30

On one hand, Ianto wanted to just hide and wait it out, but the kids were back at the cabin behind him and he didn't want to leave them to Jack to protect all alone. Not fair. And besides, they only had to get inside to see that they wrein the right place, photos of him and Jack everywhere.

Bugger.

Ianto then decided to go the opposite route, heading for the cabin while Jack was still talking to the men out in the open, Franklin appearing on the veranda of the Glass House with a shot gun cracked open in the fold of his elbow.

Ianto entered the cabin via the back door and after considering things more, he headed for the kitchen where he removed all the knives from the knife block and then walked around placing them at hand grabbing height in hidden spots.

Then he went to the bedroom to change into darker clothing, and he stepped neatly into the shared bathroom between the kid's rooms after making sure their doors were closed. He would defend them. Out there… was Harkness testosterone zone.

He just had to wait for the cavalry to arrive.

Or maybe… get a few thumps in himself.

.

.

Jack motioned for his father to calm the fuck down, clearly not having much luck as inside Rose's voice could be heard asking for someone to put the kettle on. Fuck.

"There's a girl in there?" one of the men asked.

"Well, it's not a fucking pirate" Jack find himself grumbling with annoyance "I told you, you've got the wrong houses. Take that track around that way, look you can see the lights around the bend there."

"So… who's in the log cabin then?" one of the others turned to look in that direction.

"My kids are asleep in there, I need to get back to them so… jog on mates" Jack said as he turned to head for the cabin.

"Hank on a sec. Are you American?"

Ianto took a deep intake of breath as he knew it was on now… on like Donley Kong. Ianto took a firm gasp of the knife in his hand, not one from the kitchen but one from his bedside table that was nasty, hooked like a claw and clearly not your everyday slicer and dicer. Oh no, this was custom made.

And yeah… he knew how to use it.

Then he heard the back door, and he felt a rush of adrenaline. More than three… fuck. They had others moving in the darkness. Most likely saw him and followed him to find the door that didn't have a light. Fuck.

Ianto listened to the footsteps coming down the hallway, then he opened the door knowing it was the most silent door in the house (of course he checked) and he stepped in behind the man, drawing the knife around the man's neck with a fluid motion, the man barely registering that someone was behind him before he felt the red hot slice of the blade. Ianto was glad the back hallway was hardwood that he could easily clean, it would be so much harder to explain to the kids why the carpet wet from scrubbing.

Fuck, he was saying fuck a lot lately.

Then the front door swung open and Jack stumbled in, pushed by the one now holding his gun, Jack's lip bloody as he tried to remain calm. Ianto now counted five fuckers all heavily armed and Franklin also shoved inside. Ah. So this is why Jack had relinquished his own gun. Damn. One of them had snuck up in Franklin.

At least Jack had the thought of mind to steer them this way, away from those half asleep in the Glass House… and towards the one waiting who was fully awake and… well… stabby.

As Jack flicked the lights on, the sudden bright lights illuminating the entire house, Ianto slammed his eyes shut against it, like it was some sort of evil thing. Excellent Jack, you remembered the training. This is going to get messy. Ianto sighed softly as he really liked the rug he had taken months to find for the front room, then he reached for the power box by the back door, flicking the switch to plunge the house into darkness.

Then Ianto moved forward, knowing Jack would get to his father and plaster him to a wall, the thing he had always been taught to do at the self defense classes they had taken together where Ianto had shown his true temper. Yes, Jack knew what darkness meant and he didn't hesitate, lunging for his father who was pulled to the wall by the door, Jack placing himself between him and those still staggering about cursing as they did not know the layout by heart like Jack did. After all, he had been in this place in the darkness enough times with just the firelight to help show the corners of that coffee table.

With the bright light gone from their eyesight, blindless would be slow to dissipate. But Jack knew Ianto was already working, the sound of grunting, squeals of pain and a roar of horror as Ianto must have given a low blow at the one who had held a gun to Jack and had clocked him in the mouth.

Jack waited for the light from the fire to illuminate for him now as his eyes were adjusting to the dark and he was able to see Ianto moving fluidly around the men who seemed confused at what was happening, one even firing off his gun, hitting one of his own men.

Jack reached for the gun that had been dropped by the shot man now staggering back, the knife still cutting into flesh and clothing as Ianto continued to dance about slashing at the men who were a beat too slow each time with their swinging fists.

Finally, there was just Ianto in the firelight and the sound of his panting. Then a soft moan from the floor and he looked down as if noticing the man for the first time, then he brought his foot down hard and there was a dull thud, a grunt and silence.

"Tiger?"

"Good Cariad…. All good, unharmed." Ianto replied knowing the question Jack wanted to ask.

"Taddy? The lights are off, did we have another shaker? I heard a bang, did something fall owva" came their son's voice and Jack moved from his father towards their son's room.

"I'll get it. We don't want the kids to see this" Jack said softly as he entered their son's room and Ianto moved back through the hallway to the power box, flipping the switch to return the power from the main solar battery grid and Franklin felt his breath leaving his body as he stared at eight… eight men on the floor.

Where the fuck… what the fuck….well…

Fuck.