14
Ianto's heart had dropped but he had promised to ask for help.
Finally, Ianto headed home and was surprised to find it silent.
He called out and searched, alarmed to find it empty.
Friday, Connor and Em had headed to the village for the weekend, taking Bethy with them. He wondered if they had all gone.
He started cleaning, and was putting the vacuum cleaner away as he heard the crunch of tires.
"Taddy!" Walter yelled as he ran in, the Spaceship a dead giveaway.
"Here stink" Ianto smiled, accepting a hug as Jack entered with the other kids.
"TADDA!" Ton was screaming and Babbit pushed Jack's hip to get around him and the baby in his arms.
"My hug next!" Babbit declared as he demanded his own greeting.
Satisfied, he then swaggered to the nearest sofa as he asked what the yummy smell was while Stephen calmly carried in the school bags.
"I put a roast in for dinner" Ianto answered, "Nice early meal tonight, and then I can get some help eating some of that left over cake."
"CAKE!" Ton screamed and clapped.
"Hello hellion" Ianto crooned, plucking the child and leaning in for a kiss.
He then hesitated as Jack turned away and hid his rejection by kissing Ton instead.
They sat for a quiet meal, the children trying to fill the empty space with news from school and Ianto politely answering when needed.
Finally the kids were in bed and Ianto settled back at the table to talk, not wanting to relax too much.
Jack sat next to him, rather than opposite and waited.
"He's at my parent's place" Ianto began, "We think it best as he has a few issues he needs to address. He was undercover for a long time, some …. Personality traits need recognizing and it didn't go well with Idris. Seems they …"
Ianto sighed and scrubbed at his face, "Seems that Idris is not about to forgive Gene for what he put us all through."
"And you?"
Ianto looked up with surprise, "What? Of course I forgive him. I will never let it go, but I forgive him. God, my dead brother cuddled me and kissed me goodbye this morning before I came home."
Jack nodded silently.
"You?" Ianto whispered.
Jack shrugged, "He's not my brother."
Ianto grimaced, "Not what I mean. Do you forgive me?"
"Oh Ianto" Jack rose and took his coffee mug to the sink, "We can't keep playing like this. You can't keep running away when things don't go your way."
Ianto blinked and then nodded slowly, as if processing. He then rose and his cup joined Jack's in the sink.
"Best go to bed, you have early shift tomorrow" Ianto said softly, the sorrow in his voice enough to shake Jack from his thoughts.
Jack leaned over and kissed Ianto's forehead, suddenly so sad that they were unable to communicate and fix this.
Jack wearily trudged of the bed and Ianto stopped filling the dishwasher, gripping the edge of the sink as he struggled with his emotions.
Finally done, he flicked off the light and went to the bedroom, undressing and sliding into the bed to lie next to his husband.
Neither man spoke.
Neither man slept very well either.