7

Lucia had never been pillion on a motorbike this big, the man she was clinging to so utterly unknown to her and to know this was the man normally in the three-piece suit, this was the man her husband had fallen for, had fucked up with… she felt a strange sadness. She had not known Ianto Jones at all, this lovable rogue who handled the corners like a fucking maniac.

She noted the way the other men had moved around Ianto, the respect there as they called him 'Boss' or Toto and he had been rougher around the edges, more… manly. She glanced over at her daughter who was in the sidecar, her goggles making her look a little deranged as she whooped with glee, the horror they had just endured already forgotten as she enjoyed the rush.

They turned a corner and she realized with a horrifying start that they had turned up the driveway to the Harkness House. What was left of it.

Jack saw them coming and was running for them, his face full of relief as the bikes came to a rumbling stop and Alice called out to him. This is when another voice called out and for the first time, Lucia saw little Steven attached to the bike's sidecar of one of the bikers, a woman sitting in there with him who was releasing him from the strange harness in another sidecar to run to Jack. Jack was on his knees sobbing as he clutched the kids close.

Lucia got off the back of the bike and pulled off her helmet as Rose called out to her "Luce! Thank god, you too?"

She was engulfed in the arms of her ex-sister-in-law and she hugged her back, Rose one of the few family members she could stomach still.

The men were still by the bikes talking softly and as they all shook hands and headed off, the two bikes with side cars were left as well as a third one that Ianto had been riding.

Ianto finally removed his helmet and stood back, the black leather such a stark change that clearly no one had even recognized him yet. And he preferred it that way, turning his back to the lovely happy family scene to pull the helmets around to make sure the kids had theirs ready to go.

"Ianto" Lucai called out as she decided not to let it go "Come here, come on and let them all see you as a bad arse!"

"LANGUAGE!" Steven roared, then laughed with glee "Daddy… we went fast!"

"Yes, and you will again. Daddy will zoom you in this special car again and Alice has her one on this bike and Uncle Gray will drive it. Mama Lucy can fit in with you for some fun since it's a big one, yeah?" Ianto crouched to talk to his son ignoring the sharp intake of breath of his ex-mother-in-law who did NOT like him.

"Ianto…" Jack meekly began to speak.

"Your parents will want to stay here and see to the insurance side of things, you know your sister will too. But I think we need to get these kids out of this before there are aftershocks… don't you?" Ianto said softly, yet firmly and as always, Jack found himself shaking his head.

"No power, the place is out of bounds, they are coming with. Everyone is. Dad still has his quad bike and Gray can sit on the back, hanging on for grim life of course and if we have me use my bike with Rose doubling behind me, mum can go with you."

Ianto stared at him like he had grown an extra head but knew Jack would not relent, the little boy's face between them staring to drop as he whimpered "We can't leave Poppy and Gamma"

"Well, fuck. They have to behave and the moment your mother starts on me, I cut her feckin throat" Ianto whispered then looked down at their son "Of course not love. But I want aunty Rose for a cuddle on the bike, Daddy can take his mother. Don't' worry, is snowball ready?"

"Snowball? But… it's flat. OK, we are leaving to go… where?" Jack asked not even questioning Ianto's idea.

"The Lake House, I called ahead and the Johnstons say it was not so bad out there. Some structural damage to some of the village buildings but those around the lake mostly have things thrown out of cupboards and such. Peat. Since we never officially listed it for sale it still sits there" Ianto replied. "Powe is still out there too but at least we have the wood fire for heat and the gas bottles were topped up after my last visit so… we can cook on the gas stove. I didn't go back to stay, just to clean it and… get some things out of it in case you wanted it back."

"Because I gave it to you. It was a gift, for our fifth wedding anniversary!" Jack said firmly "Divorce or not, gifts were excluded. Whether mama likes it or not."

Ianto didn't answer, busy adjusting the helmet on their son and then walking to his bike like there was nothing left to say. Really… after mentioning the woman standing nearby throwing daggers with her eyes… there wasn't, I guess.

.

.

Jack could not remember the last time he was on a motorbike, glad that muscle memory was there as he followed Ianto through the traffic, crashed cars and general chaos. He was right, no vehicle could get through this, bikes were the only transport, especially when they went off road through the footpaths and jogging tracks when the road was too congested. He did worry about his father's quad bike a few times but they made it through, the relief of seeing Owen and Toshiko on the same road was cloying. Seems Ianto had managed to get through to them as well. And Jack had no idea they had motorbikes.

They travelled most of the night and as the light was coming up they turned up a dirt road and ahead of them was the Lake Houe. The amazing gift Jack gave Ianto a mere month before the Gwen Thing. As much as Ianto had loved it, loved Jack and loved the love making inside it, he had not been back inside it to sleep since that night, finding Jack and Gwen in their marital bed made any bed the two men had shared somehow tainted. No, just day trips to talk to the property manager outside only.

But he did love it.

And he had loved the fucker beaming with delight as he removed his helmet to show that hair totally unfussed like a fucking movie star or something.

He still did.

He would love him forever.

But now… there was hate too.

And those conflicting emotions just left him feeling sick.

And sad.