13

The body looked pulverized and Jack grimaced as he squatted, trying to imagine what the victim once looked like.

Ianto stood nearby, talking with Andy who was animatedly showing how he thought the body had fallen.

Jack could practically feel Ford bursting to laugh at the antics of the blonde officer but the raised eyebrow was enough to encourage Andy.

Jack watched his new mate with mixed emotions.

Who would have thought that he might find someone that equaled his cheek, his moxie … gods, this one even rivalled his desire to break into spontaneous singing for no apparent reason, the first time such a surprise that he joined in.

If only the team could see that.

As if hearing this thoughts, Ianto turned on his heel and walked over, making a show of disgust for the mud and blood splattering the ground.

"Sir, I believe Andy has the answer" Ianto said softly as Owen stood to listen as well.

"Yeah?" Owen prompted.

"Well according to Officer Davidson … he fell."

Owen snorted, then grinned and looked at Jack with glee, "And you Ianto, ma … Bud? What do you think?"

"Well I might not know for sure Doctor Harper" Ianto cast a disdainful eye over the area and then looked down into Owen's eyes, "But I do not believe it was bird strike."

Owen brayed as he stomped over to Tosh to regale her with Ianto's humor and several Heddlu frowned, then looked away as Ianto's steely gaze caught each one.

Jack grinned to himself as he watched the final piece come into position.

Gwen slipped, as is her way and Ianto caught her.

As he straightened her up and accepted her thankful hug, Jack watched his hand come up to smooth her hair around her face.

Gwen's smile became softer as he bent and wiped a speck of mud from the toe of her boot with his crisp white handkerchief, then straightened up to return the smile.

Gwen was pack too.

Jack thought he might burst as he looked at his family. His father had held the family name in remembrance of their ancestral planet Franklindia, each second generation in the Peninsula did and it had sounded lovely tripping off his mate's lips.

Ianto/Ford was everything Jack loved, smooth, clever, deadly and intuitive.

Again, he seemed to hear Jack and turned to walk past, this time letting their hands brush and Jack felt a peace fall over the scene as Ianto calmly herded the troops.

The body was scooped up, the scene cleaned and Andy sent away with the promise of another flask of coffee.

As they strode to the SUV Ianto looked furtively to his left and Jack caught a slight tightening of his left hand hanging by his thigh, then it released to let the fingers splay against his leg.

Jack looked in the direction Ianto had and caught a flicker of movement.

A coat?

They drove towards the hub and in an uncharacteristic display, Ianto reached out and placed his hand over Jack's resting on the gear stick.

It was only for a moment, just long enough to feel the warmth, then it as withdrawn and Ianto's face cleared of the hidden annoyance.

The pack was safe.