32

Ianto felt the first twinges as he woke from his morning nap and glanced over to find Rhiannon gone. Of course, she was working today, had left with energy and excitement this morning as Alice waited to walk with her. Ianto glanced over at the man in the kitchen, his back barely visible as Jack sang softly.

"Are you making me something for lunch Cariad?" Ianto called out.

"Roast lambert and mint jelly sandwiches, slices of the nice fruit cake Francine dropped off and some orange juice to wash it down" came the faint reply.

"Do we have any goat's milk instead of juice?" Ianto asked, the hope that he would not throw up there in the thick of things, but the possibility that, like last time, he might. Juice is a bit acidic ya know… something soothing is better.

"Sure… oh, the Blumanchu dropped off a bottle of their wilderberry stuff" Jack said as he checked the fridge.

"OH! THAT" Ianto felt excitement, this not only a nice rich tonic, but it was sweet and syrupy. He remembered that from the morning sickness days of Rhiannon… huh. He hadn't really had any of that with this one. Maybe because it's a boy? Ianto pondered this as he let his hands soothe and caress, the pain more shooting this time.

Yep.

He was definitely getting ready, Ianto's fingers brushing below his belly bottom and feeling the ridge of a birth canal, the formation of it started a few days ago after the river and had been soft. Now it was hard and , pretty… well… ridgy.

Ianto lay there and focused, thinking good thoughts, loving thoughts and as he did so he felt the slit start to move, then the first small split started. Oh wow.

"Here we are lover" Jack said as he plinked the plate down, then added "I mean… husband. I still get a kick out of saying that."

Jack placed the drink beside the plate on the bedside table so Ianto could reach, then returned to the kitchen to get his own, talking about something Ianto had no interest in even trying to focus on, the slit now big enough for him to slide two fingers in.

He ate.

He drank.

He complimented the chef.

He laid back and watched Jack now do the dishes as his entire hand could now fit and he took a deep breath, knowing this Is the time.

"Cariad? Can you give Owen a call?"

"You OK?" Jack was instantly on alert, rushing to his bed with concern.

"I am fine just… I would like a word if he had a sec" Ianto smiled, laying back to feel the baby shift. Wow, it was happening and it felt OK. Rhiannon had said she was OK if she missed it, if she was having a good day, she wanted to experience normalcy for as long as she could. They had talked about it so… if he went while she was out. She will be home soon and meet him anyway. This was a moment just for them.

As Jack went to call Owen, his voice from the hallway smooth and comforting, Ianto carefully slid the plastic sheeting underneath himself as best he could, pausing as another pain hit and the birth canal opened fully… now he could feel hair. Wow… this one was coming out with a full head of hair. And fast… Rhia took so much longer. What a little star.

Jack returned and smiled "Wandering down now, apparently he's free."

"That's nice Cariad, he might like some of the Blumanchu drink too, I would add half a glass of lemonade to his, he doesn't like it too thick" Ianto was amazed he could still talk so calmly and Jack hummed as he went to the kitchen to comply.

"You want more lover?"

"No thinks Cariad, maybe afterwards."

"Hmmmm?" Jack returned and set the glass for Owen to one side "after what Tiger?"

After our sun is here" Ianto smiled calmly, "See? He is crowning."

Ianto lifted the covers and Jack looked down at the little mop of dark hair protruding from the large hole in Ianto's lower abdomen region. His mouth feel open and he stood there for what seemed like forever… not breathing or even moving… and then to Ianto's utter astonishment… the idiot fainted.

"Well now" Ianto said to the now empty room "that was unexpected."

Cue giggles.

Now, in labor and trying to have a calm, focused delivery … giggles do not help and Ianto felt tears of mirth prickling at the corners of his eyes as he giggled without control, a bray of laughter finally filing the room as he gave in an let his body do it's work.

"What did I miss?" Owen called out as he entered to the laughter, then saw Jack, rushing to him and gently rolling him into the recovery position while crooning and trying to help him.

Cue more laughter from the one who totally needed him… not, Ianto finding this a totally different birth from the first one. "Owen….Owen… owie…. Owwww, fuck…. Owen, get him up or he will miss it… oh goddess save me… oh gods…. Ahahahaaahaaaaa…."

Ianto was so amused as Owen panicked and slapped Jack before he remembered the smelling salts in his bag, waking the man who thrust Owen back on his arse as Jack scrabbled on all fours to the bed.

"You…you… Twpsyn" Ianto gasped, half sobbing with laughter, "you…. Lovely fool."

"Let me see, I won't do it again… I forgot to breathe is all" Jack panted, clutching the side of the bed so Ianto let Jack watch as the head emerged, the face visible with that little cleft in the chin unmistakable. "Oh… oh… it's me…oh…"

Finally Ianto let out a primal scream as his son was heaved upwards and into the waiting hands of the professional. He was lifted into the air and Ianto felt the cool rush into his cavity, empty now. It felt… sad.

Then he heard the first little kitten cry and all was right again.

Ianto was sad Rhiannon had missed it bit glad Jack had not, their son now a bottler of a crier with little fists swinging and the contorted face showing his extreme displeasure at this treatment.

Finally Jack had hold of him, cuddling and crooning as the baby stopped fusing to stare up at him with mutual wonder. Jack was singing the song he always sung to himself, clearly one the baby knew.

"Hi there, I am your Daddy" Jack sobbed with joy, those eyes his too.

Then the little fella smiled.

I know… they can't smile at that age, they don't… blah blah… Jack will tell everyone for the rest of his days that in that moment, when his soul touched his son's in the bond of fatherhood… he smiled at him.

And it was a cheeky Harkness grin.