11

"No."

"what?" Owen said as the nurse stared him down.

"I want to speak to the doctor that spoke with him NOW!" Jack demanded, flaunting his badge and the nurse haughtily reached for the phone "Doctor Laurie to reception please. Doctor Laurie."

The doctor approached and saw the official looking badges, the demands and above all… the high heels on the woman supposed to be some sort of secret police. Right. They all wear heels right? She remembered what the poor man had said about his dead wife's family and knew deep down this was something to do with them.

"I just need to see the medical chart!" Owen said still arguing with the nurse.

"The patient was seen, is fine and you do not need to be involved" Doctor Laurie said with anger "Leave that poor man alone!"

"I am his sister" Gwen tried with a look of wide eyed innocence.

"Nice try. He told me he was all alone. His exact words were doing all by meself' the poor lad" the nurse blurted out, then looked away as Owen looked at her and deftly hooked the patient chart drawer open, looking for Jones but not finding it, he then pondered as he mouthed at Tosh.

Toshiko stepped forward and said softly "We know he is a very troubled young man, please. His wife's death hit him hard and… I am worried about him. We went through school together, his wife Lisa and me. I promised her, I promised that I would take care of him. Delicate you see, you must have seen that, so gentle and sweet. Like a deer loose in a jungle full of tigers. I am so scared for him, he will be doing his best but also sacrificing for her."

"Look… Mister Smith was tired, looked more than a little upset but… she was a lovely little specimen." Doctor Laurie said, catching the grimace across the handsome man's face as he watched from the side. Something she said had insulted him?

Smith. Owen looked for files on the edge of the desk not yet filed away. Smith. HAHHHHHH. Owen slid it out and into his jacket, turning to wander off like he had not just snatched medical records like a damned thief.

In the SUV he flicked it open to read "temperature elevated, looks like a reaction to something. Maybe something he ate passed on … could be the upset of seeing us. His milk a little more sour.. looks like the doctor agrees and told him to try goat's milk instead. Huh. I see they gave him a few samples to try and bub some antibiotics … wow. Didn't' know they still gave those, he must have appeared so upset for them to give that over… right… she is a good length, all her fingers and toes…awwwww… a little birthmark behind her left knee."

Jack drank it in as Owen spoke, and then he snorted "A note here that says the father appears a little overly protective of his young. I would say so too. When you factor in that he is mama too.. of course he will be ready to cut a bitch."

"Got it" Gwen suddenly said with glee "The Infinity… listed here as vessels moored outside the harbour… yesterday!"

Jack put his foot down as thy drove like maniacs for the pier even as he knew she would be long gone along with her precious cargo. So close… they were getting so close.

.

.

Eve seemed to perk up with the goat's milk and Ianto felt relief. Clearly his milk was not good enough, maybe he was not eating enough, or the right things. Possible… after all… he is a man so no tiling how much goodness there is in his milk anyway right? Owen would have known.

She still sought him at night for that last feed though, something comforting to them both as he settled in the large rocking chair that moved along with the boat and he watched her snuffle into his chest hair once she had popped off the tit.

The radio was playing soft music that he was humming to then it cut out and a voice filled the cabin.

"Sea Cruiser Infinity, this is the Sea Queen II. Can you read me over?"

Ianto sat listening with shock as Jack's voice came back.

"Sea Cruiser Infinity, this is the Sea Queen II, Ianto? Are you OK? Is she OK?"

Ianto looked at the baby asleep in his arms and sighed, tears threatening as he closed his eyes and let his head tip back, willing that voice to fill his life again.

"Ianto… it's OK. I am not mad. I am sorry you were scared and sorry you did not trust me to help you… to love you. To love her. Please Ianto… not again. Not another child snatched away before I am revealed to them as a freak. Do you think so little of me that you think I would harm her?"

Ianto was horrified as he stared at the radio like it was a rattle snake. What? Not… not trust him with her? Is he mad?

"Jack? Is it not that I didn't trust you to love her… I knew you had to kill me and that would kill her. I knew you didn't' love me, wouldn't want to look at me for eight months while I finished growing her and the thought of dying once she was born… to know you would hand her over to someone else to raise because I wss forfeit… I couldn't. I am so sorry Cariad" Ianto sobbed as he spoke into the microphone "you… you were so much... everything and this way… this way a little piece of you is still with me and she comforts me, your eyes… your mouth too. She is going to be a mouthly little gobshite when she starts talking, I just know it i… I can't miss that. I love you Jack. I will always love you but… that's just it, don't you see? She will love me back."

Ianto turned off the radio and fired up the engine, pushing the throttle as he let the huge caterpillar engine roar and he made for another cove far away from the point of that transmission back to him.

Ianto knew it had been wrong to respond but… he had to say it to him just once, jus that once without seeing Jack pull that face of annoyance without a response.

I love you Jack.