Chapter 2

"Shit"

Ianto hears the soft curse that originates behind a tree three ones across from the one he is currently standing next to.

"Got you" He whispers under his breath as he rushes towards his victory. Ianto was about to give up on this game of hide and seek, Joel is way too good at it, and Ianto hasn't had a chance to be the hider yet, even though they have been playing for what seems to be ages. Ianto sneaks up behind the huge oak, where he heard the voice dome from, and bends round with a huge grin, shouting.

"Found you Joel, now it's my turn to hide."

"I'm not Joel" is the reply, as Ianto stares at Captain Jack Harkness once again, only this time he is naked.

"You're naked" Ianto answers, with the bluntness only children can muster. Jack looks down at his body as if taking in his body for the first time.

"You'd be right about that Ianto Jones, very observant. Now you wouldn't have any clothes that I could borrow for my visit?"

Ianto smiles wildly at this, as he scurries over to a nearby tree which has small hole at the base. He pulls out a handful of material which he flourishes in Jack's direction.

"It's what you wore last time. I thought I'd keep it safe for you just in case. And well Rhiannon's shirt was all stretched and I knew mam would blame me, so I hid them in that tree" He gestures wildly behind him.

"Right . . . well thank you, I guess it was too much to ask for clothes that actually fit" Jack mutters, as he pulls on the fabric quickly. "Um . . . you called me Joel, is he a friend of yours?"

Ianto nods excitedly.

"Where would this Joel be? I don't really want everyone finding me here, do we, as it's our little secret, right?" Jack asks, as Ianto's brighten at the inclusion he feels at Jack's words.

"Yeah of course Jack, you will be my secret, I won't tell anyone, not even Joel even if he is my best friend in the entire world. It used to be Harry, but he always used to eat all my smarties when I brought them in, but Joel only likes the yellow ones, so I can share with him, because I only like the blue and green ones." Ianto releases all this information and Jack finds it very hard to keep up.

"Wow well, that is very interesting Ianto, but do you know where Joel is now?" He asks quickly to stem anymore rambling.

"Well, no, not really. We were playing hide and seek, and see he is really good at it, and I never find him, last time we played it took me ages and ages and ages to find him."

"And where was he then?" Jack asks his curiosity over taking everything else.

"He had gone home ten minutes into the game." Ianto replies solemnly and Jack cannot stop his laugh as it bursts through the quiet forest. Even Ianto joins in, though he is not quite sure what he is laughing at.

"So, there isn't much chance of Joel finding me in the wood then" Jack replies, the earnest expression back in place.

"No" Ianto replies with as much vigour as he can muster. He doesn't want Joel to find out or anyone, Jack is his secret, and he doesn't want to share him.

"Ianto" Jack begins as he moves back to the seat he had taken last time. "How long ago has it been since I was last here?"

Ianto concentrates very hard at this question and a little pink tongue darts out from behind his teeth as he tries to remember. "Well the last time you came was a Thursday I think . . . and it is now a Wednesday, according to our teacher" Ianto explains. Jack nods at this. Okay that's not too bad, just six days in between jumps not too bad then.

"Only six days then, that's not too bad then, though I must say you young folk grow quickly in Wales, I swear you were a lot smaller six days ago" Jack chuckles, as his hand gently messes with Ianto's hair.

"Wait" Ianto starts, thinking hard. "It's been a lot longer than six days. It was a Thursday, but ages ago, ages and ages ago. We've had Easter and the May holidays in between your visits." Ianto answers as his brows knit together. Jack can barely nod at the information as he tries to fathom how much time has elapsed between jumps to, wherever here is. At the time he had thought this had been a one off, a weird alien encounter that had transported him to Wales of all places, now he is not so sure.

"Did you not complete your mission?" Ianto asks, as he stares at Jack, a habit that the little boy never seems to tire of.

"What?" Jack asks, genuinely confused.

"You know that mission the queen had sent you on, that made you come to the woods at the edge of my garden. When you disappeared last time, I thought that you had completed your mission. Did something go wrong, is that why you are back? Do you need help? Because I would be great at helping you Mister Jack, my teacher says I am great little helper, and I learnt ever so much about spying from James Bond, Tad's even got the newest one on video and says that I can watch it with him when mam goes to mam-gu next week."

Jack can't help but smile at the small boy as he continues to waffle on about all the things Ianto could do, and how much he could help Jack with his super-secret spy mission.

"Whoa there tiger, I am sure you would be an amazing accomplice for me, but there is only one task that I need to you to do for me. Now bear in mind this is a very important take and, you and only you can do this for me, are you up for the challenge Ianto Jones?" Jack asks with all seriousness.

Ianto does not even need to consider this as he nods emphatically at Jack. "I'll do anything for you Jack" Ianto promises, as Jack chuckles, silently filing this information away for later.

"Well I need you to keep what you have seen as a secret, and always make sure that there are clothes in the woods ready if I happen to need them again."

Ianto nods at Jack's request, but Captain can tell there is a lot less enthusiasm in it than before.

"You know I am entrusting you with a very important task Ianto. I would never ask Joel to do this for me, only you Ianto." Ianto lets the words seep in before he nods once more before he flashes Jack a genuine smile

"You can trust me Mister Jack" Ianto replies as he smiles broadly.

"I always knew I could." Jack replies knowingly.