33
"I can't believe they let you go" Gray was gushing as he drove the two men to the house they had purchased online. Ianto had pointed at it and declared it the one making Jack quite excited with the nod of approval "Rose is so excited to be babysitting, a good idea to scope the place out without the bubs, never know what hidden traps there might be, especially with little fingers."
"I know, two sets of shoes lined up soon. He's already rolling, Ianto said I was dreaming he's too young but I swear he almost tried I know he did!" Jack was having a conversation as well.
Apparently with Gray at the same time.
Ianto had become accustomed to Jack's verbal dairrhea so he easily tuned Gray out as he and Jack had a weird 'talk over each other' conversation where they both heard what the other was saying. It was like one of those songs where it is re-started halfway through by a second singer.
The driveway was wide and sweeping, showing the expanse of land that had Ianto moving forward in his seat, the trees lining the driveway giving way to the horseshoe courtyard.
"Oh my Pete, it's wonderful" Ianto sighed and the conversation died as the two men in the front looked as well.
"Big" Jack said, "Smaller than the Boeshane one but nice and big, several bedrooms so we can have people to stay. Nice."
"The staff who came over with us, I want those who want to remain to do so with a work permit. I know your cook and head butler are a couple, they might want to apply to stay, in time gain a Green Card of their own?" Ianto said as they walked up the steps, "So much cleaning and behind the scenes things to do. Those who want to be loyal should be given the chance."
"Agreed" Jack nodded, "I know Alice would be more settled with familiar faces as well."
"And we would know they are not double agents" Ianto muttered as he stepped around Jack to place his thumb on the pad to unlock the door. Jack snorted as he realised he hadn't thought of that, trust Ianto to be more…of course. Just retired. Still has his head in the game, yes any new staff will have to be 'Toshed' before being accepted into the security field.
Ianto explored making noises of discontent, or delight depending on the room and as he tapped into this PDA Jack started to look with Ianto's point of view, eventually giving in, "Babe? What do you see?"
Ianto trend and blinked, then smiled, "Sorry Cariad. I am so used to working internally, I am thinking this could be my reading room. It is sound proofed as it was clearly a communications room in the early days when they had to muffle sound. It also means this is a good room for any arguments or anger to be displayed without the stink knowing there is a problem, hopefully never has to be used but we need clear boundaries and rules when we start here so she knows what the deal is, we all do. Also, that last room gave me the heebies, I think someone died in there as some stage. Might be paranoid but I do not like it. I want it gutted and turned into something else. I will not use it so not a sitting room or anything. Maybe a display room or something, line the walls with display cabinets for some of your family things. And those old weapons."
"Oh!" Jack turned physically to stare in the direction of the large room that had been a large receiving room for guests and knew it would be perfect for that, nodding his agreement. Some free standing cabinets for his antique swords and blades?
"Bedroom?" Jack asked hopefully and Ianto laughed, shooing him from the room and they headed along the corridor to the lift, taking them up to the top level, the middle one would be servant and guest quarters, the top would to theirs.
Ianto stepped off and pointed to the left, "Alice's wing and the right can be Caden's. Here, this pivotal point here, I like this corner room as ours."
"It's shaped like an angle, an L" Jack said as he turned to look in each direction, "Why did I not see that before?"
"It's a box actually Cariad, but the top level is just the two sides. Middle and bottom go all the way around, come see" Ianto led him to the end to the L on the left and they walked into the large room of windows Jack knew his daughter would play in and love, room to dance and scatter her madness. He looked out those windows over a huge internal courtyard and saw why Ianto was so keen from the first time he had shown him the advert.
It was like a medieval castle hidden in a modern facade. Holy Pete!
"Yes." Ianto said softly, "Safe. See? It's a fortress darling. I want gardens and lawn laid down there in the middle, pavers and room for the babies to play without ever leaving this place if need be. If strangles ever comes planet side, we can lock down. Civil unrest, war…I also want to look into our personal shielding including an extra bubble to cover this building personally. See?"
Jack saw.
He loved it.