After Ianto left, Jack got on with life. His family fell apart, but he tried not to care about that. But, in the process, he completely stopped caring.

And so he became the playboy of the school, with numerous girlfriends – and boyfriends – within short spaces of time.

But it didn't help - he was still sad - empty - inside.

***

About a week after Graduation, he was walking home, when all of a sudden a car pulled up near him. A – really cute – guy got out of the car. Memories stirred, and Jack gasped. "Ianto…"

And, before this strange, yet familiar looking man looked around, Jack turned in the other direction and ran.

It wasn't him, couldn't have been him…

That night he broke up with his current girlfriend, just in case.

***

The next day, Jack resolved to go to the same shop, to see if the stranger was there.

When he got there, the car was already pulled up and the curb, outside the same shop as yesterday. Jack grinned, in spite of himself. He walked into the shop, with as much casualness and calm as he could muster.

Casualness and calm flew out the window when he saw the stranger again.

Luckily, the stranger hadn't seen him yet, which gave casualness and calm a chance to come back, their tails between their legs.

So, suave and secure, Jack walked up to this stranger, this man who had turned his world upside down when he was 14.

He smiled, a charming trademark grin that made men melt and women swoon. "Hey there, good-looking."

The man at the table didn't look up, but sighed and said, "Do I know you?"

Jack was startled. Ianto was a lot more in control, more… tough. He liked it. His grin grew wider. "Unless you forgot." He said, sounding mock hurt.

He finally looked up. His mouth became a 'o' shape, but he recovered quickly.

"You remembered me?" He sounded surprised, almost like he hadn't meant to say something; like it had slipped out by accident.

"Ianto Jones? Mother Nari Jones, favourite sister Alice Jones, other siblings Dafydd, Rhiannon, among others, had an abusive father, ran away at 14 to live with your sister Alice because of said abusive father."

"Step father," Ianto corrected.

Jack smiled. "And you probably still have scars on your wrist, because I didn't know how to stitch wounds when I was fourteen."

Ianto smiled sadly. "Did I ever say Thank You for that?"

"Don't worry about it."

Ianto sighed. "Look, Jack, I'm sorry I left. There was so much going on, so much I never told you – so much I should have told you."

"We should talk. Do you want to come to my place?" Asked Jack.

Ianto sighed. "I was hoping to avoid this… yeah, I guess."

***

People have been asking for the reason Ianto was cutting, amongst other stuff. That's coming next chapter.

Thanks for your reviews! Please, tell me if I'm doing something wrong!