NG didn't sleep much that night as Jack and he covered a lot of emotional territories. Jack was too busy making sure every bit of him was memorized so sleep just didn't happen. He was pissed off, but not at Jack for suddenly seeming so needy. NG had been in Jack's mind enough during the night to know what his partner was going through. NG was angry with himself for not telling Jack he really needed the sleep. He was going into unknown territory and going there with puffy eyes, a slight headache and sudden yawning fits might not be the best-laid plan. But Jack was so tender and it was just so hard to say no to this man when NG could feel Jack's emotional helplessness. It wasn't that Jack was helpless as a person, just that he couldn't help NG with his task. NG wished Jack was coming with him and Jack was allowed to feel that through their connected minds.
Thinking back on the events that evening NG watched Jack sleep a bit before he grabbed a knapsack full of things he needed and left. He looked back once at the house after he closed the front door to see the curtain move to cover what NG knew was Jack having a final look.
He sighed as he got into his car, heading to his parents' house to say good-bye to the kids. He sent Jack a small, "we are fine, you and me are going to be just fine" in regards to their conversation last night. Rather than putting the stereo on NG replayed the night over again in his head hoping to have worked it out by the time he got to the Hub with his Dad. He didn't want his mind clouded with thoughts of his relationship with Jack before he stepped into the unknown. It was against the training his Dad had drilled into him in regards to letting things of a personal nature get in the way of the task in front of him. So like his Dad showed him once, he took this moment to cleanse his thoughts.
After much debate by the pool, in the kitchen over dinner, in the living room with a beer or two and then in the bedroom before, during and after making love, Jack saw the full scale of what NG was proposing. And as much as Jack hated to admit it, it made perfect sense. He knew that NG was a pioneer in this type of work but then Jack had an epiphany. NG was, as Jack saw it, the first Time Agent. It scared Jack to death that he was witnessing the beginning of something that he as a young man had yearned to be a part of.
"Does this mean Torchwood and the Time Agency was one in the same?" He cuddled NG closer, kissing the brown curls that still held the smallest trace of chlorine from NG's earlier swim.
"I'm not sure what it means. But it means that we shouldn't tell the Doctor when he comes what we are up to. He just may try to shut down the Rift for our own good. I like my job and I really don't want to have everyone in the Institute unemployed!" NG burrowed into Jack's chest as he shook with laughter and felt Jack join him.
Jack rubbed his chin on NG's head. "Wait, that means I will have to lie or try to make it seem like we aren't hiding anything. I don't lie well to parental figures. Never could, ask your Papa about what I was like with adults as a kid. The Doctor is like that, an older parental figure. Or would it be like lying to the all Knowing all Seeing Eye? Do you think he was aware of my connection the whole time?"
"You said he wasn't too shook about your immortality but he didn't hesitate to unfix your Vortex Manipulator. If he knew, he needed for you to find the means on your own. That might also mean you invented the VM at some point or how else would it exist?" NG frowned not feeling it right to start questioning the whole thing. He after all needed to focus on the task he had before him. What historical events that followed were not yet for him fuss over.
"Or you invent it, or someone in Torchwood does or perhaps it is alien in nature. They never did explain where it came from in class. But maybe I wasn't paying attention that day." Jack took a deep breath before continuing. "The how of it and the why could mean a lot of things. We best not think about this now. At some point I guess I will know all of it. Right now I need to say that I'm worried, but I have a feeling it will all work out. This time I'm aware you are going. It isn't a surprise, you have a direct objective and it isn't random." He thought of other things he could add in, like his fears that something would go wrong on the other end. But he knew that NG needed to use those skills that over the years they had so carefully taught him. What happened once NG walked through that door the Rift opened was dependant on NG's ability for survival.
"Hey, Jack, Dad and you did right by me. I have never felt this sure of myself before. I think I could handle anything. We are doing it simple, I'm accessing a point before the signal. It has been charted that I can arrive a hundred yards away from the source of the transmission. I just hope there isn't an army awaiting me. That would suck." He moved out of Jack's protective hold, stretching his body out on the bed, the top sheet draped around his waist. "We should think of some type of scanner for the future trips that could let me know what I shall encounter on the other end." He yawned slightly.
Jack saw it then on NG's midsection, the faintest trace of the C-section scar. He ran his fingers over it tickling NG slightly. He looked at NG's sweet face while the younger man smiled. "We should have tried for more. I think we should have had a dozen kids. It isn't too late. Anna said I'm not dried up so it could still happen." He lost the smile as he saw the pained look on Jack's face. His eyes looked so sad. "Hey, what is it?" He tried but couldn't read Jack just then. He had blocked NG from seeing his feelings.
"I held back. I'm sorry. There were times I just knew that you were ready and I didn't dare try for another child." He avoided NG's eyes, not wanting to see what kind of horrified look his lover was wearing.
NG went right for Jack's hand on his stomach grabbing it to hold tightly. "I know you did. I also know why you did. You didn't want a repeat of the last time. Anna never found a connection between my travels and the hormones. Nor could any of them find a connection between the jumping and my emotions. But I get your concern. It's okay, three is fine and I should have had my tubes tied." He turned his head to look at the clock on the nightstand before he went to sit up but didn't disturb their knotted hands.
They didn't talk for a few moments, NG felt it was akin to that awkward silence a first time dating couple had when they were unsure what to say next or rather if what was said next was appropriate. They never had that problem before. Jack and NG both never ran out of things to say. They almost never found awkward areas of conversation but it would seem that this topic classified as one.
NG snaked his hand out of the curled tangle lump of flesh as he stood to leave the warmth of his shared space with Jack. The moment was gone for now and he needed to pee.
Jack didn't say a word and NG didn't dare break the silence. He also didn't want to see Jack's face at that moment. He just needed to regroup his thoughts before he put his smile back on and went to climb back into bed with the other father of his children.
The light in the bathroom went on brightly, making him squint and blink a little as his eyes adjusted after being in the lower light of the bedroom. His hair he wasn't at all surprised was a tangled mess. It had gotten long again and Jack had tried to braid it at one point. It still had some of the braids intact and he was sure it would hurt to untangle them. But he left them for now and took care of what he came into to do.
He felt Jack standing in the door long before Jack had actually gotten there. He stood there peeing, sensing Jack's stress as he felt Jack leave the bed and shuffling his way to the bathroom like a little kid that had done something bad.
"I hope you don't intend to have that face on when the Doctor gets here. He will know you have been bad again." NG kept his voice light, hoping to steer Jack away from the gloomy thoughts that he felt flooding the man's mind.
"I'm so sorry. I just didn't want to put you through the whole mess again, NG." He waited for NG to look at him, staring at the corners of the younger man's eyes willing for them to turn his way. "It hurt so much seeing you change and suffer the last time. I know having them is a great joy. But putting you through that again…"
It grew quiet again when Jack's voice trailed off. Quiet to the point that they could both hear that tinny whistle like ringing in their ears.
He had Jack's hair in his fist as he kissed him hard, pushing him back to the bedroom. They didn't make it to the bedroom as Jack lost his balance and landed on his back on the carpeted floor. NG falling with him took the opportunity to make sure Jack's pain became pleasure when he straddled Jack, working Jack's newfound excitement into his body. Jack moaned as NG took charge of him in the middle of the hallway. "I love you, Jack. There is no place for sorry in what we have together. I love you for caring enough to tell me how you feel. That is all I have ever wanted." He started to pant, slowing down a bit, allowing both of them to last a little longer.
Somehow Jack didn't feel that this was settled. Like with most of the wrongs he had done in his life, sorry just didn't seem to be enough. But right now NG sweating and panting on top of him seemed to make him forget. He pushed his body up as NG fell forward, reaching for Jack's lips. Jack kissed NG tenderly, going against the urgency of NG's bucking hips. The contrast in each man's different approach to climax was a unique sensation, each telling the other through their bodies that they understood and were forgiven.
Jack not going with NG to the Hub made Mark a little more than mad. He was furious as the yelling on the other end of the phone made Jack's eardrums bleed, figuratively of course. Jack explained that they had a very emotional night and they had said their good-byes, leaving it at that. He also told Mark that NG said he was fine with the choice and he really felt he meant it. NG didn't need Jack to hold his hand. So he told Mark to let it be and hung up the phone after saying to bring the kids by later. Jack explained he needed some alone time. He didn't give Mark the chance to yell again. He put the phone on mute because he just knew his friend wasn't going to give up that easily and the last thing Jack needed was a phone ringing all day.
Of course for NG the morning was proving to be way more of a problem. While Jack could sit back and reflect, NG had to deal with Triplet hybrid human children that just knew way more of the story by touching a person's mind than the average child did by shifting through the feelings of those around them. Most kids blamed themselves for a parent leaving. Ianto, Tara and Andie didn't do that, they already knew it wasn't because of them that NG was going, they just didn't know if he was coming back. Even at their age there was that fear of being abandoned by their Papa and they didn't like it one bit, especially Andie. She was making it difficult for NG to leave, especially since Jack decided to be absent from the send off. That made the other two confused but it made Andie an emotional tearful wreck.
It was bad enough that the kids already knew something was up when Papa showed up without their Dad. Andie was visibly upset and wouldn't come near NG. Ianto and Tara did a surprising thing. Letting go of their anxiety, they went for empathy with NG and seemed to let understanding his feelings guide them. They just hugged their Papa saying they would see him when he came back believing NG would return to them. Mark was pouting at his son even though John explained how they were going to approach this and how safe it would be for NG. Mark knew things go wrong all the time and it never failed to happen even with the best of plans.
"Think of it as an adventure, Papa." He explained to Mark who had resorted to arm folding and glaring. "I'm like a hero in a comic book." He smiled as he tried to coax Andie to him. "Peaches, Papa has to do this."
"No, you just want to leave us!" She screamed as NG reached for her.
"I'm with her, you do just want to leave us." Mark leveled an angry look at his son. "And you're holding the door open for him." His eyes were blazing as they found John.
"Here we go and I though after twelve years of peace I hoped we wouldn't go at it again. Mark, it is his plan and it is a good one. It will work which makes things easier for us. Just think, what if we could start returning things from the Rift to where they came from. After reading about that poor space whale, it would be a good thing. And if we could have had this back then we may have been able to save the Weevils. Don't be like this, Lovely."
NG in his defense spoke as well. "Not only me Papa, but I'm sure I can show others how to do this. It will take years to get the technique down but I'm sure it can be taught." His eyes were rounded soft in his belief that his idea would work.
Mark didn't budge. He just frowned at the pair. Andie ran to him just as NG closed in to comfort the girl. She had erected barriers around her mind while she sobbed as her Grandpa's arms.
"I give up. Maybe you two should go and conspire with Jack on just how foolish I'm being. I thought by now I would have gotten just a little bit of trust in my skill. That maybe I would have figured this out but I see three of the most important people to me just don't what to have a little faith in me." He shook his head brown curls bouncing around his face covering his eyes.
"Jack isn't okay with this?" John asked, glaring at Mark. "How dare you treat him like this!" He beamed into Mark's mind.
"No, he said okay but there was a mess of other things. It was very up and down last night in direction and actual points of view. He believes I have just opened myself up to being used yet he feels this is meant to be. We spent most of the night in this debate but I think we are okay. I left feeling that with him. But he is sulking over other things that I can feel. I would like if you went to talk with him, Papa." His hazel eyes looked so yielding as he waited for Mark's reply.
Mark smiled through his tears. NG could be so brave at times; trying so hard to make sure his house was in order. He was grown up now. Mark nodded yes.
"I'm giving Andie and you the ultimatum." NG held Mark's eyes with his. "It isn't about you, and it isn't about how it affects you. It is about how it affects me." He blinked at the group when he was done. "I have to leave. I guess I'll see you when I get back. Come on Dad, you are my ride in. Good thing, I don't think I would be able to get there on my own."
Ianto was hugging his waist again when NG turned to leave. The boy was growing fast being waist high to his Papa and he had matured beyond the normal age of a twelve year old. "I'll see you when you get back Papa. I love you." NG hugged his son before kneeling to give him a kiss.
"I love you too Papa!" Tara joined in also getting a kiss.
"I love both of you and thank you for believing in me." Their belief in his abilities made him feel more confident. He felt like he could do anything as long as he had their love.
He hugged them some more and got up to leave. It was then Andie broke out of Mark's arms and ran to him. "I'm sorry Papa! Don't go until I get a hug!" NG turned just as she leapt into his arms.
"It's okay Peaches, I never doubted for a second that you didn't love me. I promise when I get back we'll go to the arcade and get ice cream and walk on the beach, just you and I. I won't be long, I promise. I love you so much my special girl." The last bit he sent right into her now open mind.
Mark was near his son now looking so lost. "I just want you safe." He was crying as John came from behind wrapping his arms around him.
"He knows that, Lovely, as do I." He leaned over and kissed his cheek.
As soon as Andie let go and went to her siblings NG gave both his parents a hug and kissed them. "Don't worry, Papa. I'm a big boy now." He turned and left, John following after.
John told Mark to bring the kids by later if he wanted so they could all wait for NG to come back. Mark smiled shaking his head no. He simply said to John, "I'll drop the kids off and then go find Jack. It is about time NG learns to walk by himself. I'll see him after he gets back." NG touched his mind just as he left opening up to Mark like he never did before. Mark saw a new NG, one that had enough strength to carry them all. This new NG was proud and full of confidence. This new NG was going to be all right because he knew he had people believing in him.
"Spit it out Dad, I know you want to say something. You have been quiet since we left your house. That is something, even for you!" NG held in the grin knowing his comment more than irked John.
"I'm assuming you and Jack talked about the possibilities of what you are going to do could mean." John kept his gaze on the road while he felt NG mull his words over.
"We aren't sure, neither should you read more into it than it is at the moment. And now with the Doctor coming for a visit we have to keep these thoughts buried." John looked shocked about the Doctor. "Wait, Jack didn't mention it to you? He really can be irksome at times. I wonder if he has told anyone about it." John shook his head over Jack's lack of communication while NG continued. "I'm not sure how we are going to get the whole team to lie about this. But you can see why we have to." He looked out the window at the streets of Cardiff dotted with bits of building and unknown faces whizzing by.
"We were taught in The Agency that its beginnings were not very orthodox and what it splintered into wasn't what any of us would call holy. I find it hard to look at what you start here today as the birth of something I have as a foundation for my current life. Not only that but how corrupt it became seems impossible with you at the start of it. But I see your point. I hope Jack at least mentioned the Doctor to Dan and Leon."
"I know, Dad. Jack and I haven't gotten that far with our thoughts but I could feel he was thinking the same way. Best we put it aside right now. I really think in time we will get the answers to a lot of this. But I don't want you to feel any different about your choice to be a Time Agent. Even if I am the beginning there is no reason to let that shiver go down your back. I'm still me, not some monster." His grin was reflected in the glass of his window. John couldn't help but smile back.
"I'm getting old and your Papa's insecurities are rubbing off on me. That is what happens when you let him wander in your brain too often. His fears become yours. I think he leaves them behind so he doesn't have them running through his thoughts. I don't know if I like my mind being used as a rubbish can for his paranoia!" John laughed, making NG really smile.
"Odd concept, but it works." He rubbed his chin as he thought about the feelings and things he would love to leave behind in someone else's mind. "Think about the how a simple fear of say spiders could be magnified and place in the mind." NG nodded to his reflection.
John slammed on the brakes of his car, sending NG forward. If it weren't for the seat belt, NG would have been through the windshield. His anger spilled out with his tense voice as he replied. "That idea ends right now. We had a name for people who did that to others. They were not well received with the rest of us agents and that name was buried because of their horrible deeds. Don't even think that it would be amusing. You never knew that type of fear, the fear that someone else decides for you and you are forced to live with for the rest of your life!" He pulled NG around to look at him.
NG went wide-eyed at his Dad's reaction. He had never seen John that upset before, not even when NG smashed the PM's car into a building. "I'm sorry, it was just a thought. It will never happen again."
John started up the car while NG tried to stop shaking. "You above all people should know that even a thought may seem harmless but it could be used at some point to kill."
NG nodded as he started to relax a little. Some days he just didn't know what would set whom off and it was starting to get at him. His Dad mellowing now changed the subject bring it back to the early conversation about Jack. It was then NG voiced his concerns with Jack's current state of mind. He was becoming aware of restlessness with Jack, having that urge to return back to work. NG didn't bring up their talk about having more children. That was something that was just too fresh in his mind. He also realized that driving to work with his Dad was a bad idea. He was not going to be able to clear his mind of all these thoughts before he had to jump through the Rift.
"It is like we did this role reversal and I'm not sure Jack is in the place he wants to be. It used to be everyone waited for him while he and the team or just him went out to do things and everyone else stayed behind. Even Uncle Ianto learned to stay behind, opting out of fieldwork to appease Jack. He didn't want to have Ianto hurt, which was understandable. So he makes plans for semi retirement to raise our family something he wanted us to do together. I get sucked away for five years and he is alone. I come back and just as we are settled I'm running off to do a mission, something in the past he would have jumped on. Now he can't and it is bothering him. I bet he will be happy to get back into it again." NG glanced out the window try to remember when they built a strip mall they passed. "Did that go up recently?"
John noticed where his son was looking. "Yes it went up fast. I don't like buildings that rise up out of nowhere seemingly overnight. It is depressing. I'm old fashioned like that. It should take a bit of skill and some time to make it right." He understood what NG meant with Jack. He was semi retired as well but more and more over the years he ended up getting back into it almost at a full time level. This life they had, this life of them traveling through the universe, chasing aliens or just solving a mystery never got boring. Even if it was dangerous, it was still worth every life-periling instance.
"NG, with Jack you have to understand that Jack's life is Torchwood. He needs it and though he tries to act like it isn't important. It is the opposite really because it is important to him. He just loves his family as well. But he is hoping to jump back in the game as soon as he can. He is watching all of us do what we love and he just is sitting there waiting. Not really what Jack was made for, don't you agree?"
"Hey, I know it was my fault, not being here for the first five years, he got stuck. But the last seven, I didn't chain him to the house. He decided to stay as a full time Dad. He can jump back into the game anytime he wants. We wouldn't be the only Torchwood family that raised kids and kept working in the field." It was odd for all of a sudden he felt sick to his stomach. He heaved a little bile, covering his mouth.
"Hey what is it?" John asked seeing his son's face turn pale.
"We have to hurry, I can feel the Rift opening." He leaned his head on the cool glass. "Our friends from beyond have activated the beam. "
"Right, hang on. We will be at the Hub in a moment." John sped down the road ignoring all traffic Laws. "I hope Andy is kind and lets me off on the traffic violations this time." He put his foot down harder on the gas pedal. "I just passed another camera. That's what happened the last time I got caught. Bloody cameras! I helped set those things up and now I can't block them with my VM because I made them hack proof! I paid a fortune the last time I broke the law!"
NG was upset he didn't have time to prepare. The second he got into the Hub, he had to leave. It was odd to just head out in a pair of Jeans, a black t-shirt, a knapsack full of useful items and his mind not in the right spot. He just hoped that all these random thoughts didn't land him in a place he didn't intent to go. He also hoped all the recent issues in his life with Jack and his family didn't distract him. He didn't want this to take any longer than it needed to. He also wanted to come out of this alive.
"Just clear your mind, NG." Leon coached him. Just let your mind go blank and let it latch onto the signal." Leon felt his brother's powerful mind connect with the signal. He staggered back a bit with the energy NG was emitting. For a brief moment Leon swore he heard singing mixed in with the brief rainbow of color that caressed his inner sight.
"Are you sure that is the way?" Jolein asked, not realizing Leon was connected to NG's mind. "After all it isn't like any of us have done this before. He could just focus on their signal and use the VM to…" Her head jerked when she heard NG clear his throat and Leon blinked, looking paler than a few minutes ago. She went to him trying to find out what had happened. His mind was closed to her, something that had never happened with him before.
"I think I know what to do, guys." NG said with a surge of confidence. "Thanks for the ideas, but I'll take it from here." He didn't want any more words. His mind was already a mess of thoughts, words and other people's hurts and pains. He needed to focus as the energy inside of him took control and reaching out with millions of invisible tentacles began to take hold of his destination that his mind had already decided. It was easy he thought as he vanished from the sight of those in the Hub. In a blink of the eye he was gone.
"I never saw you in the pool before," Mark said as he walked through the back gate of Jack and NG's home. He heard splashing of water and watched Jack angrily swim, making aggressive strokes with arms and loud thuds against the water with his kicks.
"I don't, well haven't really swam since we were kids on Boeshane." He placed his hands on the cement and lifted himself up out of the pool like he was as light as a feather. "There are other uses for the pool besides swimming!" He laughed as Mark rolled his eyes at him.
Mark hadn't seen Jack's body in many years. It was almost the same as when they were young. It had matured, the muscles being more defined but basically it was the same toned form that had run around the beach on Boeshane.
Mark frowned as he said to Jack, "I hate you." He laughed afterwards. "You do nothing and look like that. I run for miles each day and still fight to stay looking thin."
Jack guessed why Mark said what he had said. "It sucks, I just don't age. I do get fat if I'm well fed. Ianto plumped me up some but NG has been working out with me. I don't run with him like Andie, Rhys and you do. But we still find other ways to exercise." He shook his hair out in front of Mark.
Mark gulped a bit because even though it has been a while Jack still did something to him. "Get dressed before I do something I will regret. At my age if something is ready I have to use it, may not get a chance for a long time." He laughed.
"Your age! Really, You don't look your age, making Anna very jealous. And I'm sure John and you still perform well." He reached for the towel he left on the table. The day was comfortable as the sun hitting Jack in the right spots made him feel warm after the chill of the water. He was trying not to imagine what NG was going through, he was trying not to wander down that path.
"John falls asleep right after, but we still go at it for hours before he does, but he just doesn't have the stamina to go again for a long time. Which is good. I get things done like I never used to." He giggled, making Jack raise his eyebrows. "I'm lying, he still shags me all night. With my brittle bones that could get dangerous. He may just break me in half one day!"
Jack smacked him with the wet towel. "You should have been an actor. By the way, what have you done with my children? You didn't sell them to that Roma family that was by here the other day? I mean if you did, I want my share." He sat in the chair letting his head fall back to let the sun warm his face.
"No, I couldn't do that. I love my grandkids, all six of them and since it is the summer they are all with Cousin Jolein who is being paid a nice sum to watch them. Being home for the summer she gets to watch them all. Stu was supposed to look after them but he had to run into work. Damn Torchwood, sucked in another one of my family! John grabbed him to help out with NG. So Jolein bargained terms with me. She is bringing them to the Hub later. You're welcome to come by as well."
Jack bit his lip a bit before he replied. "You're going to wait for NG to come back. I think I'll wait here. Call me though; I'll make dinner for us all. I got a nice ham to bake." He didn't open his eyes or change the position of his head.
"Okay, I get it, you don't want to see him for a bit. He said something was up with the two of you. I can only guess that it really had nothing to do with his jump. He seemed pretty confident about that. So that led me to think that you didn't put up a fuss with it." Mark watched the light reflex in the water as it rippled from a slight breeze. He saw the color's dance a bit as the wind picked up just a few drops and sent them into the air like a mini rainbow of colors. For a moment he thought he felt NG in his mind, it was a soft caress and ended as soon as the water droplets returned to the pool.
Jack saw the look on Mark's face. "NG touched me too. I saw those colors in my mind, I guess that means he is fine." Jack didn't want to go into parts of the conversation NG and he had just a few hours ago. It seemed selfish to Jack his reasons for why he didn't want more children. For the most part it wasn't Mark's business, but on the other hand Mark was a friend that Jack could talk to even if it concerned his son.
"NG brought up having another child. I told him that I held back knowing he had been in season more than a few times over the years. He didn't seem angry when I explained but I could tell he was disappointed. He understood why I didn't want to and that seemed to be enough." He closed his eyes letting the sun touch his face again when emerged again from the cloud cover.
"I had a feeling that was it. And I suppose you have been thinking on this since he left. I can only guess you have had a change of heart." Mark tilted his had back, letting the sun do the same to his face.
"That child will be almost 13 years younger than his siblings. But I could return to work and NG could be here for him or her. I feel like I wronged him by not talking to him about this before. He seemed so disappointed in me. He also picked up on my feelings about being a house dad. I know he did, they fell out of my head so easily with all these emotions. Maybe we just need to give each other what we want and we will be even happier. After all, these requests aren't unreasonable. They are very logical."
He stood up, and looked down on Mark. The sun went behind the clouds again as Mark spoke. "It seems fair and I'm sure you went over the possible dangers. I would ask Anna and Leon if there could be any problems with NG again. But now that he is in control of his abilities, I don't think it really is an issue." He smiled up at Jack. "Besides, what's one more grandchild? I'd be happy to help out. Soon it will be great grandkids. Did Leon mention that Stu has his eyes on a lovely man that works at the pizza place near the Hub?"
"No I didn't think Stu was into anyone. He seems so reserved. But I guess he is at that age." Jack grinned. They were all growing up so fast. He could remember when Stu was born. Leon was so young and Polly so pleased. Now Stu was working for Torchwood. "I blink and the world changes." Jack frowned as he watched the clouds move up ahead.
"Don't Jack, you know that we all won't last forever, but we will always be with you because of our children."
"You're right, still doesn't mean I won't miss you." He walked over to Mark, leaning in to give him a full kiss on the lips. "Now if you are hungry, I'll make us an early lunch." He sauntered off to the back door. Mark couldn't help but watch Jack's body move as he went inside.
Mark let his breath out while sinking further into the chair. "God, he still makes my toes curl with his kiss." He smiled while letting the memory of Jack and him play out in his head. There would always be room for that love he had for Jack; there was no reason why he still shouldn't feel it. It grew and changed over the years but the core of that friendship was still with them. And Mark hoped it would stay for the rest of his days.
Leon felt like he was being watched. He wasn't sure were it was coming from because he was alone in the larger of the workshops the Hub had available. It was his fun time, well more like a place to get away from the waiting. He needed to shake the feelings he still had tingling on the edge of his perception from his contact with NG. It was unsettling for him to have been exposed to the raw power for just a moment. He could only imagine what NG went through when he was shown the power before he was born. And Andie, what was it like with a million times the energy sent into her little mind? Leon saw how it had changed his brother and niece. With his limited exposure he now understood it somewhat better but it didn't make it any less frightening.
But at that moment Leon had a feeling Ianto was watching him. He grinned when scanning the area he felt the boy pull away from the projection. Jack had mentioned that Ianto had gotten good with astral projection making it hard to shop for presents or wrap them in the house. Leon was asked to invent an Electrical Magnetic Field device that sent out a minor pulse that blocked the boy from their room. It worked for the most part, giving Ianto a minor headache. He would complain to his parents that it wasn't fair to which NG said it wasn't fair that their son had become a spy. He stopped the practice at home, but at the Hub his aunt, uncle and cousin Stu had often caught him spying. Now Leon was working on a version for The Hub. With all these Telepaths floating through the astral plane to watch others, they needed to protect some things from prying minds.
Stu told Leon that Ianto and the girls frightened him. Sometimes he felt like they were little aliens with all the abilities they had or rather the strength they had in using them. Stu was not as skilled as them, he wasn't that powerful but he still had capable abilities.
"I don't think I could ever be as strong as they are. Dad, I don't think I want to be." He flat out shivered when he thought about his cousins. Stu was a beauty as Anna once described him. He had a wonderful melding of his parents and grandparents that made him extremely handsome. Polly always thought the boy was charming. But as he matured his hair became lighter his eyes developed a green hazel color and they had a nice rounded shape to them. He was muscular and had a very broad chest. His nose was John's though which made the young man very proud to have such a wonderful part of his granddad.
"That nose got me a lot of action." John teased the lad watching him blush. But only recently did Stu notice others were watching him. Mark saw that part of himself in the boy. As Jack once joked Mark needed to be hit on the head in order to see that others found him attractive. Right now Stu only wanted one man to look at him. He was a few years older than him and made pizzas for a living. That didn't bother him, but he still didn't know how his parents would act if he brought a guy home that didn't have a great career choice. Just about everyone else around him was smart and educated. How would this love interest fit in?
Leon didn't push Stu when he accidently picked up on the glances back and forth between the two men when father and son had stopped for lunch one day. He did mention it to Polly who cried saying she wasn't ready for her baby to be dating much less serious about another person. Leon laughed holding his wife while telling her they all flew away and returned with grandchildren. Leon didn't mind his mouse-like wife making him sleep on the couch that night. He now knew better than to bring up grandchildren. Kim found him in the morning, his back stiff making the girl giggle at her foolish dad.
Leon was shocked that his little girl had also grown up. She looked like her mother with legs like Jolein. Polly and he knew she was going to be a handful when unlike her brother she brought home her first girlfriend and boyfriend at the age of fourteen. She at now almost seventeen was dating a few people of different sexes all at the same time and together. Leon hoped by the time she decided to marry that the UK would be the first to lead in many partner marriages. He had a feeling Kim would be living with a lot of people happily accepting her share of 51st century genetics. Polly just shook her head and wondered what family dinners and holidays would be like with all the different relationships. She was thankful that Stu at least settled on one sex. It wasn't that she was old fashioned, well maybe a little, but sometimes one just needed time to adjust to change. In time she felt she would come around and accept any amount of people Kim decided to bring home at the same time.
Leon smirked at all these random thoughts; grateful it took him away from NG who by a look at the clock was late returning. NG was due back a few hours ago. At least that is what the plan was for. But plans that have to do with using Time as a component don't always run exactly like the drawing board plans say. There were millions of variables that could go wrong. So Leon started to run the variables in the computer over every possible Time NG could return since he missed his past ETA while he worked on a component for the Rift monitor and the blocking device for The Hub. So he could multi task, he was after all a genius!
Leon was so glad he was away from the main room where John Hart paced back and forth projecting thoughts to Jolein and Leon about how he wanted to chase after his youngest. Leon blocked his Dad but couldn't shake little Ianto's thoughts.
"Ianto, if you want to come in you can." He yelled out when he heard the boy sniffle on the other side of the door.
"If I'm not bothering you, Uncle Leon. I just don't know what else to do. Andie and Tara are with Darrin in archives. I would have stayed but it is boring. Why does Darrin call me Great Uncle?" The boy inched his way over to the alien devices Leon wasn't playing with tilting his head at the shiny body. "What is it?" He asked looking at Leon whose eyes had bugged out.
"He calls you Great Uncle." "I'm going to kill Darrin for not thinking. I shouldn't be the one to explain this to him. That is Jack and NG's place." Leon was going to give Darrin a little talk when he got the chance. "I'm not sure what that is yet." He answered the boy's question watching Ianto' eyes go wide with its possibilities.
"You call Dad Uncle. I don't understand why that is because you don't call Papa that, he is your brother." He touched the alien device running his hands on its smooth surface hoping he could sense something about it.
Leon watched the boy caress the thing before saying. "It doesn't feel like anything right?" Ianto nodded no. "I was thinking of giving Andie a go at it to see if she saw something we couldn't. If you want I let you help?" Ianto nodded yes, not taking his eyes off the alien tech.
He sighed before continuing with Ianto's first question. "I don't know what to say, Ianto. This is something for your Dad to tell you about. It is complicated, really complicated. Do you have any idea why I would call your Dad Uncle?" The boy shook his head no. He didn't want for this to go any further. But when Jack's eyes pouted at him in the face of his son he didn't want to just leave this for a "go ask your Dad". The boy seemed sad enough with his one parent away. So Leon had a brainstorm. "Hang on, I'll call your Dad up and get him to come here to talk with you. This way you can all be here when your Papa gets home."
Ianto's face lit up when Leon phoned Jack. "Jack, please come to the Hub, your son has something to ask you." To Leon's surprise Jack said he was on his way.
"He isn't ready for this. We never prepared him for any of this. I know I didn't stress enough hand-to-hand combat and I'm sure I missed showing him how to use that smaller button below the communicator switch on his VM. And did we make sure all his injections were current?" John licked his lips, wiping the sweat off his wrinkled brow. "Plus Jack had his mind all messed up when he left. His thoughts weren't focused, I could tell." He stood by the Rift Monitor with his son and daughter an hour after Leon had called Jack. NG still hadn't returned, making John just a little bit more than worried.
Leon saw it then, the gray hair that had shone up on John's light brown hair. Jolein and he had the same color, the color of Stu's hair now that he was older. It was also Tara's, give or take a few lighter shades than even Stu's. Tara was in many ways a little shade lighter than John's colors and nothing like John in personality, though Kim had become a lot like her Granddad. That bothered Leon that John had such a strong influence on one of his children.
It was as bad as both his parents raising the triplets. Jolein was smart for telling both to not influence little Jolein. Leon should have stood up to them but they were such a help taking care of the kids, which allowed Polly a chance to take control of her life. Now she was liaison between the Police, the PM's office and any other bureau that Torchwood had to deal with. It was a nice safe way to work for Torchwood and it made him happy to see her so charged up and feeling important to the Institute. It also meant John didn't have to talk to the white collared bureaucrats anymore. So a happy John Hart made for a more pleasant work environment. Still there were times Jack and him had to talk to the higher ups. It was a protocol thing and a bother to both men.
With both of Leon and Polly working that meant the kids would need someone to look after them. So Mark and John took turns when needed and Jack and NG pitched in as well. But it always seemed that Mark and John's influence were stronger than the other babysitters. And with that despite Leon and Polly's plans for Stu to go to University he ended up with a career in Torchwood and was almost killed last year on an investigation. Leon begged the lad to change his mind when he was recovering from his broken leg. But Stu smiled and said he didn't want to leave. He loved the job too much.
So the boy stayed and was right now out upon his Grand Dad's request with Mandy making sure Cardiff's squatter class understood that they had to leave. At some point the mind control beam stopped coming through meaning NG had done one part of the job. The group of well over three thousand woke up wondering where they were and how they had gotten there. Most of them also needed to get home and for some that meant back to the country they came from. So Torchwood stepped in to help out with paying for flights, getting people processed and getting their papers approved since many seemed to be without a passport anymore having given it as a promise to their new life. So Stu and Mandy started the paper work as the police with Andy's help kept the order. It wasn't easy with so many confused people.
NG stopping the beam and freeing those people's minds was a positive that his plan was working. But that didn't ease John at all, he was still a wreck and would be his other children mused, until NG got back.
"Dad, you taught him well, he had the best of the best. I know he is fine." Leon said, trying to stay as calm as possible. Jolein went to her father, putting an arm around him. She was as tall as John Hart. Leon was more or less the same sized as his Papa looking every bit like Mark with a slight different tilt to his eyes. His nose over time changed slightly, a little plumper than he would have liked it to be but it was a nice nose all the same.
John didn't hear a word Leon said, he just kept going on with what he should have done and what he didn't do with NG that Leon just couldn't stand it any more. John had Jolein to listen to him. Leon just felt left out. He mumbled, "I guess I'm the only one that believes in him." He smiled, feeling that bit of color on the edges of his mind again. The tingling sensation told Leon that NG was on his way back.
End Chapter 51
TBC
