Longer chapter than normal, and a quick update. This is all of the rest of the COE mess. Prepare for feels, dear reader. Next time: magic. Also, Jack and Ianto reconciling and possibly Ianto explaining things to his sister. Maybe. We'll see.

Disclaimer: blah, too tired for this.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER 9

Most of the snipers' bullets barely missed them, whizzing past or hitting the ground with terrifying noises. Ianto had tears in his eyes from the dust, but thankfully, didn't have time to think about Jack. That was a lie—he thought about Jack plenty as he ran, coughing and stumbling, dead weight in his arms—but he did have things higher up on his priorities list.

It was nearly dawn when Hayden woke. They were in a dark street, sitting on a bench, and Ianto had to muffle Hayden's sob and moan in his filthy jacket so they wouldn't attract any attention. An hour ago, he'd bribed the newspaper boy to give his sister a note, but now all they could do was wait. "Bach, Hayden, shh, it's alright. You're okay."

"…hurts…" Hayden replied. "'S quiet though."

Ianto hugged him and nodded. "Maybe we'll get lucky and it'll stay quiet for a while."

"Is Dad…"

"I don't know, but he… maybe. I hope he's alright."

Hayden bit his lip and leaned even closer to his tad.

"C'mon. Let's find you some food. Your doctor will hate us for letting you go without your meds, but we can't go home."

Hayden nodded again. They picked up only a little bit of food with cash from a small shop, walking slowly and as inconspicuously as possible back towards the docks. Ianto gulped as he saw them pick up the mostly empty body bag, but quickly wrote the license number on his hand. Hayden's grip on his arm had tightened painfully at that.

The walk to the park was a long one, but he walked up behind his sister, Hayden's hand in his, certain that they'd not been seen. They'd been careful, and Hayden, bless his soul, hadn't complained. Ianto's heart though, still thudded in his chest, because as embarrassing as it was, he'd put off telling his family about Jack and Hayden for over five years now. "Hey," he said, standing beside her.

She looked at him and her eyes went wide. She swore, then exclaimed, "What happened to you? And who is that?"

Hayden hid behind his tad nervously, and Ianto kept a hand on his shoulder. "Not sure yet," he answered. "And this is… Hayden. He's… I promise, I'll explain later." Once he came up with an explanation. It's been five years and he hadn't thought of one, so it might be a while.

"I wasn't followed. Sit down."

He did, Hayden practically on top of him, unwilling to let go. "You worked out my little code then?"

"Enough of that. Seriously, how'd you get in that state? And why do you have a child?"

"A bomb. It was meant for me and the people I work with. And I said, I'd explain later, but he's… well he's mine. Your nephew, I mean."

"My god, why? And what the hell do you mean, yours?"

"I don't know."

Thankfully, she dropped the topic of Hayden for now. "What sort of civil servants are you?"

Ianto let out a single breathy chuckle. "Unappreciated ones."

"They okay? The people you work with?"

"I dunno."

All the children stopped again, and Ianto couldn't have been more apprehensive. After all, Hayden had already said things different than the others and the last thing he needed was to bring unwanted attention.

"We are coming tomorrow," they all intoned. But then Hayden smacked his head against the table, only once before Ianto caught him, but then he struggled, thankfully quiet. It didn't last though. He kicked and fought and started to mutter. "Filthy mudblood squib spawn, unworthy of my presence. Should be honored. This world will one day bow before me, Potter or no Potter! I'm wearing him down! Soon he will be mine!"

"What's happening?" Rhiannon asked, panicking.

"He hasn't had his anti-psychotics. I'd hoped it wouldn't be this much of a problem yet."

"Anti-psychotics?" she asked, incredulous.

"He gets hallucinations, a voice. You're hearing it now, I think."

She looked horrified.

The children all went back to playing on the playground and Hayden came back to himself, gasping. "Tad, Tom, he's… he's practically screaming." He held his ears.

"Shit. Bach, you're going to be okay." He started to sooth his son in Welsh, murmuring words that had always been sure to calm him down.

"But the rest of them, what is it?"

Ianto took a deep breath. "I don't know, but this is what we do. We deal with things like this."

"So deal with it. Stop it."

"I need to find Jack. Give me that." He took the laptop from her.

"Who's Jack? And how will this help?"

"He's… my boss. And..." He looked down at Hayden.

"So Dad's okay?"

"And… my husband. I took the number of the van they put him in. You can track any vehicle with the right computer programs."

"What? We talked yesterday! Since when don't you tell me anything? You've dated women!"

"Can we… talk about this later, please? Give me the car keys."

"Oh! Johnny'll do his nut!"

"Please, we've got no time to spare!" She gave him the keys and he started running, Hayden right at his side.

"A 'thank you' would be nice!"

"Look, I'm sorry, I've got to go. Thanks for all of this. I'll pay you back, and Hayden's got a figure skating competition next month. You should come." He got into the car, Hayden climbing into the back, and started the engine.

"Be careful!" Rhiannon shouted.

ooo

Hayden was left in the car when Ianto went to spy on the building Jack was being kept in. Normally, he preferred to keep Hayden close to him, and he almost took the risk, what with Hayden being a danger to himself, currently, but not near a government facility. He would not have his son captured.

As soon as the building's personnel seemed to be distracted elsewhere, he swung up into the large excavator sitting there and ripped Jack's cell out of the building, Gwen and Rhys grabbing onto the side of the cab as he drove away. Then, he dropped the concrete cell off the edge of a rock quarry, all of them jumping in the car and driving down to Jack as fast as possible.

"Jack," Ianto said, as they got back into the car again, a distinctly tight fit now. Hayden had already tackle-hugged his dad. "We've got a bit of a problem, besides the invasion thing. Hayden's… well, we don't have any meds and… he's hurt himself once already today."

Jack hugged their son tighter. "We'll be okay, Ian."

ooo

They went into hiding at an old torchwood storehouse, becoming criminals to get the things they needed. Ianto made sure to get some tranquilizers as heavy as he could over the counter in case Hayden had another episode.

Hayden was leaning up against Jack then, the two speaking slowly in Armenian as he tried not to succumb to sleep against the warmth of his dad, and Ianto was researching.

When Hayden finally did fall asleep, Ianto asked "How is he?"

"He says that Tom is nearly deafening sometimes and gone completely at others. He's scared."

Ianto nodded.

"So Ianto, what's his story?" he asked, pointing to the screen.

"Ah, well, according to Gwen, it was your classic alien abduction back when he was a kid. 1965. He was living ten miles outside Arbroath, the Holly Tree Lodge. It was an orphanage."

Jack, who had been listening, froze with a sudden realization.

"Looked up the files. The kids were taken away November 1965. The lodge was closing down. They were being taken to a second care home called Harbor Heights in Plymouth, except that's where the records stopped. There's no trace of them arriving. I mean it was the sixties; a lot of the paperwork's gone missing. But if what he's saying is true, maybe they never got there."

Jack stood up, nearly forgetting about Hayden until he was jostled by the movement and Jack had to lay him back against the seat. "Show me those people."

"What people?"

"Andrew Stains, Ellen Hunt, Michael Sanders. The ones who were killed the same day as me."

"Why, do you think there's a connection?"

"Show me!" He was leaning on the back of Ianto's chair and he gestured fiercely. "No, no, give me their history. Show me them forty years ago."

"What for?"

"Just do it." Jack froze again as the pictures were replaced on the screen by younger versions.

"Who are they, Jack? Do you know them?"

Jack shook his head, folding his arms defensively. "I never knew their names."

"Who were they? Jack, tell me, did you know them?" Jack broke into a run, grabbing his coat and leaving. "Jack!" And he was gone. Not much longer later, Hayden, still asleep, reached up and arm and pointed, along with all the rest of the children, towards London.

"They're pointing at Thames House."

Hayden interrupted them with a terrifying shriek of obvious rage, followed by "And I'm still stuck here!" which was cut off by Hayden's not-pointing hand reaching up to grip his own throat, choking him.

Ianto cursed and pulled the hand away, waking Hayden up, then forced a tranquilizer into his throat. He soothed Hayden as best as he could while getting his son to swallow, then just hoped he'd fall back to sleep really quickly, because while he was crying, he knew he wouldn't be able to force himself to let go.

Finally, Hayden let out a final quiet "We are here" and mercifully collapsed back into sleep, where, with any luck, he would stay.

ooo

They all sat and watched the scene unfolding through the contact lenses, until Jack returned, looking grim with his hands behind his back. Clem panicked.

"He hasn't changed. He's the same! All those years… how can he be the same?"

Gwen cut in, "What's he talking about Jack?" and Jack took a breath. Ianto had already guessed that Jack knew something now about the time they'd come before.

"Clement McDonald. Just another name. It was easier if you didn't know the names." Jack sounded guilty now. Very guilty and uncomfortable and Ianto wished he could help.

"You were there? In 1965?" Gwen asked.

"He was the man," Clem said terrified.

"No, no, this is what he does, you see? He fights them. He fights aliens." Gwen was trying to be comforting, but she was failing. "Isn't that right Jack?"

"No."

"Then what were you doing there?"

"I gave them the kids."

Ianto couldn't look away, surprised, but not as upset as he thought he maybe should be. He just wished Jack would tell him these things instead of running off.

"1965, I gave them twelve children."

"What for?"

"As a gift."

Then, Ianto looked away, staring at the ground, as the full impact of Jack's probable regret hit him. He would be torn apart by a decision like that, let alone it having unforeseen consequences like now. He couldn't imagine.

"In 1965, I gave them twelve children," Jack repeated.

"You just handed them over and hoped for the best?" Gwen sounded incredulous.

"You are in every nightmare I've ever had."

"I'm sorry." He hadn't once left that military stance, but he did now, taking just a step forward. Clem grabbed a gun from the nearest holster and shot. And Jack died. Again. Ianto ran to him as Gwen and Rhys tried to calm down Clem. It was a miracle that Hayden was still out.

Jack gasped back into life and clung to Ianto and he clung right back, trying to shove down the hundreds of possible explanations that were coming to mind. All the reasons that Jack could have done it that he didn't really want to think about.

"I can't believe you didn't mention this earlier."

"They didn't speak through kids back then." They both glanced over at where Hayden was laid out under a blanket. "I didn't recognize the signs at first."

Ianto looked up at him, emotion flooding his face. "That's not what I meant."

Jack ducked his head. "I know. I just… talking about these things… don't make them better." Ianto nodded and their foreheads dropped to press together.

"Just, I want to know. I know you think sometimes that I don't, Jack, but I do. I want to know all about you. Everything."

Jack nodded, then pressed their lips together quickly before Rhys interrupted.

ooo

Ianto wanted to say something, after Jack walked away from the discovery of what had happened to those children—what would happen to so many more. He wanted to try to comfort Jack through words, but he knew it wouldn't work, so he simply got close, allowing Jack to take comfort from his presence.

"What should I have done?"

He shook his head. "I don't know."

Jack nodded, putting on a brave front. "I've gotta go. I won't be long." Ianto gave him a questioning look. "I've got to call Frobisher and I can't make the call from here." He turned to go, but turned back again, "And… they took Alice and Stephen yesterday."

"Your daughter and grandson?"

Jack nodded and Ianto frowned. There was nothing that could be said to that, really.

ooo

"Three two five zero zero zero." Ianto cursed and went to Hayden, who had promptly awoken at the hijacking of his body. Thankfully, a bit of the tranquilizer seemed to still be slowing him down, just a little bit, and he was able to get a firm hold on his son before he did any severe damage to himself.

"Sh, sh, sh," he said, before starting in on the comforting welsh murmuring again.

ooo

"We've got enough evidence to destroy everyone in that room," Gwen announced in disgust.

"And we can use it to force our way into Thames House. Finally get face-to-face with this thing."

"And get your family released."

"Right, everyone know what they're doing?"

"What if I can't get Lois to agree to this, Jack?"

"She hasn't let us down yet. Ianto?"

"Jack, I…" He was holding Hayden, who was murmuring to himself in a dead language and sobbing gently.

Jack closed his eyes for a moment, leaning against a chair. "Okay, stay with him. He's safer with you."

He grabbed a gun and left, taking the car, but leaving it when the traffic stalled.

Ianto kissed Hayden on the temple as soon as he was starting to calm down. "I've got to go make a call. It'll just take a few minutes. You alright?"

Hayden nodded, trying to wipe away the tear streaks, and Ianto gave him a smile. "I'll be right back."

He walked a block away and then pulled out his phone to call his sister and warn her, letting the call be traced back to him. Then he rushed back, getter there just in time to take Hayden's hand before a whole group of people in black special ops uniforms swarmed the place. Then he let Gwen do the negotiating.

Soon enough, they were being lead into the room of bodies, where they found Jack, and waited for him to gasp back into life. Jack hugged his kid, murmured how proud he was, then turned to Ianto, perfectly aware of how quickly everything would have crashed around him if he'd been in there as planned and died. Without another moment of hesitation, he kissed his lover, hard, trying to force all those feelings into that action. When he pulled back, Ianto's eyes were wide. He coughed awkwardly and said, "Well, right, um, down to business then." And Jack laughed with relief.

ooo

Ianto stayed with Hayden, Stephen, and Alice. With them was the safest place for Hayden, because they were being held as insurance—playing pieces—but Hayden had also been off his medication for over three days now, and was in danger of serious physical side effects. Ianto needed to be there for him-to be an anchor when all Hayden could hear was the screamed insults and threats in his head and to hold him down when he lost control of his body and tried to hurt himself. Either Ianto or Jack had to be there for that and it was clear that Jack, as the face of Torchwood, was needed at the front of things. So Ianto stayed. And Jack and Gwen negotiated and threatened and worked with the government.

And then Gwen and Rhys went home, and Jack got his own cell. When Alice and Stephen were released, they didn't get far. And neither did Ianto and Hayden. All four of them met Jack as he was walked through the hall much later, hands still cuffed behind him.

Stephen ran at him and hugged his legs with an exclamation of "Uncle Jack!" and Hayden hit the other side with a soft "Dad!" Jack actually leaned down to kiss Hayden's hair, and greeted Stephen with a grin and a "Hey, soldier!" but then they were both shoved gently away as Jack was pushed further down the corridor. Ianto took charge of both kids then, hanging behind while Alice followed her father and the group of soldiers.

ooo

"But we've got no way of transmitting," Jack said, frustrated.

"Of course you have."

Jack looked at the man standing next to him, and then realized and looked down. "Shut up."

"Same way as them."

"I'll find something else."

"What does he mean?" Johnson asked.

"Don't listen to him," Jack responded.

"Dekker, tell me."

"The 456 use children to establish the resonance."

"Meaning what?"

"We need a child."

"What do you mean?" Alice asked.

"Center of the resonance." He laughed. "That child's gonna fry."

Everyone paused.

"No, Dad. No, tell them no."

"One child or millions," Johnson mused.

"Dad, no. Dad, tell them no!"

"We're running out of time," Johnson insisted.

"Dad, no! No, Dad!"

"Captain!"

Jack took a deep breath, then nodded.

Then, when the soldiers went to go fetch one, he stopped them. "No, bring Ianto and Hayden."

When they were there, Jack kneeled in front of Hayden, looking up into his son's face. "Hey Kiddo," he said softly.

"Jack, what's going on?" Ianto asked.

Ianto would never forgive him for this. "I need you to be brave for me. Can you do that? Can you be brave?" And it might not even work because the transmission hadn't come through very well in Hayden's mind either. But maybe… maybe that would make him stronger? "It's going to hurt, but it will save millions of kids. Please, Hayden." And Hayden, looking incredibly confused, nodded.

"Jack!?" He couldn't even look at Ianto, and neither could Alice, obviously, as she hugged Stephen and avoided all gazes.

Carefully, he got Hayden into position and started jumping to make the connections. He'd hate himself for this. He already hated himself for this. He'd drink himself to death for years, probably. And then, tears brimming, Jack pressed the button. Then he typed in the code and Hayden started screaming at the same pitch as the sound coming from the machine.

"Jack, what are you doing?" And then, Ianto realized. And he screamed. And he shouted. The soldiers had to hold him back because Jack just stood there.

Stood there, tears rolling down his cheeks from his tightly closed eyes as Hayden started to shake.

And then it all stopped. Blood was streaked from Hayden's nose and ears, and he collapsed to the ground, where Ianto bolted out to him, Jack following, until Ianto screamed at him to stay away.

"Please, please, please," he whispered to himself through the tears. He was an idiot.

Ianto pumped Hayden's heart 2, 6, 9 times, and then Hayden gasped and screamed. He screamed and screamed and screamed, then he fell silent, clutching onto Ianto's waistcoat as he gasped for air.

Jack slumped down to sit against the wall, not believing his luck but equally horrified that Ianto would hate him forever. Hayden might forgive him. Maybe. But Ianto? Probably never. But Hayden was alive.

"You bastard," Alice said. "You complete and utter bastard. You would have done that to me in a heartbeat. You would have used Stephen." She shook her head and walked away and Jack buried his face in his arms.

Review, maybe?

Thanks for reading!

-MP