Chapter Fourteen
Once they decided who was going to go, it ended up that all the young kids would be going along with the brothers, Jack, Ianto, Tara, Rain, Frankie, Rose, Rosie, Marion, Donna, Imiko, Awinita and Mingxia. The others decided to stay behind and have a movie marathon of their own at the Torchwood house. While the women went to get ready, the Doctor hurried into his TARDIS and checked out a possible time period when Airplane was playing at Sky-vue. He grinned when he found a dusk to dawn that was featuring it in June of 1980. The smile fell off his face when he saw what else was playing and he strolled back out of the TARDIS.
"Okay, everyone," he said when he asked everyone who was going to assemble in the living room. "There is a dusk to dawn that does have Airplane included. But the other movies are Empire Strikes Back, Flash Gordon and…Friday the 13th."
He nodded when the others sighed at that.
"Yup, so obviously unless it's the last movie, we might have to force the little ones to have a short kip and I think I'll be having one as well. Also the TARDIS did a scan of the area and White Castles was not at its present location in 1980 so if we want some, we'll have to stop off in another time period to pick them up. We'll also have to consider the kind of car we want to hire since I don't want to bring two or three people carriers that are from the year 2000 or later into 1980's Indiana. We might have to rent some estate cars or some open-back lorries rather than a people carrier. We'll have to see what they have when we get to the Avis. But I just wanted to inform you of that before we head off into the vortex. So now that I've informed you of that, everyone can finish getting ready to go."
He hurried off to his bedroom after sending a telepathic message for Theta, John and Doc to join him there.
"Yes?" Theta said when he closed the door and the brothers gathered around him.
"I was just thinking, what I said about letting our hair down and having a good time tonight. I think that should apply to our clothing. So for one night, let's ditch the suits and wear something casual like Adam and Alan do."
"Brilliant but I'll have to go home to get something," John said.
"No need. I have casual clothing that I've saved over the years for those times when I need them," the Doctor said, walking over to his chest of drawers. "Since you lot are basically me, you can borrow them. I just think tonight we should have a great time and not worry about anything, agreed?"
The others nodded and the Doctor opened his drawer and began passing out his casual clothes.
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"Oh baby!" Rain said when they came downstairs dressed in tan shorts and t-shirts.
The Doctor wore a black t-shirt, John wore a dark blue one, Doc wore red and Theta wore yellow. Rain, Rosie and Frankie hurried over to admire their husbands.
"Hey, no fair, they're copying us," Alan said, tugging on the hem of his maroon t-shirt.
He was dressed in black trousers and Adam had on jeans and a grey t-shirt.
"Hey!" Adam protested as everyone laughed. "We want love too!"
"Yeah, we thought of the casual look first."
"For heaven's sake," Rose said, coming around Alan and embracing him. "You're such a big baby sometimes."
"I know, but you love me anyway," Alan said, hugging her.
"Yes, I do," Rose said, closing her eyes and smiling as he kissed the top of her head.
The Doctor held onto Rain and sent love into her mind. While he was doing that, he glanced over and his hearts ached when he noticed Doc was off to the side, watching wistfully as his brother's wives hugged them. He smiled when Namid came up to Doc and took his hand causing him to smile at her. But he wished that his brother could find someone. He wasn't pursuing Rose which was a good thing but at the same time, he didn't seem to like anyone else. The Doctor hoped that one day he might find someone like the rest of them had since being married to his wife was one of the best things that ever happened to him.
Once everyone broke off the hugs, they gathered up the things they needed and all of them headed towards the Doctor's TARDIS in the garage.
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After heading to the location in 2009 to get their White Castles and get Alan his pie, they traveled backwards to June 16th, 1980. They managed to find the Avis they usually used whenever they went out to the drive-in movie, although it was not as big as in later years. Much to the Doctor's dismay there were no people carriers available so he rented three 1980 pickup trucks. The put their blankets and coolers of food in the back of one of them and everyone except the brothers climbed in the back. The six brothers divided themselves among the three pickup trucks and John and Theta followed the Doctor out of the parking lot and onto the road. It was about ten miles to the Sky-vue and to their relief, it wasn't crowded. They each paid the admission for their respective trucks and followed each other into the huge gravel lot. They parked backwards so that all of them could spread their blankets out and sit in back and they parked near their usual spot near the huge rectangular cinderblock building where the food and bathrooms were located. The Doctor picked up one of the speakers from the pole beside the truck and each brother used his screwdriver on it to amplify the sound coming out of it so they'd have no problem hearing the movies.
The Doctor and Alan sat in one truck with their wives, Tara, Imiko and the children who were clustered together near the front of the truck bed. In the second truck, John and Doc sat with Rosie, Donna, John and Ianto and in the third one, Theta and Adam sat with Marion, Frankie, Awinita and Mingxia. David pointed to the playground at the back of the lot
"Can we go play for awhile, Uncle Doctor?" David asked.
"Sure, go ahead."
Alan put his hand out when the Doctor started to get up.
"I'll look after the nipper kippers, you relax," he said.
"Thank you, Brother," he said as Alan crawled to the end and slid out after the children.
The Doctor turned slightly, stuck his head around the corner of the cab and watch Alan leading the giggling children towards the playground like the Pied Piper. All around him, he noticed cars were starting to fill in the gaps and a few had to stop and wait for the small army to pass before they drove into their spots.
"You're happy to be a father?"
The Doctor turned his head back around. Imiko was staring at him with a smile on her face as the night wind blew her long ebony hair around her thin face. He smiled in return and nodded as Rain took his hand and gave it a squeeze.
"This is what I wanted for you all those years ago," Imiko said. "You are more important to the universe than even you know and it could not lose one of its greatest protectors. So, I was sent to make sure that you didn't lose hope and become the thing you most feared."
"Like my brother did," the Doctor said, glancing at Doc who was laughing with John and Rosie while he sat beside them.
"Hai, but as powerful as I am, I cannot control all the universes in creation. My main duty is to this one," she said. "Once you go beyond its borders, I am unable to assist you…in theory."
"In theory?" the Doctor said, smirking.
"I am a bit like you, Doctor-san. A bit of a…renegade, I believe is the word. However, I am not like my disowned sister, Hoshi. I am a renegade in a good way. At least, I like to think I am. I have lived many centuries, even more centuries than you have, Doctor-san, and as I told your brother, most mortals I have encountered wish only to use me for their own gain, even sexually, since I am told that I am attractive in human form."
The three of them nodded and she smiled at that before continuing.
"Your brother and his family were different though. I was sent to protect them by the TARDIS and I believed that I would only be a traveling companion and leave when my task had ended. But your brother and your wife and sisters were so generous and loving towards me and they included me as one of their family and I loved it so much that I took it upon myself to keep on watching over you and help when I can. And now here I am, being asked again to travel with you like the old days. I had no idea you missed me that much."
"We did," Rose said. "We were heartbroken when you left us that morning and we never saw you again. We'd gotten used to travelin' with you and you're right, you did become a part of our family."
"And I'm so glad you gave Bro that key because I also hate that we don't see you unless something is happening. I know you're a spirit but you're still our friend and I'm glad you came with us tonight."
"Me too, I love humans and think them fascination, again like the Doctor, hai?" she said as the Doctor chuckled. "My sisters think I'm…weird…because I often go among them, much more than they do to observe the humans and their culture. That is why I'm glad you asked me to do this because I have never been to an outdoor cinema before and sat in the back of an automobile in order to watch it."
"Come with us then."
Imiko turned her face towards the Doctor and studied him for a moment.
"Come with you, Doctor-san?"
"Come with us back to New Gallifrey and live. I mean, do you have to live with your sisters?" the Doctor asked.
"Not necessarily. I can live anywhere I choose but…you'd like that?"
"I would, yes!" the Doctor said as Rose and Rain nodded in agreement. "I also have missed your company and I hate that we only get to see you if there's trouble. Please come and live with us on New Gallifrey."
Imiko considered that.
"I cannot be there all the time because I do help to maintain the balance of the universe and Earth. But there is nothing wrong with me dwelling there while I go to check on the universe."
She thought for a moment.
"Do you have a big garden?"
"Yes," the Doctor said.
"When we return, if you don't mind, I will construct a small shrine in your garden. I can dwell there and if you need me, just come and call my name and I will come to you. I cannot exist in human form perpetually but that is a way for me to come and be with you and dwell with you and make sure you are protected as well as visit you."
"If that's what you need to do, do it," the Doctor said as Rose and Rain nodded.
"Then, hai, I will dwell on New Gallifrey and travel from there."
She laughed when all three of them grinned from ear to ear and all of them got up and gave her a hug which Imiko readily returned. Once they were settled back in their places, the Doctor glanced up and saw the sun was setting and mentally called to Alan to bring the children back so that everyone could eat something before the movies started.