10

Jack stood in the square that had recently held a panicking Welshman, slowly turning in a circle as he tried to work out where he went. Gwen held the Ghost Device and swallowed before engaging it and she watched Ianto springing along an alleyway, running after the vision with ease as the team followed her.

Jack knew this was his fault, the piece of equipment under his bed to stop fertility clearly not calibrated for humans and he had misjudged badly. Like… wow. Clearly green is no and red is yes… who would have thought. Well… he knew he had a lot to apologize for, that is for sure.

She ran along another alleyway, over a fence and though a back lot, then across several roads until she reached the docks and Jack slowed as he knew they had lost him.

Gwen reached the mooring and stood there looking at the empty spot, then turned to them "A boat. Big, bulky… it looked like a pleasure cruiser bit old. Sturdy though. He had some clothes on the top of the wheelhouse drying in the sun including nappies."

"Did you get the name of the boat?" Jack asked, glad it was a berth large enough for a cruiser to dock at as he now knew the spate of dingy swaps had to have been Ianto and had this been another dingy swap he was toast. To have caught up with him when the actual boat made a rare appearance was a boon. "Gwen?"

"Infinity" she said after consideration "And the infinity symbol under the name."

"Right. He will not change it, bad luck and we know Ianto has a thing about luck. Right… so… he is on the Infinity. Ideas?"

"I thought we were going to let him go, released him to the wilds and cut out losses" Gwen said with a frown "Why the change of heart?"

"The baby" Owen said "And shut up."

She stared at him and frowned "What? He's jealous of the other woman or something?"

"Gwen!" Jack barked so loud everyone jumped "Shut the fuck op and do your job for fucksake."

She stared at him with shock, then turned to walk over to a group of fishermen, asking questions as Jack stood on the dock and wondered if Ianto was OK. Did he have enough to eat? Had he got what he needed before he was startled away like a gazelle from a watering hole.

Fuck it.

"He will be OK" Toshiko said as she hooked Jack's hand in a rare display of affection "This is Ianto. Mister Three Steps Ahead would not have come in for supplies unless he had enough for a cut and run. You know him. Enough spare to last for a few more stops if need be. Mister End of the World."

"I know but…" Jack sighed, not finishing his sentence as he stared off over the water and wondered if Ianto was OK. And the little one.

.

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"Come on Evie, what is it love?" Ianto crooned but Eve was not exactly able to tell him as she lay there limp and clammy. Ianto did not like this at all and he gathered her to him, letting her lay on his bare chest as she snuffled into him for comfort.

Something was wrong and he was buggered if he knew what.

He pondered and knew he had only a few choices, if her temperature rose any more it would limit things further and he could only hope that naked except for a nappy overnight with a nervous Taddy watching over her would be enough to break the fever.

.

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"Name!"

"Gareth." Ianto said as he handed over his fake ID "Gareth Smith. This is Evelyn Smith. She is fourteen weeks old and just… not eating. Her temperature kept going up in the night and is now going back down."

"OK Mister Smith, you and your little one can come with me, is there a Missus Smith joining us?" the grandmotherly nurse asked as she led Ianto along, smiling at the pretty little girl in hr Taddy's arms. So forward, clever and alert. Awwww.

"Died in childbirth, just us I am afraid" Ianto said with a sorrowful sigh that instantly made the nurse feel motherly towards him. Poor boy. She had been in this game for over thirty years and knew the hallmarks of a lost soul, wanting to protect this poor boy that didn't seem to have any family to help. What a terrible world sometimes.

Ianto settled on the bed and placed Eve down, gently removing clothing until she was again only in her nappy and she stared up at him silently, her mouth in a thin lie to show her annoyance at the lack of motion. She missed the boat's rocking and Ianto smiled softly as he knew it, scooping her up at walk around gently rocking her until her frown bled away.

"Mister Smith, ah… hello little one" the doctor crooned, smiling as she looked at the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Pools of deep thought. "My goodness, what a sweet little girl. Sorry you are feeling yucky. Let me see?"

Ianto let them examine her, standing back with his hands wringing in the corner as he looked at the camera's red light blinking up in the far corner, his fear growing with each red bling of the light.

Facial recognition would have him within half an hour if it was still set to check for him and if he knew Toshiko… it was.

"Looks like a little milk fever, might need to change the formula Mister Smith. Her nappy tells of a tummy upset that might be linked to that too. I will give you some gripe water to drip on her tongue and we will try goat's milk, OK?" Laurie said as she seized his jacket off the chair for him. A little jab of antibiotics to be sure, yes?"

"Thank you" Ianto said as he gratefully scoped his daughter up, "Ah… can I get that to go? Sorry to be rude but… my lawyer needed to see me… my wife's estate still being sorted and… I hate being late. Her family hate me and… well… any excuse while fighting me for this one."

"Oh!" the nurse said with horror, poor boy. "Here, I will sort that out sweetie, come on follow me. Doctor, I need a script, I can fill it from the trolley and refill it from the pharmacy later. Let's get him out of here before we give them any ammunition against him."

Ianto was out of there running for the back alley way as his hair stood up on the back of his neck and he knew he was cutting it fine but he was so relieved she was OK, it had been worth the risk.

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Toshiko slumped in her chair, chewing her pencil as she dreamed of coffee that came with a chockie bickie on the side like…. The little blinking message had her curious so she clicks and the facial recognition software filled the screen, Ianto's face full of fear as he stood in a hospital room, his baby on a bed being looked over by medical staff as he looked straight at the camera.

"JACK!"

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...

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For those asking, my youngest shithead got evicted last weekend and I spent the week moving him home, spring cleaning his room and trying to fit a full grown man's gaming station and gaming chair in… my god… those things are HUGE and I still have crap everywhere as my craft/storage room is now his room again. I have been moving heavy boxes and furniture, pushing through with sheer temper and stubbornness and have sprained my wrist. Tendonitis. Doctor shakes head and says "how old are you again?" "49" "And the boy?" "Ah… 28?" "And he helped?" SNORT

Lucky for you that this was already written, just needing editing before posting each chap as those chapters I need to write for other WIPs need to wait SIGH… and this is your last chapter for tonight… more tomorrow if you are lucky xxxx 7pm… time to rest the wrist