13
"Hey baby" Ianto entered Rhiannon's house to find her still repositioning things in an effort to make it more comfortable. He hated this, but was glad but at the same time, knew she had to keep doing it to hide her annoyance.
"Tee."
"Guess what."
"Oh my god, we won the lottery?"
Ianto grinned as he heard his own snark coming back at him "I might have a job for you."
Rhiannon swung to gape at him "What? Really? Do tell."
"It's part of my position actually, I am doing so much paperwork and crapolla. I have pointed out that I need a personal assistant to keep things moving at the office when I am out in the field. The new builds all need to be monitored to ensure the next wave gets a better start than we do. I need someone to help, the billeting of people means looking at their personal files, making sure militarily are together and civvies are comfortable so there is no backlash… things like that."
"Oh my goddess above, that sounds wonderful Taddy" she gushed.
"So, tomorrow you put on your best dress and come looking for me at work. I will give you an interview, all above board that will show you have the qualifications we both know you have… then it means when the kids are at school you can be at work and there can be some work done from home in the late afternoons or when you are having an off day so you are here for them." Ianto leaned over to kiss her forehead.
"Oh Taddy, you DO look after us so well."
"You are my little jelly bean" he crooned and she laughed as he had not called her that in a long time.
The hug was fierce.
She didn't move anything else that day.
.
.
"Lieutenant Jones."
"Brigadier McAlister" Ianto misled as he rose from his desk to greet one of his superiors he knew well, then he was forced to keep the smile as Alice stepped out from behind him.
"Jonesy, this is my goddaughter Alice. I understand a new position has opened up here and I would like you to interview her for it." The man demanded in a way Ianto did NOT like at all.
"Sir… ah…." Ianto looked at her helplessly as she grinned back in a cheeky way, plonking herself down in the chair.
"Once Jonsey has you sorted come find me sweetie and we can celebrate with a little din-dins. I will get your father to join us with Stevie too" the man patted her shoulder and then took off, leaving Ianto in a terrible and unwanted position.
He sat heavily and stared at her for a while, the asked "How did you know? Did the Brig there tell you?"
He hoped so. He hopes she had no idea whose toes she had just stomped on with elephant feet but her answer made his heart drop "Rhiannon was telling us about it. While we folded laundry together, it sounded like such a great gig and I knew Uncle Arty would see to it for me. It sounds perfect for me, something while Steven is at school and afternoon work at home, I can be there for him."
Almost word for word. Oh no. Rhiannon had blabbed it with excitement and that bloody unfiltered stupidity she got from her other side of the family. God, Ianto once again lamented not having chosen a better mate.
.
.
"What do you mean, I didn't get it?" Rhiannon asked as she sat in his office with confusion "I only just got here Tee."
"Alice."
"Alice? Harkness?"
"You told her, she went higher up to her bloody god father who came down and ordered me to give it to her instead" Ianto said flatly "I am unable to do anything about it. She pipped you at the post, openly and knowingly."
Rhiannon sat there going pale, her mouth open as she learned the woman she thought of as her new best friend had just stabbed her so effortlessly. "Is there… is there anything you can do?"
"No. He's higher up, forceful and once he gives you a command it is non-negotiable." Ianto sighed "And the worst part is that I don't think I shall enjoy working with her. She has Jack's brashness that rubs me the wrong way."
"What… what will we do?" Rhiannon felt her eyes starting to prickle as tears formed.
"Don't worry Jelly Bean, I shall continue to work on it and I will not stop pulling strings until we are both working together and happy OK? This is just a setback, a painful one and a shocking lesson for us both. Don't worry it was not your fault. You trusted her."
"And you always said the ones we trust are the most painful betrayers." She sniffled, accepting his kerchief.
"Well, don't go getting all upset now. It's done and we mist move forward. Hmmm? Remember the Jones Motto, what does not kill us dies a horrible death under our heels. Right?"
She misled weakly as she accepted his embrace and seethed ever so quietly.
How could Alice do this to her.
How could she have been so dumb to believe her friendship was real.
Bitch.