AN: Follows on from my stories Fallen Angel and Unclean Spirit. Seventeen years later, one can assume canon up to the end of series two and this will not have any series three references in it or conscious spoilers......

FAITH MANAGES: PART ONE

Ianto huffed out a sigh and rubbed at the soreness in his chest and upper arms. He was tired and grumpy and fed up with listening to Pink Floyd blearing out from the speakers in Elliot's bedroom. Once again they had argued bitterly about the restrictions that Ianto had imposed on his teenage son's social life and Elliot had stomped off in a huff slamming his bedroom door behind him. Ianto drew his shaky hand across his damp brow and sighed again, he had never felt so tired in his life and right now he hated his life, it was far too lonely and tedious to contemplate right now, Elliot had made that quite clear. Ianto knew that he had to let Elliot go and live his life, but he was so afraid that something would happen to the young man he had given up everything in his life to protect. It had lead to a very solitary existence and estrangement from his friends at Torchwood and his family in Newport.

Ianto wondered through to the kitchen and gathered up the dirty breakfast things and loaded them into the dishwasher. How had his life come to this? His son hated him, his friends had long since let him go and Ianto couldn't remember feeling so isolated in all his life. It was his own fault of course, he had taken his responsibilities too seriously and believing that remaining with Torchwood would endanger Elliot he had severed links with his job. That had eventually cost him his relationship with Jack, even though he still remained an active part of Elliot's life as his 'Uncle Jack', Ianto simply avoided him. It had been a tough few years, but nothing untoward had threatened Elliot's life and Ianto began to believe he had sacrificed everything for nothing other than a stroppy and ungrateful teenager. He rubbed absently at the pain again, it had been bothering him for days and he was fed up with his arms aching and the tightness in his breath. Tears made their presence felt as he closed up the dishwasher and straightened up. Stars exploding in his vision as he crumpled to the tiled floor of his kitchen.

Even above the noise of 'Dark Side of The Moon' Elliot heard the crash.

Jack Harkness glared with overwhelming hatred at his desk of undone paperwork. In all his years of working with Torchwood it was something he had never enjoyed. Fortunately for him Gwen had taken over the bulk of the work after coming off active field work to have her children, but still there was a lot to get through as his other four team members were kept away from doing anything but the bare minimum. Sall, Aaron, George and Ranjan, were technicians and field agents first and foremost and made for a formidable team. Jack was very proud of them and loved them deeply. There had been too many years of gaping emptiness in the Hub after Tosh and Owen had died and that had only deepened when Ianto resigned a few months after. It was a long time ago now and Jack was grateful for it being a distant memory. The new team had worked out well after a few false starts and a couple of doses of Retcon, Jack finally had the people he wanted working with him and for him. The six of them had become a close knit bunch with Gwen slipping into the role of Hub mother. It had meant that she could do 9-5 hours and live her life and enjoy her family and for that Jack was eternally grateful, what she had gained made up for his own losses, well almost. Once again his eyes strayed down to the photograph on his desk. He picked it up and traced his fingers along the familiar jawline of the man in the picture. One Ianto Jones; back in happier days before Tosh and Owen, before Elliot. The image was 18 years old and it still remained Jack's favourite, it was one of the few that showed the younger man was truly capable of finding happiness on occasion. Jack put the photo down with a heartfelt sigh. He hadn't seen Ianto in almost five years even though he still lived in his old flat a mere five minutes from the Hub.

Elliot had called him that morning bemoaning yet another argument with his 'Tad' and demanding that Uncle Jack and he get back together to make things right. Jack knew that things were never that simple. He was jarred out of his reverie by his mobile ringing once again and he sighed as he noted the caller ID, Elliot. Jack almost rejected the call, but he also knew he couldn't do that either. Elliot was as good as his son.

"Hey, kid what...." he was rudely cut off.

"Uncle Jack. Tad's ill you need to come to the hospital, now please."

Jack was on his feet straight away. "Where are you now?"

"I'm in the ambulance with Tad, they're saying he's had a heart attack, please Uncle Jack, meet us there."

"I'm on my way."

Jack fled his office, not even bothering with his great coat. "Gwen I'll be out for while, you've got command." He tore out of the Hub, leaving a stunned Gwen Williams in his wake.

He found Elliot hunched in a plastic chair with his precious Ipod clutched in his hands, his long curling black hair a disorder that hid his face. His bony knees were pulled into his chest. Jack plonked himself down and straight away pulled him into a side ways hug. Elliot snuggled into him, all thoughts of teenage embarrassment gone. He adored his Uncle Jack as much as he did his Father and clung to him.

"Hey, you ok?"

Elliot shook his head and looked at Jack with Ianto's eyes. He'd been crying. Jack ruffled his hair, which in his view needed a serious trimming.

"What happened?"

Elliot shrugged. "I dunno. I just heard some stuff breaking and when I get into the kitchen I found him lying on the floor trying to breathe. He kept saying weird things I didn't understand so I just called an ambulance and then I called you." His bottom lip wobbled and water leaked from his eyes. "I made this happen. I said terrible things to him. Uncle Jack, what am I going to do?"

"Hey." Jack pulled him back into a hug. "It's ok. I know you didn't mean anything bad to happen Elliot. It'll be ok."

"I'm scared."

"Yeah, me too." Jack admitted, and he was. "Now I need to go and find some one who can tell us what is going on, you wanna come?"

Elliot pointed. "They took him in there and told me to wait here, he was unconscious when we got here..... That's not good is it?" Elliot got out between snuffles. Jack gave him a reassuring squeeze.

"Ok, we'll wait together then. Don't worry Elliot, your Tad is strong as an ox."

Elliot was shaking his head. "He's been ill for ages, Uncle Jack, made me swear not to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

Elliot shrugged. "He wouldn't tell me what was wrong. He just, he just looks sick and won't go to the doctors, it was one of things we argued about because I wanted him to go."

Owen Harper opened his eyes, aware of unfamiliar noises and smells around him. He sucked in a long deep breath, and sighed feeling his lungs expand and contract again as he exhaled. Oh God, yes breathing, fucking hell that was heaven..... deep slow breathing.... wonderful. He turned his head and recognised immediately he was in hospital, shit maybe he'd survived the nuclear contamination....wait a minute he was breathing, he wasn't able to do that before was he?

"Mr Jones. Mr Jones can you hear me?" A light was flashed into Owen's eyes and he flinched and a mumble of some sorts escaped his lips.

"Mr Ianto Jones, do you know where you are?"

"Hospital." It was a whisper and Owen's eyes widened horribly when he figured out where he was.

AN: I shall continue with this after I have finished 'the sound of snow'.... just wanted to test the water with it.