By the time school started Jack had settled into his new life at Ianto's house. They'd slipped into a kind of routine. In the mornings they'd have breakfast, complete with Ianto's amazing coffee, before driving into work together. Then they'd have lunch together in the cafeteria, and drive home together after work. Now that Jack was back in school, however, while they still had their breakfasts together, afterward they went their separate ways. And Jack was missing all the time they'd normally be spending together.

He was in his own little world as he grabbed his History book from his locker and a hand slapped down on his shoulder. He spun around, eyes wide.

"Rhys! And…Gwen."

"Well hello there, Harkness," Rhys greeted cheerfully. "You see, Gwen? He's still alive and breathing."

"I was beginning to wonder, I was," she said, nodding. "I've not heard from you in months, Jack."

Jack frowned. There were reasons for that. "I've been a bit busy."

"Too busy to call your friends?" Gwen pouted.

The retort was on the tip of his tongue but he refrained. "I should really be getting to class."

"Oh right, of course. We won't keep you then, will we Gwen?"

"Well actually, I heard a rumor, Jack…"

"Gwen…"

"No, Rhys. I think I deserve to know!"

"What rumor, Gwen?" Jack asked, closing his locker and folding his arms around his book. He lifted his chin, somewhat defiantly.

"People are saying you and Ianto…" The rest of the sentence hung in the air and then Gwen straightened her shoulders. "Well, that you're…"

"Living together?" he interrupted, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yes, that."

"Yep. Now, if you don't mind," he said, smiling, "I have a class to attend. Rhys, it was good to see you."

Turning his back to the couple Jack barely caught the way Gwen's mouth fell open in shock. Clearly she hadn't expected the rumor to be true. Jack was pretty sure she needed to get out more.

tw tw tw tw tw

"So, wait…she actually came up to you?" Lisa shook her head. "She's got nerve. I'll give her that."

"She's got something," Owen muttered.

"I'm not sure she would have had the courage without Rhys there," Toshiko added, getting a nod from Tommy. "Although, she does still have it bad for you, Jack."

Jack groaned. "It's my own fault for flirting with her all those years."

"To be fair, mate, you flirted with the rest of us too. You don't see us trying to climb on your…"

"OWEN!"

"What?" Owen asked Lisa, shrugging innocently. "I'm just stating a fact."

"Owen's right," said Tosh. "Jack, you've always been a flirt. But there's a big difference between playful flirting and serious interest. Gwen just doesn't understand."

"And you're happy, right?" Tommy asked.

"Unbelievably so," Jack replied, a grin spreading from ear to ear. "I love Ianto. There's no one else for me."

"That's so romantic," Lisa said dreamily, grasping Owen's hand. "Am I your only one, Owen?"

"Eh…"

That earned him a slap to the shoulder and had the rest of them laughing. Jack noticed that she still held his hand, however, and he whispered something into her ear that had her giggling. It made Jack smile to see his friends as happy as he was.

"How are things going with Ianto's mum?" asked Tosh, opening the juice box she'd packed with her lunch.

"Pretty well, actually," Jack replied, taking a bite of the chicken sandwich Ianto had made for him. Remembering his manners he swallowed before continuing. "But she keeps asking to see Gray. I'll have to pick him up for the day. Maybe this weekend."

"Aw, that's sweet," said Lisa. "I bet she's gonna love having a grandbaby around."

Jack had told them all about the situation with Rhiannon and Johnny over the summer. And the jerk still hadn't contacted his wife. She was already looking into filing paperwork, since he'd basically abandoned her and their child. He'd had his mobile number shut off, which also meant hers had been disconnected, and so they'd had the locks on the house changed. He wasn't welcome back.

"Yeah, I'm sure she will," he agreed. "Right now we're just getting things prepared for the baby."

"It's still a ways off, though, yeah?" Tommy asked, offering a chocolate chip cookie to Toshiko. She took it, smiling sweetly. "I mean, she's not that far along, right?"

"Actually, further than we thought," Jack answered. "She didn't know she was pregnant until she was three months in."

"Wow! So only a few months left, then," Owen said. "Ianto will be an uncle. Lots of nappies. Remind me to stay away."

Jack chuckled. "Yeah, but I'm really looking forward to it. I loved helping out when Gray was a baby."

"Babies are fun," Tosh piped up, smiling. "Our neighbor has twins! I've been asked to mind them on Sunday evenings while they attend church. Apparently they get a bit fussy having to sit for so long."

The bell rang and they all groaned, gathering their rubbish and binning it before getting their things together to head to their respective classes. Owen walked with Jack, however, as they both had Music after lunch. Luckily it was lecture only, and not anything requiring talent. The last time Jack had heard Owen sing he'd been rubbing at his ears for days.

They took their seats in the back of the room, as had always been their classroom tradition, and Jack took out paper and a pen. He smiled when he saw Owen had actually brought supplies as well.

"What? Sometimes I do what I'm told."

"Begrudgingly," Jack teased, winking at him.

"Oi! Save that for the tea boy."

"Oh, I have much more planned for him."

"I'm not listening," Owen replied, covering his ears.

"Seriously though, Owen. It's his birthday soon. I'm planning his party."

"Wait." Owen dropped his hands. "Ianto is older than you?"

Jack smirked. "By six months, yes. You didn't know that?"

Owen pursed his lips, thinking. "Wow."

Jack snorted. "What can I say? I like older men."

The second bell ringing signaled the start of class, and drowned out Owen's groan.

tw tw tw tw tw

"And how was your first day of school?" Ianto asked him when Jack greeted him at the door, pressing a slow, soft kiss to his lips.

"Mmm," Jack moaned into the kiss, forcing himself to pull away so he could answer. "It was good, Ianto. How was work?"

"Lonely without you," his boyfriend replied, pouting.

"Well, I'll be back there in a few days," Jack reminded him, taking Ianto's hand and pulling him into the lounge to sit on the couch. "Part time. Wow. That's going to be weird."

"It's going to be long days for you," Ianto said, settling back onto the furniture. "I'm just glad your parents agreed."

Being that one of the stipulations for Jack's change of residence was that he would continue to work with his parents, Jack had only asked for the first week of school off. He wanted to see how his classes were and what his best options for school work and revision would be before he added the burden of a few hours working every day afterward. He didn't think it would be a problem, though. While this was his last year at Torchwood Institute, he'd managed to get his most important classes out of the way rather early. His biggest concerns were his A-Levels.

Jack knelt in front of Ianto and lifted one of his feet, untying and slipping off his shoe. He did the same with the other before sitting down next to Ianto and urging him to shift sideways on the sofa. When Ianto complied, Jack picked up both of his feet and settled them on his lap, reaching for one and beginning a massage.

"Oh God, Jack," Ianto groaned, leaning back and closing his eyes. "That feels amazing."

Jack smiled, working his thumbs into the ball of Ianto's foot. "You're a hardworking man now, Ianto," he said softly. "A good foot rub is relaxing. Just what you need after long hours at the office."

Ianto cracked an eye open. "And what about you?"

"What about me? This is about you."

Smiling, Ianto's closed his eye again. "You're too good to me, Jack."

"Probably."

Ianto snorted. "Better not let Rhiannon see you doing this. Our niece is making her feet swell. She'd probably kill for a foot massage."

Jack grinned. "Our niece?"

Ianto's eyes opened and he returned Jack's smile. "Well, you are family now, yeah?"

Jack eased Ianto's feet off of his lap and crawled across the couch, gathering Ianto into his arms and kissing him soundly. When they came up for air Jack's heart was thumping in his chest and he could feel that Ianto's was doing the same.

"I love you, Ianto Jones. Even if you are going to be an old man soon."

"Old man, Jack?" Ianto's eyes darkened. "Why don't we go into the bedroom and I'll show you what this old man can do?"

Jack felt an answering twitch between his legs and growled. "Your sister is in the kitchen, Ianto."

"And?"

"And…we normally don't do anything like that when she's home. Remember?"

Ianto smirked. "Yes, but we could if we were really quiet."

"Seriously…fiend."

"Your fault, Jack. You created the monster."

"Which monster is that?"

They both turned to see Rhiannon standing in the doorway; arms crossed and amused expression on her face. Jack snickered and pulled himself up off of Ianto. Ianto had the decency to blush a deep shade of red.

"Rhiannon…er…"

"Relax, Ianto," she told him, waving her hand around. "It's not like I'm an innocent. I was just checking to see if you're ready for dinner." She rubbed her belly. "Mica is starving."

Jack smiled at her. "So you picked a name? It's lovely."

"Thank you, Jack. I've always liked it. Johnny hated it."

"Well he doesn't get a say anymore, does he?" Ianto asked, frowning.

"Exactly my point," she answered, raising her eyebrow. "Now who's up for Chicken Cattiatore?"

With that Rhiannon turned around and headed back toward the kitchen. Ianto sighed beside him and Jack slipped a hand into his, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"Come on, old man," Jack teased, pulling Ianto to his feet. "Time to eat."

Ianto growled, pulling his hand away and smacking Jack on the arse. "You're so going to get it, Jack Harkness."

"Promises, promises."

~tbc~