7

As they left the city centre the Zs became less frequent.

The stress levels dropped inside the SUV and Owen started to talk.

He spoke of manmade viruses, population density and finally he spoke of the end of all things.

"Owen!" Ianto spoke forcefully, yet quietly, "If Stephen were not asleep and had heard your vomitus negativity I would have Jack pull over so I can beat the living tar out of you, then leave you for the fucking Zs."

"What?" Owen squeaked with surprise.

"Do you think it helps?" Ianto prompted, "Do you think he needs to know any of that? You think we didn't know any of that? Christ on a crutch Owen! A little positivity, yeah?"

"Well, fuck." Owen pouted as he threw himself back against the seat, "Forgot he was there!"

"OK then," Ianto said softly, "I'll forget you said all that then. Please Owen positive thoughts?"

"Yeah" Owen huffed, "Sorry Ianto."

Jack struggled to focus in the road as he listened incredulously to the apology. Seems those two were getting closer than he had first thought.

Alice held her sleeping child and wondered just how stuffed they really were. Tosh patted her hand and smiled softly to let her know this weird conversation was normal.

Ianto had them stop and wait to see how long it took for Zs to turn up. He timed it and seemed satisfied with the lack of response from the bushes along the roadside.

He took the driver's seat and pulled out, ahead of Rhys. He saw familiar markings and felt a surge of relief as a secret, prearranged sign flashed by with a large green tick painted on the roadside signage over the usual advertisements.

He swung the SUV off the road and aimed at the hedgerow. He then gave three sharp bursts of the horn followed by one long.

Jack looked back at Owen who was on the edge of his seat, and they shrugged at each other. Then the hedgerow folded back like French doors.

They all gaped as Ianto drove slowly through the gap and the hedgerow reformed behind them.

The compound was huge. Several buildings and chickens running about. Pens and a barn were in the distance and the hedgerow had some sort of grid fencing along the inside of it.

A dog lopped up and began barking. Ianto let the window down halfway and waited. Several more dogs appeared and Jack swore. All different breeds but most of them large and well fed.

"Slazenger!" Ianto bellowed and the dogs dropped to their bellies.

"What the fuck?" Owen snorted.

"Had to be a word not commonly used and not likely to be accidentally spoken in front of them" Ianto explained as he opened the door, "The S word turns then on and off like little robot doggies. Doesn't it silly billies?"

The dogs wagged their tails and one even crawled forward a little with delight.

"Ianto" an elderly woman was running towards them, her grey hair streaming behind her.

"Nainny!" Mica screamed from the truck cab and Rhys lifted her down so she could run to the woman.

"Oh, oh god. My wee girl" the woman dropped to her knees and sobbed as she cuddled the child.

"Ianto?" an elderly man had appeared from nowhere and Jack realised they had been flanked, a large rifle slung over his shoulder.

"Hello Poppy" Ianto said softly, looking at his shoes.

"Your sister? David?" The man asked then slumped. "Shit a brick!"

"Nainny, Poppy said a bad word" Mica whispered.

"Oh, honey" she lifted the child and walked back toward the house as Ianto stood in front of his grandfather.

"Well." The old man focused on Jack.

"Ifan Jones" he held out his hand.

"Captain Jack Harkness" Jack smiled as he accepted the handshake.

"Really?" the old man's eyebrows raised, "And how do you know my grandson, Ianto?"

"I'm his boss" Jack grinned and Ianto groaned softly.

"Torchwood?" old grey eyes rolled to focus on a cowering Welshman.

"Poppy" Ianto whispered.

"Yep" Jack grinned, "Ianto is my archivist and field agent. Looks good in a suit too!"

"Oi" Ianto barked automatically, "that's harassment that is!"

Jack grinned some more and the old man snorted then looked back at Ianto, "Really? Him?"

"Poppy" Ianto warned.

"When you said you'd met someone who made you feel alive I was hoping for someone less …" he struggled for a word, "Flamboyant."

"Well, yeah" Ianto blushed as Jack turned to leer at him, "He is that."

"I make you feel alive?" Jack preened.

"Well, I was pretty dead when you gave me that kiss of life Sir, so I guess that counts!" Ianto barked back.

"What?" Ifan gaped at his grandson.

"Later Poppy, yeah?" Ianto begged and he nodded.

Ianto knew that it wouldn't go away, he got his eidetic memory from him after all. Damn.

Owen had watched the whole exchange with his arms folded and he finally decided to make his presence known.

"So, what was it again? Slaz …"

Ianto slapped his hand over Owen's mouth as the dogs pricked their ears.

"Don't you have your own dog?" Ianto whispered and Owen gasped at the reminder.

"Hey Harkness, help me get this back up" Owen thumbed over his shoulder in the direction of the truck and Jack gave Ifan one more grin before flouncing off.

Ianto grabbed his Grandfather's arm and pulled him around so he had a good view of the back of the truck as well as the two men preparing to unload it.

Jack was scoffing at Owen's inability to open a simple Truck gate as he released the roller doors and the weevil exploded from the back like it was in slow motion.

Jack's face fell and his arms wind milled as he was knocked backwards.

Jack squealed and landed back on his arse as Janet loomed over him, her snarl viable through her muzzle. The dogs reacted like all dogs who had ever encountered such a beast, they ran.

Ianto burst into peals of laughter as did Owen as he struggled to contain Janet.

"God damn it Owen!" Jack roared from the dirt, "Who said to bring the bloody weevil!"

Owen poked his tongue out as he led Janet over to the grass. She hummed and clawed at the ground quizzically.

"Grass" Owen said to her, "Remember?"

"So!" Ifan huffed, "That's what a weevil really looks like."