3

The house was nice, as were the neighbors. One side of them were a little old couple who wanted to keep giving them vegetables and on the other side was an elderly lady who kept mistaking Jack for her long lost love, poor old dear. He was getting quite fond of her already. He did not know who lived behind him yet, the little cottage hidden away but he had heard the faint sound of a child's laughter as he moved in the furniture last week.

Joseph was more excited now about school, thanks to his new best friend and that handsome man who had oozed charm and sex appeal. It had been a long time since Jack had looked at anyone that way, the last few years especially a mixture of sorrow and commitment. Jack hoped their future could be better… at least his son's. Joshua's bedroom had bright blue walls and a new bed but everything from the old room was there, adjusted how the boy wanted it and Jack dared not move a damned thing.

Jack was not so sure about his own future but he knew he had a duty of care to his son.

The new office was coming together; Jack unable to giveaway the habit of a lifetime as he hung his certificates and settled his desk with the fixings for work. He knew it was silly but told himself it might be time to finally write that book. Or something. He was not sure if he could write a book. He would have to change a lot of names and change settings for some of the things he had seen but he felt he could pull together a spy novel that was at least interesting to someone. Without realizing it he was doing for himself what the therapist had suggested for his son, creating a womb of comfort.

His own bedroom was easy to sort, his clothing folded neatly into drawers, the hangers in the wardrobe. Apart from some paintings that he found engaging, there was not a lot in the house that might be considered personal. In her final months of madness Clare had smashed and destroyed many things that had been keepsakes. He had grown into the habit of having little about that could be thrown at his head.

Now that they were starting fresh he hoped that weekend markets and old second hand stores might find them some new keepsakes. You never know, this town may have a few things worth collecting.

Jack walked to his son's room and looked in into the room from the doorway, Joseph wanting his own space. Since things that had happened, the boy was particular about personal space and that was fair enough.

"Wanna get pizza from that place we drove past?" Jack asked, leaning on the doorframe as his son looked up from the floor covered in dinosaurs. He looked so small, more like a toddler and Jack fought the urge to enter the room and pull him into a hug. Joseph did not like sudden attacks of affection.

The therapist had suggested familiar things in a new setting. Make sure Joseph can set up his own bedroom, make sure the same toys, same keepsakes are there so he can create a little bubble of comfort. Ease him into the changes slowly. Jack finally saw the similarity and tried not to smile. The boy questioned everything as well.

The little boy considered, then nodded solemnly as he rose "Will I need a jacket Daddy?"

"I think so, good call. I think I will get mine too" Jack said with a straight face, touched by the little face with such a grown-up question.

They walked out to the sleek black SUV that screamed FBI. Jack couldn't help it, he needed to have some familiar things around him for comfort too. It was working for Joseph, he found it was working for him. The only thing that he really wanted was the shoulder holster with his Webley but he left that in the gun safe for now.

They drove to the pizzeria and entered, only to have Joseph squeal and take off for a booth that had a familiar quaff of hair viable. Jack found himself stalling as he recognized Ianto Jones. The two boys were hugging, talking animatedly as they slid along the booth so Jack settled next to Ianto "Sorry. He took off on me. We are not interrupting?"

"Not at all, I suggested showing you where to sit" Ianto winked and Jack smiled as he watched Ianto pull a paper napkin from the holder and examine it with distain then he added "See the green ones down the end? Law enforcement and fire department only. Anyone else sits there, they get moved along or slightly…er… bullied."

Jack didn't like the sound of that, his own experience with small town law enforcement not much better as they did not like a bigger fish than them in their muddy little pond. He nodded his thanks then the girl came to take the order and she blushed when she saw Ianto "Hello Mister Jones."

"Hello Jennifer" Ianto replied calmly as he smiled back "This is Jack. He and Joseph have just moved into town and are keen to try the best pizza place in town."

"Because it's the only one" she rolled her eyes and laughed, then sobered as she said softly "I am so sorry Paulie did that picture."

"It's fine. I told you at the time and I am telling you now, children have weird brains and something we do not like may never tickle them more. There is no further action, had that bloody woman not seen it we would not have had the dog and pony show."

She nodded and moved away.

"What was that about?" Jack asked and Ianto nodded his head in the direction of a well dressed couple who are arguing over the bill or something.

"Her. Yvonne Bloody Hartman."