16

Ianto woke to the soothing sound of the Hub and his first thought was that it had all been a dream. Then his arm told him otherwise as he tried to lift it and he groaned with pain.

"Hey" Jack said softly as he leaned forward in the chair by the bed "Easy. Owen and Tosh are picking up your camper and Gwen is in coms. Little Missy is asleep over there in the camp bed and you are going to be fine."

Ianto lay there staring at him, then his eyes started to flit around the room and Jack leaned back "you are in the Hub Yan. Safe, wanted and definitely not in any danger."

"Jack" Ianto finally spoke and Jack felt something inside him sigh as Ianto's voice sounded so full of pain "I… I am sorry …I…"

"No. Later… on a day where we have nothing between us, when it is just you and me … on that day we will talk about what happened once upon a time… but right now… today… it is all good. OK? You are home. I will look after you, look after her and we will work this out. I promise… we can work this out. Ianto… I am sorry I scared you, hurt you… made you run."

"I thought we were not doing this now" Ianto said as he focused on him.

Jack huffed with amusement, "fair call. Hungry?"

"Thirsty, I lost a lot of blood I think" Ianto finally answered after considering in that deliberate way of his.

"Owen gave you a few bags while you were out. I will get you lemonade, you like lemonade" Jack rose and went to leave then froze at the door as something occurred to him, turning to face Ianto.

"It's OK" Ianto said with a wan smile "I will not run while your back is turned. She is sleep and that one is like you in that respect too… it would take a tank firing next to her head to even make her stir."

Jack left Ianto who rolled to the edge of the bed and rubbed his face as he wondered how long this ceasefire might last. Then he looked over at his little girl and knew he had a chance here… a slim one but maybe… maybe this could work.

.

.

"It's cool" Owen said as he swung in his chair "I want one."

"Mistier I hate the countryside? Wants an RV?" Toshiko laughed as she shook her head.

"Yeah, but it has all the mod-cons. Did you see? His even had a fucking shower in it…ooops… bugger" Owen muttered reaching into space then let some coins to drop into the jar on his desk.

Jack lowered the finger he had raised to scold and went back to reading the report as Ianto entered with the tray laid as per usual. He silently placed mugs dons and bickies on edges of plates, moving around to then place the glass of flavoured milk down on the coffee table next to the colouring book.

"Thank you Tadda" a little voice said as she politely moved her elbow from the table.

"Yeah, ta Ianto" Owen called out.

Ianto nodded, settling on the sofa next to Jack where he picked up another batch of folders and threw a look of anger at Owen before starting to colour code the edges. Four years without Ianto meant a lot of files not even fucking filed, piles of them on the desk in the archives like Ianto might come back and fix it.

Well… seems he is doing just that. Been back a month and so much to do.

"Morning pet" Gwen called out as she entered the Hub, racing for the still hot mug and she lifted it to moan as she took a gulp, then settled "Eve, I got a new one for you."

"Oooo, thank you aunty Gwen" she said as she raced over to peer into the shopping bag and with a scream of glee she removed a little toy truck. "Oh WOW Harewoods!"

"The latest one. Rhys got it special for you love" she crooned with glee as she reached around and cuddled the little girl "He wants to know if you want to go to London with him tomorrow on a drop off he has to do."

"TADDA?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Can I go for a truck ride with Uncle Rhys?"

Ianto considered, looking at Jack "Daddy? Do you think she can do that?"

"I don't see why not Taddy, she did clean her room this morning" Jack said as he smiled softly.

"OK" Ianto shrugged and she squealed as she cuddled Gwen with glee.

"And we can go check out that place tomorrow" Jack whispered to Ianto without taking his eyes off their daughter.

"Huh?"

"That safe house … out on the outskirts… I want to check it out tomorrow" Jack repeated slowly.

"We can take Owen for a ride, let him pop his head out the window and shake off the cobwebs … howl a bit" Ianto said as he rose to swap out the files.

"Sure… we can take the dog too" Jack rose as well and Owen looked up from his work, said dog in his lap asleep as he poked out his tongue.

.

.

"Wow. It's huge" Ianto said as he walked around, Owen outside running around with the dog and Ianto smiled as he waved, watching Owen wave then yelp as the dog tripped him up. Then Ianto looked around the large living room that ran off the kitchen. All one level, the bedrooms at the back of the house were airy, large and the trees in the back yard helped shelter from the storms that must come now and then. The front yard where Owen was now wrestling with the dog was also a nice size, Ianto standing there a he contemplated how much a place like this would cost.

"What are you thinking?" Jack asked as he wandered back from the back of the house with a pad and pen in his hand.

"I am wondering how much this space is worth, have you seen the brick fireplace? Lovely" Ianto sighed.

"I own it" Jack replied sagely "One of four properties I actually own. Sometimes I had money and …well… I spent it. Sometimes I had to hide people even from Torchwood ya know"

"The carpet is naff. The wallpaper is dated and faded to hell and I will not even start on that bloody painting there… what the hell is it?" Ianto pointed to an old London shot that had Jack looking at it with surprise.

"Huh?"

"Wait. Why are we here?" Ianto asked as he looked out the window to the back yard and saw the little swing set that looked brand new, out of place in this old house. "Jack?"

"Well… I thought we could live here."

"Huh?"