10

Jack woke to the sound of clinking and sat up, looking around blearily and finding his husband helping a young woman set out their evening meal.

Ianto was speaking softly as he thanked the woman, his hands moving over her arms in a display of affection as he asked if there were any casualties. Her repeated assurances that there were only a few minor injuries and all staff were accounted for pleased him and he smiled as he thanked her again for her service.

"No, Lieutenant Hallet" she replied with her head held high, "We thank you for your service. My brother served in your corps. He was one of those you saved that day, even as your mate died at your feet you stood and commanded the vessel, saving him and twenty nine others who would have perished in the battle. With your captain dead, your mate who was his second dying you were calm and brave, your own injuries so stark. He had nightmares about you. He would wake screaming for a medic, always for you. Your poor face. All of us know who you are, you served your quadrant with honour and it is my honour to serve you now!"

Ianto grew silent as he listened and he nodded as he reached for a chair to sit, "I do not talk of that time. So much was lost, so much was sacrificed. But you are right, we did win that skirmish. My dear wife knew before she breathed her last that I had survived and so had the vessel. I promised her I would return to our daughter and tell her of her mother's bravery. I held my wife's name while in service as is the custom when bonded to a higher ranking mate. I've not been called that since she grew cold in my lap."

"And now you are again bonded to one of military standing" she prompted, "Will you retain your name of take his? He was a captain. Does he accept yours as a higher rank?"

Ianto laughed as he shook his head, "Jack and I have not discussed this, I think he will sort of want to keep his name until we know we are going to last beyond the first six weeks. Can you imagine the stress of changing all your stationery?"

She laughed with him and Jack joined in the conversation as he spied the cameraman standing near the door, "As neither of us are now in service it is a mote point. But I like the sound of Harkness-Jones."

Ianto spun to look in his direction with interest, "Harkness-Jones. I like that too. Damn, we both have to change our stationery now."

Jack found himself drawn to this man and as his hands slid around his waist he was pleased to find Ianto leaning into the clutch, as eager as he to connect their bodies.

"Hello husband" Jack whispered, kissing him as the camera swung to catch it.

"Hello husband" Ianto's eyes twinkled with merriment and although they were almost sightless, Jack found them fathomless as well, staring deep into them as the ground shifted.

"Another storm?" he asked softly and looked around to find everyone else looking at him with confusion, "Did you not feel the ship shift?"

"Jack?" Ianto frowned, "It didn't."

"Wow" Jack huffed, "I could have sworn ….wow."

Ianto blushed as he let Jack guide him back to sit and accept the meal from the eager woman.

"A first lieutenant" Jack said softly as he buttered a roll for his husband, "No wonder you have such poise, all that time spend practicing with a stick up your arse."

Ianto blinked and then roared with laughter as he accepted whatever his husband was offering, humming as he bit into the bead to enjoy the salty butter.

"I can't believe they serve butter made with real salt" Ianto hummed, "It has been outlawed on several planets."

"That's the beauty of space flight" Jack agreed, "They have hyper vodka too."

"STOP!" Ianto flapped his hands, "That stuff almost made me go blind ….oh shit ….oops."

They both roared with laughter as Ianto flapped at his gaffe, letting Jack see him for the first time …really see him.

What the hell.

They had just survived an experience that destroys over 60% of vessels, make or break.

"You know what I do love though?" Ianto leaned forward and so did Jack, "Remember those sweets with the pink centres? What were they called ….ah …not pinkies …ah…"

Jack knew the ones he meant and he wracked his brain, "Mooshies? No, I know, I can see them shit ….ha! Pickers!"

"That's right" Ianto clapped with glee then sang, "Pick a picker quickly!"

They laughed some more, "Gods. My aunt always gave me a bag on a Friday after I helped her clean her house after school. I ate those after I got home while doing my homework. Then I'd help Rhia do the evening meal before my father got home from his day's work and we would all eat. I always saved two for bedtime. One for me and one for Rhia. If our Da had been extra mean I would let her have them both. Gods. I had forgotten that."

"Your Da was a hard man" Jack asked softly.

"My mother died in service when I was quite young, Rhia really raised me while out father beat the snot out of us" Ianto snorted, "A drunk who was never cleared for service and hated the fact Mama went instead. Paid the ultimate sacrifice for her quadrant. Each month when the cheque came he would drink it come home and …well."

Jack saw the pain and reached for Ianto's hand, squeezing softly as he whispered, "He hurt you."

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" Ianto said defiantly. "That has been my mantra. He made me wary of affection from others, he made me hate drunks and he made me loathe child molesters with a passion. I chose to go into service long before I was called. One of the few to enlist. Knowing what the Ferebhols do to their offspring made me feel physically ill. I look at my wee Lolly and wonder how a parent could ever want to cause their child pain. Why."

"When I saw those early pictures of the children, carved up so their scars would serve as some sort of ownership," Jack shuddered, "To think they still have slaves and abuse the children as young as five years of age is sickening. My own brother was taken in a raid early in the war. I never saw him again. Finding what they did to their prizes …I still think of him and want to weep."

"I am sorry" Ianto whispered.

"I served to honour him" Jack smiled with a shrug.

Ianto didn't feel the need to ay anymore so he reached out to take his hand. Squeezing gently to show support.

Jack sighed softly.

"Ianto. You do realise I am falling in love with you, right?"