DON'T LOOK NOW: PART THREE

Owen sucked in a steadying breath. "There are some abnormalities in your DNA. I ran a comparison test against your mother's and father's DNA, just to make sure of my findings. Your biological father was not Euan Daffyd Jones; in fact your father wasn't even human."

Ianto stared at him for a moment, then smiled and looked to Jack, then back to Owen. Neither of them shared his expression.

"That's a joke, right?"

"I'm not laughing Ianto."

The mug slipped from Ianto's grasp and bounced on the carpet. His face went white. Instantly worried Jack got up and came and sat by his side, resting a hand on his leg.

"Yan?"

"This really isn't funny Jack." His tone was deadly.

"It's the truth Yan. Owen is telling you the truth."

Ianto stared down at his hands. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it again.

"I...I am human, my Mam and Tad are both from Cardiff Jack. I grew up in Newport, I had a dog called Simba, and I have a sister...Of course I'm human. What are you saying?" He fixed his terrified gaze on Owen. "Are you saying I'm some kind of sleeper agent thing or something like that poor woman we gunned down earlier last year? Oh God...Oh God...Oh..." Tears poured down his face.

"I feel sick...I need to be sick."

Owen grabbed the waste paper bin and shoved it into Jack's grasp.

"Look Ianto. Your back ground is not in question. We know your past. It's just we're not sure of your species on your father's side."

Ianto retched for a minute his face flushed scarlet. "Oh...What about my Mam?"

"She's complete bonefide Welsh, through and through. Look mate I'm sorry. It's no biggy, you've never known as far as you are concerned, you are human. Your nature is human, the same as me and Jack. It's just the basics in your DNA that are different." Owen tried to sound as soothing as possible.

"Basics?!!! What the fuck does that mean?" Ianto spat back.

Jack rubbed his back soothingly. "You said there was something else."

Owen nodded, grateful for the deflection. "There's a tag chip embedded in the back of your skull. It is giving off very low energy readings but we haven't been able to activate it. I'm assuming it's like chip similar to ones they implant in pets."

Ianto couldn't take this in and he looked at Jack in desperation, this had to be an elaborate joke, it had to be.

"A tracking device?" Jack asked.

Owen nodded. "Looks that way. It's been in there a long time too. I'd say it was implanted at least 20 years ago, and that tracks with Ianto's NHS medical records as he was admitted to casualty in August 1988 with a fractured skull having fallen out of a tree."

Ianto had a glazed expression on his face and he nodded his head absently in confirmation. "I remember that. Mam was cross with Tad because he'd made me a super hero costume for my birthday and I leapt out of the willow tree in our back garden and cracked my head on a branch on the way down." He sagged against Jack who held him.

Owen sat there feeling awkward. "Ianto, we're going to have to talk to your mother about this." He looked to Jack for guidance who was shaking his head.

"Owen can you give us a minute?"

The medic got up. "Not a word to the others, I take it?"

"Not a word, for now at least." Owen nodded and left the room closing the door behind him.

Jack resumed his gentle rubbing of circles over Ianto's back. Ianto buried his face into his hands wanting to shut out the light, shut out everything really. This was just too much...what?....Who was he?

"Am I danger to anyone Jack?"

The massaging stopped and Ianto felt Jack gently grasp at his wrists. His hands tugged away from his flushed face. Their eyes met, searching one another's for comfort, answers, anything that would diminish the sense of chaos.

"I don't think so. All this time Yan...you haven't known...You..."

"But I know now Jack! Look at what Beth became when her...when her alien side took over. What if I...."

"Ianto, stop right there. You are not like her. Owen has already run the comparison tests. You're not a threat. You're just you. My Ianto Jones." Jack insisted.

"Jack I have enough trouble figuring out who I am from day to day and now I don't even know what I am... Has my Mam lied to me all this time? Did my Tad know that I am not his son? What am I Jack? Who the fuck tagged me like a dog?"

Jack held his face tightly so that Ianto was forced to look at him. "You are Ianto Jones and regardless of the physiology, which obviously can't be a whole different to mine or Owen's...You're... the most human person I have ever known. The genetics do not change who you are now....the same person that I loved 20 minutes ago and I sure as hell aren't going to stop loving you over a few dodgy strands of DNA!" Jack kissed him fiercely, but Ianto made no effort to respond so he pulled away. "Don't shut me out Yan."

"I'm a monster Jack."

"No." Jack stood up and dropping his hands to Ianto's shoulders he yanked him to his feet and dragged him reluctantly to a small square mirror that was hanging on the wall in the corner. Jack forced him to look at his reflection.

"That is who you are." Jack's arms found their way about his waist and he leant his chin on Ianto's shoulder and both their faces were visible in the glass. "My beautiful, kind, funny Ianto. The one who keeps me anchored to this world and keeps me sane. The one, the only one who truly knows me and accepts me. Don't lose sight of it Yan, whatever happens never forget that I will always love you."

Ianto rested his hands over Jack's. "I think I just want to sleep right now Jack. Can we go home?"

Jack hesitated. "No, for tonight you should stay here, let's be certain that nothing untoward has been activated with this new found knowledge, just to be safe."

Ianto nodded, understanding what that meant.

"You'd best put me in the cells then."

"No."

"Jack, its procedure. The others need to be safe. If there is the remotest chance I could be a danger to them, I want to be locked away. You know I'm right. I'm tired and I need to think in peace. I can rest down there and be secure, please Jack."

Finally Jack nodded.