48

"Jack… I want to say thanks" Owen said as they unbolted a springy sea horse from its moorings.

Jack looked over at him, "Well … you would have come out one way or another mate."

'No… I mean … ta for that and hopefully for not telling Tosh…but…no … I mean" Owen sat back and looked at Jack, "Thanks for coming into his life. I've never seen him so animated before, you've injected life into him. Lisa… he never looked at her the way he looks at you. You know that? You … please him. It's just nice to see, that's all."

Jack sat back now, watching Owen look embarrassed by his comments working at the bolts again and he smiled, "I never thought I would find my Mecca, thought such a thing was a fairytale but now I stand next to him and feel a calm I never knew I could possess. It's mutual, the happiness."

Owen grinned as the bolt finally started to give, "Good. Good. Stay, right? We need you, he needs you. This is Mecca, I can attest to that."

Jack looked over to where Ianto had ventured out and was kicking at the wall with interest, a gloved hand finally tentatively poking at it as well. Like a blind man in a room full of glass. So unsure, so … childlike.

"Hey" Jack called out, "wanna see what that does?"

Ianto turned and canted his head as Jack rose and brushed off his pants, then walked over, "See this lever?"

Jack pointed to a hand lever and Ianto nodded, Jack tapping it as he said "Pull it."

Ianto looked dubious but did so, then gasped as the wall exploded with life, water sprouting form holes to wash the dust and grime away, revealing little faces. Children spiting at one another like a game, Ianto's face lighting up as he gasped and clutched his hands together picking out animals as well now, trees and a forest scene emerged.

"Mara" Jack said softly, "It's an ancient Mara depiction in the Great Woods."

"I must have it" Ianto demanded, turning to Jack with his eyes blazing, "Please my love, I must have this, if nothing else. Oh gods, I know where I want it, the garden it will feed….Oh…oh … I want it."

"Then you shall have it, if I have to dig the entire place up with a planetary back cut" Jack said softly, Ianto seizing him and kissing him silly.

Then Ianto turned and shouted, "Look! Look what we found!"

Everyone rushed to look and soon Owen was in the water scrubbing at a little face, "Shit, it's marble under the dirt."

A face became white, another a soft grey as it showed each child or creature was individually carved.

"My goddess, this is worth more than the entre place" Ianto sighed, "He has no idea what he had. I must give him something, I cannot…"

"Hey" Jack interrupted, "He gave gladly and the money saved can be used. What we don't take we will reuse and leave electric fences. Not as big or as good as what we are taking but enough for the daytime so children can come and play here. Yeah?"

Ianto smiled, "Really?"

"We will call it Torchwood Gardens, plant things to brighten it all up and let the town know more about us, encourage them to use it and see that we are just a family trying to survive like them. Maybe once we have our own playground set up we invite them out for a picnic or something, let all the kids play and let them see those who need homes."

"Sneaky" Ianto nodded, "Clever man."

"Also, Dell will come play, will know he still has a place in our hearts and not feel we just gave him away, all the kids can make friends" Jack hugged Ianto, "They will all be safe, then if you want we can use that hulk of a transporter me and John have been restoring to once a month pick them up in town and drop them back before dusk safe from any Others, no attack can enter that hull."

"Oh Jack, you think? Like a village fair sort of thing? The kids can make cotton candy and stuff for the day, it can be included in their lessons then… really… you think we might find a home for one or two this way?" Ianto seemed so delicate and Jack knew those kids were his Achilles heel.

"Come on love, come sit in the shade and think on the garden you want to build for this monstrosity I know Winkle will try to bathe in" Jack sighed theatrically and was rewarded with that light musical laugh.

Goddess above….he loved this man so much, this enigma.

John watched Jack's features soften and become more youthful as he stared at Ianto like he was a giver of life.

Maybe he was.