29

Ianto was surprised to see them home already, turning to ask if they had eaten at least. The looks of doom told him the story. He glanced at Franklin who was shaking his head and went about making a meal for everyone, while still watching Alice who was playing with some dolls on the floor. The team were there with some old files to go over, the atmosphere of domestic bliss. As they arrived Alice rose to put her toys away for tea, a good little girl that rushed to her room.

"Ianto .. I am sorry to bring all this to you." Jack said sadly "you never signed up for this."

"Nonsense" Ianto replied gently "I signed up for you. Hook, line and Great Coat."

Jack smiled softly, then Toshiko called out "Found them."

"Who?" Jack asked only just noticing her there "Hey Tosh."

"Owen is on night shift, Tosh is at a loose end so came to say hi. Rhys and Gwen stopped by with that recipe and I invited them to stay for a feed too. I mentioned that my niece and nephew will have opened their gifts under the tree like little goblins unable to wait until Christmas, so she is looking to see if they have." Ianto explained.

"Really? Two days away and you think the y opened them already? Their parents let them?" Jack sighed, settling to watch the screen as an image flickered to life on the wall TV. Two children laughing, running along with their bright gumboots and warm looking jackets on.

"Yep. There are the winter clothes. And if we wait…" Ianto pointed as the little boy produced a slingshot and flicked a snowball at his sister, her screams of annoyance before her own slingshot answered filled the speakers. Gwen laughed.

"They both got one?" she pointed out.

"Mica is as much a killer as David" Ianto laughed. "dolls are lost on her."

They all laughed then Ianto's smile slid, "Wait. Tosh, go back a beat. The man on the bench seat back there, under the tree."

Tosh swung the camera and Ianto leaned in, hi face paling as he stared at the old man, frail and clearly engrossed in the kids, Mica running up to throw her arms around him as he lifted her to his lap.

"Is that…" Jack whispered.

"Yes." Ianto's face closed down, a look of pure rage as he straightened up "Cut the feed. I do not want to see any more."

Tosh did so and turned to look at Ianto who seemed to be struggling with something, Jack stepping into his personal space and pulling him into a hug, soft soothing croons and his hands rubbing at Ianto's' shoulders. Everyone was shocked, confused as they watched and finally it was Rhys who spoke "It's your Da."

Ianto pulled back from Jack, rubbing at his face and Gwen was shocked to see tears as Jack tried to shield him from them, moving between him and the team as he spoke quietly "How about you go check on Alice? Hmmmm? She might like some company for a while and help tidying things away. A hug."

Ianto nodded, moving away as Jack stood with slumped shoulders watching him go, then he turned to the team. "That man … that fragile old granddad lovingly cuddling his granddaughter is a murderer. He, in a drunken rage, picked up the carving knife from the kitchen table, the Christmas Ham still sitting there for him to slice some from, and he plunged it into his wife. Eighteen times. His eight year old son tried to save her, tried to protect his mother and he was stabbed five times."

Silence as they gaped.

"His sister had gone to her boyfriend's house for Christmas Dinner, came home to lights, sirens and her mother in a body bag, her brother being furiously worked on as he bled out on the kitchen floor. Her father already in the back of a police car." Jack paused and turned to look in the direction Ianto had gone "She didn't believe it. She couldn't believe their father had done such a thing. It all came out. The abuse, the cruelty. She denied all of it, stood in court and defended him, called her brother a liar as he sat in a wheelchair still half dead to testify. She stood by their father until the moment he finally gave in and let his anger out on the stand. They were clever enough to put a female prosecutor against him and he snapped, telling her what he would do to her too, sneering that of course he had killed the bitch, talking back to him like that. Rhiannon promised Ianto she would never speak to the man again. All these years … all these years Ianto has believed her. He has financially supported his sister and her waste of space husband, he loves those kids and … all this time. She has been lying to him."

"Well … that's fucked up" Owen sighed and Jack realised he was on coms with everyone "Why he only has one kidney. Those scares on him, the old ones. I thought they were stab wounds but they were not in his medical history. Jesus."

"Excuse me, I … I think I should be with him right now" Jack said as he started to walk after Ianto.

"Take them home. Go home and let him fuss on Alice and Gray" Owen called out "Maybe some decorations or something … let him see happiness. He might feel it then."

"My Dad loves me" Gwen said softly "Him and Mum joke about what will happen if one of them dies, how the other one will die too. I mean … I can't get me head around that."

"alcohol is a cruel greaser of emotions" Rhys turned to her "And it removes fear."

"How old was he?"

"Eight. Rhiannon was sixteen. She went to her boyfriend's family. Ianto went into the system." Owen frowned "Too old to adopt, fostered out around the place … never had a home. No wonder he loves that Warehouse. His Grandfather … I think it was his. The old man too old to be allowed to keep him but he fought for visitation. He tried to help him."

"Poor little boy" Gwen whispered with horror as she tried to imagine what his life was like. "wait … but he sees dead people. Does he not see her?"

Toshiko shook her head "No. I don't think so."

"Poor little boy."