Will My Arms Be Strong Enough 29/45
Title: Will My Arms Be Strong Enough? 29/45
Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys...and others!
Characters: Jack, Ianto, Gwen, Rhys, John Hart, two OC's, Andrea (Andie) Carlowe and Nick Jones.
Spoilers: Set after Exit Wounds.
Summary: The aftermath of meeting the monster - sorry, mother-in-law...
Chapter 29
“Why does Alison’s mother seem to hate Nick so much?” asked Catrin, drumming her gloved hands on the railing in front of her. “She was looking at him like he was a sea slug or something during his speech.”
“Seem to hate him?!” exclaimed Ianto, spinning around. “Catrin, she doesn’t seem to hate him - she actually does hate him.”
“Why?”
“Why? Catrin, she has never thought that Nick was good enough for her daughter. She knew about your dad and his depression and she was afraid that her family’s reputation would be tarnished because of that.”
Catrin looked outraged. “That’s crazy!” she shouted. “There is nothing wrong with our father!”
“I know, I know,” interrupted Ianto. “But she’s never thought Nick was good enough for her daughter, never. She had always hoped that Alison would marry the son of a rich accountant, someone who the family had known for years.” He sighed. “To be honest, I think the only reason she didn’t stop Nick and Alison getting married was because of Alison’s father. He got on really well with Nick and he could see that he made Alison happy. But after he died…” Ianto trailed off and shuddered.
Catrin sighed a bit. “You see? Nick tells you these things when he never said a word about any of it to me.” She bit her lip and focused on a distant point. “Sometimes, I wonder if you know my brother better than I do.” Her voice was quiet, but the resentment was all too clear.
“I know,” Ianto said gently. “I know, but - Catrin, Nick and I have grown up together. He’s my brother in all but blood and he didn’t even know he had a sister for a long time.”
“Yes, but -”
“Also, don’t forget, he’s a man…and I guess he just finds it easier to confide in other guys than he does with women, you know?”
Catrin nodded. “I guess I understand that.”
Ianto nodded and then laughed. “You know the ironic thing, though?”
“What’s that?”
“She always said that Nick was never good enough for Alison, but…as far as I’m concerned, Alison was never good enough for Nick.” He dropped his voice. “And I’m not saying that out of dislike for her - she’s a nice girl. But she wasn’t good enough for him. She would never have given him the love that he deserves. There was only one person who could have that.”
Catrin was about to ask what he meant, when she was distracted by footsteps coming towards them. She turned her head, just in time to see John and Nick approaching. John’s face was a picture of guilt and shock, but Nick was almost completely calm, even if he was very pale. But Catrin knew better. Her brother was very good at keeping a calm façade, but there was a lot more to it than that. She at least knew him well enough to know that.
“What happened?” she asked, barely restraining the hysteria in her voice. She ran to hug him, but Nick stepped aside and, touching John’s shoulder, walked away from the group.
Ianto caught her arm before she could follow. “I’ll talk to him,” he said softly and turned, following Nick at a distance as he walked away from the loitering group of people and towards the damp railings. “Hey,” he said, keeping a careful distance and not touching him.
“I thought you’d follow me.” Nick’s voice was quiet and without anger, but he didn’t turn round. He rubbed his forehead slowly and sighed. “God, I hate her.”
“I think we all do,” said Ianto, stepping a little closer. “Something happened there, didn’t it?”
“Just the usual,” answered Nick, but then he laughed. “Well…no, it wasn’t just the usual. Ianto - she knows…she knows about what happened in Newport…”
Ianto gripped the railing to steady himself. “How did she know about that?”
“I have no idea. I certainly never told her about it. I never even told Alison about it - in fact, the only person outside the hospital who knew, before I told you the other day was your dad.” He shook his head. “But I know that he’d never have told her.”
Ianto tilted his head slightly. “That’s not all, is it?” he said quietly. “Come on; I know you, Nick - I know something else happened there.”
Nick turned his head properly this time. “Yes,” he whispered, but he was looking at something behind Ianto. “Yes, something else did happen.”
Ianto followed his gaze, about to ask what had happened, but then he saw what, or rather who, his cousin was looking at, and it suddenly clicked. “She saw you with John, didn’t she?” When Nick’s eyes dropped down, he bit his lip. “Was it bad?”
“Bad?” Nick laughed incredulously. “Ianto…well, let me put it this way. I’m starting to see that James was right when he said that she wasn’t worth my affection.”
“Nick, I’ve -”
“Been telling me that for years,” interrupted Nick. “Yes, I know you have. But I was so desperate not to cause a rift between Alison and her mother that I never listened.” He laughed a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. “Ianto…the things she said to John…I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.”
Ianto shuddered; he could imagine the things the woman would say about the former Time Agent only too easily. And yet…“What else happened?”
Nick shrugged. “She didn’t really say anything else that I didn’t already know - just that I wasn’t a good father to the children, if I had to leave them with my sister all the time.” He waved away Ianto’s half-formed response. “She also said that I wasn’t good enough for Alison, which I -”
“Don’t you dare say you already knew that!” interrupted Ianto angrily. “If anyone’s not good enough for anyone, Alison was never good enough for you!”
Nick whipped round and glared at Ianto. “What’re you saying?”
“I’m not saying that because I don’t like Alison,” Ianto hastily backtracked. “You know I thought she was a nice girl. But she never gave you the love you deserve. The only person she gave that to was her mother. I’m telling you, Nick - if that woman had suggested that Alison divorce you and take the children, she would’ve done it like that!” He snapped his fingers.
For a moment, it looked as though Nick was going to argue, but then his shoulders slumped and he dropped his gaze towards the railings. “I didn’t have much,” he murmured. “In fact…all I really had to give her was my love.”
“I know,” said Ianto quietly. “And you gave her all the love you had.”
“But in the end…it just wasn’t enough, was it?”
“I’m sorry.” Ianto touched his hand gently. “But it’s not always like that, Nick. Sometimes, you find someone and then…you find that love is enough - that sometimes, love is more than enough. Sometimes, just being by someone’s side is enough.” He let his eyes linger on the water tower for a few minutes, allowing his cousin to take in the words and then squeezed his hand. “Come on. Catrin’s invited us to her flat for a late lunch. She’s cooking spaghetti…and her own homemade garlic bread,” he added with a grin.
That got Nick moving. “Well, what are we waiting for?”
~*~
Catrin’s flat, two hours later…
“I’ll tell you one thing, Catrin,” remarked Nick as he and Ianto helped her wash the dishes up from lunch. “When you’re cooking, everything feels right with the world.”
“Thanks,” smiled Catrin. She turned a little pink, the way she always did when someone complimented her on her cooking.
“He’s right, you know,” chimed in John. “You ever consider setting up a catering business? I’m telling you, you’d be very popular. That was the best meal I’ve had in a long time!” He dropped his voice. “It’s a pity your brother didn’t inherit your cooking ability.”
“Oi!” protested Nick, reaching over to slap the other man with a wet towel. Unfortunately, John dodged, causing Nick to lose his balance slightly and stumble backwards, landing flat on his back. When he sat up and realised what he’d tripped over, his eyes widened in surprise. “Catrin, since when have you owned a dog?”
“Since two days ago,” answered David, who had been settling Trevyn and Estelle down for a nap. He picked up the squirming ball of black fluff. “His name’s Woodie.”
“Nice,” answered Ianto, helping Nick up again. “Just don’t leave him around clumsy doctors.”
“Hey…” Nick started to protest, but then saw the look that John was giving him and gave up. “Yeah, okay, I’ll give you that one.”
Catrin smiled and turned around. “Speaking of which, I think Woodie needs his walk, David,” she said, giving her partner a meaningful look. He nodded and, kissing her on the cheek, clipped a thick blue lead on the dog’s collar and left.
John had also noticed the look and grabbed Ianto’s arm. “We’re going to go and get some drinks and nibbles,” he said, nodding at the young woman.
“We are?” asked Ianto. “Oh, yes, we are,” he hastily added as John dragged him out of the door.
Catrin took off the rubber gloves she was wearing and dropped them on top of the now empty sink. “Well, now that it’s just us,” she said. “Nick, come over here and sit down.”
“Okay,” Nick seated himself on the plush sofa, steadying himself before he sunk into the cushions completely. He accepted a glass of cold water from his sister. “What’s up?”
Catrin gave him a hard look. “I don’t pretend to know you as well as Ianto does, Nick,” she said calmly, but her eyes were full of conviction. “But I know you well enough to know that you’re a shadow of yourself at the moment. You’ve just started a new job and, while I’m very pleased for you, you’re clearly very tired as well.” She reached over and tapped his cheek with her long fingers. “You’ve got circles under your eyes and you’ve lost a lot of your colour - and John said you’ve not been eating properly recently.”
Nick pulled away from her. “What are you suggesting, Catrin?” he asked.
“I’m going to suggest that I take care of your kids - just for a few weeks,” she said. “I can see that you’re struggling - and don’t you dare try and deny it. I’m your sister, Nick - I want to help you. Will you let me be there for you?”
Nick stared at her for a few seconds and shook his head. “No,” he whispered, getting up. “I appreciate the thought, but they’ve just lost their mother, Catrin. I can’t abandon them now.”
“You wouldn’t be abandoning them,” insisted Catrin. “It wouldn’t be a permanent thing, Nick - just until you get back on your feet.”
“But -” Nick started to speak again, but his sister was in no mood to listen.
“Nick, those children need stability. Right now, you can’t give them that.”
***
Next Time: What will Nick eventually decide? .
Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys...and others!
Characters: Jack, Ianto, Gwen, Rhys, John Hart, two OC's, Andrea (Andie) Carlowe and Nick Jones.
Spoilers: Set after Exit Wounds.
Summary: The aftermath of meeting the monster - sorry, mother-in-law...
Chapter 29
“Why does Alison’s mother seem to hate Nick so much?” asked Catrin, drumming her gloved hands on the railing in front of her. “She was looking at him like he was a sea slug or something during his speech.”
“Seem to hate him?!” exclaimed Ianto, spinning around. “Catrin, she doesn’t seem to hate him - she actually does hate him.”
“Why?”
“Why? Catrin, she has never thought that Nick was good enough for her daughter. She knew about your dad and his depression and she was afraid that her family’s reputation would be tarnished because of that.”
Catrin looked outraged. “That’s crazy!” she shouted. “There is nothing wrong with our father!”
“I know, I know,” interrupted Ianto. “But she’s never thought Nick was good enough for her daughter, never. She had always hoped that Alison would marry the son of a rich accountant, someone who the family had known for years.” He sighed. “To be honest, I think the only reason she didn’t stop Nick and Alison getting married was because of Alison’s father. He got on really well with Nick and he could see that he made Alison happy. But after he died…” Ianto trailed off and shuddered.
Catrin sighed a bit. “You see? Nick tells you these things when he never said a word about any of it to me.” She bit her lip and focused on a distant point. “Sometimes, I wonder if you know my brother better than I do.” Her voice was quiet, but the resentment was all too clear.
“I know,” Ianto said gently. “I know, but - Catrin, Nick and I have grown up together. He’s my brother in all but blood and he didn’t even know he had a sister for a long time.”
“Yes, but -”
“Also, don’t forget, he’s a man…and I guess he just finds it easier to confide in other guys than he does with women, you know?”
Catrin nodded. “I guess I understand that.”
Ianto nodded and then laughed. “You know the ironic thing, though?”
“What’s that?”
“She always said that Nick was never good enough for Alison, but…as far as I’m concerned, Alison was never good enough for Nick.” He dropped his voice. “And I’m not saying that out of dislike for her - she’s a nice girl. But she wasn’t good enough for him. She would never have given him the love that he deserves. There was only one person who could have that.”
Catrin was about to ask what he meant, when she was distracted by footsteps coming towards them. She turned her head, just in time to see John and Nick approaching. John’s face was a picture of guilt and shock, but Nick was almost completely calm, even if he was very pale. But Catrin knew better. Her brother was very good at keeping a calm façade, but there was a lot more to it than that. She at least knew him well enough to know that.
“What happened?” she asked, barely restraining the hysteria in her voice. She ran to hug him, but Nick stepped aside and, touching John’s shoulder, walked away from the group.
Ianto caught her arm before she could follow. “I’ll talk to him,” he said softly and turned, following Nick at a distance as he walked away from the loitering group of people and towards the damp railings. “Hey,” he said, keeping a careful distance and not touching him.
“I thought you’d follow me.” Nick’s voice was quiet and without anger, but he didn’t turn round. He rubbed his forehead slowly and sighed. “God, I hate her.”
“I think we all do,” said Ianto, stepping a little closer. “Something happened there, didn’t it?”
“Just the usual,” answered Nick, but then he laughed. “Well…no, it wasn’t just the usual. Ianto - she knows…she knows about what happened in Newport…”
Ianto gripped the railing to steady himself. “How did she know about that?”
“I have no idea. I certainly never told her about it. I never even told Alison about it - in fact, the only person outside the hospital who knew, before I told you the other day was your dad.” He shook his head. “But I know that he’d never have told her.”
Ianto tilted his head slightly. “That’s not all, is it?” he said quietly. “Come on; I know you, Nick - I know something else happened there.”
Nick turned his head properly this time. “Yes,” he whispered, but he was looking at something behind Ianto. “Yes, something else did happen.”
Ianto followed his gaze, about to ask what had happened, but then he saw what, or rather who, his cousin was looking at, and it suddenly clicked. “She saw you with John, didn’t she?” When Nick’s eyes dropped down, he bit his lip. “Was it bad?”
“Bad?” Nick laughed incredulously. “Ianto…well, let me put it this way. I’m starting to see that James was right when he said that she wasn’t worth my affection.”
“Nick, I’ve -”
“Been telling me that for years,” interrupted Nick. “Yes, I know you have. But I was so desperate not to cause a rift between Alison and her mother that I never listened.” He laughed a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. “Ianto…the things she said to John…I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.”
Ianto shuddered; he could imagine the things the woman would say about the former Time Agent only too easily. And yet…“What else happened?”
Nick shrugged. “She didn’t really say anything else that I didn’t already know - just that I wasn’t a good father to the children, if I had to leave them with my sister all the time.” He waved away Ianto’s half-formed response. “She also said that I wasn’t good enough for Alison, which I -”
“Don’t you dare say you already knew that!” interrupted Ianto angrily. “If anyone’s not good enough for anyone, Alison was never good enough for you!”
Nick whipped round and glared at Ianto. “What’re you saying?”
“I’m not saying that because I don’t like Alison,” Ianto hastily backtracked. “You know I thought she was a nice girl. But she never gave you the love you deserve. The only person she gave that to was her mother. I’m telling you, Nick - if that woman had suggested that Alison divorce you and take the children, she would’ve done it like that!” He snapped his fingers.
For a moment, it looked as though Nick was going to argue, but then his shoulders slumped and he dropped his gaze towards the railings. “I didn’t have much,” he murmured. “In fact…all I really had to give her was my love.”
“I know,” said Ianto quietly. “And you gave her all the love you had.”
“But in the end…it just wasn’t enough, was it?”
“I’m sorry.” Ianto touched his hand gently. “But it’s not always like that, Nick. Sometimes, you find someone and then…you find that love is enough - that sometimes, love is more than enough. Sometimes, just being by someone’s side is enough.” He let his eyes linger on the water tower for a few minutes, allowing his cousin to take in the words and then squeezed his hand. “Come on. Catrin’s invited us to her flat for a late lunch. She’s cooking spaghetti…and her own homemade garlic bread,” he added with a grin.
That got Nick moving. “Well, what are we waiting for?”
~*~
Catrin’s flat, two hours later…
“I’ll tell you one thing, Catrin,” remarked Nick as he and Ianto helped her wash the dishes up from lunch. “When you’re cooking, everything feels right with the world.”
“Thanks,” smiled Catrin. She turned a little pink, the way she always did when someone complimented her on her cooking.
“He’s right, you know,” chimed in John. “You ever consider setting up a catering business? I’m telling you, you’d be very popular. That was the best meal I’ve had in a long time!” He dropped his voice. “It’s a pity your brother didn’t inherit your cooking ability.”
“Oi!” protested Nick, reaching over to slap the other man with a wet towel. Unfortunately, John dodged, causing Nick to lose his balance slightly and stumble backwards, landing flat on his back. When he sat up and realised what he’d tripped over, his eyes widened in surprise. “Catrin, since when have you owned a dog?”
“Since two days ago,” answered David, who had been settling Trevyn and Estelle down for a nap. He picked up the squirming ball of black fluff. “His name’s Woodie.”
“Nice,” answered Ianto, helping Nick up again. “Just don’t leave him around clumsy doctors.”
“Hey…” Nick started to protest, but then saw the look that John was giving him and gave up. “Yeah, okay, I’ll give you that one.”
Catrin smiled and turned around. “Speaking of which, I think Woodie needs his walk, David,” she said, giving her partner a meaningful look. He nodded and, kissing her on the cheek, clipped a thick blue lead on the dog’s collar and left.
John had also noticed the look and grabbed Ianto’s arm. “We’re going to go and get some drinks and nibbles,” he said, nodding at the young woman.
“We are?” asked Ianto. “Oh, yes, we are,” he hastily added as John dragged him out of the door.
Catrin took off the rubber gloves she was wearing and dropped them on top of the now empty sink. “Well, now that it’s just us,” she said. “Nick, come over here and sit down.”
“Okay,” Nick seated himself on the plush sofa, steadying himself before he sunk into the cushions completely. He accepted a glass of cold water from his sister. “What’s up?”
Catrin gave him a hard look. “I don’t pretend to know you as well as Ianto does, Nick,” she said calmly, but her eyes were full of conviction. “But I know you well enough to know that you’re a shadow of yourself at the moment. You’ve just started a new job and, while I’m very pleased for you, you’re clearly very tired as well.” She reached over and tapped his cheek with her long fingers. “You’ve got circles under your eyes and you’ve lost a lot of your colour - and John said you’ve not been eating properly recently.”
Nick pulled away from her. “What are you suggesting, Catrin?” he asked.
“I’m going to suggest that I take care of your kids - just for a few weeks,” she said. “I can see that you’re struggling - and don’t you dare try and deny it. I’m your sister, Nick - I want to help you. Will you let me be there for you?”
Nick stared at her for a few seconds and shook his head. “No,” he whispered, getting up. “I appreciate the thought, but they’ve just lost their mother, Catrin. I can’t abandon them now.”
“You wouldn’t be abandoning them,” insisted Catrin. “It wouldn’t be a permanent thing, Nick - just until you get back on your feet.”
“But -” Nick started to speak again, but his sister was in no mood to listen.
“Nick, those children need stability. Right now, you can’t give them that.”
***
Next Time: What will Nick eventually decide? .