51

Ianto was on his hands and knees. He was scrubbing the floor with open malice as the puppies enjoyed a warm afternoon outside in their pen, the floor that they were usually on now getting some love. He heard the front door and ignored it, this house full of people so he didn't care as he sat back on his heels and felt a spike of satisfaction.

"Boss?"

"Mountain?"

"I was looking for the Mistress, she wasn't there."

"Gone to Bethy's parents up at the chalets. She will be back later so…" Ianto looked up as he spoke "Mountain? What's in that basket?"

"Nothing."

Ianto gripped the side of the counter and levered himself up "Mountain. What is it?"

"Ah… for her."

"Tain!" Ianto frowned "Show me."

Mountain reluctantly held out the basket and Ianto looked in to find two little kittens in it, one of them naked. Ah shit. One of her skin cats. "They were dumped at the drop box and she said any of the sphinx sort are to come to her. I left it with its sibling so it wouldn't get cold. These babies are so cold."

Angel came from nowhere, Ianto barely having time to register the snatch before the basket and the young woman were running for the stairs screaming for her husband before anyone could stop her "TONNNNNNN …. BABBBBIIIIEEEEESSSSSSS"

"Fuck"

"Sorry boss, I didn't think" Mountain cringed "Sorry."

"I have a new born grandbaby coming in here for care sometimes, puppies, not kittens… my god the smell of disinfectant is horrifying." Ianto wailed "Oh gods!"

"Come on… you love it" Mountain picked at him god naturedly "You know you do."

"Yeah" Ianto huffed.

The squealing came back downstairs, this time in stereo. Ton had the little black one held high as he yelled and Ianto knew Hawk would have to swallow hard when he saw that, his desire for all things black would have to take a back seat as Ton had declared his intent for this one.

As Angel held her naked one inside her top, its little weird head poking out Ianto had a sudden thought. One of those weird feelings that had him freezing to mentally go over something in his head.

The shopping lists for the last few months seemed to fly past his eyes like a screen as he scanned, checked and felt a sudden horrible fall in his gut.

Ianto was moving for the phone as his heart started to pound and he knew the answer before he was even going to ask it.

He was not ready for it all the same.