8
"Ianto?" Jack walked into the main room and found Ianto sitting primly in a chair reading, a book. A real old fashioned book. Jack paused and watched Ianto calmly place a book mark shaped like a little red dragon complete with yawning mouth that spewed ribbons in the pages and close the book, then look up at him with a soft smile.
"Yes Jack?"
"I have to head into one of my projects, will be a wee while. Will you be OK here? I would take you but you are not cleared for the site…"
"Don't be silly, go." Ianto smiled happily as he recovered the book, "I will be fine."
It was some time later Ianto became aware of a change in the room and he looked over the edge of the book to find a small child standing to attention waiting patiently, "Hello poppet."
"I's Bored"
"Are you love?" Ianto placed the book down, "Well, what would you suggest we do? I am not from these parts you may have to help me here."
"Shop?" she asked eagerly, "I's gets my dolly book?"
"Dolly book?"
"Yesh" she seized his hand and dragged him to another room where a woman was picking up the little girl's mess. Ianto pursed his lips to save growling as he looked at the mess. Jack might have money but he really didn't need to employ someone to pick up after a little girl who could clearly do it herself. "Honey. We go store."
"Oh" Honey turned and smiled as she waved her hands in a shooing motion, "You go have fun now. Use the brum."
Ianto was then dragged down the levels to the parking area and a vehicle that was clearly for the child given the little car seat and toys scattered inside. Alice clambered in and clicked her harness in, then turned and looked at Ianto expectantly.
Ianto got in and looked at the controls, relived to see it was simple and he keyed in 'Alice's store' to see where the vehicle's onboard computer would take them. The vehicle rose and took off, showing the normal driver liked speed and Ianto smiled softly, Jack clearly the usual pilot of this low flying jet.
The vehicle slid into a parking space and Alice was clambering out as Ianto rushed to follow and they entered store.
"Hi Corben!"
"Miss Alice!" the Fergolit rushed around to greet her, hr antenna jiggling with glee as hr knelt for a cuddle and then rose, "You come for books. You have three, was going to ring and ask if you dead."
"Nope" she said happily, "Not yet."
"Good to know" Hr chortled and went to get the books.
"Corben, this is Daddy's boyfriend Ianto" she said as she waited and the being swung to gape as Ianto raised a hand and waved meekly, "He's nice and sings with me. He can play piano better than me too. And he smells good. Daddy sez so too. He sez Ianto smells yummy."
Ianto felt himself start to blush and Hr made a small noise that had three more beings erupting from a beaded curtain to stare at him, all of them making a weird clicking noise.
"They like your skin" Alice informed Ianto, "Blushing is a sign of beauty."
"Well, I am only pretty for you" he said softly and she giggled.
"No you aren't" she laughed, "You are pretty for Daddy, like he changes his shirt three times before going to see you."
"Does he?" Ianto felt quite pleased at hearing of his intended's indecision.
"Thank you Corben" Alice said politely and Ianto looked at the little pink books, also pleased to see real books, not electronic chips like most were these days.
"How much?" Ianto asked as he patted his pocket and Corben made a noise.
"All paid, on account mister" Corben assured him.
"Ianto, please. Just call me Ianto, Corben. Any friend of Alice's is worth knowing" Ianto said and the beings all clicked haply as they saw him to the door.
Alice waved grandly as they drove off and then sat back humming happily as she looked at her books, "Will you read these to me? I like reading I can read my name and the word Teddy. And I know the word Cat. I like cats. Do you like cats? I like Dogs too but we can't have one coz they don't like this planet. Oh, look. I have a green one in here. Book I mean, a green book not a pink one. Green means it's a picnic one. I like picnics, do you like picnics? We could have a picnic. I usually have a picnic with my teddies and follies."
"Teddy Bear's Picnic" Ianto said, then sang the song as she clapped with glee.
"That was clever! I never heard that one." she said as they pulled into the garage, her speech much better when she wasn't pretending to be a baby and Ianto was about to praise her for her nice vowels when he saw Jack standing in the parking space for the vehicle.
"Daddy! I got my books and there is a green one that means…."
"Alice go inside" Jack barked and her little face fell, as did Ianto's stomach.
He looked furious.