41
"Ianto, can I ask a question?"
"Hmmm?"
Ianto turned his head from the gun clip he was loading to make eye contact with Jack who was standing so close he could feel the warmth of his body "Ianto… how do you know it's one person? He? It's a man?"
"What do you mean?"
Jack didn't answer, just stood waiting as Ianto considered the question and finally shrugged "It just feels like a man."
"Anything else you want to tell me?"
"He is almost out of ammo, he is getting desperate and I think if we take the Transporter across country along the tree line, take it along through the back fences to the property the Bugs will not see us coming." Ianto added with a shrug "You and Mickey can blast the hell out of them and feel like heroes, whoever is inside is saved and Martha gets the baby back for a little cuddle since he seems to not want to give it up, even for a drink off it's mother."
"He is smitten" Jack smiled happily.
"I am just glad mother and child are doing well. Secretly, also glad it's a boy. David feels so outnumbered by girls here. And Mickey is beside himself" Ianto sighed.
"Right. Did they tell you the name yet?"
"Still openly fighting over Jethro, but I think that's just to upset Francine. They have actually decided on Dwayne I think. Or Dwyer. I like either of those for one of their children, will suit the little man" Ianto leaned in "so… rescue mission?"
"Yep"
.
.
Ianto was right.
Exiting the compound and then moving along the back tree line, through the fences with open malice, did get them to the property unimpeded and as they slammed through the wooden back fence of the property, running over some bedraggled looking bushes Andy whooped with glee, swinging from the running board of the Transporter to open fire on the Bugs running at them, Mickey following suit on the other side of said same Transporter.
Inside Jack and Ianto grinned as they slowed to a stop, watching the two men leap off to run around the building with guns blazing, Ianto and Jack preferring to calmly walk around to pick off those still trying to open the doors and windows. The tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumb brothers were shooting those in the front yard, the overkill of at least ten Bugs was not lost on Ianto. Why so many, he had never seen so many converging on one spot before.
He didn't like this at all.
Whoever was in this house, they had beef with the Bugs.
Finally the air was still, the smell of death seemed to hang and as Andy stuck a boot out to squish a bug Hand for the glee of watching the claws extend, the front door slammed open and a man stomped out with two hand guns held high.
Jack swung to look at him and then to Ianto's confusion he left out a bellow and fired at the man, the wooden doorframe splintering as the impact of the bullet made the man duck.
"Well fuck Lover, hi to you too" the man laughed like it had been a bouquet of roses offered. "I would ask if ya missed me but clearly ya just did!"
"John!" Jack spat back "how the fuck did you find me!"
"The tracker in your wristlet" John replied, pointing at the strap in his own arm that was a replica for the one on Jack's. Ianto now felt a little out of his depth as the two men squared off.
"I dug that out and discarded it!" Jack snarled.
"There was another one under the screen ya fucking twit. I knew you would find the obvious one" came a sneered reply.
Jack swung, catching one of those amazing cheekbones and the man flew back to land on his arse, then with a feral scream he leapt at Jack only to freeze as a blade met his Adam's apple.
"Well now … slow down a second cowpoke, lest I poke a hole in your neck" Ianto snarled deep and low in a fake American accent to match theirs, the knife now drawing blood as he stepped between the men to eyeball the little streak of piss "this man… this man is mine. Whatever you were in the Before… that was then and this is now. He is mine. I have bled for him, and he for me. I will gut you so fast you will barely have time to feel the warmth on those ridiculous boots."
"Ianto love, it's OK. John is… well… my old partner."
"Partner? In what way?"
"In every way eye candy" John purred, popping a hip, even as his eyes never left those twin storms of anger.
"So… it's over then? Not important now?"
"No Tiger."
"Good, I can kill him then," Ianto's welsh tones now making John's eyes widen.
"NOOOO" both men yelled as Ianto lifted his elbow like he meant it and then Ianto started to cackle, stepping back with his blade held high.
"Oh puddin' Can't take a joke hmmmm?"
John stared at Ianto with his mouth hanging open, and then he swung to Jack "Does he… I mean… do you share?"
"No" Jack said firmly "He is mine."
"Shame. I bet he is a ride of a lifetime."
"Yeah" Jack grinned with a deep sigh of longing "He is my life."
John's face betrayed the hurt for a moment as he finally saw that the man he had spent all this time tracking, hunting and searching for had really truly moved on.
Not that he blamed him.
Christ on a cross.
Look at him smoldering away between them.
John Hart knew he didn't stand a chance.