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"Errr" Jack called softly, "Mama? Where's the Byrd?"

Dahlia smiled and turned to point, then looked at her empty hand with horror. Ianto was already moving the mobility scooter back and now Rhiannon's eyes drifted to the stomach again before looking back up at Jack who was turning in small circles while stating to panic.

"Cariad, go find someone with a walkie-talkie as they can call security and use the PA system" Ianto said calmly as he started to scan under tables, "She might not realise she is free yet."

"Right" Jack shook himself, "Right love."

"Byrd?" Dahlia called softly, "Hearthwarmer needs a hug."

Ianto moved away from them knowing the little bugger had time to get some space between them and as he reached the rubbish bins the realisation set in that the wee shit had felt the leash fall and had gone for it, probably in top gear like a zombie going for brains.

Jack returned with two security officers who looked more than a little terrified of the man with that special badge. Ianto rolled his eyes and kept going in the direction of the glass doors, knowing their child would head for the largest expanse which was the main foyer, followed by outside.

There was a small huddle of people near a large glass window looking out over the children's play area and he groaned as he picked up speed, calling out for people to move and he was now able to see a familiar shoe.

"Byrdie!" he shouted and she roared as she struggled in the arms of a large breasted woman who was trying to hold a tissue to her bleeding nose for her.

"Give me my child" Ianto demanded, reaching out to hook the harness at the front and yank her into his lap but the woman hung on creating a tug of war that left Ianto dumbfounded as he stared at her, "Excuse me, this is my daughter let her go!"

"TADDA!" Byrd had gained enough breath to scream as she clutched at his arms and still the woman yanked back as she demanded security.

"Who the fuck do you think you are" Ianto snarled, giving one huge heave and the woman let go, squealing in indignation as Ianto clutched his child. He examined her and found a bump on her head and the bleeding did not show a broken nose thank the gods.

The woman was now on her feet and Ianto assumed it was her skinny and henpecked husband she was shrieking at as she demanded Child Protective Services be contacted about this poor uncared for waif.

Byrd had stopped her tantrum and looked up at her Taddy wide huge eyes, knowing she was in deep trouble and he sighed softly as he regarded her, "Now, how many times have I told you not to run away?"

Byrd opened her arms wide.

"How many times have you run away?"

Another wide arm response.

"Was it worth it?"

A morose sniffle as she shook her head and then the lip wobble as boots pounded in their direction. Deep, deep doo-doo.

"BYRD!" Jack snatched her up and promptly slapped her bum, making her squeak as she felt it through her little training pants, "You scared the living shit out of me!"

Jack then clutched her to him, kissing her face as he cuddled and crooned, telling her she was a naughty girl who didn't deserve any chicken nuggets and was very lucky he was going to get her some anyway for scaring him like that. Byrd sank into the soft touch's chest and looked triumphantly as her Taddy who glowered up at her from the chair.

"What sort of parent does that to a child!" the woman was still going and Ianto sighed as he turned to regard her. "Look at her, just a wee dot and they have her tied like a bloody dog!"

"I wanna doggie!" Byrd told her happily as she wriggled, "Daddy? Doggie?"

"Well, if your father here is too sick to even control you I don't think a dog would help" the woman scoffed as she waved a hand in Ianto's direction, "Seems he should have stuck to a dog in the first place."

"OI!" Rhiannon roared as she descended, her arm swinging and Ianto watched with complete horror as his sister struck the woman in the shoulder, "You leave my baby brother alone bitch! He's sick, clearly there are two parents here, her aunty is right here as well as Jack's mother. If you knew anything you would know kids can be shits of things to control at the best of times."

"Rhia" Ianto said softly as he watched her body slam the woman back from the scooter, "It's OK, Gray has my back."

The little boy had swapped the plastic utensil for the one he had hidden in the chair when they got there and the butter knife glinted as he snarled animalistically at the woman, one hand reaching back for his beloved niece as the other held the knife out.

"See?" the woman shrieked, "All heathens!"

"Yes" Jack said as he flipped the badge at the security descending, making them pale as they stepped back from him, "We are all heathens here madam."

Ianto looked up at his Cariad and felt a swell of love, reaching out to hook his coat and pull him back, "Jack, my darling I love you so much."

"Are you OK babe?" Jack looked down and smiled as he let Byrd slide into Ianto's lap.

"Are you kidding?" Ianto grinned, "I'm bloody grand. Also, it appears I am a heathen."

"What is a heathen?" Dahlia asked as she calmly disarmed her son.

"Us" Jack replied happily, watching the security disperse the crowd nervously. "We are heathens Mama."

"Oh good" she said as she kissed Gray and handed him a banana instead, "As long as we are clear."

"Oh yeah" Ianto slumped as Rhia started to snort with mirth, her hand covering her mouth as her eyes shone with merriment and Ianto poked his tongue at her, "All Heathens here."

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Brose 1001 ….yes harness and leash are brilliant. Jem was a runner, pure and simple fucktard when in public and anyone who has not had a runner will not understand the pure terror of a parental chasing the little shit as they peel along at top speed into people, inanimate objects ….traffic….

One old lady one day was chastising me while my darling was in tantrum mode and I lifted said darling sweetie shit and offered him to her, "Do you want him?" She looked horrified and admitted that she hadn't had any children of her own.

The battle for supremacy is never ending when it comes to your children. LOL