Short Drops and Sudden Stops - CLOSED.

Ianto shifted his eyes from left to right for a bit, wondering if what Jenny had said about vintage cinema was meant to be her asking him out on some sort of date, or just an innocent, polite, suggestion. He didn't know, and he'd like it to be the first. Nothing spoke better to his heart than a nice italian meal and an old movie.

"I...I will pick out the best film I've ever seen to show you." He said nervously. Ianto's face relaxed into a wider smile once he heard what Jenny liked to do in her spare time. It was pure freedom, what she was talking about, and he suspected it felt quite fantastic as well.

"Ah, yes, a library." He said fondly, for he, too, liked to read in his spare time, just not as much as vintage film. Ianto found it quite strange how Jenny seemed to be quite the opposite to himself, but quite like him at the same time.

"Ooh, thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Their descent down the stairs would just have to wait a moment; Ianto was getting rather thoroughly hugged, and another kiss on his cheek, as she didn't quite dare give him a proper kiss yet. Though there was a slight tarnish to her exuberance as Jenny started to wonder what one wore to see vintage cinema. Certainly not just any old thing. "I'll have to find something to wear," she murmured, not thinking that Ianto might hear her.

Leaving the question of what to wear for when she could ask Donna in private, Jenny took his arm again and grinned. "I love a library. The smell of all those books...it's almost like you can smell all the knowledge on their pages."

Ianto almost lost his balance as Jenny quite nearly threw herself onto him, and he didn't quite regain it as she hugged him tightly. He definitely wasn't used to this anymore. He didn't know what to do, so he hardly hugged her back this time, but he vowed that if he had a second chance, he wouldn't make that same mistake again.

"Quiet in a library, too..." Ianto commented, hoping she enjoyed a moment of quiet as much as he did. He loved to just close his eyes and hear nothing but silence. "It's a great place to think, in case you can't find a good book." He added quickly, hoping Jenny wouldn't think his remark about a library's quietude meant he'd like her to shut up. He wouldn't, he loved to hear her speak.

Ianto cursed under his breath for being so awkward and considering himself so certain of what he said, all the time, except this particular moment.

Jenny felt sad for Ianto suddenly, when he barely hugged her back in time. Had it been so long since he'd been hugged that he didn't know what to do with one anymore? Or just a long time since a pretty girl hugged him? Either way, it was sad and she was determined to hug him a lot more, so he could get used to them again.

"Mmm. I love the quiet of a library. It's so different to my normal life. And you're very right - a library is a good place to think." Not that she had done much thinking in a library, but she'd noticed that the quiet made it very easy to relax and ponder. Or at least it was like that until something half-demolished the place while she was in it.

"I don't really get the chance to just relax that much though. It always seems like something else is popping up to be dangerous or annoying."

The lift opened and Donna stepped inside. She looked out at Jack and the Doctor. "Well? Are you coming or are you not?" she asked in her usual loud tone that practically ordered rather than asked.

"Yep, seems so!" the Doctor replied.

He strolled into the lift and hit the down button, moving to lean casually against the wall - hands in his coat pockets and legs crossed at the ankles.

"I was considering it," Jack told Donna with a smile, but crossed into the lift as well anyway. Otherwise he'd get left behind, and as much as he liked the view on the fire escape, one of these days someone was going to think he was trying to get a look in their window if he kept using it.

The doors of the lift closed and it gave a gentle jolt before beginning to descend. Donna wondered how long they'd have to wait on the street for Jenny and Ianto to show up. Hopefully, for Jenny's sake, a long while, she thought to herself.

With Jack on one side of her and the Doctor on the other, Donna suddenly felt a little outnumbered and missed Jenny's presence. Maybe not that long a while, she thought.

"All right, well, where to next then?" Donna asked, looking back and forth between Jack and the Doctor. "When we're all back on the street. What then?"

Ianto nodded as she spoke about the library, and then laughed once Jenny mentioned how difficult it was for her to relax due to dangerous and annoying situations.

"Tell me about it, really..." He said, rolling his eyes. Ianto's work in Torchwood - as of recently - had very much been all about running and fighting against dangerous and annoying things, he knew all too well what she meant.

They were now on the fifth floor, and it felt to him that they had still climbed down the stairs too fast.

"It's nice to have someone to talk to who understands, isn't it?" All the running, the saving people - it truly was the best thing in the world. But sometimes...sometimes it would be nice if people didn't need saving quite so often. Maybe things would stay quiet for a while, and she and Ianto could see about relaxing together.

It seemed to her that they were descending the stairs just too quickly, and it wasn't fair; she was enjoying talking with Ianto far too much to want it to end so soon. But she wasn't at all sure how to resolve that problem, either.

Ianto nodded. Jenny really was a breath of fresh air into his weevil-hunting-filled life, these days. Not that the rest of the team didn't understand, of course they did, but Jenny seemed somehow different about it all. She seemed to genuinely like it. And perhaps that was all Ianto needed, a boost for him to do his own job with a little more enthusiasm.

"Wow, we're nearly there." Ianto mentioned, letting a note of disappointment slip.

Was that disappointment she heard in his voice? Could he be just as upset as she that their walk together was going to be over so soon? "I suppose we should have walked slower." Jenny stopped on the stairs and turned to face Ianto. "I really like this. Walking with you, getting to know you better."

And at some point very soon, she was going to kiss him. But not yet - she needed to know if he had even a hint of feeling the same amount of interest.

Ianto's heart was pumping so fast, he could hear it in his ears. Jenny was facing him, and he felt her closer to him, which was entirely new. Except for Jack. Ianto forced himself not to sound stupid, or even not to keep silent. He had to say something to her.

"I like this too, Jenny. It's been a while since I've met anyone...new." He finished, sighing deeply in relief as it seemed he hadn't committed any faux pas.

Then, he had an idea that would probably not be too appreciated by Jack and Jenny's father, but Jenny was a big girl, and she could handle it well if any problems should arise. "Would you mind terribly going out for dinner tonight? With me, I mean."

How on earth had he managed to do that?!

He did! Oh he really did like her, possibly as much as she liked him! Oh it was fantastic, brilliant, amazing! A dazzling smile lit up Jenny's face like a sunrise as she nodded. "That sounds lovely. I'd love to go to dinner with you, Ianto." It seemed like the right moment to kiss him finally, so she did; leaning forward, she lightly pressed her lips to his and slid her arms around him for another hug.

Ianto's first reaction to the inevitable kiss was the usual, comical one we see in movies: his eyes opened widely, like he couldn't believe what was happening, and his whole body stiffing, as he felt a sort of vertigo. Then, it was gone, and Ianto savoured this human touch he didn't know he longed for so much.

As Jenny hugged him, he put his arms around her waist, too, and feeling her pressed up against him was the best feeling Ianto had experienced for a long while now.
Then, even as he kissed her back, his mouth shaped into an involuntary smile.

She had thought for a moment that she'd done something wrong, what with Ianto going all stiff like that. But then he relaxed and kissed her back, and it was so nice! And being held so close was even better - safe and exciting all at the same time! It could be confusing if she thought about it, but it felt too good for her to waste time analyzing it. So she just decided to spend as much time as possible enjoying it.

Jenny smiled into the kiss, then whispered against Ianto's lips. "I should've done this a couple floors back." It would have given them more time to kiss, that was certain.

The Dcotor sighed heavily from where he was leaning up against the elevator wall. He may as well have stated out loud "youth of today!" from the way he was fidgeting; more than ready to be going.

Finally, he turned to Jack and Donna. "Let's head to the TARDIS, it's nearer. She's parked down the second ally to the left. Perhaps you could let the others know via your--" The Doctor tapped his head near his ear, indicating the bluetooth firmly attached to the same spot on Jack's head. "--doodad!"

Without waiting for an answer, the Doctor set out walking with the assumption his companions would follow.

Donna threw an amused glance in Jack's direction before turning on her heel and following the Doctor to the TARDIS.

Jack's suggestion that they go to Torchwood had been shut down without any further discussion and Donna had to admit, she found it rather funny, if she was honest.

"Doctor, I thought we were going to Jack's place," she joked quietly when she caught up. "Change your mind, did you?" she added with a smirk.

Ianto smiled more widely at what Jenny said, loving her personality one hundred percent, now. She was forward without being too forceful, and all the while keeping that happy innocence he was so taken with.

"Don't worry." He whispered. "There's still two floors to go." And then he kissed her again.

"Doctor, I thought we were going to Jack's place," she joked quietly when she caught up. "Change your mind, did you?"

"Did I?" he asked innocently. "I don't recall that. Mustn't have been listening properly!" He grinned mischievously, offering an arm to Donna as he continued on his way.

And yet another first - being kissed was almost better than kissing. Pity they couldn't just stay there and keep kissing though - her dad and Jack would come hunting. "Well, then let's take these last two floors slow, hmm?"

Unless they get interrupted, that was the best option - slowly going down the stairs, and kissing a lot.

Ianto held Jenny's hand down the stairs, entangling his fingers with hers, hoping for at least one kiss for each floor they had left - he would worry about Jack and the Doctor later, but this was being entirely too good to be spoiled by worry.

He was grinning, now, which was also unusual for him, but nobody was seeing this happen, and Ianto didn't care.

"Let's head to the TARDIS, it's nearer. She's parked down the second ally to the left. Perhaps you could let the others know via your... doodad!"

"Bluetooth," Jack corrected absently, shaking his head, but he did as he was instructed anyway. Seemed to be a natural thing, that. (He'd followed the Doctor's 'orders' the last time, too.) "Ianto?" He told him the directions as told to him, adding, "Look for the blue police box. And have fun." That a little teasingly. What? He couldn't help it.

Holding hands, fingers entwined, both of them grinning...she was happy enough to bounce down the rest of the stairs. But she didn't, because this little bit of time was far too wonderful to rush through. Besides, they had to get in at least two more kisses - one for each floor left - right? And if they were lucky, they could fit in two more kisses, just because.

Jenny gave into the temptation to get a start on four kisses instead of two, and halfway to the next landing she kissed Ianto again.

This had turned into the best mission Ianto had ever been on, including his missions back on Torchwood One in London. Jenny kissed him again, and he went for it.

But then, buzzing in his ear. "Ianto?" It was Jack. Even though Ianto's lips were still pressed against Jenny's, he'd stopped kissing her, annoyed that he really had to listen. Jack blurted out some directions, and then something about a blue box. And then, the usual teasing remark "Have fun!". Ianto was having fun, the most fun he'd had in a while, and even though it obviously felt like more than mere fun, he didn't need reminding.

He broke the kiss with Jenny, sighing and catching his breath. "It was my boss. Him and your...parents...?" His tone was filled with question marks "...are headed for a blue box." Ianto shrugged, completely in the dark as to what was inside that box, but thinking it had to be a pretty large one.

She probably ought to have been annoyed at the interruption, but she could just make whoever was interrupting wait just an extra kiss longer. It would serve him, her or it right. She sighed with Ianto when he broke the kiss, but didn't move a muscle during his entire explanation except to giggle at his misapprehension regarding her father and Donna.

"Oh no, no. Dad and Donna aren't...they aren't together. Not like that. They just travel together. She's more like a big sister to me. Does this call mean we have to start hurrying, or can we keep taking our time?"