Jack reached for Ianto but there was no one lying next to him, no one sharing his bed. It was the second morning in a row he had woken alone. He didn't want to admit he had cuddled up to Ianto's pillow in the night, missing his lover. But he had. They spent almost every night together and now Jack lay back staring at the ceiling, with the exception of the last two nights they hadn't slept apart. He wasn't ready to examine why he was reaching out for someone who wasn't there. The Hub stretched out above him vast and quiet in it's emptiness. It was as if the building missed Ianto too. Even the rift was quiet, respecting some sort of cosmic cease fire marking the season.

Jack wasn't even sure when he'd last celebrated Christmas, it must have been when Alice was young. Something else that had been at least a lifetime ago. She had made it pretty clear she didn't really want much to do with him. He'd done what he always did at this time of year, sent her and Stephen a card with money in it. She called him sometimes, sent him photos occasionally. He watched their lives from a distance, it wasn't the same as being invited in. More lives effected by his inability to die or age normally, this was why he hated Christmas.

Jack got dressed and wondered around the Hub, it was empty of the team, Tosh in London seeing her family for the first time in years. Gwen spending time with hers and Owen, he'd been a regular ray of sunshine since Diane left. He was probably passed out in his flat. Which brought him back to Ianto. He had sent Ianto home early on Christmas Eve to do his last minute shopping and start on cooking his Christmas dinner.

Jack had regretted turning Ianto down as he had enjoyed his left over pizza yesterday. It had been no roast duck with all the trimmings, making him vow that next time, he would accept that invitation to dinner. He didn't want to think about why he hadn't really said yes when Ianto had asked him. But he still felt his thoughts going there anyway. If he wanted to pretend he was being noble he could say he didn't want to make things awkward for Ianto and his family. He was pretty sure Ianto hadn't told them he was sleeping his his boss. His male boss.

And Ianto wasn't one to lie and say Jack was just a friend from work who was alone on Christmas Day. The smaller voice in the back of his mind called him a liar. He hadn't wanted to go because he had forgotten how to be around a family. He didn't want to remember Christmases where Alice had opened presents with the abandon of a child. Nor had he wanted to be reminded of the older faces of lovers as they aged. He didn't need a Dickensian reminder of his past or future to see himself alone. Always alone. Although the sound of the door to the Hub rolling open told him he was not as alone as he might have preferred.

He was almost surprised to see Ianto walk towards him, carrying a basket. And what was that he could smell? 'Ianto Jones, it's your day off.'

Ianto grinned as Jack stood there smiling at him. 'I know it's my day off Sir, that's why I'm not wearing a tie.'

Jack took another look at Ianto, drunk him in with greedy eyes as he realised Ianto was wearing jeans. Faded denim that moved with him when he walked in a way that spoke of being a favourite old pair of jeans. His shirt a deep red, the top few buttons open at the neck and a faded denim jacket completed the picture. 'Red, Ianto.'

'It's Christmas, Sir. Well,' He set the basket down. 'Technically it's Gywl San Steffan.'

Jack breathed in the words that rolled off Ianto's tongue in Welsh. 'And in English?'

'St Stephens Day, boxing day, so no santa hat.'

'Pity, and why are you here?'

'Ah, I thought I might distract you with leftovers while I use the Hub computers.'

Jack moved to stand beside Ianto, torn between a need to undress him and desire to see what was in the basket. All of which conflicted with the question of why he might need distracting in the first place. He rested his hand on Ianto's arm. 'Ianto, what could possibly be so urgent it couldn't wait a few days?'

'I ah, need to run a check on someone, Sir.'

'Ianto Jones you only call me Sir when we're alone because you're hiding behind something.'

'Not always, Sir.'

Jack grinned at the ghost of a smile Ianto had given him. 'Maybe not always then. But you are now.'

'It's my mother.'

'You want to run a computer search on your mother.'

'She brought a date to Christmas Jack.'

Jack knew he couldn't laugh, Ianto looked so serious. 'You don't talk about your parents.'

'I don't talk about any of my family.'

'Sometimes I'm not sure I really know you Ianto.'

Ianto shrugged. 'Maybe you don't, I have a file.'

Jack shook his head. 'That's just pages, it isn't you Ianto Jones.'

'No, I suppose it isn't.' Ianto sighed. 'I'm a very private person.' He looked at the computer screens, even though there was no result to his search yet. 'My father died when I was just eighteen, before I went to university in England.'

'What was he like?'

'He was,' Ianto sighed again. 'I haven't thought about him in a while Jack, I don't know what to say. He was my dad, that's all.'

'I don't remember my father, what he looked like, sounded like.'

'When did he die?'

Jack thought about how to answer that and decided to tell Ianto the truth. 'Technically he hasn't even been born yet. But I left home after he died.'

'This is your fifty first century isn't it.'

Jack nodded. He'd almost forgotten mentioning that, when Ianto was practically stalking him for a job in Torchwood.

'So John and the others, they fell though time too then, like you did.'

'Sort of.'

'So you have nothing.'

'I'm not sure I would say I have nothing Ianto.'

Ianto looked back to the computer screen.

'Ianto, why are you doing a check on your mother's, friend?'

'Because she's my mother.' He looked at Jack as if this was self evident, as if he shouldn't have to explain.

Jack decided Ianto needed distracting. 'And the basket?'

'Left overs, I cooked too much and I'll never get though it on my own.' He wanted to say and he'd missed Jack.

Jack smiled. 'What's on the menu?'

'Roast duck, chicken, baked vegetables, brussel sprouts, gravy and chestnut stuffing. It will be better reheated though, and there is fresh bread and pudding.' He picked the basket up and followed Jack into the kitchen, setting it down on the table he watched Jack taking containers out and opening them.

'Ianto, this smells amazing.'

'Thank you Jack.'

Jack reached out to Ianto. 'How are you Ianto?' He pulled him into his arms, there was something Ianto wasn't telling him. He had read the uncertainty in his posture.

'A date, my mother Jack. She brought a bloody date to Christmas.'

'Is it that she's dating or is it him specifically?'

'Yes.'

'Okay then, well the computer is obviously going to take a while, I can think of one or two things we can do to fill in some time.'

'Sex Jack?' Ianto pulled back and leaned against the kitchen bench.

'That's definitely one option Ianto.' Jack tried not to grin, Ianto was being decidedly snappy. This man his mother was seeing was clearly hitting a nerve. 'Come on, lets heat this up and you can tell me all about your Christmas and how horrible this man is.'

'You want me to make you a coffee don't you.'

'I won't say no Ianto.'

'You never say no.'

Jack just grinned. 'I can think of a few times I've said no. I wouldn't let you shoot Owen.'

Ianto rolled his eyes. 'We'll need plates Jack.'

Jack moved over to Ianto, who was standing beside the cupboard they kept the plates in. He brushed his lips over Ianto's jaw. 'Plates and coffees can wait...'

'I thought you were hungry.'

'Oh I am.' Jack agreed as he kissed Ianto's cheek, moving towards his lips. 'But not for brussel sprouts.' His hands moved towards the buttons of Ianto's red shirt. 'Unless you want me to stop.'

'Not particularly.' Ianto returned Jack's kisses with demands of his own. His hands brushing down Jack's body until he was brushing against his cock, unzipping pants and pushing past silk boxers.

Jack groaned as Ianto ran his fingers gently over the hardening cock. He had missed having Ianto in his bed the last two nights, missed kissing his full, expressive lips. And he had definitely missed the enthusiasm Ianto gave to everything they did. He could get lost in this moment if time would let him. It still hadn't explained why Ianto felt he needed to investigate his mother's date. But Ianto was a sensitive soul so it was more likely it wouldn't have mattered who his mother had brought home for Christmas.

'Hmm, Ianto, have we done it in here yet?'

Ianto looked at the table and nodded. 'I believe we have.'

'And the couch over there?' Pointing.

Ianto frowned. 'Not recently, Sir.'

Jack grinned as he led Ianto over to the couch. 'I think we should start there, I want to bury myself in you Ianto and I want to watch you cum.'

Ianto grinned back as he dropped his jacket over the back of a chair, followed by his shirt. When he went to remove his jeans Jack shook his head.

'Let me.' He undid the top button then the next as Ianto smiled at him. Jack released the last button and wrapped his arms around Ianto's waist as denim still cupped Ianto's arse. His voice soft as he spoke in Ianto's ear. 'Nice Jeans.'

'Thank you, I thought you might like them.'

Jack pushed Ianto's jeans and boxers down his hips until Ianto was able to step out of them, his hands cupping Ianto's balls as he leaned down to take his cock in his mouth. It was Ianto's turn to moan softly as Jack licked from the base of his cock to the tip. Jack straightened up as he tossed his own clothes aside. Standing naked he was glad they had central heating in the main rooms of the Hub. They stood face to face as they looked into each other's eyes and waited for some hidden signal. Jack pulled Ianto into a kiss as they fell together onto the couch. Jack moved so Ianto's legs were over his shoulders and he waited a moment before he stroked Ianto's face before he reached for a condom and the lube.

Ianto relaxed as Jack reached for him and he sighed as Jack entered him. He never got tired of how it felt when Jack first entered him. It was like the slow build up of a piece of music that would move from soft sounds to a crashing crescendo. Slow, gentle and confident was how Jack always started. It wasn't how it ended, but this was the beginning, this was where Jack melted Ianto's heart with his tenderness and concern. This was where Ianto had first recognised he was truly in love.

Jack liked to take his time with Ianto, there was no sense of urgency hanging over him like the shadows of mortality and he chose not to question it. He had time enough when he wasn't making love to Ianto to second guess himself, this was about right now. Tomorrow would take care of itself.

He listened to the clues Ianto gave him. The little soft sigh that told him his lover was ready for more. The mewling cries of Ianto's pleasure as Jack knew he could start moving faster, building the pace until they were the sum of their nerve endings meeting only in pleasure. Until they could crash together, hearts pounding as they struggled to catch their breath after meeting in the climatic orgasm of sex. Of glorious sex, mind numbing until you saw shooting stars sex. The kind of sex writers wrote and dreamers only dreamed of.