37
"Sol impressed me" Jack said as he and Ianto sank into the hot pools "I thought him a bit of a poser but he came through. Rosie love … don't do that. Pip doesn't like it."
The little girl majestically rose from the water to blink, the water cascading off her plats to drip into the pool and she turned to face the toddler sitting in Ianto's lap "sorry Pippity."
"He had a bad dream about drowning now people putting their heads underwater freaks him a little" Jack explained to Mickey who sat nearby watching. Mickey smiled softly as he waved and Pip waved back.
"Sol was a good show" Kev agreed "However … Kitty was a boon. She was bloody good too. Frank had her quick smart a few times, didn't rattle her though."
"Yeah, she showed moxie. Didn't panic." Ianto agreed as he let Jack take the tot and then cluck softly. Jack was getting clucky in every sense of the word and Ianto knew sooner or later the talk of pups would arise.
"So. Gill out, Sol in?" Kev asked.
"Gill out, Kitty in" Ianto answered "Sol needs a little humility still. He lets his temper guide him. I think he will do soon but not yet. Impulsive."
"Agreed" Vic grunted "Mother?"
"Yes love." Fay nodded as she sighed, her hands moving over her body "Michael wanted to talk to us about something. Do you think it's about wanting to go?"
"No, he has no desire to be too far from Mimi" Ianto answered her "I think he wants to talk about childcare so Mica can help with the annual planting. You know she loves it but this year will have a little Klingon. Too loving to even voice her desire for freedom from the beast."
"Oh of course!" Fay laughed, "I didn't think. She always leads the group of kids who plant the herbs."
"Yeah. Michel is needed in the Farm with the calving and lambing so can't take the little dimpling and Mimi does not want to leave her in the crèche with the teething madness starting" Ianto smiled softly "You are as good a grandmother as you are a mother. Mimi trusts you."
Fay beamed across the water at him and he nodded "And you still look sexy as hell mother."
"OI!" Vic spluttered, his face showing his amusement "She's my sexy mama!"
"Stop it!" she gushed happily, the unspoken fact that Micha also saw to Shiloh's Garden each year hanging in the air. Of course Fay would take little lily-Rae for a few days, revelling in her grandchild. She was still loving the attention as the other women .. and a few men … who commented on her pretty little self and she could swear she saw Shiloh in the little one's face sometimes.
"Right. Any other business?" Jack asked as he looked around the council and people considered. Finally it was Clive who spoke.
"Francine would never say, but she is pleased the Littles have started being more active in the finding of the eggs and veggie collection. She does worry about the leadership though, the Twins are a little … formidable" he said diplomatically "She had noticed more than one child almost in tears."
"Yeah, I agree" Jack said thoughtfully "I think they are hard to say no to and maybe some of the other kids want to play something but are roped into tasks. I will talk to them. It is their nature to want to help, Ianto in them. I will just explain that they need to give everyone a chance to help and let others off the list now and then. They will see that they are being a bit too focused."
"Lovely little buggers" Martha sighed, her hand smoothing around her little bump "I don't know about Ianto in them, definitely Captain mentality when they stomp across the rooftops like that to scare the crows away from the nestlings."
"No fear" Jack said in a silly voice.
"So, Scotland is a go?" Andy asked.
"Yeah. I think …I think we have a cohesive team and we should consider posting the decision and wait to see if anyone objects or wants amendments." Ianto agreed.
"Can I ask a personal question?" Owen spoke up. Everyone turned to him expectantly. "How many of you think we will find anything?"
Ianto and Jack put their hands up, as did Tosh and Owen but looking around very few did. They all thought it was a wasted effort and Jack nodded as he looked at Ianto.
"I don't ask you to believe us, it is your choice to believe or not in what we want to do. I appreciate the support anyway" Ianto smiled "And if we do bring back a rhinoceros or something, I will personally expect clapping."
Everyone laughed as Ianto closed his eyes and Jack laughed, "don't worry folks. No rhinos. They are actually something that just resembles them."
More laugher an some splashing now as Ianto opened one eye to look at his beloved, then he settled more.
Whatever they found …. They would triumph.
They always did.