7

He looks like me. Like … a mix of me and something else, he is smaller sort of … elfin. His ears are not mine, they have longer lobes and his eyes are a shade darker, closer to Jack's than mine. Of course that has me thinking of Jack and I have to stop the examination of the child. Blonde, almost white hair. A little old man.

Max.

What sort of name is that? Maximillion? Or Maxwell. I mean … if there had to be a choice I know which I would have chosen … Maxwell is…is… not me.

Not that it's any of my business, not like he's really mine. I was just a donor. Those who loved him are gone. Dead. I just hope Toshiko can find some next of kin to offload him before I start worrying about him. Dangerous, worrying about someone.

Look what that cost me last time.

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"Right, Owen and Gwen are rounding up the other families. Toshiko, make sure they remember the rules here I don't want a mass Recon event if I can avoid it, not with kids involved. How many are there now you've gone through all the records?" Jack was sounding authorative, speaking calmly and rocking on the balls of his feet but inside there was turmoil as he watched Ianto sit on the ratty old sofa with his miniature doppelganger, each looking closely at the otheir twin as they regarded one another.

"The safe house in Kent is the best, large and roomy. I feel it's the best one" she said.

"Yeah, all your eggs in one basket" Ianto muttered, "Great idea."

Jack caught it, his hearing more advanced than that of a mere human and he hesitated as he considered the comment and knew Ianto was right. It that thing was still alive, and it probably was, this would be…oooooo.

Ianto was rising for the sofa like he had the same idea, swinging to face Jack and Jack's pondering faded away as Ianto stared into his eyes and whispered "Honey trap?"

"I was thinking the same thing" he admitted.

"We need Bertha"

Jack grunted at the mention of his pulse cannon and nodded again, Ianto was right. That thing was relentless, would not stop until it had achieved its goal. Cut off its limbs and it would still roll. Gotta punch a hole in its head or heart …. Or both.

"We will go start setting sensors" Jack said as he turned to grab a pen and paper, wanting a list. Ianto had done that, introduced lists into his life and he had never known how satisfying it could be to write something out and see it materialise.

"What about….the boy?" Ianto glanced back, "Tosh? You found someone who will take him after this?"

"Looking" she replied softly, still embarrassed about the earlier comments she had made in anger. She now knew how wrong she had been and hoped to apologise when he was ready to hear it. She now knew Ianto and could read him pretty good. Their time in the Alps helped with that. He was not ready to listen yet, would walk away.

He had last time.

"So, we take him with. We put him in the safe house with all the others. More than enough parentals there, maybe someone will take a liking to him" Jack suggested and Ianto's face flared with annoyance.

"He's not a puppy Jack!"

Jack hesitated, the use of his first name a warning. Ianto was starting to feel overwhelmed and had it not been for their discomfit he would have led him away for a small pep talk and a cuddle. An apology maybe…Ianto knows he hates giving those. He now knew this was impossible, any chance of that gone as Ianto stormed off for the archives, the list snatched from Jack's had like it was his and Jack had stolen it.

"It will take a while" Tosh said with a sigh, "He's still stinging."

"Yeah. You OK watching him? I'll go get the sensors and such for the extra security" Jack wandered off and Tosh looked over at the little boy still sitting on the sofa with huge eyes. Max. He looked to be five? Six? She pulled up the file and saw that he was the fourth attempt, their last chance. Expensive. God. She sighed and looked again, then groaned as the bare sofa mocked her.

"Max?" he rose and looked around, then cursed in Japanese before storming for the kitchen. He was probably there right?

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Ianto was walking through the lower levels with a hover board, loading it up with things on the list…some not…still contemplating the weirdness of a small him, the feels … such strong feelings when faced with a child that was of his elk. Ianto paused and looked at his feet as he scolded himself and told himself this was not his child, it was someone else's. He was just the donor. Like … like … selling a second-hand car or book. Not his.

Then he looked up and watched his old second hand book step up to Janet's cell and pat the glass.

FUCK