A/N: For lovely Grace, who I hope cheers up soon. Thanks for all the reviews. Sorry it took me so long to update. Started uni and it all got a bit hectic.

Disclaimer: Still don't own it.

Word Count: 1,133

More Than a Tea Boy

Chapter 2

Gwen dropped the carton of milk she was carrying and didn't react as it split and spilt over her shoes. Ianto Jones lifted a hand and offered them a half wave. He was watching them carefully and even from their distance Gwen could recognise the nervous expression painted across his face. He took a few steps towards them then stopped and turned away, back to the blue box, touching his fingertips to the edge of it. There was a moment where he looked ready to run, then the police box door opened and a man stepped out. The stranger was dressed in a brown suit, his hair spiky and the laces of his converse untied and flapping in the wind. Gwen thought he looked familiar. He murmured to Ianto for a few moments before taking his hand and attempting to tug him away from the blue painted wood.

"Sod this," Gwen burst out and waddled as fast as she could towards Ianto.

That seemed to be the breaking point for Ianto who broke from his companions hold and fled back inside the box. The man shrugged apologetically at her before following Ianto. A split second later the box faded away with a deep grinding noise, leaving only a breeze that twisted leaves in the suddenly vacated air for a few moments before they were dropped to the pavement.

"Fuck!" groaned Rhys, catching up with the now stationary Gwen "What the hell was that?"

Gwen didn't reply, frowning at the footpath.

"Gwen?"

"He'll come back," she mumbled before turning towards home and waddled away.

Rhys stood for a few more moments, considering the retreating figure of his wife before following her inside, determined not to spare a glance back at the now empty path.

OOOOOO

Gwen tried to hold back that tears that prickled at the corners of her eyes.

" Th-they died, and I am sorry, Jack, but you cannot just run away. You cannot run away."

"Oh yes I can. Just watch me."

He was gone before Gwen could say anything more, before she could tell him about seeing the Doctor (it hadn't taken long for her to connect the dots), the TARDIS or, most importantly, Ianto. She and Rhys stood in near silence, her sobs hushed and her shaking barely controlled, her face buried in Rhys' shoulder as best as it could be round her eight and a half month baby bump.

A few moments passed then Gwen's oddly calm voice broke the moment, slightly muffled by Rhys' coat.

"I think my waters just broke."

OOOOOO

When asked about it later, Gwen would say that she didn't remember how painful the birth had been. That the first moment of holding her gorgeous baby boy in her arms had made everything else fade away. Rhys would say that Gwen had screamed bloody murder at him for a few hours then broken three of the bones in his hand.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Rhys asked, rifling through the fridge.

The baby on his hip gurgled happily and knocked a pot of yoghurt off the top shelf.

"You're cleaning that up, Tristan," he told his son mock sternly "That's the rule in this house."

"Give him wheetabix," Gwen yelled, nearly tripping down the stairs as she attempted to put her hair up and get her jacket on at the same time "See you later, my gorgeous boys. I've got to get to work."

Rhys offered the front door a quick wave but it was already slamming shut behind his wife. He shrugged at his son who blew a raspberry in return and reached for a banana.

"Banana and wheetabix it is."

The doorbell rang just as a fist full of mushy banana and wheetabix impacted with the side of his head and Rhys groaned. Answer the door covered in goo or just wait for them to come back later?

"Ma?" Tristan was leant as far out of his high chair as he could, trying to get a look at the front door.

"I don't think it's mummy."

"Ma!"

"It's not mummy."

"MA!"

The doorbell rang again. Twice.

"Ma ma ma ma ma!" Tristan's chant was accompanied by him banging his knife and fork on the table and the doorbells now continuous ringing.

Rhys gave up and after wiping the worst of the banana from his face, went to answer the door. It was raining outside and it took Rhys a moment to recognise the sodden figure dripping on his doorstep.

"Ianto!" In an uncharacteristic display of emotion he leapt forward and crushed the younger man in a hug.

"... Hello, Rhys," Ianto's response was stiff, as was his posture and the arm that wound round and patted Rhys on the shoulder.

Rhys seemed ignorant of Ianto's uneasiness as he bundled the other man inside and slammed the door shut.

"My god mate. I was starting to think I'd imagined seeing you. It was you, right? I didn't imagine seeing you. Am I imagining you now?" Rhys looked confused and worried "... Didn't you die, Ianto?"

"Yes, it was me."

Rhys waited, scanning his face for a sign that he was going to elaborate but Ianto merely shuffled his feet as his eyes darted from side to side, taking in the details of Gwen and Rhys' home. The uncomfortable moment was broken by a clatter from the kitchen and a delighted shriek.

"Fuck," Rhys swore sharply and darted away into the kitchen.

Ianto followed at a cautious distance, poking his head round the door to peer at the toddler who appeared to have poured his breakfast over his head.

"Ma?"

"Now you know that that isn't mummy," Rhys grumbled at the child as he unbuckled him from his high chair and hoisted him out "Just because she's your favourite...This is Uncle Ianto."

"Gwen... Gwen had the baby?"

"Yeah. This little monster's nearly eight months old now. Think you could hold him a minute, mate?" Rhys didn't allow him time to answer, instead thrusting the wriggling, mush covered child into his arms, grabbing a cloth and starting to wipe at his son's head.

"Um... what's his name?" Ianto asked, shifting the baby in his arms.

"Tristan Ianto Williams."

"You named him after me?"

"Well, yeah. Gwen knew you'd eventually turn up and she wanted you and Tristan to share something. Make you feel guilty for missing the birth. She was very upset about that," Rhys took Tristan back "We'll stick Tris' in his swing and then you and I are having a proper talk about where the hell you've been."

Ianto nodded and allowed himself to be led through the house. He'd been worried what Gwen was going to do to him when he came back. Now he realised he should have been worrying about Rhys.

OOOOOO

A/N: Hope you enjoyed that. All will become clear soon. Review please!