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"Well it makes sense" Jack nodded, "It is their playground I guess.""It means I can fence the back yard in, they can be safe without me having a conniption each time the little miss gets the door open to escape and the doggy door can go in with fluffs being safe from predators" Ianto agreed. "Let's not even mention the fact she will try to fit out it at some stage, she is a little escape artist."""What are we talking about?" Dylan asked as he entered, Lorenzo behind him as per usual. "Predator things?""Taddy is thinking of transforming the big back yard into a play area for you kids" Jack explained "Then you can have a swing set and sandbox or something.""Awesome!" Lorenzo yelled as he ran to peer out the window, "We can have special flowers? A birdie bath?""Anything you like" Ianto said with delight, the little boy starting to feel safe enough to show himself and they could now see why Dylan had been drawn to him, his sweet little heart was tempered with a silliness that was catching, Jack prone to silly sock-feet dances in the hallway too."Well, let's first check where the fence will go to contain the beastette" Jack said, "Come on boys. We can bang these stakes in so we can see how big the area is."Ianto settled on the patio to watch Jack and the kids stalk around the garden arguing about where things should go, the children revelling in it all as Carley squealed and clapped in the grass. Ianto heard a noise and looked up for the book he had started only to find Lorenzo looking at him with extreme interest, "Are you OK Tadda?""Yes love, tired today" Ianto said gently, "Sometimes I feel tired so I sit for a while and then I feel better."Lorenzo canted his head as he considered, then he pulled a chair over and settled in it, "Then I will sit too.""Oh, thank you darling" Ianto smiled, "I am OK ya know. If you wanted to help Daddy and Dylan.""Nope" Lorenzo smiled happily, "I can see them step in the doggy plops quite well from here."Ianto sniggered softly as he shoved his foot at the child and they grinned for a while, then Lorenzo looked at the books and chose a magazine, "What's this about?""That's a food magazine. Recipes and stuff" Ianto said as he went back to his own book, "I like to cook too."Lorenzo was entranced, never seeing food like it before and he turned the magazine sideways at times to examine the pictures closer."They really eat this?""Yes love" Ianto said as he looked over, "That is quite yummy but a Grup kind of yummy. A bit too much pepper and garlic for little tums. See that one? That one I could show you how to make."Lorenzo stared at the little tomato cut into a flower and he grinned as he looked at Ianto, "I like food.""Me too" Ianto whispered."Uncle Andy is good with food, do you think he went to school for it?" Lorenzo asked with a serious look on his face, "You can go to schools to learn about food more, right?""Yes, cooking schools" Ianto reached out to stroke his cheek, "You could be a chef. Cook me wonderful meals that make me feel strong and fit. Maybe cook for your own babies one day, yeah?"Lorenzo hummed happily as he turned the page and was soon turning the page to examine a little dinner roll filled with pesto and things. Ianto looked back towards the doorway to find Andy watching the little boy, "Enzo? I was going to make some sandwiches for a snack, want to help?"Lorenzo lit up, throwing the magazine on the table as he leapt up, "Yes please Uncle."Ianto watched Andy gush as he lifted the little boy to his hip, a little kiss as he wandered back inside with him and Ianto smiled as he turned his attention to the little girl confidently waddling towards him with a flower in her chubby little hand, a look of determination as she looked carefully at each foot fall."Oh sweetie, is that for me?" Ianto thought he might melt into a pool of Welsh delight as she grinned and held out the flower."Ta?""Oh Ta darling" he said as he accepted the flower."Ta? Up Ta-Ta?""Oh Cariad, did you hear that" Ianto sobbed happily, "She's trying to say Tadda.""Well, I think Tata is a great version, well done" Jack praised the child as he leaned in for a kiss, sweeter than candy. His lips meeting Ianto's as little wet ones smacked against his cheek.Perfect really.
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"So … what's that one in the corner again?" Lorenzo pointed to a tree that was standing over the others silently."Pussy Willow" Ianto replied as he looked up at it."It's in the way of the Golf Course" Dylan said with a sniff and Ianto turned to look at him."Oh no, we need one of those in the garden, they are important, especially if you are going to have kitties" Ianto shook his head and the children all froze as they heard a 'No' from him for the first time."Why?" Dylan asked, not fazed by this as Lorenzo blinked slowly."The legend goes… a mama kitty was taking her baby kitties to play in the sunshine. You know, chase leaves and have fun but they were naughty kitties, as kitties are bound to be. She called out to them to behave and come back but they were so busy dancing about, slapping one another and grabbing at the falling leaves that they tumbled into the river." Ianto knelt to explain as Jack found himself entranced as well, he had never heard this story."What happened?" Jack whispered."She called for help. She cried and wailed for her babies that were drowning in the fast flowing water where she couldn't reach" Ianto sighed, faces dropping with horror at the thought as Carley watched a butterfly, already tuned out. "The mud was dragging them down like quicksand as the water gushed over them.""And?" Jack prompted, "Did a handsome Captain help?"The boys laughed as they slapped at him to shut up and then turned back to Ianto who grinned softly, "So. Her cries were so horrible, nothing worse than a mama sad and she was begging anyone, anyone in the entire verse to help. The big willow tree who stood sentry over the river sighed, his heart breaking and he bent down to let his branches sink into the water.""Why?" Lorenzo whimpered."To catch the kitties" Ianto smiled, "The babies all clung to his branches and he picked them up out of the foul, muddy water. They were all covered in mud and looked like little grey blobs. He gently swung to shore and placed them down for Mama Kitty to scold and I bet they all got a right good licking for that game.""So …. He saves babies" Lorenzo looked back at the tree, "Like a Taddy or a Captain does"Jack swelled with delight as he grinned over the children's heads at Ianto and mouthed that he was a saviour of kitties. Ianto gave him a quick glare of doom that Jack ignored with a tongue poked out to show saviours do not care for that glare thing."Every year he remembers the lovely little family that he helped and when his leaves fall off he has little grey fuzzy blobs on his branches so everyone can see that he still loves his kitties. That's why he is a Pussy Willow.""Wow" Dylan nodded to Lorenzo, "I guess he is more important than a golf course bro.""We need a kitty saver more than a golf ball whacking place" Lorenzo agreed with a sage nod of his head, "Besides, if we keep him and the other tree there we can have a hammock right?""Ahhhhh, why didn't I think of that" Dylan slapped his head with his hand, "Of course we need a hammock or two. Taddy and Uncle Andy can get us drinks while Daddy mows the lawn and Carley sleeps on the patio where it's cool.""Wow, got it all worked out have you?" Jack laughed softly."Yeah, it's gonna be so grand" Lorenzo sighed with a wistful look, "And birdies will come to play, even butterflies and we will paint them and stuff. Right?""Right" Dylan nodded, "Valentine will poop everywhere too I guess but we need to remember to pick it up before we let Daddy loose with the mower. We don't want that flying through the air, he would never get the smell out.""Erg! Word!" Lorenzo agreed and the two boys wandered off as Jack frowned softly."Hang on. We have a gardener, right? Why am I mooing dog poo all over myself all of a sudden?" Jack demanded as he slumped in the chair next to Ianto."Because …. You are Daddy. The man of the house. Painting, hammering and general Daddy tasks." Ianto soothed, "I am too delicate for that sort of thing, I would rather watch you with your shirt off all sweaty and glistening … yum.""Yeah?" Jack perked up."Until he runs over dog poo" Lorenzo muttered as he wandered past with a tape measure dragging behind him like a snake. Jack blinked and swung to watch the little boy measure the width of the footpath as Ianto started to choke and snigger."Cariad, he said poo" Ianto whispered with glee, "He really said Poo.""Yeah, he did" Jack smiled as he watched Ianto celebrate the small victory.Lorenzo was being safe.
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The truck arrived with the sand and Ianto watched the boys roar out with spades and buckets to spread it … yeah, all five of them. Andy had reverted to childhood the same ad Owen and with Jack as a leader they were all soon standing under the downpour shoving one another as the two little boys calmly bucketed it to the corner of their huge sandpit.Ianto had watched for a while, then picked up the sketch pad left to one side with the diagram of the sandpit and he made a call, then settled to wait for them all to come back in, of course the first one to start complaining was Owen.It's in my gruts!" he said with a scowl, "I can feel it around me balls. I'll be digging it out of my crack for days."And… there it is."Ianto!" Jack roared as he shrugged at his clothing too."Outside shower at the side of the house for gardening mess" Ianto said calmly, "I have put some soap and stuff around there, plus towels. The boys can strip to their boxers and come in for a bath.""Why don't we get a bath?" Andy wailed with a pout."Because the three of you in a tub would render my bathroom entirely destroyed" Ianto replied, "We don't have a hot tub or you could have gone in there.""Hot tub" Jack said with wide eyes, "Oh Goddess, we could get a hot tub?""I didn't say that!" Ianto called out without looking up from his book he had resumed reading. He was getting used to Jack's excited outbursts and found his childlike glee adorable…not that he would ever say that out loud. Sweet man."A hot tub, we could have like…hot tub evenings with beers and snacks!" Owen gushed as Andy joined in, agreeing that they sold them with a piece on the side for food, right? A snack bar thing?Ianto listened for a while then rolled his eyes and went in to find the little girl already naked, pulling at her nappy as she growled with annoyance at the childproof gate over the entrance to the bathroom where she could see a bath running with bubbles and no way in."Me! Tatatata?" she wailed as she pointed to the bubbles and Ianto laughed as he watched her shake the gate again."Someone doesn't miss a trick" Ianto snorted as he scooped her up and went through to check the bath as the boys giggled and ran inside to leap into the still filling bath, the sand itching like mad. Ianto made sure they were OK, stepping aside when Andy appeared with a towel around himself as well as a robe, heading outside to check the others.Jack was standing with a look of surprise as a truck backed up, Owen still scrubbing "Ianto? What's that?""A hydraulic cover for the sandpit" Ianto replied, "did you forget about the cats? They will see that as a toilet when the kids are not in it.""Erg." Jack grimaced, "Hydraulic?""Yes, this company specialises in them. A button on the side to open or close and the kids can operate it themselves. Means no kitty surprises and their toys will be covered if it rains.""You really do think of everything" Jack smiled, pulling on a robe as he rushed to watch and Ianto laughed, calling out that his little princess might get pissed if she didn't see too."Shit, the kids!" Jack laughed, racing inside and Ianto sighed as he saw the muddy footprints he would have to mop up now. He walked sedately to the door and watched Jack come running out with a baby girl under one arm, Lorenzo under the other as Dylan raced him with the robe flapping open to show he was naked underneath.Ianto knew without asking that the other two had only their towelling robes as well so he turned to walk back and watched little feet gleefully stomp all through the mud as they watched the men work. Ianto canted his head as he watched Jack kneel in the mud without a second thought to pull his son closer, kissing Dylan's cheek as he talked to him, then laughing as their other son Lorenzo clambered onto his back like a spider monkey. Mad little monsters."Jack?" Ianto called calmly, "Princess breakout."Jack looked over at Ianto with a wide grin that faded as he realised he had only two children, looking around to find the little girl patting a workman's leg for an 'up' her tiny arms reaching out for affection.Shit.So much trust in others, her life full of strangers.Jack raced over and laughter sounded as he looked back to find Lorenzo sitting in the mud still clinging to the bathrobe he had been latched on to…. With….errrrrrr….. Jack looked down at his naked body and shrugged.Easier to get back under the shower I guess and she was too little to be shocked.Ianto sighed and went inside for more towels.
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Ianto knelt with little hands patting the earth next to his, a rare moment where he had their little princess instead of her Dadda. Jack and the boys were away shopping for garden things and Ianto had seen a rare chance to have some bonding time with the youngest family member who had watched them all morning with a solemn expression as she was too small to dig and stuff.Apparently she was a dab hand at patting earth down, if ya pardon the pun.Valentine had got bored and gone in, settling in his little basket as Andy make some cupcakes and his voice could be heard faintly as he sang lustily while he worked, not a bad voice really. Not a patch on Ianto's … but who would know with him hiding that fact.Nice to let Andy have that."Nice, so nice" Ianto praised, "That's right honey bunny. We pat the earth around the little roots and then the plant can grow big and strong. It will be able to hang on to the ground now, just like you hang on to Dadda.""Tatatata" she said sounding like a machine gun as she patted his knee, the muddy handprint nothing to Ianto's glee as he leaned over."Yes my love, you cling to me too, me and Daddy are both the earth and you are the prettiest flower in our garden" Ianto assured her."A pretty?""So pretty" he agreed as he kissed her little face, "My sweetling.""Taddy?" a voice called softly form inside the house."We are planting the daisies" Ianto called, turning to watch Lorenzo come to the door, peering out across the patio and down to the planter boxes at the bottom of the steps, "Hey sweetie, you guys back from shopping?""Yeah, Dylan spilt something on his top and is changing" Lorenzo said as he ran out and down to sit on the bottom step, "We got extra sauces.""Oh no, Daddy got into the sauce aisle again" Ianto sighed theatrically and Lorenzo giggled then leaned forward."No flowers?""Not yet love, the plant needs to settle" Ianto explained, "When it is ready it will bloom. Not all do it at the same time.""But these will be pretty? We will have a pretty garden" Lorenzo said as he leaned in to speak to his sister, "And you put some in there. Well done sissy, you made us a pretty garden for our home.""Yesh""Wow, Taddy!" Dylan crowed, "Almost done? Look, Enzo and me found these!"Dylan raced out with some little butterfly ornaments on springs that sank into the dirt."Well, just what we needed" Ianto agreed with gasps of glee and clapping, "I never knew you could get some of those. Look Carley, your brothers have such great ideas."Both boys puffed as they chose spots and 'planted' the butterflies about the place, Jack sitting on the step to watch as Carley squealed and climbed up the steps on her hands and knees to get to him, "They wanted one each and one for her.""Orange, purple and pink" Ianto nodded, "Seems right.""And look. One each for us, blue and red." Jack held out two he had been hiding and Ianto laughed, snatching up his red one and racing out into the yard to stick it into the ground next the pussy willow."I claim this Pussy Willow in the name of Harkness-Jones!" he roared as the kids cheered.Jack laughed and looked around, racing for the sandpit, "And I claim this sand!"Everyone cheered and laughed as Carley screamed for hers, pulling it from the garden where Lorenzo had put it and stomping over to stick it haphazardly into a large pot of succulents."Mine!" she roared with delight as they all fell about with mirth.Andy came out and watched, then turned to go in but Lorenzo saw him, "Uncle, come plant yours! We got you a yellow one for your sunshine smile."Andy was gobsmacked, it showed in his face he accepted the butterfly and stared at it for a while, then walked over to place it next to Lorenzo's, "I claim this spot, next to my bestie.""Oh! Good idea!" Dylan gasped, running to remove his and then place it with Lorenzo's."Well damn, Ianto does this mean…." Jack sighed as Ianto laughed and got up to go over to his butterfly, everyone moving their butterfly next to Lorenzo's so they were all in a big clump, then Jack turned to Carley."Sweet pea?""No" she shook her head defiantly, "Mine."Ianto solved it by picking up the pot and moving the whole thing, her face lighting up as she laughed with her head thrown back, pointing at the pot like it was the funniest thing she had ever seen."There we are" Ianto said with a nod of his head, "The whole family together. Loving each other for ever.""Yay!" Carley crowed and they all yelled too.Yay.
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The fences were up, the plants all deemed safe by the ever worrying Taddy whose research had ensured the safety of anything a little beast wanted to maybe eat for the sake of it and as nothing was poisonous Ianto let the children play as he went inside to grab his book, returning to find the boys happily playing in the sandpit."Where's your sister?" he asked, not concerned as there was nowhere to go.The boys shrugged and Ianto went hunting for his little gem, calling her name softly so as not to startle her. He would hate for her to think she was in trouble for running off or something, the thought of her scared of him would be unbearable. He started to panic slightly but then told himself to remain calm, follow his hunch and there she was, rattling the gate with a soft growl of annoyance. This one really hates being confined."Look here young lady, you better run coz I am gonna get you now" he said with glee, her face lighting up as he swung his arms and made silly growly noises and she ran off laughing as he chased her.It was not until later that Valentine was rooting about in the grass that Ianto came back to that spot and he knelt to see what the dog was digging up thinking one of the workers might have dropped a tool or something, a little boiled sweet unearthed from the grass that the dog crunched up quickly; before Ianto could snatch it up.Ianto sighed as he made a mental note to scold the menfolk, someone had to have brought those in and although they were just sweets they were small and Carley might choke on one, not to mention the fact it was dropped outside there. Doggies do not need lollies.He called the dog in and looked back one more time as he also made a mental note to train one of the cameras on that spot, just in case. That gate was only operable from the inside without a key-button but…still … it was a breachable position.Some forgot that about our Doctor Harkness-Jones.He was Militarial too.....Valentine yawned as he stretched and Dylan crooned as he rubbed a little belly, full with the nightly feed. He looked up to see his Taddy sitting with the tablet looking at the security camera footage. "Taddy? Why are you watching the feed?""I missed some playtime today" Ianto smiled softly, "I was making sure it was backed up, look at you and Lorenzo playing tag. Daddy was there, see?"Ianto tipped the tablet so the boys could watch themselves play, their laughter echoing as they again saw the fun of the day. Jack was drawn by the noise, soon laughing along with them as they watched Lorenzo stalking Dylan who thought he was safe behind a tree."You two are quite mad ya know" Ianto chortled then he settled back to save the feed to the archives, his face changing as another view come on.It was the stinkpot toddling along the fence, her hands brushing along the thick rungs as she seemed to sing a nonsense song to herself. Jack was in the corner of the screen and Ianto almost closed it but then saw Jack turn to chase one of the kids, the little girl seeing something off screen in the other direction and picking up speed as she disappeared from frame.That gate.She had run to that gate.Ianto sat and pondered for a while and then wondered if she had formed an attachment to one of the workers that had been coming most days to finish fitting the security gates. Was she checking in case they had come back?He again checked the new placement of the camera, glad to see the gate easily visible.Maybe it was a neighbourhood dog?For some reason Ianto couldn't shake the feeling of weirdness at not knowing.Taddys worry all the time I guess......Next is Dylan the Birthday Planner … Lorenzo is about to join his big brother in the wonderful world of Five Year Old Madness … let's see if this birthday party turns out as insane as the last one …. What do you think?
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"Three?" Dylan asked as Ianto looked over the top of his glasses."Why?""Boys, girls and Grups" Dylan said patently, "Carley should get her own one ya know. And Aunty Toshi will be here right? You know, we need to find Car-Car some friends."Ianto lowered the book and removed the glasses, pulling his feet up under himself as he leaned toward the little man on the floor, "Tell me again, you have my complete attention.""A cake for the birthday boy" Dylan said slowly as he counted on his fingers, "Orange and purple. Mad colours and something shooting out the top on springs or something. Enzo likes stuff like that. We will go nuts and you guys need a cake for your cuppa and Grup talking thing. Then Carley. Three cakes Taddy.""I see" Ianto blinked slowly as he considered a way to appease the Birthday Monster's madness "How about a cake that is three tiers? The top tier can be his madness one as it has bits out the top, we lift it off for him to cut. The middle one can be Carley's, the pink will go with the purple that will be in the top. Then we lift that off for her. The bottom one can be plain colours, like marble swirls or something so us Grups can have some and it means there will be leftovers for the next day.""Ooooo" Dylan considered that one. "Purple with orange bouncy things. Pink and glittery … maybe silver balls, she like picking them off and flicking them … then the bottom one … what sort of cake?"Ianto blinked again, telling himself it was important to nurture, to help not scold....Lorenzo is about to turn five, his brother sees a chance to show he is not only his bestest brother in the whole verse but hopefully show the family he is the best party planner. Of course... the original Party Gangsta is helping him acheive his dream, like he always does.Dylan's Birthday Plans is now running