8

Mathew came back and they settled in the main room, the fire crackling as Quinn played on his mat. Mathew looked genuinely confused as he sat watching everyone pace but Ianto had an idea, sitting and keying up the recording on his phone from the live night.

"Gwen who?" he said yet again, blinking as his family tried to understand how Gwen had managed this.

"He hypnotised you" Jerry explained yet again as he rubbed Mathew's arm to show there was no anger in this betrayal, "Gwen convinced him to tell you to not see her, or forget her if she gave a certain trigger word. He was such an arrogant fool it never occurred to him to do the same for his own safety. I guess he never thought he would be in danger and was just humouring her. She was probably shagging him stupid."

"But … I don't get it" Mathew shook his head, "I don't trick easily. When the hell would he have the chance?"

"Maybe at the bar before the show, when we all just met" Jack pondered, "You were there that night. He was touchy feely then too, Bunny didn't like him one little bit."

"I've not known her to be wrong yet" Mathew sighed sadly as he slumped.

"This was Jack's trigger and for some reason it was not on the recording you provided" Ianto explained as he fiddled with the phone, "I have a feeling this is why."

"What is why?" Mathew trusted Ianto, had no reason not to so he sat and waited patiently until Ianto handed him the phone.

"Listen to this"

Mathew obediently did and Jack knew the feeling, Mathew's face changing from confusion to shock, then anger and horror, "No. No, no, no. Shit."

"You let her go, didn't you" Ianto said softly and Mathew sighed.

"A vehicle arrived and she told me it was time for her to go. I … simply let her. The guys were yelling and she turned to tell them that it sucked to be them then swanned off" he moaned. "I did it. Just … let her go."

"It's Ok. This is not your fault. Gwen is smart, so smart." Ianto sighed.

"Sly as a shit-house rat" Jerry muttered and Quinn looked up from the floor with interest.

"Potty mouth Poppa" Ianto said softly as Quinn listened, Jerry grimacing as he turned to the look down at the toddler now patting his foot lovingly.

"Poppa said a bad word. We need to start you a swear jar, eh young man?" he crooned and Quinn smiled, the angry voice gone and his lovely Poppa back. Much better.

"Tatatatata" Quinn said with arms up, Ianto rising to scoop him up and kiss him as he swung him around.

"You beast" he crooned, kissing chubby cheeks.

"I think Ianto and I need a little time" Jack said after a while, "Just us as a family. How about we take the kids on a little holiday love? Go to an amusement park, spend a couple of nights in a posh hotel? Yeah? This weekend? Leave Friday and be back Sunday night or Monday."

Ianto swung to look at him with surprise and Micha stepped out from behind one of the chairs, "I wanna stay with Granny and Poppa. My horse needs me."

"Your horse huh?" Jack grinned, "Not that little muster Poppa was talking about the other day that happens at the weekend?"

"I'm helping too" David said and they all turned to find him under the desk.

"OK. What the hell!" Ianto laughed, "Get here!"

"You kids spying on us?" Jack asked with surprise.

"We don't wanna go. Everyone is annoyed and whispering and it usually means we have to go" David explained, "I don't wanna leave. The muster is important and Pops said we could do some riding and roping."

"I been practicing!" Micha agreed.

"Well, I guess that's up to Poppa and Granny." Ianto said as he watched two older heads nod.

"So, me, Jack and the beast?" Ianto smiled, "That sounds nice too."

"I know just the place then, not a big amusement park that might scare him. There is a place with animals. Rabbits and stuff running about. Ducks and stuff to feed, a little nature land thing" Jack was already moving away to look it up and Ianto smiled as his lovely husband sought comfort for their child before themselves.

As it should be.

Ianto started to mentally pack, his mind going over things and he was surprised to find Bunny wanted a lot of things. After all, they were going as a family and it felt nice to think they would go somewhere that didn't know Ianto/Bunny so she could just be Mum for the weekend.

Maybe.