House of Angels Part Three

[emeraldsnakes]

Part Two



Ianto read the entire paper front to back every morning. It was an old habit he’d learned from his father and he hadn’t realized what he’d been doing until while in Topeka he came across an article about the death of a business man in Auburn that referenced three others in the same area. He immediately started going over the possibilities of what it could be.

When Jimmy entered the room carrying William he realized what he was doing and closed the paper in horror. He couldn’t believe he’d been thinking like a Hunter; even for more than a moment. He and Jimmy had agreed to stay out of Hunting, that it was too dangerous for them especially now that they had a child to look after.

“Is everything alright?” Jimmy asked concerned, settling William in his chair.

Ianto shrugged, “Yeah.”

Jimmy lifted his chin so that they were looking into each other’s eyes, “Are you sure? I can look after Will for the day if you’re feeling ill.”

If Sam Winchester hadn’t already owned his heart Jimmy definitely would have. As it was Jimmy just had all the broken pieces.

“I’m fine,” Ianto replied, trying to smile. “You don’t have to take a day off.”

After coming into custody of William, Ianto had called Jack. He’d needed to know what Torchwood had done with his finances after he’d become Gabriel’s vessel. He’d been surprised to learn that Jack had done nothing. He hadn’t been declared dead, and Jack hadn’t taken him off the payroll. Apparently Jack considered Hunting an obscure branch of the Torchwood Mandate.

They lived mainly off Ianto’s income, substantial as it was and the ten month accumulation when he didn’t need money at all. Jimmy worked though because he wanted to provide for them, even if it was just a little bit. He wanted to be useful. Ianto could never fault him for that.

Jimmy caressed his cheek for a moment, “If you’re sure. Anything news worthy?” he added, changing the topic.

Though both of them could easily be very open with their feelings they preferred to talk in the dark of night, curled up and comfortable together in their bed while they waited for sleep to claim them.

Ianto smiled and shrugged, “Not really. The Detroit Project is coming along nicely and still no one can agree on what happened.”

It was a little bit of a low blow, but Jimmy definitely wouldn’t be reading the paper now. He wouldn’t read what Ianto had and then know what had upset him.

Ianto couldn’t get the story out of his head all day. It distracted him, made him less efficient and he knew Jimmy had noticed it when he got home from work. But Jimmy didn’t ask, just helped despite the long day at work. A part of Ianto wished he would, he wanted to talk about it, but he also wanted to keep it to himself. He wanted to bury it and never think of it again.

"How was your day?" Ianto asked.

"Typical," Jimmy replied. "Rhia and Daniel are still fighting and I think Heather's about to pitch a fit over it."

Ianto chuckled. He lived vicariously through Jimmy when it came to drama. For a small accounting agency he worked with quite the bunch.

"And George?"

George played both fields. He saw everything as a challenge, his job and his sex life and he'd set his eyes on Jimmy. Ianto hated it, hated the thought of someone trying to seduce his lover and the thought that maybe Jimmy could be seduced away from him.

"Still the same," Jimmy sighed. "God, if I could only shift his attention away from me."

"Yeah," Ianto replied softly. He took a deep breath, refused to think that he could lose what he had then went into the kitchen to get himself a beer.

"Something's bothering you." Jimmy came up behind him, wrapped his arms around his waist and rested his chin on Ianto's shoulder.

Ianto set his beer down and turned around to give Jimmy a kiss. "I wish you didn't have to see him. I hate it."

Jimmy captured his lips possessively. "I know. I hate it too."

Ianto wondered if there was anything he could do to stop it. Maybe he could show up one day at the end of work, take Jimmy out and in the process stake his claim. He'd have to do something at least.

"There's something else," Jimmy said. His voice was soft, tender, like he was about to say something that would cause some pain. "I read today's paper."

Ianto tried not to panic, but he was pretty sure he didn't hide it too well. "So?"

Jimmy sighed and rested his forehead against Ianto's. "I saw it, the Hunt in Auburn. Intriguing, isn't it?"

"I don't want it to be intriguing," Ianto snapped, pulling away. "I want it to be just another death, another case for the cops, or the FBI or someone else, just not us. I can't…Jimmy."

"I know Ianto and I'm not asking you to." Jimmy cupped Ianto's face, "but we found a Hunt Ianto. Do you want to ignore it in the hopes that maybe just maybe someone else has found it too? You're not like that Ianto."

"I'm not a Hunter either Jim. What the hell am I supposed to do?"

Jimmy smiled, "I'll call Bobby and give him the details. I'm sure he can find someone to handle whatever it is."

"God," Ianto said miserably, "I didn't even think of that."

"It's okay," Jimmy soothed. "It actually took me quite a while to think it up."

Ianto was sure Jimmy was just saying that, but it made him feel better anyways. He grabbed his beer as they made their way to the couch, Jimmy detouring to look in on William first. They settled down together, curled up on the couch with the TV on low and Jimmy made the phone call to Bobby.

. . . . . .

"Have you noticed the kid down the hall?" Jimmy asked.

William was between them on the couch absorbed in his favourite TV program. He still didn't talk much for a five year old, but he was opening up more and more each day.

It surprised them both when William responded, "Matthew."

It surprised them because of everyone William might open up to, it was some random teenager down the hall. They'd noticed the little waves and smiles, noticed the way William never shied away when passing him by in the hall. They couldn't figure out what made Matthew different from everyone else.

Matthew was in his mid teens - fifteen, maybe sixteen - and was almost as tall as Jimmy. He had a strong build, broad shoulders, some muscle but not a lot as if he played sports but wasn't a jock. He wore well made clothes but not designer, he had a laptop but it looked to be about three generations old and, from what Ianto had noticed, he bought mostly no name brand items at the grocery store.

It concerned them that they never saw Matthew's parents. Jimmy was in and out of the apartment like clockwork and only once in a while would he see Matthew headed off to school. Ianto, whose schedule was irregular, saw no one. Ever.

Their curiosity and their concern prompted them to be more observant and more friendly, not that they weren't friendly before but now they always made a point to say "hello" when they saw him. They made a point to observe his emotions, his attitude towards them, their son and their relationship.

It was almost a month later when Ianto got anything more than a shy hello back from Matthew. He was reading a series of reports from Jack, who'd been working a case for nearly two weeks and needed a fresh pair of eyes, when he heard a couple of very clear voices coming from the doorway. He looked up and was surprised to see that William hadn't come back from his room, or the bathroom - whichever one he'd needed.

Ianto closed the lid to his laptop and shot towards the door, a moment of panic rising in his chest until he saw that William had the door open only as far as the chain would allow and he could hear Matthew on the other side.

"Hey kids."

The reaction was not what he was expecting. Matthew took off; Ianto could hear his feet running down the hall to his apartment. William turned to look up at him with the most annoyed look he'd ever seen on the kid's face that it made him smile. He closed the door and removed the chain before opening it again.

William looked between him and the open door perplexed.

"Well go on, bring your new friend back."

William smiled brightly and followed Matthew. Ianto watched from the doorway, spied really because he didn't want to scare Matthew off but he also wanted to make sure William would be okay.

Ianto watched with a grin as William knocked on Matthew's door, wait for it to open then immediately drag Matthew back to theirs with a tight grip on his hand.

"William. Will what are you doing?" Matthew asked nervously but he didn't try to fight the younger boy.

Ianto stood aside as the kids entered and he could see that Matthew was not only uncomfortable but scared.

"Hi Dad, this is Matthew."

Ianto chuckled, "Hello you two."

Matthew didn't relax. "Um, I'm sorry. I didn't start anything or…anything. He just keeps talking to me."

Matthew flushed red as a tomato and Ianto wanted to laugh, might have if he wasn't so sure Matthew would flee, but he didn't. "It's not a problem Matthew."

Ianto didn't want things to get awkward so he directed the kids to the living room and got them some drinks. But things did get awkward. Ianto didn't know what to say to the kid. This wasn't some kind of fact finding for a case, this was pure sticking his nose into someone else's life out of curiosity. He could really screw things up and he didn't want to do that.

Eventually William broke the ice - though not gently -by telling Matthew that he had to stay for dinner.

"Oh, no I can't." Matthew said hesitantly. "I don't want to impose."

"You're not." Ianto assured him. "If it's alright with your parents you're welcome to join us."

As Matthew was going white as a sheet William was blurting, "His parents are gone."

"William," Ianto scolded. "You can't just say that kind of thing."

"It's okay," Matthew told them sullenly. "He's right. My parents are gone."

"I'm sorry." He gave William a look that said there'd be words later.

Matthew shrugged, "It happened months ago, during the Detroit incident. The ground opened up, like an earthquake but the kind you see in cartoons and people ended up falling in. My mom fell, and when my dad went to see if there was any way he could save her he fell too. I probably would ended up the same if all the black smoke hadn't started being sucked in. nobody talks about it and Detroit was more devastated."

Oh hell, Ianto thought. Ironic since that was exactly what happened. "I know. I was there."

"You have an odd way of surviving little brother," Lucifer taunted.

Gabriel ignored him and slashed his blade though another Demon's throat when it got too close. He could feel Lucifer's Grace all around him just as he could feel the Graces of his brothers and sisters going out, slowly one by one.

He wondered many things. He wondered why Lucifer had held this grudge for so long. He wondered why Michael always believed that his way was superior. He wondered where Castiel was, who'd gone on one final hunt for their Father, despite all the warnings and despite what Joshua had said because Joshua was full of shit. Where was Dean? He was supposed to be headed straight for him with the key to opening Lucifer's prison and locking him back in. More importantly, where was Sam?

He saw it too late; saw the Holy Oil torch in Lucifer's hand aimed right for him. He twisted away but it wasn't enough. He didn't have the time and he screamed in agony when the fire scorched his left wing. His Grace pushed out, burned away the demons but it could do nothing against the flames and Lucifer was simply watching and smiling.

Gabriel flew away, Lucifer's laughter echoing behind him as a promise for more. He flew up and over the city headed north towards Lake Erie. It hurt, it hurt so bad that he thought he wasn't going to make it and it was taking so damn long. His Grace bled through the confinements of his vessel and Ianto's consciousness shrieked and withered. Gabriel had to get to that lake. He was killing his vessel.

Another scream tore from his throat and he was thrown into a sky rise. He sensed rather than saw the tarnished Grace flying at him and he quickly snapped his fingers, an illusion forming around him. The Fallen Angel wouldn't be able to break though unless he was one of the higher ranked ones and even then, it gave Gabriel some time to get his bearings.

"Gabe make it stop," Ianto pleaded with him.

Gabriel whimpered. His wing was still burning and the fire was spreading. It was a slow process. The oil seeped and the fire followed. The flames licked the surrounding feathers and a quarter of his wing was burning. He could fly but it would make the fire spread and go deeper. Angel's wings had a natural resistance to fire but it wasn't absolute.

"Gabriel please."

Gabriel snapped his fingers, pouring his Grace into what he wanted and it wasn't him that moved but the Earth below him. He free fell into the Lake; he didn't even try to slow his descent. When he hit the water it took his breath away. He hit it with such force that a tidal wave rose but he didn't care. The ice cold temperature soothed the heat of the flames and caressed all the pain away.

Gabriel's not aware of how long he's underwater but he starts moving when he feels it. His Father's essence is unique, powerful and loving. Gabriel scrambles towards it. He pulls his wings in and kicks. He's not even sure he's headed up, just knows that he's moving towards his Father.

He breaks surface, looks around and he's quite glad to not be on land. He can see the chasms in the earth; see the demons being sucked back into hell and anyone else too stupid to avoid the chasms. Only his father had the power to open up Hell like that.

Ianto didn't like thinking about Detroit if he could help it. He'd paid his due for being one of the people - in part - to destroy the city. Why couldn't he just move past it?

"Seriously? You were in Detroit?" Matthew asked, torn between curiosity and astonishment.

Ianto nodded. "We tried to avoid it, but some things are fixed, I guess."

Detroit was one of them, a fixed point in time. The deciding battle of the Apocalypse was always meant to be there. Its outcome had not been so decided.

"Do you know what really happened?"

"You don't want to know what really happened Matthew. Trust me on this." Ianto urged. He didn't want to tell the truth.

"I watched my parents die. I deserve to know."

"I can't."

Matthew found out later, after Jimmy came home and after they ate dinner together. William told him, explained everything as best as a five year old could and for some reason Matthew actually believed him. Kid was crazy to have done so but his acceptance was easier to deal with than disbelief.

Since then Matthew became almost like a permanent member of their home. He would come over after school every day, hang with William, do his homework and eat. The only thing he didn't do was sleep over, though Ianto half expected him to drop off on their couch on several occasions.

"If you don’t mind me asking, has ACS ever shown up at your place?" Jimmy asked.

The both of them had been wondering why it seemed that, for a minor, no one had looked into Matthew's living situation. If no one had, then how had he slipped through the cracks? Before they hadn't felt comfortable enough but it had been six weeks and had seen no signs of other life around Matthew's apartment.

"Why would they? A lot of people died that day and a friend of my dad's - who's a police officer - checks up on me every week. He pulled some strings, made it so that my parent's account is still open and paying the bills." Matthew shrugged it off like it was nothing.

"I sense a ‘but’ somewhere," Ianto told him. "You might as well tell us everything."

Matthew was quiet for a while. He stared at the TV in thought and they waited patiently for him to tell them.

"The money's running out. Drew said there won’t be enough in two months, and that's pushing it. He said he'll to what he can to help but I know they're not doing too well financially."

And suddenly Ianto and Jimmy had another son.

It wasn't so sudden, but it happened and it was mere weeks after that, after identifying three more possible Hunts and sending them to Bobby that Bobby called them to tell them of another child.

"Are we seriously considering this?" Jimmy asked running his hand down Ianto's bare chest.

"I hope we are," Ianto replied shifting strategically so that certain anatomical parts lined up just … Ianto gasped.

"Not what I was talking about," Jimmy said amused. "I meant the girl Bobby told us about. Sara."

"I think we should look into it," Ianto said eventually. "I'm not saying we commit but what if Bobby's right? Civilians won't be able to help her."

"And we can?" Jimmy countered. "Ianto, we are civilians now."

"But we'll believe her when she says she was possessed."

"If she was possessed," Jimmy mumbled. At Ianto's look he continued, "You said it yourself, Bobby's information might not be accurate. I just don't think we should be considering another child, we just took guardianship of Matthew."

Ianto glared at him, "I’m not listening to this."

Jimmy scowled and turned away from him, "Yeah, I'm not listening to your shit either."

. . . . . .

They went out to Tulsa, Oklahoma on a Saturday, trusting Matthew not to do anything stupid and calling every hour or so because it made them feel better. Jimmy drove so that he'd have something to concentrate on other than how annoyed he was with Ianto. Ianto was on his laptop working on something for Torchwood again. Jimmy wasn't exactly sure what he was doing because it wasn't a case, he'd just finished one the other day.

Bobby had called them with an update yesterday saying Sara had been admitted to the hospital. He hadn't said why though and they just figured it was for any number of accidents a child could have. It was easier to talk to her that way, especially if whoever was looking after her couldn't be there all the time.

St. Mary's Hospital was in the south end of the city and it didn't take long for them to locate Sara's room, especially when there was a police officer standing guard. He was a relatively young guy, early thirties but he was tall and he was big and Jimmy kinda wanted to turn around right then and there.

Ianto wasn't as put off, he went right up to the man exhibiting arrogance the way Gabriel did. "Officer, is there a reason this child needs an armed guard?"

The Officer's eyes narrowed and he gazed at Ianto then Jimmy and back again, "Eli said you'd be different but he never said in what context."

"Is that going to be a problem," Ianto asked in defense. Jimmy recognized the name of the Hunter who'd given Bobby the information in the first place.

The Officer shrugged, "it is a little bit on a personal level, but not professionally."

"And you're able to keep that separate?" Ianto was skeptic.

"I have to if I'm going to do my job properly."

They stated at each other for a moment longer before Ianto nodded, "I'm Ianto Jones. This is my partner James Novak. What can you tell us about Sara?"

"Danny Williams." Officer Williams sighed. "Bixby is about half an hour south east of us, population of about four thousand." He paused, "that was six months ago. On the same day as that Detroit shit somebody slaughtered all four thousand and left Sara Dawson covered in blood and barely alive."

"The whole town?" Jimmy blurted, stunned.

Williams nodded. "My department and the State Police handled the investigation but we didn't find anything that could help us. All Sara's ever said on the matter is something about black smoke and a crack filled with fire."

Jimmy was beginning to feel sick. This was Demon possession at its worst and it involved a child.

"Has she not healed from her injuries?" Ianto asked concerned.

"She did and she was placed in a foster home but there was an incident three days ago with another boy in the same home. Apparently he got fed up with her refusal to speak and started picking on her. When that didn't get a rise out of her he escalated and hit her. She freaked, retaliated and he ended up with a broken arm while she received a pretty deep gash on her head. I'm here because the boy's father is a criminal known for eliminating any perceived threats to his family."

"Shit. How much danger is she in?"

"Kyle Dalton is in Jail, so there's no direct threat from him but we're not too sure if any of his associates would actually go after a child."

Shit, that would just make things harder, Jimmy thought. How were they to make the right decision when the child in question was already in danger? Shit, this was going to put him and Ianto at such odds.

"Can we see her?"

Williams shrugged again, "Go ahead. You Hunters seem to be able to get across to her. She said a few words to Eli apparently, and she'll smile at me but no one else. If you can help her, do it."

Jimmy followed Ianto into the girl's room and closed the door. Sara was sitting up in her bed, head bowed and fiddling with a set of pencil crayons. She was beautiful, had long blond, slightly curly hair marred by the white bandage around her head, fair delicate looking skin and when she briefly looked up at them she had the clearest blue eyes he'd ever seen. She was averaged size for her age, at least Jimmy thought she was from what he could remember of Claire at that age.

Ianto pulled up a chair beside the bed and Jimmy stayed by the door.

"Hello Sara," Ianto started softly, placing his hands on the bed non-aggressively so that she could always see them. "Officer Williams out there said it was okay if we came in and talked to you. I'm Ianto and that shy guy by the door is Jimmy. He doesn't talk much, but he's a really nice guy. Like Eli."

Sara looked at Ianto, recognition flashing in her eyes. That had gotten her attention, now Ianto just had to earn her trust.

"I'm going to share something with you okay." Ianto paused for a moment. "Christo."

Sara frowned and tilted her head. Jimmy smiled, he knew exactly what Ianto was doing.

"It means Christ and a long time ago people discovered that saying it revealed the presence of black smoke. You see, when the smoke enters someone, the only way of knowing they're there is by saying Christo and by watching their eyes turn completely black."

"Christo," Sara tried it out softly. She looked at Ianto and said it again before turning to Jimmy and saying it a final time.

She smiled and it lit up her whole face, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

She crawled forward and wrapped her arms around Ianto's neck in a tight hug.

Jimmy sighed and closed his eyes. God help him, he was going to need it. He'd come here, intending to leave exactly as he'd arrived and now he was making another life altering decision. He opened his eyes.

"Ianto."

Ianto and Sara both turned to him.

"We're going to need a bigger house."

. . . . . .

Jimmy looked down at the floor plans for their new home, two stories and a basement, five bedrooms, two offices, four bathrooms and a whole lot of fucking space. Jimmy didn't know if he should be excited or if he should cry because there was no way they could afford this.

"What's this?" There was a fourth page to the designs and it didn't seem to belong to the house.

Ianto flushed, "Well um. Funny thing happened, actually...I got a phone call from Chuck."

"Chuck?" He wasn't too sure they knew any Chuck.

"Chuck Shirley. The Prophet."

Jimmy looked at Ianto startled, "Why? What did he want?"

"Nothing bad," Ianto was quick to assure him. "He just seems to think we're going to be starting a Roadhouse."

"A what?" It sounded familiar to him but he couldn't place it.

"Ellen Harvelle ran a Hunter's bar remember? He thought we would be doing the same."

Jimmy crossed his arms, "And because the Prophet said so you think it’s a good idea?"

Ianto shuffled and retreated into the kitchen where he started moving things around, cleaning what didn't really need to be cleaned. Jimmy followed and waited in the entry way. When Ianto wanted to tell him, he would. If his presence would make that happen faster than all the better.

"Uh, what's going on?" Matthew asked from behind him.

Jimmy glanced at the teen and handed him the blueprints.

"Oh cool," Matthew exclaimed as he looked them over. He examined each page carefully, eyes alight in excitement for it would probably be the biggest place he'd ever lived in.

He frowned when he came to the fourth page, "is this a restaurant?"

"Apparently," Jimmy told him. "The Prophet proclaimed it, or whatever."

"I didn't do it because Chuck said to," Ianto snapped, turning on them with pleading in his eyes. "I've been thinking about it for a while but I never brought it up because I didn't think you'd go for it anyways. Then Chuck called and I thought, maybe it could actually happen so I went ahead and drew up a primary floor plan to gauge your reaction and I guess I shouldn't have even bothered."

"Ianto don't be like that."

"Be like what?" Ianto demanded. "Like a concerned member of our future? That makes me feel so much better about us Jimmy."

He turned away, Matthew scampered off to his room and Jimmy cursed. They'd argued so much recently, he wished he could make it stop. He was afraid that if it continued Ianto would leave and go back to Jack.

"No. You are assuming things Ianto. My reaction was initially negative because I don't our lives to be dictated by the words that Prophet writes. I didn't know that this had been something on your heart, we haven't talked about it."

Ianto sighed, "I'm sorry."

"How long have you been thinking about this?" Jimmy looked down at the designs that Matthew had left on the counter. It was well thought out. Floor space, table arrangements, there was a bar, a full kitchen and a few other undefined areas.

"A couple of weeks." Ianto came over and stood beside him. "We can easily do most of the maintenance and Matthew probably wants a job too. We'd need a chief, I know and I'm a little bit concerned about that."

"Why?"

"Chuck. He said that we should be seriously considering Becky."

Jimmy blinked and looked at Ianto aghast. "Becky? Hyperactive fangirl who liked writing ...what was it? That guy on guy stuff. Slash!"

Ianto nodded, "According to Chuck she went to culinary school and is very good. I told him he's biased and he invited us all over. I let him know we'd think about it bus made no promises."

Jimmy nodded and looked back down at the floor plans. "We'll need a bigger lot and better protection. I'm not sure what we've got up here would be enough for the amount of crap and trouble the Hunters could attract."

"But there are Sigils and protections we chose not to use for this place. Bobby could provide us with a bunch of other protections as well and I talked to Jack..."

Jimmy froze. Jack? Ianto had talked to Jack? Before him? The roaring of his blood rushing through his veins drowned out everything. His body went numb except for the blossoming ache in his chest he thought might rip him apart and the page was blurring before him.

"Jimmy?"

Jimmy blinked and he couldn't take it anymore. "I hate him."

"What?" Ianto asked confused. "Who do - why do you hate Jack? Did he...did he say something to you?"

The phone was ringing. Jimmy wanted to ignore it, especially after the day he'd had but he knew it could be important. He groaned, rolled over and groped for the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Jimmy!" An overly obnoxious voice greeted his ears. "Man, anyone ever tell you you have a really sexy voice?"

"You've just filled my daily quota," Jimmy deadpanned. "Is there something I can do for you Captain Harkness? Ianto's not here at the moment."

"That's alright Jimmy. I was calling to talk to you actually."

"Really?" Jimmy didn't think they had anything in common except Ianto and there was nothing wrong with Ianto.

"Yeah, about that gorgeous Welshman you've got." Jack paused for a moment and Jimmy waited with baited breath. "Don't hurt him."

"No. Fuck Ianto you've made me hate him."

Jimmy left the kitchen, headed for their bedroom. He just needed to be alone right now.

"You can't just say something like that and walk away," Ianto snapped, following.

Jimmy stopped and rounded on him. "You're right. Tell me Ianto, if you're so concerned about our future then why is it that Jack Harkness knows more about it and has more say in it than I do? Did you talk to him before you talked to me about asking Matthew to move in with us? Did you call him immediately after Bobby told you about Sara? Why are you still here if he means more to you?"

Ianto looked like he'd been struck.

"Jimmy."

"Just don't." Jimmy told him, turning away and going into their room. He threw himself onto the bed and buried his face into his pillow. He was so fucked! Ianto had no reason to stay now if he really did want to go back to Jack. And why wouldn't he. Jack still loved him, Jack would take him back in a heartbeat if the opportunity presented itself. Compared to that Jimmy was just a loser who couldn't keep his life straight. But Jimmy didn't know what he'd do if Ianto left, didn't know how he'd take it because the very thought scared the hell out of him.

A sob escaped his throat and he couldn't stop the flood that followed. He shouldn't have said anything. This wouldn't be happening if he'd just kept his goddamn mouth shut, his stupid, big fat, jealous mouth.

He curled up and balled his fists. He refused to pay attention to anything going on outside his personal bubble. He could hear the kids’ doors opening and closing, could hear them talking but he just grabbed Ianto's pillow and covered his head. He wanted to suffer in silence.

A couple hours later, after his tears had dried and he was lightly dozing he heard the door ease open. He stiffened and waited but nothing was said. The door didn't close again and seconds later the bed dipped. It was different from Ianto's weight so he figured it was one of the kids.

"Are you going to leave?" Sara's words sent a jolt of guilt through him. He could hear her fear.

He pushed the pillow off his face as he turned to her and said with conviction, "Never."

"Then why are you mad?" She demanded.

Jimmy gave her a good look and he felt the guilt press down on him more. She looked like she'd been crying.

He sighed, sat up and pulled her into a hug, "I'm not mad. I am sad though, and I'm hurt, and scared and even a little jealous. I don't like fighting Sara but sometimes, when people keep things from each other it happens."

Sara tilted her head to the side in thought, "stay here."

She slipped off the bed and ran out of the room. Jimmy frowned, eyes following her then flopped back to lying on the bed and threw and arm over his eyes.

Sometime later, maybe ten minutes someone else came in a closed the door. Jimmy knew it was Ianto, could feel it like a press of presence on his soul.

"You still wear your wedding ring."

Jimmy lifted the arm from his eyes and gazed at his left hand. The gold band that Amelia had given him was a little worse for wear but still there. He was amazed at that. After everything he'd been through it had survived even though what it stood for never even had the chance.

Did Ianto think he still held the torch for Amelia because he continued to wear the ring? He must, or he wouldn't have said anything. Jimmy hadn't even realized he had it. He twisted it around on his finger twice and hesitated.

Why was this stupid thing so important? Ianto was the one confiding in another man. Ianto was the one with options, the one who could go places if this all went to hell. Ianto was the one not fighting for their relationship.

It hit Jimmy like a bomb going off and he couldn't believe how stupid he'd been. Ianto may not appear to be fighting for their relationship, but it was Jimmy who wasn't doing any fighting. He was the one sitting back and watching Ianto drift away. He was the one doing absolutely nothing except getting angry over the little things. He was the one getting jealous over Jack when he hadn't put behind his entire past relationship behind him either. Jimmy couldn't believe he was such an idiot.

He removed his wedding band and dropped it onto the bedside table. "I'd say I wore it out of habit, but I'm not entirely sure that is the truth. I don't know and I'm sorry."

Ianto sighed and crawled onto the bed to sit beside him, "The kids are scared."

"I'm not leaving," Jimmy told him. "I told Sara that. I’m assuming she passed it on."

Ianto nodded. "I'm not leaving either Jimmy. I thought we'd passed that but, I guess we need to talk."

"Yeah, we do."

They talked for hours and it stretched into days. They worked things out, discussed what bothered them and what fears still plagued them. They fought less and Jimmy wondered why they hadn't done this earlier.

Jimmy learned that he'd jumped the gun at the mention of Jack. Ianto had only talked to him about setting up protection with alien technology around the house, he'd said nothing about the restaurant. Jimmy flushed at the news.

As the days passed they gave in to Chuck's insistence of a visit. It was better than having Chuck and Becky visit. To their chagrin, Becky turned out to be an excellent cook and they agreed that, if the Restaurant did take off they'd employ her.

That was when Chuck pointed out a large piece of property in Auburn. It had been on the market for around a year, encased in a single row of trees at the very end of a short dead end road. It was just over an hour from Topeka, small and seemed to be exactly what they were looking for.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Jesse was a conundrum Ianto didn't think he would ever be able to understand, but he made the effort to try and he knew Jesse saw that as a sign that he was safe with them. He was still so innocent but being the antichrist gave him an awareness that Ianto wished no child had. When he looked back on it, Ianto thinks that of the five of them William is the most normal and that's only because he's the youngest.

Jesse showed up out of the middle of nowhere one night. Ianto and Jimmy were working in the restaurant, the younger two children were sleeping and Matthew was supposed to be doing his homework but they figured he was more likely surfing the net.

They hadn't heard him enter, hadn't heard the swoop of displaced air or anything so when Ianto turned around and saw the young child there he jumped back into the table knocking over their glasses, one rolling off to smash on the floor. Jesse cringed at the noise as Jimmy spun around.

"Holy crap kid," Ianto said, heart pounding, breath coming in short. "How'd you get in here?"

Jesse frowned, "You don't remember me?"

It's Ianto's turn to frown. "Should I remember a kid with supernatural powers?"

"Oh!" Jimmy exclaimed. "You're Jesse aren't you? The Antichrist."

"The Antichrist?"

"Yup."

"I thought the Antichrist was supposed to be older and then lead the armies of Hell against Heaven."

"Guess you don't know everything then?" Jimmy said cheekily.

Ianto's eyes narrowed and he had half a mind to wipe that smile off his face if it weren't for Jesse interrupting.

"I'm still here you know."

Ianto and Jimmy blushed.

"I'm sorry," Ianto said. "It's not every day we find ourselves in this kind of a situation."

"Except recently," Jimmy chimed. "Jesse makes four."

Ianto glared at him. "You know, if I didn't know better I'd say you were Gabriel's vessel."

"What's a vessel?" Jesse asked before Jimmy could say something cheeky again.

"The person an angel is able to possess in order to walk the Earth." Jimmy explained. "You met me when Castiel was in control, though unlike when a Demon possesses someone, the Angels need permission."

Jesse nodded. "Okay. I'm sorry I turned you into a toy."

Ianto snickered and gave Jimmy an apologetic look, "That's totally something Gabriel would have done."

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Jimmy turned to Jesse, "You're forgiven. Cas was being an idiot."

"Can I ask why you're here?" Ianto asked, leaning against the table.

Jesse turned away from them and Ianto and Jimmy shared a concerned look. "I felt it, you know. I felt the world shift when you put Lucifer back in his cage and I think every other supernatural creature did too. I know all the demons fell into the cracks that opened up into hell and sealed them in, so I knew I wasn't going to be hunted anymore. I went home."

"What happened?"

Jesse turned to them, "I told them, but they didn't believe me. They were just glad I'd come home. But I had to tell them, so once the police had finished questioning me I told them again, and then I demonstrated. I didn't take them far and it was only for a minute or so, so that they could adjust before I took them home.

"They were scared of me. I could see it every time they looked at me and I didn't know why! I would never have hurt them, they were my parents." Tears welled in Jesse's eyes. "Why didn't they love me anymore?"

Ianto moved to his side and wrapped him in a hug. Jimmy was right behind him, resting a hand on Jesse's back in comfort.

"I ran away after a month," Jesse sniffled, looking between them both. "And I traveled around like before. I wasn't happy and I could do nothing about it! I wanted to. I wanted to go home and make them forget I'd told them anything. I almost did."

"Why didn't you?" Jimmy asked softly, nonjudgmental.

"I couldn't do that to them. I'd have been using my powers for the same reason I'd run away. How was I to know if using my powers was the right thing?"

"It probably wouldn't have been," Ianto whispered soothingly. "Somehow they would have found out, and it would have been much worse."

Jesse nodded, though Ianto figured he didn't feel any better. "Last week I met a girl. She was like me, only better. And she knew everything about me, knew what I'd been going through and how to help me. She told me to come here, said that you wouldn't treat me differently. Can I stay here?"

"Of course you can," Ianto replied. "You'll have to share a room with Matthew and William for now. The House isn't finished yet and as you can see neither is this place."

Jesse looked around, "I can help."

Jimmy chuckled, "Thank you, but it's honestly not needed. A little physical labour never hurt anyone."

"I can still help."

"You can," Jimmy agreed, "with the painting."

. . . . . .

All the children liked Chuck and Becky immediately. Ianto can't fathom why, since they were both completely insane in their own special ways but it came in handy when he and Jimmy have to travel out of town. Getting custody of Jesse was more complicated than having UNIT push through the adoption papers, allowing them to bypass social services and other legal documentation. Jesse wasn't an orphan through; his parents still had legal rights over him that they couldn't just override.

They drove out to Alliance, Nebraska and once they arrived Jimmy directed them to the Turner's home. Castiel's memories of the place are a little fuzzy but Jimmy can get enough out of them to know where they're going.

Ianto doesn't feel confident about this trip. He is too angry to think straight, too caught up in the memories of Jesse crying because these people hurt him. He hates them for it because even in the three weeks they've had Jesse, he's come to view him as one of their own, love him as he does the other children.

"Hey," Jimmy said softly. "Pull over."

"What? Why?"

"Just do it," Jimmy ordered, giving Ianto the Angel Stare.

Ianto glared at him, but it didn't compare and he complied, pulling in front of a single storied house that didn't appear to have anyone home.

"Hey." Jimmy said again, turning Ianto's face to him with a soft but firm touch. "Relax. Everything will turn out alright."

"And if it doesn't? What if they refuse?"

Jimmy pulled him into a kiss, and Ianto melted into him, opened up for him and took the submissive role. He moaned, loving the things Jimmy could do with his tongue, and he felt his body respond as he thought about what other stuff that tongue could do.

"Relaxed now?" Jimmy asked, pulling back.

Ianto whined in protest, eyes opening up to give his lover a glare. "Really?"

Jimmy chuckled, "Maybe another one."

Jimmy kissed him again and Ianto clung to him, pouring into it all his fear and desperate hope. He needed Jimmy's reassurance, his calmness in their bizarre act of role reversal but most of all, he needed Jimmy's faith.

"Can we continue this later?" Their plan was to just get there, get the papers signed and go straight home. Now though, Ianto wasn't sure they should stick to it.

Jimmy gave him a mischievous leer, "Hidden depths Ianto."

"Oh no," Ianto argued, checking his mirrors and pulling the car back out onto the road. "I've had Jack Harkness for a lover and Gabriel in my head. Compared to that Castiel might as well still be a virgin, let alone have hidden depths."

"I'll show you," Jimmy promised.

Andrew and Monica Turner were both home which didn't surprise Ianto or Jimmy and they were friendly but detached. Ianto wondered if they were always like that.

"Why exactly are you here?" Andrew asked as they sat in the living room.

"Your son, Jesse."

"You know where he is?" Monica asked surprised, hopeful.

Ianto felt anger burn in his gut.

"He's been living with us," Jimmy told them, "for the past month."

Monica's face fell and she clasped hands with her husband.

"He's been good to you?" Andrew asked, looking down at his hands.

Ianto snorted, "Of course he has. Just because you're terrified of him doesn't mean everyone else is."

"You know?"

"Of course we do," Ianto snapped. "Why do you think he came to us after you chose to neglect him?"

"He's the Antichrist!" Monica protested.

"He's a child. Your child and as soon as you found out he was different you decided he wasn't good enough anymore. What kind of parents are you?"

"Ianto," Jimmy said soothingly, placing a hand on his knee and giving him a stern look. "Mr. and Mrs. Turner, we can't begin to understand what you're going through but we are here to offer you a way out."

"A way out?" Monica asked condescendingly. "What, you want to take care of the Son of Satan?"

Jimmy winced and squeezed Ianto's knee to keep him from saying anything stupid. "Jesse is actually the son of a Demon who possessed his biological mother. His purpose was to destroy the Heavenly Host, thus allowing Lucifer to have his apocalypse, but Jesse refused to participate. You were raising him well.

"We actually do want to take over the guardianship of your son. He'll be surrounded by people who understand him and can help him when he needs it."

Monica shook her head. "We'll sign whatever damn papers you have, just keep this shit away from us."

She got up and left. Ianto was glad she was gone. Her disgust was getting on his nerves.

"She took Jesse's disappearance really hard," Andrew said softly, "and then when he came back only to tell us what he is I'm afraid we did the worst thing. I'm glad he's found you, this family is broken and still falling apart and he doesn't deserve to suffer."

"Initial reactions are damaging, aren't they," Ianto replied, remembering when he first met Sam and Dean.

"They are, and I'm ashamed of myself for mine. Maybe one day he'll be able to forgive me."

. . . . . .

Ianto screams when he comes, or at least he thinks he does. He can't be too sure though because he's so out of it he's not sure he's even conscious. He's never come so hard in his life and he has never doubted Jimmy when it comes to Cas, as long as Jimmy continued to blow his mind like that again. Maybe teach him the trick so that he could return the favour.

"Hi," Jimmy smiling was the first thing that comes into focus. He's a heavy weight on Ianto but Ianto loves it and Jimmy knows it too.

"Holy shit."

Jimmy chuckled, "Awesome isn't it?"

Ianto nodded and wrapped his arms around Jimmy. "Where the hell did Cas learn that?"

"He wouldn't tell me," Jimmy replied, shifting slight so that he could play with a patch of Ianto's hair. "However, I think, since he's only been to Earth once before and for a very short time, it was up there."

"Heaven must have got a lot kinkier after Gabriel left." Ianto muttered eyes fluttering closed.

"Or it was all just Cas discovering things for himself."

Ianto moaned, "My god, that's actually really hot."

Jimmy smiled, "I know. There's more too."

Ianto rolled them over, "Later."

Jimmy kissed him softly, "Go to sleep Ian."

Ianto dropped off almost immediately. Jimmy followed soon after.

. . . . . .

They arrived home late, expecting the house to be silent, and the kids to be in bed and Chuck and Becky to be using the guest bedroom. All was as they assumed it would be and as they made their way to their room they poked their heads in on each of their kids. What they didn't expect was for Jesse to be awake. He was sitting in the center of his bed, room bare but completed and he looked apprehensive.

"They signed it, didn't they?"

"I'm sorry Jesse."

They'd never wanted to hurt Jesse in the process. Jesse had already been rejected by his parents once, and now they'd done it again. The only difference this time was that Jesse wasn't alone.

Jesse hunched over, tears leaking from his eyes. Ianto and Jimmy went to his side and wrapped him in a hug.

"We'll get through this Jesse," Ianto whispered. "I promise. We'll never force you to leave, or make you feel unwanted."

Jesse sobbed quietly in their arms and they held him tight. Their eyes met over his head and they agreed that for the next little while Jesse would get more attention and more leeway.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Claire didn’t know where they were going. Her mother had been acting differently lately, distant. She remembers it started when her Uncle Paul had comer over. She’d overheard them talking when she was supposed to have been asleep. Uncle Paul had been asleep. Uncle Paul had seen her dad.

Claire figured that was where they were going and she knew, somehow, that she’d end up staying with him. But that was okay. Castiel’s brief possession of her body had changed her. She was fluent in Latin and knew enough Enochian to ward their house. She dreamed every night, and more often than not they were of him. They were his memories, revealed to her every time she closed her eyes.

Some days they were horrible. The things he’d seen broke her heart tore screams from her lungs and drew tears from her eyes. Her mother couldn’t help. She didn’t want to hear about Castiel. To her, Castiel had torn their life apart. Though she’d never told Claire not to talk about her dreams or nightmares, but Claire had seen the look on her face. She knew what it meant.

That was okay now too. At least with Dad she could talk about it. He probably dreamed the same dreams; he would know exactly what she was talking about. He would also be able to answer her questions because many of the things she’d seen didn’t make any sense. Why had Castiel been so obsessed with the Winchesters, particularly Dean? Why was it, that in every memory containing another angel he was so sad? Had God really abandoned Heaven?

That last one really threw her. She’d been taught that he was always up there, watching over the world and answering prayers. God couldn’t just leave, he was God!

Mrs. Fross, her Sunday school teacher had been concerned when she’d asked, “What if God left heaven?” The other children all looked at her as if she were mad but she’d persisted, enough that it got the Pastor involved. He visited the house that afternoon, and her mom and been quick to explain it away as part of the aftermath of her Dad leaving and then their move. That’s when he learned that the adults knew even less than she’d ever believed. They didn’t know anything concerning Heaven and Hell, and the Supernatural. They could only hope to guess.

Claire was excited. She missed her dad terribly, knew instinctually that whatever had happened in Detroit had involved him and she wanted to know that he was alright. Her mom hadn’t been able to find anything when searching for information on him. Knowing he was alive was a blessing.

She doesn’t know how long they’ve driven; just that they’ve crossed three state lines and are now in Kansas. She doesn’t care. She’s okay with it, everything that’s been bothering her she’s okay with because she gets to see her father. She’d have traded everything in the world to see him if this wasn’t happening.

When they passed the sign that announced Welcome to Auburn, she realized that they had to be close. Her mom turned off the radio, sat up straighter and slowed the car down. Claire paid attention, but there was nothing special about Auburn, least not that she could tell. It looked like every other small town she’d been in or passed through. Why would her dad choose here to stay?

It was a new building they pulled into, a restaurant with a large two story house in behind, also new. It was called Angel House and it had her dad’s name written all over it. It was modern, beautiful and she could see the Enochian covering it. That was another gift left over by Castiel.

“Be careful Claire,” her mom warned her as they got out of the car.

“Mom, its fine. It’s safe,” she replied.

“You don’t know that.”

“But mom -”

“Claire!” her mom turned to her, a warning in her eyes and Claire nodded. Her mom wouldn’t believe her even if she redrew every sigil out for her.

Inside there were two men and an older teen at the bar front. One of the men was just sitting at the bar with a drink and a laptop. The other man, dressed in a suit, and the teenager were behind the counter and having an argument.

“...expect a lot from you. We understand that you’re still adjusting to everything that keeps happening and we know you’re having trouble fitting in. It’s a small town area, everybody knows everybody else and teens especially don’t warm up to new people easily. We get it, but that in no way gives you the excuse, or the right, to disrespect us they way you’ve been doing.”

“Whatever,” the teen said, clearly annoyed with the conversation.

“Attitude like that mister is exactly what I’m talking about.”

The teen shrugged, “So what? You’re not my dad.”

“No, but I am your guardian.”

Another shrug and the teen walked away, through a back door.

“Matthew!”

Matthew didn’t respond, nor did he come back and the man slumped against the counter, “I really don’t know what to do anymore. I can’t believe I was ever this hard on my mum.”

“You went and got yourself a criminal record,” the other man pointed out.

Claire looked up at her mom, wondering why she hadn’t made them known yet. Was there something else going on that she didn’t know about?

“It was petty theft Chuck,” was the argument.

Chuck laughed, “Well when you put it like that, you make it sound as if Jimmy's faze of sin and debauchery was worse.”

The man turned his head towards Chuck and Claire imagined he was glaring. "How do you know these things?"

Chuck eyes widened and he began to stutter, "I uh…well you see…uh, it's uh…it's not what you think Ianto!"

Finally able to put a name to the other man, Claire was curious to hear his reply. She'd never really heard adults talk like this before.

"And what exactly do I think it is?"Ianto asked amused. He turned around to lean forward on the counter and caught sight of them.

He smiled, "Can I help you?"

"What are -" Chuck started, following Ianto's gaze. "Oh. Oh crap Ianto."

Ianto rolled his eyes, "What?"

"I'm Amelia Novak," Claire heard her mom say. She watched Ianto's face pale. "I'm looking for my husband."

Claire didn't understand why everything had suddenly become more tense and deathly silent. Her mom looked like she'd won something over them and Claire didn't like that look. It reminded her of that little stuck up preppy girl in her class, Ashley Pond, and she hated Ashley Pond.

"I'll go get him," Ianto eventually said, leaving them with Chuck who looked like he'd eaten something really gross.

"Uh…hello," Chuck said nervously, looking all around except at them, tapping his glass and eventually closing his computer.

Claire decided to take the initiative and took a seat on a bar stool, not close to Chuck but not far from him either.

"Are you a Hunter?"

"Claire!" her mother exclaimed. "Mind your manners."

"Oh no, it's okay," Chuck rushed to assure her though he sounded even more nervous now. "I'm not a Hunter though. I’m a uh…Prophet."

Claire frowned, "Like Elijah?"

"Um…I think? My visions focused primarily around the Winchesters up until the end of the Apocalypse. Now I just get flashbacks and the odd future happenings here and there. It's how I knew to move here."

To Claire, that was almost as amazing as Angles. He was a real, honest to God Prophet. "Have you spoken to him?"

"To who?" Chuck asked confused. Claire saw her mother take a seat at the closest table out of the corner of her eye.

"To God." In the Bible, all the Prophets talked to God, as far as she knew.

Chuck looked surprised at her question, but never had the chance to answer because her father entered in the same way Ianto had left. He stared at Chuck until he left, skirting around her dad like he was a rabid animal.

"Daddy!" Claire exclaimed, running around the counter and into his arms.

"Hey, Baby Girl," he greeted her, hugging her tightly. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too Dad."

"James," Her mom spoke, before Claire could ask her dad why he hadn't come home.

"Amelia."

There was a tension between her parents that Claire didn't understand; she only knew that it was the kind of tension that led to her parents arguing. She didn't want them to argue, she wanted everything to go back to the way things had been before her dad had agreed to be Castiel's vessel.

"Claire go -"

Her dad cut her mom off, "Into the house. You can enter through the back here and you don't need to worry about knocking. Ianto, and now Chuck and Becky will probably be in the kitchen."

"James, I don't think that's such a good idea," her mom said.

"Why not?" her dad demanded. "It took us a month of careful planning in order to make it the most protected house in the entire world. Not even Angels can enter unless we give them express permission. It's safe."

That interested Claire. Why ward a house against Angels? It was just another thing to ask her dad about later.

. . . . . .

Jimmy dreaded turning around and facing his wife. He didn't want to know what she was thinking, or see the look in her eyes he knew was going to be there. He'd never expected her to show up. She'd looked happy in Peoria, content with just Claire and now things were going to go to hell. She'd been seeing Roger before, but that infidelity he'd understood because he'd been the one to walk out on them. Now he was breaking their marriage vows, with a man and raising four kids together. How could he have been so stupid to think he could avoid any kind of confrontation with Amelia over this? He should have divorced her the day he realized he could never go back to her.

"How have you been?" he finally asked, turning around but not meeting her eyes.

"It's been tough," she replied. Jimmy couldn't tell if she was angry with him or not. "But we've been managing."

Jimmy nodded. He grabbed two glasses and the scotch before rounding the counter and joining Amelia at her table.

"She misses you."

Jimmy sighed. That was Amelia, knowing exactly when and where to lay on the guilt. His weakest point in all of this was Claire and, though he doubted she would, Amelia was in the right position to use that against him.

"Where does Ianto fit in?"

Jimmy eyed her, wondering what he was aiming for. And even that thought made him ashamed of himself. It seemed the apocalypse had warped him so much that he didn't even trust the woman he was married to.

How in the Father's name do you tell your wife you swing both ways?

"He's the vessel for the Archangel Gabriel, who was ten times more powerful than Castiel and a hundred times more insane. He's different. When he said yes, he knew exactly what he was walking into. He knew he was going to war and he didn't shy away and he wasn't afraid of never walking away from it alive."

"Do you love him?"

Jimmy looked down at his hands, calloused from months of hard work and raising children. He should probably clean his fingernails tonight. The tan lines from his wedding band had long since faded, mocking him in there absence.

"Yes. How can I not, after what we've been through? I love Cas too, and Gabriel, Sam, Dean and even Chuck. Just a little bit though, in that kind of little brother who always pokes his head in your business kind of way. Ellen and Jo, who died for us. We had both Heaven and Hell on our asses because we dared to defy Michael and Lucifer and fight for mankind. I died Amelia."

"And what about us?" She demanded. "Do we even factor into your life anymore?"

"You know you do."

"Really? Because from the look of things it seems like the complete opposite!"

"Well what do you want me to say?" Jimmy exploded. "Do you want me to give you empty promises? Do you want me to come back, leave what I've built up here?"

"You're the one who left us!" Amelia yelled.

"I had no choice."

"You always had a choice."

"Bullshit." Amelia recoiled in shock. Jimmy had rarely ever sworn in their entire lives and certainly not to her. "You don't say no to an angel and get away with it Amelia. Saying no just leads them to coming up with more creative ways to make you say yes and the more creative they get the worse it is."

"Castiel…?"

Jimmy shook his head. "Cas isn’t like most angels, he actually gives a damn about humanity but at the start of this all he was blinded by the faith he had in the Garrison.

I can't do us anymore Amelia. Too much has happened and I am not the man I was before."

"James," Amelia stopped him, resting a hand on him arm. Their eyes made contact. "I knew this would change you and I prepared myself for that but you are having relations with a man. You have turned away from our faith, given into that part of yourself you were once ashamed of and I cannot accept that."

Jimmy doesn't ever remember telling her that, but how else would she know? He'd probably been drunk when he told her too, although he couldn't say he'd been particularly ashamed of having slept around with men. He was more ashamed of the fact that none of those men had meant anything to him. He wasn't the casual sex kind of guy, not normally. He grew up in a religious home and saw it as something special - not sacred - he'd never been that hard core on the subject, but to him sex brought a level of intimacy he only wanted to share with someone who meant something to him. He regretted throwing that out the window during that stage of his life.

"Then what are we going to do?" he asked her.

Oh hell, Jimmy knew that look. It was the look that said she already had everything planned out and that he better like it or he'd suffer her wrath. He couldn't believe he'd walked right into that one.

. . . . . .

It turned out Amelia was prepared to give Jimmy full custody of Claire when they filed the divorce papers with the assurance that she could call or visit at any time. Jimmy amended that by saying that, while there would be no restrictions on Amelia being allowed to visit, it had to be on a date that he approved of. She wanted virtually everything else though, seeing as how he had almost anything he needed with Ianto.

Ianto was not opposed to the proposed arrangements. He just pointed out that things were going to become more hectic with the addition of yet another child into their little family. They were still having difficulties in sustaining the right equilibrium between them all. Matthew was refusing to listen to them, Sara was kept up all night with nightmares, Jesse thought it was a good idea to imitate Matthew and William continued to pitch a fit every time they brought up the subject of him going to school.

He could never refuse the idea though, or ask for Claire to live with her mom for a while longer before moving in. He knew how much Jimmy missed her and regretted not making contact again. He couldn't deny Jimmy the happiness he would feel when she came, not when everything they were doing together was because they were striving for some.

The children seemed to downright hate the idea. They didn't make any verbal objections, but Ianto and Jimmy knew them well enough to know that they were not happy. They just didn't know why and while Jimmy believed that one, or all of them, would bring it up sometime the next day, Ianto kept his own beliefs to himself. Their children still didn't completely trust them, or felt comfortable enough with them to voice some of their opinions.

Part Four