26

Myfanwy returned to Space Dock and opened her doors, all traces of Saxon and his entourage long gone out the airlocks at different intervals so his body parts might never find one another to reform. If they could … well, the idea of that alone disgusting and sickeningly possible.

Ianto had not returned to the flight deck but as they all assembled to disembark he finally stepped from a partition in the wall, not looking at his daughter who stood holding Jack's hand possessively. The doors opened and the first person through had long black hair that flowed down her back with one side of her head shaved in a curve around her ear, her face full of fear as she launched herself at Ianto who caught her in the hug, holding her as she clung to him with relief.

She drew back and let her hands run over his body, a loving embrace as she checked he was OK then she smiled.

"Aurora?" Jack said softly, recognising his own smile, his chin too. Ianto had lied again … one more for the list of 'Crafty Business' now complete.

"Hello Daddy, I prefer that to Alice now I know the truth" she said as she turned to him, and then saw Lucy and she gasped with delight "Oh by the Gods. Lucy? Are you Lucy? My sister? Really?"

She laughed and went to hug Lucy who drew back with confusion as she looked at this teenager with crazy clothing and hairstyle, so young that she looked like she should be in high school. Aurora laughed again "It's OK. My first death was when I was eighteen. Sucks right? To be so young? It's OK. I do age, until I die. When Taddy found me I had just died for the first time and was so scared, confused and alone. He rushed me from the hospital and took me away, explained what had happened. I was angry. So angry for the longest time. To learn my family was not real, I had been swapped with another baby like… like a pet. I understood though, it was not about me. It was about the promise Taddy made to protect and serve. They all did. Our parentals took an oath to protect the known universe from harm, even if it meant everything they loved. Don't you see? There was no choice in this. But we knew you would be OK. I was, see? Taddy knew you would not be gone … I knew it! I told you Taddy I said she is one of us right?"

"Yes muffin" Ianto said softly, still not looking at Lucy, "We did decide that. The children of the immortal three are also immortal from birth."

"God, imagine if I had died as a little girl … or as a baby. To live your life then die, reset so young. I would go mad! Even this is annoying. At my age, to get ID'd at the bar. Me! Old enough to be their bloody sister… or mother to some of the little punks!"

"Rory … give her a chance. I think she needs to process. You are so excitable, just like your father" Ianto said as he held his hand out for her to come to him "Come give an old man some comfort."

She swung to him and her smile faded "Taddy? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing" he drew her in, savouring her "We won. Right?"

"Right!" she bounced away from him and ran to John now "Papa … come on. Tequila!"

"Hyper-vodka for me" he told her with his face lighting up as he remembered meeting this energetic chid somewhere before … Ianto had watched over him for some time it seems "Come on princess. I will even get one with sparkles for you."

Jack watched Ianto turn from Lucy without speaking to her, shooting his cuffs and turning to go back into the wall cavity. He asked "Ianto? Not coming with?"

"You have your family back. I kept my promise to keep her safe, to return her to you. When we swapped them out I promised I would get her back to you. There she goes … both your daughters returned to you. You don't need me now. Go. Live. Love, be happy."

"But… what about you?" Jack let go of Lucy's hand and stepped towards the man he knew he could not survive without. "I need you too."

"No you don't" Ianto choked out "You need the last surviving piece of my heart. There she is … our daughter. Carved from under my ribcage, the death from her birth the sweetest I ever suffered. Take her … she doesn't need me with the two of you to protect her, her sister to keep her company. What am I but the cause of all of this in the first place with my need for revenge. Go… leave me to the ashes."

"You are not a Phoenix" Jack snarled with anger, grabbing at the wall partition and yanking on it before it could close "That was a front. You are not a fucking ember, a spark of what once was. You are a fucking Dragon. Full of fire and fight. Look at me! Ianto Fucking Jones. Welsh Dragon, not needing ashes to keep you warm when fire is in your gut. Look at me. I love you. You bloody arse! Don't' leave me. Not again. Not again. I will die. I always die when you leave me. Every time we failed and had to reset. Every time he won and we lost another game… we finally won. Here. Now, we finally won and it is over. Mission complete."

Ianto hesitated, his hand sliding down the frame to cover Jack's "And me? What am I if not a mythical beast with no place to live?"

"Don't be a bloody idiot. You live here in my heart where you always sit" Jack snorted "Are you not the fire in my soul too?"

"Words" Ianto whispered, stepping in close "Pretty words from such a pretty mouth."

Then he kissed that mouth and agreed with the reasoning.

He is a Dragon.

He does not rise from the ashes … he is the flame.

Burning for eternity within the triangle of love.