Notes: Just so you're clear, in this fic Jack is 41, Ianto is 23, Alice is 24 and Stephen is 5.

Alice Carter pushed her shopping trolley down the aisles in Tesco and revelled in the fact that she could do this at a normal pace now that Stephen had started school. She loved her son with all her heart, but it was nice to have a few hours of peace and quiet where she didn't have to worry about entertaining him or make sure he was staying out of trouble.

As she wandered along browsing the shelves of baked beans and she didn't see the man rounding the corner ahead of her until their trolleys collided.

'Oh I'm sorry!' she exclaimed as she was jolted from her thoughts.

'No, sorry it was my fault,' the man replied. 'I wasn't looking where I was going.'

'Me neither.'

Alice looked at the man properly then for the first time. He had dark hair; blue eyes and was dressed casually in jeans and a hooded top. He frowned at her slightly.

'Are you – Alice Harkness?' he asked her as their eyes met.

'Yes,' Alice replied. 'Well I was. I'm Alice Carter now.' She looked puzzled. How did this man know her name?

'You probably don't remember me,' he continued. 'I'm Ianto Jones – I used to live across the road from you; Rhiannon Jones' little brother?'

Alice's eyes went wide. Of course she remembered him. Rhiannon had been her best friend when they were kids but the Ianto Jones she remembered had been a skinny, geeky looking boy; this man was – well – he was gorgeous.

'Oh my God,' she replied. 'Ianto – I would never have recognised you, you look so different.'

Ianto laughed. 'Well I should hope so. I was only eight the last time you saw me.'

His eyes twinkled with an amused expression and Alice found herself blushing under his gaze, she felt nervous all of a sudden. She gripped her trolley hard.

'How are you?' she asked. 'How's Rhiannon? I lost touch with her after you moved to Aberystwyth.'

'Rhi's great. She's married, two kids David and Mica. Actually, she lives in Splott now you should give her a ring; I bet she'd love to hear from you.'

'I will,' Alice smiled as she remembered how she and Rhiannon had been inseparable back in the day.

'So you're married now?' Ianto asked.

'Divorced actually,' she replied rather too quickly, feeling compelled to let Ianto know that she was single.

'Oh – I'm sorry.'

'Don't be I'm well rid of him,' Alice replied. 'I have a four year son as well – Stephen.'

Alice pulled her mobile out of her pocket and showed Ianto the picture on the screen of Stephen. Ianto smiled.

'He's gorgeous. He looks just like you.'

Alice flushed again. Did that mean that Ianto thought she was gorgeous? The butterflies in her stomach were multiplying.

'He looks like my Dad,' she replied, unsure of how to respond. 'Acts just like him too.'

'How is your Dad?' Ianto asked curiosity evident in his voice.

'Oh – fine same as always, never looks any older damn him,' she paused and briefly considered what to say next. She needed to know if Ianto was single. 'What about you Ianto; are you married? Any kids?'

'Er – no,' Ianto replied looking slightly uncomfortable. 'I've just come out of a relationship actually. That's the reason I came back to Cardiff. I've been living in London for the last three years.'

Alice felt a spark of hope in her chest but tried not to look too pleased at the news.

'I'm sorry.'

'Nah – it's ok.' Ianto shrugged. 'It just wasn't meant to be.'

'Someone better will come along,' Alice replied.

Ianto smiled at her and Alice was once again captivated by the way his eyes sparked.

'Hey – maybe we could go out for a drink at the weekend?' he asked her and Alice swallowed hard.

'Um – yeah sure,' she replied desperately trying not to sound too keen.

'Great,' Ianto said with a grin. 'I'll ask Rhiannon too, it'll be good for us all to catch up properly.'

'Oh,' Alice felt her stomach drop with disappointment but Ianto didn't seem to notice. He was fishing in his pocket for his mobile phone to exchange contact details.

'How about Saturday?' he asked.

Alice tried to think positive. He wanted to see her again that was a good sign. Maybe he just didn't want to rush things – particularly if he hadn't been single long and it would be good to see Rhiannon again.

'Sure,' she replied with a smile. 'That would be great.'

---

Jack Harkness was standing out on the balcony of his apartment looking out across Cardiff bay when he heard the front door open and an excited voice calling 'Grandad!'

Jack turned around and grinned as his grandson Stephen jumped up into his arms.

'How're you doing Champ?' he asked as he carried Stephen back into the open plan apartment.

'I scored a goal at football today,' Stephen informed him proudly.

'Wow that's great,' Jack replied placing him down on the floor and ruffling his hair. He headed over to the kitchen where his daughter Alice was unpacking shopping and pulling open his cupboard doors.

'You don't have to do that you know,' Jack said to his daughter.

Alice shook her head. 'I was going to the supermarket anyway – I only picked you up a few essentials. You can't keep living on takeaways Dad.'

'I don't,' Jack replied but Alice looked at him sceptically. 'Ok – maybe I eat them a few times a week but there's no point cooking for just one.'

'Dad, it's been two years since you moved in here and in all that time, have you ever used the oven?'

'When exactly did you become the parent in this relationship?' he asked.

'Since I was ten and became more mature than you,' Alice replied. 'And don't avoid the question.'

'I'm not avoiding the question. I'm using my right to remain silent.'

'You need a girlfriend,' Alice said rolling her eyes as she continued unpacking the bags of shopping.

Jack shifted uncomfortably but Alice appeared not to notice.

'How are you off for money?' Jack asked softly after a few moments, glancing over his shoulder to where Stephen had managed to locate the Sky remote and tuned into the CBBC channel.

Alice looked down at the floor. 'Fine,' she replied.

'Really?'

Alice shook her head slightly. 'Joe hasn't paid any maintenance again.'

Jack reached for his wallet and opened it.

'Dad, I don't want your money.'

'Let me,' Jack replied as he pulled out some £50 notes and held them out to Alice.

'But it's not your problem Dad.'

'You're my daughter and Stephen's my grandson so it is my problem,' Jack replied. 'Anyway – it's for the shopping.'

Alice smiled slightly and took the money from Jack. 'Four hundred pounds is a lot of money for shopping.'

'Call it a bonus for saving me the job,' Jack grinned as he turned on the kettle.

Alice slipped the money into her pocket. 'Thanks Dad.'

They stood in comfortable silence while Jack made two cups of coffee before they adjourned to the seating area.

'Oh,' Alice said suddenly. 'You'll never guess who I saw in Tesco today.'

'Who?' Jack frowned.

'Ianto Jones – remember Rhiannon's brother?'

'Oh yeah,' Jack said after a few moments. 'Skinny kid, used to live across the road from us? Moved away when his Dad died?'

'That's the one,' Alice replied. 'Only he's not so skinny anymore – quite buff actually.'

'Oh?' Jack raised his eyebrows. 'Do I take it you liked what you saw?'

'Dad!' Alice felt herself going red again but Jack gave her a pointed look. 'Oh God he's gorgeous.'

'Is he single?' Jack asked.

Alice nodded. 'I'm seeing him on Saturday – not like a date,' she clarified quickly, 'there will be a few of us going out but...'

'But you like him?'

'Yeah I do.'

'Then who knows what will happen,' Jack smiled.

'All we'll need is to get you fixed up with a nice woman,' Alice replied.

Jack rolled his eyes.

'Don't look like that Dad. You haven't been out with anyone since Mum died.'

'I have,' Jack protested.

'Who? Since When?' Alice asked.

'There have been a few people.'

'Why have I never heard of them before?'

'Because most of them weren't the sort of people I wanted you to grow up around,' Jack replied enigmatically.

'Be that as it may it's time you got back out there Dad. Why don't you come out with us on Saturday?'

'Oh yeah,' Jack replied. 'That'll really cramp your style, bringing your Old Dad with you on a night out.'

'You're not exactly old Dad. You're only 41.'

'Yeah but even so...'

'I want you to meet somebody nice. I don't want you to spend the rest of your life alone,' Alice said softly. 'And besides, I want your opinion on Ianto.'

Jack's eyes went wide. 'You – Alice – are asking me for my opinion on a potential boyfriend?'

'Yep,' Alice replied. 'You were right about Joe. You said he was a waster and I didn't listen. From now on I'm going to listen to your opinion on everything.'

'Yeah,' Jack grinned. 'Oh look – a flying pig has just gone past the window.'

Alice threw a cushion at him and Jack laughed.

'So does this mean you'll come out with us?'

'Yeah,' Jack nodded. 'Yeah, why not?'