4

Ianto could not let himself get too lost in his grief when he knew deep down Jack was still alive so he went to collect his children instead, wanting a Cuddle. To find his mother standing there with a look of confusion was NOT what he needed right now.

"But she said you told her to. That the four kids were too much, to take the twins" his mother said softly and Ianto felt his temper rising. Daphne. Really? Fuck sake. Ianto dove over with a rage in his head that even the heavy metal in the stereo could not tame. Oh no. Ianto was pissed.

He entered her home to find the kids in chaos, the two kittens running past not good either. Then came Daphne pushing him back towards the door with more strength than he thought a woman of her age could have as she told him he was not welcome there.

"BOYS" he called out "Come on. Leave Grammy's kitties and come on. Mongo is waiting for you."

"they are staying here" she said forcefully as she tried to close the door on him but he was still in the doorway. "Get out or I will call the police."

The boys were both horrified as they watched her slapping at their Taddy and they started to cry, rushing to him and clinging to him with loyalty that warmed his heart.

"Hop in the car" Ianto said, then felt pain as she picked up the glass bowl from by the door full of bits and bobs and swung it, catching him on the side to the head as bits and bobs flew in all directions, and then slamming the door before the kids could follow his stagger back.

Ianto called the police.

The two officers who arrived found Ianto in the front yard bleeding from the head wound as he raged down the phone at someone. They immediately detained him "the occupant of the home has called us saying you tried to break into her home."

"Look, my mother-in-law took the children without my permission and is now holding them hostage. I tried to take them and she did this… in front of them" Ianto hissed. The female officer headed to the front door.

"Do you have proof that they are yours?"

Ianto gaped at him, then rang the lawyer with shaking hands, enraged that this was happening. He kicked himself for not having their birth certificates on his phone. Old bitch. He would strangle her for this.

The other police officer exited the house "She says these are her son's kids. He is just the step father."

"Bullshit!" Ianto spat "If she does not give them back, I will call the media and let the world know that you are letting a woman hold the children of a gay couple hostage!"

They huddled, the lawyer arrived and explained the situation and they huddled some more. Than came Nate, having escaped a side door with tears rolling down his face as he ran to Ianto "Taddy… Taddy. Grammy sez you are not our Taddy anymore. Why? What's happening? Is Daddy really dead? She sez she is our mumma now."

"What? Ho! Jesus no!" Ianto assured him.

"Look, until this is sorted maybe they are better off with their blood relative…" one of the cops started.

"I AM GETTING PISSY NOW!" Ianto roared. "Look at him, look at me. Do you not see the resemblance?"

Then JD manage to get out, running for his Taddy as Daphne tried to catch him, grabbing a handful of hair that had both Ianto and the polite yelling now.

By the time it was sorted and Ianto was heading back home with his kids, he was beyond upset, calling everyone he could think of for help. The one person he had hoped he could rely on was the one who still denied him help.

"Are you kidding?"

"I told you, Douglas cannot know I gave you the eggs" Rhiannon said angrily, "You said yourself, they are probably still alive."

Ianto gaped "Rhiannon… I don't need you to give me permission for me to prove I am blood related to them. A DNA test will prove it, but will show they are yours as well. Come on. I have to do what I can to protect them."

"And I need to protect myself and my marriage" she replied with the same pigheadedness, "We are still trying for a child of our own, and I am running out of time. Clearly he is the issue but I don't' want to point it out. This will make it so bloody obvious."

"I still don't understand why you think he will be angry. Jesus, we both know the issue is him and his age. His swimmers are too slow. This is the time to tell him!" Ianto argues back.

"I am not there yet, I still think we can do it naturally" she folded her arms in a way that told him she was over fighting over it.

"If I lose those kids… kids here and real… because you have a dream of a child you may never achieve… I will never forgive you" Ianto said as he turned from her "Never. You hear me Rhia? Line!"

Ianto walked away shaking with rage as she stood watching him leave the room, slamming the door in an uncharacteristic display of temper.

A line?

He didn't mean it, right?