A/N. Thank you for your lovely comments for the last chapter, they were much appreciated. This chapter is probably the fluffiest chapter i've written so far, but as it's Christmas i think lots of fluff is allowed. :) Thank you to rosieposy for her help with the gift ideas, i hope you like how i've interpreted some of them. On with the chapter, enjoy. Christmas cookies for reviewers. :)

Chapter 37.

In the early hours of Christmas morning Jack lay awake looking at the ceiling, Ianto curled up against his side. He brushed his hand softly through the Welshman's hair and was rewarded when Ianto snuggled closer. Jack smiled to himself at this, and then grinned wider when he thought about the nights activities once they had got back to the flat. Their clothing lay on the floor, along with some red ribbons, which Jack had strategically tied on himself for Ianto to untie. Jack had promised an enjoyable present and it certainly had been.

'What are you thinking about?' Ianto mumbled sleepily from beside him. Jack had been so wrapped up in his thoughts he hadn't noticed Ianto stirring awake.

'Just thinking that this is how I'd like to spend every Christmas.' Jack answered turning so that he was facing Ianto.

'Yeah, me too. Is it too early for presents?'

Jack laughed, 'Yes it is, anyway you've already had mine.'

Ianto fixed him with a stare, 'As fun as earlier was, I'm hoping you got me something else, or else when people ask what you got me I don't know what I'd say.'

'I'm sure I could think of a way to explain it.'

'Yeah I bet you could.'

'It works both ways, I hope you got me something good.'

'I believe I got you something nice, but if things work out elsewhere, there might be something else too.' said Ianto cryptically.

'Really, what?'

'I can't tell you in case it doesn't work out.'

'You know,' said Jack pushing himself up so that he was leaning over Ianto, 'I have ways to get you to talk.'

'Oh, really.' answered Ianto,

'Yeah,' said Jack as he leant right down and captured Ianto's lips in a long, hard kiss.

When they broke apart, Ianto smiled up at him and said. 'Is that all you got.' Sensing a challenge Jack went back in for another kiss and they started on a repeat of earlier in the evening.

X

Jamie and Molly enjoyed a lie in until late morning and were now sat in the lounge eating bacon sandwiches and having coffee as they unwrapped their gifts. Molly had been given a spa pass from Jack and Ianto and was looking forward to using this when she had some free time. She was unwrapping a present from Jess, when she realised Jamie was looking slightly nervous.

'You ok?' she asked.

'What.. Errm yeah fine. Is the gift ok, Jess was worried you wouldn't like it.'

'It's lovely, I can't believe she remembered I said I needed a new one.' It was a purple purse with a clasp in the shape of a flower. 'Are you sure you're ok.'

Jamie took a deep breath and then handed over his present to her. Molly took it, suddenly a little apprehensive herself. She carefully unwrapped it and found that it was a small box, a ring box. Molly opened the box and inside was a white gold ring, with a small diamond in the middle. She looked at Jamie who was sat next to her, he took hold of her hand and said. 'I know this may seem sudden, but I love you, will you marry me?'

Molly didn't know what to say, so many thoughts and emotions went through her that she was speechless. The silence went on until it became awkward and Jamie had to break it. 'Please say something, even if it's no.'

'It's…It's just.' Molly stumbled as she tried to speak. 'I never expected this, you've taken me by surprise.'

'So it's not a no then.' said Jamie hopefully.

Molly stood up, still holding the ring box in her hand. 'I..I need to think about it.' Jamie looked disappointed, he would rather she had said no straight away, if she thought about it and then said no, somehow that would feel worse. Neither said anything again for a minute that seemed to stretch into eternity, then Molly spoke again. 'I have to go.'

'You can't just leave, we can talk about this.' Jamie said trying, but failing to not to sound too upset. This was not how he had seen this moment going.

'No, I have to be by myself for a little while, but I promise I will be back,' she said, kissing him on the cheek. Molly then turned and grabbed her coat from the peg and left the flat. She had no idea in that moment where she was going to go, but she knew she needed to think things through.

X

When Ianto woke up a second time, he saw that Jack was out of bed and getting dressed. 'What are you doing?'

'I need to go back to the Hub and check on that potential Rift spike.'

'Well, why didn't you wake me, I'll come with you.' said Ianto, making a move to get up.

'No, you stay there for a bit longer. There's something else I need to sort out while I'm there.'

'That wouldn't be something to do with my present would it?'

'Meet me in two hours and you'll find out, and make sure you bring my present with you.'

'Yes Sir,' answered Ianto with a mock salute and putting an emphasis on sir.

Jack groaned and leaned down for a kiss, 'Don't say that, or else I will never leave.'

Ianto chuckled and then snuggled back down under the duvet, 'Fine, I'll see you in two hours.' He then watched as Jack exited the room.

Jack took his great coat from the peg in the hallway and then left the flat. He walked the short distance to the Hub, using the invisible lift to gain entry. As the lift lowered he noticed a figure sat by one of the computers. He frowned, no one was supposed to be here. When the lift had finished it's descent he saw that the figure had turned around. 'Molly?' he asked. 'What on earth are you doing here?'

'Checking on the Rift predictor, which is fine.' answered Molly, but Jack saw straight through her.

'I had already said that I would do that so everyone could have the day off. What's the real reason, have you and Jamie fell out?'

'No. I just needed some time by myself to think things through, and this was the only place I could think of.'

'Why didn't you go back to your flat?'

'I didn't know what you and Ianto had planned, and I didn't want to get in the way.'

Jack walked over to the desk and leaned against it as he took in the contemplative look on her face. He also noticed that she was fiddling with a small box. 'Is that what I think it is?'

Molly passed him the box so that he could look. 'Yeah Jamie proposed.'

Jack opened the box and looked at the ring. 'It's a nice ring.' He passed it back to her and then continued. 'I take it you haven't said yes.'

Molly shook her head, 'I said I needed to think about it.'

'I know I probably wouldn't be the first person you'd choose to talk to, but you look like you need to talk to someone.'

'You don't want to listen to me go on.'

'Try me.' said Jack as he pulled a chair over from Gwen's terminal and sat down.

'When he asked, I was shocked, I mean we haven't been together that long, and then it hit me that maybe he was asking because he didn't know how long we would have together. Doing this job, it's not exactly the safest thing in the world. I then thought about my parents and I just had to get away and think about everything, it's a big decision.'

'Were you're parents not happy?'

'It's not that, completely the opposite, they were very much in love, but that's part of the problem. My mum died first and it destroyed my dad, he wasn't the same without her, and then six months later he was dead, because he got reckless. He never got over it, I could see it in his eyes. He tried his best, but…' Molly trailed off. 'Honestly, I think I'm just scared of what would happen if I lost Jamie.'

'That could still happen now though, not getting married wouldn't change that.'

'I know, but until today I hadn't really thought about the consequences, and I never knew how permanent we were, marriage would cement the relationship.'

'I'm not going to lie to you, if one of you dies doing this job, then the other one will probably never get over it. You can learn to live with it to some extent, but that hurt will never go away. I've lost countless people in my life and each one still hurts now. When Ianto died I wished in that moment that I could die too. I never got over that, I put as much distance as I could between me and this place and it was never enough. I was lucky though and I got a second chance. The thing is deep down I know that I face the same thing again, he is going to die, hopefully of old age, but still it's going to happen and I can't stop it.' Jack took a deep breath, he was sharing something that he hadn't shared with anyone. 'I'm still with him though, because I love him and I want to make the most of now and not think about the future for as long as possible. I would rather spend what time we have together, rather than apart because I'm scared of losing him.'

Molly was fighting back tears by this point, she had never heard Jack speak like this and suddenly everything was put in perspective. She knew what she had to do. 'Thank you Jack.'

'What for.'

'Everything, you've put everything in to perspective.' Molly stood up, and moved closer to Jack. He stood up too and she hugged him. As she did they heard the alarm sound on the cog door. Molly pulled away and said, 'I must go, I've got a proposal to accept.' She grinned and then ran past a bemused looking Ianto.

'What was that all about?'

'Long story, but the short version is Molly is going to go and tell Jamie she accepts his proposal.'

'You helped convince her.'

'She just needed someone to talk her concerns through with and I happened to be the one here.' Jack didn't want to get into the details of what he had said so he steered the subject away. 'So do you want your present?'

'Sure.'

'Follow me.' he said holding out his hand, which Ianto took. Jack led him up to his office, where in the middle of the room was a telescope. Ianto looked puzzled for a moment.

'I might not be able to take you to all the places I've ever been, but I can show you, with this.' said Jack. Ianto let go of his hand and pulled him into a hug.

'I don't know what to say, thank you. I love that you want to share that with me.' Ianto smiled and then said, 'Are you getting sentimental?'

Jack smiled back, 'Don't tell anyone will you, I have an image to maintain.'

'My lips are sealed,' replied Ianto. 'Do you want your present now/'

Jack's eyes lit up, 'Oh yeah,' he said somewhat enthusiastically. Ianto disappeared out of the office for a moment before coming back up to the office with a large parcel in his hands, which he had hidden in the Hub. Jack unwrapped the parcel quickly, discarding the paper in the floor. It was a new great coat.

'You're other one is starting to look pretty beaten up.'

'It's perfect, thank you. I don't know how you do it, these can't be easy to find,' said Jack shrugging off his old coat and slipping on the new one.

'I have my ways.' Ianto paused for a moment before handing Jack a key. Knowing Molly was accepting Jamies proposal had made his mind up about this one. 'Sorry this one isn't wrapped.' Jack took the key as Ianto said, 'I wondered if you'd move in with me, permanently.'

Jack's face broke into a big grin. 'I'd love too,' he said before grabbing Ianto and pulling him into a kiss that he hoped showed how much love he was feeling right then.

X

Molly ran all the way back to Jamie's flat, stopping only briefly to get her breath back before she knocked on the door. As soon as he answered the door, she said, 'If the proposal still stands then the answers yes.'

Jamie pulled her inside the flat and kissed her as hard as he could. When they broke apart, he said, 'Of course the proposal still stands.'

X

A/N. Now i get to plan a wedding and nothing can wrong there, can it? :)