m_findlow

Title: Haunted
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Gwen, Ianto, OCs
Author: m_findlow
Rating: M
Length: 50,847 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for spook_me 2020 Prompt - Ghost
Summary: The team investigate rumours of a haunted house in rural Wales.

When Gwen pulled her Renault into the underground car park beneath the Millennium Centre, she could already see Jack and Ianto standing around the SUV. She checked the time on the digital display of her dash and realised she was on time, even a few minutes early. Whatever it was she'd been called in for this morning, it wasn't happening here at the hub.

‘None of Ianto's coffee for you this morning, Gwen,' she murmured to herself and she slid into the parking spot and killed the engine. She reached over to the passenger seat and grabbed her overnight bag - the one Jack had told her to pack.

‘Morning, Gwen Cooper!’ Jack called out, stuffing a box into the boot of the SUV. ‘Looking good!’ he added with a wink. ‘Military chic suits you,’ he said, clearly referring to the combination of black jeans and a cargo green jacket with brass button epaulets, over a striped black and white top. ‘Must be my keen sense of fashion rubbing off on you.’

‘Yeah, keep telling yourself that Mister nineteen forties.’ Unlike Jack, hers had come from Topshop for fifteen quid and not the local army surplus store. God but they must have had a lot of surplus after the war. Ianto must be their best, and probably only, customer she decided. The way Jack went through military coats, they must be about to run out. Gwen sidled over to where Ianto was watching Jack take charge of packing the SUV. ‘No suit today?’

He idly studied his sleeve, picking off a small bit of lint. ‘Jack insists that this isn't that kind of investigation.’

‘It's a trip to the country, Ianto!’ Jack called out, eavesdropping on their conversation. ‘Nobody wears a suit in the country. Only the local undertakers, and those guys are just creepy.’

Ianto shrugged at Gwen, clearly having decided it was easier to go with it than to argue with Jack about his wardrobe choices.

‘Well, it suits you, pardon the pun.’ It was rare she got to see Ianto dressed in anything else, but the dark blue jeans and burgundy knit jumper still made him look smart. If anything, it took away the sharp corners of his appearance, softening it. She couldn't quite explain why she thought that. She'd seen him right down to completely naked and never given it a thought - Torchwood made you get over that kind of thing pretty quickly. She wasn't sure why seeing him dressed a little more casually should change anything. Dressed however he was, he was still Ianto. Maybe it was just the lack of a stern expression, or that little frown he so often wore.

‘So, do you know why Jack texted me last night saying I should pack a spare change of clothes and a toothbrush and meet here at ten?’ Explaining it to Rhys had been interesting. Most of the time he didn't bother to ask for details anymore, but as soon as he spotted Gwen pulling the small bag down from the top shelf of the cupboard, his suspicions were raised. What kind of Torchwood business required luggage? Where was she going? When would she be back? All good questions for which she had no answers. 'I'll bring you back a souvenir,' she promised him before he'd told her in no uncertain terms, 'if it's alien, you'd better bloody not.'

Ianto gave her a pensive look. ‘I'd like to say that sharing a bed with Jack gives me insight into the inner workings of his mind, but I'm as much in the dark as you.’

Gwen nodded thoughtfully. ‘Ah, so this is one of those Jack doing his big dramatic reveal moments again.’ Pressing Jack for information before he was ready was an exercise in futility.

‘He does love being dramatic and mysterious,’ Ianto agreed. He slipped his hands into his jeans pockets and cocked his head sideways. ‘What were you doing at Tesco this morning, anyway?’ he asked, addressing the back of Jack's head.

‘Getting supplies,’ Jack said, thumping the boot down. ‘What did you think? Can't work on an empty stomach.’

Ianto leaned closer to Gwen. ‘Apparently they don't have food in the country.’ She smirked.

‘Come on, Jack,’ Gwen implored. 'Spill the beans. Rhys wants to know why it looks like I was packing for a weekend in France. It's not a weekend in France, is it?’

Jack delivered one of his trademark smiles. ‘If it were, Gwen Cooper, I'm sorry to say I wouldn't be inviting you. Unless of course, you've changed your mind on threesomes.’ He waggled an eyebrow at her, causing her to roll her eyes back at him.

‘Well, that's my hopes dashed,’ Ianto teased. ‘Just another boring Torchwood investigation.’

Jack rested a placating hand on his arm. ‘Think of it like a long weekend off.’

‘Except that it's Tuesday. And we don't do long weekends off. Or any weekends off for that matter. I'd love to know when, if ever, this weekend in France might eventuate.’

‘Next chance we get, I promise,’ Jack said, bending down to pick up their overnight bags and hefting them onto the back seat. ‘Now, that's everything.’

Gwen folded her arms across her chest. ‘You still haven't told us where we're going or why.’

‘We've got four hours on the road. Plenty of time for me to tell you everything and leave time left over for several rounds of I Spy. Are we ready to go?’

Ianto gave Gwen a look and sighed theatrically. They both knew they had little say in the matter. ‘Lead the way, oh captain, my captain.’

Jack grinned and chuckled. ‘I love it when you call me captain.’

Gwen pushed Ianto forward towards the passenger door before he could think of anything else clever to say. ‘Just get in the car.’

He turned his head back to her and lowered his voice. ‘Don't worry, I packed a thermos of coffee. Just as soon as Jack shuts up and gets us on the road.’

She smiled, unable to express her gratitude at his endless thoughtfulness. ‘I love you.’

‘Hey, I heard that!’ Jack cried.

Next chapter...