11

Suzie knew something was up, she felt it as she stepped into the Hub and she looked expectantly at Ianto's kitchen doorway, thinking he would be heading out with that prim and proper expression but there was only space.

She sat and waited, surprised when it was Owen who approached to sit and look at her nervously.

"Riftlings" he began softly, "They are everywhere, undetectable and not all dangerous."

She nodded and canted her head wondering what the purpose was of this silly lecture. They had been cannibals, not Riftlings.

"Ianto…seems he….shit" Owen rubbed his face "Ianto was born with female parts as well as male and was always tagged male."

"He's a Riftling" she said calmly, blinking back the shock.

"He's a hermaphrodite" Owen shrugged, "They have been around for centuries, long before Riftlings. Could be nothing to do with the Rift."

She stared at him and then snorted as she called bullshit. "Don't blow smoke up my arse."

"Suzie, look. He and Jack are a couple. You know…together. Also, shit. It could be working here, it could be the rift, it could just be evolution…"

"Spit it out" she urged and it was Jack that spoke from the doorway.

"Ianto is with child" he said formally, entering to take a seat, "He's asleep finally. I left Tosh with him, didn't want to leave him alone, he's still shocked."

"Don't blame him, I think we all are" Owen rubbed his face and Suzie turned to Jack.

"So. You aren't a Riftling?"

"No, I am a time traveller from the 51st century that travelled back in time to get stuck here when my time travelling device broke" Jack said calmly as he tapped his VM, "The Doctor…you know …him of the blue box variety. I was a companion once upon a time."

"Bullshit" she snorted.

Jack reached out for the letter opener on Owen's desk and calmly drew it up his arm and they all watched the blood run like little red beads, getting smaller and smaller as the cut closed until it stopped altogether.

"I had an accident while with the Doctor, on an alien vessel." Jack explained, "I can heal like that. I am not from this planet let alone this time. I am an Alien. You know, we do still have those."

Suzie snorted and then looked to Owen, "Really? This isn't a wind up?"

"Really Suze" he nodded.

"Wow" she breathed, "But Ianto. He is a Riftling, that makes so much sense. He knows so much and the Mainframe system seems to bend to him when he's in those bloody archives. Wow."

The two men exchanged a nervous glance and then Suzie blew them away.

"My sister if a Riftling you know" she informed them, "Went into hiding three year ago. Part of the underground Rifting group called the 'stepping stones' or some shit. I see her once and a while. She's a fire starter."

"The hair" Owen said softly, "Hers is more red?"

"Fiery red, yeah" Suzie grinned, "we thought I might have the gift but I never presented."

"We" Jack said as he leaned back, "Mum and Dad?"

"Mum is too, Dad is normal" she explained, "I threw to his side, Amelia threw to Mama."

"Wow" Jack smiled, "If she's anything like you, I bet she's a looker with that hair."

"God, I have been so scared that we would come across her in an investigation or something" she relaxed in her seat, "I never feed her info, honest. We never talk about our jobs, we are careful."

"I would like to meet her" Jack said softly patting her knee, "If only to let her know that there are more on her side than she thinks."

"Oh god" Suzie started to cry as she launched herself at Jack, hugging him, "Thank you. I love this job and the stress…god. Oh my god. Poor Ianto! Oh my god, he's been right here living the secret. He must have been terrified."

"Actually, I think he's saved us a few times" Owen frowned, "Looking back there have been a few times things worked out that might not have and I put it down to dumb luck. Maybe it was a clever Welshman instead?"

"Christ" Suzie sighed, "I can tell you, it's like this huge weight has lifted. Like…the back of my head exploded but I'm still here. God. I want to laugh, cry, dance. It's insane. Really? Ianto is OK?"

"He's fine. He's just a Riftling. We are not all dangerous ya know" Owen scoffed, then stalled as she gaped.

"Wow, way to out yourself there Owen" Jack snorted and Owen shrugged.

"Well, she's shagged me so really, it's better than admitting to an STD" Owen groused and she started to laugh, her relief and acceptance making them all feel a bit better.

Jack looked at her and marvelled at her moxie, having lunch with a known Riftling sister and then coming back here to pretend like the rest of them that it was nothing.

Gods, didn't he pick them then?