14

Ianto knew who Jack was talking to and sighed as things went full circle.

The last gas station had been a farce, complete with a marital spat with Ianto screaming at Jack for a divorce and the floozy to get out. Kara had enjoyed it far too much. The back roads had been dusty and the windows up had made the interior stuffy, at least they were back in a highway heading in a different direction no they had the red herring in place.

Kara was asleep in the back, her soft breath calming Ianto as he tried to get his head around the chaos in his heart and more than once he caught Jack glancing at him as he ground his teeth.

"I missed you too" Ianto said softly, breaking the silence.

"I understand your reasons for rabbiting" Jack sighed, "I still can't believe I never went back. I was going to, was going to carry you to your sister and do the while grieving thing but you know I don't do that. My pain was my fuel and it made me want to set fire to the world."

"This entire planet is a graveyard" Ianto said as his head fell back against the headrest, "You must have reminders everywhere of those you loved. I think … I do know you loved me, at least sometimes, you did show in the end. It hurt to see you cry. It just wasn't enough. You understand that, right? My love for you was secondary to her need for me to keep her safe. You are not safe. Knowing she gravitated to you anyway is a stab to my heart because I knew…deep down I knew she would love you more."

Jack huffed softly, "Yeah, such a great role model me. Gods. I would have broken her heart so many times by now."

"You're tired" Ianto muttered as Jack swerved the vehicle slightly, "Either pull in somewhere or give me the wheel. I am capable of driving ya know, even had me own car."

Jack snorted with mirth at that familiar snark of a tired Welshman and he pulled into a sideway, "Come on, we'll swap."

"I'll drive, you two need to sleep before we hit civilisation again, at least four more hours of bloody trees yet." A voice said from the back seat.

"Actually only two love" Jack answered, "We are about to go off grid where he can't find us."

"Is it known?" Ianto sat forward with interest as he realised Jack had a plan that might work, "Any chance of a lead back?"

"No" Jack grinned, "It's an old hunting lodge by the lake. Belonged to one of my conquests about half a century ago. I have a caretaker keeping it clean now and then. After I came back from …Miracle Day I hid there and licked my wounds for a couple of years before getting back in the game. Gwen was so relieved when I strode in demanding an update. What an update that was. She whomped me. Like, straight up slapped me."

"You asked for it" Ianto muttered, rubbing his eyes, "You always ask for it."

"Well, I know I am gonna ask for what is coming" Jack said and Ianto frowned at him as he considered, then his face paled as he reared back in his seat.

"No. Not here, no you didn't" Ianto spluttered, "Christ, you did."

"We needed supplies, back up and someone we could trust at our backs. That little star in the back is most important now, she is mortal, she is who we have to think of first." Jack defended himself.

"But Gwen? Gods, she must be ….what….in her fifties. Shit" Ianto sighed.

"Come on, she is still just a spring chicken" Jack laughed and Ianto grunted, clambering through the seats so Kara could move up and she looked at her father…her father…huh…as he got out and stretched his legs, walking around to take the passenger seat while checking the tyres. She was finally getting her head around things and the words she had spluttered in her shock were little daggers, Gods Taddy must be so hurt with her blurt of confusion.

Jack sat and snoozed, waking now and then to check their location and he told her went to turn off the cabin finally coming into view in the headlights. There were two SUVs sitting in the yard and Kara made a small noise as she recognised the SUV for their unit, grinning as she knew Jack had called in some of the squad for back up.

She brought the SUV to a stop and turned to check her sleeping Taddy when the front passenger door was wrenched open and Jack squeaked as he was seized and yanked from the seat while she cried out with fear.

Ianto exploded from the back, the blade that lived on his wrist and matched the one his little girl always wore was deployed and Ianto roared with anger as he leapt on the back of the man who was struggling with shock as he found a Welsh Dragon dragging him into the dark.

"TADDY!" Kara screamed, her side arm raised and she looked at her father lying on the ground…laughing?