9

Luc was eyeballing the table and Yan could not work out what she had missed, something must be wrong and she stood beside him with a critical eye as she went over the heaving table top.

"What is it?" Luc whispered and Yan frowned as she turned to him for clarification.

"What is confusing you brother?"

"The bird beast" Luc hissed, "It is immense? Is it an alien breed?"

Yan turned back to the table "The turkey?"

"Turkey" Luc repeated like it was a sacred word, "Yes, where did that come from?"

"Tesco's" Yan replied, "It's a large breed of bird, you know ostriches are larger."

"Yes but they are not birds" Luc replied, "They are from the Herdrakian Galaxy."

Yan hesitated, then turned to Jack who shook his head to show Luc was mistaken, then Yan turned to Luc, "Would you like to see a picture of one with it's plumage?"

Luc nodded and Ianto keyed up pictures, Luc humming as he looked then clicked a link to other breeds and he stalled out, the birds of paradise only eclipsed by peacocks that had him shrieking as he pointed "Peacats! Look, Peacats as birds!"

"Peacats?"

"A catlike creature with peacock plumage" Jack replied, "They don't survive space travel, none here."

Luc nodded, "So, these are real birds? How do they taste?"

"Well we are about to eat the turkey" Jack said happily as he clapped Luc on the back, "come on buddy, you can hold the serving plate while I carve."

"Carve? What do you carve it into?" he asked and David started to choke on his drink as Owen grinned and jiggled in his chair until Rhys settled opposite with his son grizzling in his lap.

"Mine are in a food coma" Owen said happily, "He still crabby?"

"Yeah, smells the food even if he is really too small to have much" Rhys replied, "funny thing the Lilac influence, they eat solids so young and are so hungry for it. Look at him, wee eyes drinking it in, he's about to ask for something."

"What do you mean, Lilac influence?" Luc asked as those in question slithered in to their designated chairs, happily settling to wave tentacles merrily around the table.

"Well, Blaine here was cooked by them, me and Andy didn't very well have him mate" Rhys smiled, "They made him from our DNA. Same with Owen and Tosh's twins."

Luc stared at him long and hard then turned to the factorum.

"Lilacs can breed without sex, they take DNA strands and create from those. They can take two subjects and create a new life within" Ianto explained "As hosts to the embryo they then 'cook a baby in a short time. As you can see they have one there now."

Luc looked down the table and saw one was larger than the other and had a dark patch, "That's a baby?"

"Yes, they love making them and are happiest giving them as gifts to those who need them" Jack said happily, Yan watching intently as Luc reached out and stroked the Lilac gently.

"What a lovely gift" he crooned, "How wonderful for you to be able to create like that, such a goodly thing, such a show of love."

The Lilac shuddered happily, chirping away as Rhiannon sat and leaned over "What's it saying?"

"Something about a gift for the New Year" Luc said as he struggled with his limited understanding of their language.

"They are saying that the baby will be ready in the New Year" Yan said softly as she watched Rhiannon croon as well, fussing as she hoped the Lilacs liked the jello she had made for them.

Yan smiled, "Rhiannon, you've been spoiling them lately and they are so happy for your new family that they hoped you wanted more."

She looked over at him and raised her eyebrows, "You know I can't have more."

"No" Yan said firmly, "You can't birth anymore, you can still have a baby. Seems you will. It's yours they are cooking as a wedding gift."

Luc froze, his hand over the bump as Rhiannon gasped and reared back, "Bullshit!"

"Stop that!" Byrd scolded, "My babies came from them, so much better than that stinky whinger over there. Only thing that Taddy can't do best, seems they are better at baby making"

Yan frowned "Are you saying my offering is substandard?"

"Well he is stinky a damned lot!" she replied with a grimace, "My twins are always sweet, even Blaine here who is such a big boy and being the prettiest and perfect. Lin needs work, all I'm saying."

Andy laughed as he plucked up his son and settled him in his lap offering a spoon. Blaine eagerly accepted it and shoved it at the plate in front of him, getting a good helping if his Dad's mash and gravy.

Luc looked at Rhiannon, "What? What are they saying?"

"We are going to have a baby" Rhiannon said, blinking as he startled and then she laughed happily, "Oh Christ almighty, we are going to have a baby"

Gray sighed as he turned to David and whispered, "Pray for another boy. Girls are quite mad ya know."

"I've noticed" David whispered, "all mad."

Young men-to-be nodded sagely.