Growing up is never easy 3/3

[missthingsplace]

AU: When it all changes: Life, Love and Family in Torchwood.  
Title: Growing up is never easy
Author: missthingsplace
Parings/characters: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Andy, My OC's: Caden, Eloise, Dylan, Jenni, Claire, Chloe, Damien, Ianto's family.
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: Set approx three months after 'Fathers, First Dates and First Kisses'. Eloise finds that life isn't always as simple as it seems when it comes to affairs of the heart.
Spoilers: Probably not, but you never know ...
Warnings: None
Rating: PG

A/N: I've been wanting to write a fic in this 'verse for ages and it being teachwriteslash's birthday seemed like a good excuse! I hope you have a great day Teach and this is for you, i hope you enjoy.

A/N 2: I am in the process of updating the master list for this verse so it is linked to the posts here on DW as well as LJ.

 

During the meal neither Jack or Ianto said anything to Eloise about her dilemma, she was rather subdued and her eyes red rimmed but she ate her meal quickly and then excused herself saying she had lots of homework to do and then quickly headed back up to her bedroom.

“Eloise won't tell me why she's upset,” Caden said once his twin was out of earshot. “she's insisting that she isn't but she seems to have forgotten that we can sense each other moods.”

“It's nothing, just growing up stuff,” Ianto told him, giving Jack a glance that told him to go and talk to their daughter.

“Would you like me to speak to her, woman to woman?” Claire suggested.

“No I already spoken to her but thanks for the offer, it's something that Jack can help her with more than anyone,” Ianto answered as Jack left the room. “she'll be okay. Caden, have you finished your homework?”

“Yes Da,” Caden replied with a small sigh.

“Good, how about you, Dylan and I go for a walk?” Ianto suggested. “We could take Elizabeth in her pram and I'm sure the dogs won't complain about getting out. Claire, would you like to join us?”

“I'd love to, thank you,” Claire replied quickly, guessing that he wanted to give his daughter and husband the house to themselves for a while. “but I'll need to take a feed for Elizabeth with me, she's going to be crying out for it soon.”

“She's awake,” Caden informed them with a smile.

“You and your siblings are never going to be able to hide anything from each other,” Ianto chuckled as he spoke to his eldest son. “Okay, Claire, if you can get Elizabeth and get her ready for our walk then I'll make sure these two put their coats and shoes on and grab a bottle from the fridge for Elizabeth.”

“We'll be back in a jiffy,” Claire smiled and left the kitchen.

“Okay kids, you know the drill, coats and shoes now,” Ianto told them and grabbed a bottle from the fridge for his youngest daughter and put it in the microwave for a few seconds to take the chill off before placing it in her baby bag and once everyone was ready he reached for the dogs leads. After managing to clip them onto the excited dogs collars they left the house and headed down the road towards the park.

*~*~*

Jack tapped lightly in his daughters bedroom door with his knuckles.

“It's Dad, can I come in?” He called through the door.

“Sure,” Eloise called back, making it sound like she could have said 'whatever'.

“How are you? Da said you were upset earlier?” Jack asked, perching on the edge of her bed where she was under the duvet holding a book. “He said you wanted to ask me something.”

“He told you? About what happened?” Eloise asked, feeling a blush on her cheeks. “Between Katie and I?”

“That she kissed you?” Jack asked and his eldest daughter nodded. “And that you're worried that you've inherited my 51st Century pheromones?”

Eloise nodded again. “You and Da said they attract people to you, how do you control it?”

“You realise it could just be the fact that you are a teenager and exploring the idea of whether you like boys, girls or both?” Jack asked her.

“Da said the same thing, but … I've never had to urge to kiss a girl before and why would she just kiss me out of the blue unless it was the pheromones?” Eloise asked him.

“Because she likes girls and you are extremely beautiful?” Jack answered her with a smile.

“Dad!” Eloise exclaimed.

“It's true,” Jack laughed. “you are beautiful, just like your Da.”

“Do you tell Da that's he's beautiful?” She asked, giggling when Jack nodded. “Oh daddy, you don't call boys beautiful!”

“Sometimes you do,” Jack grinned widely. “now, I can't say for sure if the pheromones are to blame for Katie kissing you or not but what matters more is how you feel about it, and Scott?”

“I liked it,” she admitted. “but I prefer Scott's kisses, but I feel so bad for letting her kiss me.”

“Are you going to tell Scott?” He asked her.

“I want to, I don't want to keep secrets from him but what if he dumps me?” Eloise asked her father, becoming serious again suddenly, her eyes brimming with tears.

“If he dumps you then he doesn't love you, if he does then he'll forgive you even if he's a little hurt,” Jack assured her. “I'm guessing that you want to stay with him and not Katie?”

Eloise nodded vigorously. “I think I love him.”

Jack smiled softly at his daughter. “It may or may not be love, you're only sixteen but that doesn't make it less important. Now what about Katie?”

“I don't want to lose her as a friend, we need to talk,” Eloise answered, sounding much older than her years. “I just don't want to ...”

The sound of Eloise's mobile ringing to let her know she had a text message cut her off mid sentence.

“Do you mind?” She asked her father, reaching for her mobile.

“Go ahead, it could be important,” Jack replied, waiting quietly while she read the message and watched the way her face lit up with her smile.

“It's from Katie, she says she's sorry she kissed me and has no idea what came over her,” Eloise explained. “she hopes that I'm not offended and that I'm still her friend.”

“That's great news,” Jack said, happy for his eldest daughter. “but it looks to me like you may have a touch of my pheromones after all. You can't really control them, they are part of you but if you are around someone you're attracted to, they will become stronger and have the effect that they had on Katie.”

“You mean … I was attracted to Katie?” Eloise gasped.

“It looks that way, but now you know you'd rather have her as a friend it shouldn't happen again,” Jack answered. “Ummm, this isn't something I've ever wanted to ask my own daughter but … when you're with Scott, the both of you … you are able to control yourselves?”

“Daddy!” Eloise exclaimed, blushing bright red. “Just what kind of girl do you think I am?”

“I'm sorry sweetheart,” Jack said, wishing he hadn't even brought it up.

“Look, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” Eloise huffed a little. “and Scott is a gentleman, I promise you daddy that you have nothing to worry about.”

“I know, I should never have doubted you but … I wasn't quite so ...” Jack stopped and cleared his throat, not sure how to finish his sentence.

“My own father was a … gigolo,” Eloise giggled.

“Eloise!” It was Jack's turn to exclaim.

“Do you deny it?” Eloise asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

“Well … no … but that … that was before I met your Da,” Jack stuttered his admittance. “and things were different … back then … I know I shouldn't ...”

“Dad, it's okay,” Eloise laughed. “don't worry, I know all about safe sex and STD's and stuff.”

Jack spluttered in horror and then spotted the look of amusement on his daughters face. “Just promise me that you don't need to put them into practice yet? Or for another 20 years?”

“Of course Daddy,” she grinned and pulled him into a hug, thinking about the condom she'd been given during a Human Biology class in the bottom of her bag and how she and Scott had been talking about taking their relationship a step further. Maybe they should wait a little longer. “not for a while yet.”

“And if you are worried about anything, you'll come to me or Da?” Jack asked her. “Anything at all?”

“Yep,” she smiled, releasing him again as they heard the front door open and the sound of the rest of the family arriving home. “thanks Dad, I should finish my homework now.”

“Can I get you anything? Tea?” Jack asked, hearing his husbands footsteps ascending the stairs.

“I'm fine thanks Dad,” she smiled and picked up a book.

“Okay love,” Jack said and left the room, closing the door behind him and went in search of Ianto, finding him in the nursery, watching Elizabeth dozing in her cot.

“How did it go?” Ianto asked, pressing himself back against Jack's body when his husband wrapped his arms around him from behind.

“Okay I think, she's decided that the kiss was a mistake and that she loves Scott,” Jack informed him. “we had a talk about it all and she's okay. She's had a text from Katie basically saying the same thing and saying she still wants to be her friend, now she just has to decide whether or not to tell Scott what happened.”

“I would really hate to be a teenager again, all those hormones surging around the body and confusing everything,” Ianto sighed.

“Even worse when your throwing out pheromones to almost everyone you're attracted to,” Jack added. “I think she has inherited them, but she's sensible enough to not let herself get led astray.”

“Unlike her father,” Ianto said with a grin, turning in his husbands arms.

“Hey, I've not been like that in a very long time,” Jack pouted.

“I know,” Ianto replied, pressing his lips softly to the older man's. “sometimes I wonder just what it is about me that keeps you monogamous?”

“Being married to the most beautiful man on earth, a man who can put up with me and even give birth to my child,” Jack stated. “I don't need anyone other than the man I love.”

“Well, when you put it that way,” Ianto groaned, pressing close to his husband body and kissed him again, this time more deeply before leading him out of the nursery and into their own room, locking the door behind them. “Think you can be quiet?”

“Mmmm,” Jack mumbled, nibbling on the younger man's neck.

“Then I suggest you show this beautiful man just how much you love him my gorgeous husband,” Ianto whispered.

“Always,” Jack murmured into his ear and pulling his shirt free from his trousers.

The End.