13.

The back room of the tourist office was tiny and pretty much filled up with a desk with a computer on it, a small kitchen niche and two filing cabinets. Ianto usually used the computer in the tourist office itself to work, but this time, he felt awkwardly exposed out there, even though it was the middle of the night and nobody would come in. The door was locked as well, everything was secure, nevertheless … Ianto wondered how long he would be able to walk among people without being noticed. He felt self-conscious already and there was barely anything to see. He grimaced and sat up straighter in the chair, opening the button of his trousers. He breathed a sigh of relief.

John's voice startled him when he said, "I've got something for you." Ianto blushed, wondering if John had seen him open his trousers and turned to look towards the door leading from the tourist office to the back room. Right, he'd almost forgotten that John had come up here with him and gone to take a look around the various brochures stacked in the shelves. John sauntered into the room, holding something behind his back. "A present."

Ianto turned his chair to face John. "I barely dare to guess."

John smiled. He leaned against the desk and sat a red plush dragon on Ianto's keyboard. "It's for the baby," John said.

Ianto fingered the dragon's soft fur. "That's really thoughtful." He smiled up at John. "Considering you took this from the display in my tourist office."

"Hey, I'm not allowed outside," John said and raised his hands. Then he sighed. "I'm gonna leave as soon as I've said goodbye to Jack."

"I'm still surprised you didn't stab us in the back."

"I'm hurt," John said. "I'm not that bad a guy." He grinned. "You should know that by now."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "I'm still not coming with you."

John sighed and then he pulled a thick, red chip the size of a two pound coin from his jacket. "I know. That's why I'm giving you this." He took Ianto's hand and placed the chip in his palm.

Looking closer at it, Ianto could see that there was a button embedded into the chip. "What's that?"

"It's an emergency beacon. I can trace it with my wristband. If you ever change your mind about coming with me, you push this button." He pointed at it. "I'll come as soon as possible."

"I don't think that will happen," Ianto answered. He pocketed the beacon. "I appreciate the gesture, though."

John grinned and said softly: "It's not only in case you change your mind. If anything happens, I'll come to help you out."

Ianto smiled up at him. "Alright. Thank you."

"Am I interrupting something?" someone asked and they turned to see Jack in the door, his arms crossed and his face set into a frown.

"Not really," John answered and leaned back against the desk, his arms crossed. "I was just saying goodbye to Eye Candy and the little one."

Jack's forehead smoothed. "You're leaving?"

"You don't need to sound so relieved. Yeah." John walked past him into the tourist office and one moment later, Ianto heard the key to the door leading outside being turned and the door being opened. Then he called, "A word, Jack?"

"Sure," Jack answered and followed him. The door fell shut.

Ianto sighed. When he looked back towards the door leading down to the garage, he saw Martha lingering there. He smiled, a bit bashfully, and got up carefully. "Could they make it more obvious what they're going to talk about?"

Martha shrugged. "Did everything go well with John?"

Ianto nodded. "Surprisingly well. He behaved."

"He likes you," Martha replied. "It's obvious. I mean, he flirts, but it's … like with Jack, you know. I could tell that Jack's flirting with you went deeper. It's the same with him."

Ianto shook his head and brushed past Martha into the dimly corridor. He looked towards the garage, but then walked into the opposite direction, down to the main Hub. He chose to take the stairs – he really didn't feel like being trapped in the lift with the uncomfortable topic hanging between him and Martha. The steep steps made him pause for a moment but then he gripped the railing and descended them.

"What's the deal with the two of you?" Martha asked.

Damn. Ianto sighed. "Do you have to ask?"

"Yes."

Ianto paused and turned around to her.

"What?" she asked. "I'm curious."

"You're Jack's best friend."

"And you're separated. I won't push you down the stairs when you tell me that you and John … dabble."

"We don't."

"Good to know."

He continued descending the stairs. Martha stayed behind him. Her sudden "Are you alright?" startled him.

He stopped and turned to her again. "Yes, it's just ..." He ducked his head, swallowed and then explained, "He was the first one who was really happy for me or told me so at least." He sought Martha's dark eyes in the dim corridor. "And he's completely crazy, so ..." He sighed. "Am I doing the right thing?"

Martha came down another few steps to stand on the same level he did and took his shoulders. "Ianto, you're having a baby and that's completely and utterly crazy … and wonderful. I'm happy for you." She grinned. Ianto smiled back at her, but it didn't feel quite right, as if he was wearing a mask. Martha frowned and shook her head. "It's not about anyone telling you that they're happy, right? You want Jack to be happy about it."

Ianto ducked his head, feeling caught out.

Martha squeezed his shoulders. "It'll break his heart if you leave."

Ianto avoided her eyes. "It'll break my heart if I stay."

Martha sighed and rolled her eyes. "I thought that the Doctor was the most stupid guy in the whole of the universe where feelings are concerned. He's starting to look like the perfect, emotionally stable guy in comparison to the two of you. You love each other. You're having a baby. But Jack's too much of coward to stay with you and you're too much of a coward to fight for him – you just turn around and run away. Love is all about taking risks. I can't believe that two men as brave as you can't take them." She turned to go downstairs and the last Ianto heard from her was, "Jesus! Bloody men!" Then the slam of the door leading into the Hub.

He sighed deeply and followed her slowly. What Martha had said made sense. Of course it did. But it was easier said than done. Tiredly, he paused and rubbed his eyes. He couldn't think about that now. He should just go and lie down in one of the guest quarters.

When he entered the main Hub, he saw Martha, Owen and Gwen surrounding Tosh's desk.

Gwen asked nervously, "Is it switched off now?"

"I think so," Tosh answered.

Owen crossed his arms. "You think. You better be sure."

Ianto asked, "What's going on?"

They turned to him and Martha said, "We found the vortex manipulator of that missing Time Agent. Tosh switched it on accidentally."

Owen added, "Jack said not to switch it on under any circumstances."

"It's off now," Tosh snapped. "Calm down."

Ianto approached the desk and looked down at the manipulator. Gwen asked, "What did you find out about her?"

Ianto sighed. "We found records about a prisoner called Sophia Foster. She was found in 1957 unconscious near Cardiff. Torchwood Three found her and she was transferred to Torchwood One immediately."

"What about Jack?" Gwen asked. "Didn't he know?"

"He wasn't with Torchwood then," Ianto answered. "His personnel file shows a gap in the years 1955 to 1958. He worked as an insurance agent during that time."

Owen rolled his eyes. "Seriously?"

Ianto shrugged. "I find that more believable than his story about owning a bar on a beach for a few years." He sighed. "Sophia claimed to be a Time Agent. They took her equipment and experimented on it. She died in 1984 following an attempt to break out."

Gwen bit her lip. "How sad."

"Well, at least they know now what happened."

xxx

As soon as the door to the tourist office closed behind Jack, cutting them off from Ianto, John said, "I asked Ianto to come with me." The words cut through the clear, chilly night air, a contrast to the sea water lapping at the quayside.

Jack stared at him incredulously, sudden anger tightening his chest. "You what?" Thoughts began to whirl around his head: Ianto going to UNIT – he would probably be able to handle that, knowing that Ianto would still be there, somehow. But if he went with John … through time and space ...

John turned to the side, hiding half of his face in shadows, the other half barely visible in the dim light the bulb outside the tourist office provided. "It's not as if you're still an item and he's a free man. He can do whatever he likes. And considering that you treat him as if the pregnancy is his fault-"

"I know damn well that it's not his fault! I don't blame him!"

"No, you blame the fucking world!" John snapped, turning back around to him, his hands on his hips. "Because heaven forbid that you have to commit to something after it went wrong a few times." He snorted. "You're such a coward."

"You have no idea what it feels like," Jack answered angrily. "Losing them time and time again."

"Don't you dare," John hissed. "Don't you dare go and tell me that I have no idea! I may have lost only one family, but it was enough." He closed his eyes. "And I asked Ianto to come with me because I saw a chance for me to start something new. I saw something wonderful you rejected and I thought I should give it a try." He turned away. "He said no, by the way." He shook his head. "He still loves you. I can't believe you would just let it go to waste."

"I love him," Jack said softly.

John turned around to him. "Then what's your problem? There was nothing I could do to save Terry and our child, but if there would have been even the slightest chance, I would've taken it. Maybe things will get ugly later, but don't you think that you will regret that you never even tried?" He stepped closer to Jack and cupped his cheek. "My Jack took apart the universe to find his brother, even though everybody told him that there was no way he would succeed. My Jack never gave up." He kissed him tenderly and then shoved his hands in his pockets and started towards Roald Dahl Plass.

xxx

The soft knock on the door to the guest quarters woke Ianto from a light sleep. He sighed and switched on the bedside lamp. He pulled the blanket higher to cover up his naked chest, then he said, "Yes." He'd expected Tosh, maybe Martha or Owen, even Gwen, but not Jack. He rubbed his eyes to wake up fully and sat up a bit. "Hi."

"Hi," Jack answered. He entered and closed the door, slowly, as if he wasn't sure he should be here. His eyes were worried. "Are you okay?"

"Just a bit tired," Ianto answered.

Jack nodded in understanding and sat on the edge of the bed. "John left."

"He mentioned he would."

"I'm glad you didn't go with him."

Ianto took a deep breath and stared into Jack's eyes earnestly. "Are you?"

"Of course." Jack's eyes wandered away from Ianto's and down to his belly, hidden underneath the bunched-up blanket. Ianto wondered if he should offer to let him touch it. Jack interrupted the thought by starting, "I ..." His voice failed him. He sighed and looked up again, into Ianto's eyes. "I've been thinking," he spoke slowly. "How about … dinner, sometime? A movie, maybe?"

Ianto's eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. "Are you asking me-"

"Yes," Jack interrupted him. He seemed just as insecure as that first time he'd asked for a date. "What do you say?"

"I say, why?"

"I could continue lying to myself … or I could do what I really want to do and that's date you."

Ianto stared at Jack searchingly, looking for any trace of insincerity or ulterior motive and finding none. "A sudden change of heart."

"Not so sudden. I just … I know I screwed up." Jack swallowed audibly. "Please give me another chance."

Ianto let the silence hang for a moment, then he asked. "What about the baby?"

"I'm hoping it can give me another chance as well. Just don't expect me to … I don't deal well with the past or memories, so maybe I'll be a bit difficult at times."

"I noticed and I guessed you would," Ianto answered with a chuckle. "If it's any consolation, I screwed up as well. I shouldn't have pushed you."

They smiled at each other, tentatively, and Ianto squeezed Jack's hand. For a long moment, it was quiet.

Finally, Jack asked, "So? Dinner? A movie?"

"Willing to wait for a few months?" Ianto answered. "Those cramps are wicked. I wouldn't want to freak out the restaurant personnel."

"The cramps stop during the sixth month."

Ianto raised his eyebrows. "I'll be too big then to go outside without being noticed."

"So I'll have to wait?" Jack asked, mock-glaring at him.

Ianto grinned and put one hand in Jack's nape to pull him in. "No, not really."

The kiss started out sweet and innocent, but soon, Jack had pushed Ianto back against the headboard and their tongues met passionately. Jack's hand stroked down Ianto's chest and underneath the duvet … and paused. The kiss gentled and Ianto looked up at Jack questioningly. Jack smiled cautiously and pulled the blanket back, settling to lie between Ianto's legs. His fingers carefully traced the outline of the swell of Ianto's belly. Then he spread his hand and covered it, his thumb rubbing gentle circles on the smooth skin. He bent down to kiss it and rested his head on Ianto's chest.

Ianto's fingers tangled in Jack's hair. "I think you're doing remarkably well already," he whispered.