24

Jack and Ianto had insisted on another sweep of the town to be sure they had no other unwelcome visitors hiding and once they were sure of it, they headed home to face the music. Jack had a million and one questions for Ianto but knew it was not his place to ask them, it was up to Ianto to provide the information when he was ready.

One thing was for certain… he knew so much more than he let on about EVERYTHING. Jack had secretly started to wonder if HE was an Alien before dismissing it with a snort of amusement at himself. The MIBs would have picked that up in no time flat.

Right?

Eddie wanted to know what had happened and made it clear by slapping at Jack repeatedly until he laughed and sat in the large chair that would fit them both, then he told the story to him as the little one's eyes grew larger.

When Jack got to the part about Baxter the little one gave his first real communication sound, a soft bark. Jack was shocked, then amused as he laughed along with him, calling him a cheeky beast. Then he told him how Ianto had stood up to them, had flexed his power and they had backed down.

"So little man, it looks like we are not only staying here, but we are claiming it as our own spot of dirt. What do you think of that, eh?" Jack crooned, his finger stroking the little face of the creature he had grown to love almost as much as Ianto. "Baxter is family too... we are all one now."

Eddie's reply was to lay against Jack's chest and close his eyes, fully knowing he was safe.

Ianto entered and dumped the large bag of goodies from the SUV he had been stripping, on the table. Eddie jumped at the sound, then slid from Jack's lap to peer into the bag, making soft chirping noises and then pulling out a little tablet to play with.

Jack grinned as he said softly "He's starting to vocalize. Hear him? So cute."

Ianto ignored this and slumped into a chair as he said "Gwen. Any chance of a cuppa?"

Her eyes widened as he gave her permission to enter the kitchen and she rushed off before he changed his mind. As she reappeared with a plate of homemade biscuits a townsperson had dropped off, Ianto slid to the edge of his chair.

"Lovely Gwen. You know, you were amazing tonight. You are a great Agent! You are not utilized as a Heddlu beat officer" Ianto said with a soft smile "God. I think I need to go home, get my stuff and settle here fulltime. I can easily run the Tech Company from here, especially with Toshiko as well. Owen… you wanted a quiet practice?"

Owen nodded "I was thinking the same thing mate. Nice place this, perfect for raising kids and now I know what those MIB fuckers can get up to, I would rather be in one of the few places they are not allowed."

"Agreed, nice place for a local delivery service. I could drive a little truck with produce, fresh food and such for those living out in the boondocks on the farms… delivering groceries and such. This place grows on ya." Rhys said, then looked at Gwen who nodded. "Once a week I can take a big one into the Big Smoke to fill up with things for the store. Ya know they already offered me a job?"

"The Sherrif is floundering… could do with a strong woman in his ranks to do the hard yakka. Gwen will be a fierce protector of this area. Needs a badge" Jack said with a nod of his head "And we will have to patrol our land. Make sure this Hot Spot is protected."

"Well… I think we are pretty bloody set then" Owen settled in a chair and looked at Gwen silently until she rolled her eyes and went to make another cuppa.

Secretly delighted.

.

.

"So, you lot are staying?" Greene asked with undisguised worry.

"Yes. We are all staying. I will need to look into some more houses to buy I guess" Ianto grinned as he watched the man light up, his face relaxing as he got the question he had wanted and feared would not be given.

"Owen is eying up the Medical Center, he knows you should have a full time doctor. This being a place where anything might happen, maybe someone who can research different things and believe in the things he is seeing and being told" Ianto added.

"Well… do you think any animal mauling, and such might interest him too? We get livestock messed with sometimes" the man leaned forward now "Some of them might be something supernatural but some of them, I think are local drug fuelled fuckers who stage it to excuse killing an entire cow to cut off a shoulder of meat and leave the rest."

"I think Owen would revel in that sort of work. He likes you" Ianto smiled widely "I bet he would love to get about looking at weird thing and cursing a lot while scratching his arse."

Greene roared with mirth as he admitted "Boy, you just described me!"

"I don't think this is over. I think there might possibly be another attempt at us. Those arseholes went home for some smacked wrists but they will have friends. Another unit might try their luck. While I am in the Big Smoke I will collect some more toys. Let's set this place up like we intend to proceed with the threat of unwanted visitors. Foreign and domestic?" Ianto said as he looked over at Jack "Time to declare our ownership of this dirt."

"So those visitors we DO encourage can feel safe to go about their business in peace?" Jack asked.

"We need a name" Owen blurted out, "If we are to be a team… all good teams have a name."

"Well… I am sure one will present itself." Ianto assured him.

"Bad Wolf Bay Bastards?" Owen asked then poked our his tongue as Jack laughed at him.

"One that is less… rude? If you have kids you don't want them to call themselves bastards do ya?" John asked as he clipped the back of Owen's head in passing.

"Oi, fuck off ya wanker!"

"No… that doesn't seme to fit either" Ianto said with fake consideration.

Everyone laughed as Ianto opened his phone to call for a ride.

Time to go back… this one last time.

Then he never wanted to leave here again.