Chapter 2 yay!

Still just swearing

ENJOY!

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"I know you want to ask Ianto…I don't mind." Amaria smiled, turning from the movie they were watching to look at him expectantly.

"Oh…sorry…" He blushed and she had to admit it was rather endearing and cute.

"I told you its ok, probably good for me to talk about it, anyway." She added with a shrug. "So, you want the life story or the easy version?" Amaria offered.

"Not like we don't have time. Jack won't be home for a while yet."

"Ah yes, that ass hat…sorry…never met him, no right to judge." She stated, covering, calling him the name again with a muffled cough. "I still can't believe he said that shit to you, no matter how sorry he is for it… jeez like you picked cancer from a list and thought. 'oh this will be fun, let's see how the happy fam does with this one'… pardon my French, but he really fucked up if you ask me. Course you didn't so I'll just shut up." Amaria, looked oddly interested in her drink.

"You're not afraid to say what you think."

She laughed. "Well after the fact, I'm crap in an actual argument. It's probably the ADD." The young woman lamented, looking back to the screen for a minute.

"You have ADD?"

"I take stuff that helps all of it, but due to the syndrome I have. I have that, depression, high blood pressure, birthmarks, a seizure condition, chronic pain, and I guess the easiest way to explain my arm and leg is a stroke, only mine never stops."

"Wow, suddenly cancer doesn't seem so bad…" Ianto mumbled in awe.

"Oh shut up, cancer is awful, draining, and just as, if not even worse. You'll beat it. I know you will, but you have to have the will to get there. Me, well, only place I'm goin is down, may take days, may take years, but it will happen, this will get worse. Fighting won't do any good, there's no magic pill or drug. The ones I do take, just manage the symptoms. It sounds bad, but really, I have no battle to wage. Life just happens as it will and I…I've accepted that."

"Do you even realize how strong you are?"

"Your friend would say I'm too stubborn for my own good. And it's completely true." Amaria laughed with a fond smile. "But uh, last thing you need is more shit to deal with, so you know, just give the word. I'll shuffle on oughta here and you can get back to your life." She stated resolutely. It had happened before, and it would happen again… She understood, she was a lot of stress to deal with and he already had a pretty full plate. It was just a shame, she was really starting to like him.

"Actually, I was going to ask if you wanted to stay for dinner." Ianto smiled and her jaw hit the floor.

"Well, I would love to meet your little boy." Amaria had to admit, and she loved animals as well, Jack was supposed to be bringing, the dread Myfanwy home from the vet, she sounded awesome!

"That settles it then."

~TR~

Jack walked in with a shout and a flurry of activity as Walter ran past, chasing after Myfanwy. The little tyke came running back, "Daddy, who's sleeping with Tadda?" He asked all innocent smiles and shining eyes. The older man stopped in his tracks.

"Tiger?" He called out hesitantly.

"In here Jack, gotta keep it down cariad, Amaria's exhausted. I think she's sleeping." Ianto answered, humming softly, absently playing with her hair. Wondering how, in a few short hours, he'd begun to feel so protective of her.

The older man set his bags down quickly and marched right into the living room. Stretched out with her head on a pillow, and that pillow was in his husband's lap, his hand carding through her hair, there lay a young woman, wearing sand colored scrubs, she even had his dog with her as well! Myfanwy was draped over her like a blanket and glaring at Jack. Hands off my human douche bag!

Jack's mouth opened and closed like a fish. "W-who?"

"Do you ever check your phone messages typswn?" Ianto whispered with a chuckle. "She's a friend, I met at treatment and I've invited her to dinner." He stopped, noting how the dog had already seemed to consider the younger woman family. "That's ok right?"

"If someone can remove the horse from my chest…I'll call a cab, that's right you say Taxi here don't you? Whatever, I'll call one or hell I'll drag my sorry self somewhere, are you close to town? You're not moving…"

"See, Myfanwy wants you to stay, we want you to stay." Ianto looked at Jack hopefully.

Myfanwy barked her agreement and tried to lick Amaria's face. "Whoa…uh uh, big no no. The dog stopped and quirked it's head. "You keep that tongue to yourself and we will be fantastic! Lick me and I will wreck you! Capeche? Shake on it?" The great beast held out its paw, much to Jack's amazement and they 'shook on it'. Myfanwy laid her head down on the woman's chest and snuffled while she rubbed the dog's ears.

"What just happened?"

"It's called respect, you should try it some time." Amaria blurted, then slapped her good hand over her mouth. A muffled 'sorry' could be heard. Ianto blushed and Jack's jaw dropped again. "If Watson over here won't say it, I will."

"Well then, by all means." Jack smirked, not expecting the tirade she was about to launch into.

"I mean, help me understand here. You had to have gone through the same sort of stuff with your accident. Did Ianto ever give up on you? Do you think he likes asking? Feeling weak after doing almost nothing or needing help for the simplest things? He has no choice, but to do it, because he just wanted to try, get past it and get on with his day. And what do you give him? All I hear is a whiney little boy who isn't strong enough to handle his big boy pants when life gets real. Ianto trusted you enough to show his weakness and you throw it back in his face. I don't care what you were really mad at, but blaming him for something he can't control is low, even for an epic argument. Like I mean 'knock down, drag out'. You still don't go there, have some class." Amaria huffed, and you just had to admire her passion. Jack could see why Ianto was a bit taken with her. Then she added, "And if Yanno would let me, then your dog would move, I would smack you…Yes I would, wouldn't I? Oh yes!" She teased in a cutesy voice, obviously playing with Myfanwy.

Ianto felt sheepish and Jack small until Amaria mused. "Though all you'd need to do is run or move your head. I haven't exactly learned how to hit with my left hand yet."

The older man bust out laughing, "In any case I don't think I'll be messing with you anytime soon. And I have apologized for my appalling behavior in as many ways as I know how." Jack looked proud then added, "If she doesn't mind the horde, then what's one more right?"

"The horde?"

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