33
"So, they are settling?" Jack asked as he watched Ianto stalking around their warehouse (previously a four car garage like you needed one on a fucking island), pulling things into the centre of the room to go to the new Islands. Ianto was over his temper and now felt sorry for them. No one could see this coming and sure, they were idiots but really this was a simple brain fart and hopefully they would all learn from it.
"Yeah. They are actually quite happy since they found the personal gym the island owner had installed. Apparently they are puling all of the equipment outside and turning the gym into a discotheque." Ianto answered, turning to see Jack's face full of horror.
He waited.
Then Jack gave a loud gawf of laughter "Aw fuck. Ya had me there."
"I know, you are too easy. Nah, they will sit put the equipment down one end" Ianto smiled back and Jack laughed even more as he saw that Ianto was being serious after all.
"Oh god, they are twats" Jack roared gleefully, "So… odds on their survival this time?"
"Better with there being a security force room the Big Island on the island as well, living on site. They will do the sweeps and checks, pretend not to see the naked wrestling and such, and generally try to teach them to grow up. Seriously, I know it's not all their fault. We are so used to being ourselves, with one another that it is easy to forget how thick normal humans are. They need to be trained, to learn." Ianto shrugged.
"So what are you doing now?"
"Packing their party gear. They lost a lot and I am over my snot over the entire thing and am ready to pay nice. So… ah. There it is, can you reach that large crate over there Cariad?" Ianto asked pointing at a large wooden crate "It's not heavy, just large."
Jack was surprised at how light it was and he placed it with the other things, and then looked at Ianto in question.
"Go on, peek" Ianto rolled his eyes.
Jack did and then closed it to stare at the lid for a while "We had this the entire time and you are giving it to them?"
"A disc ball. What the hell do we want with that when the other cerate over there has the one thing you want" Ianto pointed and Jack went over to peer in the other crate then make a noise of genuine delight.
"Oh my god. A waterfall chandelier. WOW" Jack gushed happily "I want it."
"I was thinking…. Either the dining room or the bathroom, so you can have a bubble bath and some wine while looking up at it" Ianto shrugged. "decadent."
Jack grunted and started to drag it out.
"Jack… we need to find an electrician to wire it in and then…"
"You can do it" Jack said as he continued to drag it "I know you can. You rewired that entire archive room by room. Don't' hold out on me now. No stalling."
"Well, ya got e there" Ianto smiled, knowing this would be the end of the argument. Jack won. Ianto won as he changed the subject from the Party House and got the bathroom fitting he wanted all along.
Everybody wins, right?
.
.
"What is it? You've been distracted all day" Ianto asked as he asked for the long nosed pliers for the third time and Toshiko looked up at him on the ladder with surprise.
"Oh, sorry." She said as she looked at her hands full of tools, "which one Sweetie?"
"The long nosed pliers blossom" Ianto said softly before he moved descended the ladder to stand with her and pluck them from her hand "What is it?"
"I think I am pregnant" she whispered like it was a sin.
"What? No. Owen actually hit a home run?" Ianto said, and then snorted "Sorry. That fell out. Wow. That's amazing, I am so happy for you."
"Well… I am not so sure" she said as she checked they were alone "He doesn't know yet. I am still weighing up options."
Ianto felt his smile slide before he could catch it and he cleared his throat "So not a happy occasion? OK. I am sorry sweetie, what can I do to help?"
She sighed and then stepped into his arms, letting him hold her tightly as she buried her face in his chest. Like a big brother now, not the little one anymore, he comforted her. He got it. He knew her darkest fear and as he rubbed her back he thought about it too.
"I chose this island not just for that chandelier up there" Ianto said after a while "Also because it is the farthest out form the mainland. Sounds harsh but there are two more settlements between us an Ugly would find enticing before us. Is that horrible? These people are buffers?"
She leaned back to look up into his face with a snort of amusement as he lightened her heart and he continued "The greatest fear was the Dust. This is so far, the possibility of it is slim, but not a guarantee of safety, sure if smoke can drift this far spores might too. Why we need to be vigilant. Why I want to turn a lot of the grounds to concrete or gravel… crazy pavers… the works. The less bare soil the better. Lawns kept clipped with no flowers… the only flowers to be those grown in the glasshouses or inside the huge glass conservatory over there. Any others are killed with open malice as they are detected. I have thought of all this, a little precious one already here. The biggest thing now is that boat. We did not account for that."
She nodded. Ah. He guessed right.
"So, I am thinking on that too. Don't worry darling, I am close to a solution to make sure we don't get a U-Day landing" he assured her as he tapped the side of his head "It in is there rolling around and soon I will talk to Jack and he will be relieved to know what has been worrying me. He will do as I ask to please me."
"So, it will be safe to have a baby here? No way to keep it quiet during an attack and… the sickness from the Dust. No way to tell if it will be immune or not" she leaned back into his safe arms.
"Don't worry. I have a plan."
She relaxed as that was as good as a guarantee for her.
Ianto pondered.
