"Rose, Are you as incredibly happy as I am?" She smiled and nodded. His hands on her back, pulling her to his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder and sighed. "Yes, husband. More than I ever dreamed." He smiled, "I want you always to be as happy as we are right now."
Chapter 16 Dear, in the Headlights
Time passed so quickly. It was Christmas again, and there was frost on the window panes. Rose was up early. She came downstairs for a cup of coffee and a little morning time to herself. She sat in the chair opposite the Christmas tree. The star was very bright, and the colors wavered like a mirage.
Suddenly she didn't feel so good. As a matter of fact, she was very nauseated. She put down her mug and ran to the downstairs bathroom and lost her toast and coffee. What's the matter with me? she thought. This has been going on for a while now. I must have the flu. No, there's no one here to catch it from, and the Tardis has a decontamination field if I did. We had a nice dinner, nothing spoiled. What the…" She turned suddenly pale, "What day is it?"
It was so easy to lose track when one day is much like another. Should be the 24th. She stopped to think. It's been two months. Her eyes grew large as she realized what it meant. He came down the stairs calling her. Rose quickly managed a smile. "Rose. Rose?" "I'm in the den." she called back.
"There you are." he smiled as he saw her. "I'm usually the one who gets up first, but I slept so well after last night." His raised eyebrows betraying a night of passion. He noticed something was wrong with the way she looked but couldn't quite put a finger on it. The star on the tree was very bright and it distracted him. "We may have to take that thing down. I didn't think it would be such a bright light. You could land a Tardis with it. Is the coffee on?" He yawned and stretched and headed for the kitchen.
Rose shouted to him, "Do you have anything planned for today?" "I don't know. Do you have something in mind?" he shouted back. "Well, I need to get you out of the house for half an hour to work on your Christmas present. Do you think you could make yourself scarce? I want it to be a surprise."
"Well… ok. I'm sure I can find something to do in the Tardis." "Nope, try again. Your present is in the Tardis. Where else do you think I could get one, the local mall?" She was secretly enjoying his misery as he shot back. "Maybe I should just go back to bed!" She giggled again, "And don't come out till I tell you."
Rose was laughing at his irritation, knowing it wouldn't last long. "Can I at least have my coffee?" "If you take it up stairs." she said in mock annoyance. He came around the corner a bit put out. "Oh, I see. No pity for me. Maybe I'll just sit here on the arm of your chair." He plunked himself down with his cup and made to fall over on her, pushing her out of her chair.
She grabbed his arm first and pushed him back. "Get going mister." He shot her an evil look. "Relax, I won't be long." He left to go to their room, stomping and grumbling all the way. She was still grinning as he disappeared. He can be such a bear before he's had coffee.
Rose stood up a little wobbly and entered the Tardis. It had been quite a while since she was in there. The sounds and smells reminded her of all the fun they'd had over the years. She was surprised to suddenly feel like she missed it. It didn't last long when she remembered why she was there.
Rose walked up to the console and put a hand on the panel. "Tardis my friend, will you help me? I think I'm pregnant and I know you can confirm it for me." She heard a cheerful chirp and gurgle, and the screen in front of her activated.
There, on the screen, was an image. The image of a baby in utero. Under the picture the words, Female 7.5 weeks of growth.
Rose was overwhelmed at first and staggered back to the seat behind her. She sat frozen for a few moments, taking it all in. Then she burst out with a shriek of joy, covering her mouth quickly to dampen the sound. If he heard her he didn't respond. "Take that Mr. 149 years! No wonder my clothes won't fit. Well I said I wanted a girl first."
She began talking to the Tardis. "Ok, so, now what? I have a million questions. What should I do? How's this going to work? Is it going to be a normal 9 months? I'm having an alien's baby!" She was laughing and excited and terrified. Then suddenly stunned again, holding her stomach gently, feeling her condition, her heart racing.
The Tardis put some basic information on the screen about female Gallifreyan physiology. Normal gestation 24 weeks, movement at 8 weeks, average time of labor 4-6 hours, recovery in 2 hours. "Recovery in 2 hours? You've got to be joking! Wait, this child is mostly human. That's going to make these numbers wrong. I'll probably be a bit different. At least I have an idea. I need to get a doctor…HA, I've had one, that's the trouble."
She was giddy again, but she knew she had to stay focused as the full force of it hit. "We're going to need so much stuff. Clothes, bottles, formula, diapers, powder, blankets, a crib, changing table. How are we going to get all that and more?"
The Tardis warbled and a light in the hallway went on. Rose followed it. Room after room lit up as she followed. Rose had never been this far into the Tardis. He had warned her about getting lost, but the trail was clearly marked, and she knew her friend wouldn't let anything happen to her.
The last light was a small room full of very odd things covered in dust. No one had been here for a very long time. Rose realized this was his room. A room full of memories he shared with no one. On a table was a blue cradle made of wood and painted with gold Gallifreyan writing. Dangling above it was a mobile made of silver stars and planets.
It was his. In fairly good shape considering it was 900 years old, and she supposed, much too fragile to use. "Oh, it's beautiful. I want one just like it. Thank you for showing it to me." She touched the cot gently, lovingly, seeing their child in it. "How am I going to tell him? It's got to be today. I don't think I can hold it in any longer than that. In fact, well, no time like the present."
Rose left the Tardis and went upstairs to let him out. She crept in the room thinking he might be asleep again. He was sitting cross legged in the chair with his coffee and a book. He looked up and smiled. "I've been thinking of ways to take my revenge." Putting his cup down, he was up and out of the chair with his arms around her faster than she could see. "First, I shall tickle you into submission."
She held his face in her hands, looking soulfully into his eyes, and gave him a big wet kiss, pressing her body into him. He swayed and groaned, "Or... maybe... not..?" She took his hand and led him to the bed, but something told him this was not a seduction. Rose took a deep breath and tried to begin, "You'd better sit down."
By the look on her face, it was serious, and he started to worry if her injuries had returned in some way. "Ok… what?", he said gently, worry reflecting in his eyes, expecting bad news. She sat next to him and started out a few times, wanting to get it right but also wanting to build the suspense. The look on his face was priceless. Finally she said, "So just how old are you exactly?"
He was taken off guard with such an odd question. It was now obvious she wasn't hurt, and he was getting annoyed. "Do you need a precise date? What's this about?" Rose smiled, unable to contain it any longer. "Well the next time someone asks you how old you were when your daughter was born I want you to be able to answer."
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