7
Ianto was sitting in the rain, his feet in the water as he stared out over the bay.
"Sorry"
Ianto didn't acknowledge his mate, still swirling his feet slowly as Jack sighed and sat on the pier as the water eagerly seeped through his pants. A wet arse was the least he deserved.
"Ianto, you know I am an arse. I always react with anger and blustering when I feel cornered or someone hides something from me" Jack said as he looked at Ianto's feet, "I yell, scream and act like a lunatic then think about it later and feel awful. Horrible. We don't have to bring up Lisa but I will remind you of how I squirmed for ever so long trying to apologise without saying the actual word."
"I know. Magic in words. Why Love was never one you liked parting with" Ianto flopped back, his arms splayed out to let the rainwater cleanse him and now Jack could clearly see the little pot.
"Ianto, have you been punishing yourself to hide this? I mean, you are how far along? Six? Shit" Jack sighed, "I feel even worse. Cuddles and such and I didn't even notice a little one coming between us in more ways than one."
"I have felt a bit ….ah….fizzy? I was with her too. Like, shaken up and slid to the side. I can't find my stride" Ianto shrugged as he let his hands smooth the shirt over the bump, "I was not really immortal with her. She didn't let me die. I didn't die when she was born, came back as I had been when Miracle Day happened. This baby is different, growing in my immortal self while also fuelled by an immortal father. Think about it from my point of view. Kara was so powerful that she did this? That was just with your side of the equation. This one…this one will have both parentals with the spark of immortality. For all that Kara is, your Boeshane, my… self and the spark from you …. This one will be more. So much more. No wonder they want it. Think of the power, the strength. A solider even better than our daughter? Really?"
So, they were after this one and jumped a little too early. Found my VM and honed in, watched to find Kara and then tried to get the immortal child" Jack sighed, "So. Does that mean this one is a girl too?"
Ianto shrugged, "I'm carrying the same. How I hid Kara so long. I don't know. A scan will tell us but I don't know. I don't think they knew who they had when they grabbed Kara, she was bait for me. If they thought they had the one they wouldn't have tried to come for me right? No. I don't know if anything tells us the sex of this one."
"Maybe I only make girls" Jack said in the rain.
"Nonsense, your first child was a boy" Ianto rose and headed in as Jack sat bolt upright then scrambled to his feet and chased after him.
"What do you mean, how do you know about Jazeem?" Jack demanded, "Ianto? He was before I was me."
"You were always you, just different versions in different timelines. They are all you, or at least a version. I know of him from the archives. You forget the rambling when you were being tortured by those mad women back in the day. You told them so much that was nothing at all. You think I don't read galactic standard? That I didn't hear it in the recordings when you were totally discombobulated and they thought it was bloody Mayan or something" Ianto demanded making Jack snort with shock.
"You knew. You know what they did to me?"
"I know more than you will ever know. More than I ever wanted to know, less than you though. Your long, tired life. Jack, it is all back there in the ashes. You know that right? Rhia and the kids, Lisa, Tosh, Owen, Andy. So many. Why look back when ahead we have so much. A beautiful daughter, a new one coming to cause chaos and who knows what else."
"Ianto, I am sorry for all the times I have disappointed you and all the times I still will without meaning to, I mean…we both know I will fuck up. I have this ability to. Know that even when I am scared and lashing out I still need you on my side. I will always be on yours. Our children between us. Yeah?" Jack begged and Ianto nodded.
"Don't be silly Cariad, I will always forgive you even if I may shoot you occasionally for the relief of it." Ianto quipped, then he turned and ran inside as Jack stood looking at his retreating back.
"Know when to follow, know when to give space" Gino said from the shadows, "You have much to learn and such a short time to achieve it. He tests you, he always will. Do you not see his lack of faith?"
"In us?" Jack asked with surprise, "Or me."
"No stupid man." Gino sighed as he followed Ianto. "In himself."