He closed his eyes and realized what a fool he'd been to doubt her. She had given up everything for him. Her planet, her parents, her friends, everything. She had saved his life on more than one occasion. Had given him a beautiful child. Had been his confessor and savior. What more proof could he ask? He looked in her eyes pleading for forgiveness. "I'm so sorry," he said simply. "I don't deserve you Rose." She shook her head, "Yes you do, and more."
Chapter 25 Birds, Bees, Etc..
Rose wanted it out in the open, and said sternly, "Is it gone?" He nodded his head and looked down, feeling a fool. "Yes, it's gone. How can I make it up to you?" "I want you to apologize to Captain MacAbee. He has been nothing but kind and generous to us, and you have treated him contemptibly.
I know how you feel about soldiers, but he could be your friend. He had a wife and son once. They were killed in an accident. He took this job to forget. Running away from the pain. Sound familiar? Now he helps out at the school, just to be near the children. He's a kind and decent man. What do you say?"
He looked at her knowing she was right. "Of course. I'll do it tomorrow when I see him in camp." He had been through a lot today. He was pale and tired. She brushed the hair from his eyes. "Have you eaten?" "No, I could think of nothing but you."
"Ok, I'll make something for us. Alice will be awake soon. She had such a good time today at the school. She wants to tell you all about it." They got up and dressed. Rose went to the kitchen and he went to get Alice.
When he got to her room he stood in the doorway and watched her sleep. Alice was growing up so fast. She looked so much like Rose, except she had his nose and chin. "Alice." He sat at the edge of her bed and placed a hand on her back. "Alice, Wake up my little one."
Alice opened her eyes and sat up. "Daddy!" She flew into his arms. "Can I go back to the camp tomorrow? Mary and I are going to make a mote for the castle." "Who's Mary?" "I met her at the school playground. She's my friend."
He smiled slowly knowing he was going to lose this argument. "Let's talk to momma about it, ok?" "She said we'd have to talk to you." "Well we can't let you go alone. Momma will have to stay with you. Do you think she will?" Alice scrambled out of the bed and was downstairs before he could stop her.
"Momma!, Daddy said it would be alright, if you come with me." "Come with you where?" Alice was getting impatient having to be a go between. "To school. I want to go see Mary again. Can we go, Please!"
"Yes Alice. We can go see your friend tomorrow, after your studies with Daddy." He was watching them, smiling, leaning on the kitchen wall. "Daddy, Momma said yes!" Alice was so excited. It would be hard to get her to sleep tonight. "Get washed up for dinner, the two of you. It will be ready soon. Alice ran to the sink to wash her hands with her father. "Alice, set the table please." "Yes, momma." Rose had made spaghetti, Alice's favorite dish.
They sat at the table talking about their day. Alice had lots of questions about what she had seen today. Most of them pretty small and one big one. "Momma, where do babies come from?" The Time Lord laughed so loud he snorted. Rose was holding it together to try to answer her little girl.
"Dearest, how far have you gotten in biology class? Has Daddy taught you where eggs and milk come from?" "Do you mean the Tardis?" Alice asked innocently. "Well, no." Rose was going to lose it. "I think that should be the first thing he teaches you tomorrow. Don't you think so Daddy?" His jaw dropped as he realized he would be on the hot seat tomorrow.
"Well, I will try my best." It was Rose's turn to snort. "Let's do the dishes everyone." With the three of them working together it didn't take long.
They moved to the den with bowls of ice cream and sprinkles. When Alice finished she went to her desk in the corner to draw giving them time to talk. "Rose, you know she is too advanced to go to their school." "Yes, I know that, but there is an after school program for parents who work during the day. It's only an hour or two in the playground." He grumbled as Rose went on.
"She needs to know how to interact with others. Sharing, disappointment, kindness. She needs experience with these emotions now to know how to handle them as an adult."
The line between his eyebrows was getting deeper as he frowned. "Aren't you worried about what she may say to these kids? What they may say to her? What if they find out she's part alien?"
Rose grimaced in acceptance. "She's going to get hurt. It's going to happen. We can't protect her all her life. When it happens we need to be there for her and teach her no matter what, she is loved, and who she is, and not to be afraid or ashamed.
Our hearts will break for her, but in the end she will be a strong independent woman who knows her mind and her place in the universe." Alice was done drawing and ran over to show her parents. It was a likeness of Mary and the sand castle.
Rose took it and showed him. It was a very good portrait and showed all the love Alice had put into it. He sighed and smiled at his little girl. "Alice, that's lovely. Do you want to keep it or give it to Mary's mom?" "I want to give it to Mary's mom, daddy. I can always make a new one for me." She ran back to the desk to draw some more.
Rose stopped outside the schoolroom door in the Tardis next day, while he was trying to answer Alice's questions about babies. She wouldn't have missed this for the world.
"Well Alice, babies come when a momma and daddy get together and decide they want one. Then the daddy puts a tiny baby in the mommas tummy and it stays there and grows until it's born. Do you understand?"
"Yes daddy. Did you put me in mommas tummy?" "Yes Alice. Do you remember being in momma's tummy?" Alice thought for a moment "A little, I think. I remember hearing you read me stories and momma sang songs." "That's right. Do you have any other questions?" "No daddy." "Then we need to get to our regular lessons." Rose was so proud of him. Brilliant! It was just enough to satisfy her without getting too detailed. He was such a good dad, she could have hugged the stuffing out of him.
Chapter 26 The Nanny
