10

Ianto was in the boatshed, finalizing the morning food delivery for Randy Raccoon who was still chattering at him as he looked at the offerings today and as Ianto left, he noticed the window had blown shut in the night.

"Sorry old man, I didn't know that had happened. Here, let's chock that open for you, I know you don't like having to swim in and out. Gets a bit chilly for that. Better have a Coon Door. Oh, is that offensive?" Ianto asked conversationally as the creature chewed on a slice of apple. He could have sworn the creature was humming.

He wandered back to the house singing softly, taking in the early morning mist on the water. The lake looked so cute, he wondered about some watercolours or something. Might like to paint that. God, would he dare try oil?

"Are you still feeding that vermin?" Gwen asked as Ianto entered the kitchen via the back door and she also automatically stepped back to the linoleum to the carpet, signaling her knowing his eyes had gone to her shoes as she step out of HIS kitchen. At least she had learnt that much.

"Randy is a squatter with certain rights" Ianto replied, opening the oven the check the breakfast rolls then added "Besides. They are good for keeping away other vermin… like rats."

She shuddered at the thought, then wandered to the other room leaving him to ponder her strange need to needle him. I don't think she even knew she is doing it. Like a sibling. Was she an only child? Maybe she was not used to someone else having more power?

"Hey" Ianto said as he saw Jack wandering into the house from the street entrance, a CB radio in his hands.

"Grass is better."

"Oh my god. A Dad Joke. You and Owen need to be separated for a while" Ianto smiled, leaning in for a kiss "What's up?"

"All the drones went down. Aver twenty of them, sent from different areas around what they thought the zone was. Either the bloody thing can flex or they got it wrong" Jack placed the radio on the table "And they say they have no idea when or if they are going to retrieve them Sounds like they don't really give a frigg."

"A Frigg. Wow." Ianto said with wide eyes, gaining another kiss and a soft slap to the arse.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Been feeding Randy, now I want to get those rolls into a basket if we are all ready to eat" Ianto slapped Jack's arse back and walked off leaving him to grin down at Gwen who had seen the entire exchange with her mouth pursed "What's wrong. Sucked a lemon?"

"Do you have to touch each other's arses at the table?" she asked.

"No, we don't do we" Jack grinned, then looked up "Hey Rhys. Nice shirt."

I LOVE DELGRAVE in red letters on a bright ink t-shirt and the glare told Jack it had not been his choice. Apparent as Gwen removed her jacket and showed her own… at least two size too small one.

"I am so hungry I could eat a horse" Rhys said, then burst out laughing as Ianto placed down a bun that had a smaller bun on the edge and some curly lettuce as a mane and tail.

"What is that!" Gwen asked.

"A bread bun horse" Rhys giggled, picking it up and shoving the entire thing in his mouth as she gaped with horror.

"RHYS! That is disgusting!" she cried out, everyone laughing as they settled to eat.

Ianto watched the table eat and felt a strange accomplishment. Weird. All that study, years at university and then taking over the business to shuffle though meetings, contracts… bloody pay disputes. Selling the company and staying here… why not? Come on. Let's face it. That life was never for him.

Ianto was becoming more and more settled.

A dog.

Yes.

As he cleared the table he decided to go find out if there was a pound or something here, maybe a notice board that had pets to give away or something? He did want something already past the weeing inside stage.

He decided.

He was going to do it.

.

.

"Baxter for fucksake" he roared for the third time as he dog lunged, and then the stupid bastard pulled the leash right out of his hands, taking off into the treeline. He had only picked him out this afternoon and already he as being a prat.

"He's a good boy they said" Iant sing-songed to himself "never had a problem they said. So obedient they said."

Then the bloodhound started a deep braying and Ianto had a horrible thought. Oh god… Randy.

Ianto ran into the trees, his heart pounding as he chastised himself for not thinking about a bloodhound and a raccoon sharing space.

He rounded a corpse of trees to find the dog had something in there, his glee eident as he glanced back at Ianto for praise and as he went to scold he caught a pale hand clutching one of the thin saplings.

A small… childlike… fuck. A kid?

"Hi there" Ianto said softly, puling the dog back "Sorry. Baxter is new and does not know all the rules of engagement here. Are you OK?"

A small face appeared through the gap and Ianto could now see small child, a terrified one. HUGE eyes filled his face as the fear was clear, his little mouth, love heart face and mop of hair adorable.

"Hello. I'm Ianto" Ianto said softly, taking in the dishevelled clothing and the dirt… how long has this child been out here in his little blue jumpsuit? "Did you… did you come from one of the planes? Eh? We laned here too."

A small head nodded.

"Well… bugger. Were you traveling with your parent?" he asked, "You know where you came from?"

A shake in the negative.

Well. Bugger.

"OK, so… you were travelling on your own?"

A nod in agreement.

"An unaccompanied minor. I guess you fell through the cacks. God. Come on, let's get you something to eat and we can sort out what group you should be with" Ianto offered his hand and after a moment, the little one shoved his hand into Ianto's palm, accepting the friendship offered.

Ianto was ready to tear someone a new one for overlooking this child, he was furious.

.

.

"And he was out there in the woods?" Gwen was as horrified as him.

"An unaccompanied minor. Maybe in the melee he just… slipped off" Ianto sighed, "I don't know if I feel right handing him back, since they've not even bloody well missed him."

"I will go ask around, until we know for sure… I think he needs to stay where we can see him. Can't have him wandering off again and he does seem to like that dog" she agreed, smiling softly "Lovely dog."

"A bit of a nutta but seems happy enough. I was worried he might have treed Randy but … well. Maybe he is like a truffle pig. Instead of finding truffles, he finds lost kids. Bloodhounds do track people, right?" Ianto smiled at her as she rose and pushed in her chair.

After she had left to ask for the manifests of all the planes, Ianto considered clothing.

By the time she returned, the little boy had Rhys's I LOVE DELGRAVE shirt on, still warm from the dryer. Like a huge nightgown. He did look adorable.

The little boy liked the left-over rolls from the morning and also had a raw carrot in his hand, "but he seems interested in any meat."

"Vegetarian?" she asked as she settled with sheets of paper and added "Found a list that had several unaccompanied minors onboard, I asked for a headcount and they said it was too hard now as they were all billeted out. Can you imagine? One was listed as Vegetarian meals only."

"A name?"

"Edward."

"Edward." Ianto repeated "Is that your name? Eddie?"

The little boy grinned.

Eddie it was.