9

Mica was laughing as she danced around the food aisle. Ianto was ignoring her as he checked the back of a cereal box. She was grating as his hangover thumped in time to the music filtering through the store speakers.

"Uncle?"

Ianto hemmed, turning to address her and found himself staring at Jack.

It has been almost a year since Ianto last saw him and he looked a mixture of surprise and horror. Mica ran to him, enveloping him in a hug "Uncle Jack! I've not seen you in forever!"

"Mica love" Jack finally found his voice "My god, you've grown so tall!"

"Uncle sez so too" she spun to Ianto who stood there looking at Ianto with his chin tucked into his chest. Anger. That showed anger.

"Ianto… I …. I forgot you shop here sometimes. Was over this way to see a client. You know I love their readymade lasagna. Sorry… I should…"

"It's OK. It's my favorite too. We used to … well. Come on love, let him go. He has someone to get along to" Ianto said as he saw the basket had two in it.

"Yes.. Rhys. He… he's a bit of a mess since Gwen left and I have been.. ah…" Jack's voice petered out and Ianto stood looking at him calmly.

"Gwen left him?"

"No. It all blew up after… well. Once I realized I was a fool…" Jack glanced at Mica who stood there staring at him and Ianto took pity.

"Let's go to the food court, get some coffee. Mica can get a milkshake" Ianto offered.

"I can get a coffee too!" Mica complained then huffed as she saw that her uncle was not falling for that old malarkey. Was worth a try though.

They settled and Mica stated to listen to music as she was bored with them glaring at one another, her ear buds in as she hummed softly along to her song. Once sure she was tuned out Jack started the story "So … I went and confronted her. That day. Rhys was confused then angry as he defended her then came the yelling and shouting as he saw that she had been manipulating everything. He stormed off and she started throwing his things into the street. Then he remembers it was his flat and stormed back to throw her out instead. Her parents showed up… it was a lot of carry on."

"Oh my… the parents. Tell me… is her mother as sour faced as I think she is?" Ianto asked.

Jack laughed as he nodded, feeling like he always had around Ianto then he remembered that she had ruined that as well, his smile fading. Ianto noticed and said softly "then?"

"Then Toshiko had her baby!" Jack said and Ianto's soft smile faded all together, leaning back to look at the cloth. His hands… the floor. Jack sighed "sorry. God, I thought you... of course. How would you. She went into premature labour, nearly most it all together. A little boy. He is so cute, so tiny."

"So … who is the other godparent?" Ianto asked painfully aware that it was supposed to be the two of them.

"They've not done the christening yet. So little and sickly... they want to wait for a big party and everyone able to celebrate without fear" Jack said as he scratched his ankle "besides… I don't know who else they will ask. Might not be me now either. I think I was only allowed to be because of you. After all, if they die in a plane crash or something it was you they trusted with their child, not me. God.. I doubt any of us would be good parents. Not like you."

"Not that we will ever know" Ianto rose, tapping the table loudly as Mica looked up from her phone and rose as well.

"Ianto… I am sorry."

"It… it was good to see you Jack" Ianto assured him.

"Those letters Gwen sent the other legal practices, forged my name to … I told them all the truth. Now it's her that will be hard pressed to get a job. If you want to apply…"

"Why in god's name would I ever want to work that side again" Ianto laughed hollowly "no. I am where I belong, back with my kind. I make in a week what I used to make in a fucking year. No brainer. Not when I do not need to listen to my heart."

"Ianto…"

"Look. Let's agree that it ended in a shitty way but clearly it was going to end anyway. You didn't love me. If you did, you would have slapped her down the moment she started her hate campaign against me. No ... it's best this way before we did the marriage… adoption kid or two thing… then find one day that she is in our bed while I am at work doing some soulless case … messy."

Jack looked scandalized "I would never... Ianto! How can you say…"

"You think she hasn't?" Ianto laughed "She told me many times that your dick was in her pocket. I never believed her but she was adamant that one day you would be her pet dick. Oh yes… I never said anything to you, I ignored it because I love… loved you. Trusted you. Never mind now."

"Ianto. I saw kids in our…'

"You saw what you wanted to, what she wanted you to and I think this is enough now before things start to get unpleasant. Let's just… agree that we lost something. Something great and we will always feel that. Like that perfect day on the beach when we danced to that little transistor radio … OK? Everything dies, nothing last forever. I will love you.. always."

"Always" Jack said sadly as Ianto started to walk away, Mica turning back to hug him with open sorrow before running after Ianto.

Always.