missthingsplace | Idée fixe 11/17+ Epilogue

Title: Idée fixe
Author: missthingsplace
Parings/characters: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Owen, Toshiko, John Hart
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: Jack's office gets a new temp; Gwen and he has no idea of the impact she will have on his and his families lives.
Warnings: Character Death. This fic is completely AU ... no Torchwood.
Spoilers: Anything is fair game
Rating: NC17 for series

A/N: I finally have what i think is a chapter total *points upwards* ... as i thought it has expanded a little upon rewriting but the whole thing came flooding back to me in complete detail yesterday and although not all written is all planned out, so hopefully the chapter total will remain correct!

Ianto pushed the pram into the coffee shop and parked it and the sleeping baby beside one of the nearby armchairs in front of a small table and went to place his order, carrying the large coffee back to the table along with a sandwich and one of the complimentary newspapers.

Taking his seat he placed the coffee and newspaper on the table while he opened the sandwich and placed it on the plate they had provided for it, taking a large bite he then checked quickly on Alice, who was still fast asleep and began to relax.

“Ianto!” A voice came to him causing him to look over the top of the newspaper barely five minutes later and he smiled.

“Rose, you're looking happy,” Ianto observed, indicating for her to take the empty seat beside him.

“That's because I am,” Rose told him cheerfully, plopping down into the seat. “my boyfriend Mickey is finally coming to see me.”

“You never told me you had a boyfriend?” Ianto replied, placing the newspaper down and offering her the second half of his sandwich.

“No, I'm fine,” Rose told him, waving the sandwich away.”

“Go on, if you eat half my sandwich it's an excuse for me to have a cake,” Ianto joked.

“Well, if you put it like that,” Rose laughed and took the sandwich. “but I'm buying the cake.”

“Deal,” Ianto agreed. “now tell me about this boyfriend.”

“There's not much to tell, he still lives in London and is working as a mechanic,” Rose explained. “he's moved back in with his parents so he can save some money and then he's going to find a flat here and hopefully get a job, then we can live together.”

“Is there much money in being a mechanic?” Ianto asked.

“Not really, what he'd really like to do is work in IT, he's amazing with computers,” Rose gushed, “but there's no point trying to find another job in London when he's planning to more as soon as possible.”

“No, I guess not,” Ianto agreed. “Jack's company has an IT department, maybe I can ask him if they have an vacancies?”

“Would you?” Rose asked excitedly. “That would be brilliant!”

“Hey, I can't even guarantee there's any job so don't get too excited,” Ianto told her with a smile.

“Maybe not, but it's the best thing I've heard since moving here with mum,” Rose smiled back. “how's Alice?”

“She's just fine,” Ianto told her. “now she's more settled in the house and a little older she's beginning to sleep through the night for longer, believe he, man cannot live on three hours sleep a night!”

“'Nor woman!” Rose agreed just as Alice began to make the first little sounds that indicated she was stirring from her nap.

“And there she is, as if waking on cue for her next feed,” Ianto said, getting to his feet and lifting the half awake infant from the pram and pulling a bottle from the baby bag hanging off the pram.

“Would you like me to ask them to warm it up?” Rose asked.

“Nope, it's fine,” Ianto told her. “she seems to prefer it cold now which makes life a little easier.”

“Then let me feed her while you finish your coffee?” Rose suggested. “it's already going cold.”

“Only if you promise to get that cake when she's fed?” Ianto answered a little cheekily.

“You're on,” Rose agreed readily, taking Alice from Ianto carefully and beginning to feed her like an expert while Ianto sipped his coffee and watched her.

“You're a natural,” Ianto commented.

“I told you I've had lots of practice,” Rose told him with a smile.

“Do you and Mickey wants kids?” Ianto asked.

“Maybe one day, once we've got our own place and maybe married,” Rose answered. “have you and Jack thought of having a Civil Partnership?”

“We don't need a piece of paper to tell us we love each other,” Ianto shrugged. “I can't see the need for spending all that money when we don't need to.”

“Does Jack feel the same way?” Rose asked him.

“Sure,” Ianto replied, hoping she couldn't sense that he wasn't telling the truth, that Jack had him more than once to 'marry' him.

“Well, as long as you're both in agreement,” Rose smiled, taking the now empty bottle from the baby's mouth and lifting her up to her shoulder and began patting her back gently to wind her.

“We are,” Ianto told her adamantly and then changed the conversation back to Mickey. “so it Mickey just coming for the weekend?”

“Yeah,” Rose said a little sadly. “but as it's a bank holiday he can travel up on Friday and leave Monday which means we have a bit longer together than a normal weekend.”

“We're off to the annual company barbecue on Sunday,” Ianto informed her. “they hire the grounds of one of the large manor houses and set up a marquee for the side dishes and drinks and a catering firm do the barbecue along with everything else required.”

“Would you like me to look after Alice?” Rose offered.

“Nope, thanks but we're taking her with us,” Ianto smiled. “it'll be good to do something as a family.”

“You and Jack don't get to spend much time together do you?” Rose asked carefully. “I've noticed that he gets home quite late most nights.”

“They have a huge case on at the moment,” Ianto sighed. “Smith verses Saxon, you've probably heard about it in the news?”

“I have, the fraud case?” Rose replied. “Who'd have thought the man we voted in as Prime Minister wasn't who he said he was and plotted to bring down the government!”

“Yep, it's a great coop for them to be working on the case for John Smith but it's also taking up a great deal of their time,” Ianto told her. “I'll be happy when it's all over.”

“Then I hope it's all sorted out soon,” Rose agreed. “I should be going, I promised mum I wouldn't be long.”

“Hey, what about my cake?” Ianto asked, giving her a small pout that Jack would have been proud of.

“I'll get it before I leave,” Rose laughed, handing Alice back to her father and heading for the counter.

When she returned a few minutes later she placed a plate containing a generous slice of chocolate fudge cake before him and a fresh cup of coffee.

“You didn't have to get me coffee too,” Ianto admonished her gently. “stay and help me eat the cake?”

“No, it's all yours,” Rose laughed. “thanks for the chat.”

“It was a pleasure,” Ianto told her. “see you soon, bye,”

“Bye,” Rose echoed and hurried off out the coffee shop, not spotting the man who was wearing a long coat despite the heat watching from across the street.

Jack waited until she was out of sight before moving a little nearer, he watched Ianto say something to their daughter and then settle her in her pram before turning and striding back towards his office building telling himself that he must be deluded if he thought there was anything going on between his lover and their new neighbour.

TBC

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