Chapter five: Stay with me

Jackie and Ianto glanced at each other, she could sense that he didn't want to discuss this now and frankly, neither did she. "This isn't the time or the place Jack." she picked up the ax and went towards the car. "We've got work a mess to clean up."

"Well, I think," Jack stated firmly. "that I'm entitled to an explanation. Yes, I expected you to be mad, downright furious. But there's something else that you're not telling me and somehow it concerns Ianto."

"This isn't the place for a domestic." Tosh stated quietly. "We're in public and it's been a long, hard time for all of us."

"Actually," Gwen pointed out. "this whole thing has been coming for the whole day and you need to sort this out. all three of you."

Jack glowered at Ianto. "So it does involve you?" Ianto glanced silently at her. she set the ax down and stepped towards him. "Are you going to man up and tell me face to face like a man," Jack demanded. "or are you going to play cat and mouse games?"

Ianto blinked and glanced at her for a moment before responding. "Jackie and I are dating now."

Jack blinked once before laughing. "Good one Ianto. tell me what's really going on?"

"He's not joking Jack." Jackie said as she turned on her heel and faced him. "Time may have reversed erasing a full year, but not so for me. The emotions I had for you faded since you just abandoned us." She slipped her hand in Ianto's. "I've been with Ianto for at least seven months under the circumstances."

Jack stood there unblinking for a moment. "At least you had the decency to wait five months before giving up on me."

"I was originally going to wait six, but you just…abandoned us. And even after the Doctor reversed time, the emotions that I felt for Ianto didn't change and his emotions were the same as they were the day you left. Sure, you can put the day and time back but, you can't change the feelings." She held his gaze. "It's over between us Jack."

Jack crossed his arms and studied her. "If I didn't know you so well, I'd almost believe you."

she let out a cry of outrage at his words and rolled her eyes. "Oh God, you're such an arrogant man!"

"I do know you, so let me tell you something." He crossed his arms and stated matter-of-factly as his eyes danced. "You're not over me."

"You're mad!" she snapped as she jerked her hand away from Ianto to plant them on her hips. "How dare you make such statement? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"The man you're in love with." Jack stated. Jackie let out a groan and walked in a small circle, shaking her head in irritation.

"Jack," Ianto said firmly. "leave her alone."

"I saw your eyes light up when you saw me, you can't deny that." Jack took a step towards her, those blue eyes of his blazing. "But then…you remembered how I've been missing during the year that never was. And all that hurt just came boiling up to the surface." Jackie's face heated in anger. "And now, you're just trying to get back at me."

"This is idiotic." Jackie glowered at him. "I'm going home and you will not follow me, or talk to me! Today was crazy enough without adding you to the mix! I would argue with you, but it's stupid to argue with a fool as you lower yourself to the fool's level." She turned to Ianto. "I'll wait in the car. I'm not going to listen to any more of this."

"Alright." Jackie planted a kiss on Ianto's cheek. "I'll be there in a moment."

Jack let out a sharp laugh as she stomped towards the car. "Keep telling yourself that Jackie! I haven't forgotten what transpired between us when we last talked." Jackie's hand froze on the car door as the blood drained from her face. "I remember it quite clearly and I know you remember it too. You can't throw what happened between us away that easily."

"Enough!" Jackie shouted as she spun around, her body shaking. "How dare you?" She demanded in fury. "Who do you think you are to try to use that against me? For your information, it isn't going work! I'm with Ianto and I'm going to stay with Ianto!"

She yanked the car door opened and slammed it shut as Jack shouted. "We'll see about that!"

"Alright, enough!" Gwen snapped. "This has gone on far enough Jack!"

She turned on the car and rolled the convertible top up. unfortunately, her senses were too sharp and emotionally involved not to hear this conversation. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't mute it. She could hear everything inside the car, over the engine and the music as clearly, as if she were standing outside there with them.

"I agree." Ianto said firmly. "You need to leave her alone, she's not yours anymore."

Gwen's voice rose in indignation. "You left, took off without a single word to her! I don't remember this missing year, but I'm certain she must have gone through hell and I'm glad Ianto was there for her."

"That's another thing," Jack pointed out. "those emotions were years ago. But here and now, in the present world, her emotions for me are still the same."

"You've got her rattled." Ianto stated. "She's upset at your arrival."

"She and Ianto have been happy these past few days." Tosh added. "You're going to have to accept that it's over between you two."

"You said happy, I didn't hear her or you say anything to convince me that she's in love with him!" Jack pointed out. "As a matter of fact she didn't even tell me! In fact, she didn't even use the word love once when talking about Ianto."

Ianto growled at him. "Jackie and I agreed we'd take things nice and easy and not rush it like you two did! You had your chance with her and ruined it. As she told you before, it's over!"

"Lots of people can say it's over Ianto, but it's never truly over." Jack said sarcastically before stating in a firm matter of fact tone that caused her insides to shake like jello. "She's still in love with me." she shook her head in denial. How had she ever fallen in love with a man like him? He was arrogant and prided himself as being so desirable. Did he really think it impossible for her feelings to change towards Ianto? "And nothing that you or Gwen say can change that fact!"

"I'm going to tell you to stay out of her life!" Ianto shouted causing Jackie to smile. "You told me so once! Now, I'm telling you, leave her be. We will work here together, but you will not pursue her."

Jack chuckled. "I don't need to pursue her. she'll come to me when she's ready."

"She won't do that." Ianto shook his head firmly. "She doesn't want you."

"Doesn't want me? The day I left, Jackie almost gave herself to me." Her face flushed crimson with the memory. Her face also heated in humiliation that Jack actually would reveal that information to her boyfriend, sister and co-workers! But Jack didn't stop there. "She had her shirt off, her legs open to me and we would have gone through with it."

"You're lying!" Gwen screamed. "Jackie would never-

"Ask her yourself!" Jack shouted at her.

Tosh shook her head. "You've gone too far this time Jack, she'd never do that."

"Actually," Owen said slowly. "it would make sense why she was so upset that day Jack disappeared. Remember?"

Now Jack had everyone's attention. "Believe me," Jack's voice lowered. "if I didn't love and respect her, I would have taken her on the couch in my office." Neither Gwen nor Ianto said anything. "Has she ever done that with you Ianto?" He demanded as he stepped towards Ianto. "Have you ever been able to make her feel that way? Have you ever…been able to make her lose herself in you so completely she'd forget everything that she believed in?"

Again, not a word was spoken. Ianto drew back his hand punched Jack hard in the nose. Jack cursed and Ianto stomped over to the driver's side of the car, shaking his hand. She rolled the window down so she could speak to him. "Do you want to drive?"

He shook his head. "No." He exhaled deeply as he bent forward. "Look, why don't I meet you at my flat? Jack and I need to settle something first."

"Alright." She reached up and kissed the corner of his mouth. Some of his tension melted away, but not all of it, she could feel anger and confusion in Ianto as well. "I love you." her tone was sincere and honest.

Ianto held her gaze and smiled softly at before saying quietly. "I know."

She then turned the car around and headed straight for Ianto's flat. Ianto was probably now strengthening their argument by telling Jack that she and Ianto shared a flat together. True, they didn't share the same bedroom, but there was no need for Jack to know that.

Ianto's flat, an hour later,

Jackie stabbed her spoon back into her French vanilla ice cream which was dripped with the extra melted caramel and chocolate topping as she stared at her TV screen which was playing Britain's Ballroom Challenge. Her favorite couple was in third place, but she was certain they'd win the title this year. The couple originally in first place had a bit of a stumble and that one little trip cost them their place.

The door opened and she dropped her ice cream container in shock with a faint shriek. She'd been so in tune with this simply gorgeous bolero that she'd forgotten about her surroundings. She looked up as Ianto came in the door. He arched his brow as she reached for the fallen ice cream container.

"Sorry." She turned the volume down a bit. "You startled me."

"That's alright." He cleared his throat as he took off his coat, dumping it and his briefcase on the kitchen counter. As near as she could tell, he didn't have any new bruises on him. But she could tell by his demeanor that he was still slightly upset. "Any more of that stuff around here?"

"I left your double fudge brownie alone." She jerked her head to the fridge. "There's also some fresh strawberries and custard if you'd prefer that."

"Thanks." He exhaled deeply as he reached for the freezer door. "How are you doing?"

"Coping, today was such a weird day." She exhaled and took another huge spoonful. "Jack returns and then Gwen almost gets blown up. I haven't decided if I'm going to laugh, cry or scream the house down yet." Ianto approached her. "But stuffing myself with this sinful stuff seems like a pretty good idea at the moment."

Ianto chuckled as he reached for his ice cream. "This must be very confusing for you."

"Yes. I was just getting used to being second in command to." He chuckled. "And I liked it too!"

Ianto came and sat in his armchair opposite her couch. He studied her for a moment before asking cautiously. "Do you still have feelings for Jack?"

She froze for a moment before stating honestly. "Some."

"What kind?" He asked gently. "Romantic?"

She paused before stating. "No."

"Are you certain?" he probed gently.

"Of course I am!" She let out an exasperated sigh. "Ianto, if Lisa came back from the dead, you'd expect me to understand!"

"Lisa was my fiancée and there was an understanding between us." He pointed out. "There was no such understanding between you and Jack."

"Jack was the first man to kiss me and tell me that he loved me!" She set her ice cream carton to the side and pulled her blanket over her. "You yourself told me that the first love never dies, he was my first love, so I apologize for having emotions that I cannot control. But I assure you quite firmly I do not want them and I intend to kill them off as soon as possible!"

Ianto was silent for a long time before demanding. "Jack said you and he almost had sex the day he disappeared." Jackie closed her eyes and bit her lip. "Is that true?"

Tears formed behind her closed eyes as she nodded. "Yes, it's true."

"And is that why you upset with him?"

She sighed as she stood up. "Yes, that is why I was upset." Words bubbled up inside her and came bursting out of her. "I preferred not to mention it to you, because I felt so stupid, wanton and loose! I can't believe what I almost did!" Ianto stood up and set his ice cream aside. She shook her head. "I was mad at him and furious at myself for almost doing something so stupid! I almost threw away a very precious gift on a man who vanished for a whole year and then waltzes back into my life as if it's no big deal! I also almost threw everything I believed in as well out the window! He promised me that things would never go that far and yet…it's both our fault that it almost happened! So yes, I'm mad at him and I'm mad at myself!"

"Hey, shh," Ianto said as he pulled her into a hug. "calm down, it's alright now. I'm sorry. I won't ask you again, I promise."

She clung to his shoulders tightly. "That's one of the things I've loved about you." She felt the tension leave his shoulders. "You know what I want and you respected the boundaries and my emotions. Jack just kept pushing and testing them to get what he wanted. I swear, in that year that we missed, I did tell you, but it took a while for me to confess it. And I would have told you, but…it's only been two days for you."

"And, they've been nice days." Ianto smiled at her and kissed her while Jackie mentally changed the music to Tori Kelly's cover of Sam Smith's 'Stay with me.' after a few moments Ianto broke the kiss and asked. "Is that a request?"

She flushed. "Kinda."

He chuckled as he took her hand and led her back to the couch. "Alright." They snuggled onto the couch and Ianto pulled the blanket around her before reaching for the TV remotes. "So…what do you want to watch?"

She didn't' answer him as she curled up next to him. "I don't know. Why don't you pick something, all right? I've had the TV for a few hours already."

Ianto nodded and began browsing the channel guide for something to watch. As he did, she listened to the music and she noted something about the lyrics that never fully penetrated her being.

Why am I so emotional? No, it's not a good look; need some self-control. Deep down I know this'll never work. But you can lay with me, so it doesn't hurt. Oh, won't you stay with me? 'Cause you're all I need, yeah. This ain't love, it's clear to see. But darling, stay with me.

Was her mind subconsciously telling her something about her heart? Jackie mentally switched off the music and gripped Ianto's arm as she rested her head on his shoulder. He brought his arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She didn't remember what they watched that night, but she awoke feeling comfortable, warm and secure on Ianto's couch in his arms.