2

Thank god Jack was there, coming on the next available flight and watching Ianto as he paced the room of the Harkness Apartment used when this side of the ditch. Jack was so glad he had kept it now, still amazed that he worked here sometimes and might never have met Ianto anyway… the Gods provided there, right? A sweet two story luxury apartment with the living area downstairs and bedrooms upstairs. Really, a step up from a broom closet for space but it served a single man well.

"Right. I think… I think I need to go to her home… see what needs to be done… ah… lawyer. Her lawyer… there will be paperwork right?" Ianto was spinning in ever decreasing circles of sorrow mixed with a rage that had Jack mildly concerned. He looked like he might shoot someone. Good thing there are not guns over here, eh?

"We will go to her place and look for the lawyer's details before we do anything else. Knowing the legalities of shutting her life down and getting Damo out of the country are the most important things" Jack agreed.

Ianto hooked the keys from the coffee table "Let's go."

.

.

It was a pokey little apartment four stories up. Jack hated it on sight, the two bedrooms so pokey too. God, she did love her boy though, his room crammed with lots of toys and things, she had made sure he had the latest of everything even as her own room was sparse. Jack looked at the photos and sighed, the two women smiling together in tramping gear, wide gins and matching bobble hats… the elusive Elaine. Jack decided he did not like her at all. Abandoning a sick woman and a small child. Coward.

"Cariad"

Jack walked over to the sofa where Ianto was sitting with bundles of mail he was opening and going through "Here we are. A Legal firm reminding her about a bill. Divorce papers? Must be them, right?"

"Come on love, then we can sort things" Jack nodded, rising and holding out his hand.

.

.

"I am so glad you came" the elderly lady was one of those shakers, her head nodding softly as she spoke and Jack felt the need to cuddle her, barely resisting as she spoke to Ianto so gently and motherly "Sandy left everything in your hands Mister Jones, all clearly set out. You are his father and her next of kin. The divorce is done… Elaine sent back the papers last week… before… well. Another thing on her mind poor lamb. Signed away rights, didn't want Damo. Full custody and guardianship to you, all estate legalities yours too."

"How much did she owe?" Jack asked "We will cover all debts first of all."

"I have it all here, I placed adverting in the paper the day after it happened asking for those with debts to come forward and gave them a two week period. When that time is up I can then give you an accurate amount owed, versus her bank accounts and of course the life insurance. She had a nice policy I sorted for her that did not hold her cancer against her… especially as she did not die from it and she also has other investments she was unable to touch until her 30th birthday that will now be opened for little Damon to have transferred into his name."

"Yes, his trust fund… I have the details, I place money in it regularly" Ianto handed over a form he had filed out for her "Anything left after the estate is finalized can go in there for his education."

"Good… I knew she chose well… now… what are your plans?"

"We will pack up the apartment and break the lease… ship back what we keep and take Damo home with us… start again" Jack said as Ianto fiddled with the crease of his trousers, too sad to talk.

"Good. I understand you have your sister's children?"

"Yes. Mica and David are ours already, I also have a daughter that we sometimes have so the kids love a large family. With Damo being an only child he will have some adjustments ahead but I am sure we can smother him into it" Jack assured her.

"I can claim special circumstances to get the passport rushed… we can have him in your care within… a week maybe if I call Edna… she had Judge Ploughman's ear these days and he has to sign off… I can do that" she muttered as she made notes, Jack recognising the name of a high court judge that would surely speed up the process. He would recognise the Harkness-Jones too.

"Ah, it's Harkness-Jones now Love" Jack told her gently "Ianto and I joined names as well as lives."

"Oh. How nice" she lit up and then went back to her keyboard.

A week maybe… better count on two. Jack got out his phone to text the kids and ask how they were doing with Tosh and Owen knowing they would be having a blast. Good friends to have in a crisis, he hoped like hell this was all going to work out as Ianto again mutely nodded to a question asked. Then they were out in the vehicle as Ianto sat staring stonily ahead.

"Penny for them Tiger?"

"Helen. She will be the bitch… we will have to sneak him out or she will do all she can to block us, claim grandparent rights or whatever. She will probably already be trying to get a judge stupid enough to sign off custody papers."

"Too late, that lovely lady is already done with that" Jack agreed "But she might try anything."

Ianto knew that didn't mean the bitch would try.

Just try it.

I dare you.