Jack watched his son as he fidgeted in the chair. He left the girls with Darrin after he stopped to say hello to his little beauties that were helping organize some documents. Taking Ianto with him to the hot house for lunch was the best way to get the boy to open up. The boy was nervous, a trait very out of character. Harry popped in for a moment to ask if Jack and the family over for dinner this weekend. Jack told him that as long as NG got back then it was yes. Harry nodded his head as he watched Ianto's face fall lower than it was when he first came into the room. He felt sorry for the boy. So many things Jack's kids had to go through instead of just being allowed to be kids. At least his children had it somewhat normal. They may be part of the Torchwood brood but they weren't burdened with special extra abilities.
When Harry left Jack asked his son what was bothering him. He didn't get the boy to respond for a bit. To Jack it was as if the boy was processing his thoughts to come up with the best way to approach the subjects that were going on in his head.
"Hey sport, you can talk to me. You used to just tell me things, what's changed?"
Ianto tried to look at his Dad but couldn't get the nerve to look directly into his eyes. "Why does Darrin call me Great Uncle? It doesn't seem to bother the girls when he says Great Aunt to them. I used to think it was a joke but lately I noticed things. One was Uncle Leon calling you Uncle Jack. I also found pictures at Grandpa's studio that were of him and you when he was young. There were wedding pictures of you and some other person named Ianto. I know you are from the 51st century as is Grandpa and Granddad but I didn't know that you should be close to the same age as them and yet you don't grow old." His voice trailed off while he lifted his head to look up at Jack.
"I knew this day would come," Jack sighed. "I just thought you would have figured it out. Soon that man I was telling you about the Doctor will be here for a visit. The thing is what I have become is partly because of him. Once I was just like you, I would age at a regular rate. But it changed when I died and a friend made a wish and made sure I could never die again." Little Ianto's eyes went wide at his Dad's words.
"A wish like in a fairy tale? I don't understand that can't be real. Daddy, I'm not kidding around here. A story isn't going to make me feel better or explain all this away. I'm not a baby." He sat up in his seat looking determined for the facts.
"It isn't a story," Jack explained. "It was the wish of my friend Rose that I didn't die. It was the power of the TARDIS that made it real. But you must know that we, our family aren't like the other kids' families. Your Papa and I have tried our best to teach you that so you could fit in. Ianto, you must be aware that you are different as well." He wanted to reach for the boy, hold him but he saw how serious his son was and how desperate he was to holding on to his new found maturity without reverting to a scared child.
"I know what I am and my sisters are. I know that Papa is different as well as our family. I know that but you aren't like us even. Now that I'm looking for things you have something darker, deeper inside you that most of us will never understand. Daddy, looking at you is a bit scary now, you are an ancient thing walking with us. If I didn't know you had blood that warmed your skin I would think you were already dead." He let the tear fall. Jack watched in pain as it slid down his cheek.
"I know that is how it looks to you with your enhanced senses. I should be dead and I don't and can't stay dead. No matter what, no matter how much pain, I come back. Ianto, the thing is I have lived many lives before you were born. And just lately some of them have melded together. Darrin is your great nephew; his grandmother is my daughter Alice. She is your half sister. His father Steven is my grandson, and because of something I had to do to save a lot of people, because that is what Torchwood does, I had to hurt Steven and Alice and they have never really forgiven me.
"Darrin wanted a job with Torchwood. I found him great company and he adores us and was glad he has become one of the family. It was a nice surprise to have that connection again, something that no matter how much I tried since you were born just didn't happen with Alice and Steven. Alice didn't want to know the three of you. I think it was too much for her, like it was for her mother to stay with me. I would remain the same as the first time we met while she grew old and at some point died. It was never easy for me; to love people especially when once they found out about me couldn't return that love anymore. The Ianto you were named after, he loved me for me, not letting my affliction get in the way of those feelings. It was honestly the first time that happened that I found love since I became like this." Ianto was wide eyed as he took in his father's words. Jack smiled softly at the boy.
"That must have hurt you not to have them love you like we do. Daddy, I'm didn't mean to make you sad." He let another tear slid down his cheek.
"Ianto, I would rather me be a little sad than you to be unsure of me. But it doesn't matter that I live forever, what matters is I will love you forever, all of you because I can." Ianto did something that surprised Jack since Ianto had become so mature of late. He left his chair and climbed up into Jack's lap. "You're getting so big." He felt his son cuddle up to him.
"I gathered from Uncle Leon and Papa's thoughts that Ianto was married to you. When I was little I didn't know what to make of it, this man I was named after that seemed to appear to Andie and made you look so happy in the pictures I would find. Sometimes I could feel him in your thoughts for a short time. Now I can feel from you he was important to you and Papa. I guess I'm too young to understand all of it. Papa was close to Ianto and seeing as you live a long time and have many families, I shouldn't be upset. I know you love Papa and all of us just as much. But there is one thing, Daddy, that really needs to be explained now." He leaned his head into Jack's chest just a little heavier.
Jack felt pride with his son; the boy was so smart being able to accept Jack and piece together so much out of so little. He admired Ianto's skill in analyzing data and putting it in a logical understanding. He also was happy the boy seemed know when some things would have to wait until he got older. He protectively hugged Ianto wishing he could stay this young for a bit longer. But Jack was aware that Torchwood didn't let these children stay innocent for long. His son was fast becoming a man. A man Jack knew he would be proud of.
"What else do you need to know? Just ask and if it is within reason, I'll tell you." He rubbed his chin on the boy's soft hair. Jack never had this connection with his children in the past. Alice wasn't the only one Jack didn't take an active part in raising. There was more, so many that he lost track of them over the years. NG gave Jack a family, and he was happy for it. But it was at a time like this he wished NG were here. He would have to go over all this with him when NG returned.
"Well, we know that Papa has another brother, and alien. Ramanh is his name." Jack felt the color drain out of his face. He tried to not let Ianto feel his sudden emotional change. But the boy was good catching the split second lapse in Jack's feelings. "It's okay, Daddy, we aren't bothered with that. Andie found him and they have been talking. Papa will be mad at her, I know, he asked us not to astral project to places Grandpa or he haven't taken us to. I'm not sure how Andie found him, but I would guess it was through Grandpa. From what she tells us he is very sweet and loving. He was happy to meet her and wanted to see all of us. I didn't go and Tara, you know she doesn't care much for this any more. She likes boys now." He giggled a bit.
"Do you like boys?" He cursed at himself. The one thing NG and he agreed upon was that their kids would naturally developed their sexualities. It was like he was raised and Mark and John took the same path as Grandparents they did with their kids. But Jack was curious since Ianto, much like Mark did when he was his age didn't show any likes or dislikes with either sexes. He seemed to not notice anyone in that manner.
"I'm not sure, really, I just don't think that way. But I don't think that way about girls either. I just don't think like that." He squirmed a little in his father's lap before continuing. "I do think Ramanh is cute." There it was; Jack's son was a true 51st century child. He had a crush on an alien.
"His father, Loyalwin is very handsome as well. But there is much you need to learn about them and that is really something that has to wait until you are a lot older. But when your Papa gets back, I'm sure we can all sit down and talk about all this. Do you feel a little better anyway?"
"Yes Daddy, I do. I love you and don't ever think I wouldn't. There is nothing that would make me not." He smiled up at his Dad before wrapping his arms around Jack in a hug.
Jack closed his eyes memorizing the feeling, storing it with all those other amazing feelings he needed to remember when his life felt dark and lonely. The son and father moment didn't last as the Rift alarm sounded.
"Let's go get your sisters. I believe your Papa is home." He helped the boy down and stood up. "I'm glad you're back, NG" Jack sent his lover the thought and added. "There is a lot we have to talk about. And one thing I'm sure will make you happy."
The beam of light faded as the scene took on solid and tangible shape in front of NG. He liked this mode of jumping. It was painless, fast and he didn't have to get used to the sensation. It felt natural. "Could I have found a formulaic way of moving through time? I followed the beam and was able to trace the signal using my thoughts, but what if there is no beam?" He shook his head deciding this would be better thought about later when he got home. Right now he needed to focus on moving towards the signal's source.
He didn't bring a gun, something John had suggested. He felt that Leon outfitting the VM with a sonic device was enough to prevent bloodshed. John warned him as did Sally that not all aliens would react to a sonic blast and it might just do nothing. NG understood and though he had adequate hand-to-hand combat training and he didn't feel the need this time for a gun. Besides he had no time to get a weapon since it was imperative he get to the source of the signal and interrupt the beam that had found its way through the Rift and into the park aimed right at the squatters.
He had however a little scanner that went to his earpiece. The sound that traced the signal's location went straight to his ears so not to trip his stealthy presence. He was wearing trainers at least. The rubber soles were softened a bit more than normal trainers to dull any chance making sound. He followed the signal, inching slowly against the wall. The narrow corridor was long but he could see only one door at the end. A quick look around up above and at floor level assured him that there were no sensor devices or cameras he could be observed with. He took note of that. Either these creatures were very confident they weren't going to be caught or they were completely stupid. He was hoping for stupid.
He slowly moved down the hall VM at the ready, first to shut down the signal then to blast anyone in the room resisting his arrest after he told them they were in violation of some Time Law that his Dad said he made up. But NG had to admit it sounded good. So maybe with a little mental persuasion he could make it sound real enough to whatever he encountered in the room in front of him.
In his earpiece he heard a beeping sound that told him he was in range to block the signal. It was a trick using a greater Elector Magnetic generated field against the lesser field to block the signal. It was a temporary fix until NG could get to the actual source and shut it down. He pressed the buttons on the VM and a confirmation beep told him he had succeeded. He then ran to the door pressing another set of buttons to open it. He wanted to catch his prey off guard hoping that jamming the signal would have them distracted.
When the door slid open NG skidded to a halt in the room. He yelled "Freeze" in the Latin equivalent of the language these aliens were using. He blinked when he saw what was looking up at him. Their little hands where already up in surrender. Despite what his Dad had taught never underestimate the smallest of creatures, NG started to laugh at the sight.
Jack felt so wrong for standing there waiting for NG's return. He had told NG he wouldn't be at the Hub when he got back. But he also didn't think his son would need him to explain a bunch of things. It was moments since the Rift alarm sounded that Ianto and he ran down the stairs from the hothouse to greet NG. His heart was pounding in his ears as a yellowish light opened right near the Rift monitor rather quickly not giving him time to get his daughters. He knew that light came from a Vortex Manipulator. Jack just hoped it was NG coming through the portal and not some surprises. That wasn't going to happen because it would appear from the shapes in the light NG wasn't alone.
As predicted Harry, Mandy, and Darrin stood by weapons drawn having returned letting the police and some of the better trainees deal with the squatters. John and Dan were towards the back of the light and Sally, Becca and Anna were hanging back from the room by the Medical Bay door. Jack put Ianto down and drew his gun. He pushed the boy behind him saying. "If I tell you run, don't look back just go to your sisters."
"They are with Aunt Jolein and I will Daddy, I promise." He looked up at his Dad suddenly aware of how awesome his father was. "I want to be just like him, some day."
They all trained their weapons on the light as three shapes formed in its beam. The tallest took form first. Brown shaggy hair, curly topped the head that held hazel eyes that Jack knew who they belonged to before the shape stood solid in front of them.
NG smirked as the light began to fade, the two smaller shapes hid behind him. He smiled looking down at them speaking something that sounded to the group to be a Latin dialect. The two faces peeked out solidly formed when the light finally disappeared. The Rift alarm faded and NG didn't seem any worse for wear after his trip.
Jack put down his gun first. Ianto sense no danger came around in front of his Father grinning. "Can we keep them, Daddy?" He went forward to his Papa.
John didn't put down his weapon nor did Dan. The rest stayed were they were until they got the all clear from Anna that there was no contamination or hidden weapons. She had already started the scan before NG finished materializing.
"Ianto, stay back." His Granddad yelled, prompting a fit of laughter from above. NG looked up seeing Mark up by the kitchen railing leaning over at the sight below. "Mark, this isn't a great time to be laughing." John scowled at his husband.
"I did the same thing Papa, couldn't help it. Just look at them. They are really harmless. Come here Ianto and give your Papa a hug and meet out guests." The boy sensing no malice from the two aliens ran to his Papa. John frustrated put down his gun with a grumble.
"NG, I think you've upset your Dad by not bring aliens back he would have to wrestle to the ground." Mark smirked at John. "He needs to have the macho activated in him or he feels his age."
John pouted, making everyone laugh now that the crisis was over. They all came over to have a look at their guests. Even the new recruits that were asked to stay back came in to see their first alien not in captivity and to marvel at NG. He was the first they ever saw use the Rift as a means of travel.
The aliens left NG when they felt all the new faces were safe. NG said something to them in their Latin like language that seemed to reassure they weren't going to be harmed. They were little dopey things with floppy long ears that hung to the side of their heads. Their leather tan skin housed egg shaped grayish eyes that seemed large almost as if they were innocent or surprised. Their small bulb-like noses that resembled an eggplant in shape gave them the look of illustrated 1930's cartoon characters. They stood about three feet tall and had hairy arms with only four digits on each hand. Their evolution did make one of those figures an all-important thumb. That would explain how they were able to construct the equipment needed to disrupt the Rift.
The girls showed up at a run with all the excitement and joined their brother at play with their new friends. Jolein went to her station to take a peek at the recent Rift activity. She smiled at her brother telling him to his mind that she was proud of him.
"I wouldn't say they made all the equipment they were using but they are very handy. And yes Dad, I did destroy all of their machines making the little guys cry. It was rather sad making me feel like a big meanie. They really had no idea what they were doing was wrong." NG said well Anna gave a quick scan of just the aliens. His children played with their guest as the others took readings and scanned them for the records.
"They were taking slaves, I'm assuming to sell. How could that not be wrong?" Dan questioned as he heard a rather nasally laugh from one of the creatures, the one Andie named Mini to Tara's Mo.
"Dan, they were looking for friends. I know it sounds odd but they don't have their own kind around. They got lost in a Time slip and their ship was just hanging in between times when it latched onto a signal from the Rift as it beamed something to Cardiff. They came up with a way of communicating with a vast amount of people using our Internet." NG smiled as Dan grumbled something at NG.
"That doesn't mean they weren't up to something. Why go to the trouble of developing a slave book or a book on slave trading?" Dan snapped.
John and Jack started to laugh while the children and their guest played tag. "Dan, let NG explain." Jack came over to NG and gave him a kiss before joining the kids at play.
"Yes Dan, let me explain. I was wrong with the book; it was just a study on humans and their practices of enslaving their own kind. The Squela?" He spoke to their guest in their native tongue for approval with the translation of their name before continuing. They nodded and smiled exposing perfectly shaped teeth all white and shiny.
"Who would have thought they were Americans or are they related to Jack?" Sally joked earning a growl from Jack as he ran around chasing the Squela and his own brood.
NG couldn't stop the laughter from slipping out at the comment. "More like the latter!" He giggled. "Anyway, they figured if they gave some of the less fortunate people a home, they would make friends. I felt bad destroying the machines they had made to help build the new home for their new friends. Their concepts were divinely inspired. But I saved the schematics." He handed a memory stick to Leon who was giggling like a mad scientist that was just given a fresh new brain to play with. "All they wanted is to have people to love them. I didn't know this until I was done ruining all they legitimately had built and they started to cry. The emotions allowed me to read their thoughts. Gods, I felt smaller than them afterwards finding them harmless, void of any bad feelings or harmful desires so I brought them here. I also offered them a home." The room stopped moving when NG was done. Jack skidded to a halt, blinking at NG.
"You did what?" He could believe what he heard. John mimicked the same surprised question but the children seemed happy screaming "thank you Papa," very loudly clasping hands with their new friends they danced around singing in a circle. They may be almost thirteen but to NG they were still children, and he was grateful for that.
"NG, this isn't a home for wayward aliens. It is a place of science." Dan said making Leon laugh at his words. "What is so funny, laughing boy?"
"Part of what we do is study wayward aliens. I say let the little guys stay. If they are as skilled at building as NG says they are, I could use the help with the new virtual room and in return we could try to find out were they come from." He seemed pleased with this, as did NG.
"That is what I thought and with the Doctor on his way he may be able to take them home." NG didn't like the quiet he heard after that. "Jack, you didn't tell them yet?" Jack pretended to hide behind the couch as children and aliens jumped on him with a fit of giggles.
A faint "no dear," was heard. NG shook his head at the couch and went back to the group in the room.
"So now we have a Time Lord inspection, you all know he is going to do just that making sure we are on the up and up. Oh and NG just steps through the Rift completely on his own, we have two working Vortex Manipulators and now you are going to ask him if the TARDIS wouldn't mind being an alien taxi service. Dan, isn't it time for our vacation?" Sally looked at her husband.
"No one is going anywhere." Jack popped up from behind the couch just as the tickle bandits started their torture. He started to choke on the tickling but manage to get out of their grasps. "NG and I will keep the Doctor occupied. He will want to come here, But I'm sure Mark and Leon can block him from getting into your minds as long as you stay tight to one of them and groups and mix your thoughts up. It works and he doesn't have to know about the Rift jumping just yet. Lord knows I don't want him sniffing around in places he shouldn't be." He moved away from the couch letting the bundle of children and aliens continue their play. "Though I do trust him, I state that for the record.
One of the new recruits, Hanna looked at Jack and spoke shyly. "Sir, may I ask who is this Doctor? Is he an inspector or something?" She had dark liquid eyes that were very innocent. She was small, not one that should have lasted the tryouts but she was very smart and had a nice way of making coffee.
Jack smiled at her, making her go pink. NG stifled a grin as he read her thoughts. She liked the attention from Jack. Obviously she hadn't gotten to know who everyone was yet. She would have to have been blind not to see NG and Jack kissing before. But Jack did have that way with people, so NG just went along with it. Besides there were so many people working in the Hub now not everyone was acquainted with who everyone was. But they all knew Jack in some way. To the new recruits he was the guy that seemed to be in charge but didn't really do any work. Jack just gave off that vibe to the newbies that he was first authority. That frustrated Dan and he vowed they would have words about Jack's role of late.
He lifted her chin up letting his blue eyes settle in hers for a moment before they fluttered by the effect of his pheromones. She was breathing heavily, earning a muted giggle from all those that knew Jack in the room. "He is worse than Santa because he knows we are naught pretty much all of the time. So we have to prove he is wrong. He is a god in a man's body and he if he likes you maybe you will take your vacation somewhere far away. But until then, keep away from him or he will eat you for breakfast."
"He will eat you for breakfast? That poor girl and what a stupid thing to say!" NG took the glass of wine from Jack. They were on the roof of the Hub a place that Jack never took NG before making him feel slightly uptight. This place was always just for Jack and Ianto. So why now did Jack bring him here?
He sipped his wine. "So I'm not the greatest with words. Sue me!" He felt good about bringing NG here. "I'm glad your parents took the kids home. I told them we just needed a romantic moment. Our guests took over one of the rooms in the basement and are already building things for their needs. I like them and hope they stay. It is nice to have an intelligent alien present that isn't trying to kill us working for us." He put his arm around NG as both took in the view.
"Okay, what's on your mind? I can feel through the placement your hand that if you don't spit it out something more distracting will happen to make you forget your reason for bringing me up here. I remember as a kid this place was forbidden. Anna and Sally used to tell us there were monsters up here. It was only later that we kind of figured out that Ianto and you were the monsters. It wasn't long after that we figured out what you did up here as well."
"Yeah we couldn't keep much from you guys. You seemed to be looking for what we got up to. I'm glad ours aren't like that. I had a little chat with Ianto about my immortality today. Seems Darrin said something that got to him." He watched NG's eyes narrow. "Before you ask, it went well, but there are some things I told him would have to wait until he got older and some other things we would talk about when you got back. I'm hoping you feel they can wait until The Doctor leaves. I want to have this talk with all of them without any other distractions." NG was gazing out into the open air at the surrounding buildings feeling Jack next to him even more so than before. It was that emotional Jack again.
"I'm not surprised with Ianto needing to talk to you about all this. He needs your support; he wants to be like you, that much I have seen. But what other thing was too much for you to handle that you had to wait for me?" He rubbed his chin on Jack's shoulder.
"Well two actually. Andie has been on the astral plain talking to Ramanh. So I told Ianto we would go over that more when you got back. I wasn't surprised about that, I half expected her to find him."
"True, that really isn't a great concern. It would bother me more if they knew how he came about. That is something they are way too young to understand. I just hope my half brother sensed that and didn't explain too much to them." He sipped his wine waiting on Jack to answer.
"No, it seems fine. Ianto didn't say anything bothered him, but I could tell he was curious about the Ianto he was named after he. He pieced that together from pictures and he seemed to be okay with me having many families. But I still want us to go over this as a family." He kissed NG, savoring the taste of wine on his lips. "Is that okay?"
"Of course, you did fine with all this, Dad. But what is the other thing that your mind seems to be bursting with to tell me?" He pinched Jack's ass, making him jump a bit.
"Well, I was thinking, and you don't have to answer right away. But how would you feel about having another child?"
The next day found NG in the Medical Bay with Anna, asking him self out loud, "There is no reason I shouldn't want another child. Right, it shouldn't be a problem." NG sat on the examination table while Anna ran some tests. "I just want to make sure it goes normally, and only one this time. Can you imagine three more and that I have to carry them full term? That I don't think I can do." She pushed him down onto the steel bed, placing the full body scanner over his body. The device was made more portable some time ago. The metal arm swung over NG's form, moving mechanically back and forth over and over his body emitting a soft bluish light.
"We still don't know about the effects of the hormones have on your jumping. But since you have been more or less safe with that odd bracelet and now you have the control with your gift like you didn't have before it should be normal this time around." She removed the arm and helped him sit up.
Anna left him while he buttoned up his shirt and went to her desk to look at the results. On the table next to her was a picture of Tam. "Is she coming back soon? Ianto was asking about her the other day." She was a beautiful girl, now young lady. Anna's long black hair and sharp Native American features outweighed any indication she was Robert's at all. "She looks just like you." He blurted out.
"Robert went back to his home planet and took her with him. There are a few things that she needs to learn about and her host mother isn't needed apparently. Robert and I are having a few problems lately NG. I thought you should know since you would read it in my thoughts at some point." She didn't look at him, just kept going through the information the scanner had picked up as it appeared on her screen.
Anna being upset or sad affected NG. He also was mentally kicking himself for not seeing that something was up with Robert and her for some time. He was in her mind now and saw her love for Robert but Robert was more or less not giving it back. "Sorry, you let me in. But I think you wanted me to go there. Anna, I understand that in relationships things do change but the pair of you seem perfect for each other." He wanted to hug her but he remained behind her for sometime.
"It should be that way but it isn't what you think. His kind grows away from each other once the egg is hatched and the offspring matures. Tam is becoming an adult according to her kind. That is why they went back home. There are rituals she needs to go through. My time with her is over. I'm supposed to understand and move on. I wonder why Jack didn't warn me about this?" Though her voice was schooled NG knew that she was in a tremendous amount of pain over this.
"Jack may know Robert but that doesn't mean he knows how his kind is. Jack can be a little thick when it comes the emotional aspect of his friends. Sometimes I think Jack just sees what he wants to see. But you should really talk to him about that." He leaned on counter behind her desk, feeling very useless. He honestly didn't know what to say to her or if he should give her some moral support or not.
"You're right, I just jumped into motherhood, or egg hood as it was, without thinking. I was just so in love with him I would have given him the world if he asked. Robert didn't even give me warning about this. He said he didn't think it was necessary since he was raised not to question the ways of his people. Last week he just told me that our time together was done and he was going back to his home world with Tam. He thanked me and it sounded like he was thanking me for bringing the mail in when he was on vacation not that I had given him a child. I feel used and he didn't know what to say. I spent all this time with him and I didn't even get a handshake, he just up and left. I don't get it."
"Alien life forms aren't like us all the time. What's worse is they can look like us, like the Doctor yet what it is to be human escapes them. It is odd, we have met all types of species in this job and by now you think we would have stopped trying to think of them as human with our ways of dealing with things that happen in our lives. We don't, we compare them to us always. Maybe that is why there was no warning from Jack, he just doesn't look at them as human so their reactions are just that, their reactions." NG found Anna looking at him.
"True but it doesn't make this any easier. I'm going to sell the house, get an apartment near work. I already sent Robert's things into storage along with the wedding pictures. I don't want them; I was just a component anyway. He should have told me that, I wouldn't have fallen in love with him if I knew that." She was crying now.
NG picked her up out of her seat and held her. "Hey, no tears, you aren't alone Anna. I'll tell you what, I'll leave Jack so you and I can run away together." She laughed a little as she went to get a tissue for her drippy nose.
"I'm too old and besides Jack would think I knocked you up." She smiled at the confused look on NG's face. "Yes NG, it is very early but somehow Jack's mighty seed found his way to fertilizing you. By the looks of it you started your cycle three days ago."
NG blinked and then started to laugh. "That wasn't him that was me! Oh it must have been the night before I left. I wondered why I just wanted more of him. I should have known. Good thing he said it was okay. Let's keep this a secret a bit. It is early and with the Doctor coming here, I don't need Jack any more stressed out than normal. Now I'll head home to my kids. Their father I don't know about, he is insane right now."
"That bad?" Anna seemed to be feeling better.
"I know, come home with me for dinner. He won't be that nuts if you're there, and you can ask him some questions. The Doctor is due in tomorrow, maybe we could play matchmaker with a Time Lord." He grinned.
She frowned. "Tonight, yes the offer is nice. A date with The Doctor, no, I have enough of crazy aliens and relationships. I think I just get a cat and hope to see my daughter for the holidays." She suddenly sighed seeming sad again. "Not to sound weepy but do you think she'll want to see me, will she still love her human mother?" He held her again carefully touching her mind, like his Papa had shown him to do, to ease her pain.
"Yes, she is part human, that part needs her mother. She'll be back and my son will be happy about that! He is in love with her, you know."
She nodded into the warmth of his chest. He was taller than her. When they were like this she found herself pretending just slightly that NG was her son. He is what a mother dreams of producing. Someone that is caring and loving.
"Who knows?" He felt her smile at the though of her next words. "Maybe Tam and Ianto will marry and we will really be family then." She buried her head into his chest, letting him have her pain. It felt good as he pulled it all out of her mind and let it fly away somewhere else. She knew the feelings would return, the sadness she was feeling would stay but now she could fight it with what NG was leaving in her thoughts.
"Hey, we don't need a marriage, you are real family to me." He spoke the truth.
The dream shook him awake. Sweaty, NG sat up, bending his knees as he rested his head in his hands. It wasn't his dreams but Andie's again that woke him. She started to have them just a few months ago and at first they were nothing but lately that changed. They were becoming something. So far Jack and NG had been dealing with them. Anna said there was nothing wrong with Andie, at least not anything that she could find. Then again, Andie wasn't like the rest of her siblings so Anna finally admitted even after all these years Andie was still a mystery to her. She didn't have much to go on with the child but she vowed to change that, diving into studying Andie. All this meant to Anna was the start of the dreams opened up another chapter in Andie's unique existence. So it needed to be observed and filed away with the rest of the information they had gathered on the girl.
Jack wasn't too accepting of this. He didn't like his daughter being a case study. It was bringing back those awful memories with NG when Torchwood was unsure of his abilities. Months prior to this he warned Anna that he didn't want Andie to be a victim of Torchwood and at some point considered to be a threat by the Institute. NG told Jack he would monitor things with the study and if he felt Andie was in danger, he would pull the plug on the research. But Jack still wasn't pleased but now with the Doctor maybe they could get some real answers about his daughter.
"Was it bad?" Jack asked has he sat up. His hand started to rub NG's back as he waited for the younger man to speak.
"It wasn't great, but I'll live with it. I don't know how she doesn't wake up screaming, Jack." He let Jack rub his back before he got up to check on Andie. But the longer he stayed in bed the harder it was to leave. "I think I have become her dream catcher. This one was so real that I think it happened."
"Do you want to talk about it?" He hugged NG before pushing him to get up. He followed, reaching for his robe. "It was a good thing I wasn't at all sleepy. I just watched you and held you for just a moment before you woke up. She sleeps through the night and you and I seem to bear the burden on this. I'm going to have the Doctor have a look at her. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind him peeking around your gifts as well?"
NG tied his robe and shook his head no. "I was counting on it, maybe he can read me like a crystal ball and tell me what the future has in store. Actually while you were running around cleaning and buying enough food to feed all of Cardiff, I made a list. Ghost Ianto is on the very top, dreams, my bracelet etc…" He opened the door and head out towards the children's rooms. Jack checked Ianto while NG looked in on Tara then both parents went into Andie's room.
NG carefully pushed the buttons his Vortex Manipulator to record her this time before he went to his daughter's side. She was standing up looking out her window, titling her head up at the sky. It was how they found her all the other times. Jack reached over, touching her skin that was cold as ice. As soon as she felt him she warmed up and turned to smile at him. "Lewen woneo ownoen" were the same words she spoke to them all the other times before she went back to looking up at the stars.
This time NG had at least recorded the words as he clicked off his VM and concentrated on his daughter. Jack was already kneeling down by her.
"Hey Peaches, are you ever going to tell your parents what that means?" She turned to him again caressing his cheek with a smile. Her eyes were shining; brown hair all tussled from sleep.
"What do you mean, Daddy? Did I say it again?" She frowned turning her head to looking at her Papa. NG knelt by her as well. She reached for his face next while saying. "Did I dream again, Papa?"
He wept inside. She had no idea what she dreamt, just that it found her way to her beloved Papa's mind. "Yes, and it was bad." Jack and him swore that when the dreams started that they wouldn't keep the truth back from her if she asked. She always asked.
"I'm sorry Papa, really, I wish I knew what they were about. I dream them and you live them. Poor Papa, Poor Papa." She slumped into his arms, falling back to sleep.
Jack took her from NG. NG fixed her covers before Jack put her back in bed. He covered her up check to make sure she wasn't overly warm this time. He let his hand linger on her forehead easing her back to a good nights sleep. Both parents kissed her before they left her alone again.
Every night the dreams happened Jack and NG went to the kitchen for a snack. Sometimes it was just hot cocoa, other times they made huge sandwiches out of whatever was able to be part of a sandwich. They would eat and talk about the dreams as much as NG dared to reveal to Jack. To NG they were set up like a pattern. The first part was peaceful someone looking over a field to a regular ocean of blue green, the next one was people without form fighting and dying in a battle of some kind. There were others less important but the last one always had Andie looking out the window and saying those words. Where ever the dreams were taking place the last part began like the first part a feeling of peace with the same field and ocean and then the world blew up. But there were other things NG didn't want to think about, things that made him keep the truth from Jack.
The next question from Jack was not what NG was thinking of. He was waiting for the 'do you want to talk about it,' but it never came. Instead he heard something different. "Do you think you will ever tell me about them? Maybe write them down so I could read them in the future?"
"No, I could never, because one of the things on the list for the Doctor is to ask him why the dreams somehow connect to you. They are from the future; I can't let you know about them. I just want to know why she is channeling these events always in the same pattern and always the same exact way." He took the cup of cocoa that Jack handed him.
"Oh, I see." He leaned in and kissed the top of NG's head. He went back to the sink, placing the dirty pan there and running water in it. "I feel like I should do something if it is about me. Why do you think she is dreaming them?" He slowly washed the pan, not wanting NG to see how this news affected him. He hated that his future was constantly interfering with his family's present. So he schooled his emotions and turned to face NG when he was done placing the pan in the drying rack.
NG sighed, resting his head on the table. "I don't know and I'm not sure I want to know. I just hope she never sees them. It isn't happy and I'm not looking forward to her reaction to them. I'm glad we recorded the words this time. The Doctor may be able to help if the database can't find a match. At least from my memory I have found nothing, but her recorded exact words saying it might yield a better result." He blinked once before he shut his eyes allowing Jack the moment he needed to touch NG's lips.
When Jack broke the kiss, he saw NG smiling just at him. It dawned on him to ask NG something he didn't dare ask before. "Never once all these years did you ask me if I was faithful to you when you were gone. Is it because you trusted me or is it that you just thought it best not to go there with our relationship?"
NG laughed. "You have the oddest timing with these thoughts of yours. No, I didn't want to know because if you did, it was what you needed to do. Since I got back, you and me haven't been apart for long and I know you just aren't interested in anyone else." Suddenly he had a feeling why Jack had brought this up. "Is this about Hanna?" He read the thought loud and clear in Jack's mind.
"Well, it did feel good to flirt. But if I pursued her, what would you do?" Jack yelped as NG leaned upwards and bit his lip.
"I don't think you want that but if you have to have it, bring me along. She is kind of cute and why should you have all the fun?" He pulled Jack down, pushing him to the floor.
"NG, I just cleaned the floor, the Doctor will be here in the morning…" He didn't finish his thoughts as NG had him more than distracted. Jack also forgot any thoughts he may have had in passing about Hanna. He had more than he could handle with his shaggy brown haired brat that made him feel so wonderful.
End Chapter 52
TBC
