Bluebirds Chapter 14
Ianto rolled over and caught Jack's hand, holding it still as it inched a ticklish path down past his navel, laughing and gasping as he felt the sweat begin to evaporate from his skin.
Jack's face above him beamed in the half light of the room, as bright and magnetic as a burning sun.
Ianto looked past him, observing the crumpled piles of his discarded clothing strewn around the room. It had happened again. The muffled silence breaking as Jack called to him, his voice and body shining like lamplight through the long shadows of anxiety. Just like he had countless times before, Ianto had flown to him like a moth, not caring if he got burned. He looked back up at Jack, putting a hand up to feel the glowing heat of his skin, knowing with certainty that he was the moth that fanned the flame, that Jack burned brightest for him.
Jack's fingers twitched under his, tickling and teasing the square inch of skin they had access to and Ianto tightened his grip.
"Please, no more!" he laughed. "I'll have to call in sick with mental deterioration if you keep that up."
"You'll have to spend the day in bed recovering.' Jack put his head down next to Ianto's. 'We're already in a bed so you won't even have to move."
Normally this kind of comment would have brought up the subject of work to do, followed by a swift exit, but Ianto smiled and pulled Jack's arm around him.
"Don't tempt me."
Ianto let his head rest on Jack's shoulder, putting his hand down to where the baby lay quietly.
"Sleeping?"
Jack nodded. "It's been a big day."
Ianto let his hand drift over Jack's skin, still mildly shocked at the solidity.
"What does it feel like?"
Jack frowned, thinking.
"It feels good. Full, and kind of raw, like you're missing a layer of skin.' He paused. 'And heavy and slow. And awkward."
Ianto laughed.
"You can't wait, can you?"
Jack smiled lopsidedly. "No.' he admitted. 'I'm ready."
He shifted uncomfortably and groaned, pulling a pillow from under his head and jamming it between his knees with a sigh, the pressure temporarily relieved.
"I'm so ready."
Ianto's fingers drew slow circles over his skin, sending him closer to deep and natural sleep than he had been in a long time. He had forgotten how much more everything felt in late pregnancy, and he thought wryly, how great the sex was. With Ianto's body wrapped around him and surrounded by warmth and the smell of Ianto's skin, Jack closed his eyes.
"Is it really a girl?"
"Hm?" Jack asked, beginning to drift. "Owen says it is."
"Haven't you see her? In the scans, I mean."
"No,' Jack said through a yawn. 'Not since the first ultrasound when she was tiny. I thought that the first time I see her should be, you know, the first time I see her. Owen has though. You can too if you want."
"No… I think that's right. I'll see her when we meet her." Ianto's voice was lazy and slow, muffled against Jack's chest.
"Will she be like you?" He asked.
"Thankfully immortality is not an inherited trait, if that's what you mean."
Ianto nodded, his face still pressed against Jack.
"She'll get your dimples instead. Dimples are superior to immortality."
"Well, maybe. You don't have them, so unless you're a passive carrier for the gene-"
"Alright Mendel,' Ianto said, tilting his head up to look at him. 'I'm going to make a cup of tea. Let me know when you've finished fiddling around with those peas."
Jack shrugged, eyes still closed. "I dated-"
"-You didn't date Gregor Mendel, the father of genetic science.' Ianto sat up and squinted accusingly at Jack. 'Gregor Mendel was a celibate monk."
Jack opened his eyes long enough to wink.
"You'd be surprised... No, I didn't, but I did date guy with a doctorate in classical genetics."
"Yes,' Ianto said slowly 'and now you're dating me- Junior Researcher by trade and tea boy by circumstance. Won't be a terribly impressive anecdote for the future, will it?"
"You're more than an anecdote."
"You say that, but your never ending catalogue of ex-lovers makes me doubt it."
Jack didn't argue, but kissed Ianto's head in reply, drawing him back down onto his chest.
"She'll have blue eyes, like both of us." Ianto continued.
"Probably"
"Probably? That's how it works- I remember the question on my Year 10 Biology exam very distinctly."
"There are exceptions to everything. You should know that Ianto, you're one of them."
000
"Wow, you really are contracting." Owen said pressing his hands to Jack's middle, feeling it change from skin to stone.
"Why do you sound so surprised?"
Owen shrugged. "Are they regular?"
Jack sighed. "Not yet. On and off for a couple of days now."
"Painful?"
Jack shook his head as Owen continued to prod.
"She's getting pretty big. I wish you would reconsider a C-Section. Just because you managed to manufacture a birth canal doesn't mean you have to use it."
Jack shook his head again. "We've already talked about this.' He said wearily. 'Babies born vaginally have better immune systems and mine is questionable. I don't know how well a 51st century immune system will set her up for 21st century germs, but I want to give her all I've got."
"You don't have a vagina, or if you do then it's missing all the best parts."
"Yeah, no kidding. Are we done here?" He asked, pulling his shirt down.
"No.' Owen said, stopping him. 'Speaking of things we've already talked about- your immune system profile has been collected on the scans. It's pretty weird, but I think it will do the job.' Owen lowered his voice. 'Don't pretend. I know there's something else going on. I haven't seen you buy any stuff for her- no clothes, no nappies, no formula. Stop worrying. There's always a chance something could go wrong, but everything's looking good- she's normal and healthy-'
Owen paused, watching Jack tense as his insides tightened again.
'-and obviously about to join us any day now." He finished.
Jack let go of the breath he'd been holding and nodded towards the cabinets.
"Drawer 4."
With a suspicious glance, Owen turned and pulled it out. Sitting neatly on the tray was a small collection of items sealed inside the clear plastic of a sterile medical bag. Inside were the essential items Owen had mentioned, along with an expensive looking lambs wool blanket with the torchwood insignia clumsily embroidered on the corner.
"From Gwen." Jack explained.
Owen held the bag up to his face, checking the label on the tins of formula. As he tilted the label upright the contents shifted and a small box rolled out, catching in the corner of the bag. It was old and weathered, the simple carved pattern that marked the lid almost invisible, worn down by years of handling. A few grains of sand stuck to insides of the plastic it was wrapped in.
Sand from Jack's home, wherever that was, Owen guessed with the intuition that he rarely paid attention to.
Jack was silent and Owen quickly slid the box back under the tin of formula, knowing he had uncovered something deeply personal.
"I think you must be the first parent in history to choose a mortuary drawer as a nesting place." He said lightly.
"Yeah, well we're a little low on storage around here. It didn't seem practical to hide it all down in the vaults."
Owen frowned, looking down at the bag.
"Why hide it at all? Because it would be too painful to see it if she doesn't make it? She's going to be fine Jack, there's no reason why not. I know you're worried but she's healthy. She's ready to be born. We could do a C-Section tomorrow- it won't be clean, but it will be quick and safe and -if your accelerated healing kicks back in- mostly painless. Let's just get it done."
"No. I can't be numb. If things go wrong you have my permission to do absolutely anything to keep her safe -and don't let Ianto try to stop you- but I want to feel this."
Owen grabbed his hand and Jack nearly pulled away in surprise.
"I can't tell you it's not possible, because it might be, but your pelvis is small. It's going to be hell." Owen's voice was almost pleading.
"I know. It was bad last time, but both me and the baby survived even though conditions weren't exactly optimum.' Jack gripped Owen's hand hard. 'This time should be easier, with you here."
Owen winced.
"You mean with a doctor? Jesus Jack, you weren't alone were you?"
Jack smiled weakly. "If you think I'm a stubborn pain in the arse now, count yourself lucky you didn't know me when I was 26."
"What happened to the baby?"
Jack was silent a long time, debating whether he wanted to answer.
"I'm not the same man I used to be.' He said finally.
Owen felt his brain begin to sort through the possibilities of exactly what Jack meant by that and stopped himself. It didn't matter.
He turned back to little bag and slid the drawer back into the wall, shutting the door with a soft click.
"You're going to need that stuff. We'll make sure of it."
000
Thanks for reading, especially after such a long wait (this story would go up so much faster if I didn't have a job)!