Disclaimer- Well...as far as I know the only thing I own is the empty piggy bank to the side of my broken futon. Besides if I owned Torchwood, Ianto would be alive still. As it is I don't own it and the new series is sadly lacking what had me hooked in the first place.
Note: Well this is a little idea I've head brewing around my head while I'm at work, there is a chance that this will be part of another story that will tie into some of the hints here, and go on to be kind of a series and or it will sit in the dust, just depends on if people want to know what else is going on ^.^
The Past always holds the key.
Dust filtered around the air, slowly glittering in the slight beams of light that made up the old attic, filled with old cardboard boxes and bags that had sat up there longer then Rhiannon had been alive.
She had come up to the attic, a place she usually avoided because the memories were too much up there, to find a few childhood pictures of Ianto, if what her friend had told her was true then she would have someone to embarrassed him over soon.
It was worth it to dig through the dust filled room, that brother of hers stayed too deep in his shell and the only way she could drag him out was memories of their father, and their combined childhood.
So it was with a resigned sigh and a heaving breath of fresh air, Rhiannon made her way up the old steps and dove into the boxes, so far all she had found were old papers and toys, things that seemed to only really hold value to their father, it saddened her that most of the papers were hers.
Though she hoped there would be more things that belonged to Ianto, he wasn't one to save things if he thought they held no more value to him, and it seemed that things from school didn't hold anything for him nor did pictures.
Coughing as the dust rose up from a box she had unearthed from one of her old theater things she peeled the top apart and reached in digging around before she surfaced with a old bound book.
"Oh my what's this?" Rhiannon asked her self as she turned the book over in her hands, the paper was brittle, it crumbled slightly along the edges as she carefully peeled the cover away her eyes squinting slightly as she tried to make out the small script that was neatly scrawled on the unlined paper.
"Of course," she half growled to her self as she huffed closing it carefully she glanced back at the box she had pulled it from, there was no marking to tell her what was meant to be in there, with a soft cough she sighed and scooted the box back, and heaved her self up, something that was getting harder and harder as the years passed by.
Rhiannon bet her weeks pay that Ianto didn't have this problem yet, well at least he didn't have problems with his knees. He had always seemed to bounce back quicker then the rest of the family, and if she remembered right he worked in a office, nothing to dangerous to his health there she hopped.
"Now to see what this book is all about," she sighed as she walked towards the kitchen where a strong beam of light made its way towards the table, as she got closer she noted the faded gold script over the front, elegant curling letters spelled out Aneirin. "Mam's? I thought," she paused peeling the cover away her eyes tracing the inside cover "1981, she started this right before I was born then."
Tilting her head to the side she carefully felt the brittle paper under her hands before she sat herself down in her usual seat, leaning forwards to try and make out the slightly faded ink.
Tuesday, 3-13-81,
Hello once again my old friend! I've had to move to another book seeing as our darling Rhiannon decided to cough up on my old book and the smell hasn't quiet left it yet, not that I blame her I was paying more attention to what I was writing then her.
I'm quiet sure she will be very demanding latter on in her years, I'm almost afraid that Hedd and I will have another child to compete with her, I'm sure she will...
Rhiannon grinned as the pen slid off the side before it picked up again in a different color.
Sunday, 3-29-81
Hello again!
I was right to believe that our little one would keep our hands full, Hedd is beside himself right now as the sleep deprivation slowly sets in, poor Rhi is coliky and is giving fits that are worse now and then.
That man isn't very good with a upset baby his father though is much better at keeping the child calm, though I know for sure he is cheating.
Anyway I should get along with telling you how life has been treating me, something I missed out on with the last entry. Heed has been asked to teach at his old school, someplace in Scotland heavens if I know where it actually is and what he is actually teaching there! Though I am sad to say it is a boarding school, meaning he would miss out on our dear Rhiannon's firsts.
Sure all she can do right now is gurgle at us happily but still I don't want him being gone most of the year only coming back for holiday. He said he want's the job because it will remind him of when he was little, and it's a chance to start saving up for the wee ones that we currently have and might have.
I think he just misses his old world, something about ours is so mundane that it bothers him. I know it does because I still see that bloody owl in the mornings. He told me he was getting away from all that.
I think though his father is pushing him, no matter how good he is with children that man can be a bloody tyrant, he hates that Hedd married me, though his brother is quiet happy to carry on the name with out a complaint, even if he is a few years younger.
Well that's Rhiannon calling I must go, I'm not sure how soon I will be able to write will be but I'll be sure to fill you in latter!
Aneirin.
"What's that?" the half muffled voice of Johnny asked through a mouth full of a sandwich, a plate of crips sat in the hand not holding the mangled remains of something to his mouth.
"I think this is my Mam's diary, I found it up in the attic."
"It's bloody old."
"It's from the eighties of course its old, now why don't you wonder off and bug the kids," she said making a slightly shooing gesture with her hands, her husband just gave her a disgruntled look before wondering off.
With a sigh she quickly turned a few pages not bothering to look at the short entries there before stopping on what looked like a rather long one.
Monday 4-11-81
Hello once again,
As I told you in the last entry, Hedd has decided to start working this coming September, at that dreadful boarding school.
He better send gifts, because he knows how angry I am at him. He said his father wanted him a little closer to home, what with all the trouble that's going on, there's some psycho out for world domination or something or 'nother and he's causing all kinds of problems.
I tried to tell Hedd that him getting closer to the problem was in no way making things better, and it made me worry about him, he in turn said that there was no safer place for him to be at any time, and that I shouldn't worry but just keep on keeping on with Rhiannon.
Speaking of Rhiannon, she has decided to cry every time her father picks her up, I'm sure when she hits puberty they will not be getting along. In fact I'd put a wager on it, she got all of his temper that one.
Hedd thinks we should try for a sibling in a year or so, something to keep her tamed down and I think he is secretly hoping for a boy! Someone he can teach the trade to or something like that.
Not that he had been doing much tailoring, I think that his father protested his son doing such a thing when there was plenty of money to be had else where.
Hedd will most likely take the time to work at the school and then come back and do what he really want's to do. Though I can't see why he want's to have such a trade, the customers are rather demanding at times, but I hear the effort is well worth it.
Though there are charmers that come in, Hedd told me of this American who came in with a RAF coat on and requested clothing to be made up in WWW II style, a suit and everything. The man was rather flirty Hedd said, but he tipped well enough and said he would remember the name of the man who made him a wonderfully put together suit.
"That Captain Harkness was a real charmer, I'm sure he could even convince you-know-who into standing down and going to dinner with him!" was what I was told when he walked back in from his day at work, the man had also left a hefty enough tip that we could go out to eat for dinner.
I personally want to think that Hedd was flirted with, he is rather fit and I am glad that I snatched him right up!
I think that any of our children will be real lookers too, how can they not with two beautiful parents bringing them into the world.
Anyway back to the school thing. I am not happy about it! But I shouldn't go into much detail not that I can with Hedd yelling up to me to get down there so we can go eat, so my dear friend good night for now!
Aneirin.
"That's just a little disturbing," Rhiannon said to herself before quickly skimming the pages her eyes flipping through what seemed to be at least a year, she could hear the tell sounds of her children getting rowdy and Johnny wouldn't be able to hold them for long.
Wednesday 6-22-83
I...Hedd will never forgive me for what has happened.
Rhiannon paused her eyes widening slightly before taking in the slightly water damaged paper under her hands, she never knew her Mam to cry and she almost felt bad for intruding on the personal thoughts of the woman she looked up to as she grew. But with a slightly worried glance at the entry she went back to reading the notably messier hand writing.
All he ever wanted was another child, one to stay with Rhiannon, and another to possibly be like him, but today, so very very close to what should have been a marvelous day, turned into tears. I knew my family had a history of this happening but with how smoothly things went with Rhi I didn't think to worry.
Now I'll never see my little boy! The doctor's told me they didn't know why I mis...miscarried, it was odd for them to tell me there was no child for me to take home. He had only been a month early, but they said he was still born, trapped in his own umbilical cord. I remember him beating away at my sides, a lively one...
Hedd, refuses to look at me, simply sitting in the other room with Rhiannon, his eyes never leaving her as he rocks back and forth with her.
I think I would have named him Ianto...we had agreed on that name a long time ago, and I think that is the name we will put on his tiny grave. No mother should ever have to bury their child, and especially one that young.
I'm just glade that Rhiannon doesn't understand what's going on, she might be smart for a three year old but still. There must be something I can do to make this up to Hedd.
Aneirin.
Rhiannon blinked at the pages before her, one hand idly tracing the top where the time stamp sat her eyes almost refusing to acknowledge what this meant to her. Ianto, her Ianto couldn't possibly be her blood brother, according to this entry the little one that was meant to be her brother died.
With a shutter she turned a few more pages, each filled with short entries. She could never tell Ianto he was adopted, it would tear him to pieces, so she had to keep this information close to her chest, even if he wasn't blood, she had been there for him as he grew, so he was still her brother!
So it was determination she quickly flipped through to the page labeled the date after her brothers birthday.
Saturday 8-20-83
I never knew...how odd it was the world that Hedd lived in. I also never knew what he would do, trying to fix what happened.
Changeling, that's what he called the little one, he won't tell me where he came from, just that he is ours now, and that we should act like he is the little one I lost those months ago. Hedd wants to call him Ianto, and it hurts to know there is a grave for the little one meant to bear that name, but the frantic light in his eyes makes me worried to speak up about anything.
Rhiannon likes him well enough though, she spent hours cooing over him when Hedd first brought him in and I know that she will look after him well enough for me.
I almost wish that Hedd had never re-entered that world, it's making things so complicated now, and it's given him a way to do something, something I am sure will come back to haunt us later, if little Ianto ever finds out that he is not ours.
I just hope that Hedd's world never dra
"RHI! Phone!" the woman blinked up her eyes that were watering both from what she had read, and the strain of reading the actual words. Sniffling softly she scooted over to take the phone she hadn't even noticed ringing.
"Yes?"
"Oh Rhi honey you would not believe what I am seeing!" The chirpy voice of Megan cried over the phone, a girlish giggle following after words "Come on guess!"
"Megan, you know I hate to, now tell me what is this unbelievable thing of yours?" Another giggle settled over the line making her for just a moment wish she hadn't of asked.
"You know your brother, the one who said he was a civil servant?" Rhiannon shuffled slightly so she could look back at the journal while shifting the phone to her shoulder.
"You mean my one and only brother?" She asked teasing slightly though it still came out slightly watery as she closed the small journal, "What about him?"
"Well me and Ally were headed on up to the store when we run into a whole bunch of blocks, some psycho had tried to blow part of the street but had been stopped," There was a paused as the still ever cheerful voice of Megan flitted over the speaker catching her breath, "Anyway while the coppers are clearing away the scene this bloody big SUV pulls up and out steps the most handsome man I've ever seen and a group of people."
"So what dose this have to do with Ianto?"
"He was one of the people, carrying this kit thing and making his way over to the scene, dressed in a suit by the way!"
"Well he could still be a civil servant then, I don't see why you had to call?" Rhiannon asked, one hand picking up the journal while the other went towards the fridge, her shoulder holding the phone at a semi awkward angle. "I mean I already knew he might not have the safest job but it's not the most dangerous."
"He's Torchwood dear!" Megan chirped sounding like she was bouncing up and down, "I heard from a friend in the station that Torchwood takes care of all the weird spooky-do's, they don't have to answer to the government or the police, they even have their own secret base! Oh and he say's that Copper Gwen Cooper was recruited something 'bout special ops was passed about the office. "
"Torchwood? I've never heard of it and I think your friend down at the station's full of it!"
"Nah, it's true if you go down by the pass and ask about torchwood your pointed to the bay, a little tourist shop and what not, by the way your brother is working with some beautiful people, there's this little Asian girl you should ask him about, the other brunette not so much and his boss! My goodness if anyone could pull off such and old style it would be him!"
"Old style?" she asked peeking around the contents in her fridge, eyes catching a container of potato salad that was almost a month out.
"Yeap, a old RAF coat, its still in nice shape and the way that man was hovering I think he has a thing for our dear Ianto, might break his pretty little heart if he goes after the little Asian girl!"
Rhiannon felt her heart stop in her chest for a moment her mind flashing back to a earlier entry in the journal, before it started thudding away loudly.
"Megan, what did you say his boss was wearing?"
"A old RAF coat, and braces from what I saw, a nice shade of red to go with a nice blue shirt."
"Are they still there? I mean is Ianto still there with the team?"
"Why you want to bug him about his job now?" Megan asked giggling before she sobered for a moment. "Nah, they went off taking something back in a huge box, they drove off about the time I called you."
"Oh why didn't you call me sooner Megan?" Rhiannon asked her eyes rolling skywards, "Well I want to let you go I need to talk to Ianto, see what's going on and make sure your not telling stories again."
"Me tell stories? Why where did you ever get that idea?"
"From past instances dear, I'll get back to you tell Ally hi for me when you drop off"
"Will do, and be sure to call and tell me!" Rhiannon rolled her eyes again while she disconnected before abandoning her fridge and walking over to the kitchen counter setting the journal down so she could grab her address book to find Ianto's number, it was such a odd one she had never gotten around to remembering it.
"Silly boy, you need to get a home phone, " She whispered to her self as she typed the number in, she was half surprised that her husband hadn't come to bother her about dinner yet. It took only three rings for her brother to pick up the phone his voice coming back surprising clear.
"Hello Rhiannon, is something the matter?"
"How is it you always know its me?" She asked with a giggle, ears straining to try and catch background noise.
"Well I know everything, besides that I have caller ID." His voice sounded rather snarky to her and it made her grin, that was a side he usually tried to hide away, a trait their father had disliked had to be kept away at all times, it was nice to see him coming out of his shell a little.
"Ah I should have thought of that." There was a soft laugh on the other end, before she cleared her throat trying to get the nerve to speak up about the reason she called. "So how's work?"
"Ah...well you know, long hours, a annoying boss and co-workers, the usual work experience," there was a pause "Why are you asking Rhiannon, you usually don't care about my job, I could be a Tea-Boy for all you know."
"Megan called me today."
"Oh? I don't remember her, was she a friend you meet after I went to London?" She nodded before remembering she was on the phone.
"Yes, but I told her all about you anyway!" There was a sigh on the other end that made her laugh a little.
"Hopefully the good things about me."
"Oh well you know the usual things, like you had a misspent youth and you never really went to UNI, got caught shoplifting." She said while looking at her nails as another groan went over the phone.
"So what does this have to do with my job?"
"Ah well you see her and Ally saw something interesting, you getting out of a what was it again? Ah yes a 'bloody big SUV' also something along the lines of 'the most handsome man she's ever seen' came out with a group of people, one of them being you."
"Oh god I hope Jack never hears that, his ego is big enough as it is." She heard a distant voice and her brother's hand over the what she was guessing mike, "Not now Jack" there was a pause before, "Not everything is about you, get that bloody ego under control." There was another pause before the slightly agitated reply of "No I won't put it on speaker, its my sister so nothing for you to listen to, and I don't want Owen to take cracks."
"I wouldn't mind that," Rhiannon stated evenly and the hand moved away and a soft sigh came over the line.
"Tosh made these to sensitive then if you could still hear me, and no I refuse to have you interact with the sordid crew I call coworkers."
"You mean this so called Torchwood crew I've heard about?" There was a chocked sound, "You see Megan saw the words on the side and thought to tell me because the station has some rumors about this group of yours."
"Can we talk about this later?" That was the most clipped she had heard her brother for a very long time, his tone was nothing short of a complete shut down. The last time she heard that voice was when her brother was telling their father he was leaving, that he was tired of everything and he would be in London if Rhiannon and only Rhiannon needed him.
"Ianto, please I," She paused her words faltering a moment giving him a opening.
"I don't want to discuss this over the phone, I don't want to talk about this at all really." His tone was still chilly and it hurt that it was directed her way.
"I want...I found mams dairy today" She blurted suddenly before cursing herself a few moment's Ianto had been close to their mother it had torn him apart when she passed.
"Have you read anything in it yet?" She was happy to hear the clipped tone was mostly gone, he was still colder then usual though.
"A little, I can show you it when you come visit me to talk."
"I don't think there will be time." Ah there was the anger again, it was odd so very odd.
"Yan."
"No Rhiannon, I need to let you go."
"Please, please come by, it doesn't have to be soon at all but." She trailed her eyes misting over, "I miss you little brother and I'm worried about you after what happened at Canary Wharf, I'm worried about you after losing Li,"
"Don't say her name, just...I'm fine you don't need to worry about me Rhiannon." There was a heavy sigh, "I will be in contact with you later." And with a click the conversation was over and Rhiannon felt her heart drop.
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And there it is people, just drop a line to tell me what you think and I'll try to get back at you as work permits. Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed!
