10

Harkness House was an upper-crust place in London that had the highest security imaginable. Also, it had some new inhabitants that were overjoyed with the hot tub, even if Rhiannon refused to get in as well.

By the time the huge SUV was crunching up the driveway from the airport the kids were fed, wrinkled from too long in the water and demanding the TV be turned on in the Hot Tub area.

Ianto entered to find John Hart locked in battle with Rhiannon over the TV remote, both of them wresting like kids as the real children cheered from the water.

"Mac?"

Everyone froze, then his son turned to him "Tad! There is a picture of me in the hallway in clothes I never owned!"

"Because that is not you" Ianto said as he took a seat and accepted a plate of food from a servant "that is your father. Jackson."

"Really?" Mac canted his head to one side in a most Iantoish way "Where is he?"

"In America, where I was. Remember?" Ianto replied calmly, "And where we will go now. Come on, we will fly in his jet plane, back to where he and I grew up every summer."

They exploded with glee.

.

.

Ma could not stop touching things, his eyes drinking in the old bits and pieces still in the summer house, much as it had always been. He had not slept on the plane, none of them had and it was late the day after that phone call that Ianto finally felt peace descend over the beach house.

It was a house, a four bedroomed house with two bathrooms and a huge living space. For the Harkness money men it was a little batch, a cute little house but for Rhiannon it was gorgeous and once the kids were in one big bed cuddled in asleep she wept with relief, sitting on the old battered sofa while she rubbed at it affectionately. She remembered this place too.

The knock on the door was not unexpected and Ianto looked over to find his sister had succumbed to sleep, slumped on the sofa with her hand still on the arm of it. He opened the door to let Jack in.

"Any problems?"

"John Hart almost got nutted but other than that… smooth. Johnny set fire to the apartment once he realized she was gone, they've lost everything." Ianto said sadly.

"And you, you lived with them too right?" Jack asked with concern. Ianto has lost everything too… as had their child?

"All I need is in the other room asleep with his cousins" Ianto replied softly, moving to cover Rhiannon with a blanket.

"So. You almost nutted him huh?" jack grinned, glad his friend could go at short notice to help extract them, in case bastardry was needed against that fucker Johnny. He had never met a bastard like Hart.

"No… Rhi nearly did" Ianto smiled as he motioned to the deck, leaving Rhiannon to sleep. Jack glanced back, taking in the vivid bruises on her face, his bile in his throat bitter. Bastard had hit her. Beaten her. Christ. Had the kids seen that? Had his son seen that?

"I have some things in the car. I didn't want to bring them in case you felt it was too much, I do not want to take a wrong step here" Jack said as he settled in his usual seat, "I hope I got it right."

"What things?"

"Well I remembered their ages so I went with clothes for those… then remembered you said David was a little big for his age so I went a size up for him. Did I get it right?" Jack asked.

Ianto stared at him then narrowed his eyes, "Who helped you?"

"Tosh. Don't worry, I told no one. Not even Rose and I felt a bit stink about that one. I swear to you Tiger." Jack defended himself and saw something on Ianto's face betray the use of that title. "Sorry."

"Just because I needed your help, it does not mean…"

"Hey. Hey, truce. I know. Look, while you were in the air I had Archie draw up an ironclad custody agreement. Here. Mackenzie is to be fulltime yours, see? Look. Full custody to you, me with visitation when it is agreeable to you." Jack showed the papers to him as he pulled them from his jacket pocket "Just read. I know you would prefer I sign away parental rights but… I don't want to be a bad dad. I want him to know that I want to be in his life, if only the sidelines. Please?"

Ianto sat to reluctantly read the papers that did show him as sole custodian of the child, Jack more of a part-time someone who paid the stipend his father had been paying. Then he found the cheque and looked at Jack with it in his hand "What the hell is this?"

"I missed a lot of birthdays, Christmases. From formula and nappies to the latest toy… I missed out. You gave up your life for him, I know you never went into technology like Tosh did despite it being your major, I know you had to change everything and I had Archie add up what child support would have been for that time and …"

"Your father took care of things!" Ianto reminded him as he held out the piece of paper like it might burst into flames.

"Grandfathers are supposed to do that. Ianto please. I would feel better if you take it, please" Jack said sadly "I don't care what dad left you, I don't care what money you have or make or whatever… this is what I owe you! Please. I know I am being selfish wanting my own needs met… please?"

Ianto seemed to hesitate more and then he placed it back down "I will put it in his college fund then."

Jack felt the tension leave the room as Ianto accepted the gift for what it was.

The first step to co-parenting.