2

Jack was holding the plastic egg up and looking at it with annoyance, "But … why is it this colour?"

"It glows in the dark Cariad" Ianto smiled across the aisle of the store, 'Good find. They break apart, they are shells. We can put them under the bushes and send them out with torches, they will glow."

"Oooooooo!" Jakc grabbed the entire box and upended it into his basket, "We put the chocolate eggs inside them, right?"

"And some toys maybe?" Ianto said as he looked around, "Maybe some fluffy chickie things or…"

Ianto turned to find Jack gone, racing for the little soft toys and shoving one into the egg with a look of intense experimental interest. He turned to hold up the egg that didn't quite close, "fits!"

"Well done" Ianto said telling himself to imagine Jack as a three year old and to give support effectively for his development and growth. "How about we see what else fits yeah?"

Jack was having fun.

Ianto found it fun too … sort of.

Then Jack found some Easter decorations and Ianto had to make a decision for all of them, "Cariad. Dylan wanted to invite the little boy that is shy …ah….Lorenzo? Maybe we need to remember that he is coming too and the party poppers might be scary? He doesn't like loud noise remember Dyls said he cried at assembly when the hoop fell?"

Jack visibly deflated as he clutched the bag of gigantic party poppers.

"Of course, Owen would love them. You know, you and Owen can let them off while you set the eggs out, then the streamers will look pretty in the trees too" Ianto considered a compromise that had the Captain bouncing again.

"I can invite Owen?"

"Yes Cariad. He will love playing with the boys too" Ianto resisted the eye roll as Jack immediately called him on the phone and loudly yelled that he was allowed to come to the Easter party.

Owen's 'yay' was loud on the other end as well.

Daft beggars.

They got home and Jack was excitedly carrying in bags as Ianto took some deep breaths.

Ianto started to make some food and drink, knowing the kids would get home ravenous. Little Lorenzo was a sad little thing, second-hand clothes and wide eyes, Dylan had told Ianto he needed an extra sandwich in his lunch box for school please as Lorenzo didn't have one some days. Ianto made a mental note to be sure there would be some leftovers to take home in goodie bags. The poor little waif was clearly not getting nutritional things at home given the way he always looked slack jawed when visiting. Ianto was secretly proud of Dylan for taking the child under his wing, showing Jack's nature as he saw the child as delicate.

"Right" Jack clapped his hands, bringing Ianto back to task "What do I do next love?"

"Owen is due any time so maybe get the poppers ready and you can test out the pop guns as well" Ianto offered and he watched Jack rush to get the toys, a big boy game of tag about to ruin some of the foliage outside, not a problem given the huge estate.

He made a mental note to keep Valentine in his room and the cats inside … ah … well … there were some strays ya know. Miffy, splotch, Ella Ray, Bozo, Humper er … so what if he had started naming them. Purely to keep the numbers straight, that's all.

Honest.

The line-up of feeding bowls was just because they wre good for mice. And stuff. Honest.

He heard Owen's bike and smiled, watching it come around the house and Tosh's helmet peeked around his as they came to a stop. Ianto moved quickly to intercept, "Tosh, come give me a hand with the party food"

She followed him in as Jack started squealing with glee, taking off around the house with Owen.

"And why are we not out there with them?" Tosh asked, then the first booming pop and Owen's scream.

"I think the first one was aimed at Jack who is currently looking like a gay version of Cousin It, streamers all over him and a look of doom" Ianto said as he pointed, Tosh turning to see Owen running from the strange multi-coloured monster.

The pop gun went off and a foam ball hit Owen in the back making him scream like it was a real bullet, then writhe on the ground as Jack fell on him with loud roars.

"We are in here where we don't get run over" Ianto said slowly, "We can sample the food, stay out of the way and applaud when they finish making a mess the kids will love."

"You seem quite calm considering they are wrestling in the petunias" she giggled.

"I am resigned to my fate" Ianto sighed theatrically, "I will marry that man and become a Harkness-Jones. Can you imagine? I will be … contaminated with his infectious fun disease. I may not survive."

"But what a way to go huh?" she giggled as Ianto turned to look at her, his face changing to that of the sweet man she knew.

"Oh Tosh, if he were any sweeter I might have to take insulin" Ianto whispered, "I am so happy that I fear the coming storm."

"Oh Ianto, don't fear something you can't avoid. After all" she pointed "I know who will hold the umbrella for you."

Ianto smiled as Jack raced past now, Owen after him with a manic grin.

Yeah.

Ianto could let himself get totally and thoroughly infested with life here.