Fandom: Torchwood

Characters: Ianto, Jack, Gwen

Author: m_findlow

Rating: PG

Length: 1,449 words

Content notes: none

Author notes: Written for Challenge 343 - Card

Summary: Jack's family have a surprise to help him heal.


‘We're here,’ Ianto announced, bringing an energetic bundle of children into the hospital ward.

‘You’re a sight for sore eyes,’ Jack said, unable to wipe the smile from his face as his whole family had arrived to visit him. He tried to sit up in bed a little straighter, but his side was still too sore to do much more than shuffle and groan before he was chastised. Ianto fussed with pillows and helped him into a better position even as the three nine year olds that made up their brood of children were already trying to clamber onto the bed.

‘Come here, you lot,’ Jack said, reaching for hugs and kisses from all of them and trying his best to ignore the pain in his side. Stupid alien, he thought, wishing he'd been a little bit more careful so that it wouldn't have taken a whole chunk out of him. He hadn't died, of course, which meant he was left with the far slower and more uncomfortable period to heal. Torchwood's medical team had done their best to repair his vital organs but the rest was left to his own regenerative abilities. Doctors couldn't create flesh from nothing and he had a whole kidney to grow back yet, not to mention an appendix, which he’d never had much use for to begin with, but it was the principle of the thing. That was two to three days of lying in a bed sorting himself out, and halfway through day two he was already going mad and more than a little lonely.

That was the problem with recuperating at Torchwood. There were no nuagty nurses Jack could charm and flirt with, or other patients’ visitors that could be relied upon to provide additional entertainment - only long term Torchwood employees who knew Jack and didn't put up with any nonsense from him. Seeing everyone he cared about was the best kind of medicine there was.

‘Sorry we couldn't get here this morning,’ Ianto apologised, pulling across chairs for everyone to perch on so that they weren't all trying to sit on top of Jack in his bed, not that Jack would have minded it. There was space enough for one and right now that was one lucky daughter wrapped up in her dad's arms, the last in line to have received hugs and kisses, but now entrenched in the premium spot.

‘What happened?’

‘The weather,’ Ianto replied. ‘It's bucketing cats and dogs out there, though not as bad as this morning. Some freak storm front that swept across. Nothing to do with us I've been assured. Didn't want to risk driving through inches of rain though. You know what it’s like when people try navigating three inches of water on the roads.’

‘Wise choice,’ Jack said, forgiving them for not being here first thing. It was Saturday after all so no need for the kids to skip school just to check up on their dear old dad.

‘Our morning inside wasn't a complete waste, though. We spent it making get well soon cards.’

Before Jack knew what was happening, three envelopes had been thrust into his lap, all with various neat and messy versions of the word “Dad” written on the front of them.

‘Aw, you shouldn't have,’ he said, though without much surprise as he tore open the first one. It had daisies and bunny rabbits drawn all over the front, along with a version of him covered in sticking plasters. That would be Eleri’s card; she was obsessed with rabbits and it was all they could do not to be convinced that buying a pet rabbit was a good idea. They already had a dog and Jack knew that rabbits were fickle things that had a tendency to die. The last thing he needed was a distraught daughter. He wouldn't even let them have a goldfish for the same reason.

The second card was obvious as well with its cars racing across the paper, the black torchwood sSUV leading the charge. It screamed boys all over it, making it Tom’s card.

The last was a glittery affair, with everything done in different shades of colourful glitter glue and must have needed a hair dryer to get it ready in time for being delivered now. Jack could picture his eldest daughter Sian taking charge of the box of glitter crafts. She could be a bossy little thing, but well intentioned.

‘These are so great,’ Jack said, genuinely touched by his small but important clan. ‘They're going to add a real splash of colour to this sad old white hospital room.’ The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have been well enough to spend a rainy Saturday morning with them, making a mess with texta pens and glitter. He had artwork all over the fridge at home, and more hung in his office on every spare space. It reminded him why he kept fighting, now more than ever. He never wanted to have his children too far from his mind. He'd messed up being a father in the past, but this time he was going to get it spot on.

Ianto set the cards on the table next to the bed, pointed around just so Jack would be able to see them from where he was without having to twist uncomfortably. There was nothing else there, no flowers or chocolates. It wasn't that the team didn't care, just that they knew Jack would be back to fighting fit in no time at all and didn’t bother with tea and sympathy any more.

There was a knock at the door and Gwen was loitering there with what did in fact look like a box of chocolates. Some habits died hard, Jack thought, and Gwen was one of the few who gave Jack sympathy in spades even if he didn't always deserve it.

‘How's the patient?’ she asked, striding towards the bed, greeted by all kinds of excited “Auntie Gwen” cries.

‘He's good,’ Ianto replied. ‘Hopefully home Monday morning judging by how things are healing up.’

‘Well, don't be in a hurry to scoff all these,’ Gwen warned Jack. ‘Just until you're sure that all your digestive tract is healed and doesn't have any holes in it.’

Jack grinner. ‘You're a gem, Gwen Cooper.’

‘Why don't I take this lot off your hands so you can have ten minutes alone?’ she said, rubbing Ianto’s arm in an understanding way. ‘Bet you've been run off your feet without a spare pair of hands at home.’

‘You really are a gem, Gwen,’ Ianto said, picking Sian up off the bed and plonking her down on the floor with the other two.

‘C'mon, you lot,’ Gwen said. ‘There's fruit salad and ice cream in the cafeteria,’ she announced, grabbing two by the hand and letting the last tow along at her side.

Ianto slid into the spot left unoccupied, perching on the edge of the bed and letting his hand slip into ‘How are you really, honey?’

‘Better now,’ Jack replied. ‘I've missed you guys.’

Ianto stroked his cheek. ‘I tried to visit yesterday but what with trying to run this place single-handedly and doing that school run, dinner, bathtime…’

Jack gave his hand a squeeze. ‘I know. But you're here now.’ He leaned over and stared at the side table and his handmade tokens of love. ‘They're amazing. Hard to believe they're ours some days.’

‘Days like this prove they are. It was all their idea.’

‘Didn’t you make me a card as well?’

Ianto pursed his lips before reaching into his jacket and extracting something from his inner pocket. ‘I was in two minds about giving you this.’

‘Why?’

‘Because cards are so cheesy.’

Jack chuckled. ‘After everything we've done together you're getting sweaty about a few nice words in a card?’ He snatched it from Ianto’s hand before he changed his mind about handing it over. It was so very Ianto with its ridiculously neatly penned border and lettering that might have been done by a master calligrapher. ‘Aw, it's so sweet.’ His grin grew wider as he read the message inside and then slowly closed it and slid it under his pillow. ‘Think I'll keep this one where no one else can see it,’ he said. ‘Don't need the whole team reading this and knowing how dirty your mind is’

Ianto smirked. ‘I think they already do. All the same, yes, I think we should keep those promises of what I might do once you’re all healed to ourselves.’

Jack chuckled. ‘We’re going to need Gwen to do more babysitting to get through that list.’