2

Ianto stood under the water as the shower pummelled him and after a while he reached up to disconnect the arm, letting it slide from his grasp to the tile floor and allowing his stump the gentle kiss of water.

He raised his hand to slide around and feel the scar tissue, gently kneading the scar tissue older than the rest, the exit wound on his front aching more that the small entry on at the back.

Ironic that she chose to remove the arm that had so offended him and he knew it was because of that memory. The moment they connected with the cyber tech she had seen that memory, felt his fear and self hatred and so acted accordingly. Removing the part of him that hadn't effectively done its job.

The bullet had travelled straight through him and into his Mama, taking her from him and plunging him into darkness. Lisa had known, she had seen and she had kept it. Swallowing it down as he had, keeping it safe, him safe.

He had failed. As she took him over, he had been left unable to defend himself as well as hide that final room she had struggled with, a small boy is only so strong inside such a childish construct, holding onto a doorknob from inside a hidden room with all his might as the demon raged outside and pulled repeatedly at it.

Ianto let his head fall back and the water cascaded over his face, washing away salty tears as he wept.

Oh Mama.

He hadn't had that dream in so long, one he had double locked in his mind's archive but the car in the ditch, the water in his shoes as he struggled with the woman's limp body had unlocked it and now he was forcing himself to stand and let the water wash over him.

Finally he stepped out and found Jack standing there with a crying baby, "He won't stop. Started screaming and I think it's you. He needs to see you."

"Heath?" Ianto said softly, a flash of a road sign as he speaks with Heath's name lit up on it.

Heath road.

Ianto reached for the baby and held him against him, not caring that he was wet and the little boy stopped crying as he nuzzled into the wet skin of his protector.

Jack got a towel and dried Ianto down, kneeling to lovingly dry his feet as he sat on the bench and crooned to their boy.

A towelling robe and they moved to the bedroom where a now wet baby got a fresh set of clothes and some gentle kisses to his wee chest, above his too fast beating heart. As always, those feather touches soothed and calmed, Heath's alarm fading along with his Taddy's and Ianto settled in the bed.

Jack pulled up the covers telling Ianto to stay there, he was getting some breakfast for them all, then he kissed him with such gentleness, yet it seemed so possessive that Ianto felt his heart skip.

Ianto looked down at the huge eyes looking up and smiled softly, "You saw? Sorry darling. It's a secret, yeah?"

Heath considered and then he nodded just the once to show acceptance, then reached up his hand, palm out to seal the deal.

Ianto kissed it, sucking in a few fingers as the imp snorted with delight and then those eyes slid to the stump.

"Shit" Ianto huffed, "It's still in the shower, Daddy will get it pumpkin."

"Get what?" Jack said as he entered with a tray.

"My arm" Ianto replied and Jack grunted as he put the tray down and headed to get the arm.

Ianto raised the baby to his shoulder and little hands reached out to touch the exit wound's scar, tracing the edges of the gunshot's nasty remains and Ianto shivered as the hand stilled and Heath sighed softly.

Jack retuned with the arm wrapped in a towel and waved it at Ianto.

"No, just leave it to dry, he seems Ok now" Ianto smiled, and then looked at the baby who was now stroking the stump as he snuffled softly. It hit was the clarity of cold air when stepping from a warm house into snow.

It was not the arm the baby sought, but the stump.

Ianto fed the arm, powered the arm and it was him that the baby wanted. His power.

Ianto glanced at Jack, wondering if he knew and saw only affection as Jack stroked a tiny cheek and asked Heath if he wanted his botty bott-bott.

Heath squealed with delight and threw himself back, caught deftly by Ianto and they both laughed as the baby opened his mouth and presented himself to be fed.

"Lucky my real arm is strong too, you stink" Ianto snorted, "What if I dropped you?"

Heath then melted their heart as he did a patented "Jones Eye-roll" at his Taddy to show that he was not in the mood for such nonsense.

The bottle was dutifully plugged into the correct socket and Heath closed his eyes as he sucked, one hand gripping his Taddy's thumb as hard as he could.

Taddy was still scared of the memory.

It had been scary and nasty and it had hurt.

Poor Taddy.

Heath opened his eyes and looked up into the loving ones watching and knew his Taddy would never fail him as his own Taddy had in the dream.

He hadn't been running towards him.

Heath had seen as well.

Ianto's Taddy had been running away.

Screaming Ianto's mama's name as he had left him behind, standing in the water with his dying mother at his feet.

Heath knew his Taddy would never leave him.

He had his Mama's heart.