38
Kev woke to a warm bed and the window open, a breeze across his chest and bandages covering his shoulder.
He heard the faint laugher of children and he moaned softly as he rolled to sit on the edge of the bed, examining the bandage then peeling it pack gently to see neat stitching and a clean wound.
"Oi!" a voice snarked, making him look up as the acrid little man entered, "Stop fucking with it!"
"Where am I?" Kev asked, still trying to remember what happened.
"Holdfast" Owen answered, "Our primary village. You've been out of it for a couple of days, your lung collapsed on us again so I knocked you out to keep you still. Ianto has been told you are awake and he will come across from the school."
"School" Kev said with incredulity.
"Kev" Ianto's warm Welsh vowels curled around the room as he entered, his smile brightening them both as Owen immediately grinned back and reached out to place a hand on Ianto's arm.
"He's good for a wee walk, nothing strenuous but he might pop a blood vessel if we keep him down much longer" Owen said happily, "That bird of mine down below?"
"Yeah, the new cameras and sensors are being installed at the Northern Entrance." Ianto nodded then turned to Kev, "Now I brought you some clothes because the womenfolk here are a bit excitable when they see man flesh. Believe me, after the eighth pinched arse cheek you are SOOOO over it!"
Owen snorted, "Speak for yourself. When even my Tosh would race after you and Jack, leaving me like a limp noodle."
Kev dressed, feeling stronger as he found himself able to move.
"Something to eat first" Ianto said softly, "Some soup and fresh bread might be best, you've been asleep for a while and need some fuel."
"Sounds great" Kev followed Ianto out into the village and looked around with wonder, the buildings all large and shiny. As they walked towards the large red house Kev slowed to let some kids race past and Ianto scooped one up as the little boy screamed and laughed, Ianto kissing his face and setting him back on his feet as some other children waited.
"And what are you up to here?" Ianto asked as he knelt and smiled at the wee boy, Kev seeing eyes looking back that were identical.
"We are going to do rubbings Taddy!" Dean told him, "Look, you brought back crayons for us to do rubbings with. Frank already did one of the plate wall!"
Ianto turned and a child stepped forward, taking Kev's breath away as the face turned up towards Ianto with fangs on display. Ianto showed no fear and reached for the piece of paper in its …claws?
"Oh Frank, that is brilliant. Look, I didn't even know there was a love heart shape in the tiles" Ianto held it up as the creature looked as well and reached out those sharp claws to trace a love heart in the markings to show he understood.
"Lovely Frankie, don't forget to take this to your Daddy, you know he will crow and put it on the fridge for sure!" Ianto leaned in and kissed the little face as the creature hummed softly and Kev found himself kneeling to get a better look.
"Hello there young fella" he said softly hoping he got the right sex based on the name, "I'm Kev. That is a mighty fine looking gun you have there."
The little thing showed teeth again and Kev realised it was a smile, twisting to show Kev the little gun had a walkie talkie next to it and he tapped it several times.
"Is that…Morse? Did you say hello?" Kev asked with surprise.
"Frank doesn't have the vocal cords to speak as we do" Ianto explained, "Weevils mostly grumble and moan. We got those at the mall, these three are called the Three Musketeers or the 3Ms. My youngest son Dean, Martha's daughter Bella and Frank here. They are all learning Morse Code so they can communicate with the talkies. They already have some of the alphabet down, I think in a couple of months they will be fluent."
"That's bloody brilliant" Kev boomed, laughing softly as the little man nodded his agreement.
"Off you go, enjoy the day" Ianto smiled, watching them run off then he turned to point at the building with the glass front and back, a mezzanine level visible. "That's the school house, top level is a library. The kids spend the morning s in there and while the weather is good, the afternoon on the loose like little heathens, well we all are I suppose."
"Frank, he is…special. Clever" Kev pointed out.
"His kind are called Weevils." Ianto explained, "An alien race that live in the sewer systems. Lived. Don't know how they've fared. Frank was found abandoned, we don't know if his Mama left him or died. Owen adopted him but he sort of belongs to all of us."
"He's proud of his appearance" Kev noted, "He knows he's different? Wants to match?"
"yes" Ianto nodded "Don't we all?"
They entered the Big House and Kev felt his stomach come to life as the smells assaulted him.
"Oh, he's up!" a lovely little lady came shooting out of the kitchen, her perfectly fixed silver hair framed her sweet face as she headed for him, "You sit here you poor Baban, let Nainny get you some soup, darling? You hungry too?"
"Yes please" Ianto smiled at her lovingly, "That's me Nainny. My Poppy is out and about, probably with Ebony somewhere. She's his minion these days with the forge they've built."
As Kev settled to eat he looked at the huge table and he felt a peace in the room as he was reminded of his ancestral home in Hawaii.
It felt like he had found home.