Right as Miranda and Hart were beginning their third round of sex, Ianto was unbuttoning his waistcoat, walking into Jack's office. He said, without looking up, "I thought tonight we could try that new toy and the shorter ropes."

Jack didn't even look up from his computer screen and Ianto raised both his eyebrows, annoyed. "Jack?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, whatever you want, Yan," Jack said, still not taking his eyes off the screen.

"What the bloody hell is so interesting that you're not paying attention to your disrobing husband suggesting sexual experimentation," Ianto snapped, walking around Jack's desk. He couldn't stop the annoyed groan when he saw the image. It was a security camera down in the staterooms, specifically the one in the room Hart was using. About bloody time, he thought but instead of voicing that opinion, he slapped Jack's arm. "Seriously, Jack? You're spying on them shagging?"

"They're not just having sex, Ianto," Jack said, softly.

Ianto narrowed his eyes and watched for a few minutes. Miranda was in Hart's lap, her arms wrapped around his neck. Hart had his own arms around Miranda, his hands between her shoulder blades, fingers splayed. His face was buried in her neck. Ianto had had the pleasure of Miranda's intimate company… but not like this. The two of them were joined as one, moving with each other. Each one giving as much as they received. When they slowed, they were staring into each other's eyes, sharing small caresses and touches. They weren't just having sex. They were making love. Miranda didn't have her head thrown back, as was Ianto's experience. Her eyes were closed, her forehead resting against Hart's. Their heads slowly tilted and they tumbled into a profound kiss. He shut the laptop and scolded, "You shouldn't be watching."

Jack's jaw was tight. "He's trouble."

"We know that. You're the one who extended his trial period," Ianto said, rolling his eyes. "Oh, and in case I haven't said it before… nice psychotic ex, Jack."

"You've said it a few times," Jack said. He opened his laptop again. "You want to start this now, Yan? Again?"

"I don't want to quarrel, Jack." Ianto shut it before he could open it all the way and kept his hand on the top. He tapped it gently. "We've talked about this already. You know how I feel about him being here."

Jack felt the gap between them rumble and separate farther. Hart made Ianto uncomfortable, made him feel a little threatened. That first week of Hart's trial period, things between them had been rocky. He turned, finally ready to admit his suspicions. He turned and leaned back in his chair.

"It was a long time ago, before I ran into Rose and the Doctor. The Agency had just stolen my memories. Two years, gone like that," Jack said, snapping his fingers.

"I know, you told me," Ianto said. He tapped the laptop. "I don't see what that has to do with him."

"I was on some planet in the thirty somethingth century. I'd just started running cons again. I'd heard about some Crassostrian pearl necklace that was going to end up in the wind there. I don't remember exactly what century it was or what planet," he explained. He squinted his eyes a bit, concentrating. "I saw John across the market square. I think he had Will with him."

"What?"

"She had this teal coloured hair but I think it was her. I'm not sure it was her. It was from far away and I was paying attention to John not who he was with," Jack said. He shook his head. He still wasn't certain. "I wanted to get John's attention. I wanted answers. I thought, maybe he knew why the Agency had taken my memories. I didn't get a chance, someone said something in my ear. Told me that John would come back to me and to not turn him away when he did."

"Strange," Ianto said, raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't remember any of it until I saw John in the autopsy bay," Jack confessed. "I turned around but he was gone. I never saw his face."

Jack held back the annoying feeling that the voice had been familiar. He was certain he was imagining it. The mind tried to make all sorts of connections and associations to work through confusion and to understand.

Ianto rubbed at his forehead. "All this time nonsense makes my head hurt."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth, Yan," he said. "I wasn't sure about any of it. I'm still not."

Had he made the wrong choice? He'd said that Miranda's affair with Ethan Donovan was a recipe for disaster. Well, that was before he'd seen this. This wasn't a recipe for disaster. Miranda Ryan and John Hart were a recipe for complete catastrophe.

"Maybe you're right," Jack said, scrubbing at his face. "Maybe we shouldn't have interfered."

"Whether or not you were meant to keep him here doesn't matter. I thought love would be good for her. We all did," Ianto replied. He and Jack shared the same feeling. Had they all been too forceful trying to persuade Miranda and Hart to act on their mutual attraction? "It was just what she needed before."

Jack shook his head. "I still can't get over it. Her and Tosh."

"They were good together," Ianto said, sadly. It was more of a flat statement, not really directed at Jack. "You said she prefers the brainiac sort of woman. Who was more brainiac than Tosh?"

"I just keep trying to picture it and I can't." Jack's smile was tinged with grief. "Not like that, Yan."

"I didn't say anything," Ianto said, shaking his head. His own smile was also tinged with grief.

"I'm worried about her," Jack said, leaning back in his chair. "I've seen her play things a little fast and loose before but never seen her like this. Has she said anything to you?"

"Nothing, Jack," Ianto insisted then rolled his eyes at the glare his husband gave him. "I'm not lying, Cariad. I love her and I'm worried about her too. I've asked but she hasn't said anything. If she had and I could tell you I would."

"You don't think this is my fault, do you, Yan? Since the wedding-"

"Stop, Jack, it's not always about you." Ianto said holding up his hand. Yes, their visits to Miranda's bed had stopped but that had been largely Miranda's own decision. He sat down on the edge of Jack's desk, leaning on his hands. "I think I may know what's going on."

"Well?" Jack said, giving Ianto an expectant look.

Ianto hesitated. He leaned against the edge of the desk, sitting on it slightly. He put the heels of his hands on the edge. Reluctantly, he said, "I had a bit of a chat with Henry a few months after he moved here. He's known her a long time. When I described what was going on, he said she goes through these sort of mood swings every couple hundred years."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Every couple hundred years?"

"You were expecting something monthly?" Ianto countered with a spectacular eye roll. "I'm just repeating what he's told me. Said it's almost like a short depression." Ianto shrugged. He tapped the closed laptop. "Maybe this will help."

Is that what you're doing, Will? Are you jumping? he'd asked her after he learned she was throwing herself between his husband and the dangers of the Game. What was it she'd said? I'm old and used up. I'm just… I'm so very tired… She certainly hadn't looked depressed in his ex-partner's arms. Jack had seen that look nearly a hundred years ago but he had only seen flashes of sparkling stars in her eyes, like looking up at an overcast night sky. In Hart's embrace, the stars in her eyes shined like a clear night in the desert. She was happy and wasn't that what they all wanted?

He sat back in his chair, looking up at Ianto. His husband was studying his face, gauging his mood. Hours ago, the Welshman had unbuttoned his shirt cuffs, rolling the sleeves up. His tie was undone, dangling around his neck. The shirt was unbuttoned enough just so that Jack could see a small amount of chest hair peeking under the fabric. The waistcoat was also unbuttoned. He looked deliciously relaxed. The key adjective being delicious. Jack put his ex-partner and his ex-wife firmly out of his mind. It was none of his business now. It didn't matter whether or not he'd made the right choice. It was done.

He reached up, grasping the two ends of the tie in his hands. He seductively wrapped them around his fingers, using the tie to pull Ianto in closer.

"The shorter ropes and the new toy? Jones… Ianto Jones… that sounds like a plan…"