8th Christmas
The drive to town was late and nervy, Taddy muttering as he strode around the supermarket, gathering last minute supplies while Walter pushed the trolley.
He felt important to be allowed to come, wee Babbity had been fussing so Daddy had stayed to sing him a sleepy time song that he loved, meaning Walter and Taddy and their own time together.
"Taddy?"
"Yes Walty Bum?"
"Was it scary in the snow? Is it OK that we are going back there?"
Ianto looked down at his son, noting how tall he was for a seven year old and he smiled softly at him to show he was not annoyed with the question.
"It was scary. A really scary time but sometimes when you are afraid, it's when you have to suck it up and get on with it" Ianto shrugged, "I love our mountain, and Heck and Bets. Right? Besides, I owe it to Sean to be strong."
"If something had happened, if you didn't come home. Would he have looked after us?" Walter's question was not one of sarcasm, but of innocence and Ianto smiled as he saw his son's lovely heart.
"Yes. Daddy would have been taken in and cared for, I like to think Sean would have been a brilliant uncle" Ianto hoped it was what the little boy wanted and it was as Walter reached for some cocoa pops with a guilty grin.
"Taddy?"
"Yes love?"
"Santa will still come, for Babbit?" he turned to look at Ianto and this question was imperative. "Last year we got pressies. But we are here now and Santa might not know he belongs to us here."
"Yes, you saw the papers. Me and Taddy made sure they whole world knows he belongs to us. The computers will have fixed all that, including Santa's computer." Ianto nodded, then added, "Of course he has a computer. I bet Santa is a real nerd, like us."
"Yeah. He has to count real well" Walter agreed happily.
"Do you think Daddy needs more sauce?" Ianto frowned as he looked at the shelf, "He loves cranberry."
"Yeah, get more so he can make sandwiches with the leftovers" Walter reminded him and Ianto smiled at the logic. Totally made sense.
"Your Mama loved the candied yams" Ianto supplied a new snippet that had Walter swinging to look at him with open hunger, "She used to steal them off my plate as well."
"I've never tried them" Walter frowned, "They look like fat wormies."
"You and your Alice in Wonderland" Ianto huffed "That fat caterpillar has really made you nervous around fat things. You and Stephen shouldn't have watched it when he had the sleep over! Not everything is nasty."
"I might try them this year" Walter sniffed as he decided, "If Mama liked them, I will eat them for her."
"Well done" Ianto grinned "I hope Daddy did as well getting that stinker to sleep."
"Doubt it" Walter laughed, "Babbity will only go down on your chest! We all know he wants your heartbeat."
"Yeah, but don't tell Daddy that. He likes to think he is doing it right." Ianto laughed.
"Taddy, are there going to be enough pressies for Babs? I saw some pretty bows over there, he likes the fluffy ones."
"Well, maybe some to put in top of Santa's in case he ran out" Ianto sighed as his baby got smothered by the Big Brother Brigade.
"I'm gonna help him open his" Walter told him confidently "So he knows for next time, he was too small before."
"Yes, he is really enjoying the tinsel and things" Ianto smiled as he thought of the little tot with his tinsel boa he has been toddling about with all afternoon demanding kisses.
"Will we call uncle Idris to say happy Christmas?"
"I think he is coming out in the afternoon with Skiddy, bringing his gifts and stuff. Might be room at the table for them both." Ianto said offhandedly and watched his little boy light up.
Since staying in the compound, Walter had really noticed the colour difference and having an uncle darker than him had somehow comforted him and he didn't understand that it was not a blood tie.
Didn't matter really.
They were all family now.