Well, here we go. Enjoy! And please review. One more chapter to go.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jack took a deep breath, and after giving Ianto's hand a final squeeze, he climbed out of the back seat of the car. Their family and friends were already gathered in the parking area at the front of the city hall, and he plastered on a smile of greeting while trying to ignore the knot of anxiety lodged in his stomach. Having eaten nothing all day except half a bowl of cereal for breakfast, he hoped that the risk of embarrassing himself was minimal. Although, in hindsight, he probably shouldn't have drank quite so much coffee. His hands had stopped shaking, but he was jittery all over, his skin felt hot and prickly, and his tie was like a noose tightening around his neck.
He waited for Ianto to exit the car and join him, envying the Welshman's calmness and composure. Jake climbed out as well and retrieved the camera equipment, then immediately went into photographer mode as Rhys parked the car. Owen pulled up a moment later, stopping to let Jack's mom out before parking his sports car in the spot next to Rhys. Jack suspected that neither his mom or Owen had been particularly happy about travelling together, but they both appeared unscathed by the experience. Estelle engaged Laura in conversation, and Owen walked over to join Katie, while Rhys went up the steps and into the building to let the clerk know that they were assembled outside.
Conscious of the attention of almost a dozen pairs of eyes and the intermittent shutter click of the camera, Jack leaned closer to Ianto and murmured in his ear. "Is it too late to elope?"
Ianto chuckled and flashed him a wry grin, keeping his voice low enough so that only Jack could hear. "Probably, yeah. At least, it is if we ever want Rhiannon to speak to us again."
He then smiled innocently at his sister, who had made a beeline towards them and after greeting them both, began fussing over Ianto and asking him if he was nervous. Johnny, meanwhile, rolled his eyes and threw them a sympathetic look from where he was standing several feet away with the others. A few moments later, Rhys returned and joined the gathering.
Patting Ianto's arm and leaving him to fend off Rhiannon, Jack moved over to where Martha and Tom were standing. The pair made a striking couple. Complimenting Martha's dark beauty, Tom was the very definition of ruggedly handsome. Well-built, with a couple of inches of height over Jack, short, dark, wavy hair and a closely trimmed beard, his imposing, no-nonsense appearance was offset by a friendly demeanour and easy smile.
"Jack!" Martha beamed at him. "I still can't believe you're getting married."
"Hi, Martha." Smiling more easily this time, Jack kissed Martha on the cheek. "I know what you mean, I almost can't believe it myself. Thanks for being here. We're glad you could make it." He shook Tom's hand. "Hey, Tom. Great to see you again."
Tom smiled in return. "We couldn't miss your big day, Jack. Not that Martha would have let me anyway." He gave his fiancée a look of tolerant adoration.
"Martha has you under the thumb already, huh?" Jack gave her a sly wink. "Don't worry, I know the feeling. Ianto's very good at keeping me in my place."
"I doubt there are many people who could do that." Martha shot him a knowing look before breaking into another warm smile. "I'm so happy for you, Jack. Ianto's gorgeous, and he's such a sweetheart. I'm glad everything worked out." She glanced over to where Ianto was now standing with Rhiannon, Johnny and Rhys. "The two of you make a stunning couple."
"We do, don't we? You know, I thought we might have had a gathering of mourners here today. After all, two of Cardiff's most eligible bachelors are now permanently off the market." Jack grinned unashamedly.
Martha rolled her eyes and laughed. "Still struggling with low self-esteem, huh, Jack?"
Jack laughed in return, grateful for the distraction. "That sounds just like something Ianto would say."
Ianto joined them, and after greeting Martha and being introduced to Tom, they spent a few moments talking to Estelle and Robert, who had made the journey up from Cornwall for the occasion. Even though they'd seen Estelle between Christmas and New Year and Jack kept in touch by phone and e-mail, he was delighted to see her again. She looked as bright-eyed and lively as ever, and he imagined that she kept the more stoic and restrained Robert on his toes. They reminded him a little of himself and Ianto – opposites in many ways, yet balancing each other out and complementing one another perfectly.
They spent a few more minutes chatting with their guests and posing for photographs. Although Jack was looking forward to the ceremony being over, it warmed his heart to see their friends gathered together to support them and share in the celebration of their union. The two notable absences were his father and Gray, but he'd promised to call them both later and send photographs.
A sombre young man dressed in a dark suit, with glasses and cropped dark hair appeared from inside the building and approached them. "Mr. Harkness, Mr. Jones? We're ready for you inside."
Jack swallowed and looked at Ianto, who nodded and gave his hand a quick but reassuring squeeze.
They were ushered by the clerk into the massive Edwardian, dome-roofed building, then escorted upstairs and down a wide corridor to one of the smaller suites. It was a tastefully decorated room, with a pair of tall windows on one side, deep red carpet and walls painted in pale, muted gold. A central aisle separated several rows of upholstered, dark wooden chairs.
Their celebrant, a slim, middle-aged woman by the name of Alice, with dark curls and deep green eyes appeared from an adjacent room while the clerk got their guests settled inside. She smiled warmly at them. "Jack. Ianto. It's lovely to see you both again. Are you ready for your ceremony?"
"Actually, could we have a moment?" Jack looked at her apologetically.
She blinked in obvious surprise but recovered quickly. "Yes, of course. I'll just go inside and introduce myself to your guests."
Ianto turned to him with raised eyebrows. "Jack? What's wrong?"
Jack grasped hold of Ianto's arm, guiding him away from the room and around a corner so they were out of sight, knowing that they'd only have a few moments before someone came looking for them. He took Ianto's hands in his own and looked into his bewildered eyes. "Ianto, are you sure you want to do this? Is it really what you want?"
Ianto blinked. "Jack... I was the one who proposed."
"I know, and the day you put this ring on my finger was the best day of my life." Jack sighed, realising that Ianto probably thought he was losing his mind. "But I know I pushed you into this. I was the one who kept going on about wanting to be married. I'm impatient and impulsive, I know that. But you're not, and we wouldn't be here today if I hadn't kept pushing. I just wanted this so badly, and maybe... I think I was scared of losing you... scared that you'd change your mind and decide this wasn't what you wanted after all." Pausing, he took a breath and tried to ignore the panic tightening his chest. "I want you to be happy. More than anything. So, before we go into that room, I just need to make sure that this is what you want before it's too late. That you're not doing this just for me."
"I'm not. I want this too, Jack." Ianto studied him, the small furrow between his eyebrows suggesting that he was carefully considering his words. "Look, I admit, part of the reason I proposed was because I knew how much you wanted us to get married. And I wanted you to be happy... I wanted to give you that. But then I realised how much I wanted it too. Besides, I always thought I'd be married someday, so I wasn't adverse to the idea." A wry smile passed over his lips. "Maybe that impatience of yours has rubbed off on me. But it was something we both wanted, so it seemed pointless to wait any longer."
Jack exhaled a shuddering sigh, relief washing over him. "As long as you're sure."
Ianto squeezed his hands. "I'm sure."
"Okay." Jack took a slow, deep breath and then another, drawing comfort from the warmth and rightness of Ianto's hands entwined with his own. "Okay." He smiled and pressed his lips to Ianto's in a quick kiss. "Let's do this. Let's get married."
"You're sure?" Ianto looked into his eyes, composed, calm and certain, and Jack couldn't imagine ever loving anyone more.
He nodded decisively. "Yes, absolutely."
Everyone turned to look at them as they entered the room and made their way down the aisle, walking side-by-side. A sense of calmness settled over Jack, his doubts and worries having finally been put to rest.
They reached where the celebrant was waiting for them at the front of the room. Jack gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. We're ready now." He turned to face Ianto.
The celebrant nodded. "Then, let's begin." She gave them an encouraging smile and then began to speak. "Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Cardiff City Hall for the marriage of Jack Harkness and Ianto Jones."
The first part of the ceremony followed the standard format for England and Wales, with each of them repeating the necessary declaratory and contracting words required for their marriage to be legal. Then it was time for their vows. They'd decided that Ianto would go first, and Jack wasn't sure if he was more nervous for Ianto or for himself. Neither of them were particularly good at expressing their feelings with words at the best of times, let alone in front of a captive audience.
Ianto took an unsteady breath. "Jack. I think it's safe to say that meeting you changed my life in ways I never could have imagined. You've opened my eyes to new possibilities, and you've believed in me when I've struggled to believe in myself." He spoke slowly and carefully, his accent thickening with emotion. "You're the most remarkable and selfless person I've ever known, and I'm honoured that you've chosen to spend your life with me."
Touched and humbled by Ianto's words and the sincerity with which he spoke them, Jack swallowed against the lump of emotion in his throat. He watched, holding his breath, as Ianto took his right hand, slipped off his ring, then slid it into its new home on the fourth finger of his left hand.
Holding Jack's hand in both of his, Ianto looked up and gave him a nervous smile. "This ring is a symbol of my love and commitment to you. I promise you my friendship, my loyalty and respect, and to love and cherish you for the rest of my life."
It was with difficulty that Jack resisted the urge to grab hold of Ianto and kiss him fiercely. Instead, he simply stared into Ianto's beautiful blue eyes, seeing the love that Ianto felt for him and hoping his own were equally as expressive. It took him a few moments to realise that the room was silent as everyone waited for him to speak.
"Ianto." His voice caught. Clearing his throat, he took a breath, hoping that he wouldn't stammer too badly, or even worse, forget the words he'd so painstakingly rehearsed. "I knew from the moment we met that you were special. And the more I got to know you, my admiration and love for you has grown and deepened. You mean the world to me, you make me a better man, and I can't imagine my life without you. Marrying you and this journey we're embarking on together is my dream come true."
With unsteady hands, Jack moved Ianto's ring from his right hand and onto his left, laughing nervously as he fumbled and almost dropped the sleek metal band. He lifted Ianto's hand to his lips and kissed the ring that was now where it belonged.
Jack looked back into the eyes of the man he loved. "This ring is a symbol of my love and commitment to you. I promise to take care of you, to honour and respect you, to cherish our life together, and to love you always."
There was a loud sniffle, and Jack looked over to where Rhiannon was dabbing at her eyes, Johnny grinning from ear to ear beside her. His mom, Estelle, Martha and Katie were all a little bright-eyed too, but they were smiling at them. Rhys was giving them a broad smile, and Jake was grinning as he photographed them. Owen sniffed and looked away, pretending that something was caught in his eye.
Still holding Ianto's hand, Jack turned back, and the celebrant smiled at them. "It is with great pleasure that I now pronounce you, Jack and Ianto, as husband and husband. Congratulations."
Choked with emotion, but with happiness brimming in his heart, Jack smiled at Ianto. The Welshman was looking a little wide-eyed and shell-shocked as he stared back, but then a wide grin broke out across his handsome face. Amidst applause and cheers from the gathering of their loved ones, they shared their first kiss as a married couple.
###
"Here you go, mate." Rhys handed Ianto a glass of beer and stood beside him near the doors to the balcony. It was too chilly to make use of the outdoor area, but the weather had been kind to them, with no sign of rain all day.
"Thanks, Rhys." Ianto tapped the glass against his friend's. "Cheers."
He swallowed a mouthful, smiling as he watched Jack laugh and chat with Laura, Estelle and Rhiannon. Now that the ceremony was over and they were gathered at the flat to celebrate, Jack was back to his normal, self-assured, exuberant self. He seemed to be getting on with his mum better too. Laura had told Jack after the ceremony how proud she was of him, and the look on Jack's face had spoke volumes. He hoped that if his own mum was still with them, she would be proud too.
A large portion of the food had been consumed, the wedding cake – an intricately decorated three-tier white chocolate cheesecake – had been cut, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Music played in the background from Jack's high-end sound system, adding to the festive atmosphere. Jack had created an eclectic playlist for the occasion, with a mixture of upbeat music from the 80's and 90's, some more current songs, a few slower numbers, and some timeless classics as well.
"Cheers, Ianto." Rhys took a swig from his glass and grinned. "So, what's it feel like to be a married man?"
Ianto considered the question, not really sure how to answer. Despite all the stress, nerves and heightened emotions, in a way it almost seemed anti-climatic. After all, he and Jack would continue on with their lives as before, being together and loving one another. In that respect, nothing had changed. On the other hand, the magnitude of being joined to another person in marriage and everything that entailed was profound and life-altering. "I think it's going to take a while for it to sink in. It all feels a bit surreal at the moment. But it feels good... amazing, actually. I'm happy, Rhys. Truly happy."
Rhys nodded and bumped his shoulder. "You deserve it." Swallowing another mouthful, he chuckled self-consciously. "I've got to admit, I was a bit jealous for a while there. I could see how happy you were with Jack and I wanted that too. But then I was lucky enough to find a gorgeous bloke of my own."
His features softened as he looked over to where Jake was in an animated conversation with Owen and Tom. After a moment, he turned back to Ianto. "There's something I've been dying to tell you. I asked Jake to move in with me, and he said yes. We've practically been living together for a while now, so in a way it's not such a big deal, but still... it's feels good to make it official." He shrugged but smiled with obvious happiness.
Ianto would have been lying if he'd said that he was surprised by the news. Much like himself, Rhys wasn't one to be overly effusive about his feelings, especially when it came to matters of the heart, but it was obvious that the two men were in love. Jake had proven himself to be a tremendous asset at the bakery, but he'd also become a good friend, and Ianto couldn't have been happier for them. "That's brilliant, Rhys. Congratulations."
"Yeah, thanks, Ianto." Rhys continued drinking for a moment. "We're staying at the flat for the time-being, but we've talked about finding a house together. Nothing big or fancy, but Jake wants a dog and a backyard, and I like the idea of that too. Anyway, we'll see how we go for a few months or so and take it from there."
Jack chose that moment to extricate himself from the ladies and make his way over to join them. He slipped his arm around Ianto's waist. "What are the two of you looking so happy about?"
Ianto turned his head to look at Jack, unable to stop his smile as they met each other's gaze. Jack had discarded his tie and jacket, and he'd also unfastened the collar of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves. The overall effect was mouth-watering, even more so because this outrageously handsome man was now his and his alone. "Rhys and Jake are moving in together."
Jack beamed at Rhys, unleashing his white teeth and deep dimples to full effect. "Yeah? Wow! That's fantastic, Rhys. So, two more of Cardiff's most eligible bachelors are off the market." He sighed and shook his head with exaggerated sadness.
Ianto rolled his eyes as Rhys laughed. "Afraid so, mate."
They chatted for a few more minutes before Rhys moved away to talk to Jake. Jack sighed and rested his head on Ianto's shoulder. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm relieved that the ceremony is over. Being married is fantastic, it's the getting married part that's a nightmare. I'm never doing that again. I'm still not sure how I got through my vows without falling to pieces."
"Yep. I was a nervous wreck at that point too." Ianto chuckled, remembering the rush of relief that he'd gotten through those heartfelt words without making an idiot of himself. "Anyway, hopefully we won't ever have to... do it again, I mean."
Jack lifted his head. "We won't." Then he grinned in a way that sent Ianto's mind to wholly inappropriate places. "On the plus side, we've still got the best part to look forward to. Consummating our marriage."
An anticipatory shiver ran down Ianto's spine. "I'm looking forward to that part myself."
Turning so that they were facing each other, Jack slipped his other arm around Ianto and held him in a loose embrace. His eyes were intent and filled with affection as they looked into Ianto's. "I meant everything I said today, Ianto. This is my dream come true."
"It is for me too, Jack." Ianto smiled, and not caring who was watching, he kissed his new husband.