A/N: For Grace, who wants to know who Gareth is.
Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from Gareth.
Gareth
Jack was worried. Tosh, Gwen and even Owen could see it, although only Gwen and Tosh were sensitive enough to know why.
Jack was pacing back and forth along the balcony, glancing continually between the Hub's rolling door, his mobile and his watch. He was just completing the journey from left to right for what felt like the billionth time when Owen finally gave up and wandered from the medical bay to where the girls were pretending to be examining a report. 'Pretending' being the important part.
"Okay," he whispered when he reached them "what's eating Jack?"
The girls rolled their eye at him.
"Do you really not know?" Gwen asked.
"Would I be asking if I did?"
"Well," said Tosh in her mot patronising voice "what or who is missing this morning?"
Owen looked puzzled and glanced around the hub.
"Myfanway's still asleep and she should be up by now?" he asked, looking confused still.
"No you twat. Ianto. That name ringing any bells at all?"
"Isn't he just down in the archives or something?"
"No," said Gwen impatiently "he's not. And have you noticed the time?"
Owen looked at his watch but remained puzzled.
"Ten past nine? What about it?"
"God, Owen. You are so slow. Why do you work here? Seriously. Ianto is late for work. Ianto Jones, Mr-I'm-Always-Three-Hours-Early-And-I'm-Perfect, is late for work," for a few seconds the tone of Tosh's voice betrayed her slight panic "that's why Jack is worried and edgy and acting ever so slightly weird."
"Oh," said Owen "why doesn't he just call Ianto's mobile?"
"He already has," said Gwen, glancing over Owen's head to watch Jack pace "several times. But Ianto's not picking up."
Half an hour passed and almost no work was achieved. Okay, lets be realistic, no work was done. Jack was too wound up to notice the lack of activity and Tosh and Gwen were quickly following him. Owen was, of course, as laid back as ever and nonchalantly throwing a ping pong ball from one hand to the other.
"Okay," came Jack's voice from above them "it's saying his numbers out of order. I'm going round to his."
He was down the ladder and half way across the Hub floor when the door rolled open and Ianto appeared in the doorway.
"Sorry I'm late," he said without looking at them, intent on dumping his bags on the sofa "Gareth kept me up half the night and he was being a right pain this morning. Didn't want to wake up. Didn't want to get dressed. Didn't want to have breakfast. Didn't want to leave the flat. Then I dropped my phone. All the usually things that-"
The last of Ianto's words were cut off by Jack.
"Who the hell is Gareth?" Jack demanded, striding over to stand in front of Ianto and poking him in the chest to emphasize every word.
"I'll just get him," Ianto said, stepping back from Jack "I left him up in the office."
He disappeared off back to the Tourist Information Office. He reappeared a few seconds later carrying a basket. Gently placing it on a desk he gently lifted out a small bundle of blankets with dark hair sticking tuftily out of the top.
"Don't wake him up. He just fell asleep and he'll cry at you. Everyone, this is Gareth Jones."
Tosh and Gwen dashed forward to get a good look at the bundle whilst Jack and Owen hung back in horror.
"Oh, he's adorable," cooed Gwen.
"Please tell me that's not a baby."
Jack's words were cut by a load wail from the bundle.
"Oh darling, don't cry," Ianto fussed, rocking the child back and forth "no need to cry. Do you want to go to Gwen? Yes, yes you do."
He shifted the baby gently into Gwen's waiting arms and she began to rock him.
"Here give him this," Ianto said shifting around in one of the bags and pulling out a bottle "he's a hungry little guy."
Owen seemed to overcome his initial horror and had moved to stand next to Gwen and was stood smiling down and the tiny baby. The only one hanging back was Jack. Ianto noticed this and moved over to stand next to him. Jack was staring fixedly at the white blanket and the tiny tufts of black hair sticking out of the top.
"Jack?" Ianto tried but Jack didn't take his eyes off Gareth "Jack?"
Without looking at Ianto, Jack spun on the spot and dashed towards the archives.
"There's something I need to do," he called over his shoulder and disappeared from sight.
Ianto was about to race after him when Gareth started crying again.
"Hey, Ianto, I think this little man wants you. Either that or he's figured out that Owen's a git already," Tosh and Gwen laughed.
Ianto turned to find a petrified looking Owen holding a crying Gareth. Completely forgetting Jack he hurried back to the group and freed Owen from the apparent torture of holding a crying baby.
OOOOOO
A/N: This was going to be a one-shot but I'm tired and thought I'd leave it there and hopefully write the second chapter tomorrow. Reviews? You'd better review Grace!