4

Ianto was dropping off the large pack, the bedroll removed so the boy could stuff the horrible coat his mother had got for him into the top pocket that acted like a top flap on the pack. It was clear the boy hated the black puffer jacket and it was also clear he was putting on a good show of liking it as he stood there in it letting Ianto admire it as his siter watched on with pride.

Then she went inside, and the boy opened the pack, peered in and did a little dance before hugging his uncle. Clearly Ianto had kept his promise of goodness in the bottom that David could hide with clothing on top.

A good man.

Jack smiled as he watched the screen and told himself this was the last time he would be such a creep.

..

.

Ianto was standing in the Hub with the tray of coffees, about to put them down when his cell phone went off and the tune was…Barbie? What? Jacke grinned as Ianto muttered Mica's name with annoyance and he placed the ray on the coffee table before opening the phone to look at the message, then frown with something other than annoyance.

Confusion.

"Ianto?" Jack asked, sitting forward to reach for his usual blue and white striped cup.

Ianto looked up from the phone at Jack and frowned deeper "It doesn't make sense."

Jack rose and held out his hand, knowing Ianto would automatically hand it over and he did. On the screen were the words 'Help Da is h"

"Da is H?"

"Here!" Ianto said suddenly, his face dropping "Shit, he's turned up at the house. Rhia has a bloody order on him."

"Right. Gwen call Heddlu and tell them to get around to Ianto's Sister's place"

"Sister… what sister?" Gwen asked with confusion and Jack called back that he would bloody do it himself on the way.

The team sat there as Ianto and Jack raced off then Owen said softly "Fuck it. I'm following them."

"Yep" Toshiko rose, pulling her jacket from the back of her chair as Gwen turned in her own chair and considered then realized she was being left behind.

"Hey… is this on remote or whatever?" she called as she ran after them "You know… auto pilot"

Toshiko sorted softly beside Owen in the elevator.

.

.

Jack swung the SUV int the driveway and Ianto was out and running before Jack had the park brake on. Jack followed and joined Ianto by the back door with a gun in his hand, his face stony as he listened intently to the silence within.

Ianto turned to Jack, and he saw fear in Ianto's face. Clearly silence is not a good thing. Then Ianto reached into his pocket and produced a set of keys, choosing one and unlocking the door to carefully swing open the door while not making a sound. Ah, so this is why he chose this one. Reconned the place and knew this was a silent entry point.

So, he had fears for her safety already.

Damn.

DAMN!

Rhiannon was lying inside the door, on her back with her head to one side, her eyes staring straight at them as blood pooled beenath her.

A cry of fear from upstairs had Jack moving, Ianto crouching as he reached out to touch the cooling face of his big sister, convincing himself that she was gone, this was done and… it was over.

He then rose and followed Jack, not only catching up to him but passing him on the stairs like he was Sonic the Hedgehog, slamming into the children's room where the kids were in the closet, shrinking back against the back of it as their father tried to grab one of them.

"Get here you little bitch" Johnny snarled staggering against the frame and leaving a bloody smear.

Rhiannon's blood.

Ianto raised the weapon and was about to fire when David caught his eye and they made eye contact. Ianto adjusted his aim and shot Johnny in the thigh instead of the head like he had wanted to, Johnny grunting with shock as he fell.

Jack stepped over him and aimed his Webley into his face as he leaned down and snarled "Twitch motherfucker. Twitch for me!"

Johnny went still… as still as his wife downstairs.

Ianto slid around them and held open his arms so the kids could crawl to him and he lifted one with each arm, leaving the room as the sirens sounded and Owen moved past him up the stairs, Jack's low snarl audible in the silent house.

Downstairs Toshiko was carefully covering Rhiannon with one if her favourite tablecloths.

Mama had died in the kitchen. Da had…. Fuck.

Ianto stopped thinking, kept moving with the kids until they were outside in the night air, the darkness and space comforting somehow. Ah, hello darkness my old friend.

Gwen was stopping the unforms with her Torchwood credentials, and that commanding way of hers that reminded Ianto of Jack and (not for the first time) he saw why Jack liked her. She had his self-assured ability to bullshit.

But that didn't matter really.

All that mattered were the to little ones clinging to him with fear, their fingers digging into his arms as he tried to remain calm for them, his heart breaking for them as he remembered this, remembered the feeling of loss as his own Mama had died in her kitchen, the tablecloth on the table had been her favourite, Ianto had watched through the lacey fringe of it as his Da had raised the toaster to bring it down on her skull again and again.

The only difference this time was that the two children left behind in the aftermath had something he and Rhiannon didn't.

These two had him.