Author's Note: So we start a new story to celebrate Ianto's birthday. That's pretty much it, really. Enjoy.

Jack glared at his cards and his niece, who grinned back innocently. Ianto was trying not to laugh next to him, and David was as inscrutable as ever, just the tiniest twitch of one eyebrow giving away the fact that he was as amused as the rest of them. With a sigh, Jack placed his cards down and folded his arms. "Fine, I fold."

"We told you that you shouldn't play against the Joneses," Mica pointed out cheerfully as she collected her winnings. "You're far too emotional and open."

"I'm not sure I like what you're implying about us," Ianto frowned at her over his cards. "We're mysterious, not callous."

"You know what I mean," she waved him away and reorganised her cards. "The game remains afoot; unless you'd like to concede as well?"

"Don't hold your breath," he growled at her playfully. The phone started ringing in the living room and he made to rise. "After I..."

"I'll get it," Jack got up faster and squeezed his shoulder. "I might as well, since I've been so cruelly cast out."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," David pointed to the door without lifting his eyes from his cards. "Answer the phone so that those of us who are still in the game can think."

He laughed and did as he was told, reaching the phone before the caller rang off. "Hello, Bluff Farm."

"Captain Harkness?"

Jack's heart sank and he looked at the kitchen door, still half ajar so that the golden light lit a triangle across the stone flags of the hall and lifted the darkness in the unlit living room. "Speaking, may I ask who's calling?"

"This is Colonel Green of UNIT, Sir. We spoke a few months ago..."

"Oh yes, sorry," he rubbed at his forehead and sank into the armchair that looked out over the yard. "I knew I recognised your voice. How can I help you, Colonel?"

"There has been a spaceship crashed near Grenada. Obviously I can't tell you much on this line," her tone was faintly disapproving, and he took objection to it. "But it's close to major population centres and, as you will appreciate, we need all the help we can get."

He sighed and rubbed his face. "How soon do you need me?"

"As soon as possible, Sir. UNIT will pick you up from Cardiff airport and you can be in Grenada in under an hour," she told him brusquely. "I'll have an officer meet you and brief you on the plane."

"Well for starters, it'll take me three hours to get to Cardiff," Jack snapped. "I'm on holiday with my family..." he took a deep breath, which she didn't use for any apology, and he sagged. "How close to population centres?"

"It's right next to the motorway, which has, as a result, been closed; ten minutes from the nearest town of any size by car."

He sighed and nodded to himself, then checked his watch. "I'll be in Cardiff by midnight, and I'll assess the situation further once I know more."

"Thank you, sir," she said, more as acknowledgement than out of any actual gratitude. "The plane will be waiting for you."

Jack hung up and tossed the phone onto the sofa, then pressed his fingers against his eyes and took another deep breath to calm himself. Gentle fingers rubbed against the back of his neck and down to his shoulders. "You have to go?" Ianto asked softly.

"Yeah." He reached up and pulled Ianto around the chair and down into his lap. "I'm really sorry, Ianto. I didn't..."

"It's okay." Ianto kissed him gently to silence him and cupped his cheek. "You wouldn't go unless you had to. How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know," he sighed, wrapping his arms tighter around Ianto's waist. "I might be back here by lunchtime. Then again..."

"You might not," Ianto finished. He kissed Jack once more and stood up. "I'll check your bag; you go and say goodbye to the kids."

Jack nodded and pushed himself out of the chair. "Next year, we tell them to go stuff themselves."

"You know we can't do that," Ianto chided him, going to the stairs ahead of him. "They'd do it."

He chuckled and followed Ianto up the stairs, then went into Mirabelle's room whilst Ianto went into theirs. Mirabelle was asleep, hidden under the quilt with Tybalt, their black and white furball of a cat, watching over her. She woke up and blinked at him blearily when he shook her gently. "Daddy?"

"Hey there Princess," he gathered her up into his arms, duvet and all, and held her close. "I've got to go away for a couple of days, just come to say goodbye before I go."

She sighed and snuggled in against him. They were both used to their parents disappearing occasionally on work trips, but that didn't mean that they liked it. "Where going?"

"I'm going to Spain. I'll bring you a present back if you promise to look after your tad for me. He'll need lots of cuddles."

"I promise," she assured him seriously.

"That's my girl." With one last kiss to her forehead he eased her back into bed and her eyes closed instantly. "Sleep well baby."

Andrew was more alert once woken than Mirabelle had been, and rolled towards Jack for a hug. "You're going away?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid so," Jack sighed. "Someone's being stupid again."

"People are always being stupid," Andrew pointed out. "You'll sort them."

"I'll do my best," Jack promised, strangely reassured by his son's unquestioning faith in him. He was going to do his very best to live up to that faith. "Will you write to me whilst I'm away?"

"Yeh," Andrew buried his face against Jack's shoulder and yawned. "Are you going to be gone long?"

"Not too long, I hope," he rubbed Andrew's back and started tucking him back into bed. "I think I just need to go and shout at some people."

"I can't imagine you shouting," Andrew muttered, blinking. "Are you very scary?"

"Oh yes," Jack grinned down at him. "It makes people do what I tell them."

"I bet you're not as scary as Tad is," Andrew giggled. "He always tells you off."

"You could be right," he conceded. "Sleep now, tiger. Look after Belle for me."

He'd heard Ianto going downstairs, so he followed him down into the kitchen, where Mica hugged him. "You know, you don't have to go off in a strop just because you lost a card game," she muttered into his chest.

"Where are you going?" David asked. Ianto was making him a flask of coffee, and looked over for the answer.

"Grenada. There's been a spaceship crash landed by a motorway, and they need to move it safely so that they can reopen," he explained. "I hope it will just be as simple as that, but you never know."

"They might need you for other things whilst they've got you," Ianto pointed out.

"Well good for them," Jack scoffed. "I'm coming back as soon as this ship is dealt with. I was quite enjoying my holiday."

Mica sighed and squeezed him. "Bring me a dress back?"

"Don't push it," Ianto warned her, screwing the lid onto the Thermos. "Your mam would never forgive us."

"Fine." She released Jack and stepped back. "Have a nice trip."

"I'll try," Jack laughed. "Private jet, nice hotel, Grenada in summer... it's a shame you're not old enough for me to pass you off as my PA, really."

David came in for a brief hug, but escaped quickly. "Don't get shot."

Ianto tutted and zipped Jack's bag up with the Thermos inside it, then straightened and nodded to the door. "Are you taking the Jag?"

"Yeah, I will do." He accepted the bag and led the way to the door, then pulled Ianto in to a tight embrace. "Have fun without me."

"We'll do our best," Ianto assured him, pulling back. He framed Jack's face in his hands and kissed him, slow, gentle and thorough as always.

Jack held him tighter and returned it with interest, feeling nothing more than guilty at having to leave. "I'll be back before you know it," he promised when they parted. "And I'll write."

"I know you will," Ianto laughed, brushing his lips against Jack's cheekbone. "I packed some of the recycled paper you and Belle made."

"Carbon offsetting, I like it," Jack kissed him once more and released him. "I'd better be off; the jet is waiting for me."

"I don't think recycling paper is quite going to offset a private jet," Ianto pointed out, folding his arms. "But you get credit for trying."

Jack laughed and swooped in for one more chaste kiss. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too," Ianto smiled softly. "So don't stay away too long."

"I mean it," Jack told him, putting his bag into the passenger footwell, "I'll be back before you know I'm gone."

"Adios."

"Adios indeed." Jack saluted him and got into the driver's seat, then set off down the track. He didn't need to look back to know that Ianto would be standing at the kitchen door, watching until his tail-lights disappeared out of sight down the road.