1

"Rayne, don't run" Ianto yelled as his little three year old cub ignored him, racing across the flower bed to greet her Daddy who was coming up the garden path calling out to her with equal glee.

Ianto sighed as he looked at the destroyed border he had just planted a week ago then sighed again, too annoyed now to speak as Jack swung their cub up into the air while she screamed with delight. Jack then jumped with her in his arms laughing, all the way into the house leaving Ianto standing there with a look of doom.

He looked around the garden and gave up, throwing his trowel into the dirt to storm in after them, then find the little beast on the sofa with her shoes on, jumping up and down as she clung to the back of the sofa watching her father remove his coat "…. and then… and then we can have ice-cream!"

"I think Taddy will want us to have real food first" Jack said and she howled theatrically as she 'fainted' back on the sofa and Jack laughed "Maybe a little bit before the evening meal then."

Ianto was about to say something when another Ted pushed past that he had never seen before, entering his house like he feckin belonged there, Jack's briefcase and spare shoes in his hand "Where do you want these boss?"

"My bedroom is that way" Jack pointed while still laughing at the little girl who was holding his attention.

Ianto felt a spike of anger as the young man turned and started down the hallway, again like it was no big deal "OI!"

Ianto's roar filled the house, everyone stalling out as Ianto glowered at the young Ted "First of all… who the fuck are you and why do you think you have any right to push me aside like I am in the way in my own den? And thirdly … you take another step towards MY bedroom and I will tear your fucking throat out in front of my cub and that would be a shame!"

Everyone blinked, and then the young Ted said "You are who?"

Finally Jack acted, stepping forward and grabbing his things from the man "Sorry Trevor. I should have been more specific, leave them here and go home, your shift is over today."

Ianto opened his mouth, then closed it as the young man turned and … shoved him again as he walked past. Ianto's eyes locked on Jack who seemed oblivious so he calmly let his paw swing, catching the young man before he was out of range, a yelp as the Ted found himself slammed into the far wall.

"If you EVER touch me again I will kill you" Ianto said calmly as he faced the man in the floor "you do NOT shove me, you do not brush past me and you sure as hell do not smirk like that. Until you can be civil in my company… stay out of my den."

"Ianto!" Jack was aghast, Ianto never this rude.

"You heard my boss" Rhys grunted as he grabbed the young man, lifting him off the ground to put him out "In here, Ianto is the Boss."

"Am I?" Ianto asked as if to himself "I sometimes wonder what the point of me is at all these days. Apart from a babysitter."

"Hey!" Jack soothed, reaching out to comfort as he saw the mess being created "sorry love. You know I hate being around people, I always come home like a bear with a sore head… get it? Like a bear? Yesh?"

Ianto smiled weakly, how could he not.

Fool of a Ted.

.

.

Jack sat back at his desk in the home office, mulling over the strange events of the evening. Ianto had been quiet, mildly angry still and something he hated to see… sad. Was he unhappy here? He thought Ianto loved it here. Boredom? Cubby getting older and happier in her own space… was Ianto feeling left out?

Jack resolved to speak to Ifan in the morning and see if he 'needed' help with anything Ianto might find interesting. An assignment to make him feel needed and worthy. Jack would ask him for something to do himself but Ianto would know straight away that he was handling him.

No, this might need some tact that he is lacking.

"DADDY!" a little voice screamed with rage, that demanding tone of a little princess that had him grinning "BATH TIME!"

Ah. Something he could do. Jack rose and grinned as he walked along the hallway singing 'rubber ducky' at the top of his lungs, her little voice joining in as she waited, clutching her little rubber duck. Yes, it wore a little crown.

Ianto finished drawing the bath and rose to step aside as Jack entered, her face lighting up as she saw him. Ianto felt in the way, a third wheel. He stepped out of the room and let the two best friends have their bath time fun as Jack insisted on doing this task himself.

"Can't even wash a cub" he muttered to himself as he stomped down the hallway to get her PJs ready on her bed, Jack also dressing her as Ianto stayed out of the way.

Ianto went to get the meal finalized… Francine having done all of that too.

Yep.

Ianto felt left out.