13
"So, they rang you?" Jack spluttered as he gaped at Ianto who seemed calm as he explained the fact the Fertility clinic had called him about the remaining embryos. Like… what? They were Jack's.
In the divorce… yeah. THAT nasty.
"When your cell phone went first, mine was still active for another hour or so as I was deep in the city. I rang them as soon as I got the notification today and they have confirmed that the chryo units are starting to fail already. They estimate that within the next six to ten weeks the entire bank will be gone and it was confirmed that the power grid will not be up in time. The sprogletts… are going ot be forfeit." Ianto said, then shrugged like it was no big dela that his dream for another couple of the kids to add to their family was so cruelly ripped away.
But I guess he already lost them. Only once they became real he could petition the court to be recognized as a DNA parent's sibling (Rhia's eggs) and seek some form of visitation as Jack owned them now. Jack's mother had been sly with that and those unborn items of property were Harkness all the way. Jack's DNA. Ianto's sister's, not even Ianto's. He would have little chance of gaining much form the births now, Rhiannon would have to be the one fighting alongside him and as they did not really speak anymore… yeah Jack fucked that up too… Ianto had grieved for the loss of those babies once, now forced to again.
"What did you tell them? I never update the paperwork, I guess it felt like one final nail in the coffin to remove you from the files" Jack sadly mumbled, "So, you still have a say."
"I told them that I had to talk to you, it was up to you if you wanted to try for an emergency insertion, I mean… we don't even have a surrogate ready or anything. It would be chaos." Ianto shrugged as he paced the back yard "But I don't really have a say. You know I would never assume… no arse here."
"You are always such a goody two shoes." Jack laughed "For someone who moves in the world you do, you never slide, do you."
"I don't know, I do sometimes sample the grapes before weighing them."
Jack found himself laughing at an old joke between them and Ianto smiled softly at him, time stepping back for a moment and the pain of the last few years sliding back as well. Jack loved him so much. Still, always. And then he remembered that he had fucked it all up… had fucked it up with someone in their marital bed no less.
"We could see if Donna is available. It would be cheeky but… it would also be sad to not try" Jack finally said and he saw a flicker of something cross Ianto's face before he nodded. "Ianto… you already rang her?"
"Well, to check on her and her family and… well. Tell her. I felt like she should know, Steven being hers sort of."
"And what else did you discuss?" Jack asked hopefully.
"She offered. I did not ask, I simply let her have time to process while telling her about our time here and… she offered. To carry again." Ianto shrugged like it was no big deal and Jack knew he must have danced a pretty tune to get her to 'offer' at such short notice.
"And did you ring them back at the clinic to ask about the possibility?"
Ianto rubbed his hands on his legs, showing distress "No. Not my place. Not my kids, remember?"
"Ianto… I told you at the time that I had no idea this would happen and I promised you, I even wrote it in that letter so you would have proof, I would never… NEVER hold those kids from you" Jack sighed as he flopped back in his chair "They are yours too. So much love, hope… dreams and joy…. I know I fucked it all up but those little ones… we did something good. Look at Stevie. We did something good there."
"Then call them in the morning and confirm. Get an appointment set up and seek an implantation to see if there are some still viable and cross those fingers of yours I love… loved so much" Ianto rose from the chair and went to leave but Jack reached out to catch his wrist, holding him for a moment.
"We both have a duty of care to our kids. Present and future. If this works… I… if this works I want you to be there. As their Taddy. Please, any paperwork you need me to sign, anything mother will hate with a passion… lease." Jack begged "Don't… don't walk away from them."
"Like I walked awa from you?" Ianto snarled wrenching his wrist free and Jack knew he had chosen the wrong words. "Let's not forget who took the first step there!"
Ianto stormed off, leaving Jack there in the moonlight and sorrow.
.
.
Alice was sitting on the jetty with her mother, their feet dangling in the water as the last of the dusk mist rolled in. Soon they would go inside but for now, the last little part of the peace lingered. Inside the distant screech of Mother Harkness filtered out as she declared the BBQ meat disgusting and inedible the last few nights.
"Why does she do that? She knows Uncle Gray is doing the best he can." She sighed.
"Because Ianto helped him. Ianto has stayed away tonight so she will declare it the best yet, you wait and see" Lucia replied to her daughter.
"Even in divorce, I am not good enough" Ianto agreed as he settled next to them and sighed wistfully, looked around and slid something into Lucia's lap "Don't' tell."
"Oh my god, dark chocolate?" she gasped with glee.
"Good for your serotonin levels."
They giggled as she snapped some off and handed it either side. They sat and chewed on the chocolate as the night closed in.
Fuck everyone else.