Sorry this has taken a while and once again I've got carried away without finishing and so there will be two more chapters after this one.

Chapter 20 – New beginnings

'I think its coming Aidan. Please help me it's early. I don't want to lose my baby.' Bronwyn was desperately clutching her stomach. Aidan looked around the room. 'Do something someone. Ellie we need you.'

'Ellie what do you want us to do?' Jack asked.

'Right, firstly let's get them down to the aut – medical room. We were going to set up a birthing room but it's not ready yet so we'll have to make do. Jack, Ianto I need the portable scanner and the Bekkaran scanner. Can you manage? Gwen we need an incubator, just in case. We don't know what we're dealing with here. We can use the one in the hothouse. Could you and Johnson get it sorted and on the trolley, to bring it down? Okay everyone we need to be prepared as we don't even know how the baby will come out and what it will look like.'

People scattered; Ellie and Aidan helped Bronwyn down to the autopsy room. She didn't want to lie down yet so she sat with Aidan holding her hand. The contractions were coming about every six minutes now. Jack arrived with Ianto and the scanners. Having handed them over they retired to the balcony. Ianto sat down holding his own bump and looked at Jack, who tried to smile reassuringly. Bronwyn screamed again, squeezing Aidan's hand and Ellie said, 'time to lie down; those contractions have quickened. I think it's time. The scanner shows the baby's heartbeat is strong and the lungs are formed enough. I assume the baby will be human in appearance as it doesn't know anything else.'

'I don't know,' Bronwyn gasped. 'Aidan you need to be there so it can see you and bond to your appearance. It will fix on whoever it sees first and that must be you. Then it will stay human until its cognitive ability works out that it can change, if it wants to. It's a defence mechanism we use just in case we give birth in difficult circumstances.'

Gwen and Johnson appeared with the improvised incubator in case it was needed.

'Stay at this end,' Ellie ordered. 'We need to make sure the baby sees Aidan first. Can you deliver if I stay out of the way because it's coming now? Are you okay Bron?'

'Yes I've managed to adjust myself a bit to make it easier. My body is allowing me to change slightly to accommodate the baby and make it less painful for me.'

'I can see the head I think,' Aidan shouted. Suddenly the baby was pushed out.

'Wipe its eyes, Aidan,' Bronwyn shouted. Aidan did as he was told and his eyes locked onto his son's face. There was an imperceptible change as the baby seemed to define its shape and reform to conform to what it saw. Aidan cut the cord and Ellie tied it off so he could take the baby to show to Bronwyn. There was no doubting who its father was as a shock of bright red hair had appeared, almost out of nowhere. Aidan's smile was so broad. He felt his own baby kick, as if it was suddenly keen to join its brother. As Ellie finished and began mopping up, Aidan handed the baby to Bronwyn who had tears rolling down her face. Jack was hugging an emotional Ianto and even Johnson had a tear in her eye as she remembered being there when Alice gave birth.

'Can I just check him over a minute?' Ellie asked. She ran the scanner over the baby. 'Everything seems fine. I don't think we'll need the incubator. The lungs are developed enough for the baby to breathe on his own. I'm reading slight body alterations as if he's not really settled into a form yet. Is that normal?'

'Not sure,' said Bronwyn. 'Babies usually come in liquid form and imprint the pattern they are shown. That's why Aidan had to be there. The baby has chosen to be a male with red hair, just like his Dad.'

By now Bronwyn just wanted to get up. She shook herself and Aidan looked on in wonder as she reformed her body to her pre-baby state. Gwen said, 'my God, it took me months to lose my baby fat. That's so amazing.'

'Sorry,' Bron said, 'but now the baby's born I can change again.'

'Oh well, let's get you up to one of the bedrooms. We'll set up a cot and you need some sleep after you've fed him.' Gwen began organising things.

'Gwen, how do I feed him? I know this sounds silly and I should have checked for myself, but I don't actually know what humans do.'

Ellie laughed. 'We'll get you upstairs and I'm sure that Gwen will give you the benefit of her experience.'

Once Bron and baby were settled they left them with Aidan and returned to the boardroom.

'One down and two to go,' said Ellie. 'I think I'll need Martha for the other two. I'll give her a ring. You're due in about ten days but I'll ask her to come a couple of days early, just in case. If it's okay with you Gwen I'm going to pop home myself. I need a bit of a rest and something to eat other than pizza.' Jack raised an eyebrow and said, 'I'll come down and see you out. I could do with some air and I'll get us some sandwiches for a change.'

Once outside Jack checked on Ellie. 'Are you okay? You look a bit pale.'

'Yeah I'm fine; I just need to top up my plasma supplies and it's in the fridge at home. Thankfully, there wasn't the blood we normally get but Ianto and Aidan will be different; they'll need caesareans. That's why I want Martha there. I'll get home Jack and sort myself out. Thanks, now you hurry and get back to Ianto. I suspect he's a little overwhelmed about what his condition really means, now he's witnessed a birth. I imagine Aidan is even worse.' Ellie walked to her car and Jack got the food and returned to the Hub.

During the next few days things passed quietly. There were the usual weevils to deal with but nothing else. Ianto and Aidan were getting more nervous as the day they would have their babies got nearer. Ellie planned to do them both together side by side, with Martha there. She was due to arrive tomorrow, a couple of days before the operations.

Jack came down to see Ellie as she was getting the operating tables prepared. It was easier to do them this way. With Martha there and Jack and Johnson helping, it would make the whole thing go by quickly and lessen her involvement with the blood. Both men were going to be awake for the births and were having epidurals.

'Hi Jack, everything is sorted ready for the births.'

'Bad news I'm afraid Ellie. I've just had Martha on the phone. She's being sent to Geneva by UNIT tomorrow and she can't get out of it, so we're on our own.'

'Bloody hell Jack, we'll have to do them on two separate days. We'll do Aidan first, as he's the most nervous. I'm thinking of putting him out all together. You and Johnson can help and Bronwyn will be there so the baby can bond.'

'Okay,' said Jack warily. 'I'll go and break the bad news to the pregnant pair.'

Jack walked upstairs. Aidan and Ianto were trying to get some sleep. Jack looked down as Ianto lay there. He was asleep, curled up on his side with one hand around his stomach. Jack hated to wake him. Pregnancy had really suited Ianto, except for having to give up coffee. Jack felt his heart expand; how he loved this man. He'd lost him twice and he knew there would be a third time, someday, a long way in the future he hoped. He sat down next to Ianto and kissed him gently. Ianto stirred under his touch and opened his eyes.

'How are you feeling? Sorry to have to wake you but we have a problem; Martha can't come so Ellie is going to do the operations one at a time. She's going to do Aidan tomorrow and you the next day. I'll be there and Johnson will help.' Ianto put a protective hand around his bump as it kicked. Jack put out his hand to feel the movement. As they looked at each other they knew that neither of them wanted to think about the possibility that Jack wasn't the father.

'I know you'll look after me Jack.'

'I'll go and see Aidan. You stay there Ianto and try to get some more rest.

Jack explained to Aidan and Bronwyn. Aidan looked green.

'Do you want to be put under Aidan? Ellie says you can be.' Aidan looked at Bronwyn. 'I think so Jack then I won't be in the way and the baby can bond to Bron.'

The next day came far too quickly for Aidan. He hadn't slept much; the baby, now named Ieuen Jack, had been a bit grizzly and Aidan had just felt too nervous. The operating room was set up. Ianto had decided to observe and Gwen was going to sit with him on the platform above the medical room. Jack and Johnson were ready to help with the basics and Johnson was going to monitor the anaesthesia. They all hoped that the Rift would be quiet because there really wasn't anyone to deal with any problem.

Aidan was put under and Ellie began the preparations. She wasn't exactly sure what she'd find but the Bekkaran scanner showed a womb to the side of the stomach in both men. Jack believed that it would disappear after the birth. Johnson kept an eye on the anaesthetic to make sure that Aidan stayed under.

'I can see the baby,' Ellie said. 'Bron get over here quickly. I need to take it out but it doesn't seem very stable. I'm trying to get its head clear so it can see you.' Ellie picked up the baby which in some ways looked normal and in others was quite fluid. She gave the baby to Bronwyn, as Jack removed the placenta and started to stitch up the layers. Aidan seemed fine and Bronwyn wiped the baby's eyes. As soon as they opened and locked on hers, the baby settled into a human female shape with dark hair and blue eyes. The baby was breathing well and started to cry.

'I'll feed her as well,' Bronwyn said, as she realised she could. 'We don't know if Aidan will be able to and I suspect even if he could he wouldn't want to.'

Ianto looked at Gwen with a startled expression. 'Will I be able to feed mine? I've not thought about it.'

'Who knows Ianto? Do you want to?'

'I don't know. Being pregnant has been strange enough. I bought all the stuff to use a bottle but I know it's better if the first stuff comes from the Mum. I suppose it's a wait and see and moment.'

Jack had just finished stitching with Ellie's help. 'Okay Johnson let's wake him up.'

As they began the Rift alert sounded. 'Damn,' said Gwen. 'Jack with me please. Let's check what we've got. Johnson we might need you.' Jack looked at the monitor.

'It's in the Plass,' he said. The CCTV cameras swept the area until Jack stopped them. There, on the Plass he saw someone and he felt like his heart had stopped too. Standing in front of the Hub entrance was Iestyn. Jack swallowed hard. He had to tell Ianto. What was he going to do if the baby wasn't his? Had Iestyn come to claim Ianto and his child? He watched as Iestyn began to hammer on the tourist office door.

I always love getting reviews and reply to everyone I get so if you've time ……

A/N - News on Torchwood High – I am so happy that so many people have put this on story alert and written some lovely reviews. The next chapter or seven are coming together. I'm sort of getting it in sections and then I need to work out what I'm going to do with it. I will be re-editing the last chapter, as I changed something about what happened with Daz.

Thanks again.

Pooky