Chapter Four

Jackie had squealed and kissed both Rose and the Doctor on the cheek. Moments later she had stormed outside to call Pete and to give them a bit of privacy. Rose had been content to stare at the image of their son while the Doctor went through the data that had been streaming on the supercomputer. He had managed to smuggle a pair of his glasses in his pockets after he had left the TARDIS days ago and he was a bit mortified to find that he really needed them in this half-human body.

"It's amazin', isn't it?" Rose breathed as she watched the baby react to her touch. "Doctor?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, he seems to really like it when he feels you," the Doctor answered honestly, as his eyes scanned the data. They had slipped into the routine of expectant parents seamlessly and that would have worried him before. The whole thing was a mix of alien and domestic and as long as the data told him that the baby was healthy, he would thrive in it.

And then the Doctor found what he was looking for. The machine had analysed blood and chromosomal samples of both Rose and the baby. The answer to the mystery of the overnight quarter Time Lord child was staring at him in the face. Every memory of being a father crashed into him as well as every fear about having children again. This would have been a nightmare in his old body but now, he would never have to face the idea of outliving his son or Rose.

He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Was his baby's conception a bad thing? The data indicated that he had a completely healthy son as long as the labour went well. His son would be born in a matter of hours and then grow as a mostly normal human child. The scan indicated his DNA was a double-helix with elements of Time Lord physiology. He had yet to test his own body but he suspected it would be rather similar. So, the baby was safe and it was a relief, but there was still the matter of explaining to Rose how he had got there so quickly in the first place.

Rose mistook his silence for bad news and the Doctor's heart broke as tears sprung to her eyes. "That's just not fair!" she said quietly. "I can see him and he's fine so don't you tell me he's going to come out lookin' like an old man or with horns or anything!"

He looked horrified. "Horns? No, no. He's going to be fine, Rose. His ageing is a result of the pregnancy. It'll return to normal once he's born." Rose visibly relaxed but as always, knew there was something else.

"And?" she prompted. He realised that him sitting across from her was far too much distance so he took Jackie's spot on the seat next to the bed. He held her hand and once again marvelled at his luck.

"Rose, I won't lie to you. This was an accident."

Rose rolled her eyes and gently slapped his arm. "No, you reckon? Of course it was, you daft alien! Nobody plans to get knocked up by a Time Lord metacrisis the first time they have sex," she reasoned. When she put it that way, of course he was a daft alien. Bad way to start an awkward conversation.

He cleared his throat. "Quite right too. What I mean is, I really thought that even with this...body, we wouldn't be compatible."

She looked at him, urging him to continue. "But?"

"Well, I was half right. Which is better than being completely wrong, I suppose. Technically, we're compatible enough to procreate but your body wouldn't be able to sustain a pregnancy. But Rose, as always, you throw everything out the TARDIS doors when it comes to things like this.

"You've travelled not only on the TARDIS and through the Time Vortex, but through the Void and through different dimensions. You've looked into the heart of the TARDIS and survived. Instead of abandoning the fertilised egg when it detecting the Gallifreyan physiology, it ran with it instead."

Her face crinkled and the Doctor just wanted to kiss her nose. It would have to wait as Rose tried to process the information. "So," she started, shifting her body up on the bed, "you're sayin' that instead of getting rid of the baby, I grew it faster?"

He nodded. "Exactly."

Her eyes narrowed. "How fast are we talking? I've grown since this morning, Doctor. How long am I gonna be like this?"

This really wasn't how he had planned his one life when the other version of him had left him on the beach in Norway. He would have spent some time wooing Rose and travelling around Earth and growing the TARDIS. He would have played hard to get but ultimately decided to work for Torchwood. He would have warmed to the idea of children with Rose and they would have planned it out together. They would have at least nine months to prepare for their arrival.

"How. Long?" Rose punctuated. He cringed and looked at the blank wall behind her.

"About three hours," he answered honestly. "Maybe four. Then you'll go into labour. It'll probably be shorter than most. Natural Gallifreyan pregnancies usually are. Rose, we'll probably have him here in the next six hours."

The Doctor felt horrible as he saw Rose process all the information he'd given her. It had been an age since he had dealt with pregnant females of any species, so he figured Rose was coping quite well.

She was quiet for a moment and the Doctor took the time to switch off the still-present 3D image of the baby. He would be here soon and he and Rose would have all the time in the world to stare at him for hours on end. He found himself excited at the prospect.

"I'm sorry," Rose finally said.

He was baffled. "What for?"

"For all this," she said gesturing to herself. "I mean, I'm not sorry that we're havin' a baby. But I bet when he flew off in the bloody TARDIS you never thought he'd be leavin' you here to be so domestic so soon."

It had only been two days, but the fact that she'd come to terms with the fact that he was still the Doctor, had filled him with an unquantifiable happiness. She had accepted the fact that he could offer her a life together. Why couldn't she see that even if it was on an accelerated schedule, there was nowhere else he'd rather be?

It dawned on him that even though he had whispered those words to her on the beach, he hadn't said it again. They had a silent trip on a zeppelin, an awkward conversation about sleeping arrangements and they had fallen into each other's arms moments after.

She knew that he was the Doctor and he had told her so many times that he didn't do domestic. One adventure I can never have. Except here he was; living it. It had been 48 hours and and he was free.

"Oh Rose," he whispered, bringing her hand up to kiss it. "I meant what I said on the beach. I have only one life, Rose Tyler. And the sooner we start it together, the better. And you, my precious girl have given me everything."

Rose let out a soft laugh and wiped away a stray tear. "I meant it too. On the beach- the first time. Nothing's changed. Well, except I helped build a dimension cannon and passed my A-Levels."

The Doctor's eyes lit up. "Rose Tyler. You are brilliant." And he leant over and as Rose's lips gently pressed against his own, he knew there was nowhere else he'd rather be.

o0o

He'd rather be anywhere else right now, but the Doctor was stuck with the imbeciles of Torchwood. Jackie had stormed back in and while Rose filled her in, Pete had finally arrived. The man had a busy schedule, being the director of Torchwood and head of Vitex but he still managed to assemble a team of medical doctors who were currently trying to convince him to allow them to perform tests on Rose.

"That is not going to happen," he reiterated. Every second wasted telling Torchwood employees to bugger off was too much. They were on a countdown and they had already wasted nearly a half hour of his time. Time with Rose was precious and it was only two and a half hours until her predicted showtime.

"Think of what we could learn," one of the older doctors stressed. "it might completely change the way we view alien gestation."

"What do you mean alien gestation? Rose is human!" the Doctor yelled back, rubbing his temples. "I'm sorry but it's just not happening. Not to Rose, not now, not next time, not ever. I am perfectly capable of delivering my son. Thank you for the use of your facilities, but as soon as he and Rose are well, we'll be leaving."

"Doctor, don't you think it's wise to have back-up? Her pregnancy is unique and anything could go wrong. I don't want to see Rose or my grandson in any trouble because you were too busy to notice the heart monitor flatlining," Pete added. "Just take the team and they'll be under your supervision. They won't lay a finger on Rose or your son, you have my word."

Some of the older doctors bristled at the comment, but Pete glared them down. "Fine," the Doctor finally agreed through gritted teeth. "I'll take three. And nurses. You, you and...not you, you just ate a pear. You," he said, picking three of the younger looking doctors at random.

Pete looked mollified and dismissed the rest of the team. "I mean it," he barked at the three doctors and nurses who were scrubbing in. "Not a finger on her or the baby unless you have his permission."

The doctors scurried off and the Doctor rubbed his face. "I'm sorry," Pete said, gesturing for them to return to what was now called the Birthing Suite. "I just want the best. These are the best. Dr Harper has delivered four alien babies now. You picked well."

"I know you're sorry," the Doctor sighed. "It's just a bit mental, Pete. One minute I'm getting used to having one heart and the next it's being occupied with thoughts of Rose and the baby. I haven't even had time to get new clothes," he said, gesturing to his blue suit.

Pete chuckled. "While you were raging in there, I got a message from Jacks. She's organised to have things sent here. There's also now a team at the mansion setting up Tony's old nursery."

He hadn't even thought of where they'd put the baby once he arrived. For the first time, he was glad to have a Jackie Tyler. "Rose has her own flat, but it's too small. There'll be plenty of time for the pair of you to sort things out after. And besides," he added, smirking. "Tony always wanted a little brother or sister."

"Uncle Tony," the Doctor mused. "The Tylers. Brilliant."

Just before Pete opened his mouth to reply, klaxons sounded and the Doctor was running towards the Birthing Suite before the page came over the system.

"All doctors required to the Birthing Suite. Emergency."