27

The battle was over and clean-up was going to be a bitch, Jack going down to help put down those creatures still dragging themselves around the yard snarling at their own pack. One was attacking itself, so confused by the pain of the limb that had been torn off by another that it thought something was still attacking to cause that level of pain. They were human once, these things were people before they were assimilated… altered…whatever. Jack felt sickened by that thought and knew for that fact alone it was worth the risk of walking amongst them to find some silence.

Gods, they all needed some silence.

Some peace.

Ianto had retreated with his little ones and Jack hoped they were OK, their healing abilities legendary but these Others were something else. He had never heard of a Vampyre turning though, something in them was resistant thank the gods, the image of Ianto screaming in pain as he watched a Childe bleed would stay with Jack forever.

Jack thought the evening couldn't get any more perverse when he walked around to the back porch and looked up. He sighed as he walked up the steps to see what was causing the thudding noise that had alerted him to Rhys standing there watching it… the thumper.

Rhys had her cornered on the porch, stuck between the swing seat and the side railing as she hissed at him, her lips peeled back unnaturally to show her gums. That gap on her teeth looked larger and Rhys wondered if it was his mind playing tricks or part of the transformation.

"Oh Gwen, I did love you" he sighed, the boom of the shotgun loud.

Andy slammed from the house, turning with his own gun raised then he lowered it with sorrow, watching her twitch and convulse on the small space then finally cease. Rhys stood stonily watching, no emotion at all and Jack knew it was shock, the tears would come later hopefully when alone with Andy to comfort him. Jack remembered despair such as that and he now stepped forward, "Rhys, the little Vampyre were injured in the fight but will not let Owen in. You know they like you, can you go check? Ianto is with them and more alarmed than letting on. You know Ianto, worries about everyone else … I think he might be hurt too. Go see if they need a lamb or something."

As he had hoped, Rhys refocused and turned to go as he shoved the shotgun into Jack's hands, "Not sure if she's dead."

"She is" Jack said sadly, "She died a few nights ago remember? This? Wearing her skin, that's all. Something evil wearing her skin. You put it down and protected the babies."

Rhys nodded as he slid inside and Jack knelt to look at her, seeing the presence of her still, the lingering life still fighting as she bled out all over Ianto's wood. Jack used his blade so Rhys wouldn't hear it, would still have the thought that he had put her down, released her himself, then he kicked the body off the porch to watch it tumble down the steps to join the others littering the yard.

Shit.

Clear up Aisle three.

Jack wondered where that had come from, then looked up to find Ianto standing on the rooftop looking down at him.

"Where did you hear that phrase?" Jack asked.

Ianto stepped off the roof and Jack had a moment of pure terror then he couldn't help but laugh as Ianto seemed to glide down to land with a gentle bend of his knees. This was him, not hiding. Wow.

"It is an Old Earth phrase my mother liked to use. Apparently in the large towns called cities they had stores that were like barns with long shelves filled with food, each length was called an Aisle. If someone broke something or made a mess they would call out over the intercom 'Clean up' then name the Aisle." Ianto was walking towards him, his feet barely touching the ground, "Whenever she dropped something or made a mistake she would say it. I hear it sometimes like a comfort."

"She's gone" Jack said as a fact and Ianto hummed.

"All little orphans here I guess" Ianto replied, "This world is so cruel."

"You make up for it" Jack assured him as he stepped forward, "Believe me, you make it feel a whole lot better."

Ianto canted his head as he allowed the compliment, his kiss gentle not demanding as he sought their bond.

Jack gave him comfort too.