As the day went on, post-it notes began to show up on my desk. They each had little messages like "you look beautiful today." After lunch, there were even flowers. I could see Jack eying them all up too. He watched from inside his office, clearly not happy at all. He stood up from his desk as Ianto started towards my desk with a cup of coffee. Jack walked over to Willow's desk and kissed her. I saw Ianto roll his eyes.
"You trying to make me jealous, Jack?" Ianto called from across the room. Jack looked up and shook his head.
"Of course not." Jack strode over to Ianto. "Why? Is it working?" He smiled, his face an inch away from Ianto's.
"Jack, your whole "seductive" act doesn't work on me. It just makes you look like a lose man whore." Ianto kept his calm. Jack pulled away and glanced at me.
"You know, Charlotte, he's just using you to make me jealous." Jack nodded. "Let's be honest, it does seem rather sudden." Jack smiled.
"Jack! Stop dragging her into this when we both know this is about us!" Ianto looked Jack over. "I've played your game for a year. I'm done, jack. I don't want to be your casual shag anymore. I don't want to be at your beckoning call 24/7 because you "need me." And, if you actually paid attention to anyone but yourself, you'd see that I haven't been happy for a while." Ianto let out a sigh. "I can't do this anymore. I'm done."
Jack stood still, staring at Ianto. I looked at the ground, not wanting to get in the middle of a fight again.
"Ianto, I don't need you." He snapped back before storming into his office and slamming the door.
Jack didn't come out of his office all day. Willow went in there to keep him company, but otherwise, we all went back to work like normal. Ianto still put the occasional post-it on my desk, but they were more "Sorry about earlier," and "We need to talk about what happened earlier." I kept my mind busy working on an autopsy with Mel and Owen.
My mind kept wandering back to Jack. The look in his face when Ianto told him off. The feeling was still there when Ianto and I went home. I rested my head on the window and sighed.
"You're awfully quiet." Ianto's hand rested on mine. I shrugged and pulled my hand onto my lap. Ianto nodded and didn't say anything.
"I'm sorry, I'm just thinking." I said after a few minutes. I looked out the window, closing my eyes. Ianto smiled slightly.
"Aren't you always?" He laughed. I smiled and nodded. "Anything in specific?" I shrugged again.
"Jack. He seemed really upset today." I sighed. Ianto nodded and turned into the parking garage for his building.
"I guess you already know, about Jack and I." Ianto said quietly as we sat in the car. I nodded slowly. "I'm not...gay. It's only him. Well, was only him. It started during a time in my life, after my girlfriend died, that I lost some meaning. Jack helped me find meaning again. Now, I know who I am. I don't need Jack anymore." Ianto smiled. "Don't worry about Jack. He's just being melodramatic."
"Hello?" Ianto was in the shower when his phone went off. I grab it off the table and answered it for him.
"Charlotte?" Willow hissed my name. "Where's Ianto?" I peered down the hall. The water was still running.
"In the shower. Is there anything I can help you with?" I balanced the phone between my shoulder and ear while I stirred the pasta I had on the stove.
"Tell him he broke Jack." She said, annoyed.
"What do you mean?" I froze, walking into the hallway.
"Jack, he tried to kill himself and won't speak to anyone. Not even me." Her voice sounded tired and scared. I sighed.
"He just got out of the shower. Want him to call you back?" I stood at the end of the hallways, Ianto reappearing in a t shirt and jeans.
"No, he'll know what to do." She hung up and I did too. Ianto started towards his room, still drying his hair with a towel.
"Ianto?" I peered down the hall. He looked up and smiled. "Um, Willow just called." His smile lessened.
"Is there a spike in the rift?" He folded the towel he was holding and put it over his arm. I shook my head.
"She said to tell you that you broke Jack." Ianto's head snapped up, his eyes wide. "What?"
"I have to go. Now." He grabbed his keys off the table and hurried to the front door. I followed him.
"Will you be back for dinner?" I looked at him, sadly. He shook his head.
"I doubt it." He kissed me quickly. "I'm sorry!" He closed the door behind him, leaving me alone with the smell of burning noodles.