Author's Notes: Well, this is even darker than the last one, which is rather worrying. It's also solving a part of canon that I never particularly liked, so I'm pleased with it.

As stated below, the quote I used is from Risk Assessment, one of the novels, and that exact scene was from Gwen's point of view. It was just handy and I thought it'd fit.

Anyway, I hope you like it and I'd love to know what you think.

Wrath – extreme anger, rage, hatred, or a need for vengeance or revenge. To feed the need of Wrath, people may even turn to physical abuse or murder.

"Jack and Ianto never rowed. Shagged like rabbits, occasionally shot at each other, but never actual couple-y things like a row."

Gwen Cooper, "Risk Assessment"

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about this!" Ianto seemed to be beyond caring whether he would shout himself hoarse or not. "The first arrived months ago and you said they've stopped coming after the third one!"

The strangely shaped pods had started appearing in the early March and both Gwen and Ianto had been willing to investigate. At this point it had been more of a desperate desire to do anything to distract themselves from Tosh and Owen's absence, but Jack had still assured them that it didn't really matter and that they had more important things to fix on.

And they had done just that. Ianto would have figured it out much earlier, he supposed, but Jack had stored all the ones that had arrived later on several different places. He'd thought that he would make it easier for them that way – one thing less to worry about – and he'd wanted to take care of it alone. And, of course, it had only made things worse in the long run.

"I didn't think they'd hurt anyone!"

"Well, you thought wrong." Ianto's voice was unnaturally pleasant, but his eyes were flashing now and they looked the way they always did when he was angry – the usual calm, bright sky was now an ocean during a storm and the Captain couldn't stand to stare at them for too long. "Jack, my sister lives there. The neighbourhood where you've stored it all in a warehouse because it's not overpopulated? Yeah. That's exactly the place."

He was so close now that Jack could feel his breath on his face. He felt himself getting agitated too and not the least bit guilty about it; not when he'd been holding back quite a bit of information he'd learnt while handling the pod case by himself.

"Well, I didn't know this, did I?" When Ianto opened his mouth to speak, Jack didn't give him the chance. "No, you know what? I recognised her; I've seen her in your file." Ianto's unnaturally pale skin – which was, quite frankly, its usual state – became even paler, but he went on. "She was outside and she asked me what I was doing. I told her that the city council needed someone to measure the land that hasn't been built on. 'The city council?' she said. 'My brother works there'. We talked a bit, she figured out that I knew you, and then we talked about you. I told her that I'm your best friend. She laughed and when I asked her what's so funny, she said, 'Half of Britain thinks that'."

Ianto had tensed even more, but he still found it in himself to sneer, "Don't make this about me." Jack, though, knew that he'd hit on an old wound, and kept going.

"I told her that it was true; that you shared everything with me–"

"I do," Ianto put in quietly. His voice was a bit raspy and Jack wasn't sure if it was panic or fear that made it to be so. He laughed, the sound harsh in the small office.

"Really? Because we talked some more and, as it turned out, most of what you've told me about your entire life was you lying through your teeth and what for? She didn't know? She said you've just always been like that."

"Jack, please–"

"And I can't figure it out either," Jack said quietly. "Why would you lie to me about all those things? I'd never judge you, I'd never criticise a thing you've done. So why would you do such a thing?"

Ianto's eyes were wide and terrified now, like those of a trapped animal or a child that had faced the worst in the world for the first time and Jack had to resist the urge to bring him in for a hug. After all, he was the one demanding answers here.

"I swear to you, Jack." His voice was shaky and small. Jack hadn't seen him act like that since Lisa and it scared the hell out of him, especially because Owen wasn't around anymore. He remembered the man talking about waking up old traumas before, and now Jack needed to be sure that he hadn't pushed the wrong button after all. "I've never lied to you. Not about that. Everything I've told you–"

"Oh, come on, Ianto." Jack felt powerlessness course through him. He wasn't angry anymore; just exhausted. Maybe it was something else; maybe he didn't even realise he was lying. Compulsive lying, wasn't it? Maybe it was something like that. Or maybe Ianto wanted him to think just that so he would leave him alone. "Don't you think it's a bit late for that?"

"Everything I've told you," Ianto repeated, his voice rising again. "About my childhood, about my parents, it's the truth. Same goes for Rhiannon. I'm not lying. She just doesn't know it."

Jack frowned and stared at him, idly wondering if Ianto had finally lost it. "Sorry?"

"Exactly what I said." Ianto had gone back to whispering and his eyes were still wide and asking for understanding. "Think about it."

And he did. When it finally hit him, Jack closed his eyes. God, he'd been stupid. So stupid. Different parents. One of them was probably adopted.

"Oh, Jesus Christ."

"Pretty much."

"She doesn't know about it, does she?"

"No."

"Are you planning on telling her?"

"No. Did you Retcon her after you spoke with her?"

"Yes."

"Good."

He wanted to say that he was sorry, but didn't bother. Ianto was often irritated by people doing it ('why would they say sorry if it's not their fault?') and plus, Jack didn't feel in the mood for giving tasteless apologies for things Ianto had carried with him all through his life.

"I– I didn't know," he offered instead.

"Few people do," Ianto said softly and then met his eyes. "Jack, God knows I've lied to you about a lot of things and what I've hidden from you is even more. And I know that the everything I've chosen to share with you isn't really that big; it's all bits and pieces. But for what it's worth – and that might not be much – what I've shared with you are all the important things. They might be bits and pieces, but they're the ones that– well, you know." He smiled. "The best bits. The impressive ones. The ones that make me who I am. That's why I've told you about them, after all."

Jack stared at him and then started laughing helplessly. "Ianto Jones," he said, shaking his head. "You're the single most honest liar I have ever met."

"You love it."

Jack kept smiling, and just like he'd done almost two years ago after a week-long death, brought a still hesitant Ianto into his embrace and pressed him against himself as Ianto buried his face into the crook of Jack's neck with a small smile of his own.

"Not always," he said quietly. "But if that's as good as it's gonna get, then I'll have you like that anyway."