36

The Brig sat with a wee cuckoo on each knee, the two talking excitedly as they clutched their wee hands together, beyond delighted to find a match in their DNA making them like siblings. His love flowed through them as he clucked his tongue and jigged them gently, hugging them and Yvonne sat with Alice on her lap pretending not to watch the display of affection the babies were enjoying.

Ianto entered and slouched into a chair, his hands rubbing the bump as he watched the two with the children finally relaxing. Finally there as a strange chirping noise and the children all perked up, looking excitedly at the door.

"Go on then" Ianto said softly and they shot from their respective perches then rumbled from the room like tiny elephants on the loose.

"What the hell was that?" the Brig asked with surprise.

"Mavis calling them for treats" Ianto sighed, "How she steals them."

"Cheeky girl" the Big laughed, "I remember Bennu wanting a little one for a closer look, he would make a noise like that and nine times out of ten it would come, it's parental as shocked as me. It must be like a dog whistle."

"Bennu, that's an old Bladesinger name, goes right back through the bloodline…Papa, how strong was his lineage?"

"By Pete, he was almost pure. One of the last of his kind to have such a strong dilution. Had intended to mate but…well. He fell in the great battle. I still mourn him. After Helen died I didn't think I would love again, that sorry excuse for a child she provided was such a disappointment to us both. Then I met Bennu and knew only happiness. He taught me that love does not die, only transforms. I am glad you know about Yvonne and me." The Brig smiled.

Ianto sat back and considered, looking at the children's toys on the floor, "I remember his blue hair, it was so pretty."

"Yes, I loved watching it in the wind" the Brig smiled, "Mind you, your hair has a blue fleck to it when you let it grow, you always cut it but as a little one your hair grew past your ears and it had blue tips."

Ianto stared at him as Jack made a crooning noise, reaching for Ianto's belly, "Maybe our wee one will too. After all, that wall thing of Owen's is supposed to enhance and strengthen the strongest of the DNA traits."

Ianto looked at Jack and he frowned.

"Jack … when did we start those sessions?"

Jack looked at him and frowned back "Ah, well. You and Rose went to see if she was fertile…ah …well. four months ago?"

"Four. Sixteen weeks." Ianto repeated softly, "I am more than that. I am about eighteen weeks, so when I went I was already a week or two in."

Jack froze as his mid started to whir and the Brig glanced over, "What's that boy?"

"I was already sparking, the wall might have enhanced things but I was already underway" Ianto reared, "Huh."

Jack rose and touched the corner of the vid-screen, Owen appearing with a look of surprise "Is everything OK?"

"Yeah, quick question if you are not too busy" Jack said and Owen grinned as he opened his arms to show he was doing nothing, "The scans and such of Rose, who else sees them?"

Owen considered, "Well, me and you obviously. I send copies to Mainframe for processing and what? Why are you pulling that face?"

"Owen can you check to see who has been accessing them?" Jack asked, "I want to know who had accessed, downloaded or tagged them OK? All of them from the first scan with Ianto in the room."

"Aye aye Captain" Owen said in a silly voice as he snorted and reached out to comply, the screen changing as he accessed mainframe.

"There!" it was Yvonne who called out, rising from her chair, "I know that name. Eisenhowt. He's UNIT, one of their little white coated freaks, always going on about the higher order. Superior solders and such created...what?"

Ianto had gone pale, his hand covering his bump as he stared at the screen, "I know that name too. The Strangles Screenings we had to go through. He was also there at Caden's second year check-up, I remembered his face and he was just moving though the facility so I didn't think about it at the time. The first incident in the parking garage happened what, five months later? Barely? He was at the police station. Oh shit. My instincts were telling me that they were after the baby, my brain was screaming to protect the baby. Shit Jack they scanned me for processing, I was already sparking. I was already with child. Child, get it? Protect the baby. I've been protecting the wrong one. He wasn't even with me at the store and Alice was not the one the car was aiming at."

"Wait, he knows about the baby somehow?" Jack frowned, "I don't understand, why try to kill you though."

"Bladesinger and human is a strong and dangerous mix. Throw in your Boeshane DNA and this child will not only have an intelligence of a super soldier but the heightened mix of stealth and telepathy." The Brig agreed, "Imagine a solder capable of reading the mind of the enemy as they charge? Anticipating not only their next move but see three or four alternatives before said enemy had even seen his one? Pete be praised, a super solder alright."

"But why harm it?" Yvonne asked with confusion.

"Because Ianto has Caden. A little chickie that can commune with the spark in a way Ianto cannot. He can call out the Bladesinger side and probably already has. If we check the DNA markers we will probably find a wee Windy-woo in there." Owen was excited as his hands flapped about on screen, "good Pete man. You are not only undermining his research by naturally creating what he is failing to do in the lab, Ianto you threaten his funding. Imagine if they find you have simply…birthed one. A real Bladesinger in this day and age. He would be finished."

Jack nodded and turned to face the Brig.

They had a target at last.