7
The next day Ianto seemed himself again, entering Jack's with a wide grin as he let his son loose to find the other two. Yes, the red headed nutter was already there. Ianto listened for a amount then said "She working again? God, she is working all the shifts she can get."
"I think Christmas is worrying her. That kitten is already a comfort" Jack agreed as he settled to let Ianto make the coffee. Hey, don't get me wrong. It's just that Ianto had this way of doing it that makes it so much better even if from the same things Jack always uses. He could not work it out.
"Yes. No family, just the two of them. I did not know her well enough last year as they were still so shy but I am thinking this year maybe inviting her to the Charismas meal and such. Give that little boy some family vibes?" Ianto settled with the cups of coffee before them. Jack stared at this for a while.
"Want a biscuit or something?" he finally asked Ianto.
"No thanks. Not usually hungry in the mornings. Used to school hours. Weekends do not help that. Sunday lie-ins feel so naughty somehow." Ianto shrugged. "We have our run this afternoon right?"
"Ianto… is there something that you saw in my office that upset or concerned you?" Jack decided to just ask, seeing Ianto's face bland out before he added "Because that part of my life is over. I used to be a cop, used to do the work but that's all over. I am retired. Fully and with full pension. No, I just want to write a crappy novel and raise my son. Honestly, I am not here to bust balls or watch over someone. I just want a life."
Ianto nodded "Well… I noticed the files."
"I did some undercover in the New York Crew. I actually liked them, some were good people that needed family and found it there. Not all of them bad. I don't think I helped much, they moved me on when they thought I was getting too close to liking them" Jack smiled "I did four undercover jaunts in my career. All completed, over with and no longer my concern."
"Busy boy" Ianto said aimlessly running his finger tip around the rim of his cup as he looked at Jack. "So… military, then police… then FBI."
"Then Father. What should have been bigger, more important but… I was a selfish prick who loves adrenalin even now. Why I crave a rock climbing afternoons or sky diving or something but know as a single parent that is just stupid." Jack sighed.
"The there is still the Bullet, right?"
Jack felt a strange jolt as Ianto stared at him and self-consciously placed his hand over his shoulder where a fragment of the bullet still remained, how the hell…. Wait. "Bullet?"
"Yes. It's like… well… a flying fox I guess. You hike up the top of Hangman's Hill and pull the rope to get it up there. Strap in and fly down to the bottom of the valley by the creek. Takes less than two minutes to go the distance it took you an hour to hike but man… you scream like a girl the entire way." Ianto laughed "I tell ya… the rush is extreme. Kids NOT allowed but occasionally one will try. Almost wreaked them!"
"You know what? I like the sound of that!" Jack said with amusement.
"Well, one afternoon when the kids are at school and it is one of my half days, we will do it. Needs more than the twenty minutes for a run like we usually do. Get up there and back in time to pick them up from Jenny's. Her evening shifts usually start around five. We just need to all coordinate this… and Jack… don't' scream to loud."
Jack grinned with glee.
.
.
.
.
It was almost two weeks before they got to do it, the universe aligning for her to pick the boys up after school, Ianto's half day as the afternoon art class wss run by the tepid Ms Frew. Both men in hiking gear as they walked an east trail talking animatedly and laughing at one another.
Ianto seemed a natural hiker, keeping easy pace with Jack who knew he had stamina but felt like he was holding this man back somehow. "You are an athlete?"
Ianto looked at him strangely then said with amusement "No. I just like to win."
"Ah. So I need to scream louder?" Jack asked, Ianto laughing as he shoved at him and pointed to a little side trail. They made their way up the dirt track to the rickety looking stand, wooden and falling down. Rotten in places and clearly not in good repair.
Jack looked at Ianto who was calmly pulling on the rope like it was no big deal and soon the flying fox appeared. It had a harness attacked plus a foot hold for the more daring. Jack felt the harness would be a pussy thing so he chose the foot hold, grinning at Ianto as he winked and said "See ya later alligator."
"In a while crocodile" Ianto responded then before Jack had time to register it, Ianto hit the release and Jack took off down the steep hill with a yodel of alarm.
It was fast.
Furious.
Fun.