Series 4 – Chapter 5

Still no one moved; all four pairs of eyes focussed on Jack. Jack on the other hand had eyes for only one person.

"Did ya miss me?" A cheeky smile spread across his face, more prominent on his right side.

"I thought I'd seen you this morning; but apparently that's over a year ago. It's been a long day." Ianto wasn't sure that in amongst all his confusion there had been any space to miss Jack. Which was odd in its own way, he usually missed Jack quite a lot, thought admittedly not just in an afternoon.

"It's been a very long year for the rest of us. Come here."

Jack stepped forward, Ianto stood up. Jack pulled him into a big bear like hug, his head resting on Ianto's shoulder. Ianto let the hug absorb him, felt the coat brush against his face, the warmth seep through his body. It was a very real moment, in a very surreal day.

"It's really him!" Jack half whispered, half mouthed at Gwen.

A huge smile spread across Gwen's face and she raised her shoulders temporarily in a happy kinda excited sort of way.

Ianto wondered if Jack had really wanted a hug, or if it was just a sort of test to check he was real.

It was then that Jack saw Rhiannon sitting in the chair. He only met her once before. After the 456 left, he had returned briefly to Cardiff to attend Ianto's funeral. He'd thought perhaps the process would help him deal with his loss. But it hadn't. He'd stood at a distance and watched them bury him, felt the emotion swell up inside him all over again. Gwen had spotted him, perhaps the greatcoat wasn't exactly good camouflage. Thankfully she'd has the sense to keep her conversation brief and leave him to go through whatever it was he needed to do to make the pain stop. Rhiannon had spotted him too, broken away from the crowd as they were leaving and asked if he was who she thought he was. She'd said it was a shame they'd never met while Ianto was still alive. And here he stood, a year later embracing her brother, having just interrupted some sort of reunion.

He released Ianto from the hug, but kept one arm round his waist.

"Rhiannon," Jack said looking straight at her, "nice to see you again."

"And you" Rhiannon looked like she might cry, though Jack wasn't sure that it was tears of joy. "I think I'd get myself home, sure you all have a lot of catching up to do, and the kids will need me."

"You don't have to go Rhiannon, really its ok." Gwen lent across to put her hand on Rhiannon's knee.

"No no really, I should be getting back, look at that time" It was an obvious excuse but no one denied her it.

Gwen prodded Rhys under the rib cage. "'l'll give you a lift" he said and dragged himself out of the sofa.

"Thanks Rhys, it's very kind of you." Rhiannon reached for the carrier bag on the floor next to her chair. "These are for you Ianto, Gwen said you might need a change of clothes. I'm not really sure why I kept them, but I guess they're coming into their own now."

Rhys was stood by the door, car keys in hand, Rhiannon and Gwen exchanged hugs and she walked over to the door.

"Thanks." Ianto said.

Rhiannon turned back from the door to look at him. "Take care of yourself. I've no idea what I'm going to tell the kids, just don't phone the house, not that you ever do anyway."

"Rhiannon," Ianto's voice sounded slightly hurt. "I didn't, you know it wasn't." He started, "I'm sorry."

Rhiannon managed a small smile more of regret than forgiveness. She altered her focus to look at Jack instead, "Take care of him."

"Wouldn't dream of doing anything less." Jack wrapped his spare arm back round the other side of Ianto and rested his head on Ianto's shoulder, making him look almost two headed from where Rhiannon was standing.

Rhys held the door open for her and they left.

Rhiannon sank into the passenger of seat of Rhys' car. "Thanks for the lift, it really is appreciated."

"Hey, no worries. " Rhys smiled and started the engine.

It was a friendly smile, not a weak superficial smile, but one you could trust. Rhiannon, was glad she had met Gwen and Rhys, for all the fear during the 456, despite the loss of a brother, she had formed a strong friendship.

"You seem to be coping with it all very well." Rhys piped up as they sailed through the dark of Cardiff.

"I don't really know what else to do." Rhiannon said, "When Gwen told me on the phone I just couldn't believe it. You wouldn't, would you? But then you know, I knew Gwen wouldn't just be making it up, and I just had to come round and see for myself."

"Yeah, seeing is believing and all that."

"Well thats exactly it. He walked in the room, looking just like the Ianto I met in the park with the laptop. Except he doesn't remember any of it, he does know he died as hero, trying to save our children. "

"hmm, what about the kids? Will you tell them?"

"I dunno, when he died I didn't think it would be a big deal for them, you know they're quite young and he was never around much, just brought them money for birthdays and Christmas. They didn't seem too upset. But then at Christmas I began to think differently. David was recalling all the presented he received and of course Ianto's envelope wasn't there, he pointed this out and said he missed Ianto's presents. I was about to tell him that was no way to speak about his Uncle when Mica piped up that she missed Ianto because this was the only time of year she every really saw him. She's so young I didn't think she was too bothered, but I think he may have played a bigger part in her life than I had realised." Rhiannon paused.

Rhys didn't fill in any gaps, apparently thinking this over.

"I think I'll wait and see how things pan out. If he truely is back and wants to be a part of our lifes then I'll tell them. But if he's going to continue being so distant then I just don't think it worth the disruption, they've been through enough, and so have I."

They rounded the corner of estate and pulled up outside Rhiannon's house. A light was still on in the living room.

"Looks like they've waited up for you." Rhys said as the car came to a stop.

"Yeah, its never an early night when Jonny's in charge, even if they have got school tomorrow. Thanks again for the lift."

"Again, not a problem, getting in training for when Carys is older!"

Rhiannon smiled, opened her door and got out the car. "Tell Gwen I'll call her tomorrow."

"Will do". Rhiannon slammed the door and Rhy watched her cross the grass and enter her front door.

Jack sat down in the middle of sofa and pulled Ianto into his left hand side, Gwen dropped into the space to his right.

"Well, here we are. All back together again." He sounded chuffed, almost smug, but definitely proud.

Ianto glanced at Gwen, Gwen looked back. Neither quite sure what to say Jack, he was definitely more the Jack they knew, but very much different to the man Gwen had described disappearing into the night sky.

"How was space?" Ianto ventured something that might start some conversation.

"Hey, not bad all things considered. But that is so not the point. What I want to know is what you, Ianto Jones, have been and how you are now."

"I'm fine Jack, really." Ianto was getting a bit fed up of people continually asking how he was.

"Well considering our previous adventures with returning for the dead, I want you properly checked out before we go making any wild plans."

"Plans?" Said Gwen, "You planning on staying a bit then?"

"I have no current plans to leave. Not in the foreseeable future." He smiled at Ianto, and found his smile returned on the younger man's face.