15- Ianto

Its strange but it feels like I always knew him, like he was always here in the peripheral, ya know?

He is currently wiping down the table while I sit with the little munchkin watching crap TV. She is happy anyway and I know she is dying to get into the toys. What the hell, I bought them and the kids don't play with them anymore, especially if they are not even gonna come around to get the chance. I know letting go of Rhiannon means letting go of them, even if it hurts like hell. She is one to hold them over me like pawns. The only way to stop that is to bite the bullet and accept that they are gone. Take away that power from her.

"Go on, go play if ya like. I know you saw the toys" I whisper and grin as she scampers off, her glee evident and I wonder if she will go for the dolls or the trucks. Might be a tomboy. Who knows.

"Where did she go?" Jack came over and sat next to me, looking at the channel surfing I was majoring in like a pro.

"Playing in the bedroom. She wanted to explore the toys. No harm there, nothing she can break" I reply and watch Jack nod, then he rubs his chin. He is clearly thinking about something or wants to say something.

Finally he says "Might go get some food in. Your cupboard are so healthy my waistline screams in agony. Maybe some treats for the kid?"

Oh wow. He's staying?

"If you don't mind me hanging about for a few days" he adds quickly "I just don't want to go near my home right now and face Gray's meltdown."

"He will go there?"

"Yeah. Once he works out that they were playing one another he will run to me to fix it, like the big brother can wave his magic wand and everything is fine" Jack sighed.

"Magic wand? Is that what we will call it?" I say without thinking then let him get another look at my blush.

"Cheeky Tiger" he laughs and I relax as I see that he was not offended. Gods, I am not so rude normally and I cannot blame a concussion on this, my inner monologue working again. No … I am clearly flirting so strongly that we are both startled by it.

"Well, I shall write a list for me too" I decide.

"Why not just come with" he suddenly offers and I feel silly like I am pushing in, but I can see his face and I think he is genuinely asking.

"OK. It's a date"

Crap. What? Where did … there I go again.

"Wow, our first date. The food market" Jack clasped his hands under his chin and takes on a dreamy look as he sighs and whispers "so romantic."

OK, he is sooooo cute.

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"Owen!" I call out across the parking lot and he swings from his bike to wave back, then he places the helmet back on the handlebars before walking over.

"Hey buddy, you feeling better? I was about to swing past to check in you but… oh. Hello there" he is taken with the hansdome man coming out if the store pushing the trolley full of food and little girl limbs.

"Hi there, Jack Harkness. Remember?" Jack is calm and polite "when Ianto bounced on his head, you put him together again."

"Yes, the American. How can I forget" Owen deadpanned. "He wanted to lick you."

"Stop it you two" I am forced to scold like they are kids in the playground "My ice-cream is melting."

"You don't like ice-cream, gives you a headache" Owen points out.

"But his daughter does!" I counter as Jack pushes our things to the SUV and started to load them in. "And I can eat a little, Doctor Doodoo head!"

"So feckin rude"

"I can't help myself, you have one of those faces"

Owen's giggling is infectious as he checks my stitches, kissing my forehead like a mother kissing a boo-boo better then he stepped back "Your sister is a bitch. Just so you know. I love you but … damn you have to start thinking about you, not her. The way she carried on at the hospital, if it were not for me they would have called the freaking Heddlu on her."

"Well … I have talked to her this morning and told her as much. She is cut off, no more little brother handouts. I don't think she took it that well actually" I admitted, not afraid to tell Owen anything I was thinking, he knew me inside and out this one "I need to polish up my spine and look to my own future. I've looked after her long enough."

"Yes. Good. You didn't marry her … either time. She chose her own drunken path to stumble down, you sip your tea and let her fall in the bushes." Owen patted my arm and I knew my confusion at his bastardisation at an attempt at the 'the walk your own path' talk was making my face screw up and then I knew I couldn't help it, my own giggling starting.

"You are a prat sometimes!"

"Yeah… but you love me."

"Yeah, would have married you if not for the fact you would look terrible in a frock" I sigh, then my brain remembers someone shouting about having dresses in his closet and I turn to look at him and see that grin I am getting so damned attached to.

Yeah.

He hadn't been kidding and I had just taken another little step towards…something… and deep down in my gut I felt….

Excited.