A/N-Another in my series, starting with Time and Again, and Second Chances, post CoE fix story. This was betad by the eve patient Orion and helped along by HPattskyn. Please enjoy, read and review, it keeps the muse happy.

It was a fairly ordinary February in Cardiff, well, ordinary by Torchwood standards. Jack was in the conference room entertaining the five Lorisians, the remaining passengers on a ship that Jack had helped more or less crash land near the Brecons. Ianto had just made up a tray of coffee after establishing, with the help of their medic, that it would do them no harm.

The Lorisians were humanoid, though taller and thinner than the average human, the shortest of them was the medic, about Jack's height and they explained that it was rare, earning her the familiar name that translated as "Shorty. Except for the height they could almost pass for human, if humans came with burgundy skin, and eyes the colour of coal with startling silver pupils slit like a cats. Their hair ranged from white to black with various shade of grey in between but apparently not related to age, like humans. Torchwood had got an SOS from them three days ago, and while Jack had managed to teleport about to help them land, more or less, the ship was a lost cause. The engine had blown, taking the engineer with it, and the remains were hidden now in a Torchwood storage facility on the edge of Newport.

Fortunately Jack spoke some of their language and they spoke enough standard for the translation program to handle the rest. In fact one of them, Ianto wasn't sure what his function was exactly, had volunteered to help get their language into the database. They had managed to get a message away but it would be some months before a rescue ship could get here. Meanwhile, Ianto was left trying to figure out what to do with them. "Coffee, everyone," Ianto announced as he set the tray down on the table. Short of being either culturally or metabolically incapable of handling cows milk, he wasn't sure which, they were making due with non dairy creamer and working through a variety of alternatives. So far, soy was a hit with two of them but almond apparently tasted like something that was untranslatable and he wasn't sure from their reaction he wanted to know.

"Jack?" Gwen called over the comm. system as he was getting settled with his own coffee. Gwen was getting a little big for field work and was filling his chair behind the tourist desk. "You have a visitor."

"Is it important? I'm a little busy…"

"It's your daughter," she said.

"Excuse me," Jack said immediately. "Gwen, send her down. I'm sorry," he explained to the visitors. "A family matter." What he didn't say was how frightened he was. Things were better now than they had been in years, but it wasn't like Alice to drop by unannounced unless it was something desperately important.

"We understand," the leader, Marin, said graciously with a hint of approval, her answer slightly delayed by the translation circuits. "Family must take precedent when there is no urgent matter." Jack made a formal gesture of appreciation before rushing out of the room to meet Alice at the elevator.

"Sweetheart, what's the matter? The kids…" he said as he reached to hug his little girl.

"The kids are fine, they're with Rhi. We drove down for Micah's birthday."

"Yeah, Ianto and I were going to try to get by, at least for dinner. So, as glad as I am to see you, you don't usually come by here. I can't remember the last time you were in the hub."

"I can. It was when I ran away. I must have been twelve, thirteen?"

"Exactly, so, what's the matter?" Alice looked around, almost as if she was afraid of something. Jack put an arm reassuringly around her and led her to his office and into a chair. "Now, what's going on?"

"It's Joe," she said quietly. She was trying to stay calm, but her fear was visible.

"What's that bastard done?" Jack said. Instantly he was alert, angry with himself. He'd slacked off on monitoring his daughter's useless ex-husband after he'd left the country. Mostly he'd figured that the man had been smart enough to stay away and since he showed no sign of being interested in his ex-wife or his children, Jack was just as happy to leave him there.

"It's…he's back. He went to Stephen's school, told them he'd come to pick him up but he's not authorised. Then Joe spoke to him out in the play yard, told Stephen that he'd come back to take him to live with him. Stephen was really upset, Dad, Joe's not sent him so much as a birthday card in years."

"It's not going to happen, full stop."

"Dad, I want… I don't know what I want, but I don't need you to fix this for me, I just need advice, maybe some help. Just yesterday I got these," she handed him the papers.

"He's challenging the custody order?" Jack said, looking at the papers in confusion.

"Yes, he says I'm an unfit parent," she cried. Jack pulled her to him, holding her close and whispering meaningless nonsense into her hair in much the way he had when she was a child. She stopped crying slowly and Jack handed her an old fashioned handkerchief from his pocket. Alice smiled just a little. Only her father would still carry a handkerchief starched with military precision.

"He's trying to get at you, that's all, rattle you. Listen, it's not going to happen."

"Don't do anything, Dad, I don't…"

"We'll play it within the system for now, at least let me help get you a solicitor? I can afford it. We will see from there, but if he tries anything, I'm not going to promise I won't do something to make him regret it."

Alice nodded. Her mother had her reasons but in the back of her mind, she had always known that her Dad would be there for her. "Thanks, Dad."

"Alice, I've just got you back, in my life, with Ianto and all, I feel like I've got a real family again for the first time since your mother left. I have hope and I'm not letting him jeopardise that."

Alice smiled though there were still tears in her eyes. Her Dad was still the hero he'd been when she was little. Yes, knowing he would outlive her was a little frightening but on the other hand, should anything happen to her, he'd be there for the kids, even for their kids. That was pretty wonderful.

"Excuse me, Sir," Ianto said, knocking then sticking his head in the door. "Commander Johnson and John Hart are back and the Lorisian…"

"I should go, I don't know what I thought…"

"No, don't, Rhi will be fine and the kids are probably having a blast. Come and meet our latest resident aliens. They'll be honoured. Then we can talk. I'll do anything to help, at least what ever you'll allow. I won't even threaten him without clearing it with you first."

"Alright, Dad," she agreed, still looking a little doubtful. Jack was trying to look innocent, something that didn't work with anyone who was even slightly known to him.

"Give me just a second, Ianto can start researching and I'll introduce you," he said, stepping back to speak to Ianto. "I want everything on Joseph Carter, DOB is in the computer along with the basics, then find me the best solicitor you can, make arrangements with Alice."

"And have the bill sent to you, yes. I will get Lois up on his movements as well."

"Do you think…"

"I'm sure, but weren't you staying out of all this?"

"I am, but I want all the facts, just in case."

"We can always arrange to have him audited by Inland Revenue."

"Good idea, we'll save it for later," he agreed, patting his lover on the back and returning to where his daughter was looking around the large space.

"Don't think you've done much with the place. I'm pretty sure that is the same couch you had the last time."

"No, I'm almost certain Ianto replaced it the last time the place got blown up. Come on, Alice, meet our visitors." There was a cry and a shape swooped from overhead.

"What?"

"Pterodactyl. Come on, I'll introduce you to her later."