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CJ was watching Tarn as he moved around the room in full excitement mode … this party was one he had wanted for a while and it was clear that he was enjoying being the host. All the things Ianto had taught him over the years now being employed as he laughed gently at a joke, nodded politely to someone as he offered something from the tray of finger food and generally shone with glee.

It was a delegation of Kidillsi. A strange people with bright orange hair and skin so translucent you could see their veins … some of the women actually had musculature systems exposed and although it was kind of gross … CJ was also transfixed.

Especially one.

She stood by the flower arrangement talking with SJ about something as RJ stood nearby ignoring her twin which told him that whatever the subject was, it was clearly boring. Little eeven year old RJ has inherited her father's 'resting bitch face' when bored, just as SJ was more polite and his was a slight sign of interest to those not in the know.

Then PJ entered the room and chaos reined.

PJ was a redhead too ya see. Not a soft strawberry blonde …no. Not a gently dusting … not even the bright red of a Viking or something. No. now that PJ was five her hair had decided its fate and was that deep dark blood colour that some pay a lot of money to achieve. She was a little five year old stunner as she entered in her little green dress with red shoes and her flaming hair bouncing bout. Taddy had not cut it, not even a fringe like RJ had. It was wild and crazy like a curly-wirly hand full of wool. Thick and lush as it stuck out from her head.

The twins with their own politely combed hair watched their little sister as she skipped across the room, her skin as pale as Taddy's and her smile as wide as Daddy's and knew their guests were about to ignore them. Turning to one another, the twins had one of their discussions and agreed they had been polite enough and could now escape with SJ muttering "Thank god"

"So dainty for one of your kind" a woman said gently to CJ as he watched his sister spin her little dress to make it twirl up around her waist "What is her name?"

"Peta-Jypsie or PJ for short" he informed her and she tittered softly "So you are Caden-Jack and the twins that are sneaking out are Simon-James and Rose-Jessica? All of you have a second name of Jay?"

"It sort of started as an argument between my parentals" he replied as he let the twins go with a slight nod at the eleven year old beasts. He smiled softly, his own birthday last celebrated had been his 21st and as he stood there talking politely he felt a familiar feeling and grimaced, searching for his Tad who he signaled.

Ianto came over immediately and smiled at the lady he was entertaining "Why Councilwoman Elver. I do not believe we had had a dance this evening, I knew I was missing something."

"Oh Mister HJ, you are such a flirt" she said in a weird childish voice as she accepted his held out hand and he whisked her away allowing CJ an escape.

He was in the mens room peeig in a stall when feet appeared at the bottom of the door.

"Darling?"

"I'm OK" he called out softly "Just the little bugger on me bladder. To think … I laughed at Tad for going through his with the others … now I can sympathize."

Tarn smiled and placed his palm against the door, sending calming thoughts to his offspring in the hopes it could stop moving about so much. It had been active for a few days now and CJ ws tired. Unfortunately this is a natural aspect of Tertardian gestation and the only comfort in this was that the pregnancy was also shorter for this species. CJ was also suffering because of this fact though, the baby growing faster than a human one which made for some interesting gas issues as well. CJ didn't even know he would be embarrassed about a fart but loud obnoxious ones? Yeah. Terrible.

The door to the restroom opened and the noise of outside wafted in as CJ rose to do up his pants and there were no words, just the sounds, and then the door closing. CJ knew it had been his Tad checking, Tarn nodding that it was OK and his Tad retreating. Apparently it is an important Tertardian tradition to fuss on the newling while in gestation and Tarn had felt so upset when learning this, learning that his childhood had been worse that it should have been and this was a factor in his lack of skin colour.

You see a native from Tertardia is a lovely soft apple green. Not so pale that can pass as human. Tarn had thought it was due to the diluting of the blood due to his great-grandmother marrying into the human race. Of course, he now knew that was horseshit. The love and attentions are needed to create a fully formed little one, if not done right they are not as …well … pretty.

OK, maybe he was biased but as he stood there calmly waiting he rubbed the back of the little one asleep on his chest, the baby now almost two and really should have been in a stroller or allowed loose on her little feet but Tarn was nothing if not a smotheringly loving parental. Their little girl was actually 20 months ta muchly. Her skin a soft hue of green and her hair soft strawberry blonde like the twins. Her eyes were the almond shape of his kind but the little pert nose was clearly Ianto's part in things.

As CJ sighed and remembered his fathers telling him that time between children is a good idea he let his hand rub the bump and smiled softly.

Tarn wanted a whole team of them… a litter.

Why not?