Opportunities/One door closes...and a window opens (9?)

[madbottoms]

Title: Opportunities/One door closes...and a window opens (9?)

Rating: PG – I think. There is talk of sex and some ‘adult’ moments but nothing explicit.

Genre: AU! No aliens but some familiar names may still be used

Characters: Jack, Ianto, Estelle

Summary: The holiday season is coming up and Ianto Jones is stuck without a job, with very little money and not too many prospects. So when he is offered a job for two weeks, he readily accepts. But this new job may become complicated when he realises that the man who broke his heart years before is the grandson of his new employer.

A/N: I know many of you really, really dislike Jack and think he is being an utter wanker, prick, arsehole, etc... I really hope you don’t end up hating him by the end. Let me say that there is more than meets the eye with Jack and I know the reason for the negative feelings is that we haven’t heard Jack’s side yet. There are all sorts of feelings on both sides and a history to be sorted. Give Jack a chance to redeem himself. Anyway, in this chapter Estelle’s friend comes over to visit and she’s an absolute charmer! And maybe a clue that all may not be as it seems about that night all those years ago.

*~*

Chapter Nine

 

The doorbell chimed, and Ianto pushed a box aside and got to his feet, groaning a little as his protested at the length of time he’d been on the floor.

 

As he pulled the door open, the bells on the wreath he’d hung there jungle merrily.

 

Estelle’s friend Mary Harper was standing on the wide front perch, her fingertip already pushing the bell a second time. ‘Sorry,’ Mary said, not sounding if she meant it. ‘Emma’s getting hard of hearing, you know. Oh, what on earth are you doing here? I barely recognised you out of uniform.’ Her gaze drifted over Ianto’s jeans and jumper.

 

‘I’m helping out for a bit, Mrs Harper,’ Ianto said coolly.

 

‘Oh, yes, of course. I heard Estelle had a fainting spell after I left the restaurant the other day, so I came to check on her.’ Mary brushed past him, already taking of her hat and coat. ‘Goodness it’s cold out there.’

 

Ianto took the hint and asked. ‘Would you like a cup of tea? Mrs Cole is having a nap, but I expect she’ll be downstairs soon. Jack is here.’

 

Mary looked past him, as if to check out what Ianto had said, just as Jack appeared in the pillared archway between the living room and the hall. ‘In that case I’ll stay. It’s too bad my little friend couldn’t come today. I guess you’ll have to wait for that little treat, Jack.’

 

She sounded, Ianto thought, as if she was denying a child his favourite toy. Little friend? How corny could this woman be?

 

Mary bustled past Jack into the living room and stopped dead. ‘What’s going on in here?’

 

‘Just some holiday decorating,’ Ianto said. ‘I hope you won’t mind if I keep right on working after I pour your tea.’

 

‘Not at all.’ Mary didn’t even look at him. ‘In fact, I’ll pour, and Jack and I will just sit down here at the other end of the room, where we’ll be out of your way.’

 

‘Sorry, Mary,’ Jack said smoothly, ‘but I’m helping Ianto untangle the lights. Since he was good enough to volunteer to help decorate, I couldn’t possibly leave him to face the consequences if it’s not all done by the time Gran wakes up.’

 

Not that it was exactly a compliment, Ianto thought, to know that he’d rather be on his end of the room unpacking lights than drinking tea with Mary... But his closeness still unnerved him a little.

 

‘But help yourself to tea,’ Jack went on cheerfully. His voice dropped to a murmur that tickled Ianto’s ear. ‘Quick—where are the lights?’

 

I should ignore him. But Ianto used his foot to push a box toward him. ‘I had no idea you were such a coward, by the way.’

 

‘Coward? Me?’

 

‘Yes—running from a simple thing like Mary’s little friend. And he isn’t even here to run from—that’s what’s so hilarious.’

 

‘Better to squelch the whole idea up front. The only thing worse that an elderly matchmaker is a pair of them.’

 

‘I suppose that’s true. Is this the little friend you had mixed up with me?’

 

Jack lifted the lid of the box and heaved a huge sigh. ‘Next time look for an electrical engineer to do this job.’ He dug both hands into the box and pulled out a gnarled mass of dark green wires and small multi-coloured bulbs. ‘And if you’re expecting me to admit that I’d rather Mary’s friend had been you—’

 

‘God, no. I wouldn’t want to break your long-standing record of actually being flattering to me.’

 

Mary was coming back toward them, cup in hand. ‘I had no idea you knew Estelle so well you’d volunteer to give up your Christmas break to help her.’ Her voice took on a cool edge. ‘Or is this a chance to get some extra money?’

 

‘Actually,’ Ianto said sweetly, ‘I haven’t known Estelle all that long. It’s Jack I’ve know forever, so of course I’m happy to lend a hand wherever I can to help his grandmother.’

 

‘I’m quite sure of that.’ Mary’s voice had gone icy.

 

From the foot of the stairs, Estelle said, ‘Mary, how delightful of you to drop by. Tosh not with you?’

 

‘No darling, because I didn’t expect Jack to be here this afternoon. But we could stop by tomorrow, if the two of you will be free.’

 

‘Don’t count on it,’ Jack said under his breath. ‘What king of name is Tosh anyway? Isn’t that what they call a whole lot of nonsense?’

 

Ianto didn’t say anything but sat contemplating. He once knew a girl named Tosh. They’d been friends for a while until she’d graduated and moved to London a few years ago and they’d lost touch. I wonder.

 

‘There must be twenty strands of lights here,’ Jack grumbled, as he found a plug and untangled enough cord to reach the outlet. Just three of the tiny bulbs lit up. ‘We’ve know each other for forever, hmm? I think all those Christmas carols are starting to rot your brain.’

 

‘Hey, my brain is perfectly functioning thank you very much.’ Ianto tuned back to the box he’d just opened, which seemed to contain nothing but crocheted snowflakes. The starch which stiffened them had yellowed with age. ‘And even you have to admit it feels like forever. Besides, it would be foolish for me to pretend I’ve been Estelle’s friend when all Mary would have to do is ask her.’

 

The bigger question, Ianto asked himself, was why he’d said anything at all. So what if Mary Harper took a swipe at him? Why on earth had he implied that he and Jack were friends, and had been forever?

 

They’d never been friends, though once—for a very short time—he’d thought they might be more than just friends. Much more. But that had only been an illusion, and he’d stripped that quickly from him as quickly and painfully as ripping an adhesive off skin. So what had inspired Ianto to say it say it now?

 

Emma appeared with a fresh pot of tea and a plate of biscuits still warm from the oven. She set them on the coffee table at the far end of the room, and the two women settled on the sofa there. Mary’s slightly shrill voice made it impossible to ignore her.

 

‘I hope your helper is working out well,’ Mary said. ‘I wouldn’t have thought of hiring him, myself. But it makes perfect sense. As a waiter, he’s used to this sort of work—fetching and carrying and general picking up. Though it must be very uncomfortable for him, having to be a hanger-on at someone else’s holidays.’

 

‘Charming,’ Jack said, looking as if he were talking to the tangled lights. And then he heard his grandmother defend Ianto.

 

‘Not at all, Mary. I find Ianto’s company rather lovely. He’s smart, caring and quite intelligent, you know. We make a good team, Ianto and I.’ Estelle smiled fondly in Ianto’s direction.

 

And with that Mary just ‘hmph’d’ and changed the subject, her voice no less shrill.

 

‘Just the sort of woman I want to know better—and her little friend too.’ Jack commented, dryly. ‘I’ve got it. Let’s drag out the decorating until tomorrow, and when she and her pal show up for tea we can be gone buying new lights.’

 

Ianto must have looked at him oddly, because he went on, ‘I’m not talking about some sort of date, you know. It’s only to buy lights.’

 

‘Oh, I’m glad you clarified that. Thanks for the invitation, but I’m simply dying to meet, Tosh.’ Ianto still wondered if it was the person he was thinking about. There can’t be too many people in town with that name, surely. Ianto set a stack of snowflakes aside. ‘Besides, Estelle would never approve. Wasting money on lights that will only be used once? How foolish.’

 

‘I’m paying—it’ll be worth it to be able to throw these away. After Christmas she can hang them all over the SUV if she wants.’ He raised his voice. ‘Gran, you don’t mind if I buy all new lights for the tree, do you? Untangling these is a waste of time, and you don’t have enough anyway.’

 

‘You can do whatever you want, dear. But you’ll need to get them tonight, so we can have the tree nicer and neat for tomorrow when Mary and her friend are here for tea. So run along, both of you, and take care of it right now.’ Estelle smiled. ‘You can take my new car if you like.’

 

The look of chagrin on Jack’s face made it difficult for Ianto to smother a laugh. ‘Next time,’ Ianto managed to say, ‘you might try selling her on tinsel, Jack, instead of lights. That goes on after everything else.’

 

*~*

 

It didn’t take Ianto choking on his own amusement to let Jack know he’d been had once more—and it was no coincidence at all to know that this time he’d pretty much done it to himself.

 

‘Alright,’ Jack said. ‘Let’s go.’ He dragged Ianto’s coat out of the closet and warily eyed the key-ring he pulled out of his pocket. ‘I’m sure not riding with you driving. We’re taking my car.’

 

‘That’s fine with me. This is your errand anyway—I was only hired to do your grandmother’s running around. In fact, there’s no reason for me to go at all.’ He started to slide out of his coat.

 

Jack grabbed his arm. ‘I want to talk to you. But not where the pacemaker generation can overhear.’

 

‘What about? You’re still not going on about thinking I’m crazy?’

 

‘No.’

 

‘You really believe me?’

 

‘I believe in the background check.’

 

‘Oh, that’s a comfort.’ Ianto subsided and let Jack usher him out the side door. ‘So, what’s this really about?’

 

‘Lights.’

 

‘Well you should have seen that one coming a mile away. Now what are you going to use for an excuse to be gone at teatime tomorrow?’

 

‘I’ll think of something.’ The Jaguar skidded sideways as he pulled out into the street just a little too fast for the road conditions.

 

‘You sure you don’t want to take the SUV? You’d have better traction on slick streets with those new tyres.’

 

Jack shot him a look.

 

Ianto bit his lip as if to hold back a smile, and sank into the plush leather seat of the sports car. ‘I was only trying to be helpful,’ he murmured. ‘So what did you want to talk about?’

 

‘The lights were a bad idea.’

 

‘No kidding.’

 

‘If I avoid Mary’s little friend tomorrow, they’ll just set up another time.’

 

‘Not that you have an inflated ego or anything of how far someone will go to meet you, of course. But you’re right. Mary doesn’t seem the type to give up easily.’

 

‘If I’m not there for tea, they’ll stay for dinner.’

 

‘And if you miss dinner...’ Ianto sounded almost thoughtful, except for the tang of laughter in his voice. ‘You know, it might be interesting if they actually turn up for breakfast.’

 

Jack growled. What was is it going to take for him to take this seriously? ‘I have a better idea. I’m going to meet what’s-his-name—’

 

‘Tosh.’ Ianto nearly laughed out loud because the Tosh he knew was very much a ‘she’. Wouldn’t that be a laugh—Mary trying to set him up with a woman. Was that the plan? Did she think her friend could convince Jack she was better for him than a man?

 

‘—as scheduled tomorrow. Only you’re going to be with me.’

 

‘With you how?’ Ianto said warily.

 

‘I’ll be polite and obviously not intrigued by Tosh because I’m interested in someone else. You, to be precise. You’ve already laid the groundwork by telling Mary we’ve known each other forever. So when she and the pal show up tomorrow we’ll go into our more-than-friends act—’

 

‘Wait a minute. More than friends? I didn’t even say we were friends, much less—’

 

‘That’s the beauty of it. She’ll be up all night, working out the possible interpretations, and by tomorrow she’ll be easy to convince her little pal doesn’t stand a chance with me as long as you’re around.’

 

‘And you think my brain’s rotting?’ Ianto shook his head. ‘I can’t imagine why you think that would work.’

 

‘It’ll work. It’s a great idea.’

 

Ianto looked at him thoughtfully. ‘Tell me, Jack. How many warehouses does it take to store your ego?’

 

‘The point is, you can scare off this person tomorrow.’

 

‘Honestly, Jack, why you suddenly think you’d need a bodyguard to protect you from Tosh—’

 

‘If you want to know what’s in it for you, Ianto...’

 

‘Oh, yes, please—tell me what the reward is here.’ Ianto laid his head back on the soft leather, a small frown appearing on his face. Jack’s fingertips itched to touch his face and help put a smile back on his face.

 

Almost too late he realised what he was thinking and drew his hand back to a safe distance.

 

Watch it Harkness. It’s a good idea you’ve got—as long as you remember that he’s dangerous. He might break your heart again. It’s not smart to play with dynamite, but if you use it carefully...

 

‘You’re hoping you’re grandmother gets annoyed and fires me, aren’t you? Well, I’m not playing along. Because I have a better plan.’

 

‘I’m listening.’

 

‘Actually, it’s your plan—just without me. All you have to do is be polite and cool to Tosh tomorrow and see what happens. It’s one day, Jack. What’s the big deal?’

 

‘What about the rest of the week?’ Jack pulled up at the traffic lights and looked over at Ianto, taking just a bit of malicious pleasure in the dismay which appeared in his eyes.

 

‘The rest of the week?’ he said lamely. ‘You told me your grand opening would be over on Sunday.’

 

‘And it will. But surely...’ The lights changed and he eased the Jaguar into the intersection. ‘Surely you didn’t expect me to go home and leave my grandmother to celebrate Christmas all by herself. Did you?’

 

*~*

 

They bought all the lights they could find in two different stores, but they were still arguing about Mary’s friend and what to do when they returned to the house. Ianto was chilled by the weather but heated by the discussion. He was so absorbed that he didn’t even see the extra car parked under the carport until Jack stopped the Jaguar just short of the bumper.

 

‘Where did that come from?’ Ianto asked.

 

‘Considering the emblem on the front, I’d say Japan,’ Jack said dryly. ‘It’s not Mary’s, because it wasn’t here when we left.’

 

‘No doubt her friend is lying in wait for you, just inside the door.’

 

‘I wouldn’t put it past Mary. What about it, Ianto?’

 

‘You mean the more-than-friends escapade? You’ve never been particularly good at being straightforward with suitors have you? Maybe it’s time you had some practice.’

 

‘What in the hell does that mean? If you’d have just listened to me back then—’

 

‘To what? You justifying how you hadn’t really­ made a bet with your friends that you could get me into bed with you?’

 

‘I didn’t. You just took off and never even gave me a chance to explain. And I never saw you again.’

 

‘Oh, please—let’s not start arguing over definitions. It’s over. Your friends took care of letting me know where I stood, so you didn’t have to. And that’s exactly what you’re trying to do again.’

 

‘Ianto, no! It wasn’t like that,’ Jack protested.

 

Ianto cut him off. ‘Only instead of me being the dupe this time, you want me to run interference for you. Well, I’m not interested. Deal with Tosh yourself.’ Ianto dug a pile of boxes from the back seat. The wrappings were slick, and the boxes seemed to want to slide everywhere.

 

Jack had an equally large and awkward stack, but he managed to get them tucked under his arm so he could open the side door of the house. Rather than put the boxes down to take off his coat, Ianto went straight into the living room to dump the lights under the tree.

 

Jack was barely a step behind him when he crossed over the threshold and saw the new addition to the tea party. Only now it was more like a cocktail party, Ianto realised, with crystal glasses and clinking ice rather than teacups, and three people forming an uneven triangle—Estelle and Mary on the sofa, and standing nearby, one hand on the mantel, and facing away...

 

Ianto blinked in surprise. Then he realised what must have happened and tried to push down the bubble of laughter which was threatening to explode deep inside him.

 

‘There you are, Jack,’ Mary said. ‘I’ve been so eager for you to meet my young friend that I decided not to wait until tomorrow in case you couldn’t be here after all.’ She pointed to the young woman turning to face then. ‘This,’ Mary went on proudly, ‘is—’

 

‘Toshiko?’ Ianto said.