47
Jack was still panicking slightly as Owen talked over his shoulder to Caden and the little boy leaned over the edge of the huge tub, "Any minute now, are you ready big brother?"
Caden jiggled impatiently as he was more than ready thanks and then he squealed as the water started to change colour, Ianto groaning softly as the pink liquid heralded the arrival of a foot, followed by another.
"Shit, feet first. Typical, must be part Harkness for sure" Owen muttered as he struggled to grab for the bub but he was too fast, shooting from his dam to sink gracefully to the bottom of the bathtub where he looked up at Owen with distrust.
Jack laughed as he reached around Ianto and seized the baby, pulling him out of the water and onto Ianto's chest as Ianto gasped and looked with open adoration at the naked wet wriggler. Then a tiny cry of anger had them all laughing as Jack eased him back into the water to lay in Ianto's crooked arm. Happier, the crying stopped and little blue sapphires rolled around the room as Bennu looked at everyone.
"Hello Beanie, I'm Caden" Caden said grandly, "I will be your guide in this journey of madness."
Jack blinked and started to laugh at their son who showed by his frown at his father that he was being bloody serious. Ianto crooned and swished the water around the baby as those eyes rolled to him.
"Hungry? Wanna try suckling? Yeah? First drink is the most important one. Lots of goodness here for you" Ianto crooned and Jack helped him raise the baby even as he twisted so they were almost on their sides, Owen muttering as he cleaned Ianto and stroked the slit to encourage it to close.
"Ahhhhh, he's trying bless him" Jack whispered with wide eyes, "Look at his wee mouth …ahh….oh. Latched on?"
"Yeah, I feel it" Ianto grinned, "Yeah. He's got it, he's dinking. I know it's silly and he will be on a bottle in a few days but it feels so nice to know I gave him this. I did this important thing for him."
Ianto's eyes slid to the little boy watching with wide eyes as Alice helped prepare the towels and such with Mama Mavis. The Brig was silent, his own child in his arms as she closed her eyes to commune with her new bond sibling and Caden felt it too, the humming growing until it could be heard by the others and the baby was serenaded while having his first drink of goodness.
"Your mama did this for you Caden" Ianto whispered, "She was dying but managed to give you this last piece of love before she slipped away."
"She did?"
"She loved you so very much, she wanted you safe and loved and I promised I would never let you go" Ianto smiled as he looked up from his child to those piercing eyes that resembled his own as strongly as the new life in his arms had Jack's. "You are my fist son and I will always be so proud to call you mine. Bennu has such a great friend and protector."
Caden grinned and looked back down at his brother with new interest as he knew being a big brother was gong to be real work, he was so excited.
"So, what now?" Alice asked, "I mean, when can I have him?"
The laughter was light as Ianto relaxed into Jack's arms and drifted with the warmth of the water and loving bond, his father doing what he could to add comfort and affection to said bond as he cuddled his little girl and kissed her hair.
Family was everything and the Brig was so honoured to see the birth of what he knew damned well would a powerful and forceful man one day, both bloodlines full of anger, power and most importantly intelligence.
He looked over to his bride and saw her face reflecting his own as she accepted Alice into her arms and they cuddled for a while, the little girl wanting comfort as she saw it was really a boy, not the girl she secretly hoped might still appear instead.
Didn't matter.
A baby is a baby and Alice knew she would be allowed lots of mothering too.
This was her baby too.