missthingsplace | Heaven and Hell 5/?

Title: Heaven And Hell - Sequel to One Week In Cardiff.
Author: missthingsplace
Parings/characters: Jack/Ianto. Gwen. new team members.
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately.
Summary: Set after series 2.
Spoilers: None.
Rating:

When Ianto awoke the next morning Jack was already up and in the shower. He pulled on his dressing gown and went to make the first caffeine fix of the day. Today. The day they told the other team members that they had got engaged. He had to admit he was a little nervous, Damien and Chloe had only been there a few months, Damien for four and Chloe nearly five and he wasn't quite sure how they felt about the two of them being an item, let alone engaged.

Gwen on the other hand, she was predictable. Chances she would get all 'green eyed monster.' and go into a strop. Despite the fact she was happily married to Rhys and loved him, when it came to Jack he knew that given half the chance she'd ditch Rhys and dive straight into the Captain's bed. He had a feeling she was going to take it bad, especially when she learned she had inadvertently helped 'set the scene.'

Ianto was leaning against the kitchen counter pondering this when Jack appeared dressed, his hair still damp from the shower. Jack walked up to him, put his hand under Ianto's chin to tilt it upwards and kissed him softly.

'Whats up gorgeous?' Jack asked him, noting the furrow in his brow.

'Nothing, it's fine, I'm fine.'

'Fine is what you say when you don't want to tell someone something. Your mum does it to. What's wrong?'

'Nothing really, just feeling a little odd about telling the others this morning.'

'You mean Gwen? You really think she has a 'thing' for me?'

Ianto nodded. 'I don't think, I know. Given half the chance ...'

Jack cut him off with a soft kiss.

'She has no chance, let alone half of one. You sure it's not just you being your normal insecure self.'

Ianto glared at him.

'Okay, okay, I'll take your word for it.' Jack backtracked.

Ianto dumped his coffee mug down on the kitchen counter and stomped off, slamming the bathroom door behind him. Jack hear the shower running. He sighed to himself as he picked up the coffee Ianto had made him. He'd better make it up to him before they left for work or today was going to be long and hard.

Jack turned his thoughts to Gwen, was he really that dim? The more he thought about it, the more he realised what Ianto meant. If he hadn't been so wrapped up in Ianto maybe he would have noticed her flirting, it finally dawned on him that Ianto was right. She always had an excuse to touch him, how could he have ignored the way she fluttered her eyelashes at him. And she could be really 'off'' with Ianto at times.

He heard Ianto leave the bathroom and go to the bedroom, he went off to find him. Ianto was wrapped in a towel roughly opening and closing drawers and the wardrobe collecting his clothes together for the day.

'Ianto.'

'What!'

'I'm sorry.'

'Pah.'

He walked over to him and took the clothes he had in his hand from him and placed them on the bed, pulling him into an embrace. Ianto tried to resist half heartedly, he didn't want to be angry with Jack. Finally he stopped struggling and leaned into Jack's body, his head against Jack's chest.

'I mean it, I'm sorry. You got me thinking, I really had missed all the signs.'

'How? She can be pretty blatant with her flirting?'

'Apparently I really am that dense. Anyway, it's your fault I did miss it.'

'My fault?'

'I was too busy being interested in you, watching you.'

'Really?'

'Really. You are beautiful, why wouldn't I want to watch you?'

'Don't let Gwen hear you say that.' Ianto smiled. 'That you think I'm more beautiful than she is!'

Jack laughed. 'Never. Well maybe never.'

Ianto moved his head away from Jack's chest and kissed him hard on the lips, they deepend the kiss till they were totally absorbed in it and time had no meaning. When they finally broke away from each other Ianto realised his towel had dropped to the floor. He bent to retrieve it and Jack gave him a playful slap on his left buttock.

'As much as I love the sight of your bare arse, we need to get moving. I want to get to the hub before the others.'

'Give me five minutes.' Ianto told him, scrabbling into his underwear.

Approximately ten minutes later they were in Ianto's car and heading for work. Talking about how they were going to tell the others, they thought about telling Gwen first, separately but decided against it, they would tell them all together. After parking the car they walked to the bakers to buy pasties and doughnuts. Put Gwen on a sugar high, might help, then again ... oh well, it was worth a try.

When the other arrived, practically at the same time Jack told them to all be in the meeting room in ten minutes. Five minutes later they watched Jack head for the meeting room, followed moments later by Ianto, carrying a tray of coffee mugs. They thought they might as well follow instead of waiting the last few minutes left.

They entered the meeting room to find the table covered with the pastries and doughnuts, Jack and Ianto were standing near it. Their arms wrapped loosely around each other waists, they caught them just pulling out of a kiss. Gwen coughed, they looked around smiling. They broke their hug but found each other hands.

'There's something important we have to tell you all.' Jack grinned, they decided the best way to tell them was to just come straight out with it. 'I asked Ianto to marry me, he said yes. We are engaged.'

There was a moment of silence before Chloe rushed forward and hugged them both.

'Congratulations.' She beamed, kissing each of them on the cheek and they hugged her at the same time.

Damien was a little more reserved, he walked to them, his hand out, offering his congratulations, shaking first Ianto's hand then Jack's. Then before he realised what he was doing he hugged them too. Smiling Jack and Ianto looked up at Gwen, she was still standing in the same spot, strange look on her face.

'Gwen?' Jack spoke first.

'Congratulations.' Her face breaking into a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Jack decided to ignore it.

'We should be drinking champagne, not coffee.' Chloe exclaimed.

'Sorry, we drank that New Years Eve.' Ianto told her.

Gwen's smile faltered. 'Champagne. That champagne that you told me was to see in the new year with?'

'Yes, thanks again for doing that for me Gwen.' Jack was trying to defuse the atmosphere before it got any worse, it didn't work.

'You lied to me.' She shouted across the room.

Chloe and Damien took one look at her, then Jack and Ianto and both decided they needed to leave the room. Ianto waited till the door closed behind them.

'Why should he have told you the truth? Why would he tell you before he asked me?' Ianto tried to keep his annoyance reigned in, but it was there in the tone of his voice.

'We're friends, it's what friends do.'

'No Gwen, not something that important. Little white lie Gwen, that's all it was. No one knew except Ianto's parents and I wanted to keep it that way.' Jack's tone was cool and firm. Ianto had been right, he would never have seen this coming.

'I.' Gwen didn't know what to say. 'It's just ...'

Ianto looked like he might explode, only Gwen could make this all about her. He felt Jack clutch his hand tighter and then whisper in his ear.

'Leave us for a minute.' Jack kissed him softly on the lips.

'No.' Ianto growled.

'Let me talk to her, alone.'

'But I want to ...'

'Ianto, please.'

'Fine.' He roughly removed his hand from Jack's and stormed out the room.

'What the hell is your problem?' Jack yelled at Gwen the moment he was gone.

'I'm just angry with you for lying to me.' Gwen shouted back.

'Now you're lying to me, oh I was missing all the signs I'm told. You say you love Rhys, but I can see it now, you're jealous of Ianto.'

'I don't know what the fuck you're talking about Jack.'

'More lies Gwen. It's not going to happen Gwen. You and me, never. Understand?'

Shock crossed her face, he really did know how she felt. She felt a tear roll down her face.

'I think I should go.'

'Ya think?'

She turned to walk away.

'Don't come back till you can apologise to Ianto, and mean it.'

She nodded and walked out the room, collected her bag and coat and left the hub without another word to anyone. Chloe and Damien watched her go without interfering.

Jack came storming down into the main hub looking for Ianto.

'Where did Ianto go?' His tone filled with worry.

'He went that way.' Damien pointed towards to cog door.

'He didn't take his coat, I assumed he only went to the tourist office.' Chloe added sadly.

Jack pulled up the CCTV for it, no sign of Ianto. It was freezing outside, he went and put on his coat and fetched Ianto's and headed out onto the Plass. He found him ten minutes later staring into the bay, shivering badly. Jack draped his coat over his shoulders and pulled him close to his body.

'Bitch.' Was all Ianto managed to say through the chattering of his teeth.

'She's gone, you can come back into the hub.'

'Gone?'

'I told her to go and to stay away till she could apologise.'

'You did?' Ianto seemed a little surprised.

'What did you think I would do?'

'I don't really know, I guess I thought you would have, oh I don't know.'

'I told her there was no way and never would be anything between her and me. I think she got the message loud and clear.'

'I want to go home Jack. I was so happy this morning when I woke up, now ....'

'Ianto, please don't let Gwen do this to you, to us. She's so not worth it.'

'I know, I do. It's just.'

Jack silenced him with a kiss, soft and tender.

He then pulled out his mobile and phoned the hub. Told Chloe and Damien he was taking Ianto home and to contact him on his mobile if they needed him. He found Ianto's car keys in his coat pocket, made him get in the passenger seat and drove him home. He hoped to hell that Gwen was realising what a bitch she had been. She was a good team member and didn't want to lose her, but if he had to, then she would go.

Ianto stayed quiet all the way back to his flat, Jack let them in and Ianto headed straight of the bedroom. He lie down on the bed fully clothed, not even removing his coat or shoes and curled into a ball. Jack removed the shoes for him, before removing his own and lay down behind him curling himself around Ianto's form.

He ran his fingers through Ianto's hair as he spoke to him softly.

'Ianto, please, turn and look at me.'

'I'm fine Jack, just leave me alone.'

'You are not fine, look at me!'

Ianto signed, unfurled himself and rolled over to face Jack.

'I meant it, she's not coming back till she sees sense and apologises to you. I love you Ianto, I won't let anyone upset you and get away with it.'

'What if she doesn't?'

'Then she gone for good.'

'I didn't want this to happen Jack, I hoped I was wrong, that I was imagining it in my insecure brain.'

'One of these days that brain of your's is going to be the death of me.' Jack smiled.

'But you love me anyway.' Ianto managed a small smile back.

TBC