wanda1969

Title: "Come Fly With Me"
Rating: Safe for work, methinks

Spoilers/Disclaimers : Torchwood, belongs to the BBC and RTD, I’m just borrowing the characters- I own nothing here, nor do I make any money! So please don't prosecute!
Summary: Torchwood characters in a story set in the glamorous world of international travel! Fluffy, romantic and cheesy in the extreme, I suspect!

A/N: Many apologies for the delay- but after ‘flu, then a cold here’s Chapter 17. And a really huge thanks to everybody who’s been reading and commenting- I never thought, when I started this, that there would be so many people who would like airlines this much! I blame it on the uniforms…

Chapter list: http://wanda1969.dreamwidth.org/1863.html

Chapter 17

***

Britain was in the grip of what the television programmes described as (give or take the odd word) ‘an unprecedented spell of cold weather bringing snow and ice from the Arctic.’

The last ‘plane from the Far East had landed at Heathrow just over a week before Christmas, and since then all flights had been stranded with no chance of take-off at the airport, or, if they were still out of the country, any chance of even heading towards the UK.

Fortunately, Ianto Jones had found himself on one of the last flights able to land at Heathrow before the runways had been covered in a thick sheet of snow, grounding all aircraft, and the entire crew was on standby until flights could resume.

Ianto had eventually agreed to spend Christmas in Wales with his family, but even internal flights were cancelled and his chances of reaching Cardiff, even by car or rail were slim; severe weather warnings showed that motorways and A roads were gridlocked, and even trains were few and far between and heavily overbooked.

With a sense of both relief and regret Ianto had called both his sister and mother and basically ‘cancelled Christmas’, with a promise that they’d have their ‘Christmas’ in the New Year. There hadn’t been much argument- both Rhiannon and his mother couldn’t really deny that travel was impossible when there were constant BBC news reports on the bad weather and the ensuing chaos.

***

The two men had stocked up on food and drink and resolved to spend their time ‘snowed in’ as enjoyably as they could, which turned out to be very enjoyable indeed. After a few days only venturing out to the corner shop or the local Oddbins, Jack had found that one of the plus points of the bad weather was that quite a few restaurants had cancellations even though Christmas was almost upon them.

Jack sat on his sofa with a wide smile on his face and placed his ‘phone on the coffee table as Ianto returned to the sitting room with two steaming mugs. “Well… it looks like we’re not cooking tonight, Ianto!”

The other man raised a questioning eyebrow and handed over the mug to Jack before he joined him on the couch.

“I’ve got us a table at Scalini’s at eight. They’ve got some cancellations because of the snow, otherwise we’d be waiting weeks for a table after the reviews they’ve had in the Evening Standard. And the Tube’s running.”

“Well,” Ianto said, swallowing a mouthful of coffee. “I guess that answers my question about what’s for dinner.”

***

Scalini’s was a typical restaurant choice for Jack: small, upmarket, with excellent food and tasteful décor- soft lights, candles and screens separating some of the tables gave it a romantic air. They ate at a small, secluded table towards the back of the restaurant, and the food and service deserved the reviews that Jack had read out that afternoon. The pair of men garnered the odd look from other diners, but Ianto was getting used to that by now. He might not be ready for frothy gestures such as hand holding across the table yet, but he knew that Jack and he looked nothing like ‘mates’ out for a meal. The way that the other man looked at him with undivided attention as they talked quietly as they ate made them look like a couple.

They finished their meal and decided to head back to Northfields and Jack’s flat, maybe have a last drink in the pub at the corner of Jack’s street.

***

Owen Harper finished his starter and pushed the plate away. He reached for his glass of Barolo as he listened to his dinner date.

“… Simon even hinted that there’s a job there as soon as I get the license through- if I wanted it…” Diane gushed. Simon Ashton was the owner of the small airstrip and flying school where she’d been spending her training time to get her pilot’s license.

Owen took a large gulp of the wine. He’d known that a woman like Diane was too good to continue in a job like air hostess after she was a licensed pilot, but every time he’d thought about her future with Torchwood, he’d pushed it to the back of his mind- and now she was here, gushing enthusiastically about a life away from the airline. Not that he begrudged her following her dreams, he’d done it himself, after all. But for all the one night stands, or easy ‘trolley dollies’, happy to be swayed by a uniform, Diane was as close as you could get to his perfect woman. She was interested in aviation, she was intelligent, witty, outspoken, a free spirit… and great in bed. He didn’t want her to just move on- from Torchwood or him.

“Diane, you’ve got to use your license, but… just don’t rush into anything. Why not get a bit more practice in? See what comes along…” Owen urged, not ready to lose her just yet.

“I’m just not sure how long I can carry on as flight crew, Owen. There’s just such a feeling of freedom when you’re flying- you should know that, of all people. And the short private hire flights would give me all the practice I need at the moment…”

He took another drink, nodding. There wasn’t really much else he could say; he knew she was right and he couldn’t try to stand in the way of the career she’d spent so much time, money and effort on pursuing. Diane excused herself and made her way to the Ladies, leaving Owen alone with his thoughts.

He looked around the restaurant as he pondered her words. He was just about to refill his now empty glass when he noticed a very familiar, dark haired, figure making his way across the restaurant, finally stopping at the front desk. Jack Harkness. He was wondering whether he ought to go over to say ‘hello’, or perhaps a more seasonal ‘Merry Christmas’, when he saw an equally familiar, equally dark haired, figure join the pilot. With surprise he realized that it was Ianto Jones. As he was speculating on exactly what the two men were doing here- hadn’t Ianto said he was visiting his family this Christmas? ’Spose the snow put paid to that- he saw Jack’s arm reach out and a hand settled on the younger man’s lower back- possibly lower than was polite, or appropriate, with a work colleague. Jack’s thumb rubbed in a gentle circle and the two men turned to look at each other with undisguised affection, while the young blonde behind the desk searched the coat rack behind her to retrieve their coats. Moments later, coats found, the two men were walking out of the restaurant and were gone.

Interesting. Ianto hadn’t shied away from Jack’s touch; instead he’d leaned into it - and the look that passed between them both had spoken, screamed even, of an easy intimacy. Jack had been unusually happy the last few months, neatly deflecting any questions about his personal life. Every time that Owen had asked him whether he was seeing anyone-or who it was- the question had been avoided. If he really thought about it, Ianto had been behaving in more or less the same way, but he’d been so caught up in his relationship with Diane (and his brief affair with Gwen) that he’d failed to put two and two together. Despite the impulse to speak to Diane about what he’d just seen, he decided to at least wait for the next shift, when he’d be able to talk to Jack, privately. Whatever Owen felt for Diane, Jack was his Captain and, he liked to think, his friend, and he was going to speak to him first, before he started gossiping to the rest of the crew.

***

Neither of them had expected to be spending Christmas together, and Ianto was surprised to be woken up on Christmas morning by Jack wielding a mug of passable coffee (the other man had taught him well over the past few months) and a package. The package turned out to be a fitted silk shirt in a deep purple-y red colour. Ianto was relieved that he’d had the foresight to buy a couple of token presents for Jack- a bottle of 12 year old Caol ila whisky and a book on the history of aviation which he’d found in a small bookshop in Cecil Court one day. He had been going to leave them in London for Jack when he travelled to Wales. Jack was as pleased with his presents as Ianto was with his, and proceeded to thank the other man in the nicest way possible for the next few hours.

***

Owen took his mug of coffee from the tray, but discretely kept his eyes on Ianto as he offered the remaining mug to Jack. He saw Jack look up to meet Ianto’s eyes, and the two men smiled at each other softly, before Ianto quickly left the cockpit.

Jack looked out of the window. The time off work had flown by but he didn’t think he could grumble- he’d spent his time just how he’d wanted to: with Ianto.

Owen took a sip of the coffee and paused.

“So, Jack, did you have a good Christmas?”

Jack put his mug down on the small fold out tray next to the controls. “Quiet- but yeah, great. How about you?”

“Pretty much the same. With the snow there wasn’t much opportunity for getting out. Managed to get a bit of time with Diane and a meal or two out, though.”

“Things OK with you two?”

“Yeah- but she’s looking to leave Torchwood as soon as possible now she’s got her license… to work on light aircraft.”

“Ah... How are you about that?”

“I don’t want her to go- obviously…”

“But you can’t hold her back?”

Owen paused. “No… no, I can’t. But I don’t want to her to leave…”

“But just because she leaves the job, it doesn’t mean you can’t keep seeing each other.”

“We’ll see- but I get the feeling that if she goes, she’s going to be starting with a new life. A new life that won’t include me.”

“You don’t know that, Owen…”

“Like I said, we’ll see… I’m not sure that I want to think about it…” Owen’s voice became quiet, and then he felt it was time to change the subject. “Enough of me… How did you enjoy your meal at Scalini’s?” he said with a sly grin.

Jack’s head whipped ‘round. “Scalini’s?”

“Yes- me and Diane were there last Thursday. And so were you- and Ianto… ”

“Oh… you know, we met up for a few drinks and went for some food.”

“C’mon Jack, Scalini’s isn’t the kind of place you go for a couple of drinks with your mates. For a start it’s usually booked up for weeks in advance. You’re still trying to get him into bed aren’t you?”

Jack interrupted him with a warning look. “Owen… it’s not like that…”

“Mmm…I don’t think it is.” Owen was quietly amused now, almost teasing, but he did his best to keep his face serious. “I’d say that, from the look on both of your faces, you don’t have to try at all…”

Jack decided it was no use arguing. “OK, Owen. But I’d be really grateful if you and Diane kept this to yourselves. Ianto- he’s straight. He doesn’t need this being public knowledge. And you know I don’t need it either.”

Owen laughed. “Jack, how long have you known me? You’re secret’s safe with me. And Diane, she didn’t see you- and I didn’t tell her I’d seen either of you.”

“Owen?” Owen turned back to him. “Thanks…”

“No problem. I don’t want my pilot getting stressed out. And I really don’t want my coffee supply cutting off- or, worse than that: decaff.”

Jack smiled and looked out of the cockpit window. “Yep. I suspect that Ianto could get very creative if he felt the need for revenge…”

“How long have you two been seeing each other?”Owen said after a short time wondering what to say next.

“I’d guess…” Jack thought for a second or two, “About four, maybe five months…”

“So it’s been him all along?”

“All along?”

“You’ve been happy as…as… a sandboy for the last few months,” he finally said after searching for the right phrase. “And there’s been this ‘secret’ shag thing.”

“Ianto’s not a ‘secret shag thing’,” Jack said defensively.

“You know I didn’t mean it like that. But I’ve gotta say I’m surprised that Ianto, of all people, fell for your so-called ‘charms’- he’s the straightest male flight attendant I’ve ever met! And he doesn’t look as if he’d be adventurous enough to go out with a man…”

“You’d be surprised…” he said raising his eyebrows, and then immediately regretting he’d made such a suggestive comment about his, and Ianto’s, private life. “Don’t wind him up about it, Owen. Going out with a guy is still very new to him…”

“He looked like he was coping with it when I saw you!” Owen raised his hands in surrender as Jack shot him another warning glance. “I’m not going to take the piss, Harkness- and I’m not gonna start gossiping. Even if I’d love to see Gwen’s face if I told her.”

“Oh God- Gwen…” the pilot moaned and privately determined to avoid crew drinks wherever he could on this stopover.

“She’ll give up sooner or later.”

“It’s just a good job Ianto doesn’t see her as a threat. I think he finds it amusing- if a bit irritating!”

“Well, that’s one thing. We don’t want a jealous Tea Boy kicking off!” In spite of his comments, he wanted things to work out for Jack. He was infatuated and Owen hoped Ianto was serious; he didn’t want to think that he was using Jack as some kind of experiment in sexuality. “Only joking!” he said after the third warning look from Jack in as many minutes.

***

To be continued…