11 th Christmas
Ianto went out to the spaceship and slid the box of presents out, turning to head into the house and squeaking with surprise as the silent Babbit stood watching.
"Wot you got there Tadda?" he asked slowly, with a raised eyebrow. The sun bonnet complete with sunflower behind his ear finished the outfit he had chosen for the afternoon from Bethy's suitcase. Bright red gumboots, Postman Pat undies and a t-shirt that declared him to be 'HEAD DIVA'.
"Daddy's gifts. Shhhhh, don't' let him see" Ianto said quickly and Babs lit up, running to help him hide 'daddy's' presents.
Ianto made a mental note to move them later when the little terror was in bed or they would be 'checked' even with the fake labels.
"Taddy? Have you seen my shoes?" Walter called out and Stephen answered that he had found them, the two boys excitedly dressing to leave the house.
"If you are going to help your father with that bloody tree please remember to stand back and listen to uncle John. I don't want that thing snapping and falling on you." Ianto called out as Ton struggled and growled angrily at being left out.
"Hold on ya bugger bum" Ianto grunted, "We will go look in a sec. You need to be warmies though. Be good and we'll steal Babbit's monster buggy for you to sit in."
Ton was now living up to his name, heavy as a bloody baby elephant and the buggy was a good compromise as he would also want something to chew on as he watched his father try to break his own neck decorating the mammoth tree.
"TO THE LEFT!" Babbit screamed lustily and Jack leaned to the left.
Jack wriggled the large bell and it chimed softly as he reached for a limb.
"NO YA FOOL…MY LEFT" Babbit screamed and Jack swung to look down at him.
"He means his other left Cariad" Ianto called and Jack huffed as he moved to the right instead.
Stephen gently lobbed up another decoration up and Jack caught it was ease as Ianto held his breath.
"Cariad, please keep both feet on the rungs!" Ianto called and Connor turned at the bottom of the ladder and grinned, then the smile dropped as the dogs came lopping towards them.
Ianto sighed and crossed his arms as Connor was swept away …
The ladder toppled ….
Jack screamed as he clung to the tree with his legs dangling and Walter screamed with horror, running to save his Daddy.
The tree started to lean and Ianto threw his arms up with frustration as it slowly careened to the ground with John clinging to the trunk as Babbit stood there screaming "WOOD!"
"Timber" Stephen snorted, "Not wood, you yell timber when a tree falls."
"Didn't sound as loud as I thought it would" Babbit said calmly, "Why do they worry if someone will hear one fall in the woods? Stupid. They don't sound all that much like anything. Bears would sound louder in the woods if they fell out of a tree …Daddy? Did that sound loud in there?"
Ianto was laughing as he knelt by the buggy and Ton had pulled his chewy out of his mouth as he sat with his little mouth open.
Jack leapt up and waved his arms as he yelled, "I'm OK. I'm OK!"
Ton blinked and looked down at his teething ring, then calmly started chewing again as everyone erupted into movement, yelling and running around as they tried to right the tree.
Ianto got his laughter under control and wiped his face as Stephen and Walter danced around re-enacting Jack's fall.
"Cheeky buggers!" Jack laughed and Ianto smiled as his family enjoyed the Christmas.
He hoped the New Year would be as fruitful, then Valentine's Day.
Jack's Birthday.
Ianto had finalised the sketch for the design he wanted on the signet ring, bugger the cost. Since the trip he had come to realise that he really didn't need to question anything like the price of a gift.
Not when he had so many.
As Jack's laugher boomed out across the village the tree slowly stood up again and the village cheered like he had done it all by himself.
Ton chewed as he growled out his own cheer.
Another tooth was almost here.