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wanda1969Title: "Jack's Angels IV: The Case of The Missing Heiress" Chapter 7
Author: wanda1969
Rating: PG- I don't think there's anything dodgy in here
Spoilers: Can’t think of any??
Summary: Torchwood characters shoehorned into a rather unexciting Charlie's Angels adventure! No Charlie's Angels characters in this though! I own none of the characters in this- I have only borrowed these characters from the BBC. And Charlie’s Angels as a concept.
A/N: I started posting this as chapters; I’ve realised that doesn’t really work for me. I like to write this stuff and post all at once. So many apologies to the people who were waiting for an update, however I’m determined to finish this now... Anyway, here it is!! Posted here at AGA and on my account before it goes anywhere else, because AGA caused me to write it in the first place.
Chapter 7
Jack watched as Johnson, Tosh, Andy and Eduardo made their way in the small launch across the clear, turquoise waters of Tortugas Bay, heading towards the shoreline.
The night before, at dinner, the decision had been made to leave Jack, Ianto and Gwen behind on Lily Christine III- it wouldn’t do to go in there mob-handed and Jack was still unsure whether Caroline would remember him from the occasional Lethbridge Stewart family gathering. As for Gwen- well, it was just decided that perhaps it was better that she stayed behind until the Team knew what they were dealing with.
He sighed. Tortugas bay reminded him that he really ought to spend more time away with Ianto; the bay was idyllic and he would have been more than happy to be spending time there, alone with the Welshman, with no case to distract them. Idly, he fantasised about empty South Pacific white sand beaches and crystal clear water, with just himself and the young man. ‘A honeymoon perhaps?’ he found himself thinking. Lately, he liked to think he’d seen a thawing in Ianto’s attitude towards a civil partnership; he’d been more open to public displays of affection, even if it just was just holding hands at their favourite restaurant, or a hug and a peck on the cheek. He could understand the other man’s reticence. It had been a long time since gossip about Jack Harkness had been fodder for the local or national press, but Jack knew that as soon as any celebrity gossip magazines picked up on his name in the local registry records he would be well and truly back on the menu for public consumption, along with Ianto.
The sound of quiet movements behind him caused him to turn around. A barefoot Ianto was placing Jack’s net book on the low table between their sun beds, a cold bag of drinks over his shoulder. The American felt his breath hitch as he looked at the other man. He found it very hard to figure out exactly which Ianto he preferred: the immaculately suited Ianto, the completely ‘un-suited’ Ianto, or this carefree incarnation, complete with casual knee length khaki shorts and T-shirt. He was beginning to think that the lack of a suit was a fine trade off if he was able to take advantage of the view of Ianto’s legs and strangely (he felt almost Victorian appreciating this) attractive ankles and feet. He found himself wondering exactly why people were so averse to feet. Ianto’s were almost sculpted and distinctly shapely.
“Hey,” he said softly, as he pushed himself away from the deck rail, and moved over to the sun loungers, a somewhat lecherous grin on his face. “We should do this more often if you’re going to wear shorts...”
“Jack...” Ianto warned, “Remember, we’re not alone. Gwen’s here...she’s just getting changed.”
Jack visibly deflated, his recent fantasy of sharing sun kissed tropical beaches with the other man dissipating. “Another bikini?”
“I suspect so,” Ianto said with a tinge of tired resignation.
“How many bikinis can one woman own?” Jack flopped down on to a sun lounger and reached over to pick up the net book. He could never remember Estelle packing so much swimwear, although she’d been down to earth considering her upbringing. She’d always delighted in getting away from it all and living the simple life. He snapped his mind back to the present situation.
“I suspect we may well find out...” he said as he handed Jack a can, placing the cold bag in the shade of a parasol.
***
Gwen did indeed have yet another bikini. This one left little to the imagination, both top and bottom parts seemingly made of small triangles of dark brown and fabric tied together with tiny, thin strings. Tied around her waist was a miniscule diaphanous sarong so see-through that it might have well not have been there. It all reminded Ianto of a 70s movie or mini series, but he had to admit she looked good as she walked confidently up onto the deck.
Gwen looked around, disappointed to find that the only lounger was next to Ianto, with Jack on the other side of him. She sat down on the lounger laying a towel across it, and reached into a beach bag. Ianto hid his horror when her hand re-emerged clasping a copy of Marie Claire, a copy of Cosmopolitan and an edition of Heat. Another hand reached in to retrieve a bottle of sun screen.
She settled, flipping open the top of the sun lotion and squeezing it onto her hand before slowly rubbing it into every available part of her skin.
Jack looked uncomfortably at the screen of the net book. He knew that this was a show for him personally. An almost inaudible sigh of relief came from him when Gwen settled back onto the lounger in a stereotypically ‘come hither’ pose, copy of Heat in her hand.
And so the three spent the morning, Jack checking his e-mails and Ianto reading through some file notes and inputting some expenses entries. Gwen fell asleep quickly, the copy of Heat falling from her hand and onto the deck.
***
The small launch drew to a halt against the slope of the beach. Eduardo jumped out of the boat and then reached out to Johnson, helping her onto the sand. Toshiko was slightly affronted when she saw him head away with her colleague. Her feelings of rejection soon dissipated when Andy gently moved her to one side before disembarking and reaching out for her hand, helping her out onto the beach.
If Tortuga Bay had a town (or even village) centre, the Torchwood team and Eduardo had yet to find it. A small jetty was there to take any incoming goods and at the end of it was a small wooden building with a few chairs and tables at the front. It turned out to be a shop cum bar which, on first inspection, didn’t appear to be staffed. The few other buildings scattered along the dirt track ‘esplanade’ were obviously residential. A quick look across the bay showed just five or so buildings, all of which looked distinctly residential.
They wandered around the bay for a while, Eduardo occasionally stopping to say ‘hello’ or chat to the odd local they found walking along the beach. When they had eventually walked back to the jetty it was after noon, and the group decided to have a snack and a drink at the shop. As soon as they entered a man in his late teens and a traditionally built older woman emerged from the back. Mr Ramirez ironed out any language difficulties, and ten minutes later they found themselves sitting at one of the outside tables, a platter of local fried fish and spicy potatoes in front of them, along with two large jugs, one of beer and one of pineapple juice.
About half an hour later they were rewarded by the sight of a small boat leaving xxx and heading towards the jetty. A few minutes later, a man and a woman matching the description of Jake and Caroline walked along the jetty.
***
It was getting hot. Ianto swung his legs over the side of the sun lounger, and then looked to his pocket watch which he’d propped up on the table between him and Jack. It was almost one o’clock.
Noticing his partner’s movement, Jack closed down the PC. What he really needed was a coffee. Or perhaps a bottle of beer, and then a coffee. Or, even better, a beer, Ianto and then a coffee. He looked over to Gwen. She’d balanced a sunhat over her face and then fallen asleep, shaded by one of the parasols.
“Want a beer, Jack?” Ianto asked, quietly, careful not to wake Gwen, especially as the last hour had been so peaceful while she’d been sleeping.
“Yeah...” Goddamit! How the Hell did Ianto know exactly what he wanted, and when? Jack smiled slightly as he wondered if the young man had predicted what was next on Jack’s mind after a beer...
Ianto stood. “I’ll get you one. I was going to get out some bread and cheese and put on a small pot of coffee, anyway.”
“I’ll give you a hand- it’s time I stretched my legs. Can’t sit around like this all day without getting stiff...”
Ianto raised his eyebrows and dramatically looked at the sky before turning and heading to the galley, an eager Jack following him.
***
Jack had cut the bread chunks and placed them in a large basket with a napkin over the top, as Ianto had pottered around the galley, preparing a plate of cheeses, lettuce and tomatoes before carefully cleaning out the cafetière and brewing up a particularly fine blend of Costa Rican coffee he’d picked up in Panama City. He was heading to the ‘fridge when Jack looped an arm around his waist and pulled him towards him.
‘You know, I’ve been thinking...” Jack started.
“Ah well, that would explain everything- including that strange whirring sound I thought I could hear earlier...”
Jack looked briefly affronted and then gave an indulgent smile. “Very funny, Ianto. No- I was thinking we should get away. We’ve not had a holiday in ages...seeing the beach and the palm trees made me think we ought have a break. Just us two. No Angels, no Gwen.”
“Mmm... it does sound nice.”
“Yeah...” Jack paused before he spoke again, quietly and earnestly. “We could call it a honeymoon....there’s no need to make it legal if you don’t want to...”
Ianto was about to roll his eyes and wrinkle his brow (his trademark dismissive or sarcastic ‘look’) until he realised that Jack looked almost embarrassed and slightly vulnerable; he’d dissembled every time Jack had suggested making their relationship legal or official in any way. Looking at him now, it seemed as if the other man almost saw this as rejection. In fact, Jack looked hurt. And perhaps he had good reason; the pair had been inseparable for four years and Ianto’s aversion to commitment (and, he had to admit, his own reluctance to flaunt his relationship with another man) had to be hurtful to Jack. And Jack was, again, asking him to commit.
Ianto made a decision.
“It could be....Look, Jack- you’re right. I’ve got no plans to go anywhere else, with anyone else...and I have to admit to liking the idea of a honeymoon. We don’t need to get married, but that’s a yes to a honeymoon. And telling the others about us.”
A look of shock came over Jack’s face before a huge but sincere smile lit up his face- the kind that Ianto knew few people saw. “Whatever you want, Ianto. We can make this however you want it to be...”
Before Jack could finish Ianto reached for his hands, pushing them back towards the worktop, holding him there, arms braced against the counter. And then he kissed him.
***
Gwen woke up with a small yawn. It was hot and the sun was high in the sky. Looking around she realised that she was alone, the sun beds next to her were empty. The next thing that she noticed was an enticing smell of coffee drifting up from below deck. Ianto must be making coffee, and, perhaps, lunch. She stretched and then looked down adjusting her bikini before getting up and heading towards that delicious smell of coffee.
Swinging back the small door at the top of the stairs that led to the galley, she started down the stairs.
A few seconds later she could hardly believe what she saw before her: Ianto was pushing Jack back against the work surface, his wrists held tightly against the edge by Ianto, and he and was snogging their boss senseless. Jack was obviously in shock, as he didn’t seem to be resisting at all.
It took a few moments before Gwen was capable of movement or comment.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing Ianto?”
The two men in the galley pulled apart and at least Ianto had the good grace to look embarrassed- Gwen could see a faint pink glow on his cheeks as he moved away.
“Well, I’ve heard about sexual harassment in the workplace, but it’s usually the boss harassing employees- not the other way round. What on Earth were you thinking, Ianto?” Gwen had recovered her senses (as such they were), and turned towards the American. “Jack- you can’t put up with this; what would your girlfriend think about it?”
“Gwen, you’ve got it all wrong- I can explain everything.” Jack gave Ianto a look which said ‘here we go, I’m afraid’. Ianto merely nodded as their eyes met.
If he’d expected Ianto to make an excuse and leave, he was wrong; instead Ianto had a look on his face of thinly disguised anger (not that Gwen noticed), arms crossed defensively. Jack hadn’t known the other man for all this time without realising what was causing his anger: it was the implication that he could behave so unprofessionally as to harass his boss, his workmate. Well, that and the fact that Gwen’s attitude to him had been nothing short of dismissive ever since she’d become an Angel. Her last comments had obviously been the straw that was about to break the camel’s back.
“Jack, you can’t just brush this off...you don’t have to justify his behaviour...”
Her boss put on his best determined face and authoritative voice. “Gwen, I’m not brushing anything off. And I’m NOT trying to justify anyone’s behaviour. I told you I was seeing someone. And you assumed I had a girlfriend. I probably should have corrected you but my-” he paused, sneaking a glance at Ianto before correcting himself. “Our personal life is private. It’s got nothing to do with our work. Ianto has been my partner for some years now.” Tentatively he held out his hand towards the other man, and was glad when Ianto, albeit reluctantly, uncrossed his arms and reached out to hold the proffered hand.
Gwen’s silence didn’t last long. She looked between the two men and then down at their joined hands. “But that’s ridiculous- you were married, Jack...”
Jack’s authoritative voice was replaced with a more irritated one, coloured with a hint of sadness. “Gwen. I was married. But that’s over now, much as it hurt at the time. And Ianto has helped me through that...” Ianto squeezed his hand as comfortingly as he could. “Now...now, I wouldn’t have my life any other way.” He said as he smiled at the younger man. “I know we’re on a case, and perhaps our...behaviour...was inappropriate, possibly unprofessional, and I’ve gotta apologise for that, at least.”
It was plain to Gwen that Jack had been brainwashed by Ianto; he’d obviously managed to charm Jack into believing that he was indispensible to him in every way. She huffed realising that there was no use arguing at this stage.
“Well, I suppose that as long as you’re both happy...” The look on her face said the exact opposite: she didn’t believe that the two men were happy, and she certainly didn’t believe that Jack had made his own choice to be with Ianto.
Ianto saw her expression and spoke up for the first time, slightly annoyed. “Thank you Gwen. We are happy, very happy.” Out of the corner of his eye he could see Jack smiling over at him. “Well, now that’s sorted how about some lunch up on deck?”
His tone brooked no argument, as he gestured for Gwen to go back up the steps and, unusually, Gwen just nodded before sweeping back upstairs.
Ianto just picked up the basket of bread and plate of cheese and followed her, picking up a bottle of red wine. “She might just need this,” he said as he turned quickly reaching the bottom of the steps, “We’ll talk about this later...”
***
As Ianto had predicted, Gwen was unable to resist the bottle of fruity Chilean wine after the events and revelations of the day. She’d gone through three quarters of the bottle and had eaten some of the bread and cheese, and then she’d made her way, slightly uncertainly, towards her cabin for a nap.
***
TBC
