4

John had stalled out as he stared at the child and Phoenix turned to Jack with a look of confusion.

"Johnno?" Jack stepped closer to the man and reached out, touching his shoulder.

John suddenly burst into life again, like Jack has flipped a switch, "Danger? How can I keep him safe, keep you all safe?"

The man that swung to face Jack was one he had not known for over a millennia.

He saw the young man he had first been partnered with, full of vim and vigour … or piss and vinegar as Owen would have said. Before the horrors that rotted his mind and soured his heart. He saw Johnno.

"Tell me Jax" he stepped into his personal space without any of the usual sexual inclination, "What can I do?"

Phoenix canted his head and hummed as he let Ianto watch and he felt something in the back of his mind as feathers rustled.

"No!"

Both men turned to see Phoenix's look of horror, "He's too young to bond. He's just a chick."

"Huh?" Jack grunted with surprise as John stepped towards his mate.

"Please, I see this. I … it's not something I can choose, he is so much of both of you but also … I see a purity. A … his eyes" John whispered as he was now face to face with Phoenix.

"I see it" Phoenix slumped, "He has you."

"Until the stars fall from the sky" John said solemnly.

"What? No!" Jack was catching up to the conversation, "You are my psycho ex-boyfriend. You will not be my son's mate."

"Daddy"

They all looked down at the child who was cradling the bauble to his chest, "It is not your choice to make, and it is my heart to give or keep."

"Bennu" Jack sighed as he looked to Phoenix for support but found Ianto looking back defiantly through Smokey eyes.

"I do not know" Bennu frowned, "But, something in him is ... Like a warm bath when I feel poorly and Taddy sings to me. I feel, like… I am at peace with him."

"See?" John grinned with delight, "He has your heart, your hearts. I felt it once, in the elevator. Sure there was a gun involved but I felt that spark of … wow. He has it, it was him I saw all along within eye candy. That's why I was attracted, why that day, when I saw the bump I was beyond control. Why I came when he was birthing, oh wow."

"The gods and goddess were guiding me to him, over and over again!" John clapped as he looked at Bennu again and smiled softly, then gasped.

"Jack" John said with wide eyes, "I was not supposed to be here today, my VM failed and … I mean …"

John checked his VM and crowed as he showed it to Jack in perfect working order.

"He speaks the truth" Phoenix concurred as he and Ianto finished their silent discussion in the ethos.

"Shit!"

"Bad word Daddy!" Bennu frowned.

"You are too young for me" John sighed, "Yet!"

"But you can be mine" Bennu grinned.

"Keep us safe, protect what you seek to claim and in time, he shall be free to make his own choice!" Phoenix said with a deep booming voice of a firebird.

John looked triumphant as they walked back to the transporter and Jack seethed quietly as he carried some of the many gifts John had bestowed on his ward.

Phoenix knew there would be fireworks once they were back in their quarters but he also knew this was Bennu's life, his love and ultimately his heart.