Chapter Two
Jack looked around the suite in the St. David's hotel with a broad smile. "It's almost like a homecoming, isn't it?" he asked Ianto, who had just entered the lounge wearing his dressing gown.
"I was just thinking the same," Ianto agreed as he sat down next to Jack on the settee. "Not the St. David's we're used to, but sometimes when we had to deal with the hotel in our world, I found myself missing the charm of this one."
Ianto gazed out the large window. They had a view of the bay. Beyond the bay were the locks and more piers. The piers were filled with large cargo ships, and were busy with the bustle of dock workers.
"Or sometimes look at the Wales Millennium Centre and wonder why Torchwood doesn't have a building there instead?" Jack asked.
Ianto chuckled. "We don't have the number of staff or even so out in the open to utilise such a building," he said, "but I do understand what you mean."
Jack sighed and slipped an arm around Ianto's shoulders. "Who knows what the future holds for us. I mean, look how long Torchwood has been around in this world. They had the time to evolve." Jack grinned slightly. "I vaguely recall coming across the mention of Torchwood during my time as a Time Agent. We had to do something right for it to reach that far."
Ianto smirked back. "Who's to say it wasn't Archie to take Torchwood that far in the future?"
Jack opened his mouth to protest but then saw that Ianto was teasing him.
Ianto returned the smile Jack gave him, cautiously not saying what was on his mind, which was more out of habit. He wondered what Jack would be doing. He hoped he would still be with him, but until they had proof, he just did not want to raise either of their hopes. To never have to leave Jack would be a dream come true for him. He would not see immortality as a curse, even if one day they had to lose their family. At least Jack wouldn't have to lose everyone, and together they could help each other as their family grew old and eventually died. Ianto reminded himself that their children were too young to start worrying about that, and some were not even born yet. Those thoughts and worries would be for another time. For now, Ianto could hope that at the least his life was extended, which he was convinced had been by some degree, because in the last five years or so, he had not aged. If his healing from the Weevil attack was any indication, he even at least healed rapidly. That helped his chances of being with Jack longer, especially since otherwise, he knew he was living on borrowed time. Sadly so were Tosh, Owen, Gwen and Rhys. On the good side, by bringing in more people to their team, they could be increasing everyone's chances. The field teams for Torchwood One had a better longevity rate, as did those in UNIT. It was true that generally there was safety in numbers, however sometimes when dealing with alien threats even that had no guarantee.
Needing to take his mind from further exploring the subject, he thought about why they were there, and that was their still growing family. There was a time, including when he had first found himself in this suite, that Ianto had believed he would never be a father. Now he was a father of three, all their children carried by Jack. It was remarkable enough. It was almost overwhelming when he thought about the extended vacation they were only at the beginning of. They were to embark on a journey that included time travel and then a voyage through space to settle on another world where male pregnancy was considered normal. He would then get an operation to be able to become pregnant and carry the child they were now certain would be Samantha. He forced himself to take a deep breath and will himself not to panic.
The phone in the suite rang. Jack reached over to answer the old Victorian style phone set on an end table next to the couch. After a brief conversation, Jack smiled at Ianto. "You better get dressed. I'll go make sure the rugrats are ready. The other Harkness-Jones family are on their way to pick us up and take us to dinner.
Ianto looked over at Jack, who was dressed in a powder blue shirt, dark blue braces and a dark blue waistcoat that buckled down the left side with gleaming silver buckles. A silver, brass and copper chain extended from one of the buckles to his pocket that was trimmed in silver, attached to Jack's timepiece. He wore black wool trousers and black shiny boots. Ianto's smile grew as he watched Jack get up from the couch, appreciating how his husband's trousers hugged his arse.
Jack turned to look at him. "Well, come on, get a move on. Unless you're planning on going out on the town in your dressing gown."
Ianto's grin turned wicked. "Could be interesting."
"Don't Ianto. We don't have the time, and the kiddies are still up," Jack remarked with a groan. He held out his hand and clasped Ianto's, pulling him to his feet. "Go get dressed. It's going to be hard enough going through tonight with you wearing what you're planning."
"Just think of how good it will be once we get back and the kids are asleep," Ianto replied. As he got on his feet, he leaned against Jack and lightly kissed the immortal's lips. "At least our room is soundproof."
"Thank goodness!" Jack exclaimed. He wrapped his arms around Ianto, holding him close, indulging in a kiss for a minute, before both men had to pull away with a gasp. "Damn," he sighed.
"If we didn't stop when we did, I fear we would have never made it to dinner," Ianto remarked. "And most probably scar our children for life."
Jack chuckled. "I'm afraid one day we won't be so lucky."
Ianto lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, we'll be lucky enough. It's the children that won't be so lucky. So we best behave." He winked and sauntered toward the door leading into their bedroom.
Jack shook his head, took a deep breath and went into the hall to the children's room.
He smiled as he entered, finding the three on the veranda, staring past the high wrought iron railing. Jesse was pointing up, jumping up and down. "Look! 'Nother one!"
"It's a zeppelin!" Franklin exclaimed. "And look another funny looking aircar!"
"I think they're pretty," Meghan said, looking up around the sky.
Jack joined his children on the veranda. "Whatcha looking at?" he asked innocently.
"Daddy, look at the sky!" Meghan exclaimed. "All the pretty air things, including that big pretty city!"
Jack knelt next to Meghan, pulling her close as he looked up. "Oh yeah. We'll be going into one of those airbuses tonight and going up to the city. Do you think you'll like that?"
Meghan hugged Jack, nodding vigorously. "Oh yes, Daddy. I want to! Can we go on a zeppelin too?"
"We'll see, sweetheart," he replied as Jesse tried to crawl on his legs.
"We go now?" Jesse asked.
Jack studied the children, satisfied that he did not need to change them into clean clothes. "Just as soon as Uncles Jack and Ianto get here."
"They're bringing our twins, right Daddy?" Franklin asked.
"That's right. So as much as you're having fun here, let's get inside and ready to leave when they get here. You'll be seeing more than from here."
"YAY!" all three children exclaimed and after the three hugged Jack at the same time, knocking him on his butt, they ran inside.
"I want to go to the pretty city in the sky," Meghan exclaimed as she ran inside.
Laughing Jack stood up, and after glancing up at the sky for a moment followed the children into their room.
When they heard the knock on the door to their suite, three children excitedly rushed to answer the door.
"Make sure it's them!" Ianto warned from his place in the drawing room, on an easy chair next to the windows looking out to the veranda.
"It's us," they heard Captain Jack's voice call out.
"Uncle Jack!" Meghan exclaimed, opening the door to let their guests in.
Captain Jack smiled down at her. "Well hello again, young lady."
From behind Captain Jack came excited chatter.
"Hush until we get inside," Captain Jack said, turning his head to speak behind him.
"Kids, show some manners and let our visitors in please?" Ianto called out.
Jack, from his place standing next to the window behind the chair Ianto sat in, started to grin.
The kids all grabbed onto Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack, pulling them in.
"Easy there, tiny mites!" Captain Jack called out. "We're not alone this time."
With a smirk, Black-coat Ianto glanced back behind them. "Come on now. Suddenly you can't find a way to push past us?" he asked, looking amused.
"That's our twins!" they heard a child exclaim.
"Taddy said push, so push," a little girl insisted, shoving her little brother past Captain Jack.
Captain Jack moved to the side to allow three young children to come rushing into the suite, followed a bit more sedately by Meghan and Franklin, but the older children still pushed past their amused parents.
Little Meghan stared up at the teen-age girl who stood before her. "Wow! You're pretty!" she exclaimed.
Teen-age Meghan stooped down and smile. "So are you. I looked just like you when I was your age."
"Really?" Meghan squeaked. "Does that mean I'll look like you? Are you Meghan?"
"I am," the older alternate Meghan replied with a smile and hugged the younger girl. She smiled over to Jack and Ianto. "But you can call me Meg or Meggie. It'll be less confusing, and besides my Dads call me that at times anyway."
"My daddies always call me Meghan. I like it better, but Meggie is pretty," Meghan said, smiling up at her older counterpart.
Meanwhile Jesse and Franklin were also getting to know their alternate older versions. The older Franklin stated that everyone could call him Frankie and that Jesse would go by Jess.
Ianto looked relieved with the older counterparts of his own children deciding to go by variations of their names. Otherwise it would be quite confusing.
Samantha and Sian stood side by side, almost pouting because they had no doubles to greet. Samantha finally giggled and took the toddler's hand. "Look Sian, Daddy and Taddy times two."
Two year old Sian clapped her hands and squealed before charging over to Jack. She held her arms up as if she wanted to be lifted. "Daddy!" she cried out.
Captain Jack laughed as he came behind her and swooped her into his arms. "I'm Daddy. This is your Uncle Jack, and that's your Uncle Ianto."
Little Meghan called out, "They're twins."
Franklin nodded his head. "Yup. And we have twins too."
Jesse went over to Samantha. "No twin?"
"Your daddies didn't have mine yet," Samantha stated.
Meg came over to the two with her younger counterpart following. "That's why you're here, Franklin. So that your Tad can have Samantha.
Little Meghan threw her hands up in the air, laughing. "My Taddy is going to be the specialist Taddy on our world. Just like Daddy."
Meg smiled down at her younger counterpart and winked at the child.
Black-coat Ianto clapped his hands and let out a whistle. The entire room fell into silence. The other three adults looked at their offspring in amusement. "We have all night to get to know each other, and tomorrow the squirts will be going off to daycare together." He smiled over at his teen-age daughter. "And Meghan will join you later in the day."
Teen-age Meghan nodded and playfully pulled on a pigtail of her younger counterpart.
"Now our transport is outside waiting, we have reservations, so time to get moving," Black-coat Ianto stated. "Come along now." He studied each of the children. His were mostly dressed for the outdoors, while Jack and Ianto had coats in their hands and going over to theirs.
Before long the large group left the suite and headed out of the hotel.
There was an airbus that their hosts provided for the night waiting for them at the hotel landing park. It was not as long as the commuter buses with a sign along the front railings with a designation of OO Special, under it in a round placard the familiar "T" made up of octagons. The long platform was mahogany wood and copper trimming along the edges. The retractable stairs to board it was brass, the handrails copper. All the fixings were gleaming brass and copper, with a large brass and mahogany captain's wheel in the front. The driver who stood behind the wheel was dressed in the black and gold livery of all Torchwood guide drivers, with the Torchwood logo under his name tag. He smiled his greetings as they boarded. Another man dressed in brown and gold extended a hand to help as the older Meghan boarded, holding her younger counterpart's hand with Samantha behind them and greeted the passengers as they boarded. Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack greeted both men as they boarded, introducing their guests. Mahogany and brass benches were set along each side of the brass, copper and wood railings and the back with two sets of two benches facing each other with matching tables between them in the middle. Most of the passenger section was covered by a hammered copper shell embellished with designs extending from the back, leaving the sides open for viewing.
Jack and Ianto grinned at each other, not surprised that their hosts would pull transportation from the Torchwood fleet. While Torchwood operated under the British monarchy in this world and received funds for operations involving monitoring the Rift and defending Britain from alien threats, the organisation's many other ventures were lucrative and very profitable. Being it was Jack and Ianto's ideas not long after Jack joined Torchwood after leaving the Time Agency and his own world in the 75th century, all profits belong to Jack and Ianto, making them very rich men in this world. Since they had added trans-dimensional travel to services offered, their profits had increased.
While it was normal for the children of that world, the other children were jumpy and excited as the airbus flew across Cardiff to their destination.
Jack found himself sitting next to Ianto, with Jesse in his lap, for fear that despite the safety guardrails that the toddler might find a way to slip off in his excitement. The toddler was leaning over, babbling away about the sites below and the cool flying bus.
It was a warm early evening with a clear sky, the stars already twinkling like jewels in the darkening sky. As the airbus climbed altitude toward the city in the sky, Ianto leaned back in his seat, staring up at the stars. It was at that moment that it hit Ianto what their journey would include. He was going to be up there, among the stars, travelling to a far off world. His breath caught as the excitement of what their family had to look forward to, realising he was past his initial fears of earlier. Jack squeezed his hand, looking at him in question. Ianto smiled brightly at Jack, squeezing his partner's hand in return. "I'm fine," he assured Jack. "It's just that I realised that soon I will be up there." He shook his head. "I never imagined I would actually be doing that."
Jack smiled back. "I'm sure if you did entertain the possibility, I'll bet it didn't include our children going along with us."
Ianto chuckled. "No. There was a time I actually started to believe I would never have children." He leaned over to brush his lips on Jack's cheek. "Thank you, Jack."
Jack's smile was warm. "I should also thank you, considering why we are here."
"Save it for when Samantha is born," Ianto replied. Their conversation came to a halt when Jesse started to demand they look at where his little fingers were pointing as several brightly coloured balloons sailed past them in the distance, coming up from the ground and going higher than the airbus to the designated sailing level for balloons.
Jack looked across the airbus to the benches in the middle where the children all sat, heads swivelling from one side to the other, especially his own children who were visiting this strange version of Cardiff for the first time. He gazed at his Meghan who was still a little girl, and then to the beautiful young woman. Unlike the rest of the girls, she was not wearing a pinafore over her under gown. She had a sky blue gown with a dark blue boned corset around her waist and a matching over skirt trimmed with white leather and lace. He looked again at his own Meghan, in her plaid playdress with a ruffled neck and just small peek of her pink ruffled pants. One day his adorable little girl was going to be the beautiful young woman who was pointing out the sights below to all the children and keeping them entertained. He felt eyes on him and looked over to find Ianto staring at him. His eyes drifted to the group of children and nodded as his eyes drifted to the teen-age Meghan. He knew Ianto was thinking the same.
"We didn't think this through," Ianto said, leaning his head to softly speak into Jack's ear.
"What?"
"Do you realize that when we return, not only will we have another child, but our children here will be a year older? How are we going to pass them off to their friends and the other parents?" Ianto asked.
"And looking at older versions of our children brought this on?" Jack replied with his own question.
Ianto shrugged. "I remember the first time we saw Meghan, before our Meghan was born. She was around the age that our Meghan is now. Look at her, Jack. She's turning into a woman. She's a beautiful, vibrant young lady. And as much as I look forward to that young lady one day becoming ours, not yet, Jack. I still want our little girl for as long as we can have her young. I also realized that it did not seem all that long ago when Meghan was born, but there she is, seven years old now. Then it occurred to me that we'll be gone for at least a year, and while we'll be back home no more than a week later, we'll all be a year older." He shrugged. "For me and you, it won't matter much. At least I hope I don't age too much during the year."
Jack smiled. "I doubt it. You hardly aged since our first time here."
"True, but we need to think of something when we get back."
"We have a year to work on that, including getting it across to the kids that to anyone outside of Torchwood, they will have to be a year younger than they really are," Jack said. "And we'll be in contact with our counterparts and their Torchwood. We'll work it out by then. We shouldn't forget about that, but I don't think we have to worry."
"You're probably right. The imps are having a time of it so far on their vacation. I'm so glad tomorrow is an airship ride. I know the kids really want to go on one."
"I guess it helps that Torchwood owns several," Jack said with a laugh. "It looks like we're starting to enter the main airway in Upper Cardiff." He looked to find Captain Jack coming over to them.
Captain Jack pointed to one of the higher spiral towers they were approaching. "That's our destination. There is a landing pad on the middle level of the building and then we go up to the roof. It's a popular place for families to eat and have fun. Our kids love it, so we thought we should start there with your family."
The adults looked over to the triple tower structure. The middle building, which was ten stories less than the other two had an opening halfway up, making it look as if the upper half of the building was supported by large twisted metal columns of brass, copper and gold. Aircars were flying in one side of the building and out from the other side. On the top of the two taller towers were clusters of illuminated geometric shaped domes and a covered bridge illuminated by large gaslit lamps. From their position they were able to make out shadows of people going across the bridge between the two buildings.
Ianto smiled at his partner's counterpart, remembering that he was mortal when they first met him, but he was now immortal. It gave Ianto hope that he would never have to leave Jack. "This is your world. We trust you and Ianto."
Jack also smiled as he got a better grip on Jesse and held him tighter, he said, "I'm sure everyone will have a great time."
"Oh, you wait. There are amusements for parents to have fun too," Captain Jack stated.
Black-coat Ianto came up behind his husband, looking at Jack's face. "Not that type of adult entertainment, Jack. This is a family establishment." He poked his husband in the ribs. "You're both so much alike."
Ianto laughed, while Jack pouted. "And you and my Ianto are so very much alike too," he said.
"Oh look, we're landing. Time to have fun," Black-coat Ianto said and turned to go back and join the children. The children watched with wide eyes as the airbus approached the tower, levelling off to the opening. They chatted excitedly about seeing the sky city and their ride there. Their excitement spread to the other children, who had always loved when they went to Upper Cardiff. Only older Meghan did not watch the approach with rapt attention and gave her father an amused grin which looked much like Jack's.
The airbus entered the opening and was directed along rows of private aircars to a section used for offloading passengers. It pulled up behind one of the city commuter buses which were offloading passengers. Another Torchwood airbus was departing, leaving behind a group of people that despite their attire to fit in with the locals were obviously tourists. The different shades of skin tone on some in the group gave away that many of them were not from this world. A female tour guide dressed in a long black and red pinstripe linen outer skirt hitched up to reveal a red underskirt, a buttoned jacket to match the overskirt and a red blouse with a ruffled high neck was giving instructions and some interesting points about their location to the group before proceeding.
Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack lead the group from the airbus across the landing port into a bridge which took them across to one of the taller towers, while Jack and Ianto followed the group of excited children. Once across, they found themselves inside a wood panelled corridor with lift banks. Between the lifts were paintings of various areas of Cardiff with gold gilt frames. A plush runner in various shades of brown and gold in geometric patterns went down the centre of the corridor. They took a lift up to the top storey. When they exited the lift, they were inside a reception area where people milled about waiting for their name to be called up to the main desk where they were greeted by a friendly host or hostess who would escort them into the next room.
Captain Jack and Black-coat Ianto strode through the crowds going up to the main desk, their coats billowing out behind them. Even as each man had the hand of their two younger children, they still gave their air of authority. People seemed to move from their path, allowing the group a clear path to the desk.
Surprise appeared on the faces of those who watched as the last two men passed them, looking every bit the twins to the leading two. Their clothes were slightly different, but their coats were similar to their twins. The two men in the long leather coats were dressed similarly in a dapper way, while the two in the blue-grey military coats were dressed differently. The one who was leading was in a black leather waistcoat trimmed in copper piping over a blue linen shirt and a dark blue ascot, while the other was in a dark blue brocade double-breasted waistcoat and light blue pinstripe cotton shirt. They both wore black linen trousers but the styles were slightly different.
Instead of giving a name to join the rest of the waiting crowd, Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack were enthusiastically greeted and within seconds one of the hosts who stood behind the large black walnut counter came over to them. He introduced himself and led the group out of the reception area into a large octagonal room which was panelled in dark maple wood, with rafters near the ceiling. There were several carved columns in the same dark maple wood around the room. Couches with tables before them and ornate but comfortable high back upholstered chairs with arms in clusters around octagonal tables were placed around the room. All the furniture was made of cherry wood. The tables also were glass and brass. There were several archways leading into other areas of the popular entertainment centre. The room had people sitting, some enjoying drinks and tapas, either preferring to stay in the room because they did not want a full dinner or choose to sit there for a while because the room was the quietest one in the complex. As they were escorted across the room, they passed some of the other archways. They noticed one led to what looked like a pub and only adults were allowed to enter. Another archway led to an arcade of holographic action games, simulation games and old fashioned games of skill reminding Jack of carnivals from days long gone by in their world.
Their children were staring wide-eyed into the room as Jack and Ianto did their best to hold their three from charging toward the games while Black-coat Ianto spoke to the host.
Jack poked his counterpart in the ribs. "Watch out. He's totally hitting on your man there," he said amused.
Captain Jack turned to Jack with a grin. "Do you blame him?" he asked, and then his eyes went past Jack to Ianto and leered at the man who looked like his husband.
Jack laughed as Ianto first raised his eyebrow and then batted his lashes playfully at both Jacks.
"What's this going on then?" Black-coat Ianto asked. The other three looked to him and found him surrounded by excited children. In his hand was a blue and gold envelope. "Our table is ready. Come along everyone."
Captain Jack smirked. "Only city VIPs are allowed to make reservations here," he explained with a twinkle in his eyes. "Besides Torchwood has a standing table." He winked at his guests and grinned.
The children needed no further prompting as they all clustered around Black-coat Ianto, who pulled his Jack along. Jack and Ianto laughed and, linking arms, followed everyone else.
They were led into a room similar to the one they left but much larger. The upper half of the multi-gonal room was covered with mahogany geometric panels framed by a darker mahogany, and a two foot trim of black walnut wood ran between the upper part of the wall and the ceiling. There were port holes on each section of the wall. Wide rafters of dark mahogany ran from the corners of the room going up toward the high dome ceiling which was divided into three ring sections. The same multigonal panels as the upper wall made up the middle ring and the very top in cherry wood and framed by the same dark mahogany. The two rings on each side of the middle ring were made of the same panels in amber glass.
It was sunset and the sun's rays made the windows gleam and cast an amber glow around the room. The lower half of the room was made of copper cut out sheets with gears like clockwork peeking out from the cut outs on the sheets. Mahogany wood panels divided each segment of wall in the corners. Gaslamps were set on the base of each rafter and hung from the high ceiling. Tables in various shapes and sizes to accommodate any type of group filled the room. Many candles and hurricane lamps lit the tables and several gaslamps set on each table waiting to be lit when the sun set.
The host stopped before a long table shaped in a half circle. Jack and Ianto had to physically hold back their imps from charging over for a closer look of the clockwork walls.
Ianto regretted they only had one night in that Cardiff, wishing they had planned a couple of days to explore with their family. Considering they expected to be away at least a year, a few days extra really would not make much difference. He decided to speak to Jack and their hosts later when away from little ears to discuss the possibility of staying a few days, maybe a week there on the trip back before returning to their own home.
Once everyone was seated and children were promised they would be able to explore the walls closer after initial orders were given, they realized there were several extra seats and place settings.
Jack opened his mouth to inquire about them when they heard their hosts' children yell out, "It's Aubrey!" "Masumi!" "Kaori!"
He looked up to find Toshiko and Owen with three children. As his eyes rested on Owen, who pushed a double pushchair with two dark haired toddler girls with almost black almond-shaped eyes, he nudged Ianto, who was talking to Black-coat Ianto.
Ianto looked up and started to grin. Jack leaned in and said, "Do we dare tell our Tosh to prepare for twins?"
Ianto smirked as he replied, "Tosh is not the one I'm thinking of. Imagine Owen a father of twins. How can we not say anything?"
Jack laughed as the married couple came to join them at the table. "Unfortunately we'll have to wait over a year before we get to see the look on Owen's face."
Ianto looked thoughtful. "Let's just hope the twins don't show up in the time we're gone."
"Yeah, I hope so too. Being we should be away only a week for them, chances are for us being able to spring it them," Jack replied.
Black-coat Ianto smirked at them. "The most that could happen in a week is we discover Toshiko is pregnant."
Jack shook his head. "We have biological scanners that can be used like sonograms. If there are twins, it will most likely pick it up during the first scan. If we go by the first time Tosh was pregnant, Owen will be turning on the machine before poor Tosh will have a chance to protest."
"And promptly drop on his arse, no doubt, if there are twins," Ianto stated. After letting out a heavy sigh, he added, "Oh well, we'll just have to hope if it does happen before we're back that there's CCTV footage."
"And knowing Tosh, she probably would have it saved," Jack added.
The others with them laughed.
"If your Owen is anything like me," Owen stated, "if there are twins when you arrive home, he'll no doubt blame you and Ianto, just on general principle."
Ianto laughed. "Oh yes, he's just like you, Owen, and he would."
The adults continued to talk until the children joined them and dinner was served. Afterward, they all went through the rooftop sky amusement part, which had a combination of steam-driven rides more complex than what was in the arcade they had passed, like a small roller coaster, a carousel, teacups and Ferris wheel as well as virtual reality rides such as a super coaster that appeared to go through space, a sailing ship and other adventure type rides. Everyone had such a great time, especially the visitors to the world that they had left much later than planned.
To Jack and Ianto's chagrin, their children were excited and chatty about their evening on the airbus ride back to the hotel. Thankfully, once Jack and Ianto got them washed and ready for bed, they were falling asleep.
