22

Snow, so deep and … like … everywhere.

"We have these toboggan things so we can slide down the hills" Ben was gushing as he showed imp and Ton the red and blue toboggans "Poppy and Daddy went down and crashed, it was epic. The snow is so deep we can dig tunnels out back!"

"No way!" Ton breathed as the little boy led them out the back door of the rental to shoe them the back yard, Colorado so pretty and white.

"The flight was a bit long" Jack said softly as he helped tuck blankets around Ianto, asleep on the sofa. "He was so excited to see Benji, didn't sleep the whole time."

"Hungry Dad?" Curtis asked as he entered with some nibbles on a tray, then turned to look at the open door, "Damn it, do they have hats?"

Curtis ran off looking like a younger, more tanned version of Ianto, returning with bobble hats that he took outside to wrestle onto the children. Parenthood suited him, Walter looking so happy as marriage and parenthood definitely suited him too.

"So, Babs" Walter turned to his sister who was slumped in the chair, "There is a gift under that tree for you from Bruce. I do not know what you have been up to but he looked especially furtive dropping the gifts off, especially yours."

Babs looked interested crouching to pull a box out and shake it gently, "Really? Do you think it naughty to open it early?"

"What does it say on the label?" Curtis scolded as he returned red faced and panting from the cold, so happy that his smile split his face as he walked over to kiss Walter.

"Do not open until … botheration!" she huffed placing it back and Curtis walked away knowing what was in it even if no one else did. Brue had made a large …LARGE… donation to the LGBT Rights Cause as well as being spokesmen for a new campaign for equality that would roll out in the new year .. Walter also taking part in a series of advertisements, billboards etc trying to get the message across that everyone is different but all the same. It was called the 'Me and You' campaign. It was Bruce's way of supporting his own daughter as well as the wider community he worked in, Babs about to learn that he had also wangled some advertising spots for her back home in the UK. Babs would soon be the UK face for equality, alongside her brothers and Bruce. A few other key artists as well. But as Bruce was the main face here in the states, she would be the Welsh voice. The contract had been a bitch to wrap.

Such a large and touching thing she would have done for free but the large payment for her time would also please her as the talk of a house of her own reared its head once more. With Walter and Curtis settled, Fen and Sam .. Babs was looking at her 'wifey' a lot more these days and Ianto knew that at 17 she was starting to think of the next step in their life together. Bethy was more than ready, the one to have come to Jack and Ianto to talk about marriage and ask. Ianto had been so touched by that, knowing Connor had received Babs as well. Ianto was hopeful that sometime soon there would be a proposal, the only question being which one got in first.

He then settled back as Curtis and Jack talked, the last of the shopping to be done and that afternoon the kids would all get the excitement of a Mall. Gods. Ianto wondered if Imp was too big to leash.

Jack definitely too big.

Gods.

Ton had yet to purchase his gift for them, wanting to buy something 'American' for them to open then take home to the house back home. Ianto jus hoped it wasn't a buffalo head or something. He rose and headed to the kitchen where he checked the oven and nodded with satisfaction. He cold definitely do a Christmas meal in this puppy … sitting to write a shopping list.

It felt weird to be in another country altogether for the season but knew when they got back a second party would take place as the village had a New Year's party. The only way he had managed to calm them all when the shouting had started at the meeting when he had told the town they were leaving for Christmas. Sweet really.

More than one old lady pointing angrily and hissing that she needed Ton to help with the tree.

The Village all had their decorations up early, Ton and Jack going door to door to help and when they got back in the New Year they would go door to door to pack them away and eat more yummy food while the oldies fussed happily on their boys and Ton showed his holiday book.

A snowball hit the window and Ianto looked up in time to see one of the boys leap into the snow bank, disappearing completely.

Nuttas.