66

Well, it's been eight long hours of Toshiko being such a trooper and now the little one is here. I am so excited that I can hardly breathe for the joy I feel. I do not know how I will be when my own little trickster arrives. Jack will be a champ too, of that I'm sure. Thank the gods that sonic scalpel is so precise. Toshiko was having trouble until Owen saw that the little sweetie was breach. Then it was a matter of simply cutting and closing, the scalpel so well tuned that it pulled the muscles back into place and everything looked as well as felt like the cut had never even happened.

This will also be the done deal for Jack, ensuring our child is here in little time and Jack is up on his feet quickly.

Why did it take eight hours you might ask? Toshiko apparently went a little crazy with the anxiety of birth and wanted it naturally, refusing help and not letting Owen check her over. I would never have thought Toshiko would act like a nutta but we all react differently in certain situations I guess. She spazzed the hell out. Still … all's well that ends well and their little girl is perfect. She looks a lot like Toshiko but I see Owen's mouth. Oh gods … it probably will have his gob if…..

.

.

.

Ianto looked up as Jack entered the room to flop on the bed theatrically.

"She's perfect."

"Yes Cariad, as ours shall be too. Imagine when we place them together? A match pair or perfect?" Ianto crooned, knowing Jack was nervous about his own impending birth. "Did you see her little booties?"

"Yeah" Jack sighed.

Ianto considered the sad face, then reached under the bed, pulling out a box "Wanna see something?"

"Hmmm?"

Ianto slid the box across the bed, winking as he watched Jack pull the box closer to flip the lid up and peer in, his eyes lighting up as he peeked inside to find the smallest little pair of pale green bootees he had ever seen, probably too small for their child but so perfectly made that is was surreal.

"Oh my gods …. Where…."

"I saw them on one of our early recons and could not get them out of my mind. They had been on the edge of a duchess with a little rattle like they were about to be taken somewhere as a gift." Ianto grinned "by the end of the house clearing I snatched them into my pocket."

"Rattle?"

"Ah … now… that's in there somewhere" Ianto muttered reaching in to pull out a little onesie with white sheep embroidered on the pale green fabric, a single black sheep on the front over the baby's heart that had Jack cooing with delight, holding it up as Ianto checked then pulled out the rattle "Here we are. See? It's a little plane."

"A spitfire!" Jack said with glee, accepting it to shake over his bump "Look bubba. Taddy got you something special. Oh Ianto … you've had it all this time?"

"Good thing I didn't hand it over like I was going to … the kids got so much and .. I thought it was so dainty." Ianto shrugged "I guess the Gods place things in our grasp as well as in our way."

"As with any good story" Jack said softly as he looked at the little outfit again, the little booties matched. "So cute, just needs a ….. oh!"

Ianto reached into the box, pulling out the bib that was also pale green with a little hoof print on it.

"You …. Oh my…. Look" Jack too excited to speak as he did jazz hands, making Ianto's eyes widen with amusement. Ianto reached back to hook his diary, placing it under the mattress like he always had. He no longer worried about Jack reading it. He knew he never would hurt him like that again, not now he knew what it was. Ianto's sister Rhiannon. He was writing to her. Long gone, they knew that but she had been his confidant for so long … Torchwood making him lie to her for the first time in his life. With this diary he was telling her things he might have at her kitchen table. Once upon a time.

Jack giggled softly as he placed the box on his side of the bed, patting it lovingly then settling back with a sigh.

"Foot rub?" Ianto asked.

"Sure, give me a sec" Jack said and Ianto laughed softly as he saw that Jack thought he was asking for one not offering. Despite everything, Jack was ready to please him.

"No my lovely man … do YOU want one."

"Oh?" Jack said then laughed as well, "Well … I like rubbing of any kind sweetheart. Sorry … I mean…"

"It's OK. You can call me sweetheart" Ianto whispered softly into his ear "After all … you are having my baby!"

Jack snorted as he turned to kiss Ianto and whispered back that the foot rub would be nice but a different ribbing might make bubba sleep better.

"Not even born and being used as a weapon against me" Ianto rolled his eyes as he sat up and in one fluid motion removed his shirt.

"All's fair in love and war Sweetheart" Jack sighed happily as he reached out to stroke that fuzzy chest.

Everyone's a winner!