10

Jack arrived with Owen, and Owen looked over the edge at Ianto with wide eyes while Jack made his way down the rocky bank with the effortless grace of a man used to uneven terrain. Ianto was relieved and sought comfort for a moment in his lover's arms then stepped back and squared his shoulders before giving Jack a blow by blow …. Pardon the pun … account of what had happened.

"Shit. Are you really OK?" Owen asked, such a good doctor that he had noticed Ianto's wrist being protectively held against him with his other hand.

"I wrenched it while clinging to the grillwork" Ianto said without thinking, then got to see a rare Harkness meltdown as Jack gaped, swore then ranted for a while, kicking at the dirt and almost toppling off the edge a few feet to the beach below.

"Jack!" Owen huffed "Stop being a twat, it doesn't help us if you twist your ankle now does it?"

Ianto watched the local constable and mayor approach and he stood, relaying everything he could remember to the men as Owen checked his wrist, then Jack asked if this could continue another time. He gave the men a business card with their new address on it, something that surprised Ianto but he did not question it until they were in Jack's SUV heading home.

"OK. Now the entire thing" Jack said with a calm smile to show he was in control again.

Ianto repeated it, including how he had felt, what he had thought as he knew Jack needed those. Jack needed the whole picture and he nodded as he listened without interrupting like the constable had.

"The business cards?"

"Were going to be a housewarming surprise for you but I figure we should try moving in there as quietly as possible. If this was an attack on you they might know where we are. Best we not be there anymore. Tosh and Luce are already packing, the kids are with Sarah-Jane at the shop." Jack explained "I sort of went into panic mode when I realised this was not an accident. Your voice on the phone was … too clipped. To precise. You were shielding fear. I felt it."

"Well … thank you. Yes, good idea" Ianto agreed, his wrist feeling better now it was tightly wrapped and Owen poked at his chest so he said gently "I have some bruising from the seatbelt but I don't feel any pain. Honest Owen. I would say."

"What were you doing out here anyway?" Jack asked with a gentle pat to Ianto's knee that made Owen pull back from between the seats and Ianto was grateful for that too, Jack keeping his arm there so Owen was forced to wait.

"A bargain" Ianto huffed "An SUV I liked the look of, I wanted to look at it. Ironically I was considering getting rid of my convertible for a family car. Looks like I REALLY need one now."

Owen grunted and Ianto looked back, grinning as he watched the dog place a paw on Owen's knee. Ianto pointed "I think he is thinking it's his turn now you've seen to my paw."

Owen grinned as he patted the dog and checked the paw it had been limping with as Ianto settled more in the seat and looked at Jack's profile "so. Moved in. Just like that."

"Tosh will have finalized the security procedures " Owen said from the back "I agree with Jack. This could be something to do with those activists screaming for your blood over the cruise shootings. They are still trying to prove you shot civilians despite the footage showing otherwise. I really didn't think they would go this far."

Ianto glanced at Jack "What's he talking about?"

"Some have formed a …well…coalition…"

"Gang" Owen muttered.

Jack continued with a glare in the rear view mirror "A group who are trying to get enough evidence to sue you for the deaths of their family members. Some were shot in full view of other passengers while you were not even in the room but they are saying we caused them to panic and you on the roof of the lifeboat were shooting wildly."

Ianto snorted "Bullshit!"

"See?" Owen laughed "Told you he wouldn't be a wilting bloody flower over this. You shield him far too much Jack."

"And as I've told you … he's mine and I will do anything to keep him safe. Anything" Jack barked angrily "He needs a calm and safe place to rest and repair. I will NOT let these fuckers dump a downer on us!"

"Dump a downer" Ianto replied "Is that a new party drug?"

Owen roared with mirth as Jack glared at the road but Ianto saw the twitch at the corner of his mouth and knew he had calmed things. Seems Jack was keeping a few things. Not exactly lying but … sometimes an omission is similar. Jack must have thought the same thing as he glanced at Ianto "I was going to tell you. Once I knew we were safe in the new place. I was."

"I believe you Cariad" Ianto assured him knowing Jack would never lie.

Not to him.