6

It had rained again in the night, it was looking like a weird day, the house shrouded in drizzle and mist. Jack padded through the house looking for Ianto, and then he stepped out onto the back porch to look across the lawn. There he was. Sitting on a tree stump.

"Ianto?"

Ianto did not reply so Jack walked gingerly across the lawn to stand before him, looking down at the bare feet of the man, settled in the long grass. Ianto opened his eye and focused on Jack, then smiled. "Hey. Join me."

"Ianto, it's raining out here."

"No, it's not. A little precipitation is all. Come on, the mist is settling in, the rain will ease." Ianto seemed so calm.

Jack looked at the other tree stump and sat down with a frown.

"Shoes."

"Huh?" Jack frowned as he looked over at Ianto's bare feet.

"Jack, remove the shoes and socks on your feet, let your feet settle in the grass."

Jack rolled his eyes but did as he was bid, sitting back to wait for what might happen next. After a while Ianto smiled and started to snort with amusement "Jesus Jack. Calm down and let yourself breathe. See? The rain has stopped and the mist is settling. Close your eyes and listen."

"To what?"

Ianto snorted again and after a beat, Jack did as he was told, letting his head fall back like he was sunbathing even with no sun.

They sat.

The world turned.

Somewhere a bird was singing a soft mournful song, but others joined in and it lightened. A dog barked somewhere and the breeze picked up, the leaves rustling and the earth felt… warmth.

Jack opened his eyes to a beautiful morning sky, the mist rising and fading away like the rain had.

A cloud lazily drifting past as more birds joined the dawn chorus.

"Oh wow" Jack breathed with awe.

"See? We are small, insignificant and we are everything all at the same time" Ianto sighed with delight "see? Look at me."

Jack turned his head and saw how cute that man was, his delight making his face shine with the morning sun.

Then Janet slammed in to Jack, sending him flying off the stump as Ianto roared with mirth, turning to a squeal as Myfanwy slammed him off his own stump as well. Both men were soon yelling as they got cleaned up from the wet skin on their faces, the dog's tongues raspy and rough.

Jack was ready for the day of preparation ahead.

,.

.

"So the judge has granted interim custody to you pending the official court case into custody. Since you've not yet been up for the rape allegation she can't use that in court as ammunition. She can either dispute the allegation of adultery, or go for the baby not being yours by admitting to it. I think she is stupid enough to go for the argument about adultery part, since that is the money side of things." Owen said as he chomped on a biscuit. "Toshiko is uplifting Melissa from the daycare now and by the time Lucia is served, the baby will be here."

"Just like that" Jack gaped.

Done" Owen chortled. "she is so involved with Gwen and her case, she didn't even stop to think about us coming around the rear."

Ianto rolled his eye and Jack caught it moment before Owen giggled and said softly "rear entry. Wow… I guess that's you Ianto."

"Owen, if you are going to start making fun of my bisexuality again I shall ask you to leave" Ianto growled in a low tone Jack had never heard before.

Owen laughed like it was a joke, waving a hand.

"Owen…. You know I am bi too right?" Jack asked calmly "Like… me and John Hart were more than buddies back in the day?"

"What?" Owen stooped in his tracks, blinked as he tried to get back on track again with his little pre rehearsed speech Ianto had helped him with "Right… stop it. I knew what I was gonna say… right… ah… anyway. So, tomorrow we let her side do all the blah blah. We sit there and when Gwen is finished her little charade we can show what we have. As it's a pre-trial we can then show what we have and she will either double down or admit defeat."

"And if she doubles down?"

"We show that she is not preggers, the affair partner is currently sleeping with her at the safe house… what else she did other than that I do not know… but Rhys might finally blow his top too." Owen shrugged.

"And Lucia?"

"Well, she will be realizing the baby is gone about now, she will go into overload and probably blame Gwen… since we are keeping the affair thing to ourselves. Then the divorce papers will be read, probably by her father who will then realize his daughter is a slut and… well… he will want her to settle quickly, trying to get in touch to start proceedings for the baby. Of course, they will want Gwen to be successful as it will be better for them."

"In the end she will have to say I am not the father in order to get her back" Jack warned.

"Only if you agree to a DNA test." Owen grinned and Jack saw the irony of the situation. If he has custody, he can refuse one.

A DNA test had broken him but now… knowing the truth… he can deny her one too.

Now that is crazy.

Jack agreed.