1

The wedding was approaching, and Ianto found himself in the Big Smoke almost every day, snuggled in the corner of Jack's office while going over paperwork, colour swatches and stupid flower arrangement photos that really did not interest him as much as they did Jack and if he knew anything about this man, it was that Jack loved the big displays of affection.

A quiet little courthouse thing and a meal afterwards was always out of the question, and he knew that the moment he saw the ring. Knew the Harkness name would mean sucking up a lot for a while, at least until things settled again and he knew he could do it.

I mean… he could… right?

Today, like most afternoons, he was in his chair with the footrest up and his loafers on, settled back with bite sized samples of cake on the table to decide on, a nice cup of coffee and several Bridal books to go through, Jack already had little post-it arrow things on the pages he liked and Ianto knew that he did have good taste, if bloody expensive taste. Jack was slightly being a Bridezilla here, but Ianto forgave him this. The man WAS theatre. Of course he would be a little theatrical in his choices. Ianto wanted to go 50/50 with the expense but now knew why Jack had balked at it, knowing Ianto might veto something stupid like the life-sized horse ice sculpture... I mean really… the Harkness family did own a couple of horses for recreation, but they were not known to be horse people. God, one of the idiot dogs might be more appropriate.

As he pondered a page full of different sized candles, all dripping with crystals and gold peals, he became aware of someone else in the room, lifting his gaze to find someone he had not seen in… well… years.

Jack's little sister Rose.

Now, Rose has not been mentioned before because she was not in the picture… at all. She was the attempt at a second son for a spare, so of course Gray came next to the relief of their mother. Rose was Daddy's girl as much as Gray was a Mama's Boy and Jack did his own thing as the next big shot in the family. Rose was allowed to be whatever she wanted as their mother did not see her as important. Made her seek her attention even more. Poor kid.

Ianto never really saw a lot of her on set, always whinging and grizzly, she preferred to stay with her father in his office, doing things with him and the Nanny even as Gray only wanted to be near his big brother and on set near mummy. And Grandpa of course, who always scared her a little.

But here she is… all 21 years worth of good money thrown at her education and of course looks, good genetics and private schooling, staring at the man in the lay-z-boy who had appeared like some alternate universe had ripped the corner of the office way and a curmudgeon in a library somewhere had been implanted.

Ianto blinked. Then woke up from the shock "Hello Rose. I am…"

"I know who you are" she said firmly "Mummy told me Jack had gone proper bender and you were his bit of slap and tickle now. Funny, we all thought Johnny was just for shock value and after him Jack would even out, after all he did knock Lucia up."

"Johnny. Your mother's side piece? Jack's sloppy seconds?" Ianto felt his hackles rise and had no desire to be polite to this girl who had clearly been letting mummy pour poison in her ear without listening to her father. Seems with adulthood came a change of camps form Team Daddy to Team Mommy. If Franklin even knew she was back. What a turnabout. That bitch had been quick to curry favour here, hadn't she.

She grimaced at him, and he knew she had no idea who he really was. That was still kept from the world, he was just Ianto Jones the enigma that continued to stump people. David Loyd still gone. And that was the way he liked it.

She was about to retort when the other door opened from the secondary office Jack had for meetings and he bounced in "Hey Tiger I … ROSE!"

She was swept up, Jack jumping about as he crowed and then she was placed down with a soft kiss to her cheek "Dad didn't say you were in town little rosebud!"

"He doesn't know. I finished my semester early and decided to come home since there is a wedding to prepare for, so Mummy sez" she smiled and Jack felt his face slip, reconfiguring it as he tried to overlook the remark about the mother.

"That's brilliant… isn't that brilliant Tiger?" Jack gushed, "She can help with our wedding."

"Yes Cariad. Brills." Ianto drolled.

Jack grinned wider "Don't mind him, he's always like that. Cute right? Anyway… you are here in time for the birthday."

"Yeah" she smiled, what would have been Gray's 20th birthday about to happen and Ianto was steeling himself for Mummy to be allowed in the Harkness House for the memorial dinner Franklin was hosting.

"And on that note… I might go check on those books I ordered" Ianto snapped the foot of the chair down and rose, not caring that Roses' eyes widened as he stood erect and showed his height to match his intended's.

"Awww, don't go because someone is here, it's just Rose" Jack whined, knowing Ianto hated it then grimacing as he said "sorry."

"No, don't be silly. She will want to talk with you and catch up, I need some air anyway. I shall visit the bookstore downstairs and then cross the green to the lovely pet store and see if the new water fountain for Janet came in."

"Janet's water feature… yes. God, I still can't believe Tyrone fell over her little swan, she loved that" Jack lamented the first water fountain he had purchased for the cat, the constant flow of water necessary for her dietary needs, so said the internet. And Jack... of course. What a loving daddy.

"Well, the new one is going to be a little yellow duckie, spitting back into the water on it's own belly while floating in the water dish on it's back. Sooo ketch and horrendous" Ianto grimaced, knowing Jack would love it and he did, squealing with delight.

"And it's yellow. Yan's kitchen is all bright yellows and oranges, so citrusy and clean. So happy" Jack gushed to Rose who he was still holding against him possessively "Come on sweetheart. I need news."

Ianto had been dismissed and as he paused at the door to look back, he had the horrible feeling that her arrival was going to fuck things up in some way.

And it had all been going so bloody well.

Ergh.

People.