5

Babs had retreated to Heck's room and was leaning against the glass as he whispered to Bert what had happened.

"Sweetheart?" Ianto settled and rubbed his back.

"Don't want to talk about it" Babbit sniffled, "Bloody women!"

Walter patted Ianto on the arm to signal that he had it and Ianto left Walter to sit in the big chair with his arms out.

As Ianto left the room he looked back to see Babbit climbing into Walter's lap with a look of woe.

Connor was in the kitchen, wringing his hands anxiously as he waited, "Is he OK?"

"So much happened this year, so much shit. I think he is just venting in the only way he can" Ianto settled at the table, "The fight between Idris and Gene was a parody of mine and Jack when he was just a baby. I think he remembers that time we spent apart."

Connor sat with a look of interest and Jack sat a coffee in front of him.

"Jack and I lost our way, it happens with two hard headed twats in a relationship" Ianto smiled, "I think Babs and Beth might have more of these throughout their …marriage. I'm not going to make a big deal out of it, these are babies. They will forgive and move on, like we grown-ups should."

"I've never seen him blow like that" Connor said with concern.

"My illness has taken a toll, he has been terrified. Stephen is Jack's, Walter mine and Ton is of both our blood. He is the only bub not with Harkness or Jones blood. He's not silly, he knows he's John's and I think he has been afraid of the family fracturing. Walt asked me the same thing, I think they are talking and worrying. You know and I know that this would never happen. If I fell off the planet tomorrow these babies would stay loved and together. Jack will fight to the death for that. John would never take Babs, but little minds process differently." Ianto took a sip of his coffee, glad he was allowed one again, "I caught Walter one day early in our marriage, his little heart breaking as he packed his favorite toys into a box and I asked why he was doing it. He told me that when we move he wanted to take them. Poor wee fella thought me and Jack were fighting and going to stop being friends. He had snuck into our bedroom while we were making love and thought we were fighting."

"Oh god!" Connor snorted.

"Three days, he had been torturing himself and creeping along at night to listen to us and each time he heard us rutting he thought we were having silent battles" Ianto laughed at the thought, "Lord have mercy, we must have waged war many a night!"

"And the poor little thing thought you were hurting each other" Connor giggled.

"At the time I was horrified and tried to have 'the talk' but Jack laughed and told him grown-up have tickling matches." Ianto sniggered, "Walter was happy, I avoided emotionally scaring both of us and Jack had his first 'Daddy Talk' with his child."

"Oh god" Connor laughed as he shook his head, "its not easy, this father thing."

"No, but isn't it grand!" Ianto gushed, then looked at him with large innocent eyes.

"Oh no ya don't!" Connor snorted. "Em has just put them down."

Ianto growled and flopped back in his chair.

"I'll bring one for the next feed, how's about that!" Connor offered and Ianto pouted as he nodded.

"So, you say just act like nothing happened?" Connor asked as he rose to leave.

"Yes, they will both feel a bit silly once they calm down, knowing them, Bethy is already frantic to fix things. Let him calm down and he will forgive her, then see it was all silly anyway" Ianto assured him, "If not we can always get Idris and Gene to talk to him, the old eat your own words kinda thing."

Connor laughed as he wandered off and Ianto sighed softly.

"So, this tickling war …" Jack began and Ianto laughed as he leaned back in the chair for a kiss.

Babbit came out with Walter still cuddling him and they approached.

"Tad? Babbit wants to know if you can help him write a letter, I offered but he says you have nicer writing" Walter gently and Ianto held out his arms for his little boy.

Walter placed a pen and paper down as Babbit settled in Ianto's lap and they started their apology letter.