The drive home was sedate and Jack kept checking his rear-view mirror to make sure the Blue Bustard was still there. For some reason, the closer he got to the fire house, the more fear he felt that Ianto might bolt.
They parked and Jack again admired the lovely SUV as Ianto unloaded the kids.
Walter ran for the house, shouting for Myfanwy who began a booming bark of joy as she heard her favourite human's voice.
Jack hesitantly held out his arms for Noah and was relieved when Ianto placed the wee man in them without a second thought.
Noah was alert, kicking his wee legs as he looked about as if he knew he was home.
Ianto placed a nappy nag into the empty baby seat and carried them behind Jack who happily strode into his home, his family restored.
What greeted them was an angry Walter staring down an equally angry Victoria.
"Look what the animal has done!" she exploded when she saw Jack and Noah clutched at his shirt with fear.
"Mum, you're scaring the wee one!" Jack scolded, kissing the little head and humming softly.
"Hello Victoria, what has my 'animal' done now?" Ianto asked calmly as he dropped the seat by the edge of a sofa.
She pointed and he saw a baby gate laying destroyed on the floor. He frowned.
"Why was it up if the kids weren't home?" he smiled softly and Jack caught the warning.
"Mum? She heard Walter calling her and that was the path of least resistance!" Jack answered, "She went through a wooden door at the old place once."
"Well, she's a bloody nuisance, and a danger" she pointed at the baby, "What if he'd been on the floor?"
"Chances are, she would have been in here with him. There wouldn't be a need to get in" Ianto looked over at Jack and mouthed 'Muskrat'.
"Mum. Myf is not just an outside dog. She is allowed free access to the house, especially to the children" Jack said with more confidence than he felt as he stared down his mother.
"But the germs and the slobber …"
"She saved my baby's life. If she had been shut outside we would have perished in the fire, but she saved my baby. She will never be separated from them." Ianto started to bristle.
"Well I think a small dog would be more appropriate, heavens knows what diseases that animal has and she licks her arse!" Victoria said with a sniff and Ianto smothered a giggle as she cursed.
"She should be locked up!"
This time he said it loudly and with venom, "Muskrat Jack!"
"Mum! This discussion is closed! That door is open for her during the day. At night she is sleeping by our boy's bed!" Jack placed the baby in her arms, "Besides, I think he needs changing."
She bristled but looked down at the adorable face peering back, then rushed to coddle him and check the definitely dry nappy in the other room.
"Good deflection Jack!" Ianto hissed and Jack sighed.
"That felt awful!" he said sadly as he shuffled into Ianto's arms.
"You think it's been fun for me?" Ianto asked without malice as he kissed Walter's forehead.
"Thank you Daddy" Walter said as he tugged his arm for a lift so he could be in the hg.
Jack lifted him and the two men engulfed him.
"Myfanwy is my girl, right?" Walter asked as he sighed into the hug, "Nobody can take her to the pound?"
"No baby." Jack frowned as he wondered just what his mother had been saying, his own childhood filled more with his father's attention than hers which had been all for Gray, "She's your special girl. Forever."