Chapter Fifty Three

After the Doctor took them back in the vortex, they decided to take a rest and get something to drink while they decided where to go next. Rain and Awinita got a Mountain Dew and Coke and sat on the sofa in the living room. They talked quietly to each other while they sipped their sodas. Suddenly, Alan came into the room with an impish grin on his face. They watched him warily while he stopped a few feet away and grunted and hooted.

"Are you an ape?" Awinita said.

"I was half one once," he replied.

They raised their eyebrows while he imitated the male ape's submissive posture and came towards the couch hooting under his breath. Then suddenly he lunged forward and smacked Awinita in the back of the head.

"Hey, you little asshole!" she said while he ran away giggling.

He turned and walked back to them, chuckling. He leaned down and gave her a hug and then gave Rain a hug.

"Thank God the couch is here so he can't take us from behind," Awinita said, rolling his eyes.

"I wouldn't want you anyway, Harris," Alan said while Rain giggled.

Bending his arm, he scratched his armpit while he hooted at her.

"Yup, keep talking, monkey boy," Awinita said.

"Do you lot know where Rose went? I need to urinate on her to show my dominance and my complete and total alpha male possession of her," Alan said to them.

"No, but now that you said something I'll be sure to throw up a privacy block around her mind and warn her you're trying to pee on her," Rain said.

He wrapped his arms around her and put his chin on her head.

"Don't you dare do something because I just know you're gonna hit me or poke me or something apish and immature like that," Rain said.

"Nah, I'm just giving my Te'lesu a bit of cuddles and love," Alan said.

"Well, as long as you behave yourself."

They giggled when he hooted softly and pretended to groom her hair.

"Better watch it, Sis, that's how ape boy tried to screw the female," Awinita said, nodding to him.

Rain turned her head and glanced at him.

"Only picking fleas and nits off of ya," he said innocently.

She giggled and he ruffled her hair. He looked at Awinita.

"So, any ideas about where to go next?"

Awinita gave him an odd look.

"I thought the teens were picking," she said.

"Yes, but we could always use some ideas as well for other places to go after they leave," he said to her.

"We could go watch JFK and say hello to the Doctor while we watch," Awinita said.

"Um, no."

"Why? I'd like to meet Bro's former self," Awinita said.

"Yes and right after we did it, Brother would have to erase his memory so he won't remember you which means he'd have to wrestle his former self to the ground which means…"

Alan trailed off when he saw the interested look on Rain's face.

"Don't even think about it, Rain," he said while she laughed.

"Why? She wants to see her husband wrestle himself. Don't ya, Sis?"

"Mm-hmm," Rain said with a grin.

"No, I'm afraid that's right out. You'll just have to be contented with pictures of his other selves. I'm afraid you won't be able to meet his other selves face to face."

Alan noticed a look that passed between them.

"What did that look mean?" he said, raising his eyebrow.

He noticed the two of them growing quiet.

"Rain, Awinita, what's going on? I'm assuming from that look you have seen the Doctor's other selves before. Where?"

Rain sighed and briefly told Alan about Jenny's vision. Alan listened in stunned silence. The shock deepened when she told him what the eleventh Doctor had said to them. When they were finished, Alan hugged them both and sent love into their minds before he excused himself and left the room.

"I don't like the way he reacted to that, Sis," Awinita said.

"I don't either. I have a feeling he went to tell my husband what we said," she replied.

Their suspicions were confirmed when Alan entered ten minutes later with the Doctor behind him. Alan sat down in the chair while the Doctor sat down beside Rain.

"Brother told me what you told him but I'm assuming you figured that out since I'm in here," the Doctor said to him.

"Are you upset we used the simulation room?" Awinita said.

"No, I'm not upset about that. I'm just concerned that you saw something you shouldn't have. But on the other hand if Jenny saw this whole premonition there must be a reason for it. I know about the Valeyard capturing me obviously. The fact that he captured Alan and you lot is a surprise and I just warned him that when the moment comes that I don't want him or you to interfere because I don't want you in danger. I'll tell the other women but whenever this happens which I'm assuming is centuries from now don't do anything. Let me go. Like Alan in the vision told you, my seventh self rescues us and we return to our own timelines unharmed. Now…about what my eleventh self told you. I'm glad he told you not to worry about it because you shouldn't. Especially if this occurs more than two centuries from now and I'm glad he eased your fears about regeneration because he's right. There's nothing to fear about that, Te'lesu and once you go through it you'll realize how true that is. Now…when Brother first told me all this I seriously considered taking it from your minds so you won't worry or try to prevent it but I trust you for now to be responsible with this information because I want you to be prepared. Now there is a chance this event can be avoided but if it's fixed you must accept it and trust that everything will work out. Alright?"

They nodded.

"Because if it does get to be too much for all of you, I will take this vision away because I don't want any of you to spend the next two centuries or more dreading this separation. From what you told Alan, it sounds like I'm alright even though we've been apart for three centuries and he's right, it will pass quickly. I'm 1200 years old and it amazes me I'm that old since it seems like yesterday I was a kid. But I know Alan will look after you, my love, and keep you safe."

He feigned anger.

"But if you dare do something to my TARDIS while I'm gone…" he said, wagging his finger at him.

Alan held up his hands and feigned fear. The Doctor smiled warmly at him and sighed while he wrapped his arm around his wife.

"Well, now we know why they came and cuddled with us under the console that day," Alan said while the Doctor nodded.

He smiled at his wife and sister and sent love into their minds.

"We won't know until closer to the moment if this exile can be avoided. If it can be then rest assured I will fight it with every breath in my body but until that moment we have to do what my eleventh self suggested. Live each life to the fullest and enjoy our time together."

He paused a moment and looked at Rain.

"I'm not ginger, eh?"

"No, Love."

"Damn," he said while they laughed. "Am I even gonna be ginger? Is that too much to ask to be ginger for one life?"

He paused.

"I'm younger?"

"About my age," Rain said while Awinita nodded.

"Hmm, that's a surprise as well," the Doctor muttered.

"Is it me, Brother, or are you getting younger with each regeneration?" Alan said.

"Seems like it. At least since the Time War. Maybe I keep growing younger to compensate for my age. Then again, apparently the mystery goons force this next regeneration on me. Maybe they assumed if I'm young I'd be inexperienced and unable to take care of myself on this barren planet they wanna dump me on. Ah well, who knows?"

He glanced at his wife.

"Am I repulsive to you when I regenerate?" he asked her.

"No. You're handsome. Most of your lives have been handsome."

The Doctor raised his eyebrow.

"When have I not been handsome then?"

"When you were eighty and when you were a clown."

"Oi!" the Doctor said while Alan roared with laughter.

"No, you were all handsome in your own ways."

"Even the elderly one?"

She nodded.

"You had a very mature, handsome face," she said. "But…I mean I fell in love with you looking like this so I'm partial to it, you know."

"Well, I'll feel the same way about this body after you regenerate," the Doctor said, kissing her cheek.

"I wonder what I'm gonna look like since I go first," Awinita said.

"Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde combined."

The Doctor laughed when Awinita rose up and smacked Alan on the top of the head a couple of times before sitting back down. The Doctor sighed contentedly while he laid his head back onto the back of the sofa and closed his eyes.

"I hope this whole exile can be prevented because I'll sure miss this," he said with his eyes closed.

He opened his eyes and looked at his wife and sisters.

"You know, I love all of you but I have to admit it's been interesting having the two of you and Mingxia travel with me because I'm getting new perspectives on American and Chinese cultures I never had before. In all my lives, I traveled with one American, Peri and had two others, Grace and Lee, who assisted me and that was it. And I've never even traveled with a Chinese woman before so I'm getting to experience brand new parts of planet Earth. Not to mention I've never traveled with Native Americans. I knew a little bit about Native American culture but not the little nitty gritty things that you two know and the same with China. I love learning little things about your cultures."

"I do too. I'm glad I went across the US because I saw wonderful things I didn't know existed," Alan said.

The Doctor nodded.

Other than Peri, I traveled with British people and aliens so I know a great deal about British culture and it's ins and outs but not so much about American culture and its ins and outs so I'm glad you and Mingxia are with me because now at 1200 years old I get to see brand new things and learn brand new things and I'm loving it."

He squeezed his wife.

"And I'm married to a former American which also has been an eye-opener for me," he said while she kissed her cheek. "It's too bad Imiko wasn't human because then we could have learned a lot more about Japanese culture too. I always say consult the experts if you wanna really learn a culture from the inside out. But yes, I'll miss you all if I really do have to go into exile."

He shut his eyes and sighed.

"Brother, if I do have to do this, you will be sure to punch these people directly in the face for me, yeah?"

"You better believe it," he said while Rain and Awinita laughed. "And not only that, Rain will be pulling me off so she can have a go at em."

"Damn straight I will," Rain said. "I'll throw you across the room so I can have space to kick their asses!"

"Well I'll be sure to get out of your way then, Rain," Alan said while they laughed.

The Doctor chuckled.

"The other interesting thing is Alan here," he said.

"Me, what about me?"

The Doctor opened his eyes.

"I don't know if you've realized this but you've picked up quite a few Americanisms from your sisters. I'm guessing that's mostly Awinita's doing since you traveled with her the longest but every once in awhile you say something I've never thought of saying in my life and sometimes you say things I've never heard before."

"Oh yeah. Um…well, frankly, I was trying to distance myself from you and be my own person and every once in awhile, Awinita would say something that I'd love and I'd sorta cotton on to it and use it, much to my wife's chagrin. But she's taught me a lot of fun things. I know what a snipe hunt is now and I loved the first time I asked Rose if we could go on one and she fell for it. She was angry when she found out it was a joke and Te'lesu and me laughed at her but the look on her face was priceless. She was asking what a snipe was and Awinita was just making up this crazy description and not even cracking a smile. Oooh, Brother, you should have been there. It was hilarious. Unfortunately, that was months before Rain came into our lives and she missed it as well, damn it. But yeah, I do that on occasion because I love the sound of the words or the phrase or just to irritate my wife. But yes, I'm also glad they and Mingxia came along and enriched our lives with their own little ways of living."

He patted Awinita's head.

"Like the little DVD viewing party we almost missed because you were afraid we wouldn't be interested," he said, pinching her cheek affectionately.

"Yes, that was wonderful. We really have to do that again," the Doctor said. "You and everyone else have healed and helped us both in so many ways. Which is also why you must avenge me if I'm torn away from you. I want to see you screaming and pounding these hooded gits right in the face. If I'm going, I wanna see pools of blood on the floor before I leave. I wanna have the satisfaction of knowing they'll have broken noses and bones and contusions and bruises. That'll keep me going for awhile in the other universe."

He opened his eyes.

"Of course, Brother, now that we know we can plan just in case I am forced to do this. You and I have over two centuries to find a way to communicate with one another even if I am trapped behind a void. We need to do that anyway since we cross the voids frequently."

"But…" Awinita said. "couldn't we also make more void crossers and hide them in secure locations all over the universe so if they do take ours we'll have more?"

The Doctor glanced at her. He looked at his brother and they grinned at each other.

"Why yes, we could, couldn't we?" the Doctor said.

"Maybe this is why Jenny had the vision, Brother. Maybe this is a warning to prepare ourselves and do things like hide void crossers so it can be prevented," Alan said to him.

"You mean let it happen and let myself be "exiled" and then once they're gone, you come and get me?" the Doctor said.

"Yes, let the bastards have their stupid little trial and then once you're condemned and sent away, we'll come and get you and go on with life," Alan said.

"Yeah but you'll be forced to regenerate," Awinita said to the Doctor.

The Doctor shrugged.

"Yes but don't you think that's a small price to pay to get them to leave us alone?" he said. "It'll be over two centuries with this body by the time it happens, that's pretty good considering my average is usually a hundred to a hundred and fifty before something happens. I'll still be me, honestly. I know Rose freaked out the last time I almost regenerated but even though our personalities might change a bit, at the core we'll all be the same people and trust me, you'll recognize me. I won't be this slobbering, drooling, raving maniac wandering the TARDIS corridors wanting to smear feces over everything. I will remember all of you and I'll love you all, I'll just be in a different body. So…I repeat, isn't that a small price to pay to prevent me from spending three centuries or more apart from all of you?"

They nodded.

"Whatever I need to do to get these wankers off my back and away from us permanently, I'll gladly do it and if that includes being beaten, tortured or forced to regenerate, I will. The reward of having my family with me is worth it all."

"So, Love, instead of the Valeyard grabbing you from the other universe, he'd grab you a second time while you were with us," Rain said to him.

"Yes, which will be irritating but unfortunately since that events stems from the past, that I can't change and I'm sure it'll be irritating when time goes on and my twelfth and thirteenth selves get nabbed while all of you have to watch. But like I said, each instance that happens, do not interfere because we'll all be sent back to wherever we were taken from. I realize it'll be a bit tiresome having to watch the Valeyard grab me four separate times in four different time periods but it can't be helped. I s'pose by the time my thirteenth self gets taken you'll all be groaning and throwing up your hands in frustration while you yell, "Bloody hell, not again!" This is what happens when your evil double is allowed to run loose in the universe and he gets it into his head that your good selves would make wonderful batteries for your golems. Having said that, the next time he does snatch me, Brother, please hide because I don't want him seeing you and thinking he could make another handy dandy golem with the spare clone."

"I will."

The Doctor sighed.

"I s'pose we should go talk to the others and let them know about this conversation before we go take Sarah and the kids on another fun trek through history."

The Doctor kissed his wife and sister and the four of them got up and left the room.