23

Ianto was watching Jack as he bonded with their son, his face full of love as he sang softly to the sleeping baby. Finally he could not take it any more "Jack, can we leave now?"

"What?" Jack looked up from his son with surprise "What?"

"I can't get the feeling of dread out of my mind and the women are going to go tomorrow… we will have no time left after that, Braxton Hicks all afternoon Owen said. If UNIT are watching or has an inside agent, once those women have all birthed, they will swoop. How long before they find one more baby here?" Ianto tried to sound calm but knew his voice was slightly higher pitched "I am being crazy, but we both know I have been a little manic all through this and I have not been wrong yet."

"But that would mean leaving Toshiko" Jack pointed out "and your family."

"If they want to come then… if Toshiko goes early she can travel right? Look… I might be stupid, baby brained up the wazoo but… I don't want to be here for the first few days after the birthing event." Ianto begged.

"He's right" Owen said as he entered the room with open concern "Toshiko agrees too. She is being induced now, by dawn our baby will hopefully be here and… she will be able to travel."

Jack looked at him with surprise "are you sure? What about the other mothers?"

"Martha is staying, Tish and Francine as well. I talked to them all and made it sound like you are hormonal and need to leave for your mental health" he grimaced as Ianto glowered at him "Come on, I can't say baby brain or anything to the women… you are not supposed to have him, remember? Can't use him as an excuse, the next best thing is to say you are depressed by the actions of the women, didn't want to rain on their experiences blah blah. But… they were not only adamant that they needed to stay, they wanted to come over here and admonish you for wanting to leave. They think you are being overly emotional as per usual but me and Tosh know you are usually right about your hunches so… we will go with. Martha agrees, your comfort level right now is important and in order to bond you have to feel safe. So… adventure time!""

"You have a plan?" Jack asked as he held their son tightly "Tig?"

"Yes, I do. I need to do a few things before I am ready, you stay here with him, I will venture out so they don't know I gave birth." Ianto said as he rose gingerly.

"Riiiiight … they will never know" Owen said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Gallstones" Ianto said calmly "I have gallstones, come on. I am clearly in pain, it can explain the scanner and such here as well. I have a fucking HUGE gallstone and passed one just last night."

Owen snorted softly with mirth as he agreed, that would work.

And so for the first time in several weeks, Ianto left the house.

..

.

"Ianto!"

Ianto turned to find Collette advancing with her hands on her bump and a determined look on her face "Ianto, where have you been… are you OK?"

"Yeah, I didn't want to startle anyone…gallstones. I've been a little under the weather but I passed the stuck stone that was causing my pain so… I am feeling much better." He smiled as he straightened up.

"Oh you poor man" she sighed as she moved closer "We're all going today. Toshi is already labouring. I have the first twinges and Helena's water broke about ten minutes ago."

"I know, so exciting right" Ianto felt himself light up as his own baby had shown him how amazing this day would be for the others "Your life is about to change forever!"

She squealed as she held his hands and agreed that it was wonderful, and then she went back to pacing. Clearly, she was trying to go. Ianto left her to it.

He returned to the house to find things getting packed as Jack was talking quietly to Rhys and Andy, Andy possessively clutching little Zane with wide eyes, drinking in him.

"They just… came in" Jack said lamely with a shrug in their direction, Rhys now clicking his tongue as he reached over Andy's shoulder to stroke Zane's head.

"So… you told them…."

"Everything. Everything and they are coming with." Jack said happily "They feel weird here, had only wanted to stay for the births. Is that OK?"

"Well… yes." Ianto said with a grimace, not minding the boys but knowing that if they were being watched it might be harder to get all of them out looking like a fucking convoy or something. And the baby things… shit.

"I was thinking, I have a run this avo so Andy will come with me like he sometimes does. Anyone servailing us will not look twice. So… if you wanna put a few things in the back of the truck… now is the time to do it." Rhys said like he had read Ianto's mind.

"Right then… we have a plan. Tig?"

"Yes. We have a plan" Ianto replied.

"So… where are we going?" Owen asked as he entered with his gloves still on his hands "Bub is doing fine, mumma and Bub sleeping, ready to go."

"Jesus, really?" Jack asked, then shook his head "that woman is a machine."

"To the only place I know we might not be able to be found. Technically it does not exist, like this place only… smaller" Ianto replied more calmly than he felt. "but we have to go today."

"Let's boogie"