Surprise!

"So you'll be all right for the day?" Rhiannon asked as she brushed her hair. She looked past her reflection in the mirror at her husband, who nodded.

"We'll be fine, hon. Go on with you. You have fun with your brother." Her husband sat on the bed and watched with amusement as she got ready. It took him back to their days of going out, when she used to keep him waiting forever while she primped in front of the mirror. Not much had changed since then, he thought with a grin. Well, other than a couple of children and a house in the country.

"Of course I will," she said with a grin. "Of course, he has no idea I'm coming." Johnny knew how much she enjoyed surprises, and he was sure that creating them was more fun than receiving a surprise. He chuckled as she packed up her bag. She leaned down to give him a kiss, her fingers tangling in his hair while he reached up to clasp his hands around her waist. "You behave yourself and don't get into any trouble with the kids, all right?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a grin. She wrinkled her nose at him and shook her head. "We'll be as good as gold," he promised. He kissed her on the nose and gently pushed her towards the door. "Get on with you now or you'll never get there."

"Right then, I'll see you tonight," she said. She grabbed her bulky bag and slung it over her shoulder. With a last look towards her husband seated on the bed, she waved before heading down the stairs and out the back door. She had wanted to get an early start so she could get to Ianto's place before he left for work for the day. She was hoping she could convince him to shirk off work and spend his birthday with her. She dumped her bag in the passenger seat and started the car, heading into Cardiff and her brother.

The traffic was light and she made good time into the city. It was still early enough that she was able to find a parking space on the street not too far from her brother's flat. People were just beginning to head out, business men rushing along to work, shops just opening and there were a couple of joggers running. She sniffed appreciatively as she passed the local bakery that sometimes she and Ianto went to and debated whether she should stop and pick something up. It might put him in a better frame of mind to have something gooey and sweet along with his morning coffee, she thought with a smile.

Hefting her bag over her shoulder, she stepped into the shop and ordered a couple of cups of coffee along with a half dozen different pastries, since she couldn't make up her mind which ones she really wanted. Gathering up her purchases, she held the coffees in a tray in one hand while tucking the sweets into the huge bag over her shoulder. She walked the three blocks to Ianto's flat and let herself into the building with her key.

She was pleased to see that it was too early for Ianto's busy body neighbor, Mrs. Swanson, to be out and about. She made her way up the stairs and down the hall, the path familiar, though she hadn't been by a long time. Ianto had been so busy with work that every time she had suggested it in the past he had told her that his schedule at work was impossible, and that he couldn't guarantee being able to take time off. Really, she thought to herself wryly. What's a girl have to do to get a visit with her own brother? That was one of her reasons for the early visit. This way he couldn't avoid her, and she had the feeling he had been avoiding her lately. Annoying little brother, she thought with affection.

She fitted her key into the lock and turned it, wanting to be quiet and not clue him in to her arrival. The interior was dark. Good, that meant he was still in bed. She silently closed the door behind her and turned the lock. She entered through the foyer to the living room, using the light leaking around the drapes to make her way into the room. She noticed something dark draped over the back of one of the chairs. It was too dark to see what it was, but it looked like a long coat. There also looked like some sort of empty Chinese containers on the coffee table. Rhiannon was a little surprised by that. Ianto was usually neater than that, and was persnickety about keeping his place clean.

Shrugging, she left the coat where it was and made her way into the kitchen. Opening the swinging door, she was greeted by the morning light coming through the windows. Putting her purchases on the kitchen table, she rummaged through her bag. She pulled out a small box and straightened the bow which had been crushed by her wallet inside the bag. She smiled down at the box. She had found him the perfect birthday gift and hoped her really liked it. She was eager to see what he thought.

She debated on whether to wait until he got up or to just serve him his coffee in bed. After several minutes, the urge to see him proved stronger than her willingness to let him lie in, so she picked up the two coffees and made her way through the dim living room to the bedroom. The door was open and she could see that the summer breeze had pushed the curtains away and let more light into the room so she could see. She stepped across the threshold and gasped in shock.

Ianto lay sprawled on the bed with the usual abandon she had seen for years when sneaking into his room to wake him up when they were children. What was a shock was the dark head resting on his stomach. A man was sprawled on top of her brother, their legs entwined with one another. Her gaze traveled back up from their legs until she found herself looking into a pair of smiling blue eyes. The man had moved his head at her gasp and was looking at her.

Jack saw the young woman standing in the doorway with a couple of coffees in her hand. He looked down and pulled the sheet a little more firmly above the area of Ianto's hips to preserve his modesty. Lifting his head off of Ianto's chest, he saw a strong resemblance between his lover and the woman in front of him. Must be a sibling, he mused to himself.

"Hi," he said softly as he smiled at her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know…." She said softly as she backed her way out of the room. Jack silently cursed, not wanting her to leave. He got up and grabbed the closest thing to wear, which happened to be Ianto's robe. Wrapping it around himself, he padded out to the living room just in time to see the kitchen door swing closed. He made his way through the door and saw the woman standing at the counter, her back to him.

"You must be Ianto's sister," Jack said as he leaned against the fridge. She jumped and had to reach out to steady the cup of coffee she had just put on the counter. "Sorry to startle you." He could almost see her square her shoulders in a very Ianto-like movement before she turned to look at him. He could see that she resolutely kept her gaze up on his face. He couldn't help smiling as he noted the blush on her cheeks. "I'm Jack." She looked confused for a moment.

"Jack?" She said faintly. That name was familiar. Ianto had mentioned it to her before, but it had been when he had been talking about his boss. Her mouth opened into a circle and she breathed a single word. "Oh."

"And you are?" Jack prompted. He figured if he could get her into a conversation and more relaxed, it would be better for when Ianto woke up. Obviously he hadn't spoken with his sister lately.

"Rhiannon," she said before looking down at her hands. Jack thought her confusion was adorable. "I'm Ianto's sister." Her eyes darted up to his face again. "Please tell me you're not Ianto's boss that he's talked about."