Worthy Reunion

The snow was still falling softly as the day slipped toward twilight, the velvety white blanket gently smothering Cartref Cysgod and the Wilding Wood around it. Ianto sat watching it from the cushioned seat of the recently installed bay window that looked out toward the thready trail to the neighbouring house, a slight smile on his face. They'd had Ella and Freddy over earlier in the day to build a very 'Calvin and Hobbes' worthy miniature battlefield of snowmen at the edge of the Wood to entertain the Mara. A warm lunch after and time spent in the kitchen to bake small seed cakes laced with dried pears and honey had rounded out the visit. He and Jack had walked the children back to their grandparents' place a few hours ago, and now they were simply enjoying some quiet time while dinner simmered on the stove.

Crow rose from his place in Ianto's lap and stretched as only a cat can, then butted his head against the Welshman's chest in a bid for a good petting. Obliging fingers gentled his ears and stroked down his back, pulling forth a contented purr.

"I can hear him all the way over here," Jack commented from across the room where he was relaxed in one of the wing chairs reading an old leather-bound novel. "He was making that other sound again this morning when I was making breakfast. What did you say it was… a 'rattle call'? For all the sweet little meows, trills, and chirps, I still love that he also makes all the crow sounds too. Such a talkative little fluff."

"That's his Nos Negeswyr side showing," Ianto chuckled, frowning slightly when he saw a strange flash of light far out over the slowly darkening Wood. "He's actually saying words and little broken sentences when he does that. Rather like a shy three-year-old. I can understand their language, but was never able to reproduce it. Honestly, I only ever knew one of the Watchers who could and he had an unfair advantage."

"How so?" Harkness queried, putting his book aside and rising to poke at the fire.

"He was the only Ancient to become a Watcher by choice instead of as punishment," Ianto half-shrugged. "He wanted to be there to help any born into their new life that met with trouble early. He had already existed for ages untold before I was even a spark in the ether, and viewed no few of us 'younglings' as his own. He was my mentor the very first time I was born as a Watcher… Lasair Copar."

"He's Scottish?" the Captain gaped. "Please tell me you're not talking about Archie."

Ianto laughed and shook his head, hefting Crow up and flipping the young cat over onto his back to cradle him like a baby against his chest.

"Definitely not," he reassured. "I've never seen Lasair look any older than thirty, regardless of how he's wearing his hair or whether or not he has a beard… though I haven't seen him in a very long time. Not since he started using the name Ewan Coppersun, when Victoria was Queen and Torchwood hadn't even been conceived. And he's not just an Ancient. He's a Dragon."

"You're shitting me," Jack breathed, his eyes alight with delighted interest.

"Ten metres, snout to tail tip, covered in copper scales that feel as soft as warm silk to the touch, and with the most glorious iridescent bat-like wings that shimmer like oil on water," Ianto smiled, his gaze going soft and reminiscent. "Lasair is one of the original Ancients. In human form, he's perhaps 176 centimetres tall, slender but muscular build, fair skin, auburn hair that goes gold-tinged copper when bleached by the sun. Deadly handsome, with sea-change eyes, but the humblest being you can imagine who views himself as common and not worth anyone's notice. Calm, gentle, wise, unfailingly kind, and well-spoken no matter what language he decides to speak or which accent he adopts. But a fierce warrior and incredibly strong for all that."

"Nice," Harkness drawled appreciatively, giving his lover a crooked smile. "What do you mean by 'sea-change' eyes?"

"They change like the sea with his mood and focus," the young Watcher explained, gently tickling Crow's tummy. "Anything from a clear crystalline blue, to near emerald green, to stormy grey, and many variations between the three. When he's in Dragon form, you can actually watch the colours swirl before they settle sometimes."

"Wow…" Jack breathed, trying to imagine what had just been described. "So, he taught you to be a Watcher?"

"The first time I was born into this world, was during the Dark Ages," Ianto murmured, his expression troubled. "Mailed knights, feudal lords, growing civilizations… right alongside famine, plague, war, and slavery. I was barely five when I was orphaned and left to fend for myself in a far-flung farming village, destined to die young, likely as someone's slave labour if not from starvation. Lasair found me somehow, took me to a fishing village on the northern coast where he ran a sort of orphanage. When I was about ten, he took me to an old druidic stone circle in the woods and explained what I really was and why I was here.

"He showed me his Dragon form, and shared memories with me of my time among the other Ancients, the events that lead to the Banishing and that I'd accepted it willingly. He taught me what a Mirror is, how to commune with the Mara and nature itself, how to interact with and understand the Nos Negeswyr, how to use my power without drawing too much attention, and promised to always find me if I truly needed help. And when I was eighteen, he left me in charge of the orphanage and disappeared without a trace. I saw him a few times over the years after that, but didn't get to spend any real time in his company again until nearly 1188 during the Crusades… he was in Cornwall then, still negotiating with the Mara to prevent total chaos, still teaching the less fortunate and saving children, all while working in what we'd now call a hospital for the wounded coming back from the Holy Land."

"Can he breathe fire?" the Captain prodded with a grin.

"Not that I ever saw," his Archivist chuckled. "But I wouldn't doubt it. He can definitely control it though. He used to make the flames in hearth dance and once when I was young, he entertained us by crafting shapes from the Solstice bonfire. Running stags, flights of birds, schools of fish, dancing rings of Mara… it was amazing. And just for us. He never did anything like that where others could see."

There was another amber coloured flash out in the Woods, closer to the distance cloaked neighbouring house this time, and the fire cracked loud in the hearth, nearly covering what almost sounded like muted thunder.

"Speaking of the Mara," Harkness frowned. "Are they causing that?"

"Probably," Ianto nodded, sounding less than certain. "I'll go check on it after dinner if they're still at it. It's the Solstice in two days, so they might just be getting a little over excited since I promised we'd attend their celebration this year."

"Well, the stew should be done so I'll get the table set," his partner volunteered. "It sounds like you and your mentor crossed paths reasonably often before. Why do you think it's been so long this time? Is it possible you did meet, but it's part of those bits of memory you said didn't come back when the block dissolved this time?"

"He's probably just been very busy," Ianto stated quietly as he came to put out his fur-child's mat and bowls. "Lasair doesn't just see into all the other Universes the way I can, he can actually step between them. And if there's a problem in one that could damage others around it enough to start a chain reaction, he's often the one who goes to mitigate the damage. I think… I think he can actually call on the accumulated power that birthed the Ancients. It was always referred to as the Source and can create or destroy in equal measure. If it would answer anyone's request, it would be Lasair's, even it's to pull him free of wherever he is and sever the ties of a Universe that's too far gone to save. Let it implode without impacting all the other Universes around it. Your Doctor would likely hate him on principle for that alone."

They both chuckled and shared a smile over that fact, and were soon preparing to settle down to dinner. Suddenly, Crow streaked back to the window seat from his mat near the back door, stridently cawing in corvid distress. Danger! Danger! Danger!

A tiny dragonfly-winged form popped into existence in the room with a flash of blue-green light and chitter of distress.

"The white ball is hissing, Watcher!" the Mara squealed. "Smelly hissing! Spark, spark, BOOM!"

"The new propane tank Freddy told us about," Ianto blurted. "Jack!"

The Welshman was already heading for the door, his partner scrambling to grab the SUV keys even as he pulled on his coat.

By the time the immortal Captain had gotten to the vehicle, Ianto was already gone, moving faster on foot than the vehicle could ever hope to match. Harkness took off for the neighbouring property, ploughing through the drifting snow along the well-known path. And he'd just slammed to a stop at the edge of the drive, when a ball of flame erupted from the side of the house, shooting out over the snow-covered flower beds and lawn. It was smaller than he'd thought it would be and the structure hadn't gone up yet, but it was obviously just a matter of time.

"Ianto!" Jack was out of the SUV and running, desperately looking around in the half-light of the early evening hoping to spot his lover and the family who lived in the home that was about to go up in flames.

"Here," the young Watcher called, standing over near the gardening shed with a glittering flight of Mara hovering near him. "They're not home… Marion and Darlene were taking the children to stay over in town as a treat for Ella's birthday tomorrow. But I wasn't in time to stop the tank from going up. They'll have nothing to come home to."

"I'll call the fire brigade," Jack insisted. "Is there anything the Mara can do with the snow that might help?"

"I don't…" Ianto's reply cut off abruptly, drawing his lover's attention to the fact that the nearby explosion and roaring fire had gone eerily silent.

As they both watched, the flames receded back to the shredded side of the propane tank, then snuffed out completely. Something large moved in the twilight, the porch lamp's glow sparkling across a dark red-gold body as it came around from the back of the house and aimed for the drive. For a moment, the SUV's headlamps illuminated the form of a huge copper scaled Dragon, then honey-gold light flashed like lightning and the creature was gone as low thunder rolled.

In its place, was a man in a long, heavy, hooded coat who simply pointed back toward Cartref Cysgod before disappearing with the silent drift of wind-blown smoke.

"Was that…?" Harkness began uncertainly.

"Lasair," Ianto breathed, the name sounding almost like a prayer. "We'll have to warn Marion about the tank so he can contact the company that installed it. Let me shove the snow off the roof on that side so it looks like the explosion jarred it loose and smothered the fire."

"We will do it, Watcher!" the Mara chorused brightly. "Whoosh! Down goes the snow!"

"Thank you," Ianto half-smiled, watching the group morph into their larger forms and skitter off to cause a little helpful chaos. "We'd best get home then."

They took the SUV back across the fields to their own home, were met at the door by a clearly excited Crow. But there was no visitor waiting for them, no sign of the man they'd glimpsed in the headlamps earlier.

"Dinner's still plenty warm," Jack pointed out, as confused as his companion. "Should I get out an extra bowl and glass?"

As if on cue, there was a soft knock at the front door and Crow pranced that way with a happy trill and excited upright tail. Ianto hurriedly followed, and opened the door to find his old mentor waiting with a well-remembered smile.

"Hello, Ianto," the Dragon in ginger-haired human form murmured warmly, his accent smoothly cultured this time, indicating he had indeed been away from his beloved Highlands for some time. "I'm afraid the emergency at your friends' home rather ruined your Solstice surprise. How have you been, youngling?"

"Get in here, you mad Dragon," Ianto laughed, practically dragging his oldest friend across the threshold and into a tight embrace as he closed the door. "I've missed you, old man."

"I've missed you too, Imp," Lasair murmured, his voice a low rumble as he tucked his face against the side of the younger Watcher's neck. "I've missed this world… I've missed the peace of my Highlands. It's not been a pleasant century in the Multi-Verse. Some barely saved, and so many lost to the selfishness of a few. I've seen so many versions of you fall and been helpless to save you, mo theine beag. I had to come home to find my centre again, to find my light after so much darkness."

"Come sit down for dinner," Ianto urged quietly, reluctantly releasing the smaller man and carefully removing his voluminous coat for him. "I have a partner for you to meet, and a fur-child to coddle. Let me share my family's light with you, Taddy-Tân."

A brief meow and rattle call from their feet drew their attention down, and Lasair immediately moved to scoop up the young cat, smiling brightly at Ianto as he did so.

"Hello, little one," Lasair greeted softly, gaining another round of crow-like growling and clicks. "What a delightful wee Nos Negeswyrchangeling you are."

He cuddled the excited feline, returning the rattle call as well as offering a few other strictly corvid vocalizations and received enthusiastic replies as he followed Ianto further into the house toward the kitchen.

"He really can speak their language," Jack commented with a grin as he started serving the stew.

The strange conversation ended with a kiss to a furry head and an admonishment to finish the fine meal waiting on the mat by the door. Then the Dragon turned his full attention to the immortal placing bread and cheese in the centre of the table, and a slow pleased smile crept across his bearded face.

"Javic Piotr Thane," Lasair chuckled, eyes shining a mix of blue and green. "My favourite Watcher's perfect mate. I'm so glad you finally found each other."

The Captain's head came up in surprise, and he got his first clear look at the human form of the Dragon who had mentored his lover centuries ago.

"Benny?" Jack breathed in disbelief. "You're…my… I…You were Senior Time Agent Benjamin Forge… you taught me to fly stealth fighters at the Academy. And you're… you're a Dragon! You sly bastard! But if you're an Ancient Watcher who knew Ianto in Earth's distant past, how were you half-way across the galaxy in the far future?"

"I… step," the redhead shrugged with a self-deprecating smile. "Planets, timelines, Universes… where ever I'm needed."

"Oh, tonight is going to be interesting," Ianto snickered. "He'll have so many stories to tell about both of us… Maybe this is a bad idea."

"How long can you stay?" Harkness asked at the same time, grinning like a madman.

"As long as you'll have me," Lasair chuckled warmly, taking the seat Ianto pulled out for him. "At least through the Solstice. Perhaps longer than you stay here yourselves when Torchwood calls? I'm in desperate need of some peace and quiet, and don't have the will to go see what they've done to my own home yet. I have been gone a very long time after all. And a span near the Wilding Wood would be welcome."

"You can stay as long as you need to, old man," Ianto reassured as they prepared to enjoy their meal. "We can do a full restock before we have to go back to work, let our neighbours know you'll be here. Marion and Darlene are wonderful people and they're raising their grandchildren in the Old Ways. Ella is quite gifted and Freddy is a little sponge for the Lore."

"Oh, I don't want to be a bother," his mentor insisted. "I'm not worth all that fuss. I would love to meet the family you've taken under your protection, dear one, and you know my fondness for younglings. But I don't want to disturb anyone's routine or be the cause of extra expense and labour."

"Oh, gods," Harkness moaned, shaking his head. "I forgot about that. How much you hate attention, never think you're worth any time or effort, always take care of everyone around you but never yourself. That drove me crazy at the Academy. And Ianto is exactly like you. Now I know where he learned it."

"I'm so sorry, mo theine beag," Lasair murmured, closing his eyes with a pained expression. "I never meant for you to take on any of my burdens and make them your own. How could I not see that I'd failed you so terribly while trying to help? Please, forgive me. Perhaps I shouldn't have come…"

"No," Ianto stated firmly, reaching over to carefully place a hand on his mentor's shoulder. "I am very pleased to have you here, and you are the only being I know who has never failed me. I swear that Jack is doing a fine job helping me to overcome my self-esteem issues, and I can only hope we'll be able to do the same for you now that you're back in this world. Our reunion is worthy of celebration, Taddy-Tân. You and your peace of mind are worthy of any 'fuss', because you're my family and I want to see you happy. We are both worthy of care and love, Lasair."

The copper-haired Dragon looked on the verge of tears, but then he smiled softly and nodded.

"Thank you, Ianto… Javic…" he breathed, straightening to sit more upright in his chair. "For your care, and for this lovely meal."

They were all quiet for several minutes, then Lasair cleared his throat.

"So, Captain," he began with a sweet smile and a gleam in his eye that neither of other two men trusted. "Did Ianto ever tell you that the plot of the movie 'A Knight's Tale' was based on actual events, and he was the poor fool who took over for the jouster who shat himself to death?"

Jack egged him on with glee, Ianto groaned and tried to claim he heard the Torchwood comm pinging in the other room, Crow happily devoured his dinner, and Ancient Dragon Lasair Copar basked in the light of family for the first time in nearly a hundred years. It was indeed going to be a very interesting night.

Happy Birthday, sweetie. Sorry it's late.

Lasair Copar = Copper Fire

mo theine beag = my little fire

Taddy-Tân = Father (Daddy) Fire

Nos Negeswyr = Night Messengers

{Crows are often seen as the go-betweens for the living (day) and the dead (night) as they are said to be able to pass back and forth through the Veil that separates the two realms. And if they happen to have a connection to the faery realm as well… they must be a slightly different murder indeed. Perhaps even alien… Yeah, they're my wee beasties. But I'm willing to share if you ask nicely.}