25

John now knew it had been a mistake to jump seconds after the others, coming in late meant he was more obvious in his arrival and by the Gods did that Welshman hit hard. He had wanted to make an entrance and I guess he got one, although not quite what he had expected. Strangely it had also been the Welshman who had offered a hand to help him to his feet and John recognised some sort of agreement had been met, John had been shown Ianto's teeth once again, and as in every meeting he had been left spitting blood.

OK, lesson learned.

Ianto was sitting with his feet up, the rabbits looking like they were leaping for the sky as his swollen ankles got a rest. He accepted the hot chocolate Jack was offering and then settled more, his daughter entering the room with a quilt, "Here Taddy, found it. The one with green on it right?"

Sydney seemed to come along with the quilt leaping up to settle in the corner of the chair behind Ianto's hip like a fluffy cushion, his little head resting by the bump as he listened to that frantic heartbeat of his soon to be best friend.

"Yes love that came all the way from Wales with me" Ianto was happy, his hands reaching out to stroke the material, "I wrapped you in it when we had to run one night and it was shut in the door here, see where I mended it?"

"Are you kidding?" she laughed as she leaned over, her head touching his, "Invisible stitches. Master Tailor you."

Ianto snorted, then pouted for a kiss and she happily smacked their lips together then she rose and walked over to sit in Willem's lap.

"so … Preggers" John said as he found a mug of hot chocolate coming his way as well, "that is something. You know, he said he would never do that again."

"So did I" Ianto sighed, "She bloody near killed me."

"Birth can be like that" John nodded.

"He means, when I was born he sort of died" Kara sat facing John, "I was his reset. He lingered for a few days, long enough to heal but an infection did him in. Why when he is reborn he is young, handsome and pissed off."

"Actually, you were a little death" Ianto corrected, "I think Miracle Day sort of cemented it for me, the real tell. You alive and me hurt."

Well .. whatever the reason. Because I have Dad's DNA in me, when Taddy died I sort of pulled him back but it was not a real death back then. It was really me keeping him alive because I didn't die, the embryo that became me was still alive. Then, when I was born he almost out. Came back only to get that infection. Then Miracle Day and I should have died but the tables were turned. You see … Dad and Tad are immortal but I don't think I am. I heal really fast and I know my own baby will not cause me a long recovery" Kara smiled, "But it will be a Were so it will be powerful and will have Dad's DNA in there too. A new creature."

John blinked, "A hybrid? Wow, you know … in our time they are revered for their fighting skills. They are called the….er."

"The what?" Ianto looked up as John clicked his fingers in an effort to remember.

"Paradisios" Jack said with a look of surprise, "I had forgotten that. Paradisio Hybrids. Huh. Funny huh? We call this place Paradise."

Ianto grinned as he watched Jack catch up and start to laugh, "Shit. My great-great grandchildren or whatever? Really? I've had sparing matches with my own descendants. That's so funny."

"I knew a Paradisio that could read minds" John said with awe, "Some sort of inner eye thing, he could just look at me and…shit. Eye candy. Of course. Wow"

"Quite the mind trip isn't it" Jack smiled, "John … all games aside, this is not something I share easily but we can find common ground here … I really want our feud to end. I know you like to play and in the past I indulged your fatalistic tendencies but … I am a family man now and I am settled now."

"You got me out" John said softly, "You could have left me there and they would have locked me away, I would have never bothered you again. I would have never given up your VM code ya know."

"But then my Partner would have been trapped forever" Jack shrugged, "Ianto is my heart, along with Kara and little Kai they are my future but you are my past. Important too."

"And this place?" John looked around with interest.

"Welcome to Paradise Slice" Ianto said with a cant of his head, "Beyond the Time Agency's reach, below a Dome of impenetrable power."

"Slice" John said with surprise, "That was what they called themselves. Slices."

Jack laughed as he recalled, "My children's ….children's….. children or so are little buggers."

"Well it is your side of the family I guess" Ianto sniffed as he patted his belly, "My side are refined and apt in getting out of things."

"Actually, they are said to be revered as confidants to the Face of Boe!" John said as he contemplated things, "Remember that time Boe declared a fresh litter like they were his…what? Why are you looking at me like that."

Jack shook his head remembering that podcast as well, Face of Boe and his babies.

Holy shit.

There had been a toy rabbit in the background.

And a tiger.