22
Gwen had finally gone home, finding her family there and some sense of normalcy. She needed that, her connection to humanity, the reason why they fight as hard as they do.
Beckett and Lucy went home too, their apartment they shared split down the middle with one side his manly cave and her side full of weapons and tat. She was mad, the computer components almost part of the place like a strange spaceship interior or something.
Rex went to his own apartment in the back area of the facility, next to Jack's where he paused, hearing raised voices coming though the wall like a hum. One was Jack the other … Ianto? He stepped closer to the wall and paused again, knowing it was none of his dammed business. Then he knew by the shriek that it was Brooks that was with Jack, no doubt throwing things as he packed his things to leave the apartment. So it was real. Jack was willing to throw out Brooks … his fuck boy for almost two years … for Ianto who was not even there. He must not be there. Ianto clearly was not intending to stay.
Ianto was heading home. He drove like a mad thing knowing the TORCHWOOD on the side of the vehicle meant no tickets would come his way and he arrived home just before midnight, the light on telling him Rhiannon was waiting.
"So?" she demanded as he got inside and stretched.
"So. It's real" he sighed.
"Emily came by with Daniel" she said as she watched Ianto remove his coat and walk to the nearest chair to slump into it.
"And how is he?"
"Still adorable." she replied with a smile "He is talking so sweetly, his Welsh is impeccable. Did you know… his school had a science fair and he won! Six years old and a bloody genius!"
"Sounds like he had fun."
"Myfanwy went wild, they've not seen each other in a month but you would have thought it ws years" she smiled "He's asleep upstairs. So sweet."
Ianto rose, heading up to stand in the darkness watching the little boy sleep. He sighed as he stretched again, feeling his bones pop before he headed to get a hot shower and then hopefully some sleep.
As he padded through the bedroom he glanced over at the little boy again, moving to cover him as the little one sniffled. The little backpack that had come with him from the neighbouring property would no doubt have some school work in it.
Ianto hoped life would return to normal again soon.
If only so he could go back to weekends here with Daniel.
.
.
.
.
Jack looked up as Ianto entered the base, his smile wide like he had come from a tropical holiday. Jack found himself smiling widely as Ianto walked around talking to the others, getting coffee orders and generally being a brilliant nurturer. Like he had never left.
"You know" Ianto said as he came over to Jack and Rex "Making the frontage for this place more like the Mermaid quay one was a great move. Especially the coffee machine being the same. And the bead curtain … that must have been hard to come by, so similar. I am touched."
"I like consistency" Jack smiled, glad Ianto had known deep down it was because Jack liked to come up to that area when Ianto was there to leer at him and talk privately about things. It was a comfort.
Gwen entered and sat heavily rubbing her belly with a sigh "Bub was going all night. Even Rhys felt the kicking against his back when I tried to spoon. He's getting annoyed with me and thinks I am doing too much."
"Maybe you are" Ianto agreed "Maybe you should sit this one out."
"Says someone who has been out of the field for seven years!" she scoffed.
"Actually I have been actively working for her majesty on and off for the past twenty five years since you saw me last" Ianto bristled as he turned to face her "In and around that add another few years doing shit off world only coming back within the timelines when it was a birthday, Christmas, safe. Let's really emphasise SAFE shall we? Miracle Day? What a major fuckup all around. I had to get my family off world and felt really shitty for that. Really shitty. But hey … I knew deaths were going to happen, this was beyond the scope of Torchwood and the fact Jack managed to save this rock once again is beyond me."
"Angelo. Angelo helped" Jack said softly to himself, then tined to face Ianto "You. You are the one that helped along the way, not Angelo. But he knew you… right? You went back over timelines and you meddled."
Ianto didn't look at Jack still focused on Gwen "Gwen, in this world, it was seven years since I died. In my personal life it has been a lifetime and one that was sometimes lonely, sad and fucking desperate. To have sat and held my child? God … to have a morning buttering toast and talking about dinosaurs? Not going home once every ten years, it only being a week here since I last walked among my family? A normal life? I would have killed for that, out there in the black with man eating monsters tracking me in the dark while the Doctor waved that fucking sonic around … you have a chance to enjoy your family. Your life, your child. Children. I envy you. I can never have that. I will never have a life with my…. My family."
John canted his head and asked calmly "And the baby? What happened to the baby?"
"What baby?" Jack asked with annoyance "Gwen had the baby, not Ianto!"
John shrugged still locking eyes with Ianto who now glared at him as John said softly "the truth will out."
"If you really want a hundred volts to your dick, keep pushing things Captain Hart!" Ianto snarled.
Jack looked between them and rose "Come on. That's enough. I don't even understand the animosity here. There is enough of me to go around."
John huffed as he sat back and glared at Ianto some more.
He was working things out even if Jack wasn't.