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Ianto felt the presence before turning, looking up at his benefactors with open pleasure.
"The others are still celebrating, feels weird being the only sober one" he explained, "Thought I would come out here and look at the stars."
"We revel in the darkness" Mardlenia answered, "Tuck liked the stars."
"What you did … saving me. It was for my little one as well, right?" he asked and she nodded.
"Gwen … she … I don't understand" he sighed, "She had been trying to … what? Gain Jack's immortality?"
"We believe so" she answered, "This worries you?"
"Some people are not suited to power" Ianto replied, "Gwen is definitely dangerous. What she has become is frightening. She has not just used Jack's blood. She is experimenting with other beings, tech … whatever she thinks might work. Today she tried to take Anwen to use."
"To harm" she agreed, "I was aware of your anger. I felt it too."
"The man, Rex" Ianto shuffled as the night air started to cool, "I wonder if he is fully aware of what is happening or is he trapped in a downward spiral, forced to hang on for fear of being cast aside to the void?"
"You think too much" she snorted.
"Yes. It irritates Jack sometimes. That is why I stand in the dark and look at the stars" he laughed softly.
"You are getting cold" she pointed out.
"Yes. I should go in, I'm getting tired too" he sighed, "I am sick of this tiredness. I hope my body adjusts soon."
"I am sorry if it is troublesome to you"
"No, it's not that. I am grateful, I think it is the baby as much as Tuck's heart that I am adjusting to." He assured her, "Perhaps this lethargy would have come regardless, a baby takes a lot."
"And you worry" she pointed out, "You worry so much about things."
"Yes, it is in my nature" he shrugged.
"Rumtuck's too" she snorted softly, turning to leave, "Go inside. You will catch a chill!"
"Yes mother" he snorted absently, heading for the house as she hesitated, canting her head as she considered the word he had just used.
Mother.
Yes. She could accept the part of nurturer and protector.
They were family now.
Unaware of the reaction to his off the cuff sarcasm, Ianto reached the house and stepped inside, heading for the bed.
Anwen was sitting on the floor and she looked over at him, her little face long with need for sleep.
He stumbled into the bedroom, toeing off his shoes and dropping his trousers as he pulled his shirt over his head.
In boxers and his singlet, he climbed into the bed and settled.
The bed shifted as Anwen climbed up from the foot and he grunted as she pawed at the covers.
"Where's ya Da?" he slurred.
"Drunk with Uncle Andy" she sighed, "They trying to sing."
"Bad!" she added and Ianto snorted with mirth as he relented and she cuddled up to him, her little hands stroking the bump as she warmed against him.
"Cold feet, warm heart" Ianto sighed as her little blocks of ice rubbed against his shins.
Soon they were both fast asleep and when Jack climbed in they didn't wake, moving to accommodate the new hottie.
Rhys woke and looked for his child, standing in the bedroom doorway as he looked at Jack spooning Ianto, Ianto cuddling Anwen lovingly and smiled, wandering out to the kitchen where Andy was starting to make pancakes in the low bench.
"It was thoughtful of Ianto to get this low bench put in so you can fit your chair under it" Rhys said as he let a hand fall on Andy's shoulder and Andy smiled up at him as he patted it lovingly.
"I hear Mickey moving about" he told Rhys, "Martha is in the shower."
"Smells wonderful" Rhys told him, squeezing the shoulder before heading to the fridge to get the butter out.
"Was it just me or did Ianto seem a bit quiet last night?" Andy asked as he cooked and Rhys nodded, then realized he didn't see him.
"Yeah, we did get a bit loud and he is preggers" Rhys sighed, "I think we forgot that last night."
"Shit" Andy sighed.
"He's a good man" Rhys continued, "A good bloke and Anwen spent the night getting cuddles too."
"I thought she was in her bed" Andy swung the chair to look at Rhys, "She doesn't do the bed hopping thing."
"Well, last night she did" Rhys said, "I'll be sure to ask if it was OK or if I need to …"
"She was fine" Ianto said as he padded into the room in his socks, "She was tired and cold. I think she was fighting it and when I gave in she did too. Stubborn."
"Yeah, she is" Rhys grinned, "Sorry if we were a bit rowdy last night."
"Rhys, I'm pregnant, not ill. I don't mind you guys leering up and it was quiet in the bedroom." Ianto assured them, "You had something to celebrate. Not every day you get a scalping."
They all laughed softly as Anwen came out in her little PJs, heading to Andy and climbing into his lap for a cuddle.
"How's my little angel" Andy crooned, "Did you have a nice sleep?"
She nodded and hummed happily as she spied the pancakes.
They all had breakfast, including Ianto who was relieved when it seemed like he was keeping the pancakes down.
He just hoped they could find a way to keep the peace with Gwen.
The fear of her remained.