26

"Surprises are best when you don't know they are going to happen"

Ianto pulled up and turned off the vehicle, looking long and hard at the four wheel drive in the driveway. Sleek, expensive and a rental if the tags were correct. He felt a niggle as he stared.

"Tad?" Ton called softly "Impers is asleep."

"It's Ok love, I will go inside and see if Curty will carry him for me. Looks like a visitor is here, studio plates so must be for Walt." Ianto replied and Ton clambered forward with a noise of interest, then to Ianto's surprise Ton squealed and shot from the vehicle, running for the front door with jazz hands making him look like he was trying to fly.

"BRUCE!"

"Bruce?" Ianto frowned then sighed. Right. The phone calls. Bruce.

Ianto got out and walked over to the vehicle, "Hi. You can come inside ya know. Those big scary Hoodlums are actually lovely fellows and you are welcome in my house."

The driver meekly exited the vehicle and followed Ianto inside where the sound of Ton in overload could be heard, as well as the unmistakable laugh of Bruce Willis. Babs wafted past haughtily "Taddy, he came to say hi. Look ... he got me a fake fur coat. Isn't it DAHHHHLing?"

"Hhhhhmmmmmm" Ianto watched her prance off and sighed again, walking to the kitchen as he called out "COFFEE?"

"PLEASE" came several replies and then Ianto remembered something, cursing as he swung to head back outside, the sleepy and grumpy Imp meeting him at the front door.

"What the hell" Imp spluttered "I coulda died out here. Didn't you see the RSPCA ad the other night about leaving pets in the car?"

"I did leave the doors open … sort of like cracking a window" Ianto said then started to snort as he caught up to himself, Imp's glare now at death-ray level.

"Laugh it up Mister Mayor" he hissed. "I. Am. Telling. My. Daddy!"

"DADDY TADDA LEFT ME TO DIE!"

Ianto giggled as Jack screamed from the bowels of the house, running with a towel around his shoulders and another around his waist, showing he was in the process of bathing. He fell to his knees and grabbed for Imp, seizing him in a bear hug "My darling. My sweetest, most precious young prince. Did that horrible dragon try to smite you?"

"Well I don't know about smite, but he did try to kill me" Imp spluttered.

"Horrendous!" Jack said with a fierce glare at Ianto, lifting the child in his arms, "Come my love. Daddy has you now. My precious boy, I shall carry you as you are probably too weak from the shock!"

"YES I AM" cam the muffled roar from his father's chest as Imp was carried off with a mince of his Daddy's arse, a waggle in the doorway before it was gone. Cheeky man.

More laughter and Ianto sighed.

Right.

Coffee.

He asked Ton for a headcount.