9

Ianto somehow made it to the water knowing he could follow it to the falls, and then home.

"Fuck off Honour. I am not angry at you just so disappointed right now. Please" Ianto sighed, turning to face him, the blood on his face now like a mask "Fuck off back to your kin. I will go to mine and never come here again."

"Ianto, please. Please, forgive us. They are foolish and do not all listen to the gods ... they do not know the difference between the wind in the leaves and a whispers of learning. Please, do not cast us out from your world."

"I didn't" Ianto said sullenly "You did. Take. Take. Take. I guess next you will take Mica's horse back. fine. I will find another. I will not stop the fishing … not the children's fault this has happened but … I would rather the adults stop walking across my dirt now."

"Ianto" Honour sighed sadly as Ianto slid down the steps in his arse, then Honour slowly turned to walk back up the mountain, each step feeling heavier as he felt the world seem to pull away from him.

By the time he had reached the gates to his village he knew they were in trouble.

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Ianto had washed his face and changed his clothing, appalled to find bruises from his ordeal. Thank god the kids were still on their respective trips so he sat in the shade of the trees of his back yard glaring at the mountain for a long time.

Then he heard a vehicle and sighed as Gray arrived home, David racing inside with a quick yell at his uncle in greeting, not even looking to see the bruises on his face.

"What happened to you?" Gray asked with horror as he looked.

"Fell in the stream" Ianto answered, not wanting world war three to start as Gray would probably go Rambo or some shit. Mind you, nice to know he would.

That night Ianto closed the curtains and didn't look up the mountain.

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"Well … it's a boy"

"It is?" Ianto asked, pouring the coffee for the Sherriff who was settled at the table with his hat on his knee.

"Tiny. Like a skinned rat. She's died."

Ianto sat, unsure what to say now as he felt ill.

"I went told them, tried and reason with them." He finally admitted.

"Why you look like Mike Tyson came out of retirement?" the Sherriff snorted "Could 'a told you that would happen. Should not have gone up there. We have a truce. They don't come down. We don't go up."

"Didn't. Two young fuckers saw me at the steam and attacked me. Took me up there for some reckoning." Ianto snarled "I beat their fucking hides! Told them all to fuck themselves and I think I also told them to go to hell a few times getting down the mountain again."

"Well … fuck" the Sherriff blinked with shock.

"They said the baby was from someone in town. They suspected Blue but the girl never said who raped her. Impure. They called the baby a monster. Like it was to blame. I told them they were fuckers. They told me to keep the baby meself. Can you believe that? Like a stray puppy."

"Well … you could." The Sherriff offered softly "Since you found her. It. Him I mean. You are on the medical files, you paid the bloody bill at the hospital … technically you could take him. We do it all the time. Find a family for one of their changelings and put into a place of normality."

Ianto stared at him with shock now.

"Take what?" Jack said as he came through the back door with his bags.

"Ianto here found a pregnant girl in the falls. Pulled her out but she died. The baby didn't and the tribe up there said he could have it as they don't want it back. I think he should give it a go. The gods clearly dropped it into his lap, right?"

"What happened to your face?" Jack demanded, looking at the bruises.

"Fell."

"Some fall … did you bounce a few fucking times?" Jack spluttered "GRAY!"

"Was not here. Remember? You told he could take David." Ianto sighed "Look .. I didn't die. I didn't' lose a limb. It's just bruising."

"So? Wanna go look at the naked rodent child?" the Sherriff asked.

"Stop calling him that" Ianto snapped, then sighed "sorry. Not your fault. Sorry. I guess we should at least see the poor little blighter."

"Maybe think of a name. Baby Wilder seems a bit harsh" the Sherriff rose and Jack dropped his bags in the corner of the room. Clearly coming with.

Ianto didn't even have the energy to fight let along decide such a big thing.

After all… really?

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"So pale" Jack whispered as he held the little waif in his arms, marvelling at the tiny finger and so …so tiny fingernails. So pink against the white skin.

"Albino"

"What?" Ianto glanced up with shock "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Mild but … clear. Not enough to cause major issues although his eyesight will have to be monitored. Sunlight can be a devil of a thing but I understand you already argue with that beast" the doctor smiled at Ianto "The absence of melanin results in abnormal development of eyes and leads to problems with focusing, and depth perception. As you can see, his eyes are not pink as with some, they have the palest of blue in them, almost … well almost like water in a creek."

"Yes" Ianto sighed softly "water seems to be all around him."