21
They arrived early for lunch and Ianto looked up as he did up the nappy on his wee charge, baby Trixibell kicking happily.
"Hey, the others are coming" Ianto smiled as he scooped the newborn up onto his shoulder and moved to the bottle of milk Martha had expressed before she went on patrol.
That woman was a Terminator.
Ianto checked the temp and then applied the teat, smiling as a tiny mouth went into action.
"What a clever Belle" he gushed, 'What a pretty little girl."
He rocked as he hummed, ignoring the family as they settled by the warm hearth and Holden spied the toys.
"It's a play area" Ianto said without looking up from his niece, "You play with whatever you want but the toys stay there. If you want to take one you must bring one from home to swap. That's the rule. So many children …"
Ianto looked up quickly, then back down, clearing his throat, "I see my boy took you clothes shopping, Marley."
"Yes, thank you" she said politely, "There was so much to choose from."
"Each time we go out and rummage we try to get a good selection" Ianto smiled.
"I was hoping to see the horses" she said and Pip growled softly in warning.
Ianto pretended not to hear, "Maybe another time. They aren't going anywhere."
Holden was joined by a coupe if other children which alarmed and pleased Pip as she watched the little boy's face light up.
Then Hope squealed when he beat her to a toy and she lifted her hand, only to find her Taddy had seen.
"We share in this house" he growled, the deep boom a shock to Pip who visibly jumped as Ianto swung to look at the children, "If you cannot share you can sit on the naughty chair until you are inclined to do so. Do you hear me?"
Pip stood and reached over to snatch her child up bristling as she glared at Ianto.
"How dare you, who the fuck do you think you are" she snarled and Hope automatically stepped in behind the other child as little Leon frowned with confusion.
"Excuse me?" Ianto asked with shock.
"You bloody heard me. You might think you are all that with a side of crisps but of you think for one moment you can talk to my child like that you are mistaken" she snarled, "You do not have the right to discipline my child!"
Ianto rose for the chair and the room went deadly still as he seemed to growl, his lips peeled back as he snarled back, "Actually, I was speaking to my daughter."
Anna stood with the first of the food as she watched Ianto bristle and dumped the load, rushing for the baby as she saw Ianto starting to lose his temper.
"If you are going to argue, give me that baby!" she demanded and Ianto handed over a limp sleepyhead as he maintained eye contact with Pip.
"I suggest you remove yourself from my sight" he snarled, his voice dripping with anger.
"I'll tell you what," she shot back, "The day you can provide a child that you've not taken from someone else, you get the right to have an opinion on how to raise it. You don't seem to have a wife, from what I can see. I can tell you one thing, you aren't having my child!"
She stormed from the room as Ianto stood with his mouth open, trying to even understand the gobbledygook she has just spouted.
"So. She has seen children snatched" Anna huffed.
"Yeah" Ianto huffed, "She's holding one that she snatched, herself"
"You think?" Anna asked.
"That's not her son, if it is … no. I think she saved that child from something" Ianto surmised, "she's protective and does love him."
"But you still sound unsure" Martha said as she stood behind Nainny.
"She … something makes me bristle. It's like … she's hiding something and it makes my skin crawl each time I see it in her eyes" Ianto shrugged.
Martha checked her bub and then left heading after the woman with fire and brimstone in her eyes. She slammed into the house and startled the family who seemed to be having their own discussion.
"First of all!" Martha said firmly, "If you ever speak to Ianto like that again I will personally drag you out of our village and dump you on that road you walked in on!"
Silence.
"Secondly, we have rules. Like it or not, we have rules!" as she spoke she pointed at the chart on the wall.
"And finally" she stepped closer, "We all decide if you stay, even if you want to we can easily tell you to jog on!"
She then turned on her heel and stormed back out where some people have heard the shouting and gathered.
Martha told them all what she had said to Ianto and the village was soon informed as Ianto sat by the fire and sighed.
Hope put herself on the naughty chair as she felt responsible and Ianto gently retrieved her with soft kisses as he told her it was not her fault.
Lunch was in silence without the family and everyone saw that Ianto didn't eat, sitting by the fire frowning into the flames.
After lunch Vic walked to the house and knocked, then entered when the door was opened by Morris.
"Hi, I'm Vic. My family live four down" he said calmly, "When we first arrived I was a bit belligerent and antisocial, I was scared and nervous. I decided that the best thing to do was a show of strength and I chose to pick Ianto as he was so … gentle. I basically challenged him."
Morris looked over at Pip and then back at Vic.
"I suffered for my foolishness and have learnt the hard way that he is a good man, caring father and a fierce protector. My children are safe because of him, my wife and I are happy and able to provide for our family. Martha is right, don't bit off more than you can chew because this is a village decision. We all vote. Right now, you've lost mine!"
He walked out and Morris turned to face Pip. "Maybe it's time we part ways. If I say I'm not with you I might be able to stay, even if you are not."
Her face crumbled as she reached for him, "Please. Please don't leave us."
"Why?" he demanded, "You seem to be doing all the bloody pushing!"
Ianto sat by the fire, pondering as his baby girl slept in his arms, her fairy dress a stark contrast to the gumboots still on her feet.
He was still unsure of this family was going to fit.