This is the final chapter of this for now, but I quite like this little AU so who knows, I might write more in the future.
Iain lifted Jack to sit on his shoulders as they walked from the pizza restaurant to the bowling alley, he had one hand holding onto Jack's legs, the other holding Rita's hand as Jack gently held onto Iain's hair to keep his balance.
"Rita" Iain gasped when they were halfway between the restaurant and the bowling alley, "where's Jack gone?" He asked, quickly spinning round to look behind him causing Jack to shriek with laughter, a sound that made Rita's heart swell with the love she felt for Iain and the way he was with Jack.
"I don't know" she played along, "Maybe we left him in the restaurant?"
Iain span round again, Jack's laughter echoing in Rita's ears, "we'll have to skip bowling and go and find him then won't we?"
"No" Jack laughed, leaning forwards so Iain could see him, "Iain, I'm up here."
Iain glanced upwards and frowned, "you're not Jack, Jack's not that tall."
"I'm on your shoulders" Jack giggled, "you put me up here!"
"Did I?" Iain frowned, "I don't remember that."
Jack laughed, "it's because you're old."
"Old am I? You remember what I told you earlier about what happens to cheeky little boys?"
"No" Jack giggled, "no, I'll be good, I won't be cheeky, I'll be good."
"What happens to cheeky little boys?" Rita asked, not sure what it was that had Jack promising not to be cheeky.
"Tell her" Iain told him and Jack giggled again.
"The tickle monster gets them, but it's not a real monster Mummy, it's just Iain so don't be scared."
"That's okay then" Rita smiled, "I don't think anyone could be scared of Iain."
"He's scared of Auntie Dixie."
"I am not scared of Auntie Dixie" Iain reached up to tickle Jack.
Jack wriggled and squirmed on Iain's shoulders, waiting until he stopped before leaning over and whispering loudly, "he is Mummy, he really is."
"Are you going to use the ramp?" Rita asked once they'd set up their lane at the bowling alley, Jack obviously going first.
"Nah, you've got the sides up, why don't I show you how to do it without the ramp?"
"Will you?" Jack's face lit up and he turned to Rita, "can I? Can I Mummy?"
Rita smiled and nodded, holding out her hand to her son, "let's go and find a ball you can pick up while Iain gets us some drinks."
Jack grinned and took hold of Rita's hand, "I'll have orange juice please Iain" he smiled.
"Lime and Soda" Rita winked cheekily at Iain as Jack dragged her off off in search of a ball light enough for him to use.
"Thanks Iain" Jack grinned when he saw his juice waiting for him when he came back with Rita.
"It's okay, did you find a ball?"
"Yup" Jack held it out proudly, holding it in both hands, "we got two, Mummy's got the other one."
"Okay" Iain put the ball down on the floor, "you have to put these two fingers in here" he said, gently taking hold of Jack's hand, "and your thumb goes in this hole here, "can you hold it like that?" Jack lifted the ball about an inch from the floor and nodded, "good, so put your other hand underneath it to help you carry it and come over here."
Rita couldn't help but smile as she watched Iain take Jack over to the edge of the lane, showing him how to swing the ball, letting him practice a few times before Jack decided he was ready, "are you watching Mummy?"
"Of course" she smiled, standing from her seat and walking over to get a better view as Jack bowled his first ball down the lane, the ball bouncing off the bumpers several times before smashing into the pins, "Wow, well done" she beamed as Jack managed to knock down 6 of the skittles.
"Was I good?" he asked her.
"You were brilliant Jack, what do you say to Iain?"
Jack wrapped his arms around Iain's legs and hugged him tightly, "thank you for showing me how to do it without the ramp."
Iain smiled and crouched down to hug Jack properly, "anytime mate, next we'll get you riding that bike without your stabilisers yeah?"
"Jack" Rita said softly, sitting beside him as Iain took his turn at bowling a while later, smiling at her son as he looked up at her, sipping on his juice, "would you mind if Iain slept at our house sometimes."
"In Mummy's bed?" Jack asked.
"Yeah" Rita lifted Jack to sit on her knee, "he doesn't have to though if you don't want him to."
"Will he play with me?"
"Of course he will."
"And read me bedtime stories?"
"Yeah" Rita nodded.
"Will you still love me?"
"Oh Jack" Rita held him closely and kissed his head, "I will always, always love you, you're my baby, and no one will ever stop me loving you." She thought for a minute before asking, "you love Iain don't you?" Jack nodded, "but you still love me?" He nodded again, "that's how it is with Iain, I can love you both just like you love us both, I'll never, never stop loving you because of someone else Darling."
"What if I have a bad dream and get scared, can I still come for cuddles?"
"Of course you can Jack, you can come for cuddles whenever you like only you'd get twice as many cuddles because you'd get cuddles from me and Iain."
Jack nodded, "Is Iain going to be my new Daddy?"
Rita took a deep breath, not sure how to answer, "would you be happy if he was?" Jack nodded and Rita smiled softly, "I think that's something we'd all have to sit down and talk about, I'm not saying yes and I'm not saying no, I can't answer that question without talking to Iain.
Jack nodded before looking over at Iain who was walking towards them, intending to help Jack bowl the ball for his turn, "Iain" he looked up at the man he'd grown to love, "do you want to come for sleepovers at my house? And be my new Daddy?"
Iain smiled and walked over to Rita and Jack, crouching on the floor in front of them, "I would love to come for sleepovers at your house."
"And be my Daddy"
"I think that's something I'll need to talk to your Mummy about first Dude."
"Will you talk tonight."
Rita looked at Iain who smiled at her and she nodded, "yeah" she told her son, "once you're in bed tonight I'll talk to Iain."
"And you'll sleep over tonight? And read me a bedtime story?"
"If that's okay with Mummy."
"It is" Jack nodded, "she loves you, I heard her telling Auntie Dixie."
Rita felt her face flush as she dropped her gaze to the floor, expecting Iain to be scared off, it was too much too soon, never in a million years did she expect his reaction, he simply smiled and whispered loudly to Jack so Rita could hear him too, "I'm glad to hear that, because you know what? I love her too."