Jack spent the night awake, keeping an eye on Ianto and going over what Owen and Toshiko had worked out about the machine. He had sent everyone else home. There was nothing they could really do overnight and everyone was tired and stressed, not just Ianto.

Ianto, so exhausted by events, didn't stir until nine o'clock. Which was when Gwen arrived with coffee, and of course, milk.

"Hi," she said as she came into his office. She held out the cups, stuck neatly in the cardboard tray. "First on the left."

Jack picked out the relevant cup and took a sip. "Thanks."

"The others not in yet?"

Jack shook his head. "I told you all to take your time, so that means Tosh will get here around ten and Owen will probably be with her."

Gwen gave a slight, sad smile at that. She moved around the desk and peered into Jack's quarters looking at Ianto, who was just stirring.

"Is he all right?"

Jack glanced down as well. "Slept through the night. I think he was completely exhausted by the time we finally finished up. Hopefully we'll fix it today, the scans Owen and Tosh did look hopeful. The only stumbling block might be the calibration of the timer. We need to get it right."

"Jack?"

"Gwen?" he looked up at her. She looked ready to ask her question, there was a slightly wary look about her, but she never got the chance. Before she could speak they were interrupted by movement from below and Ianto cried out.

"Jack!"

Jack rolled his chair back and peered down. "Hello, do you want to come up."

Ianto held his hands upwards, as if demanding a cuddle. "Yes."

"Okay." Jack got up and clambered down the ladder. As he climbed down Ianto kicked off the sheets that Jack had wrapped around him and got out of the bed, pulling Barney along by his arm. Jack crouched down as he reached the floor and Ianto went to hug him.

"Hello," Jack said again, hugging back. It occurred to him that simple little gestures like that were not really a part of his relationship with Ianto. They had sex, they were very comfortable with each other physically and knew when to curb it around the others, but he didn't often just hug Ianto, or touch him. With his childlike mind, it was clear he liked that and the comfort that it brought.

"Hungry," Ianto said. Jack pulled back and looked at him. God, he was a cute kid.

"Do you need to go to the toilet first?"

Ianto thought about that and then nodded.

"Okay, come on. Gwen, we might need your help. Up you go!" Jack lifted Ianto and he clung tightly onto the rungs. They were not well spaced for a child so Jack put Ianto's feet on his shoulders and regulated Ianto's climb and height. When Ianto reached the top, Gwen helped him up. He submitted to her hug but as Jack came up out of the hole he realised Ianto was tolerating it, not enjoying it.

As Jack clambered up Gwen smiled at him. He noticed Ianto glower at her and he left her and went to Jack. Automatically Jack picked him up, Ianto looked down at Gwen, anger and triumph fought for precedence in his expression. Gwen didn't seem to see it. She stood up and looked at Jack.

"I presume you haven't breakfast yet either?" she asked.

"We need the bathroom first and then we need to think about food."

In the end Gwen went to the local café and picked up fried breakfasts for them all. Jack watched Ianto chew on a piece of bacon and thought perhaps they shouldn't be feeding him rubbish like that. But then again, it wasn't going to be for long. Then he could choose to eat rubbish if he liked.

They sat in the conference room. Ianto had the space to the right of Jack, Gwen was on his left. Toshiko sat next to Ianto and Owen wasn't in the room. He couldn't stand to be around them when they ate together now. The usual conference room meals had died away, because one person never came. He couldn't just sit there and watch. Although, Jack had noticed that if it was just Toshiko eating Owen didn't mind, he even cooked for her, made her sandwiches…. Jack stopped thinking about that. That was his fault as well, for not leaving well enough alone.

So to fill the time, Toshiko told the rest of the story. Ianto kept looking at her in delight.

"And when little Prince Ianto put Barney on Handsome Prince Jack's chest his hands moved. He held the little bear tightly and slowly there were lights, a big swirling cloud of bright light…"

Jack sat back and watched them. He watched Toshiko more than Ianto. He'd always liked listening to her voice. Her tone was always quite low, generally subdued but as a story-teller he had to admit it worked perfectly. Ianto was listening with avid interest, so was Gwen and judging by the red dot flashing on the camera so was Owen.

It made him think, Tosh would be a great parent. She was so good dealing with Ianto, taking him as she found him. And she didn't seem particularly worried about the fact she was telling a fairy tale to one of her colleagues, who had just suffered nothing more than a mishap. Instead she seemed to just like telling the story she was unfolding, that had twists, complications and a sub-plot.

"So Prince Jack hugged Prince Ianto tightly. He looked at the two princesses who had fought long and hard to get to Jack and he thanked them.

"And they all lived together, and Prince Jack even forgave Lord Owen and brought him to live in the castle too so they were all together. And they all, all of them lived happily ever after."

"After a few ingenious plot stretches," Owen said, coming through the door. On seeing him Ianto grabbed Barney and hid his face in his fur. Owen's face tightened but he sat nothing as he sat next to Gwen.

"Oi, stop that," Jack said reaching over to tug one of Barney's ears. "Toshiko is just telling a story. Owen is not evil. He's not plotting against me or anyone else, so stop it."

Ianto peeked up at Jack and then at Owen, he glowered a little and seemed to debate something in his mind. When he had decided whatever it was Ianto wriggled off his chair and trotted around the table carrying Barney with him. He went round to Owen and much to everyone's surprise Ianto proceeded to clamber up into Owen's lap. Owen winced as he felt the pressure of Ianto's weight against him but he submitted to the hug as Ianto wrapped his arms around Owen's neck.

Jack watched carefully, wondering what underlying subtext he was witnessing now. Ianto had his memories but they were very simplified. His relationship with Owen still seemed slightly antagonistic, not just on Owen's part and yet, despite some of his reactions Ianto didn't seem really that frightened of him. Jack watched as Ianto disengaged himself and struggled down, but he carefully put Barney into Owen's lap and then proceeded to trot around the table, full circle back to Jack.

"Thanks," Owen said. He lifted the teddy bear in his lap and then put it back down in position before concentrating on the computer in front of him and he started to download the information onto the main screen.

Ianto aimed for Jack squeezing between the table and Jack. Before Ianto could get onto his lap Jack pointed at the chair nearby, and Ianto's unfinished breakfast.

"Finish your breakfast."

"Full," Ianto said and almost knocked himself out on the edge of the table scrambling up into Jack's lap. Jack pushed his chair back so Ianto's head missed the table by half an inch or so. He waited while Ianto settled himself and then moved back towards the table to get to his own breakfast. Ianto picked up one of the sausages on Jack's plate and started to eat it.

"You said you were full."

Ianto looked up at him, smiling through the mouthful of food, his blue eyes bright with a 'fooled you' expression. The little boy looked incredibly pleased with himself, having tricked Jack. Jack scowled, making him giggle and he reached for Ianto's plate pulling it closer and both of them carried on eating.

While there was a further pause and Gwen went to top up the drinks. Jack thought, looking at Owen with Barney still in his lap and his mind rewound to earlier in the morning. Specifically when Gwen had hugged Ianto. Ianto had allowed it but for some reason hadn't liked it. As much as he played up around Owen there was nothing truly fearful or malicious about it. Jack looked at Gwen, remembering Ianto's scowl, and previously he thought, he had scowled when he referred to Gwen as a pretty lady. But he hadn't reacted the same way when he had referred to Toshiko in a similar fashion.

Ianto had always known, Jack thought, that there was something, a little more than basic chemistry between himself and Gwen but he had never really manifested any jealousy over it. Now at the stage he was his memories were making him act it out a little. And from what he was seeing, Jack realised it was a little worse than he had thought. Ianto was seriously jealous and clearly felt very much threatened by it.

"Right," Jack called everyone to business. "Thanks," he added to Gwen as she gave out coffee and milk, but nothing to Owen, who tried not to look.

"From what we've got, I am guessing we can sort this out."

"Okay, the particle scanner charged the battery within the machine."

"I'll put it back asap," Toshiko said. "It doesn't look… or rather it isn't too complicated, all it is comprised of is the battery, timer, calibrator and laser."

"Good, but we do have to test this before we even so much as try and attempt to right it."

"I've got some rats, of varying ages so we can look at how the device calibrates…"

"No, I'll deal with that, it runs by a different clock to Earth's, but I know it, it actually reduced Ianto by a round number, a set amount of time on the calibrator, but it doesn't translate exactly. I'm just glad it was on… you can't eat beans with your fingers!"

Ianto looked up at him as Jack extracted his hand from the beans on his plate. He grabbed one of the nearby paper napkins and he started to wipe Ianto's hands. Once they were clean enough he got a spoon and gathered up some beans, Ianto obligingly opened his mouth and Jack started to feed him. Throughout the process he carried on talking.

"As I was saying, I am just glad it was on a lower setting. We need to keep whatever we do to a lower power and maybe test it gradually. I know I want this fixed but we don't take any risks here."

Ianto reached out to take a slice of bacon, he chewed on it as he looked up at Jack.

"If we spend a day on it, then we spend a day. If you two take the machine, I'll start working out the clock and if Gwen could…"

Jack stopped talking as the sirens started to wail. Toshiko got up and went to the nearest static computer linked into the rift machine. She typed for a minute.

"Something's coming through the atmosphere… It's coming down close to us. A few miles away…" the sirens increased as something seemed to ripple through the ground. It wasn't very strong but enough for the machines to wail again.

"Near Cosmeston Lakes," Toshiko said.

"Great," Jack said. He stood up and lifted Ianto up onto his hip. "Let's get sorted and go."

"What all of us?" Owen said. He moved around the table, past Toshiko, who was still furiously typing, to put Barney into Ianto's waiting arms. He cuddled the bear and rested his head against Jack's shoulder.

"We have to. We can't leave him alone, a job like that will need all… four of us. We can keep him safe…"

Owen looked unconvinced. "Surely we could find a play scheme or childminder."

"We don't have any time to waste."

"It's Saturday," Gwen said suddenly. Both Owen and Jack turned to her. Jack shook his head and shrugged.

"So?"

"The weekend, Rhys is off, he's at home today. I'm sure he wouldn't mind… you know… babysitting."

"What?" Jack said.

"Jack, they've alerted the military, we need to go," Toshiko said. Jack sighed and then slowly nodded.

"Does Rhys know what's happened?"

"No," Gwen shook her head emphatically. "I don't tell him everything!"

"You'd better call him."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Gwen led the way into her flat. She had updated Rhys on the situation as Jack drove all of them over there. They had packed some things for Ianto, who had not looked impressed by what was happening. As Gwen went in Jack paused at the door with Ianto and crouched down.

"I want to keep you safe okay, Rhys will look after you. Do you remember who Rhys is?"

For a moment Ianto looked confused, but as Gwen and then Rhys appeared at the door, in the hallway of the flat, Ianto looked, blinked and then turned to Jack and nodded. Jack gripped Ianto tight on his arms, almost making him flinch.

"We won't be long. Rhys will look after you."

Both Jack and Ianto looked up at Rhys. Rhys looked at Ianto. Gwen had told him what had happened but he hadn't really believed it, until he looked at the little boy and at the blue eyes. There was never any mistaking someone's eyes. They were most definitely Ianto's.

"Sure," Rhys said. He looked up at Gwen. "So is he three or adult or what?"

"Or what?" Jack said. "He remembers us and Torchwood but his mind is three so… simplicity is the key here. Treat him like he's three. Well… three and a half. There's everything here, a change of clothes, just in case."

Rhys saw Ianto glare up at Jack, understanding the euphemism, perhaps. Ianto's grip tightened on Barney's arm. Jack kissed Ianto on the forehead.

"We'll be as quick as we can, now just be good."

Ianto pouted, Jack got up. He really didn't want to leave Ianto. Not even with someone as trustworthy as Rhys. Ianto wouldn't come to any harm. Gwen kissed Rhys, Ianto looked up sharply.

"Jack, we'd better…" Gwen turned and went down the stairs. Jack looked at Ianto and then at Rhys.

"Thanks."

"Go on, we'll be fine. He's really just three right?"

"Yeah," Jack said. He put his hand on Ianto's head very reluctant to leave him. Perhaps they could take Rhys and Ianto with them. The SUV wouldn't fit them but…. No, Jack told himself sternly, he didn't know what they were going to find. He couldn't take either of them into that uncertainty.

"Okay, I'll be as quick as I can."

Rhys took one of Ianto's hands, the one that wasn't clinging to Barney. Jack turned and reached the stairs. Ianto snatched his hand from Rhys' and ran to Jack. Jack spun round, hearing the sounds, Ianto lifted his arms.

"Barney!"

Ianto held him out to Jack.

"No, you keep Barney." Jack said. Ianto moved further forward and pushed Barney against Jack.

"Got to take him!" Ianto said.

"Jack!" Owen yelled in his comm.

"In a minute!" Jack snapped.

"Barney!" Ianto roared. Jack took him as Ianto practically threw the teddy bear at him. "Got to take him!"

Jack was too frightened to refuse the request, or rather angrily delivered order. He tucked the teddy under his arm, Ianto relaxed a little.

"You want Barney to come with me?"

Ianto nodded, scowling violently, as if he didn't understand why Jack didn't just comply, because it was so obvious.

"Jack," Toshiko's voice came over the comm. "Barney's got magic powers. He revived you in the story. He's thinking Barney will protect you."

Facts slammed together in Jack's mind. In the fairy tale, Barney had revived him. The previous night the encounter had left Jack dead and Toshiko telling the fairy tale. Or maybe simply, Ianto wanted Jack to take a reminder, a token of himself since he couldn't come along and deep down he had to accept that, because he wasn't just three years old. He was three with the memories of an adult in there, a complex, disturbed adult. Jack knelt down.

"Okay, I'll take Barney, and we won't be long. I promise."

Ianto nodded. Rhys walked up to them. Ianto very pointedly reached up to put his hand in his. Jack leant forward and kissed Ianto on the head again.

"Everything will be fine."

Rhys, holding onto Ianto's hand, realising he had never really done any sort of babysitting before in his life. And he was trying to persuade Gwen that perhaps they should have kids. As he watched Jack disappear, Rhys had to honestly say, faced with the sudden reality, he didn't quite feel the same theoretical confidence.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He had even less after a couple of hours. They had watched some television. Ianto had submitted to drinking some juice and Rhys had got out the miniature pool table Gwen had bought him for Christmas the previous year. Ianto had played, as badly as Rhys did, and seemed very frustrated at the lack of co-ordination.

As he was getting Ianto another drink of juice he looked out of the window, at the bright blue sky and sunshine. On a normal day, Saturday afternoon, he'd have gone to the pub, watched a bit of sport, chatted, come home to cook something for Gwen that she probably wouldn't even get home to. Now, he generally made things that could be reheated so she could have it whenever she came home.

Well he couldn't go to the pub. But what the hell were they doing inside? He shut the fridge and leant over the sofa.

"Do you want to go for an ice cream?"

Ianto's head shot up and a set of bright blue eyes gleamed at him. Ianto kicked his legs a little.

"Yes, please."

"Right, I'd better put you in a coat. There's one here." Rhys pulled the bomber jacket out of the bag and the hoodie top. He looked from one to the other, then at Ianto who had scrambled off the sofa. It was a warm day, the jacket looked far too hot, but Jack always wore that coat and he never seemed overly warm. Rhys sighed, threw the jacket aside and straightened up the hoodie.

"All right come here."

Ianto did and let Rhys take his arm. Rhys gripped the sleeve of the tee-shirt that Ianto was wearing. Another long sleeved shirt, in a light blue that matched his eyes. Rhys ran the sleeve of the top over his arm, keeping the material of the tee-shirt straight. He repeated the procedure on the other side and then straightened Ianto up, zipping the top closed.

"Well, that was easy," he said and then he grabbed the hood and flipped it up so it landed over Ianto's head and flopped down over his eyes. Ianto giggled and reached up to push it back. It ruffled his hair a little. Rhys smiled at him and got up to find his jacket. He opened the door and herded Ianto out of the flat and down the stairs.

As they got outside Rhys pulled the door closed and then his right hand shot out obeying some kind of automatic instinct. He caught Ianto by the hood and hauled him back.

"No, you don't. No running off. Jack will kill me if I lose you." Ianto struggled a little, trying to get away and Rhys looked up and saw the ice cream van. He took Ianto's hand and let go of his top, pulling it back straight.

"No, that's not where we're going and no running off. You stay with me."

Ianto looked up and nodded. "Sorry."

"Just don't run off," Rhys said as he started to walk Ianto down the road. Ianto flinched as a truck roared past them on the busy road. "See that's a good reason why. Stay with me."

He felt Ianto's hand tense in his. The tightness around Rhys' heart eased. It had been pounding and as soon as it had started he hadn't really realised why, until he had spun round without really thinking and he had caught Ianto about to run off. His reaction had been so automatic. Rhys wasn't even sure how he had suddenly known what was going on.

Still, it gave him enough warning to realise he had better watch Ianto carefully. As they made their way through the city he kept hold of Ianto's hand. If nothing else Rhys didn't much like to contemplate what Jack would do to him if something happened to Ianto. Plus, Rhys didn't want anything to happen to Ianto either. He glanced down at him, and Ianto glanced up, grinning at Rhys. As they reached the edge of the park moving into the shade of the trees Ianto pulled against Rhys' restraining hand.

He let him go, watching carefully as Ianto ran off, weaving around the line of huge trees.

"Not near the road!" Rhys called to him as Ianto circled a huge conker tree running up the hill towards the pavement. At his shout Ianto changed his trajectory and ran down the hill, zoomed past Rhys and turned another circle and ran back to him. Ianto crashed into him and looked up, he was panting heavily.

"You enjoying yourself?" Rhys asked. Ianto's answer was to go running off ahead of him to the ice-cream stall that lay on the edge of the park. However, Rhys watched him pause as he had to go up the hill again towards the road. He stopped and waited for Rhys as he strolled over. Ianto in the end lost patience. He ran back to Rhys and took his hand pulling him along towards the ice cream stand.

"All right, the ice cream isn't going anywhere," Rhys said. "What sort of ice cream do you want?"

"A big one!" Ianto said, finally getting Rhys to the stall.

"Do you want a flake or sprinkles?"

"Both!"

Rhys looked down at him. "If I'm only allowed to have one or the other then so are you."

Ianto snorted and bashed his head against Rhys' leg.

"Ow," Ianto rubbed his forehead a little. He frowned and wrinkled his nose as he looked up. "Sprinkles."

"Right."

Five minutes later they were sat under a large tree eating ice cream. Ianto was licking at the melting ice cream with intense concentration. Rhys laughed and reached for a tissue as Ianto got some on his nose. He reached over and wiped it away.

"You're messier than I am."

Ianto giggled and carried on eating.

"Is that good?" Rhys asked. Ianto nodded enthusiastically. Rhys noticed his eyes, now and again, when he wasn't totally absorbed in eating his ice cream, strayed to the large playground that was a little way to the left of them. On a Saturday afternoon the place was busy, with children climbing over the assault course and playing on the swings. Ianto kept looking at it with curious interest. Rhys watched his curious gaze, trying to work out what Ianto was thinking. Jack said he still had all his memories, somewhere in there. Gwen had said the same thing. The fact that he knew who they all were told them all that much, but Jack had told him to treat him like he was three. As Ianto started to munch on the cornet, his face and hands sticky with ice cream, Rhys made his decision.

"Do you want to go over there for a bit of a play?"

Ianto looked at him, his blue eyes were uncertain for a moment, and then they drifted again over to the activity and noise. When they looked back at Rhys they looked a little brighter.

"Yes please."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ianto hesitated a little as they reached the play area. The noise was decidedly louder. For a moment Ianto pressed close to his side, putting his head against Rhys' leg. In response Rhys put a hand on his head.

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

Again he saw Ianto debate it, but there was longing in his eyes. As if he wanted to join in but wasn't quite sure what to do. He technically wasn't three and a half years old. He was an adult who had all the feelings and emotions of someone that age, and when was the last time Ianto had interacted on that level with other toddlers and kids? Rhys thought to himself. But he certainly looked like he wanted to burn off some energy; his dashing off around the park told him that.

Rhys took his hand and gently guided him forward and paused on the outskirts of the play area.

"You can have a good clean before we go anywhere." He drew Ianto over to a nearby bench. On one side it was occupied by an old black woman, her grey hair pulled back into a bun. She was obviously watching some of the kids playing and had a bag on the bench next to her, almost stuffed to bursting. She gave them a vague smile as Rhys sat down and pulled Ianto onto his lap.

"It's nice to know there's someone out there who's messier at eating ice cream than me," Rhys said. He pulled two more tissues from his pocket and tried to wipe up Ianto's hands. Ianto sat there, still watching carefully, while Rhys did his best. He wondered if there was a toilet nearby, at least he could try and wash him up there, or even just a water fountain.

"Here, try these." The woman on the bench pulled a packet of wipes from her stuffed bag and slid them across the bench. Rhys smiled at her gratefully. As he reached for them Ianto wriggled to get away, so Rhys hooked his other arm around Ianto, pinning him on his lap while he opened the packet.

"No, you don't, not until you're significantly less sticky."

The woman laughed. Rhys pulled out a wipe and cleaned up Ianto's face and hands. Ianto wriggled, obviously he decided he wanted to go and have a run round the playground. He made squeaking sounds of protest as Rhys wiped his face again. Once he was satisfied Ianto looked fairly reasonable Rhys withdrew his restraining arm. Ianto slid off him and ran off. He went wide for a moment, running a full circuit around the play area before scurrying over to the assault course that had been made of wood, tyres and a few rope bridges. Several children were already playing on it. Ianto scampered expertly up one of the ramps and reached one of the towers, where he went to each of the four sides having a good look round.

Rhys dropped the used wipes in the nearby bin and swiped another before closing it up and handing it back.

"Thanks." He started to wipe his own hands. "He might be messier than me but I still come a close second."

He wiped his mouth as well and then dropped the now dirty sheet in the bin. All the while he tracked Ianto's progress as he scampered across a bridge and then down the slide. He ran around to do the same thing again.

"Energetic as well," the woman commented. There was a slight trace of Welsh to her accent but there was something else as well, that Rhys couldn't quite place.

"Yeah, I'm getting tired just watching him" Rhys said as Ianto went across the bridge again. He didn't even seem to pause as it swayed slightly. The base made of wood slats roped together and thick rope ran across on either side for more nervous kids to hold onto. Ianto had none of that.

"He's not yours?"

Rhys shook his head, "no, is my lack of experience obvious?"

She laughed and patted her bag next to her. "When you've had some experience you end up knowing what to bring with you."

"I'm just emergency baby-sitting," Rhys confessed.

"Not related then?" she asked.

Rhys shook his head, he glanced at Ianto again as he went down the slide again and went round for the third time. Rhys took that as a moment to pause and get his story right. He was not exactly able to tell her Ianto was an adult trapped in a child's body by a freak accident with alien technology.

"No, he's the son of a friend of…" he nearly said 'mine', but Rhys wasn't that fond of Jack. "My wife's. Her boss actually. I was just conveniently around to help out. The first time I've ever babysat in my life."

"Interesting is it?"

He shrugged, "well, considering I keep trying to get my wife to discuss babies and that, I think I need to practice more."

"How long have you been married?"

"A few months."

The woman gave a throaty knowing laugh. "I know which part of the practicing you do at that stage."

Rhys smiled, but blushed a little at just how accurate she was. He instead looked at Ianto, haring around the play area. As he scurried up the ramp he passed a little girl, of what Rhys presumed to be a similar age, perhaps a fraction older. She was having a little trouble clambering up but as Ianto reached the rail at the top he paused and held out his hand to help her up into the tower.

As they headed over the rope bridge together Ianto let the little girl go first, keeping pace with her and taking one of her hands while her other clung tightly to the rope on one side.

"He's very well mannered," the old woman commented. "Aimee's never been brave enough to go across that before, that's my Granddaughter."

"Really?" Rhys said. He wasn't very surprised that Ianto was polite. It was one of the most obvious things about him. The fact that he was retaining it now indicated just how quintessential to his personality it actually was.

"Your first?" he asked the women, to be just as polite, if nothing else.

She gave another laugh at that. "Not by a long shot, my seventh, from my youngest daughter, Amiee's her first. My daughter's in hospital recovering from giving me my eighth."

"Wow," Rhys said. That was, he decided, rather impressive. "Congratulations."

"Considering a twelve hour labour I think my daughter might throw something at me if I say that."

Rhys laughed again. Ianto and Amiee were clambering up across another part of the course. The bridge was a little steadier, Aimee was moving a little faster until she realised her socks were rolling down She bent down to pull them up. Ianto watched her, waiting for her so they could carry on across the bridge together. When she was satisfied she stood up.

While Rhys had been watching them interact his gaze had wandered slightly. He looked along the bridge to a child that was moving along it. He was bigger than the rest, probably about six or seven and on the heavy side with it, Rhys guessed. He wasn't very good with children's ages. However, as he watched the boy go past Amiee and then Ianto, he had no trouble moving past Amiee and that meant, in Rhys' opinion, what happened next was most definitely deliberate.

The boy brushed past Ianto, and pushed hard. With a yelp Ianto flew off the bridge and landed on the ground. The force sent him a couple of metres or so. Which was another thing that made the whole incident look deliberate. He landed heavily on his hands and knees, the force clearly jarring him painfully as he gave a high pitched yelp that quickly erupted into noisy tears.

Several other people, parents, moved forward. Some having seen the altercation, some just hearing Ianto's cries. Most of them looked around, obviously looking for whoever was responsible for him. And all of them backed off as Rhys shot forward. He hadn't actually realised he was moving, but he had got up the second Ianto became airborne. Ianto sat on the ground, crying noisily, probably more in shock than with pain. The ground underneath was made from soft, pliable rubber. It gave under Rhys' feet as he walked over it, probably designed to absorb the impact when children landed.

He picked Ianto up and cuddled him, resting him on his hip, in such a similar way to Jack that Ianto settled against him easily. Rhys wasn't Jack, but in Ianto's mind, he was good enough at that moment. If nothing else he'd provided ice cream.

"Hey, come on."

Rhys gave Ianto's hands a quick cursory look. They were red and slightly grazed from the impact and his jeans were slightly scuffed just on his right knee.

"Okay," Rhys cuddled him. "Does it hurt?"

Ianto nodded tearfully. Rhys shushed him as he hiccupped and another round of tears started. Rhys carried on comforting him and looked at the boy who now stood on the edge of the bridge, he looked half-defiant, half-shocked, sending glances around to see how much attention he had drawn.

"That wasn't very nice," Rhys said in a low, stern tone. The boy flushed but scowled.

"Oi, don't you shout at my son!" An aggressive voice floated across the play area. Rhys turned and looked at the man stalking over to him. Looking him up and down, it just really seemed to explain everything to Rhys. He felt Ianto press tighter against him.

"I didn't," Rhys said keeping his tone calm and level. "That's your job."

For a moment the man just stared. Rhys looked back. Ianto put his head down on Rhys' shoulder, burying his face against him. Out of the corner of his eye Rhys caught the boy's smug expression. Rhys did nothing except stand there. From the tone of his voice, and the way he just patiently waited it was clear he was waiting for the man to correct his child. It wasn't exactly what the man expected. Rhys raised his eyebrows and waited, realising that there was a hell of a lot of people watching.

"It was only an accident. He just fell."

Rhys looked and measured the distance between where he was now and the spot that Ianto had been pushed from.

"I certainly don't think that flying that distance was just a simple fall," Rhys said, he could hear his tone going, exactly the way it did every time he got wound up. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself. He ran a hand up and down Ianto's back, reminding himself he didn't want to upset Ianto any further.

"And anyway, I was watching. He pushed him."

The man snorted again. "They're only playing."

Rhys raised his eyebrows, let that sentence sink in with everyone around them, and then retorted, his voice low, calm and as cool as the ice cream he had eaten earlier.

"Well, then I suggest you teach him to play…." He drew that word out for maximum sarcasm effect. "… with people his own size."

The expression of shock and embarrassment on the man's face was enough for Rhys. He turned his attention to Ianto.

"Okay?"

He felt Ianto shake his head.

"Shall we sit down for a bit?"

Ianto nodded.

"Come on, it's all right." Rhys carried him over to the bench, shushing and soothing him the whole way. Inwardly he kicked himself a little, thinking that maybe letting Ianto play was just not a good idea. Although, he hadn't exactly done anything to warrant being pushed about. However, Rhys realised several kids and grown ups had noticed Ianto's super-speedy confidence on the assault course. Which probably was unusual for someone so young. Rhys just hoped his confidence hadn't been knocked.

He sat down on the bench; the old lady was smiling in sympathy. Rhys sat Ianto on his lap and reached for his hands.

"Let's see," Rhys insisted as Ianto whined and a few more tears rolled down his cheeks. His hands were reddened still and a little scuffed but nothing too serious.

"Here." The woman had her wipes out again, pulling one out for Rhys to use. "They do cool the stinging a little."

"Thanks."

Very gently he wiped Ianto's hands, cleaning the dirt off them. He had stopped crying at least, and he dropped his head on Rhys' shoulder.

"Does your knee hurt?"

Ianto sniffed and nodded. Rhys looked at the material of the jeans. The denim was fairly tough looking but it was now a little scuffed where he had landed. Carefully he rolled up the material so he could pull it over Ianto's knee.

There was probably going to be a bruise. Ianto's knee was red, with a slight friction burn where the material had grazed against his skin on landing. But he could still move his leg. He kicked as Rhys wiped over the slight lump that was forming. The woman lent over and rubbed Ianto's ankle.

"You'll be all right."

Ianto gave her a slightly suspicious look but it was wiped off his face as Rhys cleaned up his tears and made him blow his nose. Amiee came trotting over to her grandmother, she watched Ianto with mild concern.

"That boy's mean," Amiee announced.

"Well, you stay away from him then, do you want your drink?"

Amiee nodded. The lady reached into her bag. She had a three pack of juice in the bag as well. Rhys wondered how it all fitted in there.

"You're not a relative of Mary Poppins are you?"

"You are a very cheeky young man," she told him with a smile. She put the straw in and passed the drink to Amiee. Very efficiently she repeated the process with a second carton and offered it to Ianto. From the safety of Rhys' lap he blinked and sniffed before taking the drink carefully with both hands.

"Thank you." Ianto's voice was a little muffled and sniffly. The woman smiled at him.

"You're welcome."

Ianto started to drink the juice. As he stayed on Rhys' lap, Amiee clambered up next to her grandmother. Ianto seemed extremely subdued and remained so for several minutes. Rhys watched the bully, who was now sitting at the top of one of the towers. And it would appear was going to be very lonely up there. All the other children appeared to be very studiously avoiding him.

In fact a band of them appeared to be clustering on the grass nearby running around playing tag. Amiee wriggled off the seat giving her drink to her grandmother. She almost scampered off but then she turned and grabbed Ianto's forearm and tugged.

"Come on!" she insisted tugging a little harder. Ianto hesitated but eventually wriggled off Rhys' lap, gave him his drink and then headed off after Amiee to join in.

Rhys sat back and watched him. He didn't appear to be limping, which was a good sign. The lady, obviously seeing his face reached over and patted his arm.

"Don't worry, they're pretty resilient at that age."

Rhys smiled. He sat back and contemplated the thought of sitting there one day watching his own son or daughter play. Would they really be able to do it? Gwen was right with her job it was impossible. But he knew she had thought about it. Before Torchwood, before Jack. Rhys felt his jaw tense, and then he relaxed as he watched Ianto run back to him tugging at the zip on the hoodie.

"Hot," Ianto said. Rhys took the zip out of his hands and yanked it down, he was pulling the top off when Amiee charged up and hit Ianto on the shoulder.

"Tag!" she yelped triumphantly and ran off. Ianto scowled, spun round and ran off after her, dragging his arms clear of his top and he went tearing back over to the group. Rhys shook his head and carefully folded up the top.

No, Rhys thought to himself. It was not an impossible idea. Although it was probably nothing short of provocative to have the discussion while Ianto was in his second infancy, or repeating his first. But he was going to have that talk with her. It was about damn time.