13

They slammed into the house and Ianto rushed to lock doors and close curtains as Jennifer sobbed with relief while cuddling Red to her "Peter, you little shit. Oh god. Pettie, why!"

The child held his bedraggled kitten and she sighed, Of course, she had been right.

"Your hurt" Ianto said as he helped Jack take off his jacket, the bruising already evident as was the split eyebrow and knuckles.

"What about you?" Jack asked as he ran an eye over Ianto who was ignoring him as he ran his hands over Jack. "Careful Tiger, company here."

Ianto snorted with amusement, the nerves subsiding as they knew they had a break now.

"Right." Ianto stepped back and ran his hands through his hair "First thing's first. Dry clothing. Son, get Red some clothes from your drawers. Me and Jack will do the same in my room. Then once we are sorted we might take a second to talk."

They were soon back in the kitchen as the kids played in the bedroom totally unfazed by the evening's weirdness.

Jack's phone rang and he picked it up off the table where he had just emptied his pockets from the wet clothing. The elderly lady that lived next door….oh no. Jack looked at it as it was still ringing and glanced at Ianto as he mouthed who it was.

"Estelle? You alright?" he asked as he listened intently to any background noise.

"Jack sweeties Some of your friends are here. You were going go to do some iron man challenge thing? Apparently they can't get you on the phone" she sounded confused but not afraid.

"It's the rain. This storm is making everything cut in and out love. I don't remember agreeing to… maybe it's a text I missed" he lied as he looked at Ianto and tapped his top lip with his free hand's fingers. "Ah… I am just picking Jennifer up from work."

"Oh! Of course. The Pizzeria" she said then she turned from the phone and Jack heard her distant voice as she explained to the nice men that Jennifer worked there and Jack was likely there if he was picking her up when her shift ended. She gave them an address and then came back to the phone "My goodness. Those men are sooo wet. Dedicated to their sport eh?"

"Are they gone?"

"Yes love. On their way. "

"Estelle, can you go to Mathew next door and stay with him until morning? This storm… you know his health is not good and if the phone goes out he can't ring for help." Ianto said as he leaned over to speak into the phone "You know his last heart attack was a doozy."

"Oh my god! I forgot Mathew!" she squealed with open horror, dropping the phone and Ianto knew she would leave her house to run down the road where she would be safe.

"Damn it" Jack spat "My SUV is still at my house."

"We will fit in my vehicle" Ianto said as he slammed about, pulling food from cupboards and shoving things into the kid's school bags "Main thing is to boogie. They will get to the pizzeria, give that story and be told she isn't working and is likely here."

"Agreed" Jack said as he lifted a bag, "Let's go."

"Cat cage" Ianto pointed as he passed it in the garage "All three will fit, yeah?"

"I'm on it" Jennifer said as she snatched it and headed back inside. Jack followed Ianto to the car which he passed to another one covered with an old tarp. Pulling off the tarp Jack watched Ianto reach inside the 4X4 Cherokee to pull out things from the back, and then pull the back seats up.

"Huh. Look at that. How many can fit in this?" Jack asked as he found himself interested in the beaten old vehicle he hadn't even noticed before.

"Two of us in the front, two here behind us, and three in the back. Once these seats lock in" Ianto said softly "We don't have time Jack. I need to get some things, you need to grab the bags I am chucking into the hallway and we have to go."

"But where?" Jack asked as he reached out to pull Ianto to him for a moment, their lips meeting as Jack sought comfort.

Ianto sighed "You ARE hurt."

"When we get where we are going you can rub me down" Jack kissed him again and then went to get the first bags already in the main room to shove under the seats.

Ianto was organised. Had a plan. No time to talk it over, time to go.

Jack had every faith in this man and he was not even shocked dot realise it.

Ianto had this.

Jack had this.

Jennifer had one kitten so far.

Damned little devils!