9

Jack was unsure how to feel about the revelations on the roof. It explained a lot, especially Ianto's weird looks he gave him now and then. Jack also felt a little queasy about some of those memories, hoping Ianto could forgive the less… savoury ones.

"You look better" Gwen said to Ianto as he reached for a donut.

"I feel better. Sometimes when conflicted it makes you …well.. fuzzy. I am not conflicted now. I have made a decision and the weigh lifting from me is comforting" he told her happily then made a small noise "OOOOOOO…. Pretty necklace!"

"Oh, yes. Rhys got it for my birthday" Gwen said with delight, lifting the tiny little cage full of glass love hearts. The entire thing no bigger than a grape.

"Oh…. I love it. So cute. He has a good eye" Ianto told her, then settled back to eat squeaking as he found his lap full of child.

Gwen watched him manoeuvre her into a cuddle and smiled, tiring to Jack "He is happy. He seems a little… not. You two sorted things on the roof?"

"Yeah. More like... clarified some things" Jack nodded with a smile of his own "This version of Ianto is not the original and as such, is a little different. We were talking it out and agreeing that although no one will replace Ianto Mark One… this Mark Two is definably a welcome addition to my list of special things deep in my heart."

"Wow… deep. You used so many words and not a single sexual innuendo" Gwen said with wide eyes and a sarcastically droll face "Must be love."

Jack laughed "Yeah. I mean… how can you not love ANY version of Ianto?"

Ianto smiled as he listened to the two friends talking and felt relief in this as well.

.

..

"But I want it."

"Ianto, it's too much for apiece of tat" Jack argued, the two standing outside a thrift shop with Ianto peering at the window display.

"I want it."

"Ianto. It is a bloody hat. You don't like hats, never wore hats, come on!" Jack sighed.

"Hat? No.. not the feckin hat. I want the scarf the mannequin is wearing. Look! Scarf! Thing that goes around the neck to keep it snugly, buggilly warm. Scarf. Not worn on head." Ianto was angry and pointed to ach part of his body as he growled now, Jack overcome with amusement as a childish little display of anger started. Windy-Woo temper employed "It's for me. I deserve nice things. You said I can have something so I …want…the… fucking… scarf…. Pease…. Beloved!"

Jack watched each foot stamp and the balled up fists that showed a minor meltdown approaching. He decided to double down "Well, if you had just said so…"

Ianto took a deep breath in and Jack laughed seizing his hand and dragging him into the store "Hey there, can we get the scarf from the window? My sweetling is enamoured by it."

"Oh" Ianto gasped gleefully, his hands moving into clapping formation. So cute. Ianto would never act like this, never allow emotions to be on display and the Windy-Woo element certainty made for a more puppyish version.

Jack pondered if this was what a little Ianto had been like, as a cute little toddler. His mama had died when he was young and he had been made to grow up so fast. Had she lived, would his Ianto Mark One been a softer, more squishy version?

"My Mama… don't think about her please" Ianto said suddenly, turning to frown ay Jack "She didn't even look like that. Please… not now."

Jack nodded, eager to please his sweetling and he went to his own childhood in Boeshane and the evening meals cooked on the huge flat stone. This seemed to soothe both of them. He thought of Gray, laughing as his father tickled him, holding him close as Javic moved around feeding the fire for his mother.

Her blonde hair, her beautiful…. Wow. Now he saw the attraction to Rose. Yeah… he hadn't thought about that. His own hair so dark, strange. His father's hair had been brown, but light. Jack wondered if he took after his Grandfather that he had never met.

While Jack was reminiscing Ianto felt the easing between them and he smiled, humming softly as he tried on the scarf. Jack recognised the tune as one his mother used to hum while cooking the flat bread. Oh wow, Ianto had gleaned that so easily without even thinking about it?

Of course… Ianto remembered this mother that was not his… was of the other voice in his mind. Jack still didn't get it, did he. Ianto smiled at himself in the mirror as those brilliant blue eyes crinkled at the corners, the way they always do and as Ianto stared into Jack's eyes he felt a strange amusement that Jack did not recognise himself in this Windy-Woo.

Not that it mattered.

Whatever things the Harkness DNA added to this creature, the Jones DNA was strong and Ianto politely waited while Jack paid for the scarf, so happy to just be with Jack, loved and wanted.

Soon enough Jack would learn that Ianto had been trying to tell him something he really needed to know.

Ianto remembered EVERYTHING…. For both of them.