Just Imagine...

Say Uncle (Owen)

The team had a bet. Or more of a contest. A competition, that Jack and Sam were unaware of so it wasn't really the whole team anyway.
Whoever got baby Lucas to say their name first won... at this point the prize was mostly bragging rights, but the competition was still pretty fierce.
Jack didn't know about it simply because every time he got near Lucas he turned into a puddle of goo, cooing and giggling over this miracle that was his new baby brother. Sam hadn't been told because it went without saying that she wouldn't approve of her baby being gambled over.
Lucas, now about six months old, just enjoyed the attention from Ianto, Gwen, Owen, and Tosh. He had yet to say his first word, oftentimes just babbling and making baby noises, but he was trying. Only a few days ago Sam had proudly declared that she was certain he'd been trying to say "Mama" last night when she put him to bed, which she would never let Jay forget as Hanna and Alexa had both said "Dada" first when they were that age. So that meant the others would have to act fast if they wanted to win their little challenge, if Lucas was already trying to form words. Sam often brought Lucas to the hub, which wasn't necessarily safe but was the only way she could care for him while still being there to work. At least it provided an opportunity to try and get Lucas to speak, although Sam only saw it as the others being very helpful by taking on some of her many responsibilities.
Owen had taken on most of the feedings, which was what he was doing now.  
"Lucas," he murmured softly, crouching in front of the high chair Sam had brought in and offering the baby a spoonful of whatever colorful mush he had selected from the fridge, "say 'Owen'. C'mon, say 'Owen'. I know you can, you're almost seven months old, and that is when babies like you learn to say their first words. So c'mon, you don't wanna fall behind. Just say 'Owen'-"
"What are you doing?"
Owen jumped at Sam's voice behind him.
"Nothing," he said quickly, "just giving Lucas his lunch."
"Uh huh," Sam said, her tone suggesting she wasn't buying it at all, "were you trying to get him to say your name?"
Owen averted his eyes.
"Oh my God, you were, weren't you?" Sam asked, irritated, "he'll say his first word when he's ready, Owen. Don't push him. Besides, if Jay isn't here when it happens he'll kill everyone who was, just warning you."
"Sorry." Owen muttered as Sam nudged him out of the way, taking over Lucas' feeding. Lucas was completely unfazed, letting out a happy noise when he saw Sam's face in front of him and clapping his little hands together.
"What was that all about?" Ianto asked softly when Owen joined him by the coffee machine.
"Sam's onto us." Owen replied in a whisper.
"I'd say she's more onto you." Ianto pointed out.
"Well we're all in on this together and it was just a matter of time before she overheard someone so therefore she's onto all of us."
"Strange logic, but alright, whatever you say."
"Shut up, Ianto."
"I will say that I likely won't get caught because my method is superior."
"Oh yeah? What is it, then?"
"Well I'm not gonna tell you. You'll copy me."
"I swear on my life I won't."
Ianto stared at Owen for a good thirty seconds before replying.
"Fine," he said, "instead of simply repeating my name in front of Lucas over and over again, I try and get Sam to say my name as well. Lucas is more likely to repeat words he hears Sam say."
"That's stupid." Owen said.
"No it's not!" Ianto protested.
"How do you even do that?" Owen demanded.
"Ianto!" Sam called from across the hub.
Ianto showed no reaction, just continued making the coffee like he hadn't heard her.
"Sam's talking to you." Owen murmured, nudging him. Then he realized what Ianto was doing.
"Hey Ianto!" Sam called again, "Ianto! ... Uhhh, hello? Ianto? Earth to Ianto Jones! Hello over there!"
"That is so dumb." Owen muttered.
"But it's working." Ianto said, grinning and wiggling his eyebrows smugly. Sam had stood up by now and was carrying Lucas over to them as the baby chewed on the plastic spoon she'd been using to feed him.
"Ianto!" She exclaimed, raising her voice slightly now. 
"Yes, Sam?" Ianto asked nonchalantly, as if he actually hadn't been able to hear her until now. 
"I've been saying your name for like a minute!" Sam murmured, "you gotta get your ears checked, buddy!"
"Ja!" Lucas agreed. He seemed perfectly content to speak nothing but gibberish.
"My apologies," Ianto said curtly, "sometimes it's hard to hear when the coffee's brewing." Sam sighed.
"Whatever, it's fine," she said, "I was just gonna ask you for a cappuccino, I forgot how hard having a job and young baby to raise at the same time is. I need caffeine."
"Of course, right away." Ianto murmured with a polite smile, waving at Lucas, who gave him a toothless grin in response and waved back.
"Aww," Sam cooed, "he really likes you, Ianto."
"I'm sure he does." Ianto said as Sam took Lucas back to his playpen near the couch. Ianto smirked at Owen.
"Wipe that look off your face, you git." Owen growled.
"Don't curse in front of the baby." Ianto cautioned.
"Shut up." Owen muttered.
"Oh, look out, Gwen's moving in." Ianto said quietly, pointing across the hub. Sam had left Lucas in his playpen to talk to Jack and Tosh a little ways away, and Gwen had apparently volunteered to watch the baby while she did so.
"Hi Lucas!" Gwen purred.
"Bullocks." Owen grumbled.
"Who am I, Lucas? Huh?" Gwen went on, not realizing she was being watched, "who am I?" She reached into the playpen and took out a plush giraffe, "it's your Aunt Gwen!" She exclaimed in a deep voice, evidently talking for the stuffed animal. She then took out another toy, this one a peacock, and added in a higher voice, "bawk bawk! That's right, she's your Aunt Gwen!"
"This is the saddest thing I've ever seen." Ianto chuckled as Gwen continued talking for the stuffed animals.
"C'mon Lukie," Gwen murmured with a smile, "Mr Giraffe can say it, and Mrs Peacock can say it, so I know you can too!"
"That's actually a male peacock, Gwen." Owen called. Gwen glanced up, suddenly looking embarrassed.
"Thank you." She mumbled dryly.
"And their names are actually Jupiter and Neptune," Ianto spoke up, "a-according to Sam, that is." He added quickly, also abashed.
"Ack!" Lucas piped up, flapping his tiny hands in the air, "ba! Ack!"
"He certainly is trying to talk," Gwen mused, "I wonder what he wants to say?"
"Probably that your peacock voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard." Owen said.
Gwen resisted the urge to flip him off and instead set the two stuffed animals back in the playpen with Lucas. She sat back on the couch with a sigh.
"What are we doing this for again?" She asked.
"Bragging rights?" Ianto murmured, shrugging and looking like that was the stupidest thing to say and he knew it. Although that was technically what they'd agreed on a few weeks ago when they had gotten drunk after a mission. It was a miracle the bet had continued after they'd sobered, let alone for three weeks.
"Jaa!" Lucas mumbled, "aaaaaaaaack!" He suddenly looked like he was going to cry, with his lower lip sticking out and his big blue eyes round.
"Aww, Lukie," Tosh murmured, swooping in before Gwen could do anything, "do you want your Auntie Tosh?" She scooped the baby up in her arms and started bouncing him a little. She ruffled his bright red hair and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I love you Lucas," she cooed, "do you love me? Say my name and I'll know you love me."
"Seriously Tosh?" Gwen asked, biting her lip to keep from laughing.
"What?" Tosh demanded.
"Not a very creative approach." Ianto mused.
"Oh yeah, you're saying that." Owen muttered.
"Well we all have our own ways," Tosh murmured, "and I think my way will work. I am definitely winning this, Lucas will say my name first."
"What?"
They all jumped at Sam's voice. Everyone turned to look at her.
"Are the four of you betting to see who's name Lucas will say first?" Sam demanded. All she got in return was averted gazes and guilty expressions. "Oh my God!" Sam exclaimed, furiously grabbing Lucas from Tosh, "that is so not cool! Listen guys, my baby is not a toy, and he is not a pet that you can teach tricks! He is a human being!"
Lucas started to sniffle.
"Ja!" He whimpered, "Ja!"
"Look, you've all upset him!" Sam snarled, "no wonder, the four of you bombarding his head with nonsense! You're worse than children! How long has this been going on?"
"Three weeks." Ianto mumbled. Sam's eyes widened in anger. "It was Owen's idea!" He added quickly.
"No it wasn't!" Owen protested.
"It doesn't matter who's idea it was!" Sam snapped.
"Mom," Jack began cautiously, walking a little closer. Lucas began to cry, reaching out his little arms for something behind Sam. What did he want?
"We're sorry, Sam." Tosh murmured, ducking her head.
"Yeah, we're sorry." Ianto added.
"Sorry." Gwen said.
"Very sorry, love." Owen said with surprising gentleness.
"Ack! Ackja!" Lucas wailed. He was still trying to reach something, and Ianto searched the desks behind Sam with his eyes, trying to follow Lucas' gaze.
"Sam... what does he want?" Gwen asked, frowning. But Ianto had already realized.
"He's trying to say something." Tosh added.
"Seriously-?" Sam began, temper flaring again.
"No, listen!" Tosh said, "he's reaching for something and trying to say..." she trailed off as they all realized what it was that Lucas wanted to get his hands on so badly.
"What?" Jack asked when he saw everyone staring at him.
And that was when Lucas said his first word;
"Jack!"