7

"Jack…."

"I know… believe me. I know" Jack said forcefully "I am already talking with the doctors at the clinic we had her at before. Judge Hartigan is also involved… I think some more inhouse treatment and a protection order for all of us…"

"Right. And when she kills me? Or one of them?"

Jack stared at him silently.

"She still doesn't know about Rosie. What about her? Hmmm? You think the moment she finds out about her there will be peace in the valley?" Ianto tilted his head back, Bastard Mode engaged and Jack knew this was not a discussion.

It was a declaration of war.

"We are not talking six months this time." Jack assured him, trying to sound assertive "No. We are talking a few years… extensive treatment and then reviews. Like… parole type reviews."

"Jack… I am a heartbeat away from taking out a hit on the bitch… I am not joking. I can not take this anymore. I love you. You are my world but these kids… my life. I will rain down a terrible hellfire if she EVER comes near us again" Ianto never changed the tone of his voice, but the eye contract was strong.

"I know… and I…"

"And I do not forgive Gray this time either."

Jack slammed his mouth shut. Fuck. Not finished yet.

"I have not got an ounce of sympathy for him" Ianto turned, finally breaking the eye contact to look at the little one asleep in her crib, her little white frothy bedding with tiny little pink rosebuds handstitched lovingly made her even more doll-like in repose. "I will beat the living shit out of him if I ever have to be in the same room as him."

"Ianto…"

"This is non-negotiable. I am not kidding, I will not waiver with time and you have to work out what works best for you. I am not asking you to stop any and all relationships with him. I am simply asking that you keep any and all things separate. That includes my children." Ianto turned to face him "What say you?"

What say you? Who says that. Well, a very pissed righteous man can say such things, with an unnerving clarity and punctuation.

"I need you. I need you and my children. I don't need them" Jack finally said.

Right answer.

.

.

"Taddy?"

"Sproglett?"

Nathaniel giggled as he leaned against Ianto "She's mad, right?"

"Look… I will say this only once, with Daddy not in the room to hear" Ianto said as he knelt to look his little one in the face "She is barking mad."

"Good. Thought so" Nathaniel went back to rolling his playdough, conversation done.

Ianto had organized a good child psychiatrist for them, therapy and good times needed for them to process and recover. Especially this one. James Dean was more like Jack… moving on. Nathaniel was like Ianto. Chewed on it.

Both boy were reacting differently and Jack was finally seeing the damage done, his tearful apologies after the doctor sat both the men down quietly to explain the trauma while the boys were in another room had left Jack shocked and bereft.

But the bad dreams had stopped, the need to always have a grownup in the room had waivered and last night they had even stayed in their own beds.

Jennifer had been a balm, her love of the big dumb dog not lost on anyone as she agreed with Jack that it made for amazing photos in the woods. Yes, before you ask… they did both dress up in costumes and do one. Jenniffer taking on the role of Fairy Queen and Jack eagerly dressed like a bloody medieval warrior or something, the fur cloak (fake… he is a member of PEAT and RSPCA ya know) and the bow and arrows making him even more bloody gorgeous as they did action shots of him running.

The one of him kneeling at her feet, looking off to the left with the arrow in the bow, his face one of steely devotion her hand on his shoulder, her head high and that long hair flowing back… add her other hand reasting on the head of the huge gobby dog with a studded harness and the mouth open in one of his laughter moments that looked just like an attack snarl… yeah. It was in the hallway now.

Jack had discovered Jennifer to be more than enjoyable to play with… ah… deal with.

The boys had loved more time with her and she was besotted with the baby girl…hence the rosebud theme.

And Jack was seeing another sort of mother-in-law. One he knew his own mother could never be.

And it hurt.

And Ianto didn't say a single thing about it, he simply loved him, held him and listened when Jack couldn't help but talk about it. His mother was dead to him now and Gray… he still didn't know how to be about that either.

All he knew for sure was that his family was the only thing that mattered now.

And those two…

No longer counted.