36
The transporter rolled into the village and was met by a small crowd.
The news had travelled fast that something had happened, the radio silence unnerving.
When Owen slowly stepped down and walked over to Tosh, grabbing her and burying his face in her neck as he began to sob Ifan was the first to twig.
"No"
Anna looked at her husband as he took a step towards the transporter and seemed to deflate, falling to the ground.
"Ifan!" she cried as she rushed to him.
"Oh god" he wailed as he clung to her, "No!"
She looked up at the transporter as Jack stumbled out and looked around vacantly. Blood on his hands.
He reached in and dragged the body bag out, lifting it tenderly as he whispered to it that they were home.
The village erupted.
Jack walked slowly with his parcel of woe as several people burst into tears. Billy came running and his pace slowed as his face slowly fell to match the decline in movement.
"Daddy?"
Jack stopped walking and slowly turned, the black body bag shining in the afternoon light and Billy began to wail.
Anna left Ifan and hurried to the child, cuddling him to her as she tried to soothe him.
"No, not my Taddy. Please, I didn't mean it when I told him to go away, I didn't mean it. Please, not Taddy" he cried as Anna rocked him and sobbed.
Jack resumed his long walk to the front porch where he laid the body bag on the sofa, where Ianto liked to watch the children and he fell to his knees, weeping as he pulled the corners straight and whispered that he was on his sofa now.
Tosh felt her knees give as she went down, crying out with horror as the first pains hit.
Owen ran to her and Alice helped him raise her and get her into their house where the birthing suite was ready.
The night was long.
It was filled with agony and tears.
In the morning, as the first rays hit the dew covered grass, a cry rent the air as a new life was born.
Jack roused from his position on the porch and sat up, the old quilt falling from his shoulders and he reached over to check Ianto, pulling the blanket up over the plastic more, knowing he hated waking up cold. He then added the quilt to the top, Ianto would usually hum when he did that. Almost a purr.
Jack laughed at himself.
It's finally happened.
I've gone mad.
I'm worrying of a corpse is warm enough.
He watched as people gathered and waited for news. They weren't disappointed as Rhys ran from the house and through them to approach Jack.
Rhys stalled out at the top step and he nervously pulled at his shirt as he approached the body.
"It's a wee boy" he whispered, "A bonny little bit. Ianto. That's what they're calling 'im. Ya hear that Ianto me … oh god. Ianto" the last word was whispered as Rhys sat down on the step and began to weep.
"He's so small and feisty. Railing at the bloody world" Rhys sobbed as Jack stared at him silently, then lowered his head to rest against the corpse again.
"Do you think we can go see?" Hailey asked from the gate and Rhys turned to wave them on.
Ifan and Anna came soon after and stood on the path at the bottom of the steps.
"Billy is fine, he's with us" Anna said softly, "I think that's for the best right now. He's a bit overwhelmed and afraid. I thought Sean might come around later for a few things for the wee lad."
Jack looked at them like they were speaking a foreign language.
"And the funeral" Ifan stopped speaking and took a deep breath, "I mean, when we bury …"
"Pyre" Jack said suddenly, silencing everyone within range.
"Funeral Pyre" Jack expanded, "He made me promise that I would burn him. He didn't want to be … he was afraid that he would turn like his father did. The thought of being buried alive terrified him."
"Oh god" Anna whined.
"OK, when we … say goodbye. I don't think the little ones should be there" Ifan squared his shoulders as he spoke, like he was expecting an argument but Jack just shrugged.
"I don't care who comes or what they say. I'm building him a pyre fit for a fucking king and I will send his ashes to the wind" Jack said hollowly. "I hope the fucking Mara choke on them."
"Jack …"
"Just go" he sighed, "Please. Can't you see that it doesn't matter?"
"Nothing does."