The Trick Is To Keep Breathing 3/?

[missthingsplace]

AU: When it all changes: Life, Love and Family in Torchwood.
Title: The Trick Is To Keep Breathing
Author: missthingsplace
Parings/characters: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Andy, My OC's: Caden, Eloise, Dylan, Jenni, Claire, Chloe, Damien, Ianto's family.
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: The Twins, Caden and Eloise are now 19 and working for Torchwood, a case comes up that would be perfect for them but their parents are reluctant to let them work on the field, especially Jack ... will his fear be founded?
Spoilers: Probably not, but you never know ...
Warnings: Mentions of abuse but no details.
Rating: NC17 for the series.

A/N: I'm sorry this wasn't posted on Monday as intended but i was struck down with a tummy bug, feeling much better today thankfully! Also, there will be more Jack and Ianto participation is this fic soon, i promise :)

 

When Caden and Eloise appeared the the main hub they both looked very much the part of homeless teenagers living on the streets. The clothes they had found in the charity shop were at least three years out of date and Eloise had done an amazing job of making them look tattered and old. They had a little dirt smeared on their faces and their fingernails looked like they hadn't been cleaned in month, their hair scruffy and unbrushed finished off the look.

“You'd never know there was two relatively normal teenagers under all that,” Chloe chuckled. “you both look fantastic.”

“I guess that's a good thing,” Jack mumbled.

“It is,” Ianto assured his husband. “if the kids looked anything less then they wouldn't get picked up by the Hostel.”

“I'm still not a hundred percent sure this is a good idea,” Jack stated.

“We can do this Dad,” Eloise sighed.

“I know you can, but it doesn't stop me worrying about you,” Jack answered, feeling more of a Dad than their boss at that exact moment.

“And so will I, but as we agreed last night, we have to let them do this,” Ianto told the Captain, taking his hand in his own.

“And I will, I just won't like it,” Jack admitted. “okay, here are the rules, both of you will keep your comms in at all times, no excuses now they are so small they can't be detected and you will check in with us every hour.”

“We can do that,” Caden agreed. “but what if we are in a situation where we are unable to without detection?”

“Then we will give you an extra hour before we come in guns blazing,” Ianto told them, giving Jack a small smiled.

“You will also need a word or phrase that will alert us if you are in real, immediate danger,” Jack added. “something that won't make them suspicious but will let us know that you need our help.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Eloise agreed. “how about 'Cachu? If we are only speaking English and we swear is Welsh, even if they know the language they'll just think it's something we've picked up?”

“I like that idea,” Caden smiled.

“You would!” Jack huffed. “Any excuse to swear without getting into trouble.”

“So, it's agreed then?” Chloe asked.”The code word is Cachu?”

“Yep,” Ianto nodded, still holding his husbands hand tightly in his own.

“Good, then we should get this started,” Chloe said. “they need to be out in Cardiff and be seen so that the people from the Hostel get word about them.”

“Yeah, the less time this takes the better,” Jack said, giving his eldest children a pointed look. “are your comms in?”

“Yes Dad,” they both answered in unison and turned them on to test them, then off again.

“Okay, make sure you are both looking out for each other, you keep in contact, understand me?” Jack ordered.

“We will, we promise,” Eloise told her father, giving him a small smile.

“I'd never let anything happen to my sister,” Caden told him adamantly.

“We know you won't, or you she you Caden,” Ianto told them. “but please, don't do anything to put yourselves in unnecessary danger.”

“We won't,” Caden assured him.

The twins then both rushed forwards to give each of their fathers and then Chloe a hug before moving across to the invisible lift, which took them up to the Plass. Once there they stayed out of sight within the perception filter while they decided who was going to head off first.

“Okay, one of us should go into the City centre, the other around the bay?” Caden suggested. “We need to stay well away from each other so no-one can guess that we know each other, let alone that we are related.”

“Luckily it's still early so there's barely anyone about to see us emerge,” Eloise answered. “how about I take the City centre and you take the bay?”

“Sounds okay to me,” Caden shrugged. “we just need to be seen, begging would be a good way to get noticed.”

“That's what I thought too,” Eloise agreed, tapping the tatty hat on her head. “I can use this.”

Caden nodded, pulling an ancient looking marker pen from his pocket. “I'm going to find a bit of cardboard or something in a skip and write a message with this.”

“Right, so do you want to go first, I can't see anyone around at the moment?” Eloise asked her twin.

“Might as well,” Caden replied then went to step off the slab that made up the invisible lift, hesitated and added. “are you scared?”

“A little,” Eloise admitted. “but not as much as I want to do this and prove myself to Dad and Da.”

“Not just me then,” Caden grinned, gave his sister a quick hug and then bounded off towards the shops around the bay in search of cardboard for his sign.

Eloise watched him until he was out of sight, waited until the couple heading across the bay vanished around a corner and then headed off herself towards the City centre to find herself a prime location for begging and being noticed.

Caden found a piece of scrap cardboard relatively easily, he lay it on the floor and write in large capital letters 'Homeless. Please spare some change for food. Thank you'. Once that was accomplished he tossed the pen into the skip where the cardboard had come from and went to find a spot to sit.

“I've already made 48p,” Eloise's voice came to him as he settled down on the paving stones, thankful the weather was dry and mild.

“You'll be rich before you know it,” Caden sent back. “I've just found my spot.”

“Good luck,” Eloise responded.

“You too,” Caden replied, sitting cross-legged and propping his sign up on his lap.

TBC

Comments

[reddevilpoes]

Hope it all goes well..Nothing wrong with being protective towards your kids...