43

"Hey boys" Hope said as she approached Solomon and Holden who seemed to be squaring off for another argument.

They both turned to face her and grimaced as they knew the reason for her seeking them out, as it was a lot lately.

They settled to talk.

.

.

"So… I want to take some extra ammo just in case" Owen said as he looked at the map laid out on the table "This will be an overnighter… will it all fit in the Valiant? Do we need the Torchwood too?"

"I guess we could settle the smaller troop carrier on top and then once there…. If Hope can keep to the plan" Jack slowly let his eyes slide to her and she shrugged, leaning back in her chair as Ifan stood behind her with a hand on the back of said chair in what was clearly a dominating spot. Strangely, she was not challenging it.

Dean and Frank glanced at one another and then Dean asked "So… Sol and Dens. They over their snit?"

She grunted with a glare at them and Frank made a noise in the back of his throat before slipping out of the meeting, followed by a rather annoyed Dean. This had gone far enough and with this major recon ahead it was going to take a lot of manpower and a lot of concentration.

Those two had to sort their shit out.

.

.

The meeting was almost over and as Jack thanked everyone who put their names down to go… which was a bloody long one that would take some careful damage control to ensure the teams were conducive to the task ahead, some of them clearly not much good at heavy lifting but… well.. Ianto would sort out a foodie job and such for the three he could see that would only get in the way.

But how rude would it be to say no?

Hope rose to leave and paused as she saw Dean and Frank entering the room with furtive looks and she asked "Where did you two go? We were still in the meeting and why did you shield?"

They looked at her a little guiltily and then Frank did that weird grin thing at her and clicked something out quickly with his claws that made her eyes widen "NO! Seriously? You two need to stay out of my business."

"But it's my business too" Ifan said sullenly "My brother is looking out for me and my interests too. You think your brother isn't? It was time to sort it out."

Hope sighed, "They weren't ready."

"They were never going to be ready the fucking scaredy cats!" Pip suddenly blurted out and now everyone was interested in this weird conversation.

"I wanna wed you!" Ifan said angrily as he shoved her chair in and turned to face her "how can I declare if those two are still mooning about like star-crossed fucktards?"

Anything else about to be said died as Solomon entered the room with Holden… hand in hand. They both looked a little embarrassed and both had blood on them.

"You two been fighting again!" Kris boomed out.

"No… actually Dean thumped me and Frank thumped Dens" Solomon answered with a huff "They thought it was time to smack some sense into us."

"OK… now I am confused!" Bonny groaned.

"We… I mean… the problem is that…" Holden seemed to be chewing on it and it was Frank who took the bull by the horns, in standard Weevil fashion he simply obliterated the problem.

"They are boning each other and too scared to say they are together. Hope is their… what is it called again my sweet Carrot? Beard? Beard, she is their beard. They got too caught up in the fighting and it started for real then they couldn't find a way to stop." Frank said, a very long speech for as weevil.

"Did he just call you Carrot?" Jack asked his son with surprise.

"Boning... oooooooo… as in…." Owen made a suggestive motion with his hips and then burst out into peels of laughter "You stupid bastards. Really? You are secretly in love? Fucking retards the both of ya. God, I really thought there was going to be a need to separate you into different villages. God."

"I don't know. That is stupid" Olivia said with a grunt of annoyance as she waved a hand at them "Like we are all fawning about waiting to nick off with one or something. God! I am still waiting for Gill to notice me!"

"Huh?" Gill grunted as he blinked furiously "What? Me?"

"Oh god, it's like a soap opera" Bonny laughed softly.

"So hang on here… Ifan. Did you just ask me for my daughter's hand?" Jack stopped everything with a hand raised, looking at the young man.

Ifan frowned at him "Well actually I was hoping for the full enchilada sir."

Everyone started to laugh as Holden and Solomon gaped, looking around with shock as it became glaringly obvious that no one cared if they were together and clearly, the only ones with a problem with their masculinity being questioned here… was them.

Hope felt her face getting hot and she raised her hand with confusion as she felt her first ever Love Blush, Ianto watching with delight as Ifan took her in the crook of his arm and looked around defiantly like he would fight anyone who tried to take her. Like anyone would try.

Eighteen.

Yes, more than old enough to wed and have some pups of her own.

Jack's sharp intake of breath warned him that he had not shielded that thought and he could only laugh as Jack rushed towards Owen to make sure there was birth control readily available for his 'baby girl' who Ianto knew was already well past needing that.

Hence the need to this to get sorted out.

Oh yes.

He could smell it on her, even if she didn't realize it yet.

Her father was gonna be impossible.