13

Ianto was suited and booted, his clothes hugging his body in an appreciative way. Well, appreciated by Jack, that's for sure.

Ianto knelt and regarded the two children who were clinging to each other.

"Now then, I expect you both to be good while we're gone. Nainny will be telling me when I get back about your behaviour and I want to hear that you ate your lunch and didn't burn down any buildings, you hear me?" He growled.

Stephen was the first to giggle, followed by Mica.

"Me and the other uncles will be back before the sun goes down and I want big cuddles from both of you!" Ianto demanded, "Better check you remember how!"

He gathered each child into a hug and then leaned back on his heels to grin at them.

"Well then. Any requests?" he asked.

"M&Ms?" Stephen pleaded with big eyes and Mica nodded enthusiastically.

"Right. Don't forget the sweets, check!"

"Uncle Ianto" Mica whispered, "Please come back."

"I promise. I'll be back honey, I will come home for my cuddle" he stroked her cheek lovingly, then rose and walked over to the SUV where Sean was already in the back seat with his rifle.

"My turn?" Jack said from behind them and the kids swung around with glee.

Jack took a child in each arm and lifted them off his feet with a large growl as he shook them gently and they both squealed with glee. "Be good babies. We love our babies so much"

He placed them down next to Alice and quickly strode to the SUV as Alice pulled them under her wing.

"Dad, be careful" she called out and Jack pivoted on his heel with a grin and blew her a kiss.

"Mama? Why did you Call Uncle Jack Dad?" Stephen looked up.

"Because honey," she dropped to her knee for an overdue conversation, "He is my Dad. He has a special gift, like a magic that means he doesn't get old. He has always looked like that, my whole life. It's easier to say he's my brother now and one day I would have to lie and say he's my son or nephew because when I get old, he won't. Imagine how people might be mean to him if they knew he was special."

"Like the government" Stephen muttered.

"They did." Ifan said softly from behind them, "They experimented on him for years before deciding he was more of an asset working in the field instead of locked in a cell."

Alice looked up at the old man with horror and he smiled at her gently. "We preppers share covert info. Torchwood? That man my grandson is falling in love with? Not from these parts, treated terribly by us and still tries to save the world whenever he can. Any good realist prepper worth his salt had heard of Captain Harkness."

"Save the world?" Stephen asked quietly.

"He's an Alien hunter." Ifan told the boy whose eyes bugged.

"A real life super hero, right here in my front yard. Damn near shat me pants when he stepped out of that SUV with wee Ifan" the old man laughed softly, "Who knew he could be so damned likeable."

"I knew" Stephen said as he leaned into his mother, "He's awesome."

Owen was giving it one more try at the SUV, sure that he could come if he stayed in the vehicle.

"Owen!" Ianto knew they had to go, "What about Janet?"

Owen slammed his mouth shut and looked at him through the window.

"Tosh is afraid of her, you know only you or I can feed her at the moment while she readjusts to the new home" Ianto pointed out, the old grain silo proving to be perfect for her needs.

"Ah, fuck!" Owen whined, "You'll be back before sunset, I wanna come."

"Owen," Jack reached out the window and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I need a man here to protect what we are fighting for. If we don't come back before nightfall there is gonna be some hysterical women and children. I need you to keep it together for me."

Owen pouted as he stepped off the running board and Jack nodded gratefully. Owen's stomp over to Tosh was exaggerated and Ianto sighed softly.

"Don't worry Yan," Jack said softly, "The kids will be OK."

"It's that big one I'm worried about" Ianto muttered and Jack snorted with amusement.

As they pulled out Sean took the time to take a good look at his little brother in the front seat. Ianto was checking his Dessert Eagle and the Semi-Automatic on his lap was professionally handled as well. As they neared the point where they had stopped to check for Zs Jack slowed and looked at him.

"Yeah, check again for me?" Ianto asked so Jack stopped.

They sat looking out the windows, then Jack gave a loud burst of the horn. The Z that fell onto the road as it struggled from the ditch made Ianto curse. Jack put it down with a single shot then they waited. No others came.

"That was just one" Jack said and Ianto snorted.

"Only been a week Jack, they've left the city and reached this far within a week" Ianto leaned back against the headrest, "They're moving better than I had hoped. Maybe a month on the outside before the fuckers are at the gates!"

Sean swore softly from the back as he now knew the reason for the stop. Ianto was gauging their migration.

"Maybe she's an anomaly. Died in a nearby farmhouse!" he supplied and Ianto grunted something as he looked out the window.

"What?"

Jack looked back between the seats and grimaced, "Gucci shoes."

"Ah Fuck!" Sean moaned. Trust Ianto to recognise them.

As they got closer to the city the men became more alert. Ianto had thought of something else and now voiced it to Jack.

"Fuel."

"Plenty" Jack said checking the fuel gage.

"No, we only have those two tanks behind the barn. One petrol and one diesel. Not gonna last us more than a few more recons, the diesel will maybe do one fill of the bus as well as spare fuel tanks for bug out. We need more petrol in case we need to move!" Ianto was staring into Jack's face as he spoke and Jack nodded.

"So another portable fuel tank?" Jack asked.

"Construction yard, contractors have the large tanks on wheels" Sean supplied and both men in the front nodded.

"This was part of your plan all along, this isn't just for the kids at all, is it" Jack accused.

"If I had said I was worried about leaving the compound it would have brought down world war three. I do want the kids to be more comfortable but we also need to be serious here, we may have to leave if the Zs get too fucking fierce. And too bloody strong." Ianto looked into the blue eyes that should have been on the road, "If the compound is breached, we are gone!"

Jack nodded as Sean leaned through the seat, "Agreed."