12

"I need to get back in there," Ely said. "Can I trust you two to keep anyone else out?"

Jack nodded. "We're good. Go on and do your job."

"Be careful," Ianto said.

"Right." Ely rushed off toward the church and disappeared inside.

"Lord, please keep him safe." Ianto prayed. "Keep them all safe."

"Amen," Jack said softly. He reached for Ianto's hand, but he snatched it away.

"Ianto…"

"Not now Jack," he said, staring into the flames, which still continued to pour from the windows.

Jack stepped in front of him. "I'm not letting you blow me off."

"Ianto!" The harsh cry floated across the air, and he whirled around to see his father and sister running across the parking lot toward them.

He met them halfway. "Tad…Brianne!"

"Oh, thank God," his father said, pulling him close in a bear-like hold. "I thought you were still here when I got the call."

"I wish I had been," Ianto said. "Maybe I could have stopped the fire before it spread anywhere."

"If you'd been here you might have been trapped inside," Brianne said, giving him a hug.

"I tried to tell him it's not his fault, but he wouldn't listen," Jack said from outside their little circle.

Brianne twisted to look at him. "Jack? How did you get here? Did someone contact you, too?"

"Ianto and I were Christmas shopping in town when he got the call."

"Christmas…" Brianne shook her head, and Ianto knew his sister was filing away the information for later. "I'm glad you were with him."

Ianto barely registered anything, though, because his attention was drawn inevitably back to the fire. They all turned then, eyes glued to the scene in front of them, watching their beloved church burn and unable to do anything to help. Suddenly, an enormous groan could be heard from inside as if the earth were rending in two. The sound seemed to stretch on for endless moments.

Ianto whimpered in sympathy. "Oh, please make it stop."

Jack reached for his hand, and this time he let him take it.

Despite the awful tearing they'd heard, the flames gradually began to die down. The crackling fingers of fire disappeared from the windows, and soon only trails of black smoke drifted out. When a figure emerged from the doorway, Ianto knew it was Ely, even though his face was completely covered.

His guess was confirmed when he ripped off his mask. He took in the expanded audience as he approached them.

"Reverend Jones, Brianne," Ely said, tilting his chin down in greeting. "Fire's out finally. We're just making sure there aren't any hot spots that could reignite."

"How bad is it?" Ianto's father asked, his gaze once more returning to the building. "We heard a crash."

"A beam collapsed, but thankfully it wasn't enough to bring the roof down. We managed to contain the fire to the sanctuary."

"That's good news," Jack said. "How long before we can get back in and start repairs?"

"There will be an inspection to make sure the structure is still sound," Ely said. "If there was enough damage to the walls or support system, you may have to tear some parts down and rebuild. Even barring that, you're looking at pretty extensive repairs from the smoke and the water."

"How long?" Ianto asked, already fearing he knew the answer.

Ely glanced over at him, his eyes filled with sympathy.

"Weeks, a couple months, it's hard to say."

"So, not before Christmas."

The pageant would probably have to be cancelled, and where would they hold Christmas Eve services?

"Sorry," Ely said, shrugging his shoulders. Then he turned and disappeared inside the building again.

Ianto's father put an arm around his shoulders. "We'll figure something out, Ianto. The good news is, no one was hurt and the building can be repaired, even if we have to start over again."

Ianto buried his head in his neck. "I know, Tad."

The loss of a children's play and a candlelight service were nothing when compared to what could have happened tonight, but his heart ached all the same.

Everything seemed to be changing all at once. His safe little world was slowly being obliterated. All his attempts to embrace the changes, and even make some of his own, had been disastrous.

Stranded on the way to meet John Henry, and now a fire breaking out at the very moment he was kissing Jack Harkness. Ianto couldn't help but wonder if it was all a sign he'd been ignoring.

Maybe he was meant to stay everyone's favourite spinster uncle?

His father sent one more glance at the church and then turned back to them. "Well, there's nothing more we can do tonight," he said. "I'm heading home."

"We should all go home," Brianne said. "Standing here staring at the place will only make us feel more miserable. We'll come back in the morning and see what we can clean up."

"You're right." Ianto's father heaved a sigh. "Such a shame."

"I'll ride home with you, Tad," Ianto said.

he didn't want his father to be alone, and going with him had the added benefit of not putting him alone in an enclosed space with a certain minister who'd disrupted all his plans since day one of "Operation: Get a Date".

The minister in question frowned at him.

"I can take you back to your car," Jack said.

"No need," Ianto said, keeping his gaze locked over his left shoulder. "It's easier if I go with my Tad. I can pick up my car tomorrow."

Now his eyes narrowed. "Ianto—"

"Let's go, Tad, you must be exhausted," he said, taking his father's elbow.

Jack tried again. "Ianto, come on."

"I'll see you tomorrow." Ianto led his father away before Jack could stop them.

Her father glanced over his shoulder and then looked back at him in confusion. "What's going on with you two?"

"Nothing."

Absolutely nothing was happening with Jack.

Ever.