2

They sat at the table and Ianto placed the blue glass paperweight down, Jack snatching it up.

"I want to be first to say I think these are a good idea." He said calmly, "While Mimi is getting ready for the bonfire we can have a quick meeting and then tomorrow night a longer one, OK?"

Rhys held out his hand and Jack dropped the paperweight into the palm, Rhys cleared his throat, "I think the house rules are a good idea. We need stability and someone in charge. Also, I suggest we start this as we mean to go on. Fresh start, yeah?"

Ianto leaned back in the chair as he glared at the man who was trying to protect his wife, Tosh reaching for the paperweight.

"The rules stand. I have added one" she said calmly, "If the team is endangered by one, we vote to remove the one."

Ianto blinked.

"The team is all of us right?" Andy squeaked.

"Agreed" Jack nodded, "The greater good."

Gwen held out her hand and Tosh handed it over.

"I … I will do better. I just need sleep, real sleep" she assured them, "I am sorry Ianto."

Ianto nodded and then stared at the corner of the room as the paperweight did the rounds, people saying that they agreed and Jack saying they were ready for the bonfire.

"Great, I wanna light the bloody thing" Owen said eagerly, dropping the paperweight and they all rose to leave the room, Ianto pausing to pick up the paperweight and place it on the mantelpiece. He then turned to the corner of the room.

"Well?"

Mica stepped from thin air and sat on the sofa, "So…we burn stuff now?"

"Yes love" Ianto nodded as Crypto shook himself and padded past to watch Owen light the wood. "Now I thought we agreed you were to stay upstairs in case things got messy own here."

"Crypto said you were going to be in charge" she said calmly, "He said he would bite anyone who said dumb stuff so we have to be here."

"Cheeky monkey" Ianto said affectionately "Go on then, you will miss the fire."

She scrambled to her feet and too off with Crypto following with a sedate sweep of his tail to show his amusement. It was not until after they were gone that Ianto noticed the scribble on the wall, along the base.

Uncle Ianto and Uncle Jack are mine and Cryptoes

Ianto thought I was the sweetest thing he had ever seen. He went out and found the bonfire well under way with Owen making weird whooping noises as he danced around it like he was Tom Hanks in that movie about the island. Bloody nitwit. Ianto couldn't help but grin as Owen payed with the little girl, her laugher echoing in the darkness.

Suzie stood with the rifle on her hip watching said darkness with a thin pursed mouth, Crypto sitting silently watching as well. Ianto knew he should scold and remind of those things out there …. that they might attract them with the nosie but… for now he watched and smiled softly.

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Gwen stood staring at the wall for a long time, her hands opening and closing as she struggled to control the urge to scream.

"Gwen?"

She turned to find Rhys standing there an she pointed at the wall. "What about me. What about us Rhys? Are we part of this? Or… or… will they cut us loose?"

"What?" his confusion evident as he leaned back to stare at her.

"They will. First chance they get, you wait and see. Expendable. That's what we are, expendable. If they need a sacrificial lamb I am telling you now…it won't be one of them" she was making a weird snorting noise as she spoke, her eyes wild and Rhys walked over to pull her in close.

"Listen to me, we have a good thing here. We are safe, there is food and a chance of a better tomorrow." Rhys said softly, his hand sliding up to cup her head as he held her, then his fingers slid into her hair and griped it, pulling her head back so he could look into her eyes, "Do not stuff this up Gwen. Do you hear me? Keep it together. This is not like college where we can change friends each time you get drunk and obnoxious or hit on someone's boyfriend then claim rape. Ya hear me missus?"

His voice was low, dangerously so and she saw the anger flaring there, the only thing to do was crumble and weep, "You don't love me anymore do you."

Rhys released her and stepped back surprising her, rubbing his face with sorrow, "I don't know Gwennie. Right now…I don't feel anything but fucking tired. Maybe Ianto's right. We are not working with all our faculties. Maybe…maybe if we get some sleep and…settle the fuck down things will get better, yeah?"

"I don't want to leave" she whispered, "I don't think we would make it out there Rhys. Andy wouldn't come with. It would just be us."

"Then think about that before you act" he said as he turned to leave then he looked back at her, "Besides….what if I want to stay too? Come burn your bloody scraps."

She stood there staring at the doorway for a while, then slumped. Crypto stood outside the window staring in as he watched her scream with silent rage, then school her features and follow him out.

Definitely got cheese sliding off the cracker that one.

And she was right. A captain would sacrifice her in a heartbeat for his crew.

He was a good captain who knew where the rot was too.