30

Ianto was horrified but could not stop, sobbing into Jack's chest as Jack cradled his head against him, soothingly crooning and the raw love was enough to break him more. He clung to Jack, letting out the pain and frustration. He had broken in front of others, he has showed emotion and was terribly embarrassed, but still … he could not stop and finally Jack took his head between his hands and kissed him tenderly.

"I love you" Jack whispered "I loved you before I met you, my entire life ready for you to arrive. I will never let anyone hurt you, I will kill the fucking world if I have to in order to keep you safe. I love you Ianto."

Ianto felt the pain drain away as he looked into Jack's eyes and he gave a watery smile, sighing as he settled back against him, spent.

It was a little while later that they become aware of little hands patting their legs where they stood in the corner, Jack looking down at Alice who was looking up at him with concern "Is Ianto OK Dadda?"

Ianto drew back and smiled "hey princess. Yes. My heart got hurting and I needed cry. We all need a cry sometimes, helps."

"I cry too" she sighed "for my Mama."

"I cry for my Mama too" Ianto agreed "She died."

"Mine too" Alice sighed, lifting her arms up and Ianto lifted her to his hip, cuddling her between the two men as Jack engulfed them once more.

"Owen's right. Lets go home. Stop for some more decorations at the Christmas Hutt Store. I think we need more lights" Jack said softly "What do you think? Hmm? He play hookey?"

"I like that idea" Ianto sighed softly "gods. If I sigh anymore my lungs might flip out, I feel so … so … heavy."

"Come on" Jack led them off, calling to Gray who ran after them eagerly.

.

.

..

.

Gray had a trolley, he and Jack showing they were definitely related as they both raced up and down making noises of excitement, filling the trolley with shit Ianto had no idea about as he sedately pushed a trolley around with a little girl sitting in the bottom of it cuddling a plush reindeer she had spied on first entering.

"I will call him Rudy" she said fondly, lifting the toy reindeer up to examine "What do reindeer eat?"

"Reindeer food" Ianto said as he stopped and lifted a bag of bird food with Reindeer Chow written on the front, handing it to her, "Look. We can put some out for Santa's team on Christmas eve."

She examined the assorted seed, breadcrumbs, dried fruit and festive looking …well…wild animal trail mix… with interest.

"What if one is Gluten free?"

Ianto stopped pushing the trolley to look down at her, his amusement starting to show as he leaned in "Well .. if he is gluten free we should hope everyone is kind and does to leave stuff out with gluten in it .. or there will be reindeer poo everywhere!"

"Ewwwwwww" she squealed with glee, "I bet it smells like pinecones!"

"Or candy" Ianto grimaced "what a mistake to not know the difference."

She roared with mirth at the idea of someone accidentally eating reindeer poo, Ianto knowing the way a child's brain works and he smiled as he felt her happiness soothing his sad heart. They gathered things and met the men at the cash register, Ianto freezing as he took in TWO trolleys filed with shit and Gray hugging a life sized reindeer stature while Jack staggered with a Santa that was leaning over with pants slid down to show bum crack.

"We are not getting those" Ianto pointed "they will not fit in the SUV."

"I know … called Rhys for pick up later. We will leave them with the other stuff too big."

"Other… what?" Ianto turned to find a huge snowman, two elves that looked like trolls in bad makeup and …. A unicorn?

"For Alice" Jack said with pride "she likes unicorns."

"A Christmas unicorn" Ianto drolled.

"We can take the hat off and it's just a regular one. Look, she can ride it" Jack was showing Ianto with hand sweeping gestures like it was a game show prize of something, Ianto finally letting a chuckle escape as he shook his head

"Twypsn. That … Gods. Ok."

"Come on, food. I want some takeaways and we can go home" Jack rubbed his hands together then they headed the SUV, heading for the Chinese space, Jack turning to Gray and barking their order as he fiddled with his wallet.

While they parked at the takeaways, Gray trusted to go in and pay Jack turned to Ianto "Got a call. Yvonne is trying to demand immunity, saying she was working undercover to trap Fish. It's laughable. They are going to Redact her into a facility where she can say whatever she likes. They are even thinking of letting Fish in the room for a while for them to 'talk' to see if it shuts her up for a while."

"Couldn't happen o a nicer couple" Ianto snorted "here he comes. Christ, more soda pop?"

Gray got in, two large bottles of coke with the order and he landed over the change, jack shaking his head "Keep the change. We need to work out money for you anyway."

"Yeah" he sat back happily shoving notes and coin into his pocket "I wanna shop for Christmas pressies."

"Tomorrow is Christmas eve. I will take you later this avo while Alice is having a snooze so she doesn't try to come with." Jack said softly, glancing at the child who was too engrossed in her toys to notice the conversation. "Ianto can have some quiet time with Ali."

"Sounds good to me" Ianto agreed as he tried to work out where the hell the Unicorn would live.

Myf might kill it.