AN: This chapter is dedicated to "Gothic Coffee Drinker" and "Janto Addict" who leave me lovely reviews within minutes of an update – thanks for the support :)
"Guys you've done an incredible job. Here – I think you've earned these." Ianto said with his butler smile as he held a tray of freshly brewed coffee infront of the team of builders. A week had passed since Jack and Ianto had decided to set up the new improved Torchwood in the old Hub, and in that time a team of builders had been in, fixing the roof and replacing the flagstones on the Plass above. The Plass itself looked exactly as it always had. A couple of test runs had even found that the invisible lift was still working. The Hub however looked very different from its former guise. The whole room had been gutted, all the broken furniture and twisted metal removed, the broken glass carried out carefully, shattered bricks and flagstones heaved out. Several skips had been filled and removed from outside the Tourist Information Office door – the Hire Company had not enjoyed delivering and collecting those. The only area of the Hub that hadn't been cleared was the Autopsy Room. When the bomb went off the walls around the room crumbled, caving the room in. Too many memories came out of that room, but so many of them were painful, so Jack had decided to leave it caved in. All the Hub was now was a huge empty cave. No office, no desks, no walkways, no staircases. Just the cog door leading up to the Tourist Information Office and then a vast cavernous space. A blank canvas.
"This place is amazing." Jack said as he walked up to Ianto, the workforce sitting down on the other side of the Hub drinking their coffees. "Ooh any coffee for me?" He added.
"I'll make a fresh pot when everyone's left. Don't want them getting mixed up." Ianto said with a smile.
"You retconned the coffee?" Jack asked surprised.
"How else did you think we were going to drug them all?" Ianto asked. He had accessed the Online Archive a few days earlier and downloaded the Retcon recipe. Surprised at the simplicity of the ingredients he had worked with Jack to create a batch. Mixing it in Ianto's kitchen as opposed to the Torchwood lab meant that instead of the traditional tablet form the Retcon was now liquid based. He had merely made a pot of coffee and added the necessary dosage, pouring out enough mugs to accommodate all the builders, and by morning they'd all wake up none the wiser as to how they'd spent the past week.
"Thanks lads – cheques in the post." Jack called with a friendly wave as the builders boarded the invisible lift for the last time and left the Hub.
"Is it?" Ianto asked as he wandered through the Hub to gather up the now empty mugs.
"Of course. They might not remember doing the job, but they'll be getting paid for it." Jack said.
"Good." Ianto said as he piled the mugs on the empty tray leaving it on the floor.
"I can't believe how different this place looks, yet how familiar it feels." Jack said as he walked aimlessly and nonchalantly around the empty echoing Hub.
Ianto smiled as he watched Jack. "So where do you want your office?" He asked.
Jack shook his head as he continued his stroll. "I don't want an office. We'll just stick my desk over in that corner or something. Its not going to be like Hubs of old… with the leader cut off from his team… we're not just work mates anymore… any of us. We're friends… family." He explained. "And if that backfires one of us can always use the office upstairs." He joked with a grin.
"I like that idea." Ianto said smiling.
"So where are you putting your new coffee machine?" Jack asked. Ianto's old machine had not survived the explosion, so Jack had bought him a new one that was currently based in the Tourist Information Office, but would be relocated to the Hub now the building work was over.
"Close to your desk probably. You're not really going to leave Gwen to make the coffee are you?" Ianto asked.
Jack shook his head. "I don't think any of us would be able to survive without your wondrous supply of fresh coffee." He said smiling.
"So what exactly will she be doing… other than pouting?" Ianto asked.
Jack grinned as he laughed softly. "Gwen will be pouting no doubt about it. Like I explained to her, she's pregnant and I wont have her running around Cardiff risking getting hurt by anything or anyone. Can you imagine the grief I'd get from Rhys?" He asked.
Ianto smiled knowingly. "I can imagine more than grief."
"Me too." Jack agreed. "She's going to have to get used to being in the Hub more… running the cover story upstairs… tidying up… doing computer work… you're going to have to get her up to speed accessing the archives… but no, she wont be making coffees. Or getting sexual favours."
"Glad to hear it." Ianto said winking. "So when's she arriving?" He asked picking up the tray of coffee mugs and making for the cog door.
"Tomorrow morning. We have a few more hours' peace and quiet yet. Few more hours' of just you and me." Jack asked.
"You've changed you know." Ianto said softly, putting the tray back down again.
"Have I?" Jack asked, a little surprised.
"This past week. You seem… calmer I think. Your outlook on life and what we do… its totally different to what it was before the 456. Even the way you react to people… Gwen… Rhys… even me… its changed." Ianto tried to explain.
Jack smiled softly. "I feel different. I think what happened… what could have happened… how bad it got… it made me think about my life… not my immortal life… but my life right here right now… and it made me appreciate the little things. Not just the beauty of the Earth and this city and these people… but how much I need this… this chance to start again… with you." He said causing Ianto to smile but not to speak, to allow Jack to continue. "I guess what I'm saying… really badly… is that I love you. And I am so glad that I get to share this life with you. This part of my life. And that I won't take it for granted. That I won't take you for granted. Because anything could happen… and invariably will. God I am so bad at this." He said flushing with embarrassment, a rare occurrence in Jack, one Ianto had never seen before.
Ianto walked steadily over to Jack and cupped his face in one hand. "You're getting better at it." He said leaning in and kissing him softly. "I love you Jack. And the difference in you is a brilliant and beautiful one. Don't get me wrong, I loved the old Jack… but this new Jack… there are no words for how you make me feel."
Jack smiled. "Marry me?" He said simply.
Ianto grinned as his eyes filled with tears and they gently spilled down his cheeks. "What?" He whispered.
"Marry me Ianto… please?" Jack's voice was nervous, gentle, almost pleading. Gone was the confidant swaggering Jack Harkness. In his place a man who'd never seemed more human and more real to Ianto.
"What?" He whispered once more.
Jack smiled weakly. "Please stop saying what." He whispered his voice so faint and gentle if was almost lost in the vastness of the Hub.
Ianto wiped the tears from his face and took hold of Jack's hand. "Yes." He breathed. "Yes I'll marry you." He said before hugging Jack. Jack grinned.
AN2: Right then readers… what do you think… do I merrily carry on… or do I give Jack and Ianto a definite happy ending… one which RTD robbed them of? Please review and let me know… all writing will be on hold whilst I try and figure out what I'm going to do! Whatever the outcome… there will be at least one more chapter.
