Jack's first day of work at his new job surprised him. It wasn't just the fact that he'd passed his classes and was out of school for the summer, now working for his parents. It wasn't even the ridiculous amount of exercise he seemed to get by practically running up and down stairs, between floors, or the trip he'd taken that day to another office several minutes away by bus. No, the main reason he was so surprised was the change he could see in Ianto. And it wasn't necessarily a good one.

He'd tried to hold in the gasp of astonishment when he saw Ianto first thing in the morning, entering the boardroom and taking a seat at the table. He wasn't wearing the jeans Jack was so used to, or the boots that made him even taller than he was. Instead, he was dressed to impress, in a dark gray, three piece suit, complete with a dark red dress shirt and gray striped tie. Jack had felt the blood drain out of his face and head somewhere south of his stomach. He'd tilted his head and given Ianto a questioning look, but Ianto had merely glanced at him and turned his attention to Jack's parents.

At lunch that day, Jack found him at the reception desk, and ogled him from just out of Ianto's line of sight. Ianto was answering calls, jotting down messages on a notepad and until Jack cleared his throat, the Welshman seemed completely in his element.

"Jack!" Ianto said, putting his pen down. "Shouldn't you be upstairs?"

"It's noon, Ianto," he answered, moving from the wall on which he'd been leaning and stepping closer.

Ianto glanced at the clock, eyes widening. "So it is."

"You want to catch a bite at a restaurant or check out the cafeteria here?"

"Actually, I have a bit of filing to do," Ianto told him.

Jack frowned. "You're not going to eat lunch?"

"I'm not really that hungry," replied Ianto, shrugging. "You go ahead, though."

Jack watched him turn back to the ringing phone, picking it up and taking another call. After he'd routed it to the right office, Ianto moved to lift a box of paperwork onto his desk, reaching inside to begin sorting through it. Jack stood there for a moment, feeling hurt that Ianto had brushed him off so thoroughly, and then turned around and walked the other direction, obviously having been dismissed.

His second day of work didn't bode much better for his relationship. After trying unsuccessfully to get Ianto to spend some time with him during that lunch hour as well, he was growing increasingly more frustrated and upset. He wasn't sure what he had done wrong, and Ianto didn't seem to want to tell him.

He decided he'd wait for Ianto after work, since he'd taken his car that day and not driven in with his parents as he had his first day. It took at least an extra twenty minutes past the time Ianto should have been off the clock for the Welshman to appear from a back office, looking up to see Jack waiting by the desk.

"You're still here," Ianto commented, moving behind the desk to collect his things.

"I kind of hoped we could spend some time together," Jack said, noticing that Ianto wasn't meeting his eyes.

"I have to get home to Mam, Jack," Ianto said, shrugging on his coat.

"I know. Can I come with you?" Ianto sighed, looking up at him. Jack could see his eyes were red, as if he'd been crying. "Ianto? What's wrong?"

"Not here," his boyfriend replied, looking around as if he was afraid they'd be overheard.

Jack silently followed him out the front door, drawing his own coat closed against the unusually chilly summer afternoon. He watched Ianto closely as they walked away from the building, heading, it appeared, toward the bus stop.

"Ianto, I brought my car."

"I can't…" he started, cutting himself off with a huff. "It would be better if I went home alone, Jack."

Jack felt like a vise had gripped his heart. "Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?"

Ianto shook his head. "It's not you, Jack."

"Then what is it, Ianto?" Jack asked, grimacing when his voice cracked. "Because until we started working here, I hadn't talked to you in over a week, and now you don't want me around at all. Are you…breaking up with me?"

Ianto's eyes snapped up to meet his. Maybe it was the urgency in his voice, or maybe the sound of tears choking his speech, but Ianto actually looked concerned.

"Oh, Jack…"

"Because if you are, then…I guess it's past the point where I can convince you not to." Jack held back the tears, but it took everything in his power not to break down on the sidewalk. "But I love you, Ianto. And…I don't know what I did to make it so you felt you couldn't even talk to me about it."

"It's my sister."

"Y-your sister?" Jack asked. Ianto nodded. "Why would Rhiannon want you to break up with me?"

Ianto huffed a long breath, shaking his head. "She doesn't, Jack. But she's back."

Jack's brow furrowed. He was confused. "When did that happen?"

Ianto slumped down onto the stone wall bordering the office garden. "A week ago."

"What happened?"

"She stormed right into the house like she owned the place, Jack. Like she had every right to be there." His features darkened. "Started telling me I wasn't taking care of Mam or the house properly. And Mam…she…she was so happy to see Rhiannon, she forgot I was there."

Jack sat down next to him, careful not to touch him, even though he wanted to pull him into his arms in the worst way. But Ianto obviously didn't want his affection right now.

"I'm sure she didn't forget, Ianto."

"Oh you have no idea what it's like, Jack! When Mam is in a manic state, she's all over the place. She was ecstatic, talking a mile a minute. And then…then Rhi…"

"Rhi what?"

"Rhi said she's moving back in, with Johnny, and she's going to clean up the house and make sure Mam is taken care of the right way. And Mam was so happy."

"That doesn't sound like…a bad thing. That sounds good, Ianto."

Ianto looked at him, hurt in his eyes. "She told me she doesn't want me there anymore."

"Your mother?"

"No." It was Ianto's turn to choke up. "Rhiannon."

Jack's face fell. "What? Why? Ianto, I don't understand."

"It's the drugs, Jack. She's high all the time. She and Johnny. To them that house is just a place to crash, to have their friends over and party."

"What happened to their place?"

"I don't know. But Rhiannon and Johnny are moving in and want me out."

"Ianto, that's your house! They can't do that!"

"They can if Mam lets them."

Jack shook his head. "But why? Why would your mother let them kick you out? Your sister's not going to be able to take care of her if she's high all the time!"

"Mam adores Rhiannon," Ianto said, dejectedly. "She's always loved her more."

"No, Ianto. I don't believe that." He threw caution to the wind and wrapped his arms around the other boy, sighing when Ianto sobbed and curled into his chest. "We'll fix this. I swear to you, we will. If you'll…let me?"

Ianto clutched at his shirt. "I'm so sorry, Jack," he cried. "I love you. I just didn't want you to…" He cut himself off and Jack tightened his arms.

"Shh…it's okay, Ianto."

"No, Jack. I was pushing you away. So you wouldn't see me…like this." He looked up at Jack, tears soaking his face. "I don't want you to leave me, Jack. I'm scared."

Jack wiped Ianto's face with his thumbs, holding his head steady as he kissed him, gently. He then pressed his lips to Ianto's forehead, before drawing him into another hug. Ianto's face burrowed into his neck, and Jack could hear his shaky breathing.

"I'd never leave you, Ianto Jones," he told him, slipping his arms inside Ianto's coat and rubbing circles over his jacket-covered back. "Whatever happens, we're going to get through this. Together."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Jack slowly eased himself to his feet, pulling his boyfriend up with him. "Come on. I'm gonna drive you home."

Ianto looked worried. "My sister…"

"…is no match for me, Ianto. And you have to remember, it's the drugs talking. It's not her. She was always a wonderful sister to you growing up."

"A lot has changed. She was a daddy's girl. When he left…"

"When he left she rebelled, right?" Ianto nodded. "She felt betrayed, Ianto. If they were that close she would have felt like he abandoned her. He did, really. Both of you. And while you stayed strong and were there for your mother, she turned to Johnny and to the drugs. She was trying to escape."

"But now she's back, and she wants everything I have, Jack."

"I don't think she knows what she wants. I guarantee she lost their place, or Johnny did, and now they need a safe place to live."

"I don't know why she needs me to leave."

"Probably because you represent all that is good, Ianto," Jack told him, grabbing his hand and pulling him gently towards the car park. "If you're there, Rhiannon can't pretend everything is fine. You're there, and you're doing well, and taking care of your mother too. She wants to be normal again, and normal isn't having you running the house."

Ianto pressed himself against Jack's side and Jack wrapped his arm around him, holding him close as they walked. "But we were just fine. I'm making more than enough to take care of Mam now. Why did she have to come back now and ruin everything, Jack?"

"We're not going to let her. Your mother can't make the decisions because of her condition. Your mother needs you."

"You've never seen Rhiannon as she is now."

Jack turned to face Ianto when they got to the car. He tipped Ianto's chin up, smiling. "And Rhiannon's never seen me as your protective boyfriend."

A hint of a smile crossed Ianto's face. "I love you."

"I love you too, Ianto," he replied, before opening his door and letting him get inside. He tugged on Ianto's tie and pulled him into a searing kiss, breaking it only because he needed air. "More than ever."

Ianto grinned at him and Jack shut the door, moving around the car and getting into the driver's side. Starting the engine Jack took a deep breath, relieved he hadn't lost Ianto but greatly disturbed by the turn of events.

"Jack?"

"Hmm?" he asked, turning to the Welshman.

"Can you stay the night tonight? I don't want to be alone with her and Johnny."

Jack took his hand, squeezing it. "Of course, Ianto. We'll stop by my house and I'll grab some clothes for tomorrow."

"Thank you."

"It's going to be okay," Jack told him, turning back to the front and putting the car into reverse. He backed out of the parking space, heading for the exit. "You'll see."

And he really hoped that was true.

~tbc~