Since We're Here

by Lumendea

Chapter Three: Play Time

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who, nor do I get paid for writing this.

AN: If you haven't checked out my first book yet go and give it a look: The Iron Realm by J.M. Briggs.

Tegan and Turlough were in the control room when another loud crash made Tegan sigh. Around her the white console room seemed to reverberate with the sound and shuddered. She paused and listened for a moment as she leaned lightly against the console. The laughter of the Doctor drifting down the hallway a moment later assured her that nothing was wrong, at least nothing dangerous anyway. Glancing at Turlough, she couldn't help the tiny smile pulling at her lips.

"Suppose we shouldn't be surprised that Sammy likes to play with space ship parts," Turlough commented with a shrug as the sound of an engine coming to life echoed in the halls. "Though he could be a little less noisy."

"I suppose not," Tegan agreed. "Mind you at that age I would have preferred a doll house to the Doctor's junk room." Tegan stretched and looked around the console room. She tapped her fingers on the console, careful not to hit any buttons, and looked at Turlough. "You know," she said, "Only one of us needs to be here waiting for the future Doctor. We could take turns."

"Right," Turlough agreed with a nod. He glanced at Tegan and noted the tired expression on her face. "I'll watch first," he offered with a sigh and a slight roll of his eyes.

"Thanks," Tegan told him with a grateful nod and a brilliant smile. "I'll be back in two hours."

Tegan smiled to herself as she returned to her room and tried to ignore the rapid chattering and soft crashes and explosions coming from down the hall. If she was lucky she'd be able to manage a nap and if not, just getting out of her heels sounded nice. Behind her she heard Turlough sigh dramatically again and barely held back a chuckle.

The Fifth Doctor watched the boy's small hands shift the circuits of the Aedamian computing unit with fascination. Children on Gallifrey were of course taught engineering and other physical sciences from a very young age, but the attitude wasn't that it should be play. In fact he had distinct memories of the professors doing everything they could to keep the lessons from being fun, insisting that it would make them sloppy. His future self had clearly not followed this line of thinking because while Sammy was focused intensively on his project there was a spark in his eye that betrayed how much the boy loved it.

The Doctor gently brushed a few loose bangs from the boy's face and chuckled as the child frowned at the machine in front of him. After a moment, the little boy stood up and walked over to the massive pile of odd bits and pieces that were lying all over the work bench. The Doctor didn't bother to get up and help the boy as he seemed to know exactly what he was looking for. Instead the Doctor kept examining the child and marveling at the odd little bubble of pride he could feel trying to rise in him. As Sammy turned back to him, the Doctor smiled and was pleased at the grin that let up the four-year-old's face.

Sammy returned to the unit and began plugging in what looked like a Poltieic molecular stabilizer. The Doctor did grin in pride at this even as he noted Sammy still clutching his teddy bear. An odd mixture it seemed, able to build extremely complex systems and still using a comfort object. Reaching over, the Doctor helped Sammy maneuver the new pieces into place.

"This is fun," Sammy said suddenly, "You have different parts now."

"You do this often?"

"Yep," Sammy replied, popping the p with a smile. "A lot with James, but sometime with Alex and Abby."

"Your brothers and sister?" the Doctor questioned, not able to help himself and aware of the fact he'd have to hide the memories soon enough. Surely if he was going to forget this all anyway then a few… innocent questions couldn't hurt.

"I have two brother and two sisters," Sammy told him without looking up from his project, "Alex and Abby are twins and James is older than me, but Diana is just a baby."

"Where was your brother James?"

The Doctor could only remember seeing the two oldest children and certainly not an infant. He noted Sammy shrugging and sliding a new power unit next to the couplings.

"Probably with Mum and Diana; I think Dad asked him to keep an eye on the TARDIS controls while he looked for a new time tracer in the marketplace with me and the twins. I really wanted to go so he let me if I promised to stay out of trouble," Sammy giggled. "Then Alex and Abby got into trouble, but not me."

….

Turlough huffed softly as he tapped his fingers on the console of the TARDIS and glanced down at the watch he had picked up on Earth. Sighing again, he tapped his foot and glanced away from the door. His two hours were up and now his feet were sore, they really needed to discuss the Doctor putting a chair into the console room. He was about to yell for Tegan when the door of the TARDIS suddenly swung open. An attractive blond woman in dark blue pants and a purple long sleeved shirt walked in. She blinked at Turlough and smiled.

"Please tell me you're that child's mother," Turlough demanded as he straightened up.

Rose raised an eyebrow at Turlough but replied, "Yes, I'm Sammy mother."

"Excellent," Turlough pushed the lever to close the TARDIS door and motioned down the hall, "I've been listening to small crashes and techno talk for the last two hours."

"That sounds just about right," Rose remarked with a grin, "I know my way to the workshop. Thank you Turlough."

"How do you know my name."

Rose glanced up at his hair and smirked, "My husband hasn't traveled with that many gingers. I think it makes him jealous."