21
"Look … there is not much more we can do tonight, let's go home" Jack said softly, his hand sliding over Ianto's shoulder to squeeze gently as the tall thin man stood staring at the screens of dead people.
"I … this is … look at them. Like cattle sent to the slaughter house" Ianto muttered, more to himself than Jack and it occurred to Jack that someone else was there, a conversation was being interrupted so he leaned back against the wall by the wall of screens and slid his hands into his pockets determined to be polite and wait.
After a while he was rewarded as Ianto's eyes refocused on him and the frown changed to a soft smile "Hey."
"Hey. Everything OK?"
"Yeh, just … my Mama came back to check I was OK. She doesn't usually do that. It felt … rude not to stop and acknowledge her." Ianto sighed as he looked at the screens again "this makes me feel physically ill Cariad."
"You and me both Tiger" Jack pushed off from the wall 'Let's go home. Cuddle a little girl and try to shake it off, yeah? It's done and nothing we say or do will being them back. We need to be strong, calculated and clear in order to avenge them."
"Avenge" Ianto repeated softly "Yes. Yes. Avenge. Thank you Cariad."
"Come on. A hot bath with some bubbles, time to decompress and let things go. Come on, home" Jack pushed gently.
"Yeah, good idea. Gray rang not long ago to ask what was for tea. He's picked up the minx from her after school programme and they are watching cartoons. Go home and feed the kids, have a night off" Owen said from the doorway of the meeting room where he had been watching the two men for a while and his concern was raw as he looked from one to the other.
"Thanks Owen I was saying that" Jack smiled at him "I think we need to all take a moment, if only to honour those gone by living our lives tonight. Loving and holding on tight. Tomorrow we come back bright and focused, not tired and pissed."
"Oh, I think the pissed feeling will still be there. Just … more focused too" Owen huffed, nodding as hr turned ot leave the two men and Ianto turned to call after him.
"Owen … thanks."
They headed to the SUV and drove up into the sunlight. It seemed weird, a wonderful afternoon dusk not yet skulking … yet the shadows hid the horrors Ianto knew were there. Everything seemed fluid, every street corner had a person standing in the crowd that no one else could see. The Dead were out in force, also shaken by the changes in the atmosphere.
One of the wraiths trundled along like it was being blown by a wind that affected no other person on the side of the road, then as Ianto watched the man, he swung around a young couple who were talking to one another animatedly and it stepped out into the street.
It was only when Jack slammed on the brakes that Ianto realised he could see the man as well. Ianto focused more and jerked in his seat as recognition hit.
Ianto was out of the vehicle with his gun already raised before Jack could even slide the park brake on, Ianto strode toward the man with a silent glare that told him to stop where he was. The man looked up and froze as his eyes met Ianto's.
Ianto felt his finger twitching on the trigger of the gun as Jack came closer "Ianto?"
Ianto didn't answer, still locked in a staring contest with the man as his finger shifted slightly … from the trigger guard to the trigger.
"Ianto!" Jack said more firmly this time as he saw the anger in Ianto's face.
Ianto lowered the weapon and blinked slowly, then turned to leave the man standing there in the street, his eyes boring into Ianto's back and he took a step after him to find a immovable mountain that was commonly known as Captain Jack Harkness Motherfucker! He blinked and looked into a new set of eyes, seeing something dangerous he recognised in his own sometimes.
He took a step back.
"Why are you in this neighbourhood!" Jack demanded, "This is nowhere near Rhiannon's."
"You know my daughter too?" the man took another step back as Jack grinned at him like a vampire might a virgin.
"You have no idea the things I know Ifan. No idea the things I am capable of" Jack snarled "You know … think of the one thing you did, that one thing that had defined the rest of your life. Think about tit for a moment. Then think that what you did is not even a blip on my radar. Ok? You are not anything special here. I have killed, I have destroyed and I have devoured. I only care for that man sitting in the passenger seat willing himself not to shoot you. You? I would mow you down with my SUV and not even worry about the mess left on the road. Understand? Leave Ianto alone. Go back to your side of the street."
Ifan looked at the man who was not moving a muscle.
"JACK! Leave him. I want to go home!" Ianto yelled petulantly.
"Yes my love" Jack said calmly, the grin never changing as he turned and walked back to the SUV, letting his coat do the talking as it fanned out to flick the bad juju off his heels.
It was several minutes after the SUV had swerved around him that Ifan finally spoke softly to himself.
"Well I'll be damned if that did not look just like the man who arrested me" he shook his head then glanced after the vehicle again "but that would make him … maybe his son?"
Franklin stood at the side of the road and looked over at the sorry mess that had once been a father, husband … man.
Yes. He had arrested him and still wishes he had gotten there sooner, saved that poor woman. Now it all made sense and he sighed softly, the sorrow raw as he recognised that the little boy he found under the kitchen table crying softly for his mother was the man now comforting his grandchild who cried of the same reason.
Thank the gods.
At lest they knew about Karma.
