Walter's Christmas Specials

by Awatere11

So, i wondered if you would like to see moments from Walter's Christmases, one chap per year of life starting with his very first one in the NICU as a new born. I will update each year that Walter Verse continues but as this is the start and Walter is currently 13.5 That's 14 Christmases including this christmas he is currently enjoying at the cabin. now more to be added each xmas

3. Chapter 3

3rd Christmas

Walter had been naughty, not wanting to go down so the two boys wound up on the sofa watching crappy TV and kicking back.

The furnace had finally been replaced and Walter was comfortable in his little nappy, toasting the TV with his bottle as something was deemed funny.

Ianto had found himself laughing a lot more since the wee man had started showing his personality and the terrible twos are still not here like some had predicted, the lovely wee man still wanting cuddles and love like always.

The tree was blinking in the corner, a new one as well with pretty LED lights in the branches so Tosh's offer to decorate could be politely declined when it came to those bloody lights, also meaning he didn't have to admit that he had thrown the entire thing away last year, ornaments and all.

Ianto was in PJ bottoms and a loose t-shirt feeling like a right slob but bath time these days had made it easier to just get changed for bed as well.

The photographs on the mantle included one of Rhiannon and her family, along with a lovely gift for Walter under the tree.

Since he and Rhiannon had reconciled things had been so much better in his world. She hadn't realised how hard things were for him and had genuinely felt terrible once she had discovered him crying on her doorstep, begging to know why she hated his baby so much and again sobbing that he had nothing to do with Gene's death.

She didn't know men could get post natal depression but then again, he did lose Lisa on top of Gene. And they had abandoned him, not even knowing how far he had fallen.

She was making an effort now, looking after Walter two days a week so Ianto could afford to work longer, only having to pay day care for another two and having Fridays off. Ianto was hoping he could sort things for longer and in the new year he was going to ask if she could take him Fridays as well, the need to provide for him getting stronger as he got older and needed so much more.

He knew Idris would love to help but that was still something for the future, for now he really didn't want Walter out of his sight and having the day care in the same area of town worked so well. Besides, he still wasn't sure if he had totally forgiven him for his rejection of him, the way he had accepted the lie that Ianto had been involved that night.

He moved into the kitchen to get some food and then saw that his baby had finally drifted off so he scooped him up and walked through to the bedroom, placing the tot in the bed.

The bobble hat was still there and Ianto scooped it off, carrying it out and considering it as he wondered if it was time to put away more things. There were more lovely pictures of Walter on the walls, less of Lisa and their wedding portrait no longer hung over the mantle, one of Walter with a look of concentration filled that space now.

Ianto had found it quite calming to box up anything not in use, clearing some of Walter's old toys and taking them to the lock up, getting out the things he and Lisa had purchased when they had first hoped for a boy, sitting them under the tree with tags that read 'From Mama Lisa' and he wondered if it was a bit corny but …well. He didn't want Walter to think she didn't love him.

He pondered as he stuffed the hat into his tramping boots, dropping them in the box with Lisa's tramping gear as he accepted that he was never going to enjoy that mountain again either.

Stop it!

This was going to be a better year, he was sure of it and he was going to make that his New Year's resolution as well.

Rhiannon had talked him into letting her have Walter for New Years and he was going out with Tosh on the town, determined to see the year in with style, or at least get bladdered!

He turned off the TV and slopped back to his bedroom, settling into the bed as he bemoaned his failure to turn on the electric blanket earlier.

He hated cold feet.

Ianto pulled the pillow closer and smelt the sweet lavender, feeling a wash of love from his sister and thanking the gods that they were friends again.

All he had now.

Ianto had a sinking feeling as he drifted off that this is all there is now.

He had to live for Walter.

There was nothing else.