38

"That went well" Jack said happily as he snuggled next to his mate, "Even those still too young felt part of it and as security cubs they will feel important."

"Another few years and they can go on overnighters, I think they are big enough to do recons to the other homesteads in the next valley" Ianto agreed, "Good training ground that for some simulations, get some involved as Zs and me and the dogs can add to the drama."

"I was surprised at some of the questions, they are keen" Jack yawned, "Come on love, beddy-byes?"

"No, I need to stay here" Ianto said gently, "I need the flaps open and you to be calm."

Jack stopped breathing, the air too thick as he stared at his mate, then at the stomach that was suddenly huge and sold as a rock under his hands. "Shit."

"Yeah" Ianto laughed softly, "Marley and Billy with the kids, if Hope wants to come witness it's OK, she is the oldest of the pups."

Jack nodded and rose, his hands wiping on his jeans as he looked at his love, "Anything else Holdfast?"

"Owen would never forgive us if he didn't get to be part of this one" Ianto smiled, "And Nainny. Pip likes her so much."

"OK love" Jack tried to remain calm as he knew there was time yet, the Mara not even visible.

Soon Ianto was labouring gently as his little one decided if he was coming or not and he puffed as his hands slid to Jack's "Time."

"OK" Jack smiled as he nodded to Owen who gently sliced Ianto open, his moan more like a sigh as the burn told him the little one was being freed from the place he had been too long restricted as of late.

There was a gush of fluids and Owen snorted, "Little bugger is fighting me."

"Come on" Anna shoved him aside and reached for the baby herself, a little hand coming out of the slit to seize her fingers and she laughed as she sobbed and brought him out to place him on Ianto's chest.

"Perfect" Jack crowed as Hope leaned in to sniff at him with interest.

"Smells like him" she said with a nod of satisfaction that had Owen looking at her weirdly, never gonna get used to her.

"Nainny, take him for a sec" Ianto sighed, "He needs a feed before Owen pretends to heal me."

"Prick"

SMACK

Owen sat there rubbing his ear as Anna glared at him, gathering her newling up, "If you ever use language like that around the Pip again I will deafen you!"

"Like you just didn't?" Owen griped, Ianto rolling his eyes with mirth.

She settled back in a bean bag with the little man in her arms, drinking in his serious pout as he looked up at her, no doubt wanting his first suckle and she was overwhelmed with delight as she stroked his hair.

Pale.

"Blonde" Jack said softly, "Babe, he's gonna be a little blonde."

"Ifan was blonde" Anna crooned "Has his forehead too."

"awwwwww, he does too" Owen looked away from Ianto and crawled over for a good look, "Would you look at that. He's poking a finger at me too. Hey there little Pip. Hey, what's your name then? Yeah?"

"Afon?" Hope frowned as she canted her head, "Did it sound like that? Afon?"

"Afon" Jack repeated, "Like… Avon?"

"River" Ianto nodded, "It means River in Welsh."

"River. Afon" Jack repeated to himself, "Like the river of life, flowing through the bloodstream. Yeah, I like that. Is that your name little man? Afon?"

Jack looked at his son and saw the little pout smooth away as that one crooked finger moved to point at him and the mouth opened in a silent squeak of hello. Faint but Jack felt it. A definite recognition that had him gushing, "Aren't you lovely. Wow, look at you ya handsome devil. You have your Poppy's finger point of doom…awwwwwww"

"Feed" Ianto slurred, sleep threatening and Jack gathered the little Wolfling to hold to the tit, watching him latch in with vigour as he suckled at the breast.

"I saw him" Ianto sighed as he settled in his Nainny's loving arms, her cradling him as she looked down at her newest love, "Plain as day, he was there by the river with that stupid hat on looking at the ripples."

"Was he love?" she said happily as she looked at the mouth working, little fingers stroking the tufts of hair on Ianto's' chest, "a wee hat?"

"Poppy" Ianto yawned and started to drift, his last sentence, "He was waving. I think it was a goodbye. Or maybe a hello, you know he was always hard to read."

"Well" she swallowed thickly, "You have a new life to love, a newling to care for. Maybe that is why he stayed so long, to see this one in and now he can rest. Now his job is finally done."

Little grey eyes slid to look at her with that intelligence of an old soul, definitely touched with the old blood as he regarded her. She knew her Ifan would have helped this life into being, knew as she stared deep into those eyes and saw little flecks of green here and there that her own daughter had held, that her beloved husband had lured her with, she knew this one was strong with the old blood.

Ifan had done well.

Little eyes closed as the baby found slumber, her heart opening to new joy.

Life goes on.