Title: Keeping Up with the Harkness-Joneses
Fandoms: Torchwood/Glee
Pairings: Mostly Jack/Ianto and Quinn/Finn, with grautitious mentions of many Doctor Who, Torchwood and Glee ships.
Rating: PG-13, and a sound PG-13 at that
Warning: Lots of fluff, lots of sad chapters, implications and mentions of domestic abuse, occasional violent chapters and Jack and Ianto like to kiss...a lot.
Beta:I don't have one at the moment, but if you'd like to, I'd be more than appreciative!

Summary:After discovering that Ianto is immortal, Jack is able to rebuild his life with the other man. They become Ianto and Jack Harkness-Jones, and are dropped off in Lima, Ohio by the Doctor. Why Lima? The Rift is like a window, with Cardiff on one side, and Lima on the other side. They expect the craziness that comes with the Rift. What they don't expect? Needing to adopt a six year old: Quinn Fabray. And they discover that life doesn't always turn out like they planned.

Notes: No triggers this chapter either! Lots of singing though.


Chapter 11-

Ianto thinks that raising a girl, while not the hardest thing he has ever done in his life, is fairly difficult. Granted, the first period incident, which thankfully Jack had not been there for, had been a little traumatizing. But now Quinn is at the age where she feels capable enough to go into the feminine aisle when she needs things, and laughs when her fathers squirm when they pay at the cash register. It's her freshman year of high school, and while it hurts him a little bit to see her getting older by the day, he also cherishes the fact that the bond he and Jack have with their little, well maybe not so little anymore, girl is still incredibly strong.

About three weeks into her freshman year of high school, Ianto has the day off from work. Okay, so Jack gives him the day off from work (he's been working for Jack for about a year now). It's quite a nice cycle they have at the office of who gets off what days, and Jack always makes sure that he and Ianto have some days off together, especially when Quinn has off from school. Their unit, which he and Jack have fondly dubbed "Torchwood Lima", is made up of people who don't have children of their own and don't begrudge Jack and Ianto for wanting to spend time with their daughter. In fact, when they invite "Torchwood Lima" over for Christmas dinners, all of their employees ask Quinn eagerly about her life.

Quinn walks in the door slowly and lets it shut behind her. She plops herself down on the couch, tucks herself underneath Ianto's arm and begins to cry. "Annwyl?" he asks gently, holding her close. She wraps her arms around her dad and sobs. "Sssh, it's all right, annwyl. Tell me what happened," he tries to soothe her. He kisses her head and rocks her back and forth.

"Santana, Britt and I got into a fight with Rachel and Mercedes today. Rachel doesn't want to be our friend anymore, and I don't know if Mercedes wants to either," Quinn sniffles, just snuggling closer to her dad. "Rachel…Rachel said that the people who joined the Cheerios were awful, awful people and she didn't want to associate people who were on the Cheerios. I don't…" She bites her lip. "I'm good at doing the stunts. I am. Coach Sylvester was impressed by my tryout and do you know how hard it is to impress her?"

Ianto doesn't know what to say so he just holds her tightly. Quinn smiles at her dad, grateful that he is always there. He doesn't have to say anything, he's just there and doesn't let go unless she tells him to. "And I can't sing like Rachel can or Mercedes can. And I want…I want to do something that I can be good at. And I know I'm not very good at singing."

"I think you sound wonderful," Ianto says gently. She gives him a pointed look and he adds, "I know, you think I'm biased because I'm your dad, but I do think that, sweetheart." He kisses her forehead gently and says, "And you can sing in Welsh with excellent pronunciation. Let's see if Rachel or Mercedes can do that."

"Thank you, Daddy," she says with a watery chuckle and she lays her head against Ianto's shoulder. "I'm not going to change because I join the Cheerios. I know I'm not. I just…don't understand why Rachel won't still be friends with us because we're on Cheerios. It's not like I think she's suddenly not going to be cool enough to come hang out with me. Is it wrong that I don't want to join the glee club? Well, maybe I do a little, but I want to join glee club for the right reasons. I don't want to be frustrated by not getting as much solo time as Rachel and Mercedes. I want to have fun."

"Of course, sweetheart," he says, gently putting his hand on her head, stroking her hair comfortingly. "And I want you to do things that will make you happy. If Cheerios makes you happy, then go for it. If you think glee club will make you happy, do that too." He adds, murmuring, "Right on the front lines or swaying in the back, your Daddy Jack and I will always be your biggest supporters and we will always be proud of you, okay?"

"Okay," Quinn whispers. She kisses Ianto's cheek and says, "I love you so much, Daddy. Like…you honestly have no idea how grateful I am for you some days. I don't…I don't know how I would manage if it weren't for you and Daddy Jack...if I were still living with my mom and my dad? Sometimes…I wonder if I'd still be alive. If I would've had the strength to go on and not…y'know, end it." She doesn't look at Ianto when she admits this. She doesn't want to scare her father.

"It takes a lot of strength to keep fighting," Ianto says, squeezing his daughter closer. He has been there; he knows exactly what it's like to want to die. He knows how absolutely draining it is and he doesn't want Quinn to feel that way. "Quinn, you know if you're ever in trouble, you can talk to me or your Daddy Jack about it. We will do anything it takes to help you because we love you. We love you so, so much."

"I know," Quinn says, so grateful at how loving her fathers are. She still has nightmares about her biological father coming to take her away, though not as frequently anymore, but it still terrifies her. But she knows if that ever does happen, her fathers would do anything in the world to get her back. "And I don't mean to scare you. I don't feel like that, honest, I just…wonder how things would be if I didn't live with you."

In her Daddy Ianto's arms, she does feel so loved and safe and warm. She's been living with them for nine years now, but it still doesn't change the fact that she knows with her whole heart that they love her and she loves them just as much. She says quietly, "Daddy…will you sing to me? I always feel better when you or Daddy Jack sings to me." He nods and before he can ask what she wants to hear, she asks, bringing her knees up to her chest, "Tŷ Bach Twt? Please?"

And of course, he can't say no to her for something as small as this, not when she clearly needs the comfort, and he begins to sing her favorite lullaby, "Mae gen i dipyn o dŷ bach twt, o dŷ bach twt, o dŷ bach twt, Mae gen i diopyn o dŷ bach twt, A'r gwynt i'r drws bob bore. Hei di ho, di hei di dei di ho. A'r gwynt i'r drws bob bore. Agorwch dipyn o gîl y drws, o gîl y drws, o gîl y drws. Agorwch dipyn o gîl y drws, 'gael gweld y môr a'r tonnau. Hei di ho, di hei di dei di ho. 'Gael gweld y môr a'r tonnau."

Quinn joins in with him on the last verse, softly but cheerfully, "Ac yma byddaf yn llon fy myd, yn llon fy myd, yn llon fy myd, Ac yma byddaf yn llon fy myd, A'r gwynt i'r drws bob bore. Hei di ho, di hei di dei di ho, A'r gwynt i'r drws bob bore."

"Ah, I knew, I'd recognize those dulcet tones anywhere," Jack says, coming in from the kitchen. Quinn and Ianto looked at each other, wondering how long he had been there. "I came in when you two started singing. I would've joined in, but my Welsh isn't nearly as good as yours, Yan," Jack says, smirking at his husband. Then he takes one look at their daughter and the smirk is gone, and is only replaced by a look of paternal concern. "Quinn, honey, are you all right?" Quinn gets up and wraps her arms around her father's middle. He gently brushes the remaining tears from her eyes and murmurs, "Honey, you know we love you so much, right?"

"Daddy, you tell me every single day," Quinn says, with a tiny laugh. "I think I know by now that you love me." But she buries her face in his chest and says, her voice muffled by the shirt, "I love you too, Daddy Jack. So much." She pulls away, wiping at her eyes, and she mumbles, "I have to go do my homework."

"Do what you need to do," Jack says, kissing her forehead. He's not sure what happened, but he knows he can get the details out of Ianto sooner or later, but now is not the time. He and Ianto have something they need to discuss in private. Quinn takes her backpack, and goes upstairs. When she shuts the door firmly behind her, he turns to Ianto and sighs heavily. "I have news and you're not gonna like it. I know I don't," he says, not looking his husband in the eye. Ianto sits up attentively and Jack says, gritting his teeth, "Russell Fabray was released on parole today."

"No!" Ianto exclaims loudly, jumping to his feet. "Mab i ast! How can they…?" Ianto begins pacing the floor. He growls lowly, "Jack, her nightmares only just stopped! He had a fifteen year sentence. How can they let him go?"

"Good behavior," Jack says lowly, but certainly not calmly. He is quaking with rage. "According to the terms of his parole agreement, he has to stay fifty feet away from Quinn at all times. I have put so many useless hours into trying to find Judy over the years, and today to warn her, but she's hidden herself away and she's done one hell of a job." Catching Ianto's eye he adds, "But we'll protect Quinn. I don't care how many times I have to die. For you or for her, I don't care."

"Damn right we will, though if Russell kills you even once I'll have his head on a pole," Ianto growls. "Where's my Weevil gun?" He hasn't forgotten that Russell Fabray held a gun to his head. Jack hasn't forgotten either. For a moment, Jack looks so scared, and Ianto wraps his arms around Jack. "It'll be all right. We won't let him hurt us…any of us. It'll be all right, Jack."

"I know. Every time I think I'm gonna lose you, you come back to me, and sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve someone as wonderful as you are," Jack says, his voice choking on the words. He kisses Ianto twice before burying his face in the other man's neck. "I love you, Yan. But what if I can't save you? What if I can't save her?"

"Hey, hey," Ianto says gently, cupping his hand under Jack's chin to so that their blue eyes meet. "You don't have to be a hero all the time, Jack. You can only do your best, and damn it, that's good enough for me and it's been good enough for Quinn. She'll be all right. Hopefully, he won't come anywhere near Lima, and she won't have to even know."

"I won't have to know what?" Quinn asks from behind them. She had come downstairs for a snack, saw her dads hugging and thought that maybe her Daddy Jack had a bad day, but now it seems much more serious. "Dad?" she asks nervously, addressing the both of them. "What's going on?"

Jack bites his lip and Ianto knows that Jack is going to say 'nothing' unless he says something, and they both know that their little girl is smarter than that. "Quinn, honey, sit down," Ianto says, pointing to the couch. Jack gives him a strained, anxious look and he says, "Jack, she has to know." He squeezes Jack's hand reassuringly. Jack gives him that same, pained look but they both know that it is the right thing to do. It is in Quinn's best interest that she knows what's going on.

"Know what?" Quinn asks again, her voice becoming high-pitched and strained. "What's happening?" Jack sits beside her and she does her best to curl up against him. Even though she's fifteen now, and she doesn't quite fit the way she used to, Jack still holds her as close as he can. "Daddy?" she asks, looking from Ianto to Jack. "What's happening?"

"They released your father from prison," Ianto says quietly, sitting down on the other side of Quinn, putting a hand on her shoulder. He and Jack look helplessly at each other as her entire body goes limp. "Quinn? Honey?" Ianto asks, gently stroking her hair. "Talk to us, sweetheart. It's going to be all right. We'll keep you safe."

"Daddy, please don't make me go back to him, please," Quinn whimpers, looking up at her dads, not hearing Ianto's words. Her eyes are filled with tears. "Oh, God, don't make me go back. Please let me stay with you! I can't… I can't…" And with a sob she pushes herself away from Jack, who only reclaims her back in his arms a moment later. Ianto doesn't hesitate and wraps his arms around Quinn. She shudders and sobs in their arms but she doesn't try to leave because she knows she's safe as long as she's with them. "I don't want to leave, I don't want to go away…don't make me go back, please don't make me go back."

"Ssssh, sssh, it's all right. Sssssh, sssssh, it's going to be okay. Listen to me, annwyl," Ianto says gently, pressing a kiss into her forehead. He cups her face in his hands so she is looking at him. She tries to fight as much as she can before she realizes that this is her Daddy Ianto, and she watches him apprehensively, her eyes still filled with tears. "You're not going to stay with him. He's not allowed anywhere near you. You'll still stay with us. You're still our daughter. We still love you so, so much…"

"And we won't let anything happen to you," Jack finishes softly, pressing a few more kisses into Quinn's hair. "We're going to protect you; you won't have to see your father ever again unless you want to…"

"I don't want to see him," Quinn croaks out, burrowing back into their combined embrace. "I don't ever want to see him again. I just want to stay with you both. You're my dads. Not him. Never him." She sobs out against them, "You won't let him hurt me again?"

"Never. We won't let him near you again if you don't want him here," Jack murmurs. The sobs seem to quiet a little bit at that, and Quinn takes a few deep breaths. "That's right, sweetheart, take deep breaths. It's going to be just fine. Everything is going to be okay," he says soothingly as Quinn seems to calm down. "Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around. Nothing's gonna harm you, no sir, not while I'm around," Jack begins singing under his breath.

He looks up at Ianto, hoping that the Welshman knows that this song isn't just for Quinn, but for him as well. "Demons are prowling everywhere nowadays. I'll send 'em howling I don't care, I got ways."

"Course you do," Quinn mumbles jokingly, smiling. Ianto smiles at that line too. "You scare them off with your Weevil gun. Everyone's intimidated by a gun that's as big as they are." She already feels a little bit better, knowing that she never has to go back to her father if she doesn't want to and that her dads will always take care of her if she needs it. Her eyes flutter shut of their own accord.

"No one's gonna hurt you. No one's gonna dare. Others can desert you, not to worry: whistle I'll be there. Demons will charm you with a smile for a while but in time, nothing can harm you not while I'm around," Jack continues singing and chooses to ignore his very cheeky daughter, though he is still smiling very fondly at her. He decides to skip the next couple of lines, knowing that Ianto would have an absolute field day with 'I may not be smart but I ain't dumb', and those lines aren't what Quinn needs right now. "Being close and being clever ain't like being true. I will need to, I will never hide a thing from you. Like some…"

Ianto looks guiltily over at Jack and he returns that same guilty stare, which Quinn thankfully doesn't notice. She doesn't know about their immortality yet. They have decided that when she hits a certain age, and she wants to become immortal, Jack will give her his blood, and she'll become immortal like them. But they figure that day is far off enough that they won't have to worry about it now. This is not the day to have that conversation with Quinn, not when she's already been dropped with one huge bombshell.

Ianto joins Jack for the end of the song, "Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around. Nothing's gonna harm you, darling, not while I'm around. Demons are prowling everywhere nowadays. I'll send 'em howling I don't care I got ways." They smile at each other and press their foreheads against the side of Quinn's head. This earns a little chuckle from her which warms Ianto and Jack. "No one's gonna hurt you, no one's gonna dare. Others can desert you, not to worry: whistle, I'll be there. Demons will charm you with a smile for a while but in time…nothing's gonna harm you. Not while I'm around."

"Nice harmony," Quinn jokes roughly with her dads, opening her eyes. "A little sharp at the end, but you're only human." The Harkness-Jones family smiles, keeping each other close, completely unaware of the rumbling thunder outside.


The Welsh song is called Tŷ Bach Twt and the other song is "Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd. I don't really have much else to say, other than I hope you enjoyed your day and I'll see you on Friday!

-LBP