14
They sat with matching hot chocolates as Ianto watched the horse in the distance being led about the field by a happy little girl. David was watching his uncle's face.
"When I was little… like your age. My Da hurt me. I don't talk of it … it felt…wrong and I was ashamed because I knew it was wrong bit not why" Ianto let it settle as he took a sip "He used to touch me in a way that made me feel… icky. It was horrible. My mama found out and we tried to leave him. He found us trying to get way and…and … he killed her. Thing is … mama stayed all that time because she had cancer. Like your mama. She was fighting it and still strong but was scared taking us away would leave us all alone if she died. Your mama was scared of that too but had what our Mama didn't. A brother. I am here David. You can tell me anything and no matter how big, small or… hard it is … I will listen to it. I am the back-up plan now."
IT came in a rush. Blue being brutish, scary and more than once holding David against a wall threatening him, then the bedroom incident. Ianto was relieved to hear that it was only that once, only the one time he had entered his bedroom and touched him. His hand had not gone inside the PJs he had touched him through. Cupped his little dick and balls as he leered at him in the dark. A threat … not a sexual desire but a vicious threat of pain. Ianto knew he would take a long time to forgive himself for not seeing this, for not protecting his child better.
He considered options and then rang the only person that could help now.
.
.
.
.
.
"UNCLE JACK!" Mica screamed, running for Jack who was crouched in the driveway with his arms wide open. His brother Gray was with him and as Jack cuddled his niece the younger version slid around him to meet Blue, the two evenly matched men almost body slamming one another in the driveway. Considering the fact Gray usually sides with his mother in the 'Ianto' stakes, it was a surprise to find him ready to rumble. Jack had already been on his way, heading back from the airport in the city with Gray when David had rung and had driven so fast Gray was still massaging his hand that had been cramped around the suicide strap.
"Hi" Gray said calmly "I'm Gray."
Blue blinked as he stared at the handsome young man, oozing confidence and charisma like his brother but also…also something different. Something Blue recognised. Something he had in his own stance. Threat.
"Why don't you fuck off" Gray hissed with the smile still in place "I am a soldier. Just back from Iran and not happy to hear about you poaching here. I am a sniper ya know … it means I can pick you off your horse anywhere… anytime… you would not even know you were dead, gone before your body hits the dirt fucker!"
Blue stepped back, "You will be sorry you did that."
"Don't think so" Gray snorted, turning his back on the man and walking away with Mica on his hip as he waved to Dave who watched from the porch. Gray went over to the horse to let Mica preen a little. Blue stormed to his truck and took off in a roaring dirt spatter that spooked the horse, Mica crying out as it tore the reins from her hands and bolted, leaving her standing there with tears.
Gray walked after the horse that stopped further down the driveway as Jack picked Mica up and carried her inside, Ianto waiting with David.
"Is he gone?"
"For now" Jack sat with Mica in his lap "Someone has sore hands. Nothing broken and the skin is not even broken, just a scare. Got any liniment?"
"Even better. I have an icy-block here she can hold onto" Ianto smiled as he produced one, her face lighting up as her hands were forgotten and she was soon sucking away with David as Jack sat watching the children.
"Ianto. I…"
"Not now. Not here, not in front of them" Ianto said softy "After. OK? Later when this is over with and I have time to focus on the words. I do not want emotion to get in the way of the things I need to say to you ... and the things I need to hear."
"Fair enough" Jack smiled, then looked down the hallway though the front door with interest "that the sheriff coming at great knots?"
"Yep. He ran straight for his phone" Gray snorted "Come on kids. Can you pop upstairs and get washed up? Don't come down until I call you and we can go to town from some pizza. OK?"
The kids yelled as they took off up the stairs and Gray yelled "I mean it. Don't come down 'till I call you!"
"YES UNCLE GRAY!"
Gray sat with a wide grin "I forgot how fun they are. Only seeing them at Christmas was never enough."
The sheriff knocked and Ianto answered "Come on in. Not locked."
"Hello there Ianto. Mister Harkness." The sheriff tipped his hat, something that Ianto was always amused about.
"Hello sheriff, this is my little brother Gray" Jack motioned to Gray who rose and offered his hand.
"Nice to meet a fellow law enforcement agent" Gray said smoothly "I am FBI but we are all family here, right?"
"FBI. Not a soldier?"
Gray blinked at him, "What gave you that idea? Here, this is my ID."
Gray produced his wallet that indeed had the FBI badge and ID inside, claiming he was in communications and Intel. "I am one of those crazy cats that try to follow people with CCTV and such, trying to map movements. The digital age has changed so much, did you know I can find someone via satellite and follow them all over a city? Of course … the clearance for that is insane and it is only maybe once a week I am asked to liaise on a crime to do so. I start with a body and go back … find the perp and backtrack to where he came from … go forward to follow him as far as I can into the streets. I use photos, CCTV…. Security camera, even ATM cameras … Stop Light cameras … you name it. Uncle Sam can commandeer it for the purposes of solving a crime. You get a certain rush … but of course you know that. On the ground as it were."
The sheriff was smitten, spending a while with coffee and a happy talk with Gray before he looked over at Ianto "Blue Eppers. You've been spending time with him lately. Did anyone warn you he is a bit…."
"Moody?" Ianto snorted "I just told him to leave. He is getting too … pushy. I have made it clear that I am not interested in a relationship but he keeps pushing. It is getting a bit intimidating and ...well ... I am feeling a bit uncomfortable now."
"And he touched me" David said on the stairs, Ianto turning with surprise to find him there. David stepped down and looked at the sheriff "He put his hand on my winker and squeezed until it hurt, tried to kiss me and called me a cry baby because it made me cry. He left my bedroom when I said I was gonna tell Uncle Ianto. I … I don't like him anymore!"
The sheriff didn't look as shocked or surprised as Ianto would have liked and he now felt angry that clearly the community had their suspicions about this man but had not warned him.
"I want him charged!"