3

"Lover?" Jack called as he wandered down the hallway of the sleeping quarters to find Ianto in their bedroom folding back the blue furry blanket that was once the first Blue Bear Ianto had taken out himself like a bloody legend.

Ianto looked over at him and smiled "Hey lover."

"I was just wondering… now Art and his Betty are settling down… is Emma going to stay on with them?" he asked as he sat on the end of the bed, watching as Ianto now fluffed the pillows.

"Well… she is not sure. Seems… well…"

"Well… you did talk about that little area behind the garden where the little building is… if we extend the walkway to the old studio we could make her a nice little cabin or something out of that place. Might be nice to have an extra pair of hands with the kids now they are all running about, Miss Mae about to drop and I think Emma might like being needed."

Ianto looked at Jack with those hooded eyes, the look telling Jack he had guessed right. Damn, he had to stop himself from punching the air with glee as he had ticked a box. He settled for a wide grin "Whatcha doing?"

"Going to have an afternoon snooze while the kids are all busy" Ianto replied "Once Miss Mae 'drops' as you put it so poetically… I will not have as much time to myself."

"Unless Emma is here!" Jack pointed a finger, then his brain caught up to the events "Er… you gonna get in that bed?"

Ianto's answer was to drop his trousers on the floor and raise an eyebrow before saying "well I am clean… unlike someone who stinks."

Jack knew he was squealing as he raced out of the house and over to the horse trough, Damian laughing as he watched Jack leap into the trough to wash off the stench, then clamber out and start pulling off his outer clothing before running for the outside shower by the barn.

"I guess someone is getting some nookie" Damien called out laughingly as Jack hastened back inside with a towel hastily snatched from rover the railing of the homestead's front veranda.

"I am glad they found each other" Henry said softly as he clapped Damien on the shoulder and both men went back to their work content in the knowledge that their bosses were good men.

.

.

Jack was sitting with Damien on the fence of the corral watching Charlie lunge his horse. The big bastard was so pretty and once the madness was run out of him he would be ready for a ride. Charlie did like to hang on for dear life as the horse ran like the wind, one of the men following to make sure the kid didn't kill himself. Jack was seeing more of Ianto in the boy every day.

"So… Miss Emma?"

Jack glanced at his friend "yeah. Ianto is heading in for a cuppa to broach the subject. We think she is mildly uncomfortable in the home with the newlyweds and everyone is trying to adjust but it isn't working. If we turn that old studio into a little house for her… she might feel needed. Also.. Miss Mae ready to drop… shit. Gotta stop saying that. Makes her sound like a brood mare."

"Well… we are cowboys, bound to talk like that I guess" Damien giggled "But she would lamp us good if she heard."

"The kids need another woman around the place, especially Pearl. She is a little missy and I don't know if all us big smelly men are the right guides for her. I know she will be a little lady… I would rather she learns to become one than …well… Suzie."

Both men turned to star at the woman in question who was currently spitting at the ground as she adjusted her left tit, talking to another ranch hand like it was no big deal, her britches covered in cow shit. Yeah. She was one of the boys. Pearl was not made to be like that… no. She was already a dainty little thing like her Tadda.

"OK, point taken" Damien said after a beat or two "We can start cleaning it out and lining it. Even if she says no to the offer… it might be a good idea in case we need to turn it into a play room for Pearl or something… the idea of extending the walkway to it is a good one… an extra room might be a great idea. Especially that large space."

"Well… you do what you think… I will go check that saddle… he is not clinching the girth tight enough." Jack rose and then let himself step from the railing he was on, landing in the dirt with a soft thump as Damien sighed, turning at his waist and fumbled his way down from the high fence.

"Bastard" he muttered as he wandered off to check out the old art studio that was now dusty, musty and full of crap.

He wished he could be a Jack. They seem so… debonair.