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Chapter 25 - A Walk with Lewis

After the Doctor left Bruce's island, he transported back onboard his ship. He walked down the hallway and stopped outside of Lewis' door. After pressing the doorbell on the side, he heard a ding. The door slid open. Licis stood in front of him.

"Hey!" he smiled. "Come in."

They walked into the suite. Lewis was laying on the sofa with a blanket over him. The small infant was sleeping on his chest. The sight made the Doctor smile. "Now, that's a picture."

Lewis chuckled, "He's such a sleepy guy. Is that normal?"

The Doctor knelt down next to the sofa and scanned them both with his sonic screwdriver. "Yeah, he's fine. He grows when he is sleeping. He's had a busy few days already."

Lewis kissed the top of Arles' head. "Haven't we all?"

The Doctor pat Lewis on the shoulder. "You are stiff. You need to move around. Licis, can you take Arles?"

Licis walked over and took the small baby from Lewis. He spoke to him softly in Quauhtin as he walked away with him. Lewis sat up and rubbed his head.

"Fancy a walk?" The Doctor asked.

Lewis nodded his head. "I suppose I need to walk around."

Licis overheard them. He kissed sleeping Arles' forehead. "You are mine, little man." Then he spoke in the silliest voice the Doctor had ever heard him use, "Yes, you are! My favorite nephew!"

Lewis rolled his eyes. "Licis the Warrior, and Guardian of the Queen of Andromeda, is mush with this child."

The Doctor laughed as they walked out of the door. "I believe all of the brothers are."

They walked down the hallways of the ship together. Lewis wore a pair of dark blue trousers and a dark grey t-shirt. The Doctor was still in his nice suit. Lewis walked slowly and sighed.

"My legs are so stiff." He complained.

"Well, you broke both of them. They are going to feel tight for several days. Walking around will help. You need to move around to help everything get loose again."

Lewis groaned. "At some point, I want to know everything that happened. But, not now. I can guess with most of this. Just how I feel is telling me the story."

The Doctor nodded. "Right."

They continued to walk down the hall.

"How are you Lewis? Really?"

Lewis shook his head. "I believe if denial was a sickness, I would be completely consumed in it. I still can't believe this."

The Doctor nodded. "We're all here for you both, Lewis."

Lewis nodded, "I know. I really can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Rose has been amazing. She came up a bit ago. You just missed her."

He smiled, "Did she?"

"She did. She's wonderful, you know. She cares so much. She told me that she wasn't surprised that I had remained on the ship. I just can't go back to the flat."

The Doctor sighed, "I imagine not. Well, I know we had talked about it before, but I know you wanted to stay in your flat on the island. Now…I wanted to tell you that I still would be very happy for you, and Arles, to come live with us in the house."

Lewis motioned for him to stop. He was out of breath. The Doctor helped him sit down in the floor against the wall.

Lewis spoke in Quauhtin to him. "Rose came to tell me the same thing. Granted, you are a lot nicer about it than she is."

He chuckled, "She's being forceful then?"

"I would tell you that she's being demanding. But, I would never say that to her. And if you tell her, I'll deny it."

The Doctor smiled and rubbed his hands together. "That sounds like her. Yes."

"I knew her before you came. She was, different. Always the one in charge. Always, telling everyone what they should do. Lately, I see more of that in her. Since that night when you passed out. It's no surprise she was Commander so quickly."

The Doctor looked surprised, "Rose? My Rose? She was a what?"

Lewis relaxed as he sat against the wall. "She was. I imagine she still is. I didn't realize you didn't know that. And you talk about me not telling important stuff to my…."

He trailed off and sighed. He continued, "Everyone thought it was because she was Pete's daughter and underestimated her. In everything. Mickey took pleasure in watching the new agents get their asses handed to them by her."

The Doctor ran his hand through his hair. "Nothing sexier than a woman in charge."

Lewis nodded his head. "I imagine so. I remember asking Summus why we were even guarding her. She could handle anything life tossed at her. Then I was briefed on some of what had happened to her. I immediately asked to be her primary. It's often the toughest ones that need the highest form of protection."

The Doctor nodded, "I agree."

He looked back at him. "She doesn't blame you. Not at all. You know that, right?"

He nodded his head. "I do."

Lewis flexed his arms and groaned, "She told me that no one should have to go through what I'm going through. She wishes she could change it. Bring her back to me. I've ask her not to think about it. You know, strange things happen when Rose starts….thinking about stuff. I don't blame her. You might have to reassure her of this."

The Doctor nodded.

Lewis' eyes filled with tears. He continued to speak in Quauhtin to him, "This just…sucks. Worst than anything I could have ever imagined."

The Doctor sat next to him and grabbed his hand. "I know." He could feel Lewis' extreme sadness.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Then the Doctor continued to speak to Lewis in Quauhtin, "This hand was broken, here. Here." He rolled it over, "And here. Lewis. You've really been through it. Both physically, and mentally. This is something you need to know you will never fully recover from. It will never leave you."

Lewis looked at him. "You have never spoken about your other wife."

The Doctor sighed and looked away. "And I won't."

"You still think of her?"

He considered. "More than I really should. She never left me."

"How long ago was that?"

"An extremely long time ago. I'll sometimes see Rose do something. A certain way she will look at me. And it will make me think of her. Certain smells will trigger a memory of something we did. Just when I think I've forgotten her, she reminds me that she won't allow it."

"But, she would want you to be happy?"

He smiled, "I'm certain of it. Without question. I would want that for her."

"I knew her….less than a year." He sighed as tears rolled down his cheeks. "Arles, is…amazing. I never thought I could love someone so much that I only just met. She would be pissed with me to admit it, but I'd rather have her. Is that wrong?"

He shook his head. "I think that's normal. I hope it is anyway. Those are the things we can't choose though."

Lewis wiped the tears from his face. "That's true."

The Doctor pat his knee as they sat in the floor. "I've often thought that the universe was just cruel. I told my granddaughter that it had been so unforgiving to us. To so many. That was centuries ago. There was a point where I had given up. I had no reason to continue."

Lewis took a deep breath. "See. That's where we are different in this. I have this son, now. As Rose said, I have to continue for him. A son of a Primus. He will have expectations that I want to shelter him from. I don't want him to have the life we did. Our father was a Primus. Killed in the line of duty when we were small. I barely remember him. Our Mum did the best she could, but when we all became of age to be sent off to training….off we went. To fulfill the promise our father had made to his. Quauhtin had become such a rare thing that to have had four sons was amazing for them. Four sons of a Primus? It was decided that's what we would do before we were even walking. I want this child to decide for himself. I've already made that very clear to my brothers, but I also want to make it clear to you. You are my One, and it's extremely important to me."

The Doctor nodded. "I agree. I feel the same about Sam."

Lewis nodded, "You never chose your path either, did you?"

The Doctor smiled, "No. Tell me, what would you have done if you had been given the choice?"

Lewis smiled, "I would have been a pirate. I would have had my own ship and would have made my money smuggling items of value from one side of the galaxy to the other."

The Doctor chuckled, "Oh, you wouldn't. I remember the story you told me about the tattoo. You would have still become a Primus."

Lewis rubbed his tattoo on his arm. "Oddly enough, I have only two places on there were it seems like it was cut."

The Doctor looked at his arm. "You had part of the window in your arm there. Jack took out the glass and we put the skin back together. In a few days, when the skin is healed more, you can get the tattoo touched up-"

"Nah. I'm going to leave it. Remind me of this. Not that I'll ever need a reminder, I'm sure. Two marks, one for each of my children. Both, to remind me of my promise to help Arles become the man he was met to be. Not the one that he will be expected to be." He pointed at the Doctor. "And you will help me with that, Primus Partner."

"It is my honor."

Lewis sighed, "Help me up and let's walk some more."

The Doctor got up off of the floor and helped Lewis to his feet. They continued to walk down the hallway, slowly together.

"So, what all did Rose have to say?"

Lewis smiled, "Rose is amazing. I know you know this. She reminded me how long we had known one another. And the friendship between you and me."

He nodded, "Yes."

"She insisted that we moved into the house with you lot. Be part of the family."

"You're already part of the family."

Lewis smiled, "That's what she said, too. And I really, truly know that."

"But?"

"Licis has suggested for us to return to Andromeda. Luce has taken time off from his post. Lance had spoken to me about his intent to begin the Trials to become a Primus."

"Lance! A Primus." He smiled proudly.

"I had told him that I would talk to you about it, but that was before all of this happened. He told me he has put that on hold now. He feels it will put more pressure on Arles to go that path-"

"No. It won't. Lance wanted to do this when he knew he was going to be an uncle. He's just using that as an excuse."

Lewis nodded, "Lance would have to be reassigned to someone during his trials. Plus, he will have to reach two more levels before he can be considered for Primus. Summus is on Andromeda now and can help him. I can't because administer the Trials to him because we are brothers. It wouldn't be right."

"I could do it-"

He was already shaking his head. "No. You couldn't. The friendship we have, it wouldn't be right. He would have to go to Summus, or someone else. Licis feels if all of us go there, we can all work together to raise Arles."

They stopped walking and faced one another. "Well. That's noble. However, I've not heard what you want to do."

Lewis smiled, "No one has asked me that. Throughout this entire thing. Thank you."

The Doctor nodded, "Arles is your son. This is your life. What do you want? Don't worry about anyone's feelings. Just….say what you like."

Lewis chuckled, "Thank you. Well, I've had a think on it. I would like Lance to return with Licis. After I have recovered enough to care for Arles on my own. I'm grateful for their help, but he should go ahead with his training. Summus will be happy to have another someone to boss around."

The Doctor smiled. "He would."

"Luce should really go back to work. He is not just a lowly records keeper, he's in charge of all of that shit down there."

"I knew there was more to him than you let on!"

He laughed, "He remembers everything he sees. Except languages. He just can't do it. Anyway. He needs to return to keep that running properly. And Arles and I will return to Terra. Well, Earth. I would like to have him and your Sam grow up together. Having a brother, well, there's nothing like it. Both the good and the bad. Arles will never have another sibling, and I want him to have the closest thing to it. So, I would like us to move into the house with you and the family. You and Rose help me with him, as I have and will continue to help you with Sam and Genie."

The Doctor smiled proudly. "I love it. Yes. Rose will love it."

They began to walk again. Lewis spoke, "Now, my recovery. My shit Doctor hasn't explained to me what to expect."

The Doctor chuckled as they continued to speak in Quauthin to one another, "You do have a shit Doctor. I'll be sure to speak to him later about that. Your recovery, Lewis, is not going to happen overnight. You were hurt very badly. Both legs, one of your arms, some ribs, one of your hips were all broken. I honestly do not know how you were even still awake, let alone, how you survived that."

"I was awake?"

The Doctor nodded. "We got to the accident and you were awake, but you couldn't turn your head. Your collarbone had been crushed."

Lewis sighed. He stopped the Doctor and looked at him. "Tell me. Was she?"

"No. Lewis, she was already gone. She didn't suffer. The best I can tell, she never even knew what happened."

Lewis nodded his head. "Thank you for that."

They started to walk again.

Lewis sighed, "So, recovery time?"

"It's going to take several weeks, maybe months, to get back your strength. I don't know if you will be able to phase any longer. That organ was damaged. But, it appears to be healing nicely. But, you know how that is. Sometimes it never fully recovers. And we've already talked about the telepathic connection."

Lewis groaned. "This is some shit."

"And you are going to need to rest-"

"Hell, I don't want to do that." He grumbled.

"And I know you are not going to want to do that. But, Lewis. It's important. You won't heal properly without rest. And with this infant to care for, too. Do not expect to take care of him all on your own. Not for a while. Let Rose, myself, the brothers, the Guard, all of us….we all want to help. Take advantage of us being there. Being a new father is exhausting, and you won't have the energy to take care of anyone but yourself for a while. And that's with help."

Lewis nodded his head. "I'll speak to the brothers about my wishes. I'm anxious to return to our new state of normal."

"Normal." The Doctor chuckled, "What the hell is that?"

Lewis smiled back at him. "Indeed."

"And this word, 'recovery.' Lewis, that implies that things will be the same as they were before. But, there's no going back to that time in your life. During your recovery, you….reinvent yourself. You will become something completely different than you were before. That's something you need to keep in mind."

Lewis nodded, "Deep thought. Makes sense."

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