38

"Ianto?"

Ianto was sitting in a doorway eating, the child in the room playing quietly with some paper and paperclips. All he had wanted. All he knew I guess. Ianto knew he had to work on that.

"Yes Tosh?" he sat back and watched her settled next to him. The chair she pulled closer similar to his but slightly different. Everything in this storeroom was slightly different. Very Not Ianto yet it seemed to work.

"How long since the tower fell?"

Ianto swallowed and looked at her hard, not sure where this was going "Look. It was three years ago in June, you know what. Lisa a year ago." Ianto calmly answered "And you are working him out? Three. In two months he will be three."

"I thought so" she settled back to look into the room at the child.

"His IQ?"

"You now … you don't miss a damned thing do you" she laughed "Yeah. The Gaelic wall hanging outside the control room. He ws reading it. Not just looking but … reading it. He not only speaks more than one language, he can read can't he."

"At his age I spoke four languages. You know that I can speak 11 now. Working on the 12th. At his age I could read, write those languages, play the piano and guitar. Thank the gods Mama gave up on the violin she kept forcing on me." Ianto snorted.

"I remember that! Oh my god, you threw it out a window."

"A closed window" Ianto's droll reply had her giggling.

"He… he still needs a name. I wonder if he needs suggestions or just time to choose" Ianto sighed, changing the subject and she knew he was uncomfortable with the subject that was so close to his own childhood.

"A baby name book maybe? If he is so forward, knowing the meanings of names might help him decide what one he wants?" she suggested and he nodded, agreeing.

"Well … I will give him a look around the place, maybe the others want a look too." Ianto said loudly, watching Owen perk up where he was pretending not to be listening in. Soon Ianto was walking the halls with the child holding his hand, others following as Kingsmen walked efficiently around like they owned the place. Of course, the fact they would stop, stare and then nod politely showed the true owner of the place and Jack was again interested to see a glimmer of something else. Something akin to respect. Or fear.

Ianto could crack heads.

"So. This one here is some viscount or something" Ianto pointed and the small child looked up at the portrait with interest then pointed to something.

"Yes. I have that pocket watch. Yes. Here actually" Ianto drew it from his pocket and handed it to the child "would you like to hold it for a while? I have many of them but this one has a cool thing it can do … look."

Ianto knelt and popped it open then he showed the child how to carefully twist the knob. Music started to play and his little gasp was full of delight as he clasped the watch possessively. He liked music too. Of course he did.

"You now … maybe I can find a little guitar for you, I can teach you to play. I like the guitar almost as much as the piano." Ianto smiled.

"You play the piano?" Jack asked with interest "so do I."

"Really?" Ianto smiled at Jack and everyone watched the two men as they stood close enough to touch, their body language showing their clear attraction to one another, as well as they slight discomfort in the fact they were all looking. Ianto cleared his throat "Well …. Maybe piano too then. If we can both help him with the sheet music."

"I play drums" Owen suddenly said "Well … did in my youth."

Both men turned to stare at him then Ianto said softly "Why am I not surprised. You actually have the energy of a drummer."

Owen grinned.

"Well I am not musically minded I am afraid" Tosh added to the conversation "I do love it but … too clinical. I tried the violin but … each failure was a blow and I didn't like not getting it right the first time."

"Well … the violin was slightly dented" Ianto winked and she giggled as they shared a private joke.

"OK. Well … little man. What do you think, hungry?" Jack knelt to address the child who watching everyone with interest, conversation still a new concept for him.

"Those thin things… yellow and white inside."

Everyone stared then Ianto said softly "Chips? You mean chips?"

"YES!" a little finger pointed at Ianto "those. Do we have those?"

"I can certainly get some" Gwen said with authority then frowned as a new thought occurred to her "Ah … Ianto?"

Ianto snorted with amusement "I will give you a vehicle from my pool and the fish and chip shop is in the village, on the main street. GPS in the vehicles. Can't miss it … big fish outside it wearing a bowler hat. No idea why."

Gwen shone as she clasped her hands with glee and Owen looked at Tosh as he rolled his eyes.

Way to get rid of her for a little while.

Fierce