4

Ianto was standing at the closet staring into it and Dylan canted his head as he tried to work out what was wrong, Ianto's frown deep.

"Tadda?"

Ianto swung and immediately smiled, smoothing over the annoyance he had felt, "Hey sweetling."

"Is something wrong?" Dylan asked as he slid onto the foot of the bed, "you were sad?"

"No darling, annoyed" Ianto said, truthful as always, "I am looking at all of my clothes and realise I have been remiss in some of my choices. I don't have a single pair of shorts. Can you believe that? What if we go to the beach for a picnic, no shorts. I wonder when I stopped buying them. Like … so fuddy-duddy now."

"Well, you can get some more, right?" the little boy asked with the logic of a child, "We can all get some and then …. Oh wow…. We could match. Matching shorts? Long ones like surfing ones?"

Ianto smiled, "How about after your session today."

"Do I have to?"

"I know it feels weird and not nice to talk about things with someone you don't know but it also means when you are done you don't have to talk about it again do you. I mean, you said it out loud and it's gone to the cosmos then" Ianto said as he knelt by the bed, his hands on Dylan's knees as he smiled at him. "Doc Harvey does not tell us what you talk about because you are friends so it's OK to keep secrets together."

"He is nice" Dylan nodded as he placed his own hands over Ianto's, "I do like him I just …"

"Would it be easier if I am in the room too? Me and Dad with you? I think he would be OK with that now" Ianto frowned, "If you are uncomfortable."

"Really?" Dylan asked "Like … just at first? Until I feel OK?"

"Anything you need Cariad" Ianto smiled and Dylan felt that spark of something in his chest at the endearment he heard Ianto call his Dad as well. He knew it was a special one as Dad always smiled too.

Ianto made the call and Doctor Harvey agreed, admitting Dylan had become a little agitated last time once the door had closed. "The poor boy has an immense fear of losing you both. His Mother's death is something he is accepting now, I feel some interaction might help if he sees you and Jack are happy to speak to me as well."

"He is a good boy, just internalizes things and chews on them. I see a lot of me at his age, maybe why it is so easy to relate" Ianto sighed, "Jack and I shall see you soon."

Jack was happy to do whatever Ianto suggested, sitting with him in the office as Dylan shot to the shelves and came back to show Ianto a book, "Look."

Ianto accepted the book and laughed softly as he recognised it, making Doctor Harvey look up with interest, "And the funny thing is?"

"Taddy!" Dylan chortled, "Look. His name here, he wrote a book you have."

"That's right" Ianto snorted, "Pop it back now. We are not here to talk about me."

"Ianto Jones, good grief, you are THEE Ianto Jones? The Child Whisperer?" Doctor Harvey leaned back in his chair, "So it makes it even easier to see why young Master Dylan here is doing so well. All this time and you've not corrected me once."

"Why would I? I trust you and your handling of our child" Ianto assured him, "He is not afraid of you, just of not seeing us."

"I have noted that he seems to lean more towards you Mister Jones, not his father?" Doctor Harvey realised he could ask the more meaty questions and get the answers, recognising a fellow child therapist.

"Jack and his wife had problems before her accident, then there was a length of time when Jack had to finish his service so I was the primary. Then Dylan's mother finally died. During that time Jack and I connected via the long distance vid-com links and upon his return we have realised we are not only suited, we are made for one another. Dylan sees us as equals but clings more to me as I am not guaranteed as his father is. He still fears the potential loss of me" Ianto surmised, "After the wedding he will feel more confident as it will prove our bond to him. Until then, he is afraid."

"I see, he clings to you in an effort to keep you" he nodded, "Also, as you are the subject of HER ire, he must be terrified. His mother's death has taught him that even someone you rely on can leave unexpectedly, he knows death."

"And that is the crux of the matter. I was unwell when she struck due to a spider bite. It saw me sick, he saw fall, he saw me weak. It terrifies him to know someone who he sees as his protector is also someone who can be hurt." Ianto agreed.

Doctor Harvey closed his file and smiled at Ianto and Jack, "I see no need to prolong this session anymore, someone wants to go. Dylan, thank you for letting your parentals speak today, it was interesting to learn how clever your Ianto is. I am glad you found him and I know he is glad he found you."

Dylan glowed as they left the building into the bright sunny day.

"Before we go home we need to do some shopping Cariad" Ianto said as Jack handed him his dark glasses from the case in his Great Coat pocket, "Shorts."

"Shorts?"

"Yes my love. Long ones."