6
"This might be my last visit for a while Deirdre" Ianto said as he washed his hands diligently.
"Oh dear… I was hoping to ask for your help" she sighed.
"Hmmm?"
She led him to a small baby that was fast asleep and Ianto immediately smiled "Awww."
"Asian family" she said softly like she didn't want it to hear "he parents are… not happy about it."
"About what?"
"The baby" she pointed and Ianto frowned, picking up the doctor's notes to read and after a few minutes he let it fall with a groan of sorrow.
"Fuck."
"Yeah. They have signed away parental rights, have washed their hands of the entire thing, tried to sue the hospital like we had caused it" she huffed. "I thought you might know who is best to... raise this one."
"So rare… poor little bit" Ianto felt that familiar tug and knew this was not good. Especially not now.
"We did the tests for a DNA preference, hoping to let nature chose which should be the gender but… it came back inconclusive so… we have to choose one or the other" she explained.
Ianto stared at her silently, then started to curse silently, his foot stomp the only sound as he rampaged for a while in silent fury. Then he sighed "I have to talk to Jack."
She nodded, knowing that he would.
.
.
Jack stood staring down at the sleeping baby "Well… shit."
"Yeah I know… the last thing we need especially now… so… I need some perspective. Do I ask Babs… but I do not think they want more… let alone a 'hard basket one'…. so I ask someone else in the village to take this on or… do we swallow deep and take this on ourselves?" Ianto asked. "In the end, whoever we help.. it will be hands on right?"
"You are the most qualified to deal with this and… to help anyone who does agree to … awwww shit. Hawk off to school, our time back to ourselves…. Well… actually that's not true is it. You have Tony and Harry… one more is not a big stretch given the Biddies and their impassioning natures… you know… honey it's up to you. One more for the madness…. If you have to ask me… fuck it. Come on… you know the moment I saw those little cheeks I was gone. Look at the little bit… so sweet."
I will not get younger… I … well… I am 52 Cariad… by the time this bub is twenty one I will be 73" Ianto pointed at the baby.
"And Walt is younger... Curty is younger… if you and I die in a fiery explosion tomorrow… our kids are fine… will be loved … I know this."
Ianto sighed.
He nodded. What a pickle but here they were.
A hermaphrodite in their midst.
damn... and with the worst timing ever.