Celebrations

Sitting on the sofa and taking a long sip of coffee. Jack watched as Ianto was lying on his stomach, a catalogue in front of him, pen in hand as he studied each page of interest in a particular section.

Ianto ignored the vast majority of the catalogue and was studying the toy section. Not just the toy section, the Lego section. He had a big red felt-tip pen with which he would ring the ones that really took his fancy. Myfanwy was helping and Ianto started to wiggle his whole body, humming to himself as he did when he was particularly happy. As far as Ianto was concerned this activity was just something he did when a new catalogue came in but Jack knew it was presents by stealth.

Ianto had a birthday coming up and Jack was going to shower him with Lego. He was going to start with some basic kits and work up from there. He was sure Ianto would also love Meccano, but for now it was Lego he most wanted because along with the catalogue he talked about it endlessly and spent hours on the Lego website. He watched as Ianto leant forward and took a suck from a straw, drinking down some soda.

This was his treat for today. The nice and nasty test for food earlier in the year had some interesting side effects. Ianto had identified a whole plethora of foods; some very healthy, others complete junk: potato crisps, fizzy drinks and so on. Those he had identified as the best nicest ones and were now treats only. Ianto had eaten enough crap food over the past months and Jack was not about to replace one awful diet with another.

He was allowed one treat a day, soda and a snack packet of crisps or something else which were in the cupboard and included chocolate; except the maple syrup, which was hidden. It depended, like earlier with his discs, his being rewarded for behaving.

The schedule still remained but there were signs it was crumbling. Any change to the schedule or any change generally had to be prepared for and carefully laid out. He could handle big events like the mid-summer 'Solstice' festival with that preparation. As long as he was prepared he sailed through it. It was anything unprepared for that set him off.

A case in point was the arrival of what appeared to be fighter jets coming to practice some kind of aerial feat. They screamed across the Island choosing particular cottages and houses and looked like they were preparing for bomb runs. One had made an extremely low flyover and to his dismay he had found Ianto curled up in the garden triggered into an episode. He was screaming incoherently and had wet himself, something that had not happened since he had left the institute. It took hours to calm him down. Ianto was horribly embarrassed by his loss of self-control and subsequently was extremely clingy for the next week.

Once he had finally got him cleaned up and settled in bed watching 'Nemo', Jack - apoplectic with rage - had made some phone calls to the RAF base. He had threatened to come over to the base and personally rip the commander's head off. At first the commander had laughed at him dealing with every complaint from locals with the same disdain as he always did. He told Jack that if he was a military man like his name suggested he should understand the necessity of preparedness. His flyers needed the practice and this Island was ideal. Jack had slammed the phone down and made some more calls.

The next day the commander's attitude took a 180 degree turn when the Queen's representative called. He was advised in no uncertain terms that as important as military preparedness might be, in this case Her Majesty respectfully requested he move his flyers to a new location. He had replaced the phone carefully and recalled the group and directed them towards the mainland. When another call came the following day, this time from the Prime Minister's Office, followed by a severe dressing down from the head of the RAF, he added the Captain's name to his mental list of people never to piss off.

"It's your birthday coming up, and we need to talk about your party," Jack told him as he finished his coffee.

"Birthday party?" Ianto pulled himself up and sat cross legged as he picked up his crisp packet.

"19th August. Four weeks away, it's your birthday. We didn't get to celebrate last year because you were not quite ready, so this year it's birthday time," Jack told him as Ianto looked confused. "It's a special day Ianto, we celebrate the day you were born."

"Okay," Ianto said a little unsure what that meant. He tried to think back to last year but it was all jumbled up in his mind.

"There will be a party, we can invite people, we will have all your special foods, all the really good stuff." He saw Ianto open his eyes wide.

"Everything? Maple syrup, little sausages, sauce, crisps, sausage rolls, cakes, ice cream, chocolate sauce, mini pizzas, chocolate, pop, everything?" he said as if he didn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"And presents," Jack nodded, enjoying his reaction.

"What's presents?" Ianto asked trying to recall where he had heard that word before.

"Like Myfanwy; she was a present. At every birthday party guests bring presents, gifts, special things," Jack told him.

"That's nice, everyone gets a present."

"In this case all the presents would be for you," Jack said. Ianto sat up straight and threw himself at Jack in a big hug.

"For me?" he asked his arms around Jack looking up at him.

"Yes all for you," he said tweaking his nose. "All of them, every single one, " Jack told him. He felt Ianto's excitement hitch up a notch as he started to wiggle.

"So we have to think about what guests we are going to invite," Jack told him.

"What's a guest?" Ianto asked.

"Someone who is invited to the party," Jack replied. He saw Ianto think about it.

"Myfanwy, Morag, Mac, and Marigold," he stated. Jack laughed thinking David Morgan's response to having his prize sow receive a birthday invitation.

"There's some people who have said they would like to come, who helped up us move here and been supportive. There's Owen and Tosh, they want to come and see our new place and you."

"How do we invite them then?" Ianto asked as he tried to think.

"We send out invitations. I got these," Jack said pulling out a packet which contained several envelopes and a pad of special printed letters with crocodiles around the edges.

"Crocodiles," Ianto said as Jack opened the packet and saw the design. Currently Ianto was fascinated by crocodiles, the bigger the better. So it was Australian saltwater or African Nile crocodiles that were top that particular hit parade. The best one however was in 'Peter Pan' as he kept trying to eat Captain Hook. Ianto was now convinced the best crocodile protection in the world was a clock, not just any old clock a ticky-tock clock. He had told Jack getting the crocodile to swallow it would be the really difficult bit! Jack recalled with some amusement the hours Ianto had spent devising ways to do just that.

"It says 'better make a snappy reply it's a special birthday'," Ianto said laughing as he read the invitation slowly with care with Jacks help.

"So what we do is write the name of the person we wish to invite in here," Jack pointed to the space at the top of the sheet, "and then we put the date and time here," Jack indicated to the spaces in the middle. "Then we send them in the mail." As he finished his explanation Ianto stood up and picked up a pen and came and knelt between Jack's legs.

"This one's for you!" Ianto said taking the pad and his tongue sticking out slightly in concentration wrote out 'Jack' very carefully in his best handwriting. He then ripped off the top sheet and gave it to Jack.

"Thank you, " Jack said as Ianto gave him a hug.

"You're welcome," Ianto told him as Jack hugged him back.

Jumping with excitement and in his best clothes, Ianto watched as Marigold approached conveyed in her special vehicle called a horse box. He was trying to be careful and not get his clothes dirty. Jack had got him all new clothes just for today. He had a new deep red polo neck shirt, a jacket, trousers, belt, proper leather shoes and flat cap just like Mac's.

So far today had been amazing. He had woken up to find a huge parcel on his bed. It was covered in special paper which had funny dancing crocodiles on it that made him laugh. He wasn't sure what to do so Jack told him to just rip into it. He did and found it was Lego. He could hardly contain himself; he felt like running around the whole house, he was so happy. It was the biggest one from the catalogue which he had ringed several times; extra big with a red felt-tip pen. He had looked at Jack with awe, trying to figure out how Jack knew this was what he wanted more than anything else in the entire world. Jack had helped him open the box because he was shaking with excitement and his fingers had stopped working properly.

The day had gotten more brilliant from that point on. When he came down for breakfast he had found another huge parcel wrapped in brown paper with his name on it with big stamps in the corner. He had opened it and underneath there was more special paper with real crocodiles on it; this time he couldn't think what it could be. It was even more Lego; the other set he had circled! He was stunned and burst into tears and Jack had given him a cuddle and asked why he was crying. He had told him it was because he was so happy. He had opened the card and it had a crocodile on the front. In it the message said 'Have a happy snappy day. Happy Birthday, love from Gwen and Rhys'. He had no idea who they were but he was sure he would like them. So it had been a Legotastic day.

As he had been studying the special Lego booklet on how to make things Jack had called him into breakfast and found had made him his best breakfast, pancakes with maple syrup. He loved maple syrup. The bottle was now hidden away because he had drunk the last bottle when Jack wasn't looking. He had been very careful making sure Jack hadn't noticed. He had only sipped a little bit every day putting the bottle back in exactly the same place. How Jack had figured he had drunk it he would never know.

All his most special foods were on a table in the lounge which was funny because the table was meant to be in the kitchen. Jack said it was okay for special occasions. There were several foods he had never heard of like trifle, and jelly. The jelly was so funny it was all wobbly and Jack had told him off for sticking his fingers in it and licking them. They both looked odd but were sure if they were nasty Marigold would love them. But he was sure the jelly was going to be nice because it was black currant flavour like Ribena. He wondered if jelly wobbled on the way down, when you ate it. He couldn't wait to find out.

There were three different cakes. Morag had brought one, and the one he had made for Marigold and Jack said he had a special one. Three different kinds of soda: orange, lemonade, and cola. There were mini pizzas, red sausages with tomato sauce, sausages rolls, sandwiches, fruit salad with cherries and crisps.

Another table was set up and this one had presents on it, all of them all for him. He couldn't imagine what they were. There was a huge banner that said 'Happy Birthday' and balloons that hung on the ceiling. They had spent this afternoon blowing them up with a special gas that made your voice all funny. He had laughed till he almost wet himself at Jack's squeaky voice.

There were some people that Jack had invited. There was Owen who kept telling him funny jokes. One was so funny. 'What is a crocodile's favourite game? Snap!' It was really good and he told everyone he could.

Tosh was there, he liked her because she had been emailing him math puzzles; and Martha who was all brown. He had never met her before but Jack had shown him her photograph. Doctor Singh had come and she was talking in the garden with Martha. Mac was there; at first he hadn't recognised him because he was not wearing his dungarees. He had given him a hug for coming and showed him how he now had a cap just like his and he was now talking to Morag.

"Hello Mr Morgan," Ianto said as David got out of his land rover. "Did Marigold like her car ride?" Ianto asked helping him to take down the back and he saw she was lying down in a bed of straw.

"Thank you for coming, Marigold, I've make a cake special just for you," Ianto said as he turned and raced back inside so he could show it to her. David smiled as he watched Ianto race inside. He had not been sure what to make of all this especially when he was received a birthday invitation for his prized pig. Jack had explained that because Ianto had no memories or they were jumbled in a way this was in every sense his first birthday and he wanted to make it as special as he could.

When he had heard about the pair coming to live here two and a half years ago and all the fuss over the house and arrangements he had been highly suspicious. He had no time for people from the mainland, buying up houses to make holiday cottages, crowding out the locals. These were no visitors; these were real people moving up here to build a life, taking part in such a way there were now part of the community.

Ianto was such a lovely man who was clearly making strides towards his recovery from whatever it was that had happened to him. Some said torture, terrible marks across his back the local gossip went. Jack was wonderful the way he looked after him and the pair of them were both well thought of; in fact he and he and all the locals were very protective on them both. So if bringing a pig to his birthday party would make Ianto's day then who was he to argue?

"Ianto," he heard Jack calling. "Don't give her that cake until everyone has eaten."

"I made it special for her and I want her to see so she doesn't feel she's missing out because she can't come inside," Ianto shouted back as he walked up the path holding the cake on the plate in a way to ensure it didn't slip off.

"Don't be too long," Jack had warned him as Ianto concentrated. Reaching the horse box, Ianto now showed the cake to Marigold to the bemused look on David Morgan's face.

"Jack says she should like it because it's nasty and if there was ever a need for round bricks, I'm the man to see," Ianto said proudly

"That I can believe," David said as he viewed the ruined flat round cake on the plate messily covered in some kind green icing. Jack beckoned them back inside from the front door.

"Jack says come in and have a coffee and cake," Ianto told him. "See you later," Ianto told Marigold as he and David walked in together.

"Here's the birthday boy," David declared as they entered the kitchen and made their way to the lounge where everyone was now paying attention to Ianto.

Wide eyed Ianto clapped as Jack brought in his special cake shaped like a motorbike covered in candles. It had 'Happy Birthday Ianto' on it and everyone started singing. It was as special song with his name in it.

"Now you need to blow out the candles," Jack told him, "and make a birthday wish."

"I got my wish, what do I wish for now?" Ianto asked him seriously.

"Well," Jack said as the candles burnt down, "wish for more then," he said. Ianto took a deep breath and blew all the candles out as everyone cheered.

"I did," he said. He was handed a knife and Jack helped him cut out a piece.

"Chocolate," Ianto said with a dreamy look as he took a bite.

"Well I think it's time we opened your presents," Jack said. Ianto went and stood by the table as everyone was enjoying the cake.

"This is from me," Owen said as he handed him a small gift. Ianto looked at him. "I thought your joke was my gift," he told him surprised because the joke was so good he was certain it was his present.

Ianto opened and it was a DVD. "'Star Wars'," he read out loud thinking the joke was much better.

"If you watch it will make the second present make more sense," Owen told him as he handed him substantial box wrapped in yellow paper.

"Okay," Ianto said slightly confused. He opened the now much bigger parcel and his mouth dropped open.

"How did you know what I wished for?" he asked as he stood back and saw it was 'Star Wars' Lego. Turning the box over in his hands he looked at Owen in awe then putting down the box gave him a hug.

"This is from me," Martha said as she handed over her present. Opening it he saw it was a book.

"Ha-rr-y Po-tt-er and the Philo...Phil..." he struggled to say.

"Philosopher's Stone," she helped him. "Jack said he was reading you The Hobbit."

"It's very good. Bilbo lives in a lovely hole in the ground has a sword called Sting and it glows blue," Ianto told her in one breath.

"I think you will enjoy this one," Martha told him as he gave her hug of thanks.

"Thank you," he said. Tosh handed him her present.

"I know how you like to look for things so I thought you would like this," she said as he pulled off the paper and found it was books inside a book. No... he looked again and it was lots of books.

He struggled to read the words. "Wh-ere'-s Wa-ll-y," he said after a few moments. "I'm still learning," he told everyone, who smiled.

"Now, Wally is very naughty; he is hiding in every scene." She showed him the first book.

Opening to the middle Ianto started to really study the page and saw the huge amount of detail. "Oh yes I am going to enjoy finding Wally very much," he said to her and gave a hug.

"There are five and a sticker book where you can make up a scene all of your own," she added.

"Thank you very much," he said.

David Morgan now pulled out an envelope. "Now a small wee birdie told me," he winked at Jack, "that a certain young man loves Lego, and you spend a lot of time on the internet on the Lego website. Well a few of us got together; me, Morag, Doctor Singh and few others and we got you this." He handed it over.

Not sure what it was Ianto opened it to find it was a card. He was all excited because the card had Lego pieces on it and as he looked it had been signed by everyone he knew.

"Wow," Jack said as he took out the voucher and showed it to Ianto.

"What this means is you can go to the website and design a set of your own up to the value hundred fifty pounds," David explained.

Ianto's mouth fell open. "Thank you Mr Morgan, thank you Morag, thank you Doctor Singh, thank you everyone," he said.

"Aye there are a lot of us contributed, so when you made it, the local newspaper might like to have a photograph of what you decide," Morag added.

"Oh I will! I love the local newspaper," Ianto added. "I would like to have my picture taken." He looked at Jack who put his arm around him and took the voucher and carefully placed it on the table.

"I've been looking at the website and I have some ideas. I want to make a Lego Myfanwy. Thank you," he said with a huge smile.

Mac moved forward handed him his gift. Ianto opened it to find it was a very old 1940's manual for a motorbike and Mac read out the title, 'Triumph. Twin speed 349cc 3T."

"As you love motorbikes so much, I found an old wreck some years ago. I've been collecting parts over the years. I was thinking you and me could get it back working. You can come into town on Wednesday afternoons and give Jack here a real break. He is looking so tired lately I figure he could use a rest," Mac said. Ianto looked at Jack for approval, a little unsure. He nodded in agreement and then broke into a huge smile.

Both Morag and David Morgan almost choked. Mac hadn't given anyone any consideration within living memory. They were still getting over the marvel of Ianto's visits, let alone the shock of him turning up today, but his gift was unprecedented. Mac had not gone out of his way to show kindness to a soul in five decades.

"This is my best day ever!" Ianto declared as he threw his arms around Mac.

"You know your reputation as a nasty bastard is going to take a knock," David Morgan said to Mac as he joined him and he added another sandwich to his plate from the food.

"I don't know why I put up with him. He's a bloody nuisance, the way he just comes in and hands me tools," he replied, glancing fondly at Ianto who had a plate piled high with potato chips and was dipping them in pop before eating them.

"You can't fool me. I always knew you had heart in there somewhere Jessie MacDonald," Morag teased.

"This is the man who brought his prize pig to a birthday party and a woman who came up with the taste test," he retorted.

"Once word gets round, god knows people will think you've gone soft. They'll be inviting you to all sorts of events and you never know you, might actually enjoy yourself," David ribbed.

"That's Mac to you and don't you forget it," he said not very convincingly and stalked off, going to stand next to Ianto.