7
The snow was deep, Owen falling back and then disappearing as everyone laughed, the kids racing to leap in as well.
"Are you OK?" Ianto asked Gwen as she sat watching them play and she nodded softly.
"I'm showing. Small but … it's real now. The baby" she replied as she settled next to him on the top step. "My baby will be born in the new year."
"Exactly" Ianto smiled as he leaned against her, "A new year. A new beginning. Don't you see? We start again. Fresh start, clean sheet. Like our ancestors once did, just with caves and fire. Of course, Jack is still liking the idea of cooking over a bonfire."
She laughed softly and nodded.
"We will be OK" Ianto assured her, "We know what we are facing, we are well defended and we have a real to goodness doctor even if he is a bit of a silly twat. You will be fine, so will the baby. I will love it and squish it and steal it from you at regular intervals, Jack probably resort to begging. Rhys will crow and Owen might finally get the balls to declare to Tosh formally with a ring or something. I'm still working on that."
"Are you ever not working that mind? You know, you are a clever beggar" Gwen snorted, "You think a little wedding might be nice?"
"Jack is a captain" Ianto said smugly, winking as she laughed. Ianto let his head fall back, the sun warming and soothing as the cool air swirled out there in the real world.
"Well … I am going to go feed the stock, leave them to play" Ianto rose, kissing Gwen's head and going inside to walk the huge hallways of the school. It didn't feel eerie though, it felt warm and comforting as it seemed to breathe and settle, also content I guess. Building do have souls, they grow with love and wither with neglect. This one was just waking up.
Ianto knew there was still more to be done but enjoyed some time in the large gymnasium where the horses and a couple of cows wanted grooming as the sheep milled about arguing with the goats. Ianto knew there would be no shortage of milk, or meat. Mind you … they had heaps of frozen meat still. He didn't know if he could but a bullet in one of these creatures currently tasting his hair as they groomed him like a calf. Silly buggers. Ianto felt something else grow and breathe, his power now so strong that it thrummed in his bones like stranding to close to a bass while at a rock concert.
He was not afraid of this either, rather ... he welcomes the ways of his ancestors, his people's blood flowing through him as he closed his eyes and listened past the laughter of the children, the yelling of a now cold little doctor, the laughter of his mate and Gwen's scolding. Past the wind. Past the babbling water down at the creek.
Ianto listened to the word and breathed.
He was fine.
.
.
.
So ends this section. Thanks for reading.