2

"Cheryse Pauline" Jack said as he left the kids crowd around to peer at the baby, Kit beside himself for a cuddle of his little sister. This one did love babies so.

"My Cherry Pop" Kit demanded as he held out his arms and Jack smiled as he saw the cheeky Jones trait there. A shy and seldom spoken child suddenly front and center. Like his Taddy, he knew what he wanted and was getting impatient for it.

"Come on Kitty, up here by Dadda. Come on, take the pillow there… there we are. Ready son?" Jack placed the little one in the child's arms and Kit looked down adoringly as he stroked the little dark curls now forming as her hair dried.

"Where's Tadda?" Jax asked as he stepped back, unconcerned with the baby he knew he would get a turn with in due course. Kit had his needs and his bigger twin was just happy that he was happy.

"Taddy is sleeping. It took a lot of work for her to be born and he is so very tired. He is in bed asleep and soon she will go in for him to cuddle." Elizabeth said as she crouched to check the baby "He's fine."

"Did he eat anything for you?" Jack asked.

"No darling. He's so tired. I will make some of that soup he likes, I will try to tempt him with some later but I think it's best to let him do his own thing" he said gently as she watched Kit's face glow "What do you think Kitty Cat? Cheryse is a good baby?"

"My Cherry Pop" he repeated with glee, his face erupting into a smile that rivalled his father's. For the first time, Jack saw himself in the child. That was definitely a Harkness grin. Awwww.

Jack left them to fuss, confident that Elizabeth would care for her new daughter and moved back to the bedroom where Ianto was so tried that he was snoring softly, his entire self collapsed with fatigue. Jack wished he could have been there for him but knew that was not Ianto's way. He hated fussing.

And she was perfect.

.

.

"Hello?" Jack said with surprise he watched the child pause in the flowerbed and slowly turn to look at him with alarm.

"Ah, hello sir" she replied in the strange clicky way her kind spoke. Jack knew immediately where she had come from and where she belonged but he also saw the fear in her and something he did not like. The bruising around her face.

"Did you take a tumble in the wet?" he asked, trying to be diplomatic about the signs of a beating on the child and she looked confused, then her face cleared.

"Yes sir. I think I hit my head" she replied.

"Come here and let us see, we have a doctor here who knows your kind's ways. Come on, let him take a look" Jack ushered her inside "Myfanwy, get Owen lease."

"Yes Captain" the house purred as the child jumped with shock, looking around for the owner of the voice.

Owen arrived and was not alone, Toshiko there as well with what looked a little like a sidearm? She stood back as Owen examined the child and tutted before saying "So you fell? Quite a few times I guess, yeah?"

She did not answer, looking at the pretty Japanese woman in the doorway like she was an exotic flower. I guess she was, Toshiko being an endangered breed of human. Then Koiko slid around his mother to look and strange girl, his eyes widening as he asked "Papa? Is she OK?"

"Yes Kio love, just an oopsy" Owen replied distractedly as his son crept closer and grinned at her, showing his little teeth.

"Hello. I am Koiko. I am three whole years" he informed the girl "What are you?"

She stared at him silently. Owen muttered "He is not being ride. He does not ask your designation, he means your age sweetie."

"Oh. five" she replied with a grin, showing her sharp multiple rows of teeth back and Kioko's eyes widened as he moved closer.

"You have nice teeth" he informed her "Do you brush lots?"

She giggled as she agreed, brushing is important for good teeth these days.

Ianto entered with Cherry in a front sling and froze, taking in the Forhitian child in the room then with a deep breath he continued into the room to hand off the baby to Toshiko.

He moved to the fridge and removed some raw meat, shifting to the bench to prepare it into a food the child would prefer to eat. There had been a family back in the village a lifetime ago and he had watched their mother make food like that, his hands moving quickly before the meal was placed in front of the child who gasped as the offering.

Koiko said behind Ianto "Her name is not said yet but she is five. Older than us cousin."

Ianto turned to find Jax in the doorway as he looked over at the girl with his head raised, chin jutting out in a three year old parody of his father who was trying not to laugh at the table. Jack looked over at Ianto and grinned as Ianto shrugged and went back to getting breakfast for everyone as the little girl started to pray over her food.

"I am Jax. I am three. What is your name!" he demanded without fanfare and the little girl swallowed her mouthful.

"Joyous."

"Really? I like that name" he told her with wide eyes then asked "Who thumped you like that? Did you thump them back?"

She shook her head, then lowered it with shame "One of my mamas did. I had a fight with my sister and her mama did. I am inferior coz my tail never grew right and they call me… they call my stumpy. She was picking on me and pinching at my stump so I pushed her so she told her mamma and she thumped me a bit."

"So you ran away!" Jax nodded "I would too but Taddy would not let anyone thump me. Don't' worry, we don't hit here."

Ianto sighed as Jack rose and knew they had to go tell them where their neonate was.

Contact was about to be made.