10
"I have decided" Jack said as he ignored his father's questions.
Jack knew he was doing the one thing the Coaches/Providers/Cat Nuns warned him not to do when they were training him for his Breeder… how to treat it, what to expect from it. Their one warning apart from not forgetting to feed it was… do not become attached.
In the short time he had known this man he knew that they would never be able to connect and breed if his mother and her minions were working behind the scenes to make his life hell. After all … this was not the first time. The last Brood Mare had been a pretty little thing that Jack had been confident of a paring with, until she was found hysterical in a broom closet hiding from those who had made her life hell. Lucia had fallen pregnant soon after. He had warned his mother not to do this again, to let him have the space and means to create the son he wanted… needed… and knew his great-grandfather desperately wanted before he died.
Now he knew she would not stop.
"Are you sure about this?" Franklin asked as he watched his son sign papers.
"I need a son. I need optimal time and a willing breeder. I chose a male which means he has to want to provide to do so, it's not as easy as with a female but it does mean a stronger bloodline," Jack turned and took his father's arms "I am trusting you to look into that thing I asked you about."
"Do you want to know before you leave?"
"If it's good news… yeah. If not… no." Jack sighed, looking out the window where his daughter sat out on the lawn with Ianto who was encouraging her to enjoy some rare sunlight. Gwen hovering as she complained that this would give the child headaches later. "Just do your best, I know it might be impossible."
Ianto was wanting patiently for Jack who led him to the Hover Bay and once they were settled in the small private one Ianto turned to look at the provisions in the back of it with interest "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere no one can bother us while we do what is required" Jack answered excitedly "That old man you defended… he is not just my great grandfather. When I was a little boy he was my best friend and fellow mad man. Gray took the light. Right now, it is better he gets attention and we sneak off. We are going to my lake."
"YOUR lake!" Ianto said with surprise.
"Hey, you know we are loaded, don't pretend you don't. This is a place that is very special to me. It was built for me for my fifth birthday. Alice is so poorly but… I would love to take her there one day. It is a little island in the middle of the lake, has a cottage there and it very old world. No technology, no interference and just long lazy days to make our child." Jack enthused.
"But… they will jus tome by Hover" Ianto frowned.
"The lake has a strange magnetic resonance… Hovers cannot fly over it… they must skirt its shores" Jack explained "we will land and then take a boat across. When the storms whip in, we are cut off completely."
"Is it silly to say that it sounds divine?" Ianto asked.
"Not at all .. it's my favourite place in the worlds. When I lost my great grandmother, Great Grandpa and I spent a whole month here on our own. It was glorious. We can fish, shoot the birdlife… if you like!" Jack said quickly as Ianto's face told him that the man did NOT like that idea at all.
"I do like fishing" Ianto finally admitted "Yes. Do we have enough food for a week?"
"For a month!" Jack said with a grin.
"Well now… you cad!"
.
..
.
Ianto sat watching Jack as he rowed them across. The boat was not what he expected, a small rowboat that pulled another smaller one full of food. Ianto watched it bobbing behind them and got the giggles. Jack glanced over as he watched Ianto's face glowing in the sunlight.
"Something funny?"
Just wondering how big the fish is we are fishing for with bait like that" Ianto struggled to choke out. Jack looked back and roared with mirth, finding this side of Ianto fascinating. Finally he was showing himself and it was clear that he had so many masks that it was rare to glimpse the real man.
Handsome as he is.
Then the boat swing around the outcropping of rocks and Ianto made a noise of surprise, the little field and cottage beyond the shore seemed to be from another place. Like someone plucked it from the middle of a fairytale and plonked it down over there for somewhere to keep it a while.
The sunlight hit the old tin roof, the red paint seeming to be as shiny as a candy apple, Ianto gaping as he saw the long grass on the field almost knee deep. "Oh my god… are those…"
"Rabbits." Jack called out "Gotta keep the grass down. A few goats in the woods no doubt as well"
"Oh Jack… it's beautiful" Ianto gushed.
Jack could not take his eyes off Ianto as he agreed.
Yes.
Beautiful.