36

Babs was dancing in the back yard, glad to be back in the firehouse.

It hadn't changed much but she did like the black leather couches Uncle Idris had added and the glass topped tables. She knew Taddy would probably hate them but he was so old.

They were having coffee, not as good as Taddy's but Grandy would never tell Uncle Gene that so he pretended to like it. G'Pa was flying home today and Grandy missed him so much. Uncle Idris was laughing as Uncle Skiddy told them all something, standing there in his saggy pants and she started to head in to see what it was when the doorbell rang.

Skiddy pointed at Gene, "Hold that!"

He wandered to the door, still laughing and as he opened it he turned back to give another quip and that is the last thing he would remember before waking up a couple of days later in hospital.

The sound of the gunshot galvanised everyone as they raced towards the falling man, Gene yelling as he pulled open a drawer and Idris was to the front foyer as he slammed the door shut and slapped his hand on the pad to lock it.

The gunman inside the foyer stepped behind him and Eugene acted impulsively, grabbing the gunman's arm and wrestling with him as Idris turned with horror in time to see the weapon fire.

Gene opened fire, shooting the gunman several times as his father fell to the floor clutching at his stomach.

Babs started to scream with raw terror as her Grandy writhed on the floor and Gene emptied the clip as he stood over the prone body snarling.

Idris fell to his knees as he clapped his own hands over Eugene's and yelled to the men who were pouring in the get a fucking ambulance and check for a second shooter.

Babs fought to get to her beloved Grandy, screaming and sobbing as she reached for him and grabbed a handful of shirt, burying her face in his shoulder.

"No Grandy, no" she sobbed, "Don't leave me. No. I need you."

Gene shakily got the phone and called Ianto, sobbing as he tried to explain what was happening and Babs cried as she called out for her Taddy to come back and make Grandy better.

"Skiddy" Idris crawled over and checked him, relieved to see the wound was to his shoulder and he stemmed the blood flow as the sound of sirens filled the air.

"Oh god, the Queen" Gene looked at Idris and then towards the nursery and relaxed as one of the men rushed over with the crying baby,

Idris watched his husband comfort their daughter as the medics worked on the two men. The third was clearly not going anywhere and was not in need of their help anymore.

Gene rose to face the Heddlu and was relieved to find Andy and Gwen coming through the door, their faces full of compassion as they watched Babs clutch at her Grandy.

"Toto been told?"

"He's on his way" Idris said as he pulled Gene into his side, knowing it was pointless to try and prise the Babbity off her Grandy. They were at least relieved that she had stopped screaming, as had Neve.

"Right, let's go, Police escort" Gwen barked and pushed their way out into the car where Gene shakily tried to call his Dad.

"How do I tell him?" he asked Idris with horror.

"He's in-flight" Idris reminded him as he took the phone before the call could be made, "We ring when we know what to say as it will be voice message. When he lands he will be alone listening to it. We don't want to scare him any more than he needs to be."

"Yeah" Gene swallowed, "Right."

"Shit I can't believe this" Idris said softly, "Who the fuck was he? He didn't wear colours or nothing."

"I don't know love" Gene whispered as he watched his baby pout.

In the ambulance Babs sat and watched them put needles and things into Grandy as he moaned and cursed like Taddy, her tears now gone as a cold, hard anger surfaced that if she knew her Papa's past would have warned her that it was her Hart bloodline thrumming and as they reached the hospital and they unloaded the gurney she turned to Monkey who had travelled with her and was holding the door with a look of worry, "I want to know who he is!"

"Easy little one" he soothed.

"Don't fucking handle me Monkey" she snarled, "Find out who he is. Taddy will want to know and will have work to do."

She drew herself up and stared at him, unnerving the huge man and he nodded silently and then watched her stalk off.

"Mandems" he said softly to Stinky who nodded his agreement.

"Adopted, isn't she?" Stinky said as he scratched his head, the huge T-shirt exposing the belly, "Fuck if that ain't a wee Hooldum, Mon."

"She is" Monkey reminded him, "She be one of our maidens."

"Right then" the fat man said to the wrestler like a before and after photo as they faced each other, "We have orders then."

Both men moved off to do the bidding of one of their womenfolk.

Hoodlums were loose tonight.

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Sorry for the last posting but our power has only just come back on, entire top of SI was knocked out Grrrr