24
"Ianto!" Jack called out as he finished a phone call, walking out into the Hub and checking where Alice was "That was Yvonne. Wants to know the score here with Fish."
"How did she find out …Well … tell her the truth. He stole your brother, you have him back. He doesn't need to know" Ianto shrugged and Jack grinned.
"Oh yeah. He doesn't know I have Gray back, does he. But he knows we have Guppy" Jack frowned. "Sorta pissed that we aerated him a bit."
"Awwww, but did he die? Well, suck it up buttercup" Owen joined the conversation "God. Kids these days, who whiney. I don't like disco, I don't eat meat, I don't kill butterflies, I hate getting shot. Wahhhhh"
Jack looked at Owen and snorted with amusement as Ianto rolled his eyes "Actually, Owen has a point."
"I do?"
"well … Junior might want to wail a bit … for dear old Dad. See what Fish does" Jack pondered "Bring him out into the open where we can see him."
"grab him" Ianto added.
"mmmmm"
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"Fuck me!" Ianto spluttered as the SUV entered the Warehouse, the tree touching the road as its top scrapped along the ground, the trunk of the tree over the grill and all the emergency blankets placed between the tree and the precious paintwork.
"Big?" Jack squinted at it and then Owen fell out the other side of the SUV, Gray getting out behind him to turn and look at it as well.
"Maybe a tad" Gray finally agreed.
"DADDY!" Alice screamed as she ran for him, jack lifting her up to kiss her gently and turn her to see the tree.
"Look, we can decorate now. Get ready for Santa!" Jack assured her. "Just like I promised princess"
"We have lights?"
"And we have lots of decorations too" Gray said, his glee matching hers "I can't wait. Been so long since I had a Christmas. I remember them. I remember I got a rocking horse with a saddle and everything. It was so cool."
"God. Well … just don't put the tinsel where Myfanwy flies, she will rip it down or hang herself or something. She is a dramatic bird" Ianto said, turning to leave them to it, surprising Jack who followed him inside.
"Hey, did we do something wrong?"
"No. no, it's … I don't do Christmas. Avoid it at all costs. You shake my entire life up you know" Ianto sighed.
"Shaken not stirred Mister Jones" Jack said in a silly voice, then sobered as he pulled Ianto close "Hey. I'm sorry, is it too much? Too fast? Can throttle back if you…"
The kiss was deep, Ianto smashing their lips together as he assured Jack he was fine. Just fine.
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"Hello Fish" Jack said calmly "Glad you could make it. Yvonne?"
Yvonne nodded as she entered the base, Fish following and Jack closed the door swiftly, cutting them off form the henchmen following Fish. As they swung to look at the closed door Jack grimaced and said "oops."
"Please, come in and be seated" Ianto spoke calmly as he led them to the meeting room, Alice nowhere to be seen. "I am sure refreshments would be welcome?"
"Yes please Ianto" Yvonne said, gleefully saying his name as he bowed slightly at the waist and slid from the room, Jack settling to look at the two of them with unveiled interest.
"Tell me. How long have the two of you been in cahoots?" Jack asked calmly "I mean … Fish you old devil. You must have recruited her when she first hit the agency at a tender age of … what was it Yvonne? Eighteen when you joined the force? Hmmmm? Fish was one of your contacts way back then."
Fish snorted "She has never had me in her pocket!"
"No. I know that" Jack smiled softly, almost in a feral ay "it's the other way around isn't it. She's always done what you wanted her to do, like a good girl. Must have been quite the turning point for you, to realise a daughter might have worth too."
The silence filled the room as they stared at him, Ianto breaking it as he entered pushing a trolley laden with goodies "Right then. We have some nummies here and … sorry about that. Didn't mean to infantile you. Parenthood is a little new to me, I find meself wiping Jack's chin when we eat. Mind … I think anyone would want an excuse to touch him, wouldn't you say?"
"Our father was handsome too" Gray said as he entered, placing down the jug of milk, both Fish and Yvonne reacting by rearing back with shock. Just as Jack and Ianto knew they would, Own sliding in the doorway watching with glee.
"Hello Uncle Fishy" Gray said as he chose a seat, "Hello Yvonne."
"Well?" Jack raised an eyebrow to look at them with his smile completely gone now, the feral look more murderous in intent "Are you going to be polite in my house? Say hello to my brother!"
"Brother" Yvonne whispered "What?"
"Yes. Didn't your daddy there tell you? This is my brother, kidnapped at the age of five and held to ransom, then my father was murdered and the ransom money taken, my brother kept. Right Fish? You cut those digits off my brother to enforce the threat to my parents for the money you wanted."
Gray reached into his pocket and his hand emerged with a knife. A small, unassuming paring knife from the kitchen drawer and he looked squarely at Fish with the same murderous gaze as his brother.
"Yes, and I would like to return the favour."
"Fish snorted as he clenched his fists tighter with fear, unable to hide it. Then Gray's eyes slid to Yvonne and her hand sitting close to him, her ring glinting on her finger. A beat too late Fish finally got it and could only cry out with horror as Gray seized her hand and savagely slammed the knife down, sawing as she writhed and screamed as well.
One finger now repaid.
Ianto checked the tea with a single pour.