21

As the days passed Ianto withdrew more. Jack didn't cuddle anymore as he felt the anger coming off Ianto in waves, the night patrols calling him out so he didn't have to face the fact he had somehow let Ianto down. Days became weeks and before ya know it, it was six months since Fridayitis.

Ianto had also dropped, the baby now visible through his shirts. As they thought, the babies were growing at a faster speed than normal, another month to go at the most.

He was kneeling on the floor doing up the bolts on the little bassinette when Jack entered and stood staring at him with open shock "Ianto? What are you doing?"

"Making a phantom bassinette for the phantom baby to sleep in when he's born" Ianto muttered, struggling to stand and rub his belly as he pushed the bassinette over to his side of the bed "Don't worry. I am sure phantom crying will not bother you in the night, right?"

Ianto flopped on the bad and sighed, his hands rubbing the bump as he tried to soothe it.

"Ianto, I don't know what to do for you" Jack said sadly "This is all… so…. Holy fuck."

Jack stood with his hand on the bump, feeling it move under his palm and Ianto ginned softly "Phantom kicking. He's feeling active right now. He likes your voce."

"Ianto… is that… I mean… oh my god. No. No, I … no. Shit" Jack sat and placed both hands there now, feeling the definite little bumps he knew to be a bum and a head. Then another kick as the foot pressed and moved, the stomach's skin moving along with it.

"Might be an alien. Or need to fart" Ianto morosely muttered, slapping Jack's hand away.

"You're …pregnant."

"No shit Sherlock!"

Jack sat for a long time watching Ianto as he cuddled into his pillow morosely and then lurched to his feet "Oh my god. You told me, and told me and… the sonograms… you… this is our baby? I don't understand… how… Why didn't you smack me up the side of my head?"

"Martha and I agree that I should be induced a week or so before the girls are due so my organs get some relief and it's also a fair gap so she can help out with the multiple births on the same day. We agree that once one goes, they all will. Like… not quints or… sextuplets… or whatever. I don't know. Don't care. Nothing to do with me." Ianto muttered into the pillow as he ignored Jack's dismay.

Jack was still frozen as he listened then his face changed to one of anger "I didn't listen to you. How could I not hear … I've missed so much and… they were mean and… oh Ianto."

"It's OK. Better this way, just us. Time for us to have bonding and love and… they can go and get knotted!" Ianto huffed. "I forgive you, I knew sooner or later your head would pop back out of your arse. It usually does in the end."

Jack lay on the bed and spooned against him, his hand again finding where the little one's feet were as it kicked gently now, more like… "He's dancing."

"I think so. I think he loves rhythm and when you are near my heart must go a little faster, he loves it."

Jack closed his eyes and started to sing softly, lulling them all.

He felt two inches high.

.

.

"No Ianto?"

Jack turned to find one of the women for the group there, her hand on her bump as she looked at the two plates of food Jack had. They had finally noticed his absence and clearly this one was the one chosen to make the first move.

"He's having a quiet day at home. Unpacking things and rearranging things. You know how it is when the room doesn't quite feel right, he wants that sofa to behave" Jack said more jauntily than he felt, the strange insistence of Ianto not to tell the others about the baby making Jack lie. He hates lying but does it well. After not believing him and treating him so badly, right now Jack was willing to do anything to make him happy. He might not understand Ianto's need to keep it secret, but he could respect it.

"He's not still bent out of shape about the Tummy Team?" she asked "It's been over a month since anyone saw him."

Jack tried not to pull a face at the name, and then he saw Toshiko moving in closer to listen so he said "Ianto is happy in his own space. This is his home after all and you are all his guests, don't forget that. This is not the old village, this is T3. Ianto is just a good host letting you all have your space like you wanted. Besides, I am enjoying spending time with him. Not so much time back at Torchwood Village, I didn't' realize how much we had drifted apart."

"Is there anything he needs?" Toshiko asked.

"Martha is taking care of things thanks. She is his cousin and he doesn't want to take any resources from you lot. Since you all think this is the focus." Jack bristled as he knew she had hurt Ianto deeply by not sticking up for him.

"well… ah … we were thinking of a book club, so when the babies are here and are having their sleep times in the afternoon we can quietly do that" Toshiko explained "I was waiting to ask him if he wanted to join us, you know… he's such a bookworm."

"I expect he will be busy. We have our own lives" Jack said flatly. "And he reads at a different level to most people, you might all be too slow for him."

"Oh. I … I might call around later. Haven't seen him all month" she smiled softly as she reached out to pluck up a small chocolate mousse to add to his tray "He likes these too."

"Actually, no. He's counting mouthfuls and such… you know how it is when he is uncomfortable with his body. All those issues from his teenage days? And those Spin Cycles were to help but… well. You took those too" Jack was now mean and he knew it, also not caring if she flinched at the reminder of Ianto's once upon a time bulimia.

"Is there anything we can do?" she asked.

"Just give him space. This baby thing… you know" he shrugged.

As he walked away it as Owen who turned to look after him with interest. He knew this man and knew when he was lying or being selective in his words.

Was Ianto unwell?