19
Ianto had wandered to the far end of the section and was morosely glaring at the pile of rocks that hid the filtration system's vents.
How obvious. Not even a wee rock garden or something?
He felt something behind him and sighed as he turned to ask Jack for a little space, finding the female Predator there instead.
For some reason he felt no fear.
Maybe he was just past caring.
"I'm pregnant" he blurted and she canted her head to show she didn't understand the terminology.
He placed a hand over his stomach, "With child."
"Yes" she nodded, "Progressing nicely."
Ianto snorted as he turned away from her to glare at the rocks some more, "Thought that's what you were referring to."
"You do not welcome your offspring?" she asked.
"It is …. Uncommon for men to bear children here at this time" Ianto explained, "Also. I am unwell. I do not know if it is due to the baby or what you did to me. Or are they linked? I just don't know. I hate not knowing."
"It is important for your kind to have rules, you like order don't you" she tapped a finger to his shoulder and he turned back to her, suddenly aware that he was being rude.
"I apologize for my manners" Ianto said as he smiled softly, "Whatever you did, it brought me back and I am grateful. I just worry if my child is OK, if I am as well."
"Would you find it comforting if I gave your … artificial woman … some information on the procedure?" she asked and Ianto could have slapped himself for not realizing that they would readily provide help if he just asked.
"That would be most generous of you" he bowed slightly "You are kind."
She seemed to preen as her hair shimmered about her head, liking this small creature and his polite acceptance of their differences.
"You worry if the child is advanced or of our doing" she said as it occurred to her, "No. I chose you for the child. It slumbered, as did you in the eternal sleep. The poison that rendered you into such a deep sleep would have killed you had you not been cryogenically sealed. It was a simple matter to resurrect you. Your heart however did not stand up to the poison and had been too long inert."
"So .. my heart …." Ianto's hand moved from his stomach to his chest.
"Was my brother's. He died in battle soon after your retrieval and I …" the large monster shifted her feet and Ianto stepped closer, reaching out to take a huge talon-like hand in his own.
"I am sorry for your loss. We reverie those who fall, we love those we can still hold and we endure. Death is a cruelty we must face" Ianto said softly and the hand tightened around his for a moment.
"I knew you were the one" she whispered, then she let go and swung as Jack bellowed out, he was running towards them with a look of horror.
"The DNA, they are compatible but different enough to cause shifts" she said quickly, "You will adjust as you progress."
As Jack came to them she blinked away and he doubled over panting.
"You scared her off" Ianto sniped, his temper frayed.
"That's a she?" Jack wheezed with a grimace. "I can usually tell."
"She's my friend" Ianto snapped, then sighed. "Sorry, I have no call to speak to you like that. I'm just tired and hungry but afraid to eat as I threw up again this morning."
"Well. Tell you what" Jack smiled, "What say we go get the troops sorted and go to the hub. We can do a bit of pillaging and collect our friends. Mickey and I have finished digging. We can have a nice wee ceremony and then a light meal and rising of the glass."
"Sounds good" Ianto smiled, walking back to the house with Jack.
"What did she want?" Jack asked after a while.
"To see how I was progressing" Ianto answered and fought the urge to snort.
Martha was standing on the porch watching them approach and Ianto smiled softly, "Mardlenia is just curious to see how we are doing. She said she would send some information to Tosh about my procedure to resurrect me, as she thinks it might help with my issues."
She nodded happily and watched Jack look at Ianto with a frown then she remembered that he still didn't know what the biggest 'issue' was.
She stepped aside and Ianto entered then she stepped in front of Jack, hindering him.
"Yes mother?" Jack asked sarcastically, feeling a scolding coming for something.
"Go easy on him" she said softly, "He is having a hard time coming to terms with a few things and he is terrified that you will reject him, or leave him. He is still in that mindspace. Like he used to be. Just your bit of fluff."
"He isn't though!" Jack frowned, "He is so much more … so much."
"Don't tell me ya Muppet" she snorted, "Tell him, before he does have a bloody ulcer. He's twisted up in knots trying to work thing out. Loosen things up a bit. Let him know you love him, no matter what you might discover."
Jack nodded and went to change for the hub and she watched him walk past Ianto who was talking to Mickey unaware that she had slightly meddled.
Mickey's soft frown told her he had noticed though.
She nodded and then his face cleared, accepting her at her word that it was OK.
She hoped like hell it was.