22

The ribbon had been cut, CKH of course did those honours while striking a pose for the press… yelling that every angle was his best one, the arse poking out maybe questionable though. If you ask me. The Harkness is strong on that one.

The food was laid out on trestle tables and the women… and men… of the Country Women's institute were keeping the cups of hot stuff going, juice for the kids. Ianto was happy to see everyone enjoying the murals he had painted along the walls depicting life in the village.

The one at the back of the space was an immense backdrop for the stage. A forest scene complete with small animals and even a little wood nymph here and there if you looked hard. There were several others to be done yet, the pulley system up and in working order, those blank sceneries hanging up in the rafters until Ianto was ready to lower one and paint whatever might be needed for a little production.

The sound of the place was joy. That's how Ianto would describe it as he stood on the stage looking out over the people eating, talking, laughing… someone singing a silly jungle from the telly as they tried to guess the advert it was from… someone else a child was on the floor doing a weird dance move or something… life.

"Taddy?"

Ianto turned to find Walter coming up behind him with microphones in his hands "Walty."

"Imp wants to play and you know…" Walter left the rest of the sentence hanging as he lifted his hands to show to mics. Ianto smiled as he accepted the silver one, the gold one Walter's of course and they moved to the corner of the stage where Imp waited patiently.

Imp began the opening chords for the old hit show's theme song and both men smiled at one another as they started to sing… the lyrics changed slightly to reflect the adult Piney now. Everyone stopped, swinging with glee to hear it and then roar with joy.

"Imp… play… that one about change coming" Walter said "Avi someone… play that one, I want to hear Tad singing it in there with this ceiling."

Imp rose from the piano and moved to the drums, his hands starting to thump down on the bongos in a rhythm that had people clapping their hands in time to it. Ianto huffed and rolled his eyes, but for his boy he would do anything and soon Walter was as slack jawed as everyone else as Ianto showed he still had the lungs… and the balls and sing a song that made your teeth rattle and the speakers walk across the floor. Then he moved to 'It Knows Me' by the same artist and Imp joined in with the cello as Walter sang back up, everyone amazed.

The applause was thunderous, Bruce leaning over to poke at Jack "Hey, Fly Boy. I have NEVER heard him sing like that. You know... he needs to get in a recording studio. I put out an album and you know.. I can't sing for shit. That? Was amazing!"

"He did… for Walter, he did one with him" Jack said, then frowned "You know.. maybe he should do a collaboration with Imp."

Bruce nodded as he leaned back.

Good.

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'Change on the Rise' by Avi Kaplan … its chapter 63 in Songs of the Hub because I LOVE this man's voice. 'It knows me' is Chap 68