10
Ianto entered with the kids who ran ahead, Ianto heading to the sofa which he flopped into with a grunt of relief. Jack was already there on the other sofa with papers spread out, looking up with surprise as Ianto was not normally so expressive "You OK?"
"There was a shooting at the embassy" Ianto said softly so the kids couldn't hear as they ran about with loud squeals of after school madness.
"I heard about that. Someone went John Wayne on his arse though" Jack said as he flicked the file on to the coffee table, "sounded scary."
"It was." Ianto sighed then rose "Coffee?"
"Oh god. You are amazing" Jack flopped back "the crop duster needs certification, it's so damned old I don't want to replace it though, and it's a classic. Perfect for a lesson in single engine small planes. Parts are like hen's teeth though."
"Must be nice, freeing for you up there" Ianto placed the large mug down that Jack liked and Jack nodded.
"It will be about an hour before the meal is ready, I need to make the dessert" Ianto said as he headed into the kitchen, then Jack rose to follow him, leaning on the doorframe.
"So, you were there when it all went down?"
"Yes. I was right there. Oh… apparently my paperwork was all good this time. They accepted it" Ianto turned to face him the block of chocolate in his hand "hopefully in a week or so I will get the Green Card in the mail. Great, huh?"
"It is. Just in time for Christmas" Jack smiled back "Now... Mom is getting antsy about you coming. You are right? Christmas day? Open the gifts, do the thing?"
"Well … I will not do the church thing the night before, I will be there Christmas morning for the kids" Ianto said, then frowned "they will not wake up there if they are here. Um…"
"That's the thing. We need to sleep at the Olds to get up in the morning to the gift opening thing. My daughter Alice will be there as well, her mother allows me Christmas Day this year. She and I swap Christmas and New Years each year." Jack said as he turned to leave and Ianto blinked at the space Jack had just been occupying.
Alice? Wait… what … "What do you mean, sleep there?"
"Christmas eve we go there, the carolers come and we have a little celebration, the kids get ready the story and go to bed. We have eggnog and sing some carols, have some nice quiet family time then go to bed. The kids wake up in the morning and we open the gifts, then the massive fest" Jack explained.
"We sleep there."
"Yeah, the Guest House is there for you. The kids have their own bedrooms at the Olds place. We do it every year." Jack laughed at Ianto's expression "Come on. It will be fun."
"God… if your mother calls her Michelle…."
"We talked about that. She didn't realize the significance of the name and now promises to take it more seriously. Look, my mother can be a bit hard. She comes from a different time and place. Come on … tell the truth. You wanna come. Right?"
"Oh god… eggnog?"
.
.
.
Ianto was nervous as he checked the car one more time, sure he had forgotten something. Jack passed and slapped his shoulder "Come on. We are all set. Grab the mail and let's go."
Ianto ran for the mailman, handing over the box of chocolates he had for the man as he thanked him for the year's work and the man looked surprised and pleased to be recognized with a gift, handing over the mail and waving happily as he moved on.
Ianto settled in the passenger seat, Jack driving as they had agreed the homestead would have too many cars already for two more. Ianto looked through the mail in the passenger seat and found one that stopped his heart, pulling it open to find his Green Card approved.
"Thank god… my Green Card came through" Ianto said as he opened another letter, Jack humming as he turned a corner.
Ianto frowned as he read the other letter then placed it back in the envelope, turning over a bill and huffing "Not opening that until after Christmas, that is for sure!"
Jack laughed as he was now seeing more of the man's dry humour and finding himself liking it. As time had progressed not only had Jack stopped eating out, drinking out and basically taking time out of work to party… he had found himself enjoying home life more.
As he turned up the driveway of the homestead Jack watched the horses running along the fence line as they entered the ranch and Jack realized with a jolt that it was Ianto he was coming home to. Not the kids. Not just the kids… this man beside him watching the horses with the kids, his face lighting up as well.
Shit.
When had that happened.