would do this to make him feel better
"Does, doesn't it?" she grinned as she lifted the pan out of the oven. The doorbell rang just as she was struggling to put it on the top of the cooker "I'll get it!" she shouted, Ianto gave her a funny look as Johnny got up to answer the door. Micah hurried over to David and the pair of them began whispering to each other "Johnny! Let me get the door!"
"Rhiannon! Careful! You're going to burn yourself!" Ianto said as she grabbed another towel and helped her get the heavy pan on the top of the cooker. As soon as it was perched on she left Ianto to it and rushed out of the room after her husband.
Jack was stood at the door holding a bouquet of red roses and dressed like he was going to the Oscars
"Ah, I do have the right place. I was worried for a moment..." mumbled Jack as he glanced warily at Johnny
"Yes! Yes! Come in!"
"Rhiannon, what's going on? That's that guy you were googling the other day! What is he doing here?" hissed Johnny. Rhiannon stared for a moment before shaking her head
"He's not here for me if that's what you think. I'd never cheat on you" she reassured him before turning to Jack stood just inside the door "He's in there. Good luck!"
Jack wandered down the hall and through the door that Rhiannon had pointed out and he saw Ianto standing in the kitchen hovering over a really great smelling leg of roast lamb
"Ianto" he whispered almost reverently, Ianto stiffened before he turned round to see Jack standing there wearing the same outfit he'd worn for the publishers party a few weeks ago
"Jack" gasped Ianto, feeling his eyes prick with tears. He took a step forward before he remembered himself "I..."
"I know" Jack stated cutting him off "It's my fault too, I shouldn't have gotten so angry... I shouldn't have thrown you out. You got hurt"
"It was nothing" Ianto shook it off "Nothing compared to what I did... Jack, I'm sorry..."
"I forgive you if you forgive me"
"There's nothing for me to forgive" Ianto announced as tears streamed down his face. Jack held out his arms for his lover
"Come here" Ianto didn't need to be asked twice and he crossed the room letting Jack pulling him close
"I'm sorry! So, so sorry" sobbed Ianto as Jack rubbed his back with his free hand
"I know, it's okay, it's done now" Jack stated before pulling back their eyes met and he couldn't help but lean forward. The kiss was slow like they were learning each other all over agan "I've missed you"
Ianto kissed Jack again, this time more passionately; their tongues dancing hungrily, both moaning in each other's mouths
"Alright, alright! Knock it off, you've safely made up now, so stop! There's children present" Rhiannon swatted at them with her tea towel. They broke apart both of them blushing furiously, their lips bruising slightly.
TBC...