Chapter Twenty-Four

Jack took a step back, adjusted his angle and captured several more shots. Pausing, he looked up from the camera. "Almost done. One more big smile, Ianto. Rhiannon, turn your head just a little more to the left."

After clicking off another few shots, Jack lowered the camera and moved back towards the pair, giving Ianto a reassuring smile. The usually calm, unflappable Welshman was looking decidedly frazzled, and Jack couldn't blame him. He knew Rhiannon well enough now to know that she could be a handful, and in his experience weddings turned even the most sensible and rational of people into stressed out, nervous wrecks.

The big day of Rhiannon and Johnny's wedding had finally arrived after what had seemed like endless months of drama and anticipation... the day where painstaking planning and countless agonising decisions would culminate in what they all hoped would be a momentous and memorable occasion. Of course, no wedding would be complete without a last minute hiccup or two, but the potential disaster in this instance had been easily averted – the wedding photographer had been taken ill with appendicitis and rushed to hospital, leaving Jack to bravely step into the breach. Not that he minded helping out and was actually glad of the distraction.

Fortunately, the weather was in their favour – a little chilly, but the sky was mostly clear after some earlier drizzle, and there was a hint of late afternoon sunshine – although Rhiannon had wisely decided on an indoor ceremony, just in case. The venue was a historic country hotel ten minutes north of the city centre, and with its extensive gardens and sweeping views, it was a perfect location for the couple's special day.

Rhiannon groaned. "Oh, my God. I feel like I'm going to be sick."

"Come and sit down for a minute, Rhi." Ianto attempted to usher his sister towards a nearby chair. "Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"No! I can't sit down. I'll crease my dress." She began pacing in a circle. "What if I trip as I'm walking down the aisle? Or I freeze up and can't recite my vows?" She froze and looked at them with an expression of wide-eyed horror. "Oh, God... what if I throw up during the ceremony?"

Ianto rolled his eyes, and Jack struggled to smother a laugh. He stepped forward, gently taking both Rhiannon's hands and holding her still. "Concentrate on your breathing. Calm, deep breaths. Ianto will be right by your side. Everything's going to be fine."

Rhiannon nodded shakily, closing her eyes while she took several deep breaths. She turned to Ianto. "You'd better go and check on Johnny. Make sure he's all right."

Ianto looked like he wanted to protest, but then seemed to think better of it. "All right. I won't be long." With an expression of someone resigned to his fate, he glanced at Jack before heading for the door.

Jack squeezed Rhiannon's hands. "I'd better go outside. I don't want to miss the arrival of any of the guests. Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah." She took another unsteady breath. "Thanks, Jack. And thanks again for doing the photos. I don't know what we would have done without you."

"It's my pleasure." Jack gave her a warm smile, then retreated from the room. Closing the door behind him, he turned and found Ianto standing a few feet away, leaning against the wall and clearly taking a moment to regather his composure.

Jack cast his eyes appreciatively over the Welshman. Attired in a traditional charcoal grey morning suit with a light grey waistcoat, crisp white shirt and pale mauve tie in a perfect half-Windsor knot, Ianto was nothing short of breathtaking. Ianto always looked gorgeous in Jack's eyes, but formal wear very much suited the elegant and well-groomed Welshman. A surge of warmth swelled in his chest. He wasn't going to rush things and risk what they already had, but he was more determined than ever that Ianto would one day unquestionably be his – and that he in turn would belong to Ianto. In his heart, he already did.

It had been Ianto's twenty-ninth birthday three days earlier, which Jack might not have even known about in advance if not for Rhys, who had confided that Ianto didn't put much stock in celebrating the date of his birth. Taking the matter in hand, he'd enlisted Estelle's help in making a decadent chocolate cake for the occasion. Estelle had met Ianto a week ago when Jack had taken her to Myfanwy's for morning tea, and the pair had bonded over their mutual love of baking.

Despite Ianto's protests about not making a fuss, he'd treated Ianto, Rhys and himself to dinner and a movie. Afterwards, he'd presented Ianto with a modest birthday gift consisting of a book on the history of Impressionism and the remastered box set of Star Trek: The Next Generation. He'd wanted to buy Ianto something more lavish and expensive like a nice watch, latest model smart-phone or a new laptop, but had worried that it might not have been well received. Ianto was a man of relatively simple needs and didn't covet material possessions. Jack couldn't make the same claim, but it was one of the things that he admired about the Welshman nonetheless.

Everything seemed to be going well between them, especially since Ianto's impromptu appearance on his doorstep a little over two weeks ago. Ianto seemed less skittish and more relaxed about their relationship, and he also seemed more comfortable with greater physical intimacy. However, Ianto had been busy with the bakery and making Rhiannon's wedding cake, so time alone had been scarce since the evening of their date at the French restaurant. He sensed, however, that Ianto might be ready for more, and his hope was that the next step would be spending the night together, even if they did nothing more than actually sleep in the same bed. Trite and sentimental as it sounded, he loved the idea of going to sleep with Ianto in his arms and waking up beside him the following morning. Ironically, he found himself craving closeness with Ianto more than actual sex, although he wanted that too, of course. Having experienced the sensual and passionate man hidden beneath that stoic, introverted exterior, he wanted to show Ianto the full heights of pleasure possible between two men. More than anything else, he wanted to be everything that Ianto could possibly desire from a sexual partner.

Ianto looked up as he approached, and Jack leaned next to him, being careful not to jostle the camera from where he'd slung it over his shoulder. Ianto sighed and gave him a weak smile. "She's my sister and I love her, but she's been a bloody nightmare these last few days."

"From what I can tell, it's a bride's prerogative." Jack chuckled. "I suppose the term bridezilla was invented for a reason." He gave Ianto's shoulder an affectionate bump with his own. "It's just pre-wedding nerves. She'll be fine once she's standing up there with Johnny. As for us, well, we survived Johnny's stag night, so this should be a walk in the park."

"Oh, God, don't remind me." Ianto grimaced comically, and Jack smiled at the memory of them struggling to deal with not only an inebriated Johnny, but a thoroughly sloshed Rhys as well. Jack had been surprised that Johnny invited him, but he suspected it had been at Rhiannon's insistence so that there was an extra person to keep an eye on her husband-to-be and ensure he didn't get into too much trouble. Anyway, he hadn't minded – he'd gotten to spend time with Ianto, and Johnny and his friends had been entertaining.

"I'm just looking forward to things getting back to normal." With another sigh, Ianto pushed away from the wall and straightened his waistcoat and the cuffs of his shirt. "Well, I suppose I'd better check on Johnny and get back before Rhi goes completely barmy."

Laughing, Jack straightened up and patted Ianto's shoulder. "Good luck. I'll see you later."

###

Jack settled into the role of dutiful wedding photographer, staying discreetly in the background while he photographed the various guests as they arrived and mingled. The happy couple had decided against video cameras, feeling it might make many of their guests uncomfortable and inhibited. Jack agreed with the sentiment. Most people could cope with a photographer snapping away on the sidelines, but many wouldn't like a video camera being thrust in their faces. So it was his job to capture as much of the special day as possible in addition to the more traditional wedding photos. He'd arrived early to get a lay of the land and take some establishing shots, checked out the rooms where the ceremony and reception would take place, and decided on the best location in the gardens for the formal photographs after the ceremony. When Rhys had arrived with Ianto's spectacular four-tier wedding cake, decorated with delicate white and mauve flowers and other tasteful embellishments, he'd made sure that he had photographs of it from every angle.

Johnny and his best man, a lanky guy with a shock of ginger hair by the name of Toby, along with Rhiannon's bridesmaids, Megan and Karen, were there to greet the guests and socialise. Ianto made a brief appearance to greet Johnny's parents and younger brother, then returned inside with Johnny's mother in tow, but not before she'd fussed over Johnny, straightening his jacket and adjusting his tie. While Johnny's dad was an older, more portly, balding version of Johnny, his mom was surprisingly petite, with short auburn hair and angular features. Johnny himself was in fine spirits, smiling and laughing, and gesturing for Jack to come closer whenever he wanted to pose with one or more of their guests.

Fifteen minutes after the last of the guests had arrived, one of the hotel staff appeared and spoke to Johnny for a moment, then began ushering everyone inside. Jack trailed behind, smiling and making small talk as necessary. He'd counted approximately fifty guests in total, well over half of them on Johnny's side as far as he could tell, with Rhiannon's friends making up the remainder of the gathering. Ianto had mentioned a reclusive uncle on their father's side who lived somewhere up north, but they hadn't seen him in many years – not since their father's passing – and he wasn't in attendance today.

Finally, everyone was assembled, the familiar strains of the wedding march sounded from the room's audio system, and the ceremony began.

All eyes were on the entrance as Rhiannon and Ianto appeared and began to make their way down the aisle. Rhiannon was beautiful in her flowing white gown courtesy of Toshiko, but it was Ianto who Jack kept staring at while photographing the pair despite reminding himself that he had a job to do and not to get distracted. The Welshman looked even more nervous than his sister, but he held himself tall, Rhiannon's arm tucked securely in his own, and walked with his usual grace and dignity while keeping a slow, steady pace. There was a hint of a smile on his face, but it seemed tenuous and strained. His gaze met with Jack's for a brief moment, and Jack looked out from behind the camera long enough to flash him an encouraging smile. Ianto's tense smile seemed to relax a little, and he patted Rhiannon's hand as they continued to make their way towards where Johnny, the best man and the celebrant were waiting.

Thankfully Rhiannon didn't trip, nor did she freeze up as she recited her marriage vows, and she also managed not to throw up. Johnny was beaming the whole time, his gaze never leaving the face of his lovely bride.

Rings were duly exchanged by nervous, unsteady hands as they took turns in declaring their promises of love and commitment to each other.

The celebrant smiled. "It is with great pleasure that I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now share your first kiss as a married couple."

There were more than a few misty eyes amongst the cheering and applauding guests, and Jack felt a lump of emotion lodge in his throat. Focused though he was on capturing the significant moment, he couldn't help wondering when it might be his turn to recite his own heartfelt words of unabiding love. Unlike the weddings he'd attended in the past, the pang of longing was no longer some vague, abstract notion, but something real and tangible. There was now one very specific set of blue eyes he wanted to be staring into, one set of hands he wanted to clasp in his own as he slid a ring onto a long, elegant finger, and one pair of lips that he wanted to kiss to seal the commitment of a lifetime together.

He just hoped that one day he'd get the chance.

###

"Er... hello." Ianto cleared his throat and looked around nervously as he waited until he had everyone's attention. "For those of you who don't know me, I'm Ianto, Rhiannon's brother. Rhiannon asked me to say a few words here today, but I'm not very good at this sort of thing, so I'll try to keep this brief."

Jack watched from the other side of the room where the reception was being held as Ianto began to stumble his way through his speech. Ianto hated being the centre of attention and was probably as far out of his comfort zone as he could get. Jack's stomach clenched with a knot of sympathetic anxiety.

Ianto took a deep breath. "Firstly, thank you for being here today. I know it means a great deal to Rhiannon and Johnny that all of you could be here to share their special day. With Johnny's support, Rhiannon has worked tirelessly to make today perfect, and I'm sure you'll all agree that the end result was worth all the hard work."

"Sadly, neither of our parents are still with us, but I have no doubt how happy they'd be if they were here or how proud they would have been to see their daughter marrying the man she loves. It was a privilege and an honour to walk Rhiannon down the aisle today and it's also my honour to welcome Johnny to our family." Ianto smiled at the couple. "I wish you both nothing but happiness as you embark on this journey together."

"Please raise your glasses and toast the happy couple." Ianto picked up his glass and held it up in salute. "To Rhiannon and Johnny."

There were choruses of "To Rhiannon and Johnny" from the guests seated at their tables throughout the room. Teary-eyed, Rhiannon stood up and kissed Ianto on the cheek, then Johnny jumped up and grabbed hold of Ianto in a bear hug. Jack struggled to hold back a laugh as Ianto looked like he was getting the life squeezed out of him.

There were several more speeches, followed by the cutting of the cake. Then the DJ took over and some of the guests joined Rhiannon and Johnny in the centre of the room for the first dance of the evening.

Deciding to take a break, Jack looked up from his camera and saw that Ianto was making his way towards him from the bar, two half-pint glasses in hand.

"Here you go." Ianto gave him a wry smile as he handed over one of the glasses. "Thought we could both use a drink."

"Thanks. Perfect timing." Jack savoured a mouthful of the cold beer. "Mmm. Wedding photography's thirsty work." Grinning, he gave Ianto an assessing glance. "Still in one piece? Johnny didn't manage to crack any ribs?"

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Not from a lack of trying."

Jack chuckled. "It was a fantastic speech. Well done."

"Thanks, Jack." Ianto's smile was small and typically humble. He swallowed a couple of mouthfuls of beer while looking over to where Rhiannon was now dancing with her new father-in-law and Johnny was dancing with his mother. There was a look of wistfulness in Ianto's eyes.

Jack had to resist the desire to slide an arm around Ianto and hold him close. Searching for a distraction, he tapped Ianto's shoulder and gestured with a nod towards where Rhys was sitting with Jake Simmonds, one of Johnny's friends. The two men were chatting and laughing with obvious enthusiasm and the appearance of easy camaraderie. The pair had met at Johnny's stag night and seemed to hit it off almost immediately. Jake, an Englishman, was a cute guy around the same age as Rhys and Ianto, with short, spiky blond hair, blue eyes and boy-next-door good-looks. While there was nothing overt in their body language or behaviour, Jack had a good sense for these things and was fairly sure that there was more going on between them than a budding friendship, even if the two men didn't realise it yet.

"Rhys seems in better spirits." He winked at Ianto and leaned in closer. "He's been getting rather chummy with Jake. I think there might be a romance in the making there."

"What?" Ianto's eyes widened as he looked across at the pair. But before he could say anything further, Jack spotted a determined-looking Rhiannon coming towards them. Ianto groaned. "Oh, no."

Rhiannon stopped in front of them, giving Jack a smile before turning a frown upon her brother. "Ianto, come and dance with me."

"Rhi, you know I'm not much of a dancer." Ianto gulped down some more of his beer. "Two left feet, that's me."

Rhiannon, however, was unmoved. "Well, it's my wedding day, and I want to dance with my only brother. It's not like you'll ever have to do it again."

With a resigned expression, Ianto exhaled a long-suffering sigh that he'd no doubt perfected over the years. "Fine. Just one dance."

"Be gentle with him." Jack laughed and soon discovered that, despite his innate grace and poise, Ianto Jones really wasn't a very good dancer. Something about that struck Jack as ridiculously endearing. But to his credit, Ianto stuck it out until the end of the song, then he kissed Rhiannon on the cheek and manoeuvred her into Johnny's arms before heading back towards Jack.

Jack took some more photographs of the newly married couple and their guests. Then, unable to resist teasing his favourite Welshman, he leaned in close enough so that he could murmur in Ianto's ear. "Just think... that could be us some day... dancing together on our wedding night. Although I'm going to have to give you some lessons first."

Ianto stared at him open-mouthed and eyes wide. But then those same eyes narrowed with indignation. "I'm not that bad."

"Actually, you kind of are. But that's okay. No one's perfect." Jack grinned and clapped Ianto on the shoulder. "Come on, I think you've earned yourself another drink."