Chapter 4 : A Little Family

With his mind made up, Ianto got to work. He had made a lot of contacts when he worked as Yvonne's personal assistant. And he used them all in three weeks. By the end you couldn't really say that what he done was legal but still no one would be able to take Harry away from him. It was the end of September by the time he was finished and he was, for the first time ever, driving to get his son.

Oh god. He pulled the car over, put it in park, and started to panic. Doubt pumped through his veins like ice, freezing him up. Could he do this? Was he ready? His house was ready, but was he?

He took a deep breath and tried to make his hands stop shaking. Harry needed him. He could do this.

As Ianto pulled up to the house, it felt like the first time he had ever been there. It seemed darker and more daunting then it ever had. When he knocked on the door, it sounded like banging drums in his ears. The door creaked open slowly and there she stood in the entrance. Mrs. Hughes. A smile sneaks onto her face and Ianto reminds himself that this is just a woman, he was just letting his nerves get to him.

"You must be Mr. Jones, I'm Mrs. Hughes." She reached out her hand.

Ianto clasped her hand in return. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Harry's just waiting for you in the kitchen, this way." There feet thundered across the floor as they approached a door trimmed with light. Ianto's hand shook as he turned the door knob, he tried to remember if it had ever stopped shaking. But all thoughts of worry or doubt were pushed from his mind at the site of Harry sitting at the kitchen table, clutching Bunny, face buried in its head.

Another deep breath and Ianto walked over and squatted down next to Harry's chair. Cautious green eyes peaked over the brown peak of Bunny's head. As soon as Harry caught site of Ianto, tears weld up in his eyes and began to spill over.

"I'm sorry that I took so long." Ianto made sure to keep his voice quiet enough that Mrs. Hughes could not hear.

"Thought you had left me. That you hated me." The tiny voice broke Ianto's heart.

"I could never hate you. And I will never leave you alone."

"Never?" Black curls bounced as the head popped up.

"Not for as long as I live." With that, Harry launched himself into Ianto's arms. Clutching Harry and Bunny, Ianto stud and turned towards Mrs. Hughes. "Is this everything?" Indicating a bag on the table.

"That's everything," the woman explained, "he came with nothing."

After a few minutes of paperwork and formalities, Ianto buckled his sleeping son into the car seat in the back of his car and drove off. As he drove, Ianto could barely stop himself from just staring at the backseat. It all seemed like a dream. Who could have guessed that only a few months after he lost his entire world, Ianto would find a new one.

He couldn't stop smiling. He had his own room. The walls were sunset red and had gold polka dots of all sizes scattered about. The bed, with tis black and gold spiral comforter, sat in the corner farthest from the door. Next to it was a big black armchair, perfect for reading stories. The rest of the furniture was simple wood; a bookshelf, a low coffee table, and, in the closet, a bureau. It was the best room Harry had ever seen.

"Do you like it?" Ianto was cautious. He knew the bed spread clashed with the walls but he couldn't afford much and he wanted it to look fun. Like every kid's room should.

"It's the greatest." Harry looked up at Ianto with a 100-megawatt smile.

"You're the greatest, Ianto."

"You know," Ianto's heart rate picked up, "now that you're my son, you could call me Tad. But only if you want to."

"You're the greatest Tad." Ianto's arms were filled with a small warm body. This was something he could get used to.

"Welcome home, Harry."

Rhiannon was whispering but it definitely seemed like she was yelling. "You have a son? Since when?"

"About a week ago," His eyes flicked over to Harry who was watching the television with his niece and nephew.

"A week? And when were you going to tell me?"

"I'm telling you now, aren't I?"

"But a child, Ianto. Your only 25 and you look as if you might fall over dead." And there it was, as usual Ianto's sister was worrying about him. She didn't think he knew but the less he told her the more she worried. He didn't tell her much. "Do you even have a job?"

"I've been working." That wasn't completely true. He hadn't worked in 2 weeks. Between getting Harry, taking care of Harry, and checking up on Lisa every night, he hadn't found time to get a new job. He had quit his last one because – well, he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about the offices had put him on edge.

When Ianto glanced over to his sister it was clear to him that she didn't believe him. "I'm not being funny. We need a plan."

"You're going to help me?"

It took 2 hours but in the end, they had one.

Harry was 4 years old, but his birthday had been set on July 31, the day he had been found. This meant he could start Reception in January with the second term. Ianto would drop Harry off at Rhiannon's house 3 and a half hours before the start of school (8:30am), before Ianto would go to work. Harry would then be at school until 3:00pm. Ianto would pick him up from there, after he finished work. This would give the two plenty of time together before they went to bed.

The bug problem was Ianto finding and keeping a job. But all of that could wait. Today was December 17, 8 days until Christmas. Harry would start school in the second term. Honestly, Ianto wasn't sure why Mrs. Hughes hadn't started Harry in school during the first term. For now, Ianto had enough savings to last until Harry started school after the New Year. But in the meantime, Ianto would spend as much time with his son as possible.

By the time they had worked all of this out, Harry was asleep and Ianto carried him to the car. The siblings whispered goodbye and confirmed their plans for Boxing Day. Then Ianto was off, on his way to see Lisa.

"Hello, beloved." Ianto kissed Lisa softly on her lips, as if he was afraid she might break.

"Ianto," her breath was labored and wet, "you haven't come to see me in days. Where have you been?"

He didn't know why, but Ianto had been putting off telling Lisa about his new charge. "I've been much busier recently. There's something I have to tell you." Ianto was nervous almost scared, "I've adopted a 4-year-old boy."

"What?" Strangely, her voice sounded electronic, filtered, Ianto shook it off.

"His name is Harry and he is amazing. I know you'll love him when you get to know him."

"I don't want to get to know him." She seemed angry. At what, Ianto didn't know.

"He needed me, Lisa. And you've always wanted children." He was frantic for her to understand. "I know the timing isn't great but I can take care of both of you. And when we find a way to fix you, the 3 of us will be a family."

Ianto's words hung in the air. Lisa, lying there, staring at him accusingly.

The conversation seemed to be going nowhere. So, Ianto got to work giving Lisa her medicine and checking that all the machines were working properly. When everything was in order, he grabbed his coat and started to leave.

"Ianto," Lisa called after him, "get rid of the boy. You need to stay focused."

Chapter End

July 2006 Harry arrives in the TW dimension/ Battle of Canary Wharf

September 2006 (2 months later) Harry meets Ianto

November 2006 Harry tells Ianto about his magic

3 weeks later (December) Ianto adopts Harry