7.

"Oh, how marvellous," the Doctor said and pointed his screwdriver at Ianto, checked the readings and grinned widely. "Brilliant." He bounded over to him and grabbed his hand, shaking it. "Congratulations. Can I see?" He was already eagerly pulling up Ianto's t-shirt. Ianto backed away and the Doctor raised his hands. "Right, sorry. Too fast for the boundaries of personal space in the 21st century." He grinned and reached out a hand again, giving Ianto the choice to shake it. "Hello there, I'm the Doctor."

Ianto took the hand and looked pointedly at the TARDIS. "I figured."

"Can I take a look now?"

Ianto backed away once more and Martha laughed. "Buy him a drink first," she said with a grin. "Doctor, this is Ianto Jones."

Recognition dawned on the Doctor's face. "Jack's Ianto Jones."

Martha looked towards the TARDIS. "Are you travelling alone, Doctor?"

"Dropped Donna off to see her family," he answered. "Though I should go and get her. She's never seen a pregnant man before."

A scowl formed on Ianto's face. "I'm not some tourist attraction." He looked at Martha, obviously put out. "What's he doing here?"

The Doctor took a deep breath, then faltered. "I have no idea." He looked questioningly at Martha as well.

She smiled at the both of them, explaining, "I wanted to have a look at the TARDIS's database – male pregnancy."

"Oh, there's loads about it in the database. So you didn't even call me to see me?" He looked a bit miffed.

"Of course," Martha hastened to assure him, "but mainly the database." She was distracted by Ianto stumbling back against the wall, clutching his belly. He let out a groan of pain. Martha hurried over to him. "Oh, dear!" She took Ianto's arm and led him to the couch with the Doctor's help.

The Doctor activated his screwdriver and passed it over Ianto, a focussed frown on his face. "Does he get those often?"

Martha brushed Ianto's hair out of his forehead, feeling clammy skin. He was pale. Worried, she squeezed his hand, knowing there was nothing she could do. "Every once in a while. Jack said they're to be expected."

"Hm," the Doctor replied and reached to pull up Ianto's shirt again, restraining himself at the last moment.

Ianto panted, "It's okay. Just make it stop."

"I don't know if I can," the Doctor replied and pointed his screwdriver towards Ianto's belly. "Alright, Ianto Jones. It's time I make a housecall."

xxx

Tosh had done her homework well. Within minutes, the Torchwood team and a group of UNIT soldiers with Luckett as their leader had surrounded the Golem in one of the smaller rooms of the abandoned building and Jack had shot the EMP gun at it. The Golem had crumbled to the floor. It seemed almost ridiculously easy. Jack and Owen examined the Golem carefully. It really was dead. Jack looked up at Luckett. "Alright, that's sorted. We've got a weapon we can use."

Owen snorted and, with a hint of mockery, added, "All we need now is the guy who uses them and to find the rest of the army. A piece of cake."

Jack raised an eyebrow in his direction.

Owen shrugged. "Just saying."

"At least we can fight them now," Jack repeated. "That's something."

xxx

Martha closed her laptop and looked around the main room of the TARDIS, breathing in slowly. The gentle hum of the ship that never seemed to stop – even when she was standing still – filled the air. She brushed her fingers over all the levers and buttons on the round console used to steer the ship and took one last look around the big room before she tore herself out of her memories and walked down one of the ramps. She left the TARDIS and entered Ianto's living room once again, just in time to hear the Doctor say, "I'm so happy to have met you, Ianto Jones."

Martha frowned, hugging the laptop to her chest. "Are you leaving?"

The Doctor turned around to her and now she could see Ianto resting on the couch, calmer now that the cramp was over. The Doctor shoved his hands in his pockets. "You got what you needed, right?"

"Downloaded it all but I'm sure Jack would like to see you, Doctor," Martha answered.

"Tell him I'll pop in after the little one is born." The Doctor winked at Ianto and Martha was glad to see Ianto smile back. Obviously, the both of them had been able to connect. The Doctor turned back to her. "Places to go, people to meet."

Ianto sat up a bit. "Thank you, Doctor."

The Doctor fixed him with a stern glare. "Just take my advice. Don't do anything too strenuous, get plenty of rest. I can't do anything about the cramps but you don't need to worry. They're not a bad sign." He glanced at Martha. "Whoever that Peralta is, he's done a decent job. There's a procedure in the 24th century that allows men to become pregnant, but it's quite expensive and thus was only used by very few people. I heard that the basis for that technique was found in UNIT's archives, so it's possible that Peralta's studies were the groundwork for it. I prefer the male pregnancies that emerge after some close inter-planetary relationships, though. Much more natural." He smiled. "I think Jack could tell you all about it." He crouched down in front of Ianto, taking both his hands. "Nevertheless, you will give birth to a beautiful, healthy baby, Ianto Jones. You can't tell anyone about your pregnancy, though, since the time line says that Peralta's files have to be found in UNIT's archives."

"I didn't plan on telling anyone."

"Good." The Doctor straightened. "And just like that, history is taking the right course." He went to the TARDIS, hugged Martha, smiled at them and then went inside. The TARDIS took off with the usual gust of wind, leaving Ianto and Martha alone.

Martha looked at Ianto. "So?"

"He's quite something."

"He is, isn't he?"

xxx

It was three in the morning when a soft knock sounded at Ianto's flat door. Martha opened and there was Jack, looking a bit tired but not too unhappy. Wordlessly, he followed her into the living room and waited until Martha had closed the bedroom door. Then she settled back onto the couch where she was burning the midnight oil, reading through the TARDIS's records.

Jack looked at her questioningly.

"He's asleep," she said. "Had two cramps. One still at the Hub, the other back here. But he's okay."

Jack sat down in the armchair next to the couch and sighed deeply. "Good."

Martha decided it was best to get this over with quickly, so she said, "Jack, the Doctor was here."

Jack's eyes widened and he sat up. "What?"

"I called him. He brought me information about male pregnancies and he had a look at Ianto."

Jack shook his head. "Why didn't you-"

"It doesn't matter right now. What matters is that the Doctor said that the pregnancy's absolutely safe. Nothing will happen."

"No pregnancy is 100% safe. There's always a risk."

Martha frowned. "Do you want Ianto to miscarry?"

Jack looked at her like she'd slapped him, then he asked loudly, "What?"

"Sh!" Martha looked at him warningly.

But Jack ignored her. He stood up. "How come everyone is so eager to turn me into the bad guy in this whole thing? Am I that much of a monster?"

"I just want to know where you stand in this whole thing, Jack. This is not about me thinking you're a monster. This is about me thinking of my patient's welfare and in this case, my patient is Ianto."

"Just because we're not together anymore, just because I don't want a family doesn't mean I don't care about him or that I'm actively trying to kill his baby. But if all of you keep having a go at me and are so scared about me turning on him, maybe I should just stay away from him."

Before she knew what she was saying, she answered, "Considering you're about to wake him up when he really needs his rest, maybe you should." Jack stared at her, his lips thinning. Martha crossed her arms, determined not to back down.

"Right," Jack said. "Maybe I should." He turned away and left the flat.