37
When the search and rescue vehicles rolled into the carpark, Hector was in the garden watering the spring bulbs.
He dropped the hose and moved quickly to the lead vehicle and grabbed the man as he stepped out. He was told that remains had been found and he ran.
Bugger the hip, bugger the back. Hector ran.
Jack saw him galloping towards the mountain and knew Ianto had been successful. With a soft sigh, he followed the poor man to comfort him as he finally collapsed at the start of the trail.
Soon the sound of a chopper could be heard as people traipsed up and down the trail, no sign of Ianto.
"He won't leave him" Connie finally came down and walked over to Jack.
"Shit" Jack sighed.
"He knows they will leave him there while they do their forensics thing. He also knows that if he is in shock and showing signs of distress, they will have to move Sean in order to get Ianto down" she smiled softly "Ianto explained it all before they got to us. He is putting on a good show, they seem quite worried for him. They will bag the remains within the next half hour and carry him down with Ianto."
Jack turned to the couple who were hugging each other tightly as they listened and threw his arms around them both.
"You hear that? Your boy is nearly home" Jack said softly.
"They both will be back soon" Betty sobbed as she touched Jack's face affectionately.
Eugene and James had arrived and kept the children entertained while the stretcher was finally carried solemnly down the trail with Ianto following, holding onto a boot like it was spun gold.
The bag seemed pitifully flat and Ianto's red rimmed eyes searched for Jack, heading for him with speed. Jack opened his arms and accepted the sobbing mess with soft croons.
Betty wept as she patted the black bag and Hector stoically held her as he thanked those carrying his son.
"We will have a proper ID soon, but Mr Harkness-Jones insistent that this is Sean, he remembers what he was wearing and … well. He won't let go of the boot with Sean's name written inside." One of the rescuers told Betty.
She called out to Ianto and he extracted himself from Jack and waked over, presenting her with the boot and she turned it in her hands to find the scrawl she would know anywhere.
"Thank you baby" she whispered and Ianto smiled through his tears.
"That's OK Mammy" he then tuned and went back to Jack, unaware of what he had just called her and she turned to Hector once more, now crying for another reason.
As the recovery wound down Ianto let Jack lead him to the cottage and the children were pleased to see him, the sound of the chopper had frightened them. Especially Walter.
Jack then told everyone that Ianto was tired and he made his husband take a hot shower then climb into bed.
Ianto was asleep within minutes and Jack let the children in, helping Babbit onto the bed so they could all cuddle with the sleeping Welshman.
"An hour!" Jack said softly, "Then you come get dinner and let poor Taddy sleep. OK?"
Jack watched them all settle and his heart went out to the couple in the other house.
Their boy was able to rest now, as well.