6

Ianto entered the house feeling the change of it. It did not feel like it had in the past, the noise and bluster of life had shifted the air about. He had boxes in his arms, and he moved with purpose towards the room that had been at the center of contention, stepping inside to see that it had been tidied up and some effort had gone into trying to recreate it.

She was truly sorry, the air full of remorse.

God she can project.

He had wanted to shake her a bit, wanted to scream in her face a bit but his own Mutant Breakout had set fire to their house, almost killing their mother. He never told anyone, but he knew it was him. His anger had snapped and by the time he had realized what he was doing, the flames were already there. A Fire Mute is one to fear, one to avoid and usually was a Militarial Pet. He hid it but knew Alice had felt heat in his pain. And now in the air lingered her own. Damn it. She needed help.

Ianto sighed, placing the boxes on the bed then opening the drawers to begin removing the little t-shirts his son Jayden once wore. He hesitated as he looked at one with a picture of the Betty on it, removing it from the pile to place on a box, the others going onto another box. He continued through the clothing, one or two pieces placed in the small box, the rest in the large box.

Then he moved to the boxes under the bed, choosing some of the toys to place in the large box, a minute of Betty and a little soft toy space whale going into the little box. He then picked up a little remote-control hover and stood holding it tightly, remembering his son's laughter as he played with this. Then he placed it carefully in the large box.

When he was done, the room was mostly empty, only the bedding and some of the toys still in the original product boxes remained. His son had not even got to play with these, put away as they had been considered too old for him by his mother. His son never touched them so… it didn't feel like something of his.

He then picked up the small box, taking it to the bedroom and sliding it under his bed, much as Alice origionally had her mother's box. Then he rose and began loading the boxes into his hover, clearing his son's memory away.

It was time to move on and Stephen needed a room.

.

.

Ianto entered the bustling compound and nodded as he pointed to a hover trolley. The soldier rushed to comply and soon Ianto was sedately walking along with the boxes placed on the trolley, looking for something in the back of the huge hanger.

Private rooms. He headed out to the back where the offices had become private quarters and he opened the door with a soft knocking to find Mickey inside cleaning his gun. Mickey jumped to his feet, his face one of delight as he surged forward "Ianto! Hey buddy!"

"Hey Mickey Man, how's things?" Ianto asked, smiling as he looked around the room, the two beds taking about half the room.

"Good, the rebuild has started on our house… sit" Mickey sat back down and motioned Ianto to sit on the smaller bed and Ianto did, looking around some more before focusing on Mickey who was still talking "And since we have the credits from the insurance as well as our balance from that amazing cargo job you set up for us, we are going to build larger. She wants another baby."

"Blessings" Ianto smiled, 'She' was then entering at that moment.

"Mickey why is there a hover trolley outside our…. IANTO!"

"Hello cousin" Ianto rose to accept the hug and Martha laughed as she held him tightly then she settled next to her husband.

"What brings you here?" she asked happily.

"Well, I know you lost almost everything in the storm so… I was having a bit of a tidy up and thought you might like some… hello sweetie" Ianto lit up as their son entered the room with wide eyes, looking around wildly for him and then launching himself.

"Uncle Yan!"

Ianto laughed "Hello Dex."

"What are you doing?" the child asked eagerly.

"I have some things for you all on that trolley, can you guess what is for you?" Ianto crooned, and watched the boy light up, surging from the bed to race back outside the door, then shriek in a high-pitched scream.

He entered with the little remote-control hover in his hands, his eyes wide "Oh Uncle. It's just like Jayden's one we used to play with!"

"It is that same one" Ianto said gently, reaching out to touch his face "He would play with you for ages with it, you were so small and laughed each time he made it jump. Now you are big enough to work it yourself."

"Mine?"

"Yes, all yours. Some of his clothes too since they fit you now" Ianto laughed, watching him take off again to look. He rose and said, without looking at them "And some things for you both. Mickey, clothes I do not wear and Martha, there are some of… her things… I would rather you had them."

"Lisa" Martha said softly, her face one of compassion as she saw the boxes for what they were. Gifts of love. And a symbol of his desire to live again.

"Well… he's off. You might need to sort out the charging bay mat before he comes back, I bet it will need to charge overnight after he's shown it off to everyone" Ianto said clearing his throat and as he took a step towards the door Martha engulfed him in a hug.

"Thank you, cousin. We lost everything and for Lisa to help us… for you to help us and for Jayden to help his little cousin be happy once more… priceless" she whispered, her lips on his cheek.

"You do know the Betty has backups, right? All the photos and such, the videos … everything from your wedding, his birthday… she had them all and if you ask her nicely, she will download them so you can have your albums back" he whispered in reply and she gasped with delight, not knowing about this.

Of course he has backups for the backups.

.

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Jack was watching his daughter as she fussed about, having got home not long after she did and he had helped her carry in the groceries with interest, her own credits used to buy things. He settled at the kitchen table to read a report on outer limit movements while watching her out the corner of his eye and she reminded him more and more of his own dear mother every day. Why was she so nervous?

Soon everyone was home, and Rhiannon was surprised and pleased to find the evening meal already underway without her need to help.

"No. I am doing this" Alice said firmly, "You go settle and enjoy the kids."

Rhiannon stifled a giggle at the grown-up tone used and she settled as instructed the card game becoming lively as Jack cheated like a trooper only to discover that little Mica was a bloody shark.

It was not until the door opened and Ianto entered that it all made sense and Jack watched Ianto walk to the kitchen and smell the air before loudly proclaiming that he was famished. Alice shone.

What had he missed?

"Stephen, after the evening meal mehaps you would like to move your things into the spare room… silly for it be remain unused. I took the liberty of cleaning it out today, left a few things my son ever got to enjoy… you might." Ianto said then cleared his throat like something was stuck before adding "And Alice and I have agreed to a truce."

"Wow" Jack said softly.

Ianto sat at the table and held his hands up "No… I cheat too much for you all to enjoy playing with me. Can't help it. I use my power without even thinking about it, my desire to win so strong."

Jack laughed as he watched the kids rush to set the table for the meal and he noticed Alice hovering until Ianto looked up at her and smiled, something happening as she leaned in to gingerly hug him before shooting off again.

"Lovely gravy, just like me Mam used to make" Ianto complimented as he sniffed the gravy boat appreciatively "Don't know the last time someone made a fuss. Nice, for family to do this."

"Yes" she said as she sat next to him with a wide smile "Would you like to carve the beast please?"

"Of course, dear" Ianto rose and showed excellent knife skills too.

Jack wondered if there was some sort of medication in the water.

But he would take it.

A truce indeed.