Jack was the first to recover "Major Hughes" he held out his hand "Captain Jack Harkness."
Major Hughes took the offered hand "Call me Jessica, Captain."
"In that case, call me Jack" he released her hand and turned to the little girl "You must be Serena."
The little girl who couldn't be more than five by Ianto's reckoning held out her hand "Call me Rini."
Jack's hand engulfed hers "Hello Rini" if Ianto hadn't been standing right next to him he wouldn't have noticed the crack in Jack's voice. Jack straightened up because he had bent his knees to shake Rini's hand "Jessica, Rini, this is Ianto Jones, he'll be looking after Rini while we work."
Ianto offered his hand first to the Major, "Major."
She took it and grinned at him "Nice to meet you, Ianto Jones and please call me Jessica" she winked and Ianto felt himself blush.
"Tha-that is very lovely perfume you're wearing, Maj—Jessica."
"Never wear any."
Before he could stop himself Ianto said "You smell like that naturally?"
Jessica just raised her eyebrows suggestively and Jack laughed and Ianto found himself remembering when they caught Myfanwy.
"Must be your aftershave."
"Never wear any."
"You smell like that naturally?"
"Fifty-first century pheromones, you people have no idea."
Choosing to ignore that, Ianto crouched down and held out his hand to Rini "Hello Rini, I'm Ianto and it looks like you'll be spending the day with me."
Rini took his hand "Hi Ianto, that's a funny name. Is it Mexican?"
Jack snorted and Jessica said "Serena Josephine" in what Ianto assumed was her "mother voice."
"It's all right" Ianto told her and then he said to Rini "Actually, it's Welsh but I think I can understand why you might make that assumption."
"What's Welsh?" she asked. She was really very cute; her hair was curly and so blonde it was almost white. Ianto guessed she must spend a lot of time outside and she had a little tan.
Ianto smiled "I'll tell you all about it during our day together, how's that?"
"Okay."
Ianto stood up and asked Jessica "Can she have sweets?"
"Sure, if you don't mind her bouncing off the walls."
"I'll take her to the park if that's all right."
"Sure."
Rini tugged at Ianto's sleeve "I like parks, do you have swings?"
Ianto smiled again, this little girl was just too cute "I bet we can find some. It'll be an adventure."
"Yay!!"
"Well" Jessica clapped her hands together "I suppose, Jack we should get to work then."
"Absolutely, I'll take you in by way of the scenic route" Jack offered her his arm, she didn't take it.
Jessica hugged and kissed her daughter "Be good for Ianto, okay sweetie."
"I will Mommy."
She shook Ianto's hand again "I really appreciate this Ianto, I'm gonna have to repay you some how" her voice sounded flirtatious and she was cute, Ianto had to give her that but he was a one person at a time kind of guy.
"It's no trouble at all, ma'am."
Jack clapped him on the shoulder "Ianto, remind me to give you a raise."
Instead of saying the obvious response of 'You always give me a raise' (there was after all a child present) Ianto said "I doubt you'll need reminding sir."
Ianto could have sworn he heard Jessica mutter "He never needs reminding" and if Ianto's theory was correct, she probably did. It must be Jack's ex-lovers week.
Jack looked down at Rini "I think I can trust you to return Ianto in one piece."
"Uh huh."
Jessica snorted "Not if she's anything like her father."
Jack sighed "Right, let's just get to work, Major. Have fun Ianto."
…
They walked in silence for a bit, they would have been at the lift by now but Jack was delaying taking her down just now. So, he led her on a round about route.
Jack broke the silence by asking "Do you like Starbucks?"
"Yeah"
"Good, because that's all we have today. Ianto usually makes the coffee" he wasn't looking at her and she wasn't looking at him.
"That his official job or something?"
Jack let out a small chuckle "No, his official job title is 'archivist' but he actually keeps things running, I just give the orders."
"Ah, so he's like Radar then?"
"Who?"
"Never mind" she said in her 'you are such an idiot' voice "he's cute though, you're archivist."
"I know" Jack said simply.
"I love his accent."
"So do I."
"Have you got him in the sack yet?"
Jack couldn't stop himself from grinning "Yep."
Jack heard the suggestiveness in her voice as she said "Any good?"
Jack paused a moment to think about the things his Ianto did to him "Absolutely amazing and I'll be honest with you; he's so good; he's on top more than I am."
She looked at him then with raised eyebrows "No joke?"
"No joke."
She smiled slightly "Well, he must be something if the Beau of Boeshane lets him take the reigns. I might have to try him out sometime, if that's all right."
"You'll have to ask him, Puddin'" Jack did not mean to use his nickname for her. In fact he didn't even know he remembered it after over a century. They lapsed into silence once more.
"So," she broke the silence this time "Jack, is it?"
He nodded "It was convenient. What about you?"
"Same. I like Jack; I think it suits you much better than your real one"
"Thanks" they were back to just walking and not looking at each other "you don't really look like a Jessica."
"Call me Jessie then or you can always call me 'major'. After all, I have always out ranked you."
Jack stopped and looked at her "That's weird because I seem to remember you always being under me"
She looked up at him and a corner of her lips was curved upwards "As if, I was always on top."
"Nope, sorry that was me."
"Please, I rode you like a bull, ya know considering you're full of it."
"You should talk" oh how he missed bantering with her.
She eyed him up and down "You look older."
"Well it's likely been longer for me."
"Did you gain weight?"
Jack just knew he needed to work out more, despite what Ianto thought "You're not exactly Neptunia Fyrestryke yourself."
Jessica narrowed her eyes "I oughta kick you in the balls for that. How dare you compare me to that silver skinned bimbo?"
They stared at each other for several moments before Jack found his lips on hers and his arms around her, lifting her off the ground. He didn't know or care who moved in first. Her arms were around his neck and she was giving as good if not better as she was getting. They pulled apart for air but Jack held her close still and he looked into her glistening hazel eyes.
"Where were you?" his voice was quiet.
"I should be asking you that, you're the one that disappeared. You were supposed to be home for dinner." Her voice was shaky
"I know, I'm sorry; I remember kissing you and the baby and the next thing I know it was two years later. I don't know what happened. I went home and you and the baby were gone. What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here?"
Jack didn't answer, how could he even begin to answer?
"Well then" she pushed out of his embrace "I'm still your wife you know or has it been so long that you forgot that little fact?"
Of course I didn't forget. How could I? "We'll talk about it later, I promise. Jessica," he forced the name out "I'll tell you everything but right now, we probably should get to work."
She nodded "Lead the way."
He finally took her to the waterfall. She looked at him with her head cocked to one side "You work in a sculpture?"
"Underneath the sculpture, Blondie."
"Well, how am I supposed to know that?"
"Just step up here with me" he held out his hand.
"Last time you said that to me, we ended up having sex on top of the Stratosphere VI in the Vegas Galaxies."
Jack smiled "You know something, I think you and Ianto are going to get along just fine. Come on, Puddin', just trust me okay?"
She took his hand and hopped up on the slab with him, it immediately started to lower, "Whoa, trippy."
Jack finally really noticed her outfit "Nice outfit, where's your whip?"
"I don't know, you had it last," she deadpanned.
Jack burst out laughing and she joined in, they laughed all the way down.
"Jack" a feminine Welsh voice broke through Jack's laughter and Jack realised that he and Jessica were at the bottom with Gwen, Tosh, Owen and Christopher all staring at them.
He got control of himself "Okay people, this is Major Jessica Hughes."
Jessica had also ceased laughing and she glanced around at the gang "Pretty" she said.
Jack began introductions "Major, I imagine you already know Lieutenant Charleson."
The UNIT officer tipped his cap to her "Ma'am."
She smiled at him "Always the southern gentleman. Still gay?"
"Completely, ma'am."
She snapped her fingers "shucks."
Jack then introduced his team "This is Dr. Owen Harper."
"Hello Dr. Owen Harper, you're cute, you free tonight?" Jessica didn't hesitate.
A touch of pink rose in Owen's cheeks and he was clearly staring at Jessica's breasts.
"That's Toshiko Sato, our technical expert and that's Gwen Cooper."
Jessica smiled and batted her eyelashes at them "And what do you do Gwen Cooper, stand there and look cute?"
Owen covered his mouth and his shoulders were shaking. Gwen turned bright red.
"Although" Jessica continued "I have to say, Toshiko Sato, you're much prettier."
Jack led her off the slab "Major, I believe you're here for a reason." Did I say you could flirt with my team?
She sighed "Oh all right, let's get to work on finding the big fish."
…
A couple hours later, Jack thought of a way to get Jessica alone so they could talk.
"Major, may I buy you some lunch?" he used his best flirtatious voice so his team wouldn't think anything out of the ordinary.
She smiled at him "Absolutely, Captain."
"Great" he looked around the Hub "keep an eye on things" he said to no one in particular but his gaze was resting somewhere near Gwen "and notify us if something comes up."
…
"Why "Rini"?" Jack asked once they were away from the Plass "we didn't call her that before. I thought we were gonna call her Rena?"
'Jessica' shrugged "It's a recent development; she chose it herself. The girl that usually baby-sits her on weekends is a fan of Sailor Moon."
"Who or what is Sailor Moon?"
"It's an anime, in the dubbed version Sailor Moon's name is Serena and at one point her daughter comes from the future and is called Rini." She sighed "it's complicated and it'll only give you a headache."
Jack's hands were in his pockets "Rini's a good name; if she likes it…" he trailed off and shuffled his feet "does she…ah…does she know about me?"
Jessica leaned against a lamp post and looked up at him "Not what you look like, otherwise she would have said something. I haven't shown her the photo album."
"You brought it with you?"
"Of course I did. And she has yet to learn that her daddy is the one that carried her in his tummy for nine months."
For once Jack didn't cringe at the memory "Why not?"
"Couldn't have her spouting that off at kindergarten now could I?"
Jack laughed a little "No, I guess not."
Jessica had a wry grin "I mean the girl likes to tell stories, just like her daddy."
Jack smiled "Did I tell stories?"
"Well duh, how many times did I hear the one about when you and that Cockney sociopath got stuck in a two week time loop for five years?"
Jack cringed this time "Don't remind me."
"Serena's missing school by the way."
"Why'd you bring her then?"
"I thought I recognised your voice so I took a gamble."
Jack leaned against the other lamp post "You always were better at that than me."
"Not when it comes to slot machines, I always lose because I can't seem to quit when I'm ahead. Actually, last weekend I went to a casino, not sure which reservation it was on though…"
"Reservation?"
"Yeah, most of America's casinos are on Native American reservations, anyway so I think it might have been Barona…"
Jack held up a hand "I'm not the only one who tells stories, Jessica."
"So you don't wanna hear about the really hot threesome I had?"
"Tell me later; I got you alone for a reason."
"Right, well you disappeared first, you talk first."
So, he told her; he told her everything, even the part about not dying.
"Wow" she said after he was finished "just wow."
"Is that all?"
"Well what else should I say? You didn't even have to tell me all that. I didn't need to know all the details."
"I wanted to tell you" Jack took her hand "I trust you."
She held on "What about your team? Do they know your secrets?"
Jack sighed "Gwen and Ianto know I can't die. Gwen found out by accident. I told Ianto."
"Why?"
Jack allowed himself a smile "Funny story; we sort of switched bodies for a day. I had to tell him in case something happened. I told him about being here for over a century."
"Why?"
That was a question Jack had been asking himself "I don't really know."
"You must trust him."
"I do actually, I really do" despite the 'Lisa incident'. Jack took a breath and exhaled "Your turn."
Jessica let go of his hand and took off her hat. She began twirling her hair around a finger "You're not the only one who had trouble from the Agency."
Jack tensed "What happened?"
She shrugged "I don't know what you did but it must have been something to tick them off. They started coming after me and Serena. They went after your mother too."
Jack felt sick and he sat down on the curb "Did they…" he forced himself to keep eye contact with her, steeling himself for what he might hear.
"I don't know what happened to her. I'm sorry." She sighed "Jack, you're the only one who knew that early twenty-first century California was my favourite era. I knew we'd be safe there. When we got there I destroyed my wrist strap so they couldn't track me. I knew that whatever you were doing, you would never do anything to put Serena in danger."
"I wouldn't put you in danger either. I loved you then and I still love you" he stood up and took her hands again.
She rolled her eyes "Jack, we both know that I never owned your heart and you never owned mine. We're not soul mates."
No, they weren't; Jack had never believed in soul mates. Of course, now he wasn't so sure since Hermes had told him there was such a thing as reincarnation. But if Jack had a soul mate, it certainly wasn't the woman in front of him. His thoughts briefly flashed to a certain Welshman but he quickly brought those thoughts back to the present "But we did love each other didn't we?" he did love her, after all he'd loved a lot of people who weren't his soul mate "enough to create that little girl together?"
She smiled sweetly at him "Obviously."
Now that that was taken care of, Jack asked "How'd you get involved with UNIT?"
"Psychic paper at first but then they caught on. I told them my story and they agreed to help. Besides I really am an alien fish type thing expert, you know that."
"Wow, UNIT must be nicer in California 'cause they wouldn't do that here."
"I know."
"How long have you been here?"
"Almost five years. Serena will be six in February, near as I can figure."
"Why did you bring her here?"
"Why do you think? She needs a father, Jack. She needs her daddy. She needs you." She poked Jack's chest with a finger
"How can you ask me that after what I told you? I can't die, Jessica…"
"So? Jack, she deserves to know who her daddy is. I told her stories about you, good ones and she loves you. She doesn't remember you but she loves you and she wishes she could meet you. Every night, she stares up at the sky and I hear her say 'Star light, star bright first star I see tonight, I wish I may I wish I might have this wish I wish tonight: I wish I could meet my daddy and hug him'" Jessica had tears streaming down her cheeks "every night, Jack, every night she says the same thing. She tells all her friends that her daddy is a hero. Jack, only you can make her wish come true. I know you love her, the look on your face when she was born. She came out kicking and screaming and the doctor put her in your arms and she calmed down…"
It was when Jack took Jessica in his arms that he realised his cheeks were wet too. He remembered that day, over five years in Jessica's past, over a hundred in his and over three thousand years in the future on a planet that hadn't even been discovered yet.
Being pregnant was not fun, he had decided for umpteenth time since the first trimester. No wonder women petitioned for men to share their pain. Damn equality anyway. If men were meant to bear children then they would have been doing it ages ago. Why the hell did he agree to this again? Being stampeded by a herd of rampaging Denver Dalmatians had to hurt less than labour (that's the planet Denver by the way not the city and their Dalmatians looked nothing like the by then extinct earth dog). He of course now knew why it was since the dawn of time, women were bearing the children, it made perfect sense: men couldn't handle it.
Of course, he never would have agreed to this if his wife could bear children herself but due to an accident she couldn't. So, they went to a specialist where they mixed her egg with his sperm and inserted it into his 'makeshift uterus' for lack of a better term. He had to take certain pills of course, vitamins and hormones and such. As a result he acted much like a pregnant woman would, only worse according to his wife.
So now he was in labour, the painkillers finally working with his wife at his side and his mother at his other side. Fortunately he didn't feel a thing when they sliced him open to get the baby out who was indeed kicking and screaming.
"Congratulations" said the doctor "you have a very healthy baby girl."
She was tiny and pink and covered in goop but he loved her at first sight and immediately forgot his crankiness. She was placed on his chest and he put a tentative hand on her. She hushed and looked up at him as if to say "what the hell is going on, mister?"
He didn't know if he was laughing or crying as the nurse scooped her up to clean her and have her mother cut the cord. But he did know one thing; that baby girl would be Daddy's princess, without a doubt.
"I missed so much though" he sniffed.
"She's only five, Jack and I have plenty of pictures and video all of which I brought with me in case it was you on the phone. It's not too late because I know if any female can own your heart and wrap you around her little finger, it's her."
Jack drew a sleeve across his eyes "My job…"
"Is very dangerous, just like mine. Serena knows that someday I might not come home, she's very smart for her age you know."
"Fifty-first century brain cells."
"Exactly but you Jack you will be able to come home to her. I'm not asking for us to get back together but I am asking if you'll be there for her when I can't."
"Yes" and he meant it. He missed a lot of people but of them all, he missed his little girl the most "Yes I will."
…
They walked for awhile, neither really hungry till they came to a park. They saw Ianto pushing Rini on a swing set, both of whom seemingly oblivious to their immediate surroundings. It seemed that they were having an in-depth discussion of Winnie-the-Pooh.
"But if he didn't eat so much honey, he wouldn't get stuck" Rini was saying as she soared into the air.
"But he's supposed to eat honey" Ianto caught her and pushed her again "it's part of his charm and those bees should know that. Those bees should just give Pooh their honey so he wouldn't have to take it." It looked like Ianto was enjoying himself.
Jack had to really work at surpassing his laughter; the sight was just so adorable.
Jessica squeezed his hand "That is the cutest thing."
Ianto caught Rini again, spun her around and crouched to meet her eyes "I am the authority on all things Pooh in these parts, little miss. My word is law" his eyes twinkled and he had a smile on his face.
Jack couldn't take it any more; he sank to the ground in laughter. This caught their attention.
Rini hopped off the swing "Mommy!" she ran toward Jessica who scooped her "wait till I tell you. We had soooo much fun."
"Really? Well, you'll have to tell me later. I have a surprise for you first."
"Really? What?"
Ianto walked over to Jack who was still on the ground, trying to get control of himself. Ianto held out a hand "Need a hand sir?"
Jack took the hand and stood up, still grinning "I'm sorry, but that was really cute. 'Authority on all things Pooh.'"
Ianto smiled slightly, eyes dancing "I am though, granted I'm no Mike Rowe but…"
Jessica burst out laughing, the joke though was lost on Jack "Oh I love Mike Rowe" Jessica squealed "you get the Discovery Channel?"
Ianto nodded "You gotta love satellite…except when it storms."
"Oh totally know what you mean, even though I don't have satellite. I have Cox."
"What?" Jack asked, there were some words even he wouldn't say in front of a five year old.
"C-O-X, Cox, it's a cable company in San Diego."
"Oh, okay, I was gonna say…"
"Anyway," Jessica set Rini down and looked up at Ianto "Ianto, could you leave the three of us alone for a few minutes, please? There's something Jack and I need to talk to Rini about."
"Certainly ma'am" Ianto smiled "I'm already drowning in fifty-first century pheromones."
Jack sighed "Figured it out have you?"
"I don't know how or why nor does it matter. What matters is that you're here now. I'll just be over there" with that he walked to a tree and took out his mobile.
…
Rini was quite pleased to learn that Jack was her daddy; apparently Ianto had been filling her head with nothing but good things about him. Yep, Ianto was definitely getting an actual pay raise and maybe a holiday for this. Jack just agreed to push Rini on the swings when Ianto's voice rose from near the tree. Jack, Jessica and Rini all turned to look and listen.
"Ora, I'm his father, I have a right to see him." He was saying into his mobile "well if he's sick, that's all the more reason I should see him."
As curious as he was, Jack pulled Rini and Jessica farther away so they wouldn't hear him.
Jessica looked up at Jack in confusion "he has a kid?"
Jack nodded "a six year old I think. He doesn't know I know."
Jessica's eyebrows shot up "A six year old? But Ianto can't be more than…"
"Twenty-three" Jack supplied "I think his son's mother is a little older than him. He sends her money every month, child support I think. I don't know the story but Ianto signed the boy's birth certificate."
"How do you know he sends her money?"
"An incident happened a couple months back that caused me to look into his activities."
"What happened?"
"I hid my half converted cyber girlfriend in the basement" the Welsh voice caused them both to jump.
Jessica put a hand to her heart "Ianto, how'd you sneak up like that?"
"Oh, I'm very good at sneaking ma'am, ask the captain."
Jack put a hand on his shoulder "Ianto, we didn't mean to over hear any of your phone call."
"I gathered that when you moved away. Thank-you sir" he looked at something over Jack's shoulder "Rini, I told you not to climb that" his voice had risen just a trifle.
Jack and Jessica turned; Rini was climbing a tree directly across from the one Ianto had been standing under.
Jessica ran towards her "Serena Josephine, get down from there!"
"She can't" Ianto said "she had to jump last time. I caught her, don't worry. Sent us to the ground" he looked at Jack "Sir, how many more members of your family do you think will land on me in the near future?"
Jack couldn't help but smile as he remembered falling on Ianto in the warehouse "I wouldn't worry, she was only the second one" he went over to the tree "step aside shorty" he said to Jessica and he reached up "come on Rini sweetheart, come to Daddy."
Fearlessly, Rini jumped and Jack caught her easily "So, Rini how 'bout spending the night with Daddy?"
"So Mommy can have time to herself?"
"So Daddy and Rini can get to know each other" out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Jessica lick her lips at Ianto.
Other than a slight eyebrow lift, Ianto kept his composure.
TBC…