So Different Yet So Alike

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

The boy straightened himself out proudly when we looked at him and announced, “I am Messenger Boy Flanagan I was sent by Master Ianto to lead the two of you back to him and the Harkness man.”

As the Doctor and I trailed behind the young boy I asked, “How did Ianto pay you?”

Before he could reply the Doctor added on, “It must’ve been good in order for you to call him Master Jones.”

The young boy simply smiled slightly and answered in an amused tone, “It’s a secret.”

“Come on you can tell us,” I pleaded wanting to know what my brother had given up.

Flanagan’s face and voice had taken on an annoyed quality as he said slowly, “It was a secret.”

I looked at the Doctor and could tell that he was about to say something when I heard Jack yell, “Doctor, Rose we’re over here.”

Flanagan led us to our companions where he gave a bow to Jack then an even deeper one to Ianto saying, “Harkness, Master Jones.”

“Thank you Flanagan,” Ianto said in an obvious dismissal of the boy before interlacing his fingers with Jacks.

As we began to walk towards whatever they had found I said, “The Messenger Boy refused to say, what did you pay for his services with?”

Ianto looked over his shoulder at me and replied just like the boy had, “A secret.”

“Come on Ianto you can tell us,” The Doctor said and I could knew his curiosity was eating him alive by now.

He looked confused for a minute before Jack burst into loud laughter right beside him. Then a look of understanding reached his face and he also began to laugh.

Jack was the one who explained, “He told Flanagan a secret that he valued keeping to himself, he wasn’t trying to keep what he paid with a secret.”

“Oh,” I murmured feeling rather foolish but still wondering just what Ianto had told the young boy.

“Anyway,” Jack spoke up. “We didn’t find an air purifier so much as full body armor.”

The Doctor’s expression immediately switched to one of intrigue and he asked, “What do you mean?”

“See for yourself,” Replied the World War II captain gesturing to a booth off on the left.

Ianto pulled the curtain back and motioned for us to enter which we did the Doctor going first. Before my eyes could fully adjust to the dim lighting I heard the Doctor inhale sharply.

“This might just work. We’ll have to see how many the crew requires and test that its air tight. Though the real question is, whose going to pay for it?”

“I will,” Jack said and reached into his coat pocket to produce a silver watch with a crack down the middle. I watched silently as Jack passed it to the alien behind the counter wondering why he would value a broken watch.

“That’s my watch,” I heard Ianto say to Jack quietly. “Where did you get it from?”

I watched the Doctor sonic the suit so that it would plod on behind us even as I heard Jack say, “Your sister. She gave it to me when you dyed.”

I decided the two needed a moment alone so I fixed my attention back onto the Doctor, “Won’t people notice that Ianto suddenly decided to walk around in a metal suit.”

“No,” The Doctor grinned, “that’s the beauty of the Teselecta she can take on any appearance you want so we can set her to look just like Ianto.”

The other couple returned just then and Ianto added to the conversation by saying, “That’s what caught Jack’s attention. He realized that Gwen and him might be alarmed if I showed up with some random alien tech on me.”

“Well let’s go set it up.” The Doctor said and we began to trek back to the TARDIS.

About a half an hour later we were seated on the floor of a large empty room in the TARDIS. The Teselecta was laid out before us in the shape of Ianto, it even wore a suit.

“I can narrow down the amount of crew to whatever number we want but Jack can’t come with us because he’ll already be in the room as his younger self.” The Doctor said.

Ianto cleared his throat before telling us, “Make it so the crew is only one. I want some alone time with Jack before the end of the world, just in case the suit doesn’t work out.”

I winced at the thought of our plan failing but quickly schooled my expression into an emotionless mask. If Jack caught sight of my worried expression he’d insist on the Doctor going with Ianto just in case something went wrong.

“Alright I’ll set the controls to one.” The Doctor told us cheerfully, “How about you go get some rest while I work.”

“See you tomorrow Doctor,” Jack said leading Ianto towards their bedroom.