Picture Perfect Chapter 16

The waiter brought their water over and then a bucket with the wine in.

Jack smiled his thanks. Pouring the wine first into Ianto's glass and then his own, Jack made a toast.

"To us."

Ianto picked up his glass. "To us."

They clinked their glasses together.

Ianto looked at the picture on his phone and smiled.

"Now you have one where we're actually looking at the camera." Jack told him, taking the phone from Ianto and looking at it.

"I like the other one, too, though. It was spontaneous."

"Did you know Owen was taking it?"

Ianto shook his head. "No. As I said, he just wanted to borrow it to call someone." Ianto smiled. "I was glad he did." He looked away, shyly.

Jack looked out over the Bay. "It's beautiful here."

"Mmm, I love it." Ianto was looking at Jack.

Jack smiled.

Their food arrived a few minutes later.

"Smells delicious," said Ianto, picking up his fork.

"The best meal of the house."

"So, do you come here quite often?"

"Yep. Alone, I might add."

Ianto smiled, putting a folk full of Lasagne in his mouth. "Have you had any….lovers. I mean I know you have. What I meant was…"

"Since you've been at Torchwood? No."

"No?"

"No, not for quite a while."

"I thought….maybe you and Gwen…."

Jack smiled. "So did I, once."

"And now?"

"And now I have you. And no, you're not my second choice."

"I….fell in love with you that first night, in the park." Ianto looked out of the window. "I knew for sure when Myfanwy nearly fell on us."

"Is that why you left?"

Ianto nodded.

"That's why I gave you the job. I'd fallen for you, too."

They touched hands.

"It was so difficult, keeping it to myself. Loving Lisa and you. It hurt….lying to you. But Lisa had to come first. I owed it to her."

"I understand. I really do."

"I really stuffed up, didn't I? Thinking I could cure her."

"That's what love does to us, Ianto. Makes us think we can sometimes do the impossible."

"In Lisa's case, it was."

"We're only human." Jack sighed. "You kept her alive for nearly three months."

"Do you think she was in a lot of pain? I tried to keep her sedated as much as I could. But, when she was lucid…. "

"She loved you for what you were trying to do for her, I'm sure of it."

Ianto took a deep breath. "I hope so."

"How about a movie when we leave here? You can choose."

Ianto nodded, loving the way Jack managed to change the subject without really trying.

"I think I'd like that. Iron Man 2 is showing."

"Mmm, remind you of anyone you know?"

Ianto laughed.

THE END