Short Drops and Sudden Stops - CLOSED.

Jenny beamed and bounced when her Dad gave her that proud look. And it warmed her inside to hear him call her 'his girl'. Much, much better than the cool friction they'd had originally.

She shrugged at Ianto, then rubbed her shoulder absently. "Yeah, adventure does tend to run in the family. So in short we really do the same sort of things? Except for the travel?" She noticed him fade a bit when he mentioned the guns, and she thought he might think she disapproved of them as much as her dad did. Maybe someday she will, but at this phase of her life...we-ell, not quite so much

Putting her hand on Ianto's shoulder, Jenny went up on tiptoe again, this time to whisper in his ear. "I'm not quite as anti-gun as my father. But they still aren't the solution to every problem." He taught her that; her dad made her see that there was always a choice.

Returning her attention to the rest of the group, she tilted her head. "So, we're going somewhere else then? And what could have come through with me? Wouldn't I have noticed?"

Donna? Only got an indignant jaw-drop. Lovebird, really!

"Yeah, adventure does tend to run in the family. So in short we really do the same sort of things? Except for the travel?"

Ianto nodded, confirming what Jenny had said.

"We don't travel much out of Cardiff, except to the outskirts of Cardiff." Ianto said, with his sarcastic trademark tone.

Jenny placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, and Ianto felt a sort of heat burning his stomach, and a sort of shiver down his spine. He liked it when things were whispered in his ear, even more so this time, since what Jenny had said hinted at the fact that she probably understood why Ianto had to use his gun every once in a while.

"No, you're right, they aren't." He agreed with her, but she didn't listen to that part - she was already itching to be on the move again, it seemed.

As the group made their way toward the stairs, Donna frowned. "Oi, how about the lift, yeah?" she asked, nodding toward it. "I'm a bit tired," she added dully with a tone of finality as if to say, like hell I'm taking the stairs a second time.

"And Jenny?" Donna asked, trying to catch the other woman's eye before nodding just slightly backward to signal she'd like a moment with the girl in private.

Jenny did hear what Ianto had said, and it warmed her to know that he understood that guns weren't really necessary all the time. Except when things were busy trying to eat innocents, or other such circumstances. But she couldn't talk to him further about it, because Donna was trying to get her attention. So all he got was a warm, sweet smile before she fell back a bit.

She scooted closer to Donna and lowered her voice - now the only one who could hear them would be her dad. If he was paying attention. "You wanted something?"

When Jenny scooted closer to Donna, Donna gave a fleeting glance at the others before looking over at the young blond. "How are you feeling?" she asked, looking Jenny over and not really noticing any visible cuts, scrapes, or bruises. She didn't think Jenny had broken any bones, either, or else she'd be a lot less cheerful.

Then, Donna gave a furtive glance over her shoulder at Ianto before looking back at Jenny and lowering her voice. "The lift is going to be small, from the looks of it. You're young; take the stairs." She paused, smirking before winking at Jenny. "And maybe take your new friend?"

So that was all Donna wanted? To know how she was feeling? Bit of a relief - Jenny'd been a bit worried that Donna would have changed her mind and would now want her to stop chatting up Ianto. "I suppose I'm fine. Bruises, mostly...though I think I did something to my shoulder when I landed - it's all wonky."

She took a sidelong glance at Ianto when Donna mentioned taking the stairs with him. Could be nice, and they could talk about anything they wanted without worrying about higher-ups. Or her dad. Still, what if he didn't want to? "Do you really think he'd want to go through all that effort, just to keep me company?"

Relieved, Donna nodded. "We'll have to take a proper look at it when we get off this bloody roof. I'm sure it's all right; I think you'd be a lot less cheerful if it was anything serious," she said, voicing her earlier thought.

"Do you really think he'd want to go through all that effort, just to keep me company?"

She couldn't help giving an empathetic smile. Yes, Jenny definitely, without a doubt, had a crush on Ianto. "There's only one way to find out...but if I'm not mistaken, given his body language and reactions...I really don't think he'll decline," she said with a wink and a reassuring smile.

"Well it is being a bit painful right now, but that's only because of this wind up here. I think. I'm still good for the stairs though." Jenny nodded at Donna. "Ianto's asked twice if I'm sure I'm all right, and I'm sure Dad will too, once we're down on the ground." And she was already planning to ask her dad just why he was so hard on Jack, once they were alone. Other than his saying hello and being rather protective of the things they'd gathered from the Rift, of course.

Donna's confirmation of Ianto's interest was all that was needed to make Jenny enthusiastically happy and bouncy again. "You really think so? Oooh, that's brilliant! I'll ask him in just a minute!"

"Ianto's asked twice if I'm sure I'm all right, and I'm sure Dad will too, once we're down on the ground."

"I'm sure you're right. And, by the way, Jenny," Donna said, lowering her voice even more, "people don't ask the same question more than once, especially one like that, unless they actually care. So, that's looking good for you."

"You really think so? Oooh, that's brilliant! I'll ask him in just a minute!"

Jenny's renewed spunk and enthusiasm gave Donna a fleeting rush of her own happiness, much to her surprise. Almost like a contact high, she thought.

"Right, you do that, Jenny. And when he says yes, which he will, and the two of you are alone," she whispered conspiratorially, leaning closer still to Jenny, "make sure you get that snog and tell me all about it later so I can live vicariously," she finished, straightening herself again and giving Jenny another wink before laughing lightly.

"Right, let's go, then," she said loudly, making her way back toward Jack and the Doctor, leaving Jenny to invite Ianto to join her down the stairs.

"Well, he did say the first time was because he was supposed to. But the second time was definitely all him." So Donna was right, and Ianto was at least interested - brilliant!

Jenny giggled quietly and nodded. "I'd have snogged him earlier," she whispered, "but dad was there and I didn't think Ianto would've reacted well. He does smell nice though, and I'll make sure to tell you about it." She grinned as Donna walked away, and turned to head back to Ianto. She had a question to ask, and hopefully a long walk (with a snog) to take.

The Doctor stood waiting with Jack over at the lift, quietly watching his daughter and Donna whispering like schoolgirls. He watched in silence for a while, until he finally elbowed Jack gently in the side, still not really looking his way.

"It's good to see you, Jack!" he said, a small smile playing on his lips. "Anything interesting happening lately?" He turned slightly, so he was facing Jack. "Well, apart from small timelords landing on Cardiff roofs, that is."

Torchwood 3 was an old argument, one not likely to be won any time soon; it always felt a little like betrayal somewhere deep down in his bones, but really, it was always good to see Jack. This careful dance they had going at the moment didn't feel quite right when greetings with the man usually involved some form of over-exuberant display of hugging.

Jack had been rather patiently waiting for everyone to get themselves together and figure out who was taking lift, stairs, or other, and turned to look at the Doctor when he was spoken to. He shrugged in response to the question, though. "Not too much. Couple of odd visitors, attempted invasion of the planet, the usual amount of bizarre Rift activity.." Casually, because it did little good for either of them if he stayed on the defensive.

He knew the Doctor didn't approve of his work with Torchwood. It stung a little, that, but he wasn't going to up and leave just because the Time Lord thought it was wrong. He just had to remind himself that he was doing the right thing, and for the time being the only thing, that he could. If there weren't other people around, he might have asked the Doctor what else he expected him to do with his (long, eternal, immutable) life. As it was, though, there were other people around, so he played nice, and played normal, and kept playing up the better aspects of Torchwood.

"Not too much. Couple of odd visitors, attempted invasion of the planet, the usual amount of bizarre Rift activity.."

"Oh yeah? Nothing too much to handle then." The Doctor glanced sideways at Jack before staring off in the general direction of Jenny again.

His smile twitched slightly wider of it's own accord as he bounced slightly on his toes with impatience, hands clasped behind his back. It was hard not to be aware of all the things currently not being said by jack or himself, he just wasn't sure what they were exactly... and to be honest he was pretty sure he didn't want them said anyway.

The happy brand of impatience that was always a part of The Doctor finally won out, making him turn to face Jack, grin beaming in full force as he opened his arms.

"Aw come on, give us a hug!"

"Yeah." Jack nodded, looking away briefly himself, though the Doctor's exclamation had him puzzled for just a second until he looked and saw that grin. It was practically impossible to resist grinning in return, and he gave in (whether to his own or the Time Lord's whims, he wasn't sure and didn't care), embracing the Doctor quickly. It was impossible to pretend he hadn't missed him, even though it hadn't been all that long since they had last seen one another.

He spent so long waiting for the Doctor, that even after finding him once, it was hard not to feel as if he'd been waiting all over again when he found him again.

Pulling away from the hug, The Doctor jostled Jack playfully, safe in the knowledge that they may not always agree, but they were still friends. He turned to call out to Donna and the others.

"Hey, you three going to take the lift? We could've been down the stairs by now." But as he finished, Donna had already pulled away from Jenny and begun making her way towards them.

Huh, looked like they weren't all taking the lift.

Noo, they definitely were not all taking the lift. Unless Ianto decided he wanted to, which was always a possibility, though a most nerve-wracking one. Jenny clasped her hands behind her back nervously as she covered the last foot or two to stand in front of Ianto, and gave him a shy, tentative little half-smile.

"Um. I was wondering if...you know, if you're feeling like it...since the lift is going to be crowded...if you'd like to take the stairs with me?" Oh, that was horrid - after that amount of nervous pausing, he'd be bound to think she was an idiot and wouldn't want anything more to do with her. Why did Donna have to leave them alone?

Well, look at that. Apparently, it turned out the Doctor and Jack were actually good friends! Nothing wrong with that, Lord knew Ianto hated any kind of friction - no, not any kind, but most kinds, that is, and it was good to see Jack had friends outside of work, as it was also good to know at least one person from his past.

Ianto smiled at Jenny and, despite finding her sudden stutter quite strange, didn't address to it.

"Well, it seems like we can't all fit in there, anyway." He said, motioning for her to put her arm around his, gallantly. She seemed 100% recovered from her drop, but Ianto was still worried she wouldn't be up for walking down ten floors worth of stairs. "Shall we?"

As Jack and the Doctor conversed, Donna walked past them and pressed the button to open the lift. Then, she took a last look at Jenny and Ianto. She could practically see the blush in Jenny's cheeks from where she was standing, however distant, and she couldn't help smiling.

She could see Jenny talking and then when Ianto opened his mouth, Donna watched as he offered his arm to her. It was quite possibly the most adorable thing she'd seen in a very long time.

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.

Apparently her nervousness didn't affect what Ianto thought of her. And he wanted to go down the stairs with her - brilliant! Jenny beamed as she linked arms with him, and gestured to the stairs. "Let's get going - maybe we can beat them down!"

Though that would only really happen if they ran down the stairs, and Jenny had no idea whether Ianto had the head for heights required to run down the outside of a tall building. Much less if he would agree to run the stairs. So it would probably be better if they just walked and talked...and maybe she could work up the nerve to kiss him properly before they rejoined Donna, her dad and Jack.

Ianto made his way to the stairs with Jenny by his side, her arm in his, and he felt unusually cheerful. As she mentioned beating them down the stairs - considering the others were taking the lift, Ianto chuckled. "Only if we run - fast." He told her, knowing she'd love to run down the stairs - or run anywhere - as she had mentioned before. On the other hand, he'd very much like to talk to her a little more freely, and this opportunity was the best, since neither his boss or her father would be around.

"Or maybe we could do the running later on, and walk and talk a little slower now?" Ianto suggested, feeling the energy oozing from Jenny and, it seemed, influencing him as well.

It was strange, Jenny thought, that walking arm in arm with Ianto made her happier than just about anything else. About the only thing that equaled her current state of delight was seeing her father again for the first time in months, and even that was almost overwhelmed by the glee she felt when Ianto suggested they take the stairs slowly so they could talk.

"That sounds good to me - I'd like to talk more with you." She winked at him and grinned impishly. "And now that we don't have your Jack and my dad around, we don't have any restrictions on topics - isn't that fantastic?"

Your Jack... Well, sometimes. But that was something Ianto didn't want to think about at all right now. Jenny seemed to really want to spend time with him alone, and for the first time in years Ianto really felt how inexperienced he actually was. Part of being shy, and also part of searching for someone with a great amount of intelligence, he thought.

"Yes, quite fantastic. What would you like to talk about?" Ianto asked Jenny, all the while feeling quite dizzy as he felt sucked in by the shine in her eyes. She looked like she hadn't lived any time at all, like she had never been affected by life; she had the same shine in her eyes as that of children, and Ianto loved it.

Oh bother. Why hadn't she asked Donna for possible topics before they separated? Now she would just have to wing it and hope she didn't say anything stupid. Or at least, too stupid; it was already a proven fact that she would say stupid things on occasion. Or things in stupid ways. And if she let herself keep dwelling on it, she would stick her foot in her mouth, so enough of that. Jenny inhaled and let all her worries trickle out on the exhale.

"I'd like to know a little more about you, actually. What do you like to do, when you're not chasing down potentially dangerous people?"

It was refreshing to have someone interested in Ianto, but not in the unbelievable truths about his job. He smiled pleasantly, trying to summarize all the things he liked to do, and picking the things he liked to do the most.

"Well, I like vintage cinema from the 1920s to the 1950s, for instance. I like anything that's vintage, actually." He told her, knowing perfectly well he sounded dull and absolutely not interesting in the least. He decided to move on to Jenny, despite being quite sure she'd stopped being interested a minute or so ago.

"What about you, what do you like to do besides travelling?" Ianto asked her, his smile fading away only a little.

Jenny didn't have a clue about what vintage cinema was, or indeed vintage anything. But she didn't let that stop her from encouraging Ianto to talk more about his vintage hobbies. Or from being interested in exploring them herself, simply because they were something he liked. "I don't think I've ever seen any vintage cinema at all. Maybe you could pick out a good one and show me? I mean, if you'd like to, of course."

When he asked her what she liked to do (other than the obvious), her hearts sank a little. Surely he would think her strange and dull now, once she revealed that she didn't really do much other than travel. Still, she did like a few things that didn't revolve around adventures and running, and maybe...well the only way to find out his opinion was to tell him. "I like to walk barefoot in grass, actually. Or whatever passes for grass wherever I'm at. And I could spend days in a good library."