25
Since the revelation that his mate was MORE than your average man Jack had found himself watching Ianto move, seeing the dancer in him for the first time.
Ianto became aware of the overly observational mate and felt uncomfortable so he started evading him, something else new for Jack to learn as Ianto showed himself to be more elusive than their daughter. Rose arrived that afternoon for high tea and Ianto reappeared for Jack to watch covertly once more.
"What is going in?" Rose asked as she settled in the chair she liked in Ianto's room, watching Ianto fidget.
"Jack is engaging in too much 'Ianto Watching' for me" Ianto answered as he rolled his eyes, "I seem to be new all over again."
"Oh Ianto, you don't get it do you" she laughed, "To Jack you are always new and shiny. Even with a few years under your belt together, he is still waiting for you to turn around and tell him you have had second thoughts or something."
Ianto considered and saw that she was right, his touches always questioning. Gwen had hurt him so much hadn't she? He sighed and looked to the doorway moments before Jack appeared, looking furtively at them "Any news?"
"No" Rose said sadly as she had been waiting for this question, it always seemed to be Jack that couldn't wait to ask, "Sorry. It didn't take again."
"Damn" Jack sighed as he flopped into a chair, "For what these sessions cost I was really hoping for something by now."
Ianto felt a flare of anger, rising and nodding to Rose, "I appreciate your offer and that you keep going back to the clinic each month. It has been three and we all know the doctors said it could be up to six attempts before they admit to needing outside help with insemination."
"Ianto, I am committed" Rose said softly, "I really am but Cali had started getting serious."
"Cali. California?" Ianto canted his head, "A militarial, right?"
"Yes, he is to be retired now, sooner than we had thought" she sighed, "Apparently his hearing suffered in battle and they had declared him legally deaf. With the surgical implants he can hear again but they are no good in battle. I have explained about the surrogacy and he is supportive. The idea that he may have to wait a year is hard but two? I just…I don't know."
"If the next one does not take I think we should push for the artificial mixer instead of waiting for another two failures" Ianto said, "We can't expect you to give up so much of your life just for us."
Jack rose with a look of confusion, "I didn't think it would be that long, two years?"
"Jack, there are nine and a bit months of pregnancy, then she has to recover from the birth, get her body back after the baby has wreaked it and breast feed hopefully for the first few months." Ianto sighed, "If she falls in the next one it will still be a long time that we are asking of her. She cannot marry with another's baby in her, his people are Halgerots. They would want to absorb the baby into their culture."
"I am still committed to helping you" Rose said with that defiant Harkness jut of her chin, "I promised."
"I know you did" Ianto smiled softly, "This is not a failure, definitely not letting us down love. I have faith that a new life will come, it is something I see in my dreams. A little one with Jack's floppy fringe and my nose. I have faith."
Rose watched him leave the room and turned to Jack, "Stop following him, he is getting unnerved by it."
"I can't help it. Since learning he had a drop of Bladesinger in him I keep seeing it. The way he moves, songs, cants his head like a little bird listening" Jack sighed, "A cuckoo and a windy-woo. How can I be so lucky? What if they wind up getting a better offer? You know they love to travel."
"Stop it!" she scolded, "You will drive him away and he loves the bones of you!"
"Yeah" Jack leered making her laugh and slap at him.
"I'm serious. Give him some space, you have been together for this long and he was already one, right? What has changed? He hasn't suddenly become one, he was born one. It's only your perception that has changed!" she snorted. "If you had read his file as thoroughly as he read yours this would be a mote point. You know it was in there."
"I know, it's my problem. I need to get a grip, I know. But he is so wonderful. Our son is special and I worry about him, to find Ianto is an even rarer breed …imagine how sought after they would be to a collector" Jack finally admitted what the problem was.
"You fear someone might snatch them?"
"They already tried with Storm. I can't lose my little Stormy boy or my sunshine" Jack rubbed his face, "I know I am torturing myself and I need to get over myself, this is my problem."
Rose shook her head and hugged him as she tried to comfort and ground him, his emotions had always run high.
This thing with wee Caden had them all on edge.
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For those that do not know what a Windy-woo is it is the common name for a species I created in my very first series called 'Bladesinger Verse' and the avatar I use in FF is a blue haired Ianto, the portrait of a Bladesinger warrior. You do not have to have read this verse to enjoy the introduction of them here but need to know in that verse if the love is strong enough in the bond is matters not if the mate is not Windy-woo too.