Author's Note: It's that time of the week! I'm not sure why I picked Thursday to update but I suppose it's as good a day as ever! Thank you very much for your comments and support :) as this is still I'm still writing, finding people commenting and following encourages me to keep it up :) so thank you x

P.S. I've changed my FF user name. Sorry if that's confusing! I just wanted one a name which is part of my adult years and not my teenage ones :)

A Chance in a Million

Chapter Three

It was another five days before Ianto was allowed to leave the hospital. He had gotten up out of bed each day and walked around, at start with the help of the nurses and then on his own, reminding his muscles how to work and getting some strength back. He had switched onto solid food and real drink twenty-four hours after waking up. He still hadn't told Rhiannon anything and that was his first port of call once they got back to Cardiff. He didn't know whether to ring her or just show up on the door step. Gwen and Rhys came to take him home when he knew he was being released. They discussed it on the drive back and in the end it was decided that Gwen should go with him and go in the house first to break the news, whilst Ianto would wait in the car with Rhys.

"What are you saying?" Rhiannon Davies sat on the edge of her seat, the cup of tea in front of her forgotten as Gwen explained why she was there.

"Ianto's alive. And sat outside in the car," Gwen nodded towards the window. Rhiannon looked outside and saw a strange car parked in front of the house. She could see the outlines of two men.

"But...how?"

"There was a mistake. Ianto didn't die in the building. Somehow he survived," Gwen reached over to take hold of Rhiannon's shaking hands, "but without any ID on the body he couldn't be identified and with all the mess of the clear up afterwards, the fact that someone had survived sort of slipped everyone's minds. He only woke up last week."

"Why didn't he call?"

"He didn't want to worry you, what with him being in a hospital in London," Gwen bit her lip, "do you want me to go and get him?"

Rhiannon nodded, staring blankly at the table. Gwen squeezed her hand and got up, pushing up her bulky figure with the help of the arms on the chair. Minutes later Rhiannon looked up at the sounds of two people coming back in. Gwen entered the room first followed by a figure Rhiannon thought she would never see again. She stared at Ianto, frozen in place. Then she jumped up, ran across the room and wrapped her arms tightly around her brother. After a second, Ianto returned the gesture, kissing her hair.

"I'm okay, Rhi," he whispered, holding her tight, "I'm okay."

"God, Ianto," she said, her voice muffled as she pressed her face against his chest.

Ianto swayed gently as he held his sister, calming her down until she pushed herself away, tear tracks clear on her cheeks. She brushed them away hurriedly and headed towards the kitchen, "do you want a drink or something?"

"Coffee would be fantastic," Ianto followed her, pointing Gwen to a chair in the living room, "you should rest," he told her before going after Rhiannon.

"I'm sorry," he said, leaning against a counter top as Rhiannon filled the kettle with water.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for," she said, her back to him, "it's just... those damn government officials! If they'd even bothered to check anything all this wouldn't be happening. If they'd even thought to make a note that someone survived... I'd've known months ago. We'd've transferred you to Cardiff, visited, been there when you woke... shit!" She slammed mugs onto the counter and pressed her hands against the surface, her breathing hard. "It's been so hard, knowing you died. I know we weren't close but damnit Ianto you're my brother. I just..." a sob paused her rant and Ianto strode across the kitchen. He massaged her shoulders slowly, relieving the tension he could feel there.

"It's over Rhi," he said, "crap happened but it's okay now."

Rhiannon closed her eyes and let Ianto relax her. It felt like months of tension and rage and just spilled out in one short rant. It felt good.

"Gwen," Ianto handed her a cup of green tea when he and Rhiannon went back into the living room, "why didn't anyone wonder where my body went? The doctors said no one even tried to look for me. Didn't I get a funeral?"

"They... they burned all the bodies from the 456 attack," Gwen admitted, running her finger round the rim of the mug, "apparently they were worried that the poison in the bodies would contaminate something... I don't really understand the official announcement. More government cover ups. They didn't want any of the bodies having an official autopsy in case questions were asked and so they burned all the bodies the next day. Had a mass funeral for everyone. It was... pretty shit to be honest with you. You were lucky to revive when you did."

"Yeah," Ianto sat down, mulling over his lucky escape. He held a cup of steaming coffee in his hands and sipped at the hot liquid. "Did you go?"

"Sorry," Gwen looked confused.

"To the funeral. Did you go?"

"I didn't," Rhiannon admitted. She smiled weakly at her brother, "I didn't think the kids would be up to it. Too young really and after all the mess with everything... you know... we didn't want to let them out of our sight. They filmed some of it so we watched it on the telly instead."

Ianto nodded, feeling slightly hurt but not wanting to show it, "that's understandable. No point in getting them upset."

"I went," Gwen offered, "sort of felt like I should."

"Did Jack...?" Ianto had to ask.

Gwen's silence answered it for him. He looked away.

* * * * *

Jack lay on his bunk on the ship. They were in mid voyage to a refuelling point in a nearby solar system. Everything was set to auto-pilot so the members of the ship were free to so whatever they wanted. Many would get together in the ships games room, just relax and chat. But Jack preferred to retreat to his small room. He didn't feel he would be much company. He was getting a name for himself as withdrawn and sullen. He talked when talked to and answer questions as long as they weren't too probing. There were times when he laughed at a joke or offered a safe ear for someone who needed to talk. But those times were already rare, even in the week he had been on the ship. When he was with others, he felt he was forgetting, and he had made a promise to a special Welshman that he would never forget him. When he was alone, Ianto was pretty much all he thought about. It hurt, but it eased the guilt knowing he was keeping his promise. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Jack ran his fingers over his vortex manipulator. A smile graced his lips as he remembered Rhys' obviously irritation that he had had to have it mended. There was no force like Gwen when she was being stubborn and he suspected that a pregnant Gwen was definitely someone you wouldn't want to mess with. He was sorry he wouldn't be there for the birth of their child. He would've spoilt it rotten, to annoy Rhys if nothing else. He could have been a real Uncle Jack rather than a pretend one.

A knock came on his door and he called out for them to enter, pulling down the sleeve of his shirt over his vortex manipulator. Volta entered the room, carrying a tray with two mugs on it. Jack smelled the strong tea like drink which was common on the ship. It was tangy and bitter but oddly nice. It smelt like a warm summer's day. He smiled at her and sat up, moving so she could join him on the tiny bed.

"I know you don't want company, but maybe a drink?" Volta offered him one of the mugs once she was settled.

"Thank you," Jack gave her a sincere smile. They sat in comfortable silence whilst they sipped at their drinks. Volta was the only person on board who had managed to work her way under Jack's armour. Meaning that she knew he was an immortal and from the 51st century originally. That was all she knew but it was more than anyone else on the ship did.

"What were you doing?" She asked suddenly, deciding now was a good a time as ever to find out more about the mysterious human.

"Thinking."

"About what?" When Jack didn't respond, she tilted her head to one side, the braids of her hair falling over her shoulder, "or should I say, 'who'?"

Jack stared into his mug, watching his reflection distort in the dark liquid, "someone very special to me," he said, finally.

"Tell me about them," Volta pushed herself backwards so she was leaning against the wall. Jack copied her and sighed, a smile already on his lips before he even started his story.

"His name's Ianto Jones..."