30

"How long are they visiting for again?" Owen muttered as he stood glaring out the kitchen window, Ianto doing dishes quietly at the sink beside him.

"Too loud?"

"So much noise and bluster when you usually have the Hive running peacefully" Owen pouted "I like my wing. My space. My quiet time with the kids. I don't like SOOOO many kids who do not listen to scolding."

Ianto's hands stopped moving in the water as he glanced over at Owen "Do not listen? Some do not stop when ordered to?"

"Well … they seem … cheeky" Owen realised he may be on shaky ground "Not their fault, maybe they are not used to another alpha around?"

"Well … assert yourself. I was thinking actually … a family meeting. The kids seem to all eat together in the kid's wing, us as adults in the main room or we pick at separate times. Maybe it's time for a meeting where I set some ground rules and work out exactly how long I am supposed to host them. After all … Christmas is still a month away if we are going by the old Sol3 calendar system."

"And the celebrations last a week or so … we could be looking at two months of this?" Owen looked shocked "I didn't think it would be so … annoying."

"Come now … you know they are not entering your wing. They are restricting themselves to annoying me in my section of the house. You know… that's a fair point actually" Ianto canted his head as Owen turned to face him fully with interest "they are all inside. They need to piss off outside and enjoy the clean air. Their planets do not have this atmo …. They can go picnicking or something. We could do some garden things … put out the outside toys. They are still in the shed right?"

"YES!" Owen lit up, the toys in question were large, silly and some were definitely adult sized.

Ianto bit the bullet, heading into town and to the one place he had avoided the last two times he had slipped in and out without making a fuss.

The Café.

He entered, pushing the pushchair ahead of him and stepped back as squealing and delight filled the air, the staff running for their good luck charms and the twins were soon unclipped and gone as Ianto settled in a chair. He waited.

Finally the Lady of the House came and hesitantly settled opposite, her hands sliding across the tablecloth to smooth out imaginary creases.

"Hello Meldrid" Ianto said softly, watching her nervous hands as they disappeared into her lap, her face telling him what he already knew. "Where is Hathor?"

"Upstairs. He is … resting."

"They hurt him, didn't they" Ianto sighed sadly, shaking his head "When they came back saying they knew the twins were boys … I knew someone had given them up unwillingly. Is he badly hurt?"

"He… he is recoverable. Seeing the babies well … it will steel his recovery" she sighed, "He feels terrible for giving in but … after harming him they were going to harm me and… he does love me so."

"As a husband should" Ianto smiled softly "Why not take them up to show him for a moment or two? They love their Uncle Hathor."

She looked up at him with surprise "But he…"

"Did what he must for his family. As I did too. Don't worry. They are gone now, will not likely come back as the strangles Story was believed. Do not worry, I have no ill feelings on the matter. I have drawn a line in the dirt, stepped over it and left the past to the shadows."

She smiled and reached out, touching his hand softly then she rose and the staff followed her up excitedly, Ianto settling back to look around the quiet cafe. Very quiet. As in … three? Where was every…. Oh no. Everyone knew they had told. They were being shunned.

Once he left with an order of food to be delivered he headed about the village letting people gush on the babies as he told everyone loudly how glad he was that Hathor had not betrayed them. He hoped this would stop the gossip and people would forgive and return their patronage.

OK … technically he had but that was not his fault and Ianto did not blame him so … a little white lie…yes?

Besides.

Everyone saw those twins and forgot anything bad or disagreeable. Two perfect little boys that will ensure the future of the village and cements it as a place of safety … many watched Ianto as he moved around and accepted hugs. He knew what was happening as more than one woman hugged him gently, her hands feeling his girth and he winked as he drew back each time letting the woman think she knew a secret the others didn't … even as almost all of them felt the tiny bump.

He went home knowing the café would soon be full as everyone gossiped about the new incoming family member. The betrayal long forgotten as old news.

Ianto does like a happy home.

And his village was his home too.