A Torchwood Christmas Carol
a Torchwood story
by RoadrunnerGER
Disclaimer: The usual, the BBC owns them, unless they are willing to give them as Christmas present to us. A Christmas Carol is written by the adored Charles Dickens. This is to honour both of them and the actors playing our favourite characters so well.
A/N: Thank you for your nice comments. Oh, dear, this is long. Could have been two chapters. LOL I like long chapters, though, you can really get into them. Hope you'll like it, too. Special thanks to my beta reader JantoFan. Happy Third Advent everyone. Enjoy!
The Second Of The Three Spirits
"Now, now… Who's screaming like that just because he's locked up in a cell? Wouldn't have fazed you back in our old days."
From the left side a man in his late thirties stepped out of the shadows in the tunnel and in front of Jack's cell. A smug smile played around the lips in his lean face. His dark brown hair was cut in short waves and mischievousness glistened in his brown eyes as he looked Jack over from head to toe.
Where Jack's usual greatcoat, dark pants with braces, and shirt were rather unremarkable this stranger's clothes drew attention at once. His brown leather boots reached up to just below his knees and he wore dark grey trousers. Weapon belts were strapped around his waist over pants and his sandy coloured t-shirt. But the most remarkable was his red uniform jacket with blue collar and cuffs and numerous white braids on the front. He wore it open what gave him a peculiar wild appearance.
"What the…?" Not for the first time that night Jack was rendered speechless.
"So you kept your Earth's alias you used for your escapades? I've chosen a new one, Captain John Hart."
"What do you want here and now?" Jack growled, getting up from the floor.
John tutted. "Captain Jack Harkness. Captain. Captain of what?"
"Hey, I worked my way up through the ranks."
"I bet the ranks were very grateful!" John laughed. "Man, I have a déjà vu!"
"What do you want?"
"I'm here for you, lover boy," John smirked. "Friend of yours asked me."
"You're never doing anything just for a favour." Jack scowled. Actually he did not take one of John's words at face value.
"Ah, well… this friend of yours got me out of a tricky situation. Now the bad thing is, I owe him."
Jack had an idea who that friend would be.
"Lean guy in a pinstriped suit?" he asked.
"Yeah." John shifted his position to an extremely complacent stance. "Introduced himself as the Doctor."
"I suspected that much." Distracted by John's sudden appearance Jack did not think of Gray anymore and his grief changed quickly to annoyance. "How are you? Last time I saw you, you were sent to rehab."
"Sorry, Jack, won't tell you."
Jack frowned. "Why not? Since when are you so secretive?"
"Don't want to tell everything twice."
"You're from my future?" Jack suspected. "We'll meet again?"
"Can't tell you."
"I hate it when the Doctor's doing that. Now what are you here for? Are you gonna get me out of this cell?"
Abandoning his posture John made two steps back, staring at Jack in his prison as if he saw it for the first time.
"What? You can't get out of there?" he laughed, slapping his thigh. His manic grin annoyed Jack even more. "I have no idea if I can get you out. Let me try."
With long strides he came back to the glass wall and reached for the lock on the cell's door. It snapped open and John stepped back, making a mock bow and gesturing Jack to come out. Still scowling at him indignantly Jack marched out of his prison. Without warning his fist flew into John's face, making him stumble backwards.
"Hey! Is that a way to greet an old friend… and lover?"
"As I can't get hold of him…" Once more Jack hit John hard in the face. "you're a convenient…" The third punch threw John to the floor. "target."
"You know, Jack," John murmured as he scrambled back up to his feet, rubbing his hurting chin. "That's not funny."
"It's not supposed to…"
Jack couldn't get further because John grabbed his head and pressed his mouth shut with a crushing kiss. Just for a second Jack froze under the assault before his instinct took over and he returned the kiss. His hands found John's body and he held him tight while he gave in to his urging and granted his tongue access to his mouth.
For another moment Jack got lost in the intense kiss before John's shuddering moan brought him back to his senses. Violently he pushed John back.
"And here I thought you enjoyed it," John pouted.
"What do you want from me?" Jack panted, his voice full of anger. Anger about his own reaction rather than about what John did to him.
"I'm here to help you," John purred. "Nothing more, nothing less. C'mon, Jack. You did enjoy it, didn't you? You always did."
"I don't have time for that!"
Brusquely Jack turned on his heels and marched out of the tunnel, out of the vaults and back to the main Hub. Unfortunately John was not that easy to be shaken off.
"Wow! Looks great! Like an oversized sewer. Chic! So, from out of here you're saving the world?"
Jack spun around and stopped John with his palms against his chest. "John! It's enough. Leave me alone."
"Oh, c'mon, Jack. Let's have some fun. I'll show you why I'm here real quick and whoosh," he snapped with his fingers, "you're getting rid of me again." Giving him a lopsided smirk he waited for Jack's reaction.
That reaction consisted of a deep scowl.
"That's the only way to get rid of you?"
"Yep."
"Actually I don't have time to go with you. I have to keep an eye on…"
"On the rift?" John mused, chuckling. "You won't miss a second, Jack. You as former time agent should know that," he added, holding up his arm with the wrist strap.
If possible Jack's scowl even deepened.
"C'mon, Jack. You're just making it harder on yourself."
"Okay," the captain finally conceded. "I'll play A Christmas Carol with you and you'll leave me alone. Deal?"
"Deal!" John shouted triumphantly and reached for Jack again. "C'mon, a kiss to seal it."
Only reluctantly Jack gave in to that kiss. He could sense John's fire in it and wondered if this was really such a great idea.
"Okay, Jack," John panted when he let go of him. "Take hold of me."
"I'm already holding you, John," Jack grumbled.
"Oh, Jack. I don't mean my waist." Suggestively he shrugged his eyebrows.
"Oh, no!"
"Oh, yes, Jack. I mean little John. C'mon."
"You're not serious."
"Oh, yes, I am."
Jack really would have liked to punch that smirk out of John's face.
"Okay," he growled. "Your wish is my command." And with that he grabbed him hard.
"Jack, no. That way you have more fabric in your hand than me," John scolded and peeled Jack's hand off himself just to push it down his trousers. "Now that's better."
Before Jack could contradict him John had pulled him in for another kiss and just as their lips met the world started to spin around them.
xXx
When John let go of him again they still stood on the same spot. Jack was about to lose it and hit John again when he heard voices, familiar voices. His gaze drifted up to the boardroom that was broadly lit and he realized that they were at another time.
"Go ahead," John suggested. "They can't see or hear us."
Knowing that he would not have a choice anyway Jack did as he was told and went up the spiral staircase. On the catwalk he found John, watching through the boardroom's glass walls.
"Nice trick," Jack said.
"Doing my best to entertain you," John smirked. "You have some pretty little friends. I'd like to get to know them closer."
"Sorry, John," Jack remarked wryly. "They can't see or hear us."
"Yeah, what a bummer." He whistled appreciatively. "Nice little asses."
Ignoring his former partner Jack went into the boardroom.
"Really, Gwen!" Owen just grumbled. "Why didn't you bring milk with the cookies, huh? Now that would be truly Christmassy."
"Probably," Gwen said. "But I know that we all prefer Ianto's coffee."
"Right. A drug we can't live without," Owen agreed. "Talking about it. Where's the fresh cup you promised, teaboy?"
"In the thermos right in front of you, Owen," Ianto said. Nobody paid attention to his scowl except Jack who could not intervene because they could not see him.
"You shouldn't always pick on him, Owen," Toshiko admonished the medic. "Especially not today. It's Christmas Eve. Be a little more generous."
"Who wants a mince pie?" Gwen cheered and produced a plate with numerous small pies, each covered with a lid in shape of a star and topped with a cherry.
"Thanks, Gwen," Toshiko said sweetly and took one pie. She tasted carefully. "It's good," she then exclaimed, sounding surprised. "Really, Gwen, it's good."
"Oh, really?" Owen grumbled and stuffed one into his mouth. "Mm, ph'n-mph-tastic," he mumbled around the pastry.
Beaming at her co-worker Gwen turned to Ianto who smiled a little and accepted one pie from her, tasting it. Chewing slowly he nodded and his reluctant smile widened just a little. Happily Gwen's grin grew with pride.
"I'll tell Rhys," she said. "He made them."
"Who's Rhys again?" John wanted to know.
"Gwen's boyfriend," Jack replied.
"Is he blond? I miss a blonde here."
"No, he's not blond… and he's Gwen's boyfriend," Jack grumbled, giving his former partner a threatening stare.
"Oh, Gwen, your boyfriend made them? That's pathetic," Owen snorted.
"I think it's sweet," Tosh defended her. "I'd like it if my boyfriend knew how to bake."
"Bummer," John pouted, sneaking up behind Gwen and reaching around her to take her breasts in his hands… what did not work as his hands slid right through her. "Dammit! I thought maybe she and Rhys and I…"
"No," Jack cut him short. "Don't even think of that."
"As if anything would stop you from thinking," John smirked, batting his eyes at Jack and blowing him a kiss.
"Oh, Tosh, you'd like to have a boyfriend," Owen teased. "You still hadn't had a snog since…?"
"Owen!" Gwen shouted admonishingly. "That's mean! It's not Tosh's fault that she hasn't met Mr. Right yet."
"And you have, haven't you?" Owen growled. "You'd jump into bed with Captain Jack the first possibility you'd get."
Jack watched the scene with growing confusion, surprised by the venom in Owen's words.
"Just like you would with Gwen?" Tosh smirked.
"You're just jealous because you have no one to snog with," Owen said.
"You're an insensitive ass, Owen Harper!" Gwen spat.
And that's how they wanted to celebrate Christmas. Jack watched with trepidation. He had thought that they finally became a team, and now it looked as if all his efforts had been in vain.
His gaze fell on Ianto who also just watched the exchange. None of his usual sarcastic quips came over his lips. He just stood back and let them fight.
Jack raised his hand and let his fingertips lovingly trail over Ianto's jaw line. How he wished he could actually touch him.
"I see, it's this one." John said thoughtfully. "I can understand that, Jack. He's a real eye candy."
"He's so much more than that," Jack murmured, letting his hand linger on Ianto's cheek. He looked so… apathetic. Jack hated it. Why didn't I notice before?
Suddenly the look vanished and just a second later Jack realized that Gwen turned her attention back on Ianto.
You're hiding, Jack thought. You're better at it than I am, I suppose.
"So what's that telling us?" Owen snarled. "That everyone's sleeping with someone but not with the one he should be sleeping with?"
"What?" Toshiko could not believe it. Owen really was an ass.
"Isn't that true, Tosh?" Owen smirked. "You're sleeping with an alien, Gwen's sleeping with me and would share the bed with Jack if she had the opportunity, and, oh well, maybe our teaboy," he gestured at Ianto, "would mind sharing his lover with our PC Cooper. Though I doubt that our captain's really as hot in bed as he likes everyone to believe."
"What did he just say?" Jack gasped, amused. "I probably should pay Dr. Harper a visit and prove that he's wrong! I'd screw him senseless!"
"May I join in?" John asked hopefully. "You could bring Eye Candy, too."
"John!"
"What? Don't tell me you adapted their prude attitude towards sex!" Licking his lips John went over to Toshiko, threading his fingers through her hair, and head as he could not really touch her, and pushed his tongue into her ear.
"You know, Owen, that is something you should find out by yourself, just like you can only tell if you like lavabread by tasting it."
Owen made a face of disgust at him.
"You could have a taste right now," Ianto pushed, backing Owen against the wall. Right above him hung a mistletoe. "I love Christmas traditions."
"Ianto?" Jack panted, incredulously.
"What does he mean?" John demanded to know, leaning towards the men curiously.
"It's a tradition that two people who meet under a mistletoe have to kiss," Jack murmured, watching with fascination.
"Ianto?" Owen gasped, his eyes widening with horror as the young Welshman leaned in and pressed his mouth on the medic's lips.
"Whoa!" shouted Gwen and Toshiko.
Owen struggled, trying in vain to push Ianto off him, but he could not move him. Then Ianto let go of him.
"Nice attempt at a party, Gwen," Ianto said. "But I can't stay. Sorry, Tosh. Have a nice party with your friends. See you tomorrow."
Jack saw him go, leaving a pouting Gwen, a chuckling Toshiko and a thoroughly befuddled Owen behind.
"Oh, I love that tradition!" John cheered, grabbing Jack and pushing him against the wall where Owen had been and where he could not escape his kiss.
"No. Let's stay just a little longer."
"Nope, and I'm not sorry. You said you wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible." Suddenly his smirk lit up again. "Take hold of Little John… and don't let go."
"Very funny," Jack grumbled before John pulled him in for another kiss.
xXx
"Can you tell me why you're doing it that way?" Jack panted as they left the vortex. "I mean, you have a full working vortex manipulator."
"Doesn't work for this job," John replied, beaming at him. "Besides, I wanted to get something out of it, too. Just a little…"
"No," Jack told him distinctly. "Nothing more than that."
"You know, Jack," John pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're no fun anymore."
"Where are we?"
"What does it look like?"
Yeah, what did it look like? They stood in a big room with bare walls and linoleum floor. Jack saw chairs and tables on one side, and camp beds on the other. People everywhere. A few children among them. In the open space between the rows of beds and the rows of tables stood a big Christmas tree, decorated with silver ornaments and countless electric candles.
"Looks like a doss house," the captain said.
"Well, then it must be a doss house," John agreed. "C'mon!" John strode down the hall, not caring where he went and passing through several people on his way. "Where is he?" he muttered to himself. "Must be… ah, here!"
Walking a good way back he grabbed Jack's arm and pulled the captain over to the room where he had spotted whom he had searched for.
"Owen!" Jack gasped as he saw the young medic. "What are you doing here?"
"Already forgotten, Jack?" John reprimanded him. "They can't hear you."
"Owen?"
Together with his own query Jack heard a female voice call out for his medic. Its owner, a young brunette in an angel's costume, came in and squatted beside Owen where he knelt beside a camp bed. On it lay a little boy, about ten years old Jack estimated. He looked like he was sleeping, but something was not quite right.
"I should've saved him," Owen mumbled to himself rather than to the woman. "I should've saved him. I should've…"
"Owen, stop it," she said sternly. "There was nothing you could do. We're not at a hospital here. You could not save him."
"I should've saved him," was all Owen could say.
"John! What's wrong with that boy?" Jack demanded to know.
"Do I look like a doctor?"
Pretending to use a stethoscope John hovered over the boy on the stretcher and moved his hand over his chest as if he would listen to his body functions.
"No heartbeat," he said sadly. "He's dead."
Jack scowled at him deeply, but John just shrugged it off.
"All I can tell is that he's dead, Jack. For details ask your doctor." His face lit up. "Talking of which… He looks good enough to eat!"
"For you, John, every sentient piece of flesh looks good enough to eat."
John grinned at him sheepishly. "Can't help my genes."
"Owen, his parents said that they were at the hospital with him. If he was not diagnosed correctly there it's not your fault." Placing an arm around his shoulders the angel gently hugged the doctor a little. "You can't save the world all by yourself. We're glad that you're here at all to help with the Christmas table. The people we're helping wouldn't have a feast at all if they couldn't come here. You were not here as a doctor. They can be glad that you were here at all. You did everything you could, Owen. Accept that it was not your fault."
"Wish I wouldn't have come," Owen snarled.
"I'm glad you did, Owen!" Jack murmured to himself. "I'm proud of you."
"Owen Harper! You don't really mean that!" she raised her voice. "You couldn't save this boy! Okay! Get over it!"
"History's repeating itself!" he growled, thinking of Darren Lucas, the nine-year-old who was the only patient whose name he never forgot. "I shouldn't be a doctor!"
"Don't you dare, Owen!" she admonished him. "Think of all those people you helped when you were still practicing. And here's one you couldn't help. It's not your fault!"
Suddenly Owen's stare turned icy cold and his jaw set in a grim expression.
"Right. It's not my fault. I could've saved him if…" Leaving his sentence open he punched the cabinet beside him. "Oh, bloody Captain! I could've saved this boy!"
"What? What do you mean? How can that be my fault?" Jack was confused.
"Owen? What are you talking about?"
"Ah, forget it," he spat, pulling on his doctor's jacket. "I'm out of here."
Throwing the jacket to her feet he stomped out of the room and down the hall.
"Owen!"
"Owen!" Jack shouted after him. "Owen, come back!"
"Oi, Jack. Don't be mad at him." John tugged on his sleeve. "C'mere, sweetheart."
"John, stop it."
"Jack, c'mon. It's just a little bit of fun." And he nuzzled his left ear.
"I don't want to."
"As I can't have Owen you should be a little more cooperative," John said, suggestively shrugging his eyebrows. Then he grabbed Jack's wrist and pushed his hand into his trouser. "Hold on, Jack. Please."
For once in his life Jack actually was not pleased to touch another man's pride. As soon as his hand closed around it the spinning vortex pulled them in to deliver them to another destination.
xXx
"Next stop Splott," John cheered as they stepped out of the vortex.
"Splott?"
"Splott."
Looking around Jack found himself in a narrow street with rows of houses on each side. Right where they stood a car pulled up to the curb. Jack recognized it at once as Toshiko's. They saw the Japanese computer expert get out of the car and walk to one of the houses where she rang the doorbell. A moment later a woman in about Toshiko's age let her in.
"C'mon, let's see what they're doing. Maybe they'll have an orgy?"
"You only think of that one thing, huh?"
"Nope," John defended himself. He grinned. "I also think of… money!"
Rolling his eyes Jack followed his former partner inside. It was a cosy little house with a big Christmas tree in one corner of the living room and stockings over the fireplace. Chestnuts were roasting in the fire. Perfect for a Christmas party.
"Great that you could make it, Tosh," her old school friend Glenda said happily. "Did you already have dinner? Help yourself to a plate if you haven't eaten yet. Remember Scott and Douglas?"
"Yeah," Tosh said. "Hello."
"Hello, Toshiko."
They greeted each other with handshakes before they sat on the sofas around the coffee table.
"We were about to have a cup of tea and play a round of Trivial Pursuit," Glenda declared. "That'll be fun!"
She went to get the cups and the tea and once she returned and everyone was served Jack and John witnessed them playing the game. With pride Jack heard Toshiko answer her questions.
"You should try and pick another category, Tosh," Glenda suggested when she gave her the dice. "You shouldn't try to get only on the science fields."
"My strategy is my problem," Toshiko told her.
"Your strategy is no strategy," Scott remarked wryly. "Go on."
So Tosh rolled the dice and it showed the three. That landed Tosh on a field for history.
"Okay, here we go," Douglas said, picking up a card to read the question, "The name TheBlitz is a shortening of this German term."
"C'mon, Tosh, that's easy," Jack said and watched with surprise that she seemed to have a problem with answering the question. "C'mon."
All Jack's encouragement did not help in the end. Toshiko did not know it and so it was Scott's turn again.
"Science and Nature, Geography, and Arts and Literature alone won't get you all stones," Douglas teased. "You're still a tech buff, huh?"
"You say that as if it's something bad," Jack muttered, feeling anger bubbling in his stomach on Toshiko's behalf.
"Yeah, Tosh. You shouldn't only concentrate on your strong categories."
"Why, because she might beat you? That's her decision!" Jack exclaimed. "C'mon, Tosh! Tell them that you're only dumbing down so that they don't think you want to show off!"
John smirked. He was hovering over Glenda. Her blond hair fell in long curls over her shoulders. His fingers threaded through it and he certainly wished he could sense it.
"Finally a blonde," he grinned. "I should go and visit her when we're done."
"You could also take your ego and return to the 51st century where you belong."
"You don't grant me any fun, do you?"
"What are you doing for a living, Toshiko?" Douglas asked.
"I'm a software consultant," she told him flatly.
"Still a computer geek then, huh?" Douglas teased.
"Nothing wrong with that," Jack spat, wishing Toshiko would defend herself, but she just looked slightly hurt and retreated into herself. "Show them what's inside of you, Tosh! Show them a bit of the fire you unleash hunting down aliens."
"Now you're getting a little carried away by the knowledge that they can't hear you, huh?" John taunted.
Unnoticed by Glenda and the men Tosh fumbled with her mobile phone. Jack saw it, though, and he had a suspicion why she did it. He was proven right when it went off a few seconds later. Tosh answered it and pretended to listen intently.
"I'll be right there," she said. "Yes, sir, in about ten minutes." She put the phone away and excused herself to the others, "I'm sorry. I've got to get in at work. It's important."
"On Christmas Eve?" Glenda exclaimed. "You've got to work?"
"Yep," Tosh said. "The whole world could fall apart if I'm not in front of my computer as soon as possible. Sorry, guys."
It was not really a lie and Jack could hear by the sound of her voice that she said it with pride, and a spur of anger at the others.
"End of the show," John sighed. "Let's head to our next stop."
"If you come and touch me again…" Jack growled, holding his hands up to stop John from grabbing him.
"Oh, we don't have to kiss," John shrugged. "If you want to stay and watch them play Trivial Pursuit, that's fine with me." Grinning madly at him he stepped up to Glenda again to sit on her lap.
Rolling his eyes Jack went over and took John by the lapels of his uniform jacket. Then he shoved him up against the wall, so that his head smacked against it, pushing his hand deep into his trousers.
"Yoi!" John yelped as Jack's fist closed mercilessly around his pride.
"Didn't you say I should hold you?" Jack sneered. "Not right?"
Instead of getting an answer Jack was pulled into the vortex again.
xXx
"Where are we?" Jack asked, confused.
They stood outside a cottage and they were definitely not in Cardiff. Snow covered the pasture as far as Jack could see in the light of an increasing moon. A main house, a stable, and a barn surrounded a court where three cars were parked. The cottage was brightly lit and Jack trudged over to a window. Looking through the glass he noticed that he found the kitchen. A middle aged woman stood by the big table in the middle of the room and cut apples to slices.
Nice, Jack thought, turning to follow John who already stood by the entrance. Then he went inside right on his former partner's heels.
"Now look what I've found," John chuckled. "The Jones cottage."
Jones?
Jack was electrified. Did John really mean the Jones? As in Ianto's parents? Was Ianto here, too?
He hurried after John into the dining room.
The interior was old like the cottage. A big dining table with the remains of the Christmas dinner stood in the middle of the room, wooden chairs around it and an old cupboard towered in a corner. Plants stood in the window sill, one of them, right in the middle, a big red poinsettia.
Instinctively Jack stepped aside when a young woman entered the room and collected the last dishes to bring them to the kitchen. Jack's eyes widened. She just looked like Ianto, a female Ianto. She had the same dark hair, except that hers was cascading down over her shoulders, and stunning blue eyes.
"Wow! Eye Candy's got a twin, huh?" John looked as if he would start to drawl. "I'd love a threesome with them."
"No way!" Jack told him and grabbed him by the elbow, dragging him over to the living room where they found the rest of the family.
The woman Jack had seen in the kitchen just reappeared and sat down beside her husband on the broad couch. A moment later the female Ianto followed her and sank into the cushions of the sofa opposite her parents. To her right side leaned a young man in the corner of the couch, chewing on a Christmas cookie.
And in the armchair by the window sat Ianto.
Jack thought that he never looked better. He had changed since he left the Hub. Under his dark suit he wore a dark red shirt and a tie in dark red, black and silver stripes. Jack resolved to ordering him to wear that shirt daily on the job.
Ianto can't deny his relation to the others, Jack thought. They look so much alike. Especially the woman. If John is right? Does Ianto have a fraternal twin? I don't remember reading it in his file.
"What are the children doing, Sioned?" their father asked.
"Oh, until they left for the holidays they did everything they could to make our lives more difficult," the female Ianto laughed. "That's life with students at a boarding school. You love them, and they return your affection with tricks and stupid jokes."
In spite of her words she was smiling and the glow in her eyes as she spoke revealed her joy at being a teacher.
"Mam, did you make the cookies or was it Sioned?" Ianto's brother Meredith wanted to know.
"Actually the chocolate cookies are Mam's and the stars and the macaroons are from me," his sister told him.
"And Ianto brought the mince pies," their mother explained. "Try one. They are good."
Mince pies, Jack chuckled to himself. Reminds me of something.
"I bet his are even better than Rhys's," John smirked at him.
Jack smiled. Sure they would be better. Even if they were burnt Jack would think that they were better, but actually they looked pretty delicious. Judging by the look crossing Meredith Jones's face they were good.
"He's a Jack of all trades," Jack remarked proudly.
"In every respect?" John grinned at him smugly, shrugging his eyebrows suggestively. "I tell you, I'd really love to get to know him better."
"Take your hands off him!" Jack snarled. "Even if you can't really touch him!"
"Oh, wow! So possessive?" John backed off from Ianto's easy chair. "Guess I better not push that matter, huh?"
"Exactly."
Right at that moment Ianto got up and left the room. Curiously Jack followed him. They ended up in a room upstairs. Ianto got something out of his suitcase and for a moment he stood by the window, turning the wrapped up present in his hands. He sighed. Then he dropped it on the bed.
Jack did not know how long Ianto was standing there, staring out of the window, but he knew that it was too long when his mother silently slipped into the room.
"Ianto? What's up? We're missing you downstairs."
"I'm sorry, Mam. I'll be right back." Ianto tried a smile and failed miserably.
"You don't look like that, son. What's wrong?" Taking him by the shoulders she coaxed him to sit down on the bed. As they sank down beside each other she set the package aside. "Christmas present?"
"Yeah."
"Not for one of us, right?" she mused. "Who's the lucky girl?"
Ianto made a face as if he got caught in the neighbour's garden stealing apples from the tree. It looked as if he knew that he could not keep anything from his mother.
"Did you find someone?" his mother prodded. "Ianto?"
"Yes," he admitted softly.
"Oh, Ianto. I'm happy for you. Who is she?"
Ianto chewed his bottom lip. His silence was enough for his mother to make the connection.
"Who is… he?" she asked hesitantly, silently dreading his answer.
Taking a deep breath Ianto let it out slowly next. "His name is Jack," he said.
"Problems already?"
"I wanted to ask him to come along for Christmas here, but I didn't."
"Why not?" She was surprised. "Don't tell me you were scared of us, of our reaction."
"No, Mam."
"So, what's the problem?"
"I didn't ask because he wouldn't have come," Ianto murmured.
"What?!" Jack was thunderstruck.
"Oh, Ianto. Why would you think so?"
"He's not the domestic type, you know. I don't think that he takes our relationship as serious as I do."
At once she became protective. "He'd be better off if he would," she said, her anger showing even though she tried to suppress it. "If he's not interested in a closer relationship he probably is not worth the effort."
"Mom, it's not like that," Ianto tried to explain. "He's not doing it out of thoughtlessness."
"But he seems to do just that."
"That might appear to be the case, but I know that there's more behind it. I found out that there was an accident or something. No matter what it was, it effected him deeply. It made him reluctant to love anyone out of fear to lose him." Ianto choked on his last words.
His mother smiled at him lovingly.
"And you love him."
"Yes, I do," Ianto murmured, feeling his heart ache when he admitted it. "I know that he'll never love me like I love him, but… it… it doesn't matter."
His hoarse voice betrayed him. It did matter.
Jack was watching with tightening chest and rapidly accelerating heart rate. How could Ianto know? He definitely did not tell him. Did he get all of that out of the archives? Was so much about him in there? How? For how long?
"But even though you know where his incapability to love comes from you're hurting… because you can't simply switch off your feelings." Compassionately she smiled at her son and ruffled his hair affectionately. "He's breaking your heart."
Ianto could not answer and it was not necessary. His tears were more than enough to convince Jack that Ianto did in fact love him.
As if he needed proof for that!
He already knew that Ianto loved him.
Hearing steps behind him he turned on his heels to be confronted by John. Before the time agent could enter Ianto's room Jack grabbed him by his jacket and shoved him back to the stairs.
"I've seen all I needed to see. Bring me home," he told him.
"You sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure!" Jack snarled. He reached for the sword John wore in a sheath on his belt and pulled it out. "And you'll simply do it. Try to make me hold you one more time… and I'll chop it off with your own sword."
John pouted.
"No need to go ballistic," he growled, blew Jack a kiss, and they both vanished in the swirling vortex.
tbc…