14

Ianto and Tosh were talking softly, Denbae asleep in her lap, all curled up like a little cat with his thumb in his mouth. They were discussing his last measurement checks and she was showing concern that in time he would need some corrective surgery on his legs.

Ianto placed the cup of tea closer to her on the side table, then a plate of food so she could still imbibe while her son slept, his hand lingering on the little head as he leaned in and kissed her gently. Then he straightened as he heard distant rumbling.

"Is that… machinery?" He walked to the window and looked out back at the horse paddocks and made a small noise of alarm.

"Ianto?" she said as she rubbed a little back "What is it?"

"Jack, up to tricks. He and Johnny are doing something and …. Ah. There's Owen, he's with them. They look ridiculous, like something out of Monty Python doing big strides up and down the field like … what's he up to?"

Tosh watched Ianto's face as he screwed it up, clearly concerned and then he turned and shrugged "Whatever."

He sat back down and lifted a sleepy Jackson from the floor beside him, cooing as the baby yawned and then smiled sleepily back. She watched him settle and smiled "You know, this letting it all go thing is working for you."

"I have decided it's not my problem. I have all I need here, I love this place, my kids and the wonderful man out there doing a John Cleese impression. I don't care anymore. I used to let things get to me, I would chew on it and get all upset … this time I am taking a leaf out of his book and saying to hell with it. In a year's time, will it matter what happened today?"

Tosh looked at the sleeping boy and nodded "I hear you. I do. It's just hard letting go of something so consuming."

"It is liberating though" Ianto grinned at her, looking so young again "To have control over one thing, the ability to choose if you are gong to consider this something personal or simply shrug it off like a rainy day or someone taking your parking space. What does it matter? It's all Gravy … hello Cariad."

Jack came through the back doors of the living room, smiling at Tosh as he headed for Ianto, kneeling to kiss him lovingly, then stroke a tiny head "Jax. Hello baby."

"Whatcha doing?" Ianto asked with a cheeky grin.

"The Lake House, the water. You were swimming every day again, I see the ease of movement. With the pool at the chalets being far enough to be unreachable on a bad day … I am gonna sink another pool here instead." Jack said happily "I purchased that parcel of land across the road, the horses can go there as well as some more garage space for Babs' collection since she will not stop buying cars. Out back we will sink a pool, maybe build her house?"

Ianto stalled out, staring at Jack "Her house?"

"I talked to her, she doesn't want to live in the village by her parents, and she wants to live here with her 'real' parents. I said I would take this to you since you are the architect. Build another one love?"

Ianto lit up as he saw that Jack was not kidding, they were expanding the land and he was going to get his pad out again.

Tosh canted her head as she watched the two men maintain eye contact, Jack's hands sliding up and down Ianto's legs in a loving caress.

Yes. This letting go was working for him.