Title: P.S.

Fandom: Torchwood

Pairings: None Ianto/Tosh friendship

Rating: PG just to be safe, but I doubt it's even that.

Warnings: Does one need to warn about fluff?

Summary: One-shot. Tosh has one perfect night.

P.S.

"Tosh?"

"Yes Ianto?" Tosh pulled off her glasses as she tore her eyes away from her computer screens.

"Package for you." Ianto held it out. It was white, with Magenta Pink ribbon around it keeping it closed. It was large too, about as long as her arm and half as deep. Whatever it was, it was clearly not a piece of tech.

"Thanks… who's it from?"

"No idea." Ianto smiled at her and held out a card that matched the box and ribbon. "Maybe this will clear things up."

Tosh took the card and opened it, raising an eyebrow as she read its contents, while Gwen and Owen peered at her from their desks with interest.

'Don't let anyone see what's in the box! Wait until you get home and take it out. Then put it on and take the lift I've arranged that will be outside your home at 8. You'll like what I've got planned.

Trust me,

Ianto.'

Tosh furrowed her brow as she glanced up at Ianto, who had his mild butler expression on his face, still holding the box.

"Well?" he prodded, "Anyone we know?"

"Um… no. I'll take that Ianto. Thanks." Tosh took the box from Ianto and set it by her desk, wondering just what the young man was up to as Ianto walked up to Jack's office.

"Go on Tosh! Open it!" urged Owen, looking for any form of distraction. Gwen got up from her desk and looked at the box, eyes widening at the name in the right hand corner of the box in flourished gold.

"Oh my God, this is from that new boutique on the other side of the city. It's dead posh and expensive."

"Really?" Tosh's fingers itched to open it and see what was inside, but she remembered the card, which she'd just slipped into her pocket and restrained herself.

"Yeah… oooh, who sent you it? A secret admirer?" Gwen grinned with excitement. Tosh had to admit Gwen's ability to still get excited over things like supposed secret admirers was quite heart warming.

"I don't know. I may just return it, it's probably the wrong Toshiko Sato."

"But it was delivered to the Hub. So it must be for you."

"I'll open it when I go home. If it's something expensive, I don't want to risk dirtying it around here."

"Excuse me?"

Tosh and Gwen both jumped as Ianto returned with Jack at his side, Ianto's eyes were twinkling, "I hope that wasn't a jab at my cleaning skills Tosh."

"Ianto, of all things, your anal cleaning skills would be the last thing to complain about." said Owen, chewing on his pen and eyeing the box with suspicion. Jack laughed, giving Ianto's shoulder a squeeze as he walked past and picked the box up. Tosh almost jumped at him to protect her gift. Jack gave her a wink and held it out to Ianto,

"Maybe you could put it somewhere safe, away from prying eyes and nosey noses until Toshiko's ready to go home."

"Good idea Jack." said Ianto, taking the box and disappearing with it. Tosh wanted to protest, but decided it was for the best. This way she could focus on her work.

Tosh couldn't remember a time when she'd been so eager to get home in her life. Gwen insisted on driving her home since she couldn't walk home with such a package. Tosh had agreed, amused at Gwen's girlish curiosity about the box. Maybe she would let her see what was inside.

No, she decided as they reached her house. Clearly it was meant to be a secret and surprise for her alone, and if Ianto had gone to the trouble for her –and it was clear he had- she would honour his request.

"Here we are then." Gwen announced as she switched off the engine and gave Tosh a hopeful look. Tosh smiled and shook her head, chuckling,

"You're unbelievable Gwen."

Gwen giggled, "I know, I know. I'm terrible, but I'm dying to know what you got from there so I can be all jealous. That boutique has absolutely gorgeous things."

Tosh smiled at her friend, "I promise I will tell you all about it tomorrow."

"You'd better Sato!" Gwen mock-shook her fist at her, grinning. "And there'd better be pictures."

Tosh laughed as she retrieved the box from the back seat and bid Gwen goodnight. Still smiling, she hurried into her flat and shut the door before running into her bedroom and setting box on the bed. Taking a deep breath and praying this wasn't some form of cruel joke –unlikely since it was Ianto, but Tosh had learned to be cautious- she pulled the box of the ribbon and slowly opened the box, hardly daring to breath.

When she finally had the box open, what little breath she had left was stolen from her as she reached in and lifted out a beautiful dress. It was made of deep purple satin, with a single wide shoulder strap that glided into a figure flattering bodice, which then filled out into a skirt that skimmed the ground as Tosh held the dress before her. The waist was v-shaped, flowing into the skirt which was ruched in many places, making it look decadent and rich. On the shoulder sleeve were embroidered veins of ivy and leaves in gold and sequins, while smaller clusters of the same design were scattered over the skirt.

Tosh couldn't imagine a better dress for herself, and she couldn't believe how beautiful it was. She'd never had a dress like this. It was fit for a princess.

Trembling just a little, Tosh turned around and held the dress against her body, staring at her reflection in the mirror. The colour made her sallow skin look warm, and somehow made her black hair look shiny and soft. It was taking a lot of effort on her part not to cry with joy over the beauty of the dress. It must have cost a fortune for Ianto to get it for her.

Drawing in a deep breath, Toshiko set the dress down and glanced into the box. There was another note. Smiling, Tosh took it out.

'Don't worry about shoes, I've sorted it. But you'll understand why I'm holding onto them when we meet up, so just wear anything when you leave the house.. Just get yourself dressed and ready to have a ball. I'll see you soon.

Ianto'

Tosh bit her lip, but couldn't repress a small girlish giggle. She had no idea what Ianto was up to, but now she really couldn't wait.

Hanging up the dress, Tosh couldn't resist running her hands over the satin one last time before she scurried into the shower. She had two hours to wash and do her hair and make up. And she intended to look good enough to be worthy of that dress.

At 8pm on the dot, her doorbell was rung. Tosh swallowed and took one last look at herself in the mirror. She'd kept her hair down, but managed to dry it so it was less straight and more soft waves around her face. She'd also kept her make up light.

The dress looked even better actually on her, in fact it had to have been custom fit for her. Toshiko's cheeks warmed at how much she loved this dress. The only thing she wasn't happy with were her shoes, but she had a reason for them. She wondered just what Ianto had in mind for shoes. Perhaps she was meant to be barefoot…

Her doorbell rang again and Tosh shook herself out of her thoughts and hurried to answer it.

"Evening ma'am. Are you Toshiko Sato?" asked a cheerful looking man in a chauffer uniform.

"I am."

"Ah, good. I'm Dewey Griffin. I've been sent to collect you on behalf of one Ianto Jones."

"Oh… oh!" Tosh's eyes widened at the sight of a black limo. Gulping, she locked her door and put her keys into the small black bag she had with her. Dewey offered her his arm and escorted her to the door, where he then opened it for her. Tosh gathered up her dress and slid into the seat.

As Dewey closed the door, Tosh spotted two roses resting on the seat. One was a delicate baby pink, and the other was a full, bright blue. Their stems had been intertwined and held together by ribbon that matched the embroidery on her dress. Picking them up, Toshiko had a sudden thought that made her stomach drop. What if this was a date of some kind? Was Ianto trying to –she couldn't think of a better word for it than- 'romance' her? It wouldn't really make sense considering him and Jack were… doing whatever, and besides, Tosh considered Ianto her best friend. And she'd been sure he'd thought the same of her.

There was another card and Tosh quickly opened it, hoping it would quell this worry.

'If you're panicking over the roses, don't. I'm taking a leaf out of a Victorian system of flowers. The pink one stands for friendship, which is what we have. And I wouldn't change it for anything. As for the blue… well they don't have any meaning I could find, Jack offered a suggestion, but I told him it wasn't appropriate (and he got that confused expression he gets when his coffee runs out and I don't refill it at once). The closest I could come was a Chinese belief that a blue rose –which didn't exist at the time- meant hope in a hopeless situation. It made me think of Brecon Beacons, and so I decided that the Blue Rose meant you. You never loose hope.

I'll see you soon.

Ianto.'

Tosh felt tears prick her eyes as she sniffed the blue rose, and held the small card to her heart. She knew that the minute she saw Ianto she would be giving him the biggest hug of his life. It didn't matter what came after this. Right here, right now, Tosh could not remember feeling so loved by someone outside her family. It was so clear Ianto had thought every detail through, just for her.

After a few minutes, with no idea where she was, the limo stopped and the door was opened for her. However holding it open wasn't Dewey, but Ianto, dressed in a very fine tuxedo and wearing a big grin. Tosh stared at him and for a moment she lost all capacity to speak. Ianto's grin widened,

"I was thinking of a horse and carriage, but I thought that might be a bit much."

"N-no… this is… Ianto… what-?"

Ianto held his hand out and helped her out of the limo, "Come on, I'll explain in a moment." He shut the door and tucked her hand into his elbow as he led her away from the limo. "The dress looks even better than I thought it would on you."

Tosh looked down at it and felt her cheeks glow. "Thank you. Really… it… it must have cost you so much and it fits just right."

"Well I had them custom make it for you, I used the sensors to determine your measurements and gave them to the seamstresses. I think they thought the dress was for me until I gave them the measurements." Ianto grinned as Tosh tightened her hold on his arm.

"Ianto… what is this all about? The dress, the limo… all of it? And where are we?"

"Another secret place of Cardiff that only I know of." Ianto grinned at her. The ground was flat and smooth, and there was no one else around. Just them.

"Ianto seriously."

"Ok, ok, come on then." Ianto led her over to a bench and sat her down on it, after ensuring it was clean. He sat beside and suddenly looked very embarrassed, "Do you remember that night when you came over to my house a few weeks after the Brecon Beacons?"

"Yes. I brought pizza, we drank beer and we watched movies all night."

"And… what did we watch when we were rather drunk."

Tosh grinned, "Beauty and the Beast."

"Right, and you told me that you always wanted someone who cared about you to just, for one night, make you feel like a princess." Ianto looked Toshiko straight in the eyes, "Tosh, you're my best friend, and I know that that isn't what you meant when you said someone who cared about you, but I do, and I want to make you feel as special as a princess. You deserve at least one night where you feel that way. And I want to give it to you."

Tosh couldn't speak. Could barely think. The passion in Ianto's voice was so unlike him, but the sincerity was just him. Unable to say it, Tosh threw her arms around him and hugged him tight, burying her face into his shoulder. Ianto held her close, then kissed the top of her head. Pulling away, he wiped away a stray tear as he smiled at her.

"Thank you, so much Ianto. I never imagined-"

"Oh! Wait, just save that thought for one second, I have one final present for you."

"Oh Ianto, really this is too much as it is."

"Nothing is too much for the woman who helps save the whole world on a weekly basis." Ianto got to his feet and pulled her with him over to a blanket and picnic basket, which were spread out on the ground, beside the basket there was another box, wrapped with magenta pink ribbon. The two of them sat down on the blanket and Ianto handed her the box.

Tosh felt so overwhelmed she almost gave it back, but Ianto's face was so full of excitement and delight, so boyish looking that she couldn't say no. Opening the box, Tosh could not repress a soft scream of shock.

"Oh my… these aren't…"

"Oh yes they are."

"They're really… oh they're beautiful."

"You said princess while watching Disney. Hard not to think of these."

Tosh pulled out a pair of shoes, made out of glass. Glass slippers. The boy had somehow got her glass slippers. They were frosted and glittered in the soft light of a summer sunset. A lotus flower at the toe of each shoe, made of clear glass, seemed to hold a star in the centre, so they glittered, just like Cinderella's. Tosh shook her head, trying to keep her awe from bubbling forth in the form of yet more tears.

"How?"

"Jack, I told him what I was planning, asked him if he knew how I could get you glass slippers, that you could actually wear and he made a call to some friend of his, who apparently dropped them off in the dead of night."

"I can't wear them, they'll shatter!"

"Apparently not, whatever way they were made, the glass is as strong as metal, and apparently, they're quite comfy."

"Really?"

"I trust Jack on this matter."

Tosh couldn't resist. "Help me put them on?"

"As your prince charming tonight I would have insisted." Ianto grinned. Tosh pulled off the ugly shoes and Ianto slipped the glass slippers onto her feet. They fit like a glove and were as comfy as if they were made of satin. "Now, we shall eat and then we will end the night like a princess should."

"What? Escaping from the wicked witch? Riding away on a horse? Living Happily Ever After?" Tosh grinned, feeling giddy and happier than she could remember.

"Well, I would call Torchwood and the Rift the Wicked Witch, the limo counts as a horse and as for Happy Ever After… if I could make it so, I would Tosh. You deserve it."

"So do you Ianto. No one has ever done anything this nice for me."

"Well they should have."

Ianto poured them both some wine and Tosh made a toast to amazing friendships. Ianto blushed and said, "Likewise."

The picnic was delicious and Tosh was pleasantly full when Ianto got to his feet. Tosh grinned, knowing what was coming,

"I've never really danced before."

"Well, I'll show you a basic waltz –you can thank Jack for this too, he gave me a crash course- and then we'll dance to music."

Tosh got to her feet, slightly nervous about her shoes. But they didn't creak or crack and still felt soft on her feet. But when she took a step, they made a lovely tinkling sound on the ground. Ianto laughed as he showed her how to stand in hold and led her through a few simple moves. When they'd danced in a circuit twice Tosh said,

"I think we're ready for music Mr. Charming."

"All right then." Ianto pulled out his i-pod and speakers, something which made Tosh burst out laughing, "I know, I could have gone for a string quartet. But I've never seen one in any Disney princess movie. So…" He shrugged and pressed play, then returned to Tosh, who felt herself melt as the opening music played,

"Oh… Ianto!"

Ianto grinned, "You didn't see this coming?"

"I should have." Tosh giggled as she felt Ianto's arm around her waist as he started to lead her around in a waltz to 'Tale as Old as Time'. As they danced, Tosh felt light as a feather, Ianto leading her effortlessly along.

"Tale as Old as Time,

True as it can be…"

For a moment Tosh could almost see them dancing as if she were standing to the side. She could see the swish of her dress as it caressed her skin while they glided around. She could see how tight and careful Ianto's hold on her was. She could see the blue light from his i-pod falling on her roses, making them glow. She could see the stars above them, stars of planets that gave them such amazing and terrible things, planets Jack had probably visited.

"Ever just the same,

Ever a surprise…"

She could see Ianto and how much he was enjoying himself as he gave her this wonderful memory. Such a gesture from a friend was something she'd never have expected in her wildest dreams.

"Certain as the sun

Rising in the East

Tale as Old as Time,

Song as old as Rhyme…"

Never before or again would she be as far away from the despair she'd felt in that UNIT cell as she did right now. Right now, nothing bad could touch her. No tragedy, no upset, no grief could take her away from the surreal, genuine, heart-enflaming moment that she was living right now.

"Tale as Old as Time,

Song as Old as Rhyme,

Beauty and the Beast."

Ianto gently spun her away from him and then bowed to her. Tosh laughed and curtsied, lifting her dress a little and everything. They grinned at each other. Then jumped as 'Thunderbirds are Go!' burst out of the speakers. Ianto blushed as Tosh burst out laughing,

"Sorry, it's on shuffle." Ianto apologised, turning to switch it off, but Tosh pulled him back, grinning,

"Leave it. Do you know how to do the Foxtrot?"

"Not really."

"Then just follow my lead."

Ianto grinned, "It's your toes Ms. Sato."

"That's Princess Sato to you Mr. Charming!"

"My mistake."

They danced for many more songs, most of which were loud and energetic, finding a mix of foxtrot and inventiveness that suited them both as they spun around and jumped. Despite his warning, Tosh's toes escaped unstepped on.

Then –

"Oh! Hear that?" Ianto spun Tosh under his arm as a clock began to ring out, "It's midnight. Time for all good princesses and their charming friends to head home."

"Oh no! Not yet! Just one more dance Ianto! I don't want this to end yet."

"Well… Dewey's only hired till midnight." Ianto blushed. Tosh kissed his cheek,

"We'll take a taxi. As a princess, I must ensure I understand how my subjects live their lives without limos."

Ianto laughed so hard he had to bend forward to catch his breath. Then he straighten up, fixing his tux.

"Your wish is my command Princess Sato."

"So? C'mon Tosh, I'm dying here!" Gwen pestered, a wide grin on her face the next morning. Tosh had come in that morning, having gotten to bed at four. Ianto had already been there, looking no worse for the wear. He'd handed her a new mug, different to her usual one with her morning coffee in it. It was blue with pink lines like ribbons along the rim and the initials P.S. on it in purple. Tosh had beamed at him and kissed his cheek. Jack had come in at that moment and given her a wink.

Now Owen and Gwen were there and Gwen was desperate for gossip. Tosh was rather enjoying keeping it to herself, although part of her want to talk about how sweet Ianto had been.

"Tosh!" Gwen slapped at the table in a rapid beat, bouncing in her seat, eyes wide and eager. Tosh decided to throw her a bone.

"It was the most beautiful dress I've ever seen. Fairy Tale perfect…"

You were warned about the fluff. Which incidentally I've never written before, so any thoughts on it are very welcome.

Ginger