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The pitch of the screaming changed and he knew it was not just shaking now, but smacking so he peeked out from under the table cloth to see his Da's hand around his Mama's throat as he used the other one to slap her hard, then release her to slide to the floor.

Rhiannon had started this one, home late from her play date and Da said it was Mama's fault for not controlling her. He said she would be fat and pregnant too if she had her way, another poor bastard trapped into a world of lies. Rhiannon had said sorry only to get the first smack, then the children had run. Rhiannon was currently behind the sofa in the main room, Ianto able to see through the large arched doorway where her hand clutched at the curtains to pull them in so she was better hid.

Mama was sitting with her legs out and she looked a bit like one of Rhiannon's rag dolls, a slipper off and her head slumped forward onto her chest. He wondered if she was dead. Maybe they was all dead now.

Da was breathing heavily, looking like one of those monsters off the movies with his head down, his fists clenched and his shoulders bowed. Bladdered again.

Then his head swivelled to the sofa and Ianto felt that familiar drop in his stomach.

Oh no.

Rhi-rhi.

Da moved slowly towards the sofa, his right hand unclenching to reach out, intending to seize the arm of it and drag the entire thing out in order to get to his daughter who he always blamed for his need to drink, the one who trapped him by becoming. Ianto sometimes wondered why he was born, what his purpose was.

Now as he watched, his little mind suddenly saw something he had never seen before. His sister's face became visible as the sofa drew back and she glanced over at Ianto, her eyes eye with terror and he saw it.

His purpose.

Gods, this was gonna suck.

Ianto crawled out from under the table and over his Mama's legs, the wet floor making him slide as that voice in the back of his head said it was Mama's pee-pee but right now he had a purpose and he was not going to shirk his responsibilities.

Ianto rose to his entire three foot (there abouts or something) manly little barely school age self and he jutted out his chin as he looked over at his sister cowering on the floor, "You know what Da? Maybe it's your fault. If you loved us you would be a better Da!"

Mama couldn't protect them now, she couldn't save them. He now saw that this was his job, he had to man-up. He knew it was gonna hurt, knew of all his beatings he had received this was gonna hurt so damned much but as his Da swung that fist towards him he saw the relief on his sister's face, that moment of realisation that he was not gonna to bad things to her this time and for that split second before his head exploded….

It felt right

.

.

.

.

Ianto lay there for a while as his heart beat about in his ribcage, trying to escape the nightmare he had been unable to.

Da.

Ianto closed his eyes and fought tears, that first real beating had been a doozy, Mama had wept as she held his little body in the bathtub and tried to wash off all the blood. Da asleep in the bedroom with that rattling snore of his.

"Ianto?"

"I'm OK, a bad dream Cariad" Ianto whispered as he slid into those warm arms full of love and he placed his head on Jack's chest listening until his heart slowed to match that strong one that also beat for him.

Jack's hands soothed as he rubbed Ianto's shoulders feeling the tension in them and although he wanted to ask what had scared him so much in his dream, had caused him to cry out with fear he resisted.

He had sounded like Byrd had earlier that day when she fell for the tree she had been told specifically not to climb. Of course Ianto caught her, the laughter as she swung her up again a balm.

Jack knew whatever this was, it needed more that some soft laughter so he kissed him gently in the hopes that this would suffice.

He hoped Ianto would shake it off, these dreams always leaving him jumpy the next day.