54

Ianto checked the decorations one more time before the children started to stir.

He was going to make this day special, come hell or high water.

Jack watched with a bemused expression as Ianto climbed the tree that held the tree house and handed up the string of balloons that Ianto was making grabby hand motions at.

When Ianto swung down from the tree, upside down and kissed him Jack found that he was starting to warm to the idea.

By the time the village … that's what they had started to call it … started moving about, the decorations festooned the place.

Balloons, streamers and a banner that said 'Happy Birthday' filled the eating area with the surrounding tress filled with more balloons.

Billy was beside himself. He ran to Ianto and threw himself into his arms, confident that he would catch him and kissed his face as he thanked him for the wonderful birthday.

Ianto felt so sorry for the wee man, he thought this was his gift?

Ianto looked over at Jack who shared his sorrow and they smiled as they wondered what his reaction would be when the real gift was brought out.

The cake was glorious and everyone said so, especially the kids who were drooling when they were told it was chocolate cake with whipped cream siding.

Jack couldn't contain himself and blurted it out over the picnic.

"Ianto is gonna marry me!" he enthused and everyone gasped with joy.

OK, almost everyone.

"In the middle of this hell, you think that a wedding is going to help?" Gwen asked as she poured some milk for Billy who screwed his nose up.

He hated milk. Ianto silently swapped his glass of orange juice with him and Billy looked at him like he had just saved his life.

"What do you mean?" Anna asked as she looked around in confusion.

A lovely sunny day with crickets in the trees, water on the lake as calm as a plate of glass and not a cloud in the sky. Her family were well fed, happy and laughter had just been heard as Rhys had demonstrated how to drink milk through a straw … with his nose.

Everyone had grown silent, even the children and Jack's face showed his open confusion at her statement.

"Gwen?" Rhys was as confused as everyone else.

"Really?" she said to him, "What about our wedding. We are still just treading water here until you propose and I still don't even know if bringing a baby into this is a good idea and here's these two … soooo in love."

Ianto wanted to walk away, to slap her, to shake her.

"If not, then why are we even bothering?" Owen asked.

"Owen's right. I want children, a wedding and all the trimmings, I want to watch our friends grow, be happy and I definitely want to live a long life!" Tosh told her. "I intend marrying this twat and popping out a few kids."

"I didn't mean it like that!" she defended, "I just, shouldn't we be thinking of the human race?"

"Are you telling me that you don't approve of us being a gay couple?" Ianto spoke calmly but Jack moved his chair closer, knowing his lover was getting close to tipping point.

"Well. If we are here to survive then …."

"I can bear children" Jack stated, silencing everyone who had started to argue.

"I'm from the 51st century and have the ability to conceive and bear children!" Jack looked Gwen in the eye, "That's one of my secrets you didn't know. Might not happen, probably won't but who knows."

"We might adopt and be wonderful parents" Ianto sniffed, "You will probably be a horrible mother if you have an attitude like that!"

Gwen sat stunned as she tried to work out how it had all gone so wrong and Rhys sighed.

"This is why I never asked you" he said softly, "I had the ring before you started working for this lot but I don't know, I can't be sure if we have a future."

"Rhys?"

"God, to think I was jealous of Jack." Rhys sighed, "Thinking you and he …. God. I'm sorry Ianto, I can see how much he loves you. I know he would never … I mean."

"It's OK Rhys" Ianto smiled, "I have no doubt when it comes to Jack's fidelity."

"And I know that now" Rhys smiled back at his friend. "I think its wonderful news and I can't wait to stand and clap for you."

"I didn't mean it like that" Gwen said again as everyone exploded with sound again.

"You are not a happy lady" Liam told her as he munched on his cake, "Uncle Ianto is a nice man and he is happy. You need to be happy too. We have cake!"

Gwen smiled weakly at the child as she realised he was tight.

There was cake.

She took a slice and Ianto watched as she allowed Liam to plop cream on her plate. He hoped she would learn her place in this new world.

Billy stood, "Thank you for a wonderful birthday for me and Taddy Ianto!"

Ianto looked at Jack with shock at the title as Jack laughed.

"I decided he is my Taddy now so that he and Daddy Jack can have a baby and make Aunty Gwen happy too!" he declared.

The table erupted with laughter and cheers as Ianto gathered him into his arms and kissed his forehead. "Yes Babin, you are mine now and I will love you until the last star has burned out in the heavens."

Billy sighed as he settled into Ianto's arms "Best birthday ever."

"Yeah" Ianto agreed, "It is."

Jack grinned at Ianto who gave him a nod and he stole from the celebrations to get Billy's gift.

The dog was small, a mere puppy and it had been hard to keep quiet the few days they had it in the Landshark. Billy's face when he saw the baby spaniel was worth it.

He gave a cry of delight as he reached for the puppy that squirmed in Jack's arms as if it knew it was going to its new owner.

Billy cuddled the wee silky bit and kissed his head, crooning like it was a baby.

Jack and Ianto breathed a sigh of relief as it became clear that their gift was the right choice.

Jack had Ianto's gift to come later.