Chap 24

What do you mean? Tarn asked gently, "How did you cock up?"

"Oh God, if I tell you, you'll think less of me" CJ grumbled.

I don't think Tad thinks much about anything that's important to me! If I didn't have you I'd probably be locked in the cellar or forgotten on the bus or something"

CJ sighed, "I said that to my Taddy that he didn't think of me as important when we were having a go at Taddy. I must have been about … ah ten, I think."

"We?"

"Yeah, me and Dad formed an offensive line" CJ snorted, "Like really offensive!"

"I accused him of wanting to lock me in the cellar"

"You can't tell me what to do, you don't have the right" CJ snorted "That was another favourite, as well as "You're not my Dad!" which always hurt."

"CJ!" Tarn said softly as he stroked his hair.

"I was so horrible and Taddy just stood there, his heart bleeding everywhere and I saw the blood so I went for the kill."

"Dad told me not to listen to you. He said you were full of hot air because your own parents didn't care about you!"

"I told him his own parents didn't want him and he was worthless" CJ was sniffing now as he thought of Ianto's face.

His Taddy's pain.

"Your dad hit you and your Mum went mental and wound up in Providence Park, yeah?"

"I said Grandma Jones went to Provy Park and she was nuts" he muttered, "Dad actually said she had a wee breakdown because of depression."

"Right! Yeah! Mental! Like you're scared you might be one day! Good thing we have Flat Holm because you will fit in with all the other nut cases there!"

"I said we should put him away as well." CJ sighed.

"Oh wow, you really said that to him, right to his face?"

"Shouted it I think" CJ sniffed, "Poor Taddy seemed to wilt as he reached for a chair. He was shaking like a leaf."

"So what did you do?"

"Dad said that when you came back through the rift he nearly left you there, knew you were there for weeks before he went and claimed you off UNIT because he knew you were going to be damaged like all Rift survivors are!" CJ spoke softly now, his face close to Ianto's as he savoured his Tad's paling face at the lies CJ poured syrupy sweet into his ear.

"I told him Dad almost didn't bring him home after he came back."

"What do you mean, when he came back?" Tarn's hand had stopped petting and CJ snuffled.

"Taddy got taken away, like kidnapped. UNIT are a government force that sort of got him back. Dad didn't get him back because he didn't know they had rescued him but I knew that would hurt and I used it" CJ said slowly, trying to remember the cover story.

"CJ? What aren't you telling me?"

CJ sighed and held him tighter.

"Tad and Dad work for Torchwood. They're alien hunters, OK?" CJ finally gave some truth and Tarn became as still as a rock.

"Aliens" he whispered, his eyes wide with terror.

"Yeah, you know ... saving the world and stuff." CJ sighed, "The rift is a supernatural anomalies and UNIT are bastards, all you really need to remember."

Tarn knew his eyes must be huge as he lay on the bed and his mind was in turmoil.

"Tarn?" Ianto spoke softly from the doorway, "You OK?"

"Um…." Tran's eyes rolled to settle on the Torchwood Agent who smiled softly.

"Its OK Tarn, you're safe here" Ianto said softly, "We have known from the moment we saw you that you were special."

CJ raised his head in confusion.

"My husband is from the 51st Century and I am a rift survivor that came back with altered DNA" Ianto said calmly as Tarn stared.

"Taddy?" CJ asked as his Tad spewed their family secrets.

"Oh, and I gave birth to our children too" Ianto tilted his head and smiled.

"Tarn, don't be afraid." Ianto said softly, "Your Tertardian heritage does not make you any less human, same as my husband's futuristic DNA doesn't make him any less a dork sometimes" Ianto huffed with fake annoyance.

"My great grandmother was from a place called Tertardia. A planet far away and she looked human but you can see in the photos that her eyes were …different" Tarn frowned.

"Yeah, more egg shaped and a lovely shade of green, just like yours and your mother's" Ianto touched his cheek.

"You and the Captain have known all along that I'm a freak?"

"No!" Ianto and CJ both yelled together.

"Family!" Ianto said firmly, "You are family now and I understand your mating imperative but CJ must wait another year before you can breed." Ianto still held his cheek and Tarn was transfixed.

"In one year I will let you marry and bond" Ianto smiled.

CJ was still in shock as his Tad left the room and Tarn turned shyly to see what reaction he might get.

"A year?" CJ said softly, "YES! I thought he would hold out to 21"

"You don't mind my heritage?"

"Oh Tarnish, you are my future." CJ crooned in Harkness-Jones style, "the past doesn't matter."