Ch. 20
Well, here it is, the last of this particular story. I know there will be other bits and pieces to come, but for this fic, this is it. Barring someone wanting to get dirty with Ch. 17 in NC 17.
So although I've come to be very fond of these people none of them are mine. I just like to visit now and again.
Ch. 20
In the months that followed changes were made. Torchwood took the messages in The Atrocity Archives to heart. The firewalls protecting Torchwood's computers, mainframe and servers became the stuff of legend among the world's hackers. Jack grudgingly shared some of that new protective software with UNIT. He never said where or from whom he got it......
Jack, Ianto, Gwen and Martha realized they had to be less secretive about some things with the part time, "civilian" side of Torchwood. They put together lecture evenings for Lois, Alice, Rhys, Rhi and Johnnie, covering things about the rift, things on the 6th floor, historical files from the 4th floor. And about what was being kept in the "vasty deeps" of the basement levels. Jack wanted them to know as much as possible to keep them from being sent to the 5th floor. Working for Torchwood wasn't less dangerous, but everyone had a better grasp of where that danger was coming from.
When baby Angharad finally arrived with no sign of Mel, everyone sadly assumed that she just wasn't going to be able to come back. Some how they pulled themselves together, taking joy from Little Harry's presence and got on with life.
Before she was many weeks old, the kids took Little Harry up to meet Myfanwy. Surrounded by her three beloved nestlings, their scents mingling with Little Harry's, Myfanwy graciously accepted the baby as one of her own. When informed of this event with breathless delight, Gwen had almost expired. Jack tried to be firm with the kids about bringing the baby near Myfanwy, but.....The kids were learning that Uncle Jack was a real softie.
Summer came when Little Harry was 4 months old. One beautiful blue skied day, Jack took a day off to babysit and sent Gwen, Alice and Rhi off on a long Mother's lunch out. He strapped the baby to his chest in a baby carrier, scooped up a big colourful ball and gathered the other three kids and took them all up to the roof for some exercise.
Ianto was in the office sorting through some UNIT reports, when Mary hollered from the monitoring room." Ianto, come look!"
Ianto strolled down the hall to the other office, and stood behind her chair. He looked up at a wall of screens. " What's up, Mary? "
Taking her eyes off of a threatening storm surge in the Adriatic, Mary tapped a finger on one of the other monitor screens. " Look, it's just a little bitty spike of energy, but it's practically on top of us. Humour an old woman and go have a butcher's at the roof, will you? Jack and the kids are up there. "
" Right, I'm on my way." Ianto went right to an elevator, the stairs would take too much time.
The elevator door opened to the sound of shrieks and laughter. The kids were kicking a multi coloured ball back and forth between them, and Jack was pretending to come along and steal it. They all seemed to think this was the funniest game ever invented.
Ianto stood watching the group, smiling. Jack's eyes were warm and soft, his face gentle. The kids all clustered around him now, reaching up to touch a giggling Little Harry. Jack's arms struggled to hold all of them in a big group hug, which only made them all laugh harder.
Ianto glanced up. Yes, Myfanwy was flying lazy protective circles around the rooftop, ever vigilant against intruders. She seemed comfortable with everything. He let his eyes wander about casually. Ah, there by the corner of Myfanwy's shelter, in a convenient patch of shadow.....
Her hair was still brown, but cut into odd punky angles, with bits of ribbon and chotchkas attached. The leather clothes were dark, broken in and well patched. Her lower arms were visible, but covered in filigrees of strange tattoos. The shoes, although very worn and scuffed, had obviously been very red at one time. Ianto smiled and walked up beside her.
Before he could speak, her hand flew up to cover his mouth. Ianto froze, uncertain. Jack had just said something which set all the kids off in a riot of more laughter, the baby included. It was a wonderful sound.
Ianto looked at the strange young woman next to him. It was Mel, he was sure, but a few years older than the Mel who had left them. There was still that scar over the left brow. And the gold tears.
" This is why..", she said in a low, fierce voice.
Ianto was shocked. Mel spoke! Good Lord! But yes, of course she did! " What, Mel? What do you mean? " , he asked quietly, not wanting to disturb Jack and the kids just yet.
" This is why, all of it! ", she gestured to the happy group. " So he knows he is connected, he belongs. So he knows he has family. This is what he holds against the Dark! "
Ianto gasped, closed his eyes. Because one day he would be gone, and what would Jack do then? Who could he turn to? Who would hold him and love him when Ianto was gone? Taking a deep breath, Ianto wrapped his arms around Mel, and felt for the first time her own two arms wrap around him. " Welcome home Mel. This is your family too."
So although I've come to be very fond of these people none of them are mine. I just like to visit now and again.
Ch. 20
In the months that followed changes were made. Torchwood took the messages in The Atrocity Archives to heart. The firewalls protecting Torchwood's computers, mainframe and servers became the stuff of legend among the world's hackers. Jack grudgingly shared some of that new protective software with UNIT. He never said where or from whom he got it......
Jack, Ianto, Gwen and Martha realized they had to be less secretive about some things with the part time, "civilian" side of Torchwood. They put together lecture evenings for Lois, Alice, Rhys, Rhi and Johnnie, covering things about the rift, things on the 6th floor, historical files from the 4th floor. And about what was being kept in the "vasty deeps" of the basement levels. Jack wanted them to know as much as possible to keep them from being sent to the 5th floor. Working for Torchwood wasn't less dangerous, but everyone had a better grasp of where that danger was coming from.
When baby Angharad finally arrived with no sign of Mel, everyone sadly assumed that she just wasn't going to be able to come back. Some how they pulled themselves together, taking joy from Little Harry's presence and got on with life.
Before she was many weeks old, the kids took Little Harry up to meet Myfanwy. Surrounded by her three beloved nestlings, their scents mingling with Little Harry's, Myfanwy graciously accepted the baby as one of her own. When informed of this event with breathless delight, Gwen had almost expired. Jack tried to be firm with the kids about bringing the baby near Myfanwy, but.....The kids were learning that Uncle Jack was a real softie.
Summer came when Little Harry was 4 months old. One beautiful blue skied day, Jack took a day off to babysit and sent Gwen, Alice and Rhi off on a long Mother's lunch out. He strapped the baby to his chest in a baby carrier, scooped up a big colourful ball and gathered the other three kids and took them all up to the roof for some exercise.
Ianto was in the office sorting through some UNIT reports, when Mary hollered from the monitoring room." Ianto, come look!"
Ianto strolled down the hall to the other office, and stood behind her chair. He looked up at a wall of screens. " What's up, Mary? "
Taking her eyes off of a threatening storm surge in the Adriatic, Mary tapped a finger on one of the other monitor screens. " Look, it's just a little bitty spike of energy, but it's practically on top of us. Humour an old woman and go have a butcher's at the roof, will you? Jack and the kids are up there. "
" Right, I'm on my way." Ianto went right to an elevator, the stairs would take too much time.
The elevator door opened to the sound of shrieks and laughter. The kids were kicking a multi coloured ball back and forth between them, and Jack was pretending to come along and steal it. They all seemed to think this was the funniest game ever invented.
Ianto stood watching the group, smiling. Jack's eyes were warm and soft, his face gentle. The kids all clustered around him now, reaching up to touch a giggling Little Harry. Jack's arms struggled to hold all of them in a big group hug, which only made them all laugh harder.
Ianto glanced up. Yes, Myfanwy was flying lazy protective circles around the rooftop, ever vigilant against intruders. She seemed comfortable with everything. He let his eyes wander about casually. Ah, there by the corner of Myfanwy's shelter, in a convenient patch of shadow.....
Her hair was still brown, but cut into odd punky angles, with bits of ribbon and chotchkas attached. The leather clothes were dark, broken in and well patched. Her lower arms were visible, but covered in filigrees of strange tattoos. The shoes, although very worn and scuffed, had obviously been very red at one time. Ianto smiled and walked up beside her.
Before he could speak, her hand flew up to cover his mouth. Ianto froze, uncertain. Jack had just said something which set all the kids off in a riot of more laughter, the baby included. It was a wonderful sound.
Ianto looked at the strange young woman next to him. It was Mel, he was sure, but a few years older than the Mel who had left them. There was still that scar over the left brow. And the gold tears.
" This is why..", she said in a low, fierce voice.
Ianto was shocked. Mel spoke! Good Lord! But yes, of course she did! " What, Mel? What do you mean? " , he asked quietly, not wanting to disturb Jack and the kids just yet.
" This is why, all of it! ", she gestured to the happy group. " So he knows he is connected, he belongs. So he knows he has family. This is what he holds against the Dark! "
Ianto gasped, closed his eyes. Because one day he would be gone, and what would Jack do then? Who could he turn to? Who would hold him and love him when Ianto was gone? Taking a deep breath, Ianto wrapped his arms around Mel, and felt for the first time her own two arms wrap around him. " Welcome home Mel. This is your family too."