35

Ianto was furious.

The call-out had been taxing, Jack had died during the retrieval and in all the rush Valentine hadn't been told they were going.

He slammed into the penthouse with an apology on his lips to find …. What the fuck!

His first thought was that they had been burglarised and he ran screaming his child's name as he frantically searched for him.

Jack had been following more sedately, the death had ben hard and his energy levels low. Upon hearing Ianto's crazed roars, Jack sprinted the last few steps into the penthouse and stood looking at the wreckage.

A fern had been dragged from its exploded pot and across the floor to sit by the window like it was taking in the view. The cushions from the sofa were scattered, a picture hung crookedly from the wall and its partner lay smashed on the hardwood floor.

All the ornaments were smashed and scattered.

Said hardwood floor was scratched and torn by the dragging of what appeared to be a shoe. Jack looked closer and saw that it was Ianto's big fluffy rabbit slipper. How it had managed to gouge the floor, he didn't know.

Jack stepped in a wee bit more and craned his head around to the kitchen.

Wow.

The cupboards had exploded, food and broken crockery littered the floor as did the coffee beans. That's when Jack saw.

The ketchup bottle had exploded with amazing accuracy, the silhouette of a Valentine sized clean blob on the cupboards told him that Valentine was somewhere, sticky.

It also told Jack that whomever had pushed it off the counter had been aiming well, taking time to aim for the best splatter effect.

Ianto had stopped screaming and was now sobbing quietly as he overturned furniture with an image of an injured and dying baby hidden beneath torturing him.

"Ianto, its OK baby" Jack called out and the howl told him that Ianto didn't quite believe him.

Jack crunched though the debris and into the bedroom.

The scratching post come climbing frame was in pieces and Ianto was delicately picking up the sleeping cube and looking inside as he fearfully expected the worst.

"Ianto, I don't think it was a home invasion" Jack tried again.

"Stop being so fucking calm and find my baby!" Ianto screamed, his face contorting and Jack quickly started scanning with the VM.

"Babe" Jack said softly, "Heat signature coming from the bottom of the boiler cupboard."

Ianto crawled on hands and knees from the bedroom and across the hall, tears flowing as he pulled the door open more and looked into the dark interior.

"Bubby?" Ianto hitched, "My bunny bum sweetheart?"

A small squeak came back and Ianto collapsed with relief, crying as he reached into the gloom and felt around. His face changed from glee to disgust a he removed the ….thing…that blinked back at him.

It was definitely Valentine sized, had Valentine eyes and the yowl was typical Valentine.

"Oh my god!" Ianto was horrified.

Covered in sauce, dirt, coffee grinds and what looked suspiciously like Jack's sherbet, the beast looked like a molten piece of lava.

"Vally?" Ianto whispered as he held him up with one hand.

"Voldemort!" Jack growled, "I know you're in there as well. Come out!"

For a large fat cat, Voldemort seemed very small as he tiptoed out and sat primly flicking his whiskers.

"Stop acting like you don't know what happened here!" Jack frowned, "You did this, didn't you!"

Ianto's look of shock was replaced with one Voldemort didn't like at all. Disappointment.

"Morty. You did this to my little boy?" Ianto asked with confusion.

Voldemort tried a little meow of contrition. Nope, that didn't work.

Ianto was now looking outraged as he cuddled the sad little blob against his chest.

"I am so disappointed in you!" Ianto said sadly, "I can't believe you let me down like this."

Ianto rose and headed for the bathroom as he examined the levels of crust.

Ianto ran hot water in the hand basin and felt it, then added a little bit of cold. When he was happy with the temperature he placed the kitten into the water and Valentine cried with dismay at the wetness.

"I know, but you really need a bath!" Ianto said firmly, "You can't sleep with me and Daddy tonight if you are yucky!"

Valentine stopped struggling and looked up with delight, the promise of sleeping in the big bed enough for him to endure the torturous washing.

Ianto soon had him wrapped in a fluffy towel as he rubbed him dry and reached for Jack's hairdryer.

Valentine was afraid of the hot wind but soon saw the funny side, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the feeling of his whiskers twitching.

"Look at him" Jack laughed from the doorway, "gonna enjoy speed."

"Yeah" Ianto smiled lovingly, "Imagine him when he sticks his little head out the car window like a doggy."

Jack laughed at the image then looked at Ianto carefully.

Ah shit.

He was serious.