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."
Chapter 17 Babies R' Us
His eyes got wide and he froze like a deer in the headlights. She was about to break out laughing when he stood up and looked down at her. She asked in a serious tone, "Are you intending to run? The Tardis is on my side, you won't get far." He sat back down, then stood back up. With a gleam in her eye she repeated his words from the day it happened.
"Well you were there, you must know what we did."
He broke into the biggest smile his face could make. Jumping and shouting with joy, he picked her up and twirled in circles. "Easy now," she said, holding her stomach. Not so much for the baby, but the morning sickness. "I'm not stable yet this morning." He put her down gently, as if she would break.
They sat on the bed again. "Are you sure?" he asked with hope and concern in his voice. She nodded enthusiastically, "I asked the Tardis. She says I'm 7.5 weeks of growth." "Two months" he repeated. "That was the night in front of the fire," grinning like a mad man.
He got that far away look again, then he said "I'm gonna be a father." She was feeling a bit forgotten. "Well if it's not you, then somebody better build a church." He broke out laughing and grabbed her. Holding her close and rocking. "Rose! Just when I think I'm the happiest I can be, you give me a whole new definition for the word.
Ok, so, October, Nov, Dec...ummm.." He was counting on his fingers, "April, End of April." "Wait a minute," Rose was still amused with him. "That's only 6 months. Humans take 9 months. Last time I looked I'm still human, and you're half. I don't suppose you remember how long it took last time?"
"Well, no. But my son was mostly Gallifreyan. He might have been a little late, but not enough to cause concern or I would remember." He looked at her with wonder. "I'm sorry, I haven't asked, how are you feeling?" She smiled, pleased, better late than never. "I'm fine. A little sick in the morning, I cry at the drop of a hat, and my mood swings could put a planet out of orbit, but I guess that's all normal."
She swallowed hard when sudden panic came over her "And scared, did I mention scared?" She looked up at him with tears starting in her eyes. "I wish mum were here. There's so much to do, and we need supplies, clothes and furniture for the baby. There's a million things we need."
He held her close. "Rose, stop. We don't need to think about all of that today. We need time to adjust. It's going to be alright, I promise. We can handle it together. And I'm a doctor, remember. And what I don't know the Tardis does. I could never let anything happen to the two of you."
She brightened up a bit, "I was going to wait until tonight to tell you. But I just couldn't keep it to myself one more moment." She smiled and cried at the same time. He just shrugged and held her. There would be a lot of that in the next few months.
They floated on air the rest of the day. He couldn't stop hugging her. Even when they went for a walk. After a while she felt like an old teddy bear with stuffing coming out of her seams. Rose had to fake a long afternoon nap just to catch a break. Even then he was somewhere near her, just staring and smiling. Ready to jump if she so much as looked as if she wanted something. Eventually she did sleep and woke to the most amazing smell coming from the kitchen. She was famished. He came in with a tray.
"Good, you're awake! I made all of your favorites. There's a ton of food in the kitchen. After all, you're eating for two." He put the tray on the bed and ran to fluff her pillows and help her sit up. He tucked the blanket around her and put the tray in her lap. "Ta da" He took the lid off the plate, and then sat in the chair to watch her eat.
Rose let out a big sigh and smiled, "This is all very sweet but, what are you doing? I'm not an invalid. I can go to the kitchen to eat." "You want to go downstairs?" He jumped up and pushed the tray away as if to carry her. "STOP! I can see that you're still excited, and need to express it, but you can't keep hovering, it's stressing me out."
He was crestfallen, with an expression like a puppy who's just been told no. She relented, "Ok, stay and keep me company while I eat. What did you do while I was sleeping, besides making enough to feed the Royal Fusiliers?" She took a bite and it melted in her mouth. She groaned "Oh my god this is good. If you keep this up I'm gonna get fat." She stopped chewing, realizing as she said it, and they both burst out laughing.
"Well" he began, "I started looking for some of the stuff we'll need. Turns out I had quite a bit that will do. Furniture wise anyway. It needed a little sprucing up, but I have a nice rocking chair, table and lamp, a soft rug. A dresser and a high bench that will serve as a changing table. And best of all, are you ready for this, a crib." "A What?" she said astounded.
"A crib. I told you the warehouse was full of things from every Time Lord that ever used it. One of them must have had children on board. The Tardis knew, she led me right to it." Rose's eyes grew large, "Those things must be hundreds of years old. Do you think they're safe?" He was insulted. "Do you think I would risk my child if they weren't?"
His face beamed as he repeated to himself, "My child" He was lost in joy. Rose replied knowing he couldn't hear her. "No, I suppose not." She finished what was on her plate. "That was wonderful. So, show me what you found."
He almost bounced, "I have it set up in the nursery." Rose was shocked "Already?" "Come on, let me show you." His enthusiasm was sweet, and she got up from the bed to follow him. The spare room was all set up with what he had found. The furniture was all in spotless white, obviously cleaned recently.
There was a round pink plush rug on the floor and soft wall hangings with multi-colored circles she supposed were in Gallifreyan. She opened the dresser drawer to find clothes. Baby clothes in different sizes. Along with diapers and all the little things it takes to keep a baby happy and dry. "How did you do this?" Rose was astonished at the cute and practical clothing. Holding a pair of booties to her cheek.
"I don't know what you said to her, but the Tardis had them all ready and in a stack waiting. There's some maternity things for you too. I put them in your closet. Rose started to cry. "I wish the Tardis could take human form. I want to give her a hug so bad." He went to Rose and held her. "It's ok. The Tardis is so happy for us. She's going to be an auntie." Rose was still astonished. "But, How?"
"Her engines have an energy to matter capability. She can create whatever you need if you can be specific. Haven't you noticed the larder never runs out of food? We've been here three years. Have you ever seen me go grocery shopping? The Tardis creates it for us atom by atom."
"I just thought it was another bigger on the inside thing." Rose sniffled and examined everything. "You did all this in the time it took me to have a nap?" He grinned and nodded. Rose sat in the rocking chair and watched the light from the lamp. It was lit from the inside and cast colorful shapes that moved and danced on the walls. She could see herself in this chair rocking their baby to sleep.
He even had a music box that gently chimed a tune she had never heard before. "Oh husband, It's all beautiful." She went to him and kissed him on the cheek before investigating the crib. There was only one thing missing. She looked at his face, which was beaming with love and pride.
"When I first found out about the baby, the Tardis took me to a room, deep inside, almost hidden. Your cot was there. It was beautiful and so sweet. I was afraid to touch it. If you can manage a copy, I'd love to have one in pink." He went up to her and put his arms around her waist. "Pink eh. I'll work on it. Let's go downstairs. I have a surprise for you."
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