Chapter Seven: Eight Weeks Along
May. 8th, 2010 01:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ericadawn16Title: Knocked Up!
Author: Ericadawn16
Prompt: Knocked Up
Character/Pairing(s): Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Rhi/Johnny, Ianto/Lisa
Rating:R
Warnings: MPreg, sex, language
Spoilers:Character from COE
Word Count:68,599
Disclaimer for TW and the movie you are using:I own nothing.
Summary:Ianto gets a promotion at work, meets Jack and things are never the same...
Beta: BIG Thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
madkatstar_pir8 pirate4evrnavy2 and surreal_44
Author's Notes: This story is very AU. Chapter Six: Acceptance
Chapter Seven: Eight Weeks Along
Jack shifted a children's book off the couch and onto the coffee table.
"Here," Alice said and handed him a cup of tea. She already knew how he liked it so there was no need for milk or sugar before she sat down beside him.
"This isn't just a social call, is it?" she guessed and took a sip.
"I might be a father again," he admitted and saw her nod.
"Are you happy about that?" Alice asked with curiosity in her hazel eyes.
"Absolutely. Delighted," Jack started but she was one of the few he could really talk to, "This is a disaster."
"No, this is not a disaster," she said and patted his knee, "I'm also surprised it doesn't happen more often."
He gave her a look at the insult and she rolled her eyes.
"You hit on my entire bridal party at my wedding," Alice pointed out which was true.
"See, it is a disaster. I'm a horrible father and it must be all due to Lucia that you turned out so well," Jack spoke and slumped against the couch.
"So...change it. Make this a good thing. You don't have to fall back on your old habits. Make new ones," said Alice, "A baby is a good thing, a blessing."
"And how did you become so wise?" he asked as the words fluttered around in his head like butterflies.
"When I had Steven," she replied and their gaze both went to one of the many photos of the small boy, "Stuff happens. You just have to relax and it'll turn out fine. That's the beauty of it."
It sounded so good when she said it, but he still couldn't help thinking of everything that could go wrong. He ran a hand down the back of his head.
"What does she think?" Alice asked and took another sip.
"Who?" Jack questioned and she smiled while shaking her head.
"The mother," she said, "the one who actually has to carry it for nine months and give birth to it."
"Oh," Jack uttered and wasn't sure how to answer. Not only was the "mother" not a she, but he was also ignorant what Ianto's thoughts were on the subject. They'd never really had a discussion: They had never quite gotten to that part. Even though he'd gone to the appointment and seen the ultrasound, they hadn't spoken much about it then either. Ianto seemed to be in shock and he wasn't much better. Jack had experience with his female partners getting pregnant, but having a male partner -- from this century, at least -- become pregnant was a territory he never thought he'd have to explore. It was indescribable, as with any child you'd created yet with a certain oddness he didn't expect. Had he been living in primitive societies that long? Was he losing some of his acceptance of what was considered normal in the time he was raised? He hoped not.
"I don't know how the mother feels," he admitted and couldn't look at her, "We haven't talked about it."
"Dad!" Alice cried in that tone she used when she felt he was being unreasonable, "That's kind of important."
"Well, we weren't really together. We still aren't," he explained and saw a disappointed expression on her face.
"It doesn't matter. You're going to have a baby together and that's what matters. The baby has to come first," Alice stated and she was right, but he wasn't used to doing that.
"The mother works for Torchwood, too," Jack told her and wondered what she'd say.
"Sounds like your type then," Alice commented, "You haven't talked about that either? How's that going to work?"
"I don't know. I'm not sure, but Torchwood employees don't have the longest life-spans, what if I have to raise it on my own?" Jack asked, "I don't know what I'm doing."
Alice sighed.
"Who's to say she'll stay? Mum tried that for awhile, but after a couple of years, she retired. She said that I meant more to her than anything, even Torchwood. Sometimes, babies do change people," she said and set her cup down. He didn't know how Ianto felt about the job. However, he was out celebrating his promotion so he must like it at least some.
"And if that doesn't happen? Wouldn't that be unfair to the baby to have two parents in Torchwood?" he asked and she shook her head. It was as though she knew him too well.
"I'm the product of two Torchwood parents, yeah?" she asked and waited for him to nod, "You met my mum, recruited her, trained her, one thing led to another and..."
She gestured to herself and he nodded again.
"Was I worth it? Would you have changed any of that?" Alice questioned without fear. He couldn't imagine life without her.
"No, I wouldn't change any of it," he answered, "not for the world."
"There you go then, if I was worth it, why should this baby be any different?" she asked with a smile, "and if you want to stay a little longer, Steven should be getting up from his nap soon."
"I'd like that," he agreed and wished he could be as positive as she was.
******************************************************************
Ianto just missed being slammed into by one of the girls running around the property. Twelve girls, from Mica's class, were playing tag while Rhi worked out everything that still needed to be done for the party. Johnny appeared to be hiding but he knew his brother-in-law would reappear once the birthday cake was ready for cutting. David was at a friend's house rather than put up with a baker's dozen of little girls. Mica was looking at her wrapped presents and frowning.
"What is it, birthday girl? Is turning seven that unbearable?" he asked with a smile.
"I didn't get what I wanted," she said and kicked the ground. Ianto studied the presents. The largest of them had to be the size of a large dog and she was complaining?
"How can you be so sure?" he asked her and she looked back up at him.
"I asked for a dragon and you can't fit a dragon in a box. She would have had to put it on a leash or a halter like a horse," Mica explained, "and I don't see one anywhere."
Ianto tried his best not to laugh.
"I don't think a dragon would have been the best pet. You'd have to feed it and they eat a LOT. It would need a place to sleep and I'm not giving up the guesthouse. I heard they get bored easily so you would need someone to entertain it while you were at school," he explained, "and since they eat so much, they make a lot of poop...you wouldn't want all that poop here, would you? Your friends would come over and it'd smell."
"Oh," Mica said and thought for a moment, "Uncle Ianto, I don't think I want a dragon anymore."
He was glad that dragons weren't real: the dinosaurs were bad enough.
"Everyone line up for the Piñata!" Rhi called out and the little girl's face lit up. Then, she grabbed his belt and tugged.
"You have to help me, Uncle Ianto," she said and looked at him with those big, brown eyes, "Please..."
He took her hand and they walked to the stuffed creature. With a smile, he noticed it was a dragon.
"I put it too high," Rhi complained and was about to undo it.
"No, Uncle Ianto will hold me," Mica told her and turned to him.
"You don't have to," his sister whispered with a glance towards his middle.
"No, I want to," he said and picked his niece up so she rested up on his shoulders. Today was a good day and he didn't want Rhi jinxing things. He handed her the stick and she began beating the dragon.
"Go for the neck," he suggested and green paper broke off; fluttering to the ground.
"I can't get it," she said in annoyed tone, "Help me."
Ianto held her arm and directed it to hit the dragon in the right spot: over and over until it split open. Lollipops and small toys rained down onto the birthday guests who raised up their hands to catch them. Mica was trying to climb down on her own before he set her on the ground. They squealed with laughter over the cheap candy especially Mica with her brown hair in pigtails and a huge grin spreading across her face. Surrounded by all of it, he realised something. He wanted it; all of it. He didn't want to miss this. As crazy as it seemed, he was happy at the thought. A giggle threatened to leak out and he clamped his hand over his mouth. Rhi's arms were around him in a second.
"You alright, Ianto? You don't have to help if you need to lie down or vomit or something..." she said with a sympathetic expression.
"I'm fine," he insisted before thinking better of it. He did feel a little light-headed at finally making a decision. He believed he made the right one, but it was still a bit much.
"No, you're right. I think I'm going to lie down," Ianto said and nodded until she let go of him. With Mica distracted with one of the tiny, plastic toys, he made his exit to the guesthouse and closed the door behind him.
"I'm going to do it, I'm really going to do it," he spoke and stripped off his buttoned-shirt and the one underneath it. He placed his fingers on the bare skin of his stomach and in a tentative motion; he caressed it. It seemed like he should be able to tell, but he was only nine weeks along.
"I should tell Jack," Ianto said and dug out his mobile.
************************************************************
Jack walked along the deserted warehouse. Armed psychopaths were dangerous on their own without the help of alien drugs. Then, his mobile started buzzing in his pocket. It was the worst timing ever, but it could be important so he took it out: Ianto. The urge to ignore it was over-powered by Alice' voice from the other day about making this work.
"Hello," he said into the headset after turning off the com-link so Torchwood couldn't hear.
"Hi, Jack," Ianto spoke on the other end.
"Jack," a voice whispered in the semi-darkness. Jack took out his gun and took the safety off.
"Ianto, is everything okay?" Jack asked as he searched for a source of the sound.
"Good, good. You know, I was just calling to, let you know that, I’ve decided to keep the baby. That’s what’s happening with that," Ianto's Welsh vowels tumbled out of the speaker by his ear.
"Jack, come find me," the sinister voice called in a slightly louder whisper so Jack chased after it onto a catwalk.
"Good, good, that's what I thought you'd do so that's great," Jack told Ianto with half his attention diverted to the criminal he was assigned to catch.
"Ja-ack," the voice taunted, louder this time.
"Yeah, yeah, it is good," Ianto agreed, "Are you playing a video game or something?"
"Yeah, sorry about that," he said in an even tone until he heard Ianto sigh on the other end. Ianto was looking for some support and Jack wasn't giving any. He was being an asshole.
"Listen, I know we didn’t plan this and neither of us really thought it could happen but life is like that, you know? You can’t plan for it and even if we did, life doesn’t care about your plans, necessarily. You just have to relax and it'll turn out fine," Jack said, striding across the metal, "I just know my job is to just support you in whatever it is you want. I’m in for whatever you want from me."
It sounded like Ianto was crying on his earpiece, but he heard something else...a footstep. He ran as fast as he could and aimed his gun. The shot was fired without hesitation. Jack hoped he'd get something. There was a mumbled expletive and he could make out a shadow.
"I want to do my part, I do," Jack told Ianto before he fired again. This time, he made sure it would hit something valuable; namely, his ankle. The whisperer wasn't going anywhere.
"That game sounds very realistic," Ianto commented, "but thanks, I really appreciate you saying that."
Jack had reached his target. It was man with a beard and ragged clothes. He must have been taking the drug for quite some time. He almost felt sorry for him.
"No problem, but I was thinking if you could help me by telling me, something that I am supposed to do because I literally have no idea whatsoever," Jack admitted into the headset.
"Jack, why did you turn off the com-link?!" Alice Guppy screamed at him from downstairs.
"I think I get enough of that stress at work," Ianto commented, "but...but I have no idea how this is supposed to work either."
"Do you want to get together over dinner and talk about it?" Jack asked as he walked back over the catwalk and started to make his way down.
"Yeah," Ianto agreed on the other end.
"Tomorrow night? Like a date?" Jack questioned and Guppy mouthed the word, 'Unbelievable'. At this point, he was right in front of her. Apparently, she wasn't too happy with him. She could get over it.
"Right," Ianto said and Jack told him, "Great, I'll phone you tomorrow with the details." He hung up and spoke to Guppy, "Don't get your knickers in a twist. He's up there; had to shoot him a few times so I can't guarantee his condition."
*******************************************
Ianto drove up to Jack's address and parked his car on the street. He expected a flat, but it was a fairly good-sized house. He was preparing to look for whether there was a bell or he was supposed to knock on the door when a face appeared in the side window: a male that wasn't Jack. The front door opened a few seconds later.
"Hi," Jack said while shoving someone out of the way.
"Hi," Ianto said back to him.
"You look handsome," Jack told him with a smile. Ianto felt a lot of things: none of which were handsome. He was growing things inside that weren't supposed to go there. He was crampy, bloated and had just gotten over queasy on the driver over here. He wasn't handsome. Still, at least Jack was trying.
"Thank you," he spoke.
"No problem, come on in," Jack said and motioned towards the interior of the house. They journeyed from the entry to a sitting room with five people spread around on furniture. He wasn't expecting this.
"Everyone, this is Ianto," Jack announced and everyone waved. Who was "everyone"?
"Hi," said Ianto and hated how everyone was staring at him as though he was the last cupcake in a batch.
"Yan, hey, it's John, I'm sure you remember," he spoke with a flirtatious undertone. He tried his best not to cringe at it.
"Yan-toe," he over-enunciated, "Yes, I remember."
"You look beautiful," John told him, "glowing." Ianto hoped he wasn't implying what he thought he was implying and any glow would be due to being flushed or throwing up. If only there was some way to shut him up in a polite way.
"Thank you," he said and wished that would be the end of it.
"Your body's responding really well to the pregnancy," John spoke to Ianto's shock and horror.
"Umm, what?" he asked as though ignorant of what he meant.
"You even look like you're getting something up here," John said and pointed to his own upper chest. No! Ianto hoped he was imagining things that certain...things looked bigger. He crossed his arms over his nipples.
"It can't be that bad. It's like your own personal pair to play with," John continued, "How's your sis?"
"She's...she's good," Ianto replied as he realized that John had just said all of that in front of the others. Did they all know? Did Jack put his condition as the status message on his Facebook? Did Jack even comprehend the meaning of discrete? Ianto knew Frobisher had used that word at least once during the appointment.
"Oh good, tell her hello for me," John spoke and stuck his hands in his pockets.
"Right," said Ianto with no intention of doing so.
"I'm going to go make a protein shake," John announced and started walking away, "with lots of vodka..."
"And this young man is Mickey," Jack explained of the man with a mustache.
"Hi," Ianto told him.
"Hey," Mickey said with a nod.
"I know I saw Owen a second ago, but he appears to have slipped out. He's a doctor," Jack spoke, "that's Andy and Toshiko over there."
"Hi," Ianto spoke with a little wave in their direction.
Chapter Eight: Nine Weeks Along
Author: Ericadawn16
Prompt: Knocked Up
Character/Pairing(s): Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Rhi/Johnny, Ianto/Lisa
Rating:R
Warnings: MPreg, sex, language
Spoilers:Character from COE
Word Count:68,599
Disclaimer for TW and the movie you are using:I own nothing.
Summary:Ianto gets a promotion at work, meets Jack and things are never the same...
Beta: BIG Thanks to
madkatstar_pir8 pirate4evrnavy2 and surreal_44Author's Notes: This story is very AU. Chapter Six: Acceptance
Chapter Seven: Eight Weeks Along
Jack shifted a children's book off the couch and onto the coffee table.
"Here," Alice said and handed him a cup of tea. She already knew how he liked it so there was no need for milk or sugar before she sat down beside him.
"This isn't just a social call, is it?" she guessed and took a sip.
"I might be a father again," he admitted and saw her nod.
"Are you happy about that?" Alice asked with curiosity in her hazel eyes.
"Absolutely. Delighted," Jack started but she was one of the few he could really talk to, "This is a disaster."
"No, this is not a disaster," she said and patted his knee, "I'm also surprised it doesn't happen more often."
He gave her a look at the insult and she rolled her eyes.
"You hit on my entire bridal party at my wedding," Alice pointed out which was true.
"See, it is a disaster. I'm a horrible father and it must be all due to Lucia that you turned out so well," Jack spoke and slumped against the couch.
"So...change it. Make this a good thing. You don't have to fall back on your old habits. Make new ones," said Alice, "A baby is a good thing, a blessing."
"And how did you become so wise?" he asked as the words fluttered around in his head like butterflies.
"When I had Steven," she replied and their gaze both went to one of the many photos of the small boy, "Stuff happens. You just have to relax and it'll turn out fine. That's the beauty of it."
It sounded so good when she said it, but he still couldn't help thinking of everything that could go wrong. He ran a hand down the back of his head.
"What does she think?" Alice asked and took another sip.
"Who?" Jack questioned and she smiled while shaking her head.
"The mother," she said, "the one who actually has to carry it for nine months and give birth to it."
"Oh," Jack uttered and wasn't sure how to answer. Not only was the "mother" not a she, but he was also ignorant what Ianto's thoughts were on the subject. They'd never really had a discussion: They had never quite gotten to that part. Even though he'd gone to the appointment and seen the ultrasound, they hadn't spoken much about it then either. Ianto seemed to be in shock and he wasn't much better. Jack had experience with his female partners getting pregnant, but having a male partner -- from this century, at least -- become pregnant was a territory he never thought he'd have to explore. It was indescribable, as with any child you'd created yet with a certain oddness he didn't expect. Had he been living in primitive societies that long? Was he losing some of his acceptance of what was considered normal in the time he was raised? He hoped not.
"I don't know how the mother feels," he admitted and couldn't look at her, "We haven't talked about it."
"Dad!" Alice cried in that tone she used when she felt he was being unreasonable, "That's kind of important."
"Well, we weren't really together. We still aren't," he explained and saw a disappointed expression on her face.
"It doesn't matter. You're going to have a baby together and that's what matters. The baby has to come first," Alice stated and she was right, but he wasn't used to doing that.
"The mother works for Torchwood, too," Jack told her and wondered what she'd say.
"Sounds like your type then," Alice commented, "You haven't talked about that either? How's that going to work?"
"I don't know. I'm not sure, but Torchwood employees don't have the longest life-spans, what if I have to raise it on my own?" Jack asked, "I don't know what I'm doing."
Alice sighed.
"Who's to say she'll stay? Mum tried that for awhile, but after a couple of years, she retired. She said that I meant more to her than anything, even Torchwood. Sometimes, babies do change people," she said and set her cup down. He didn't know how Ianto felt about the job. However, he was out celebrating his promotion so he must like it at least some.
"And if that doesn't happen? Wouldn't that be unfair to the baby to have two parents in Torchwood?" he asked and she shook her head. It was as though she knew him too well.
"I'm the product of two Torchwood parents, yeah?" she asked and waited for him to nod, "You met my mum, recruited her, trained her, one thing led to another and..."
She gestured to herself and he nodded again.
"Was I worth it? Would you have changed any of that?" Alice questioned without fear. He couldn't imagine life without her.
"No, I wouldn't change any of it," he answered, "not for the world."
"There you go then, if I was worth it, why should this baby be any different?" she asked with a smile, "and if you want to stay a little longer, Steven should be getting up from his nap soon."
"I'd like that," he agreed and wished he could be as positive as she was.
******************************************************************
Ianto just missed being slammed into by one of the girls running around the property. Twelve girls, from Mica's class, were playing tag while Rhi worked out everything that still needed to be done for the party. Johnny appeared to be hiding but he knew his brother-in-law would reappear once the birthday cake was ready for cutting. David was at a friend's house rather than put up with a baker's dozen of little girls. Mica was looking at her wrapped presents and frowning.
"What is it, birthday girl? Is turning seven that unbearable?" he asked with a smile.
"I didn't get what I wanted," she said and kicked the ground. Ianto studied the presents. The largest of them had to be the size of a large dog and she was complaining?
"How can you be so sure?" he asked her and she looked back up at him.
"I asked for a dragon and you can't fit a dragon in a box. She would have had to put it on a leash or a halter like a horse," Mica explained, "and I don't see one anywhere."
Ianto tried his best not to laugh.
"I don't think a dragon would have been the best pet. You'd have to feed it and they eat a LOT. It would need a place to sleep and I'm not giving up the guesthouse. I heard they get bored easily so you would need someone to entertain it while you were at school," he explained, "and since they eat so much, they make a lot of poop...you wouldn't want all that poop here, would you? Your friends would come over and it'd smell."
"Oh," Mica said and thought for a moment, "Uncle Ianto, I don't think I want a dragon anymore."
He was glad that dragons weren't real: the dinosaurs were bad enough.
"Everyone line up for the Piñata!" Rhi called out and the little girl's face lit up. Then, she grabbed his belt and tugged.
"You have to help me, Uncle Ianto," she said and looked at him with those big, brown eyes, "Please..."
He took her hand and they walked to the stuffed creature. With a smile, he noticed it was a dragon.
"I put it too high," Rhi complained and was about to undo it.
"No, Uncle Ianto will hold me," Mica told her and turned to him.
"You don't have to," his sister whispered with a glance towards his middle.
"No, I want to," he said and picked his niece up so she rested up on his shoulders. Today was a good day and he didn't want Rhi jinxing things. He handed her the stick and she began beating the dragon.
"Go for the neck," he suggested and green paper broke off; fluttering to the ground.
"I can't get it," she said in annoyed tone, "Help me."
Ianto held her arm and directed it to hit the dragon in the right spot: over and over until it split open. Lollipops and small toys rained down onto the birthday guests who raised up their hands to catch them. Mica was trying to climb down on her own before he set her on the ground. They squealed with laughter over the cheap candy especially Mica with her brown hair in pigtails and a huge grin spreading across her face. Surrounded by all of it, he realised something. He wanted it; all of it. He didn't want to miss this. As crazy as it seemed, he was happy at the thought. A giggle threatened to leak out and he clamped his hand over his mouth. Rhi's arms were around him in a second.
"You alright, Ianto? You don't have to help if you need to lie down or vomit or something..." she said with a sympathetic expression.
"I'm fine," he insisted before thinking better of it. He did feel a little light-headed at finally making a decision. He believed he made the right one, but it was still a bit much.
"No, you're right. I think I'm going to lie down," Ianto said and nodded until she let go of him. With Mica distracted with one of the tiny, plastic toys, he made his exit to the guesthouse and closed the door behind him.
"I'm going to do it, I'm really going to do it," he spoke and stripped off his buttoned-shirt and the one underneath it. He placed his fingers on the bare skin of his stomach and in a tentative motion; he caressed it. It seemed like he should be able to tell, but he was only nine weeks along.
"I should tell Jack," Ianto said and dug out his mobile.
************************************************************
Jack walked along the deserted warehouse. Armed psychopaths were dangerous on their own without the help of alien drugs. Then, his mobile started buzzing in his pocket. It was the worst timing ever, but it could be important so he took it out: Ianto. The urge to ignore it was over-powered by Alice' voice from the other day about making this work.
"Hello," he said into the headset after turning off the com-link so Torchwood couldn't hear.
"Hi, Jack," Ianto spoke on the other end.
"Jack," a voice whispered in the semi-darkness. Jack took out his gun and took the safety off.
"Ianto, is everything okay?" Jack asked as he searched for a source of the sound.
"Good, good. You know, I was just calling to, let you know that, I’ve decided to keep the baby. That’s what’s happening with that," Ianto's Welsh vowels tumbled out of the speaker by his ear.
"Jack, come find me," the sinister voice called in a slightly louder whisper so Jack chased after it onto a catwalk.
"Good, good, that's what I thought you'd do so that's great," Jack told Ianto with half his attention diverted to the criminal he was assigned to catch.
"Ja-ack," the voice taunted, louder this time.
"Yeah, yeah, it is good," Ianto agreed, "Are you playing a video game or something?"
"Yeah, sorry about that," he said in an even tone until he heard Ianto sigh on the other end. Ianto was looking for some support and Jack wasn't giving any. He was being an asshole.
"Listen, I know we didn’t plan this and neither of us really thought it could happen but life is like that, you know? You can’t plan for it and even if we did, life doesn’t care about your plans, necessarily. You just have to relax and it'll turn out fine," Jack said, striding across the metal, "I just know my job is to just support you in whatever it is you want. I’m in for whatever you want from me."
It sounded like Ianto was crying on his earpiece, but he heard something else...a footstep. He ran as fast as he could and aimed his gun. The shot was fired without hesitation. Jack hoped he'd get something. There was a mumbled expletive and he could make out a shadow.
"I want to do my part, I do," Jack told Ianto before he fired again. This time, he made sure it would hit something valuable; namely, his ankle. The whisperer wasn't going anywhere.
"That game sounds very realistic," Ianto commented, "but thanks, I really appreciate you saying that."
Jack had reached his target. It was man with a beard and ragged clothes. He must have been taking the drug for quite some time. He almost felt sorry for him.
"No problem, but I was thinking if you could help me by telling me, something that I am supposed to do because I literally have no idea whatsoever," Jack admitted into the headset.
"Jack, why did you turn off the com-link?!" Alice Guppy screamed at him from downstairs.
"I think I get enough of that stress at work," Ianto commented, "but...but I have no idea how this is supposed to work either."
"Do you want to get together over dinner and talk about it?" Jack asked as he walked back over the catwalk and started to make his way down.
"Yeah," Ianto agreed on the other end.
"Tomorrow night? Like a date?" Jack questioned and Guppy mouthed the word, 'Unbelievable'. At this point, he was right in front of her. Apparently, she wasn't too happy with him. She could get over it.
"Right," Ianto said and Jack told him, "Great, I'll phone you tomorrow with the details." He hung up and spoke to Guppy, "Don't get your knickers in a twist. He's up there; had to shoot him a few times so I can't guarantee his condition."
*******************************************
Ianto drove up to Jack's address and parked his car on the street. He expected a flat, but it was a fairly good-sized house. He was preparing to look for whether there was a bell or he was supposed to knock on the door when a face appeared in the side window: a male that wasn't Jack. The front door opened a few seconds later.
"Hi," Jack said while shoving someone out of the way.
"Hi," Ianto said back to him.
"You look handsome," Jack told him with a smile. Ianto felt a lot of things: none of which were handsome. He was growing things inside that weren't supposed to go there. He was crampy, bloated and had just gotten over queasy on the driver over here. He wasn't handsome. Still, at least Jack was trying.
"Thank you," he spoke.
"No problem, come on in," Jack said and motioned towards the interior of the house. They journeyed from the entry to a sitting room with five people spread around on furniture. He wasn't expecting this.
"Everyone, this is Ianto," Jack announced and everyone waved. Who was "everyone"?
"Hi," said Ianto and hated how everyone was staring at him as though he was the last cupcake in a batch.
"Yan, hey, it's John, I'm sure you remember," he spoke with a flirtatious undertone. He tried his best not to cringe at it.
"Yan-toe," he over-enunciated, "Yes, I remember."
"You look beautiful," John told him, "glowing." Ianto hoped he wasn't implying what he thought he was implying and any glow would be due to being flushed or throwing up. If only there was some way to shut him up in a polite way.
"Thank you," he said and wished that would be the end of it.
"Your body's responding really well to the pregnancy," John spoke to Ianto's shock and horror.
"Umm, what?" he asked as though ignorant of what he meant.
"You even look like you're getting something up here," John said and pointed to his own upper chest. No! Ianto hoped he was imagining things that certain...things looked bigger. He crossed his arms over his nipples.
"It can't be that bad. It's like your own personal pair to play with," John continued, "How's your sis?"
"She's...she's good," Ianto replied as he realized that John had just said all of that in front of the others. Did they all know? Did Jack put his condition as the status message on his Facebook? Did Jack even comprehend the meaning of discrete? Ianto knew Frobisher had used that word at least once during the appointment.
"Oh good, tell her hello for me," John spoke and stuck his hands in his pockets.
"Right," said Ianto with no intention of doing so.
"I'm going to go make a protein shake," John announced and started walking away, "with lots of vodka..."
"And this young man is Mickey," Jack explained of the man with a mustache.
"Hi," Ianto told him.
"Hey," Mickey said with a nod.
"I know I saw Owen a second ago, but he appears to have slipped out. He's a doctor," Jack spoke, "that's Andy and Toshiko over there."
"Hi," Ianto spoke with a little wave in their direction.
Chapter Eight: Nine Weeks Along
