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Ianto stood there with a mixed view of the world, both defeated and galvanized as he looked over the long grass at his future and sighed.

That it had come to this.

Damn Jack Harkness to hell.

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Six months earlier

"Cariad, come on. We will be late" Ianto called out as he ran through the apartment, doing up his tie as he went over things under his breath.

"What do you think?" Jack asked as he entered the room and leaned suggestively against the doorway "Does my butt look big in this?"

"Jack … your butt is perfect and you know it. Come on, I may have to kill you if we are late again. Your Agent was sooooo clear on this" Ianto scolded, now pulling on his Burberry before reaching for Jack's coat.

"Gods. I finished the damned thing, went back for the extra shots and the voiceovers … did three fucking photoshoots for fucksake… still they want a sign off?" Jack groaned.

"Come on. Just one more hoop to jump though and we have alllll the summer to lay by the pool and compare…. Feet" Ianto winked, knowing Jack would light up as this incentive.

"You're right."

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"You are shitting me" Jack was gaping at the contract as Ianto made a noise of alarm.

Ianto tried to being the meeting into some order "We need to take this to the lawyers and…"

"We already have" Jack's agent Marcus said happily "It's good. It's all good baby. They are offering you three more movies at more money per movie than this one you just wrapped."

"Jack … the time frame for these…"

"Ianto! Come on. Let me read!" Jack grumbled and Ianto sat back with annoyance, holding the papers as Jack read and handed each page over, flicking through them and then pointing out small things he was not happy about, including the lack of merchandise percentages.

"Didn't have them for this one, don't need them" Jack said, as he frowned deeply at Ianto "You are my PA, hold the blood thing will you? Stop telling me, I know what I am doing."

Ianto could only watch as his boyfriend signed away the next eighteen months to continuous filming of back to back movies that would ensure the holiday he had been promised for his birthday would never eventuate.

Well.

Sucks to be me, huh? Maybe next year?

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"I don't see why you are being so whiney about this" Jack sighed as he stirred his coffee, Ianto angrily slamming about in the kitchen as he tried to make the evening meal "The money is amazing. Did you see it?"

"And when it is all over we get married? My holiday in Bali with a ceremony? You know … like you promised me?" Ianto asked swinging around to eyeball Jack "You said when you have really made it … I get my wedding and happy ever after crap."

"All the crap" Jack grinned.

Ianto was still not so sure, his heart still full for this guy but something in the back of his mind scoffed at him for being too bloody trusting.

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"Thank god!" Rhiannon sighed as she pushed away from the car that sat on the side of the road, the two children inside tired, hungry and unhappy.

Ianto had left Jack asleep, the 3am phone call startling and upsetting as he could hear the children crying in the background. He had driven like a bit of a loony to get there to the small car and occupants, coming to a halt and springing out to engulf his sister in a hug. "sorry I took so long."

"Oh Teddy Bear" she sobbed, clinging to him as she let herself relax for the first time that evening, knowing once she pulled back that even in the twilight he would see those bruises on her face … stark. As if hearing her thoughts he yanked her back and stared into her face, his anger clear.

"Fuck Rhia" he sighed, "Come on. It's really dead this time?"

"Yeah… he has been promising a new second-hand one but… his money kept going at the poker table instead" she watched Ianto yank open the car door on the passenger side and lean in.

"Come on you two. Into the back of my car, I'll get the bags" he called to them and the kids lit up as they saw their uncle, clambering out to hug him and accept his love, the bruise on David's face making Ianto face hard with anger, rising to look at Rhiannon accusingly "Didn't marry our Da eh?"

"Why we are here on the side of the road in the middle of the fucking night" she snarled back then slumped as she knew it was no good being angry with him, the only person to help her now.

Ianto drove them to a lovely hotel with a pool, room service and above all … security.

"Do not ring him. Do not accept a call either. I will not call you on the house phone. Here, take my old Cell phone, it had a new chip and I put money on it. OK? He will not find you. The room is in Jack's name, paid for by our joint account card. Dickhead is too stupid to even remember Jacks' name let alone think for one second you might hide. Let him rampage now. Fuck him."

"What about Myfanwy?" a little voice asked sadly and Ianto sighed as he looked at Mica, her eyes wide with fear.

"I will go tomorrow while he is at work to get Myfanwy and what else I can. OK poppet?" he promised, accepting the house key and handing over the key card while his sister tired not to look defeated.

It had only taken her a fucking decade to finally leave this abusive relationship, the only things of worth in the room with her.

Ianto went to find an all night store to get a few things for now, not even PJs with them for fucksake.