32
Jack arrived and loaded everything up, excitedly hugging the kids between each suitcase as he gushed about the Penthouse, "Two bedrooms so you can both share one with twin beds or maybe one of you wants to build a sofa fort or something in the huge lounge, it has about four sofas. Gods, I want one now. We can eat in it like a picnic, yeah?"
"We eat at the table like civilised people thank you Jack!" Ianto scolded without any anger and Jack snorted at him to show he didn't really care about silly rules.
Rhiannon watched the kids laugh and chirp around him and then she looked at Ianto, his face serene and the frown was gone, the lines around his mouth were gone. Gods. This was real. She stepped forward to kiss Ianto goodbye as the kids clambered about Johnny, climbing into his lap as he told them he would come all the way to London in his wheelchair if they were naughty and they know how long it would take to get that far on those wheels.
Giggling and good natured crowing ensued as they clambered into the SUV with TORCHWOOD along it, Dafyd screaming as he saw the interior.
"Can't hurt anything, the real ones are folded away. Just the filming models out" Jack whispered, kissing Ianto's ear and then looking at the little diamond with surprise. "Cute."
"Kayla's" Ianto said happily as he reached for the door to get in, "I feel right. Her being with us, all one big family."
Jack felt weird about that and closed the door carefully before walking around to the driver's side. He did up his belt and then began to drive as he continued to think about that statement, then Ianto started to talk again, "She would approve. I know she would. She would have loved you. It feels right. A wee piece of her with us. I will not wear her ring anymore. I don't belong to her anymore, but a wee piece of her still belongs to me. Funny really, I feel like…I've crossed a threshold or something. I'm not mourning her, I'm not missing her. I'm just thankful for what we had. Now I have you and know whatever we face, we will be as strong as this little diamond."
"I didn't know you still wore your wedding band" Jack said with surprise.
"Felt weird without it" he shrugged as he settled back to close his eyes, "Doesn't now. I mean, I thought I was only here for the kids, to remember her. Never thought I might actually find someone to make me feel alive again."
Jack glanced over to see Ianto's eyes were closed and he blinked as he looked back at the road, a pleasure deep in his gut making him grip the wheel tightly. Precious cargo.
Jack had time to think as the children played games on their phones and Ianto snoozed behind the bullet proof and sun resistant glass without any fear of the sun outside. His trust showed as he hadn't even pulled his jacket around himself. Jack glanced in the rear view mirror as the cab fell silent and he saw that the kids had drifted off like their father, their little heads nodding so he turned on the CD player and sang softly to the music.
They reached the outskirts of London and Dafyd was the first to wake, his sounds of glee waking his sister and Tad. They got to the Hyatt and unloaded their gear, walking up to the front desk where there was an envelope waiting.
The kids squealed with glee as they ran about the place that was like an apartment, Ianto shocked and curious as he opened and closed drawers. Jack found this cute and he sat watching Ianto's fingers flick through magazines, pull books from shelves and touch everything.
So visceral.
"We want the fort!" Mica crowed, "Fort! Fort!"
Jack laughed as he rushed to obey the little girl who was already pulling at sofa cushions with glee.
Ianto picked up the phone and called room service then went to unpack, leaving the three kids to their games and when the food arrived they exploded from the cushions as the porter gaped.
"Ignore them, I usually do" Ianto said happily as he added a generous tip to the bill and winked, then saw the young man out. He turned and looked at the wild animals arguing as they reached across one another fighting for the food and he grinned.
"Look you heathens, calm the hell down or there will be no pudding" he scolded and Jack laughed as he pointed to the little chiller in the trolley.
"Your threats are empty because we have the food!"Jack roared, pulling the cart towards their fort and Ianto started to laugh as he followed them.
Another rule of only eating at the table about to be broken.
Oh well, a new start might mean new rules.
Right?