6

The funeral had been tasteful. Ianto had helped so of course it was, even as everyone complimented Mother Harkness and let her cry into their arms. Franklin had been watching Ianto and now found him by the flower arrangements like he was trying to fade into the foliage.

"So. Jack cocked up again?"

"His cock sure went where no committed man should go" Ianto agreed sagely, seeing this man like a father. "He cheated with Gwen Cooper. Thank god the DNA shows it's Rhys who will have to marry her and live a life of repentance."

Franklin snorted softly as he reached out and took Ianto's hand "And you? What are you going to do? He messed up. Royally. I know he has but he is scared now. He doesn't want to lose you."

Ianto turned to face Franklin, their eyes meeting as Ianto asked "and that little baby? What about her? Not even born and Anna is going to make sure that if Lucy survives she will be alone?"

"Now… I stay out of that business. I don't agree but… Anna is like a force of nature. Can't be contained right now. Besides, she is right. That little girl will be loved. If Lucy comes out of the coma I will make sure she is looked after and can see the little one." He assured Ianto "Anna is just wobbling with grief. She will calm down. You'll see. By the time the little one is born, she will be able to see that Lucy needs to be part of her life."

"I can't do that. I can't have a baby and then let it be snatched way only to see it on holidays for a few hours like some sort of prison release deal" Ianto told him sadly "And as for Jack… this is not the first time he cheated on me, nor will it be the last. I just… I don't have the energy anymore. We talked of marriage early on but never since. He has a wandering eye, he has the penthouse in his name and I am like … a flat mate with benefits. He will never commit to me, I am just comfortable like an old pair of slippers. The only reason he keeps trying the goods elsewhere has to be to find a better bed-mate. How else can I look at things? He is disrespecting me, us. Everything. How long am I going to be an idiot here. I have waited for years. Years. For what. A chance to lose everything?"

"So you are leaving him?"

"I am… considering. Wavering depending on the day. I look at him and see that boy that ran on the sandy beach with me in the summer… I love him so much but clearly he does not love me the same. I am a summer love affair that went too long. Not if he… well." Ianto shrugged and then felt a slam as Anna shoved him aside to speak to her husband.

"Lin, the sushi is terrible, I can't find any caviar and I know we specified caviar in the contract" she said angrily and he nodded with an apologetic look at Ianto before heading toward the kitchens to sort it. Then Ann swung to regard Ianto who was still there behind her "and as for you… I only have the one son now. Jack will inherit everything, this is his family and one day he will be head of it. You… don't have a place here. Get that into your thick skull… by the time I am done Jackson will have a nice god-fearing girl on his arm and babies at their feet. Oh yes… you are on notice you little whore."

Ianto blinked slowly, then looked over at Jack who was walking towards them, his face betraying the fact he could hear his mother who was talking far too loud. Too much wine does that ya know.

"Mom, come on. We talked about this, leave him alone" Jack said sadly "I don't' want you chasing him off like a Rottweiler."

"How fucking rude" she spat, "At the funeral of my most favoured son."

"Yep. There ya go" Jack sighed. She burst into tears and ran off as Jack turned to smile wanly at Ianto "nice eh? Second best son here."

Ianto tried to think of something comforting to say but could not for the life of him. Instead he watched as Jack's mother called him away with a cheery voice like that display had not just happened, a pretty little blonde hair thing that was a replica of Rose standing beside her to meet her son. Jack's smiled as he reached for her hand, then bending to kiss her hand he betrayed his interest as his eyes took a dive down that lovely cleavage.

"That's Ella" Rise said at his elbow "Mom thinks she is daughter-in-law martial. So I asked her if I need to turn into a rug muncher or something. Should have seen her go off on one. I told her he has you, to stop her games."

They both tittered softly and then he turned to hug her.

He would miss her too.

If he left.

.

.

"Thanks for meeting with me" Franklin said as he watched Ianto fuss with the cutlery on the table of the poshest place in town. It was the day after the funeral and he had a weird feeling about the boy, had done since the conversation in the flowers. He had begged for this lunch date, Ianto seeming hesitant. He knew he had to do something now, before it was too late. Damn Jackson and his mother's wandering eye.

"Well, how can I refuse a lunch date with such a handsome man" Ianto smiled back wanly, his eyes never showing that the smile reached them. Franklin's were the same.

"It is strange."

"What is?" Ianto asked as he tilted his head.

"You are younger than Jack by almost three years, closer to Gray in age yet of all of you, you are the one I feel most… comfortable with" Franklin picked at the tablecloth and sighed softly.

"What is it?"

Franklin shifted in his seat again and Ianto finally saw where Jack got that habit from when he was trying to find the right words for an unpleasant thing. "Daddy Frankie?"

Franklin finally smiled, the soft corners of his eyes moving to show that Ianto had finally pleased him, if only a little. Then he spoke and it all went to shit.

The DNA test done on Gwen's baby, the one on Lucy's baby… the whole mess that proved the baby was not Jack's. The one to prove the other baby was Gray's. And the fact that when those tests were used together it proved another fact that Franklin had discovered almost by accident, his private physician proving why he is kept on retainer.

Gray and Jack are half siblings. I mean, rather they were.

"He's not yours" Ianto blurted.

"Yeah. Looks like the cheating gene came from her side of the family alright" Franklin let out a soft sob as he leaned forward to let his head fall into his hands "My boy. My lovely little boy. And even now… it feels like how poor Lucy must feel with all the crap going on to take that unborn child from her. Ripped from her like a fucking possession. I loved him so much, he was my baby boy. Still is, will always be."

"I am preggers" Ianto blurted out with sorrow.

"I know. I figured that one out" came the reply "Look… I know you are scared. Anna is… insane right now. In time she will settle down, I am sure of it"

"And yet we both know the real problem here is that the poor little baby being fought over is not even Harkness. Is it. No more Harkness than Gray was. Rose might get the urge one day but will her child carry the name? Hmmm? No. The first born Harkness is in me. And I feel that you also already know it's a boy."

Franklin sat back as if struck and said in a choked gasp "No. No, I didn't know… oh god. He fucked it all up, didn't he."

"I am further along than her too… this little boy will be your firstborn grandchild, regardless of the blood in the water" Ianto said, and then stopped talking at the term he had just used, grimacing as he shifted in his chair. "I am trying to forgive him."

"But you've not told him"

"I almost did, several times but he starts that hand holding crap and the fake platitudes… I just get scared again as all I can see is his mother telling me I am a gold digging whore and she will find him a nice child bearing hipped wife." Ianto shrugged.

Franklin snorted softly, and then choked on his food before he admitted "My mother chose her for me ya know."

"Well, mother does not always know best huh?" Ianto said, and then both of them laughed sadly as they ate their meal in the compatible silence of two old friends.

Franklin watched those delicate hands move the knife and fork around the plate knowing full well that he was too late, Jack had dug the hole too deep and if he wanted to have any part in his grandson's life… he had to choose how to help Ianto now.

If he had any chance of having a grandson at all.