Author's Notes: As you can see, there's no way twenty-four hours have passed since the last update, and I think that the next one'll be tonight. I'm not sure I'll have a lot of time tomorrow, so I'd like to make up for it in advance. The next chapter will be – finally – Big Reveal Part Two and quite long, so I'll try to upload it as soon as possible.

P.S.: I would have loved to show you the inspiration for River's dress, but fanfiction dot net is being unhelpful (apparently), so it's all up to your imagination and my writing now.

Day Thirteen: In Formal Wear

"So! Arion. A relatively new colony, obsessed with doing everything by the book – the Earth edition – and also strangely always managing to get everything wrong. Their culture resembles the one in ancient Greece but they've got mostly monarchies that actually work like shires and we're invited to a wedding from one of the monarchs. Well, I am; you're my plus two. The prince – Myar – is marrying princess Valentia with the blessing of both their families. Put a royal blue element in your clothing – they've taken the 'royal' part very seriously." The Doctor pointed at his bowtie – now indeed a royal blue one – as if giving himself as an example "You've got half an hour so you better get started."

He gave them the thumbs up and made to leave, but Jack called, "Doctor? Who was the post from?"

"You'll find out soon enough," he said and Jack watched with mild curiosity as Ianto looked up from the shirts he was going through, suddenly interested. The Doctor gave the other Time Lord a small nod – as if in an affirmative – and Ianto beamed in response.

Interesting.

o.O.o

"Okay, so what exactly is going on?" Jack demanded when Ianto straightened his tie for the hundredth time. "Really, you're always fusing about your clothes but by doing the tie thing yet again, I think you just passed to the next level."

Ianto's cheeks coloured lightly. "It's just– you heard the Doctor. It's important."

Both Jack and Ianto had chosen their shirt as the royal blue element, but Ianto had made the effort to look even better than usual – and Jack had hardly believed that was possible – and he'd picked up the best suit he'd been able to find – it was completely black, and made of some fabric that seemed to fine to be human-made. His hair was the result of careful and dedicated work and Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Who else is coming?" He asked suspiciously. "It's the mail person, isn't it?"

"Might be, yes," Ianto said, fidgeting uncomfortably with his cuff links. "And if it is, you'll get to meet River. You were just asking about that when the Doctor called us in."

Jack nodded slowly as he put on his coat. "Okay then. You ready?"

Ianto just smiled tightly. "Ready."

They made their way back to the control room where the Doctor had already started up the engines and Jack watched as Ianto – trying to fake casualness and failing miserably at it – leaned against the door, only to jump back and stare at it expectantly when they landed.

The door opened from the outside and several things happened before the Captain could even blink: Ianto's face broke into a huge grin, there was a gasp from the outside and then a fury of gold and blue threw herself into Ianto's waiting arms.

Oh. Well. So River was a woman. A very, very beautiful woman at that, he couldn't help but notice as she and Ianto pulled back from the embrace and stared at each other in awe.

"Hello," she said, a hesitant smile on her face which Ianto returned immediately and then let out a small, nervous laugh when she slapped him on the arm "You useless idiot. I thought you've screwed it up. I came looking for you three months after your death and what do I find?" She didn't give him the chance to respond. "Nothing! Well, not you, anyway."

"It took a bit longer than expected, but... I made it. I always do."

"I didn't expect anything else. By the way, Arion, really? How was I supposed to find a dress for the early 34th century? Good thing the last ball in Luna was a fancy dress party with the Middle Ages as a theme."

Jack looked her up and down, now not distracted by the sheer familiarity she and Ianto apparently shared, and saw that he couldn't look at said dress for too long without risking blindness. It was blue – the shade of blue hey all currently had on their clothes – and strapless, the top of it accompanied by some silver-like gems. It was perfectly fitting the body from the top to mid-thigh and glitter was everywhere, save for the lowest foot or so of the front. She was wearing a sapphire necklace to go with it and her hair – curly, golden blonde – was shining on the gentle light in the TARDIS.

"It's amazing," Ianto said and pulled him out of his thoughts. "Why are you in prison?" He asked as he too picked up the sirens outside and the distant sound of steps as the Doctor hurried to dematerialise them. "Last time I met you, you were in University."

"I graduated! But then... some things happened. Not that I mind too much. I break out when I feel like it, but when I decide to return, there's a free bed waiting for me."

"Is that a principle you always live by?" Ianto asked with a small smile and River smirked. "Are you speaking from personal experience?"

"You know I am."

"I know you are."

Jack coughed, perhaps more noisily that would be strictly necessary, and they both turned around to look at him just as the Doctor decided to interfere. He had an expression that Jack was quite sure matched his own – one of unsure indignation that was written all over his face. "River, this is Jack Harkness. Jack, meet River Song."

River approached him, the glitter on her dress shining even more as the light changed and she smiled as she shook his hand. Her grip was firm and her skin was probably just a few degrees warmer than Ianto's.

Someone needed to tell the Doctor that he didn't need to worry about Gallifrey. If after supposed genocide two other Time Lords – and the Master – had turned up already, then there was quite a big possibility that all the others were fine too.

"Nice to meet you," she said with a dazzling smile. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Good things, I hope."

"Some of them, yeah."

"So, er–" His eyes danced between River and Ianto. "When– Why– How did you two meet?" Last he had checked, they were in the fifty-second century.

"Oh, we go back."

"How far back?"

River's smile was positively blinding now. "All the way."