The drive back to Ianto's house passed entirely too quickly to suit Jack. It was half eleven, and while he knew the woman watching after Ianto's mother could be there until midnight they'd both agreed it would be best to get him back before that time. In addition, Jack had a suspicion that Ianto was preoccupied with thoughts of leaving his mother with someone else. He needed to get back in order to be comfortable.

"Did you have a good time?" Jack asked him as they walked up to the front door, hand in hand.

"What do you think?" Ianto asked, eyes sparkling at him and making Jack smile as they stopped on the front step.

"I hope you did. I don't like to assume."

"That's a good philosophy, Jack," Ianto replied. "But I had a wonderful time. Thank you."

Jack's smile became a grin. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good." Jack cupped his face and pressed his lips to Ianto's. "You know, I wasn't going to go if you weren't able to go with me."

"Really?" Ianto asked, seeming surprised. "I'd have thought there were other options."

"If you say Gwen I'll have to punish you," Jack warned, playfully. "I only wanted to go with you."

Ianto shook his head, unlocking the door and drawing Jack inside. The hall light had been left on for him. "You're crazy, Jack Harkness. Plenty of girls…or boys…would have gone with you."

"Maybe," Jack agreed, closing the door behind them and following Ianto into the lounge. "But only one I cared about."

"Oh, you're home early, Mr. Jones," said Rebecca, standing in the doorway. "I didn't expect you for at least half an hour. Did you want me to go now?"

"No, that's alright," Ianto told her, smiling as he and Jack took a seat on the couch. "We hired you through midnight so you're welcome to work until then. As long as that's fine with you, Jack?"

"Of course," Jack replied, giving Rebecca his best smile. "Midnight is fine."

"Thank you very much," she said. "I'll stay on until midnight, then."

She left the room and Jack cuddled up to Ianto. "Sounds like she could use the money," he whispered, not wanting the woman to overhear him. "I didn't want to cut her time short just because we got back early."

"I completely agree," Ianto told him, resting his head on Jack's shoulder. "Before we left she was reading to Mam from one of Mam's romance novels. She may actually be better at the job than Abigail."

Jack thought about that for a moment. "Maybe we should keep her on, here," he thought out loud.

Ianto raised his head. "Oh, I couldn't do that to Abigail, Jack. She has a family to feed."

"No, I meant as nighttime care," he explained. "In addition to Abigail."

"Jack, we've talked about this. I can't afford it. There isn't enough money."

"I could ask for a raise in my allowance, Ianto," Jack offered. "Then she could help out maybe one night a week?"

Ianto shook his head. "I can't let you do that."

"I could get a part time job."

"Jack!"

"What?" Jack asked, shrugging. "Ianto, you can't take care of her for the rest of your life. You need to be able to be a kid!"

Ianto sighed, drawing his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. "I'm not a kid, Jack. I had to grow up a long time ago."

Jack watched as a sad look washed over his boyfriend's face. He wanted to help. He had to help. "Then let me be here."

Ianto turned his head. "What do you mean?"

"Let me help you with your mother."

"Jack…"

"I'm serious, Ianto," Jack told him, pulling Ianto's shoulder until the boy released his legs and moved to face him. "You're helping me with my exams, so let me help you."

Ianto's face contorted into a scowl. "It's not quite the same thing, Jack. My Mam isn't an exam you can revise for. An exam you work toward, you take it, and it's over. My Mam is a daily struggle."

"I know that, Ianto." He frowned, trying to find the right words to express how he felt. "But I'm going to be here a lot now, and I don't think it would be right for me to just come over and occupy your time without helping you. You're my boyfriend, so your troubles are my troubles and likewise."

Ianto smiled, taking Jack's hand. "See, this is why it was so hard for me before I admitted to myself I was interested in you." Jack raised an eyebrow. "You're so different from any friend I've ever had, Jack. You care about people. Genuinely care. And you want to make everything right for everyone."

"Is that a bad thing, Ianto?"

"No, not at all," Ianto reassured him, squeezing his hand. "But I figured you cared about everyone, and that it didn't mean you liked me specifically."

"But I did."

"I know that now," Ianto said.

"So you'll let me help?"

"Okay, Jack," Ianto conceded. "If that will make you happy."

"It will," Jack said, leaning in and kissing him softly.

tw tw tw tw tw

Tearing himself away from Ianto was difficult, but Jack had promised his mother he'd be home not long after midnight. He paid Rebecca for her time and then he and Ianto shared a long, lingering kiss on his front step before saying goodnight. They'd agreed Jack would be back the next day, since it was Saturday, but that he had to bring his books with him so that Jack could finish his homework for the week and Ianto could help him revise.

Stepping through his own front door Jack found his mother waiting up for him. "How did it go, Jack?"

Jack grinned, flopping down on the couch beside her. "It was great."

"Yeah? How did Ianto do, seeing everyone again?"

"Oh, he was nervous at first, but everyone made him feel welcome." Jack thought back over the night wistfully. "We went to Rhys's house after being at the dance for a while and all hung out there and watched a movie."

"That sounds nice, Jack. I wish Ianto could stop by sometime. I miss seeing him around here."

"Yeah, me too," Jack told her, frowning. "But he's got so much to deal with since he has to work and then take care of his mother."

"I'm not one to judge people, usually," she said, shaking her head. "But that father of his really left them in a lurch. And his sister…" She clucked her tongue.

"I know, believe me. But there's good news," Jack said, smiling.

"What's that, Jack?"

"We're together now, me and Ianto."

His mother smiled back at him. "That's great, Jack!" She patted his hand. "I know how much he means to you."

"I think I love him," Jack admitted. "Is that too soon?"

"If you'd just met him, yes," she said. "But you've known him almost your whole life, Jack. And Ianto's a wonderful kid. He's sweet, polite, and very handsome."

"He said he's not a kid."

"Well, with what he's been through I'm not surprised he feels that way. But to me, you're both so young. It's a shame he has to have as much responsibility as he does."

"I told him I'd help him with his mother, since he's been helping me revise," he said. "And since we're a couple now, I'll probably be over there a lot."

"As long as your coursework gets completed and your grades don't suffer, Jack, I'm more than happy to hear it," she told him. "Just don't forget about cheer and your own family. I'd like to see you now and again."

Jack chuckled, giving his mother a hug before getting to his feet. "I wouldn't desert you," he assured her, winking. "I'd like to bring Gray over there tomorrow, if that's okay? I know he misses Ianto too."

"That's fine with me," she confirmed.

"Great! I'm gonna head to bed now," he said, stifling a yawn. "I'll do my chores first thing tomorrow and we'll leave for Ianto's around noon."

"Have a good rest, dear."

Heading up the stairs Jack smiled to himself. He was so lucky to have the family he did. His parents might go away on business a lot, but he'd never felt like they weren't there for him. He only wished Ianto had been so lucky.

tw tw tw tw tw

Finishing up with the front and back garden Jack hurried inside to clean up. He passed his brother who was seated on the couch, watching the telly. "I'm going to go take a shower and then we're going over to see Ianto, Gray."

His brother's head whipped around. "I get to go with you?"

"Sure do. Does that sound like fun?"

"Yes!" Gray said loudly, getting onto his knees on the couch so he could face Jack. "Can we go to the park?"

Jack frowned. "Well, we have to stay at the house because Ianto's mother needs us there. But we can play some games."

Gray considered that for a moment. "Okay. I like Ianto."

"Me too," Jack said, grinning.

"You love him."

Jack ruffled his brother's hair. "There you go again," he teased. "Being so smart."

"Mummy says it's part of my charm."

"Mummy is very smart too." He walked toward the stairs again. "I'll be back down when your show is over, okay?"

"Okay Jack!"

He watched his brother turn back to the telly and he grinned. He loved that kid.

~tbc~