AN: Thanks for the great response this has gotten! Every review/follow means so much and I can't thank you enough for reading! Sorry for the wait for this chapter, but it has been a really busy couple of weeks at school and I haven't had time to write until now.

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood, even if I'd like to.

A few months had passed since Millie had last seen the handsome American man, and she was beginning to think he wouldn't be returning. Which was all well and good, except she desperately ached to give him a strong telling off. Each time she saw Ianto she was once again startled by how hollow he looked, as if his insides had been ripped from him. Oh, he hid it well, polite as ever to those he spoke with, feigning interest in the conversation, but she could see beneath it. She could tell that the charming exterior was only a front for the deep pain he felt. Pain which, she knew, he would never speak of.

This is why she was so shocked to open the stairwell door to find herself face to face with the Captain. "You!" she exclaimed venomously, finger jabbing his chest.

"Mrs Bramford," he said cautiously, his patent grin faltering. "How good to see you again."

"Oh no, I'm not falling for that flashy American charm this time! Oh no! And I can't believe you have the gall to show your face here again! Not after what you put poor Ianto through. Months with no word!" The small woman was shaking with fury. Jack's eyes grew wide as he took a half step backwards, away from her.

"I tried to call," he said.

"Tried!? If you ever cared for the boy you would have tried a lot harder! You broke that poor child and all you can say is that you tried to call?" Her breath came in angry huffs as she watched to man before her struggle to find his words.

"I-I broke him?" he stuttered. The anguish on his face tamed her anger some.

Voice softer, Millie sighed, "What did you expect? When he was with you it was as if he had blossomed, no longer so painfully shy and quiet. In the time I've known him it was the only time I saw him give an honest smile." A slight smile drifted over her features at the memory of her young neighbour and friend so happy before her expression hardened. "But now…" she let her voice trail off, unable to truly capture Ianto's retreat from himself with words.

"I didn't mean for this to happen. To be gone so long. I—"

"Enough," she snapped, cutting him off. "I'm not the one you should be apologising to." She eyed him cautiously. "That is what you are here for, correct? To grovel?"

"Well, er…not exactly." The man who usually appeared so unflappable visibly flinched at her glare. "We sort of have a date."

"You don't deserve for him to take you back. He is too good."

"I know. But that's why I'm not letting him go again. Because if I do I may lose him forever."

"And it'd be nothing less than you deserve."

"I know that too," he replied, offering a sad smile.

"Well, then don't forget it, because I won't. And the next time you something like this again you will get a lot more than just a piece of my mind!" she said smacking him hard with her handbag to emphasis the warning.

"I will hold you to that." He skirted around her and into the hallway. "Have a good evening, ma'am."

She watched as he walked down the hall, stopping at Ianto's door. He rearranged his features into a subdued grin before knocking on the door. From where she stood, Millie Bramford could see the quick parade of emotions that flew across Ianto's face when he opened the door. Joy and disbelief melded together before morphing into wary acceptance. He quickly wiped his face blank, gesturing for the other man to enter. The older man pulled from his pocket what looked suspiciously like a bag of coffee beans, to her.

The door closed behind them and Millie stood watching a moment longer. She tried to hold on to the feeling, but the anger she had felt towards the older of the men for months now was beginning to dim. As much as she wanted to protect Ianto, deep down she trusted his judgement, and if he had it in him to forgive the captain and allow him back into his heart, then maybe she could too. But not right away, she thought. There was no harm in staying vigilant for a little while longer. Just in case Ianto's judgment did fail him.

Descending the stairs, Millie declared to herself that she hoped Ianto let the man sweat a little before forgiving him. But even as she said it, inside all she wanted was their happiness, which could never be achieved apart.

AN: So I hoped you liked it! Leave a review! You can tell me what you liked, if you'd like another chapter, bc I'm sure I could think up something to write. You can OH! you can shoot me a prompt for this. Anything! Just let me know what you think. :D

And may I just add that this is a lot longer than I planned or expected. Congratulations.