67
The evening came around to announce the nominees and they were invited to attend. The kids were asked to stand and announce nominees and Ianto swallowed his fear as they took the stage. The two children had stage fright and refused to go out without their Taddy behind then so Ianto found himself striding out to the podium flanked by two star struck kids.
"Good Evening" he said softly and everyone clapped, he coloured. Silly all this carry on, why couldn't they just release the names to the press. He had already had to sit and blush as his name was called out, looking like a bloody idiot, especially with Jack acting worse than the kids.
Jack thought he looked edible up there and the kids forgot their fear as he propelled them forward and stood with a hand on each shoulder.
"It is the job of the script writer to make the scene flow" Walter said calmly, "A scene can have as much passion and activity as you like, but if the words to not match the intent the scene falters."
"The job of the actor is to interpret those words into the character they have crated in their mind, without the words the character has no soul." Babbit said in that gentle melodic voice that held Ianto's lit so well.
"This category honors the writer. And the nominees are …" Ianto finished, relieved when the visual display began above the and the deep voice of Stephen Fry started intoning those nominated, Babs squealing when the writer from their show was named and a few audience members laughed as she jumped up and down with glee.
"Babs" Ianto said softly, "Be calm."
She nodded and then to his horror she reached into the handbag and removed Berty, placing him on her shoulder and grinning at the crowd.
"Babbbit! I told you Berty had to stay home!" Ianto scolded, forgetting all about the lights and audience as his child rolled her eyes.
"Don't be silly Taddy, he helped me with my lines and stuff, this is his night too, don't be a stuck in the sand! Berty loves lights!" she said calmly, then turned and grinned. "It's just the preliminaries, not the actual Award Evening. You said no to the Award Evening, remember?"
"Taddy, best let her go, this is Babbit after all. Just be glad she didn't want that lady Ga-ga outfit we saw in town" Walter giggled, his eyes dancing.
"Horrible children. Both of you, horrible children!"
They squealed and giggled as Walter turned back to the audience, "Don't mind Taddy. With four of us to wrangle and a naughty Daddy too, he needs one of those shepherd's crook things."
Ianto stared out at the sea of faces and smiled weakly at the laughter swelling.
"Now I'm making my own money I want a girlfriend for Berty please. Oh. Does he like girls? What if he wants a boyfriend, oh dear. Being a parent is confusing" Babbit wailed and more laughter as Ianto realized people thought this was part of the show.
He relaxed as he smiled warmly and leaned forward, "What have I always told you, my beautiful baby?"
"You can be whomever you want to be" Babbit smiled lovingly at her Taddy, "As long as you are happy and true to yourself, the world cannot hurt you."
"Exactly. Berty can love a boy or girl lizard" Ianto smiled, placing a hand on the lizard that blinked up at him calmly. "But despite the lovely try, I told you no more until Christmas and then, if you are lucky, I will allow one."
"But Christmas is so far away!" she wailed, "It's like …. Forever away!"
"Babs, it's November ya silly mare!" Walter said loudly, "We only have to wait another month. It not until February that we learn who won these awards. I'm bricking it for three months!"
Now the place roared with laugher as Ianto struggled not to face palm and cleared his throat as he reminded them where they were.
"Ok, no need to go 'Taddy' on me Walty!" she sighed, "But you don't know how long it is for an expectant mother! Lord, I don't even know the sex!"
Now Ianto did face palm as the place erupted with more laughter and Stephen Fry slipped out to kneel and look at the gorgeous wee creature he had been enthralled with back stage.
"So you really like lizards sweetheart?" he asked softly and she bestowed a 'Harkness-Jones Special' as her face lit up and he awed softly. "Well now, I've never actually touched one."
"Oh! Mister Fry Sir, you must" she said with wide bambi eyes, "Taddy says you must try new things or you will never get new favorite things. Berty is warm to touch, soft too. Not how you imagine. Go on, you can touch him."
He reached out and placed his fingers on the green skin and made a small noise of surprise. "He is quite soft."
"Never be afraid to be friends with someone different to you" she told him as she reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, "We are all different and all beautiful in our own way. If you don't say hello you will not get a new friend. Taddy always says that too. Look at me. I have so many friends and wonderful fans who don't mind that I'm a girl now, and it's nice to know I will never be lonely because I know how to say hello."
"Yes darling girl" Stephen crooned as he leaned in and kissed her cheek, "I pray you are always loved."
"I'll see to that Sir" Walter said proudly, "Anyone hurts her and I'll bloody pound them. My sister is perfect."
"Language Walter" Ianto sighed as the applause tried to lift the roof. He was visualizing the stretch limo as he told himself he would soon be hidden in there behind the lovely smoked glass, just breathe ad smile. He turned to smile at the audience and the pictures next day showed the love and beauty of the scene, captions from commenting on the family to Babbit's cheekiness.
Bets wept as she saved them all, pausing to stroke Ianto's face on the full page cover of the local newspaper the headlines "Local Pride Continues".
Her lovely babies.
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I know this is not how the BRIT Awards are done but in my verse it is, not real life folks so I can make some changes.
