Chapter 8 : Unexpected Visitor

Ianto didn't stay long after that. Even though he played it cool around the captain, the events of the night had rattled him. When he had first arrived in Cardiff with Lisa, he had considered trying to join Torchwood Three so that he could use their resources but he knew how much Captain Harkness disliked the London branch and did not want to bring too much attention to himself. After finding Harry, the feeling only increased. But now, here he was, having saved the man himself and revealed his knowledge of aliens. There was no way that he could go back under the radar after tonight.

He told Ms. Lewis just as much after explaining his night to her.

"I'm not going to run," he somehow managed to stay this with much more conviction than he was feeling, "I'm just sorry if it brings any unwanted attention to you."

The woman placed her hand on Ianto's knee. "Do not worry about me. I have lived on this planet far longer than you have. I lived here under the old Torchwood regime and I now live under the new regime. Hopefully I will be here to see the next, but either way I am content."

Ianto wasn't sure how to respond, so he settled with placing his hand over her's and gently squeezing. He hoped she was able to understand his thanks.

They stayed like that for a moment, thinking of the past, before sounds of Harry moving restlessly in his sleep brought both back to the present. Deciding that it was time to leave, Ianto gave a quick goodbye and sincere thanks to Ms. Lewis. He then carried Harry across the hall and tucked him into bed. As he went to pull away, small hands in his shirt kept him from leaving. Rather than force the situation, Ianto lay down on the bed. He only meant to lay down for a minute but before he knew it, he was waking up to sunlight shining through the window.

He rolled over and came face to face with wide watery green eyes leaning over him.

"Bunny?" the question was asked with the most heartbreaking whimper. Filled with both hope and dread. The sound made Ianto cringe in anticipation.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I couldn't find him." The tears in Harry's eyes weld up and over flowed. "Come here, have a cwtch." Not needing further prompting, Harry launched himself into Ianto's arms and began to cry in earnest, Ianto holding him close.

They stayed like that for a long while, only moving after their stomachs began to put up great protests.

"Alright," Ianto whispered, "let's go eat breakfast."

Harry nodded, took a shuttering breath and lifted himself off his father's chest. Once in a better position, Ianto lifted Harry into his arms, took them both into the kitchen and sat Harry on the counter.

"What should we eat, then?" They were walking on a razor's edge. Harry had stopped crying but Ianto knew even the smallest thing could set him off. "Cereal? Sausage and eggs? Toast and beans?"

A sniffle and then, "Beans."

"Beans on toast?" Ianto asked and Harry gave a weak nod. They stay silent as Ianto cooks, making a plate of beans on toast with tomatoes. When the food was ready, they ate in continued silence. It had been a long night for the both of them and they had a lot to think about. Harry sat, thinking about his bunny and how sad he must be, lost and alone without a tad to find and save him. Ianto was stuck contemplating his encounter with Captain Harkness and worrying what would happen to Harry if Torchwood came after them.

Both were so caught up in their own worlds that they could not appreciate how similar they were in that moment. Both thinking about what was important, worrying for another's safety. And both with the same scrunched up expression on their faces.

Being Sunday, there was no worry about having to leave Harry at school, where he would no doubt kick up a fuss. Instead, they ate a nice breakfast and cuddle together on the sofa, watching the TV.

Things went smoothly until lunch time, when the warm meal made the already sad Harry tired. With the drowsiness came a bad mood. So, when Ianto told Harry to brush his teeth after eating, the boy exploded. With every insistence on Ianto's part, Harry's wails got louder until suddenly the kitchen sink burst and water was shooting out like a geyser.

The pair were shocked into silence and for a minute they were statues staring at the water rocketing from the broken spigot.

The moment was shattered by a knock at the door. Harry's eyes welled up and his tears burst out almost as fiercely as the broken spigot. The person at the door knocked again, harsher this time, just as Harry ran to his room.

Ianto didn't know what to do. He was torn between comforting his child and finding out who the insistent person outside their flat was. The decision was made for him when Harry's door slammed and knocking officially became banging.

He threw open the front door. "What?" he nearly shouted at the man on the other side. To his utter shock, there stood a very irritated looking Jack Harkness.

"So, not just some overly observant local, then, are you?" the Captain pushed his way inside, past Ianto.

The Welshman rolled his eyes and closed the door. "Go on then, make yourself at home. Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee?" Not waiting for a reply, he walked into the quiet kitchen and began to make a fresh pot of coffee.

"You lied to me," Jack accused as soon as the kettle clicked off and the water was poured.

"I didn't lie to you," Ianto retorted, "I don't think that we spoke enough for me to lie to you."

Jack harshly pointed his finger at the other man, "You said you were just looking for a stuffed animal."

"And I was. It's not my fault that you added meaning that wasn't there." Ianto handed the Captain a cup of the, now perfectly made, rich black liquid.

"Ianto Jones, able student but not exceptional. One minor conviction for shop lifting in your teens." He took a sip of the coffee. "Damn, that's good. A number of temporary jobs, moved around quite a bit. Until two years ago, you joined the Torchwood institute in London, junior researcher. Girlfriend, Lisa Hallett. And starting five months ago, one son, Harry."

"Well, it seems like you know everything." Ianto was feeling a little smug inside because it seemed that Jack didn't know that titles at London meant very little. In reality he had spent the longest time as Hartman's PA and in many ways, the second in command. Though he would never have the stomach to make the hard decision that a director had to make, he could basically run the place. He almost had once, well the day to day things a least, when an ex-girlfriend of his took over. But he was getting side tracked. Jack Harkness was sitting in his kitchen, drinking his coffee, and his (maybe alien) son was just a stone's throw away. "But why, may I ask, are you here?"

"You knew what a weevil was. I thought I would need to come take care of you."

"And instead you find out that I'm a colleague."

"We're nothing of the sort." Jack spat, "We're nothing to do with Torchwood London. And that's why I'm here. Go back to London, find a job, raise your son, just don't stay here."

Ianto thought a moment, trying to find the right words, "I was trapped in the building as it burned. I heard the screams of my friends and our enemies. I didn't run away then and I'm not going to run away now. I will stay here and raise my son where I was raised, near our roots and our family. Nothing you can say can change my mind." Ianto made sure his voice was firm and that their eye contact did not waver. "Plus, you're not in charge of me, you said it yourself, you have nothing to do with London."

Jack just stared at him, seemingly not sure what to make of the man. "This isn't over." He reached into his pocket and smirked when Jones flinch backward. Gripping the object inside he pulled it out and set it on the counter. Sitting there now, was a green and white stuffed rabbit, aptly named Bunny.

Not saying anything more, he turned about, coat flowing behind him, and walked right to the door.

"You could have led with that." Ianto sounded more annoyed than he felt.

Jack opened the door and turned back once more, "Now where would be the fun in that?"

Ianto just stared as the door shut behind the American. The flat echoing with the sound of the slam. It was only then that Ianto thought about the silence. The water, it had stopped somehow.

A/N

For those of you that don't know, we learn a lot about Ianto's time with T1 in Big Finish's audiobook, Torchwood One: Before the Fall. I highly recommend the all the audiobooks produced by Big Finish. They use the really actors to voice the characters and the stories all do great justice to the show. Just a suggestion for those who, like me, miss the shows and our beloved Ianto.

Additionally, I'd like to thank everyone for being patient with the release of this chapter.