10

John was being… shady. Ianto did not know what was wrong with the man so in total Ianto style he cornered him, who then blabbed like a baby before a disapproving parental.

Ianto kinda wished he hadn't.

"Cariad?"

"Shhhhhh" Jack said as he turned to show the little puppy asleep in his arms.

"Put him in his bed please, I need to talk to you and I don't want him to be listening in" Ianto asked.

"Jesus Ianto, I know what the vet said but I think he is too young for…"

"Jack, this is not about cutting his nuts off. We agreed to wait until he is bigger, then get the prosthetic ones so he can still feel like a little Big Man for the love of fucking coffee" Ianto interrupted and then took a deep breath "Sorry. Hon, it's not about him. You might get upset and he might be upset for you. You know how sensitive he is."

"Oh"

Ianto sat on the end of the bed and waited, Jack finally settling next to him with raised eyebrows in silent question.

"John went to annoy the company who those men worked for an it is not a surveyors or planning company at all. It's a legal firm" Ianto began then sighed, rubbing his face "Darling. Your mother hired them to come and do an assessment on the place. She's convinced them that Harkness Holdings owns everything so she is entitled to a slice in the divorce. They were here to put a price on our cul-de-sac."

Jack sat there staring at him then said "what?"

"Well, when Rhiannon and Gray died, they left everything to the kids. Right? We agreed it was a good idea to put it into a holding company for the security of it and when we married we purchased more things here and the land and such… for tax purposes we opened an incorporated company right? Remember? Our cars, the chopper, this land…our shit… all under the Harkness Jones Inc name. she convinced them that she is part of the Harkness name and wants a cut of our money."

"What?"

"She made out that your father owned this place… his place and lots of shit in our cul-de-sac. That the Harkness part is his, not yours. They were trying to ascertain his worth. If they can prove that he hid assets, it voids their pre-nup" Ianto finally said firmly.

"But it's our money, not dad's."

"Yes, but Harkness is Harkness… she was trying to make out that… well … that she has a stake" Ianto reached out to Jack who slapped his hand away.

"Mom wouldn't do that. She wouldn't.. steal.. no. That's… no" Jack exploded at Ianto with open anger, pulling away from him. "That's too far, even for her!"

"OK" Ianto had been afraid that he would respond like this and he rose from the bed, deciding to let it go. "Christmas eve… I need to finish getting the gifts ready in the wardrobe to sneak out later."

Jack at on the bed and considered what Ianto had said and with sickening clarity, he knew it was true. His mother. His mom… had tried to kneecap his dad using him as a tool. Jack rose and walked to the walk-in wardrobe's door, leaning against the doorway as Ianto fussed about inside it "Ianto?"

Ianto glanced at him and smiled softly, then left his task to walk over to him "It's OK. Nothing to do now but settle the kids to bed. How about you do that, read them The Night Before Christmas? That might be a wonderful surprise. Settle them by the fire, read the story and then bed and kisses. I left it by your chair in case we got time to do it. Go on darling, I will not be long. I will catch the end of it and my share of goodnight kisses, go on."

"Sorry I spoke to you like that… I…."

"Got a shock" Ianto spoke over him and he patted a hand to Jack's chest "I love you. I know you love me. It's OK. Your anger is not at me, it's at the entire thing. I know that Cariad."

With a reaffirming kiss and soft goose to his arse, Jack was sent back out to the kids and Ianto stood there with that deep sick feeling in his gut that Millicent was not done with them yet and this was not going to be pretty. Not pretty at all.

And at Christmas too.

How could she.

.

.

Ianto was nothing if not punctual and as a creature of habit he always woke about ten minutes before Jack's alarm went off. Being Christmas morning that alarm was not set but Ianto woke all the same, laying there and trying to muster up positive thoughts. He could not let her ruin this. She did not deserve to be part of this day, even in his thoughts. He swung his feet over the side only to freeze as his foot met moisture.

Oh no.

Ianto leaned out and looked down to find the little puddle of pee. Bruiser. "Fuck me… you got out?"

Ianto stood and looked around the room for landmines, now beyond pissed as he saw that the little pen around Bruiser's bed was intact. How did he get out? The bed was clearly empty and the bedroom door…. Oh no.

"JACK!" Ianto reached out frantically and slapped Jack's feet as the man groaned and rolled over in the bed "JACK…WAKE UP BUBBA ESCAPED!"

"Oh no… landmines" Jack groggily grumbled as he disappeared under the covers completely.

"JACK THE FUCKING DOOR IS OPEN… JACK… HE'S LOOSE IN THE FUCKING HOUSE!" Ianto whispered in a yelly sort of hiss.

"Oh god no" came a mournful wail under the covers.

The Ianto then remembered what day it was, what they had done early hours of the morning that had likely woken the little shit and how long the said little shit probably had of freedom.

"Oh god no. The gifts."

Ianto ran.