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Chapter 25 - Kmuevvuhz Kill

Tony slept peacefully while Stark and the Doctor drank the remainder of the Damn Whiskey together.

"You don't have to stay in here with us." The Doctor told Stark.

"Oh, like hell. What else am I doing? Besides, I'm fairly certain that walking back to my room is out for a while. I need to remain seated." Stark insisted.

The Doctor laughed quietly as he leaned back in the bed. "I don't know why I keep drinking that stuff. Don't let me do anything embarrassing, alright?"

"Completely trashed, huh?" Stark asked him as he rested his face on his fist.

"Oh yes." The Doctor agreed. "And Rose is sleeping so she can't tell."

Stark laughed as he shook his head. "I think that's three nights in a row for you, no maybe four."

The Doctor lay on the bed, rubbing his face, as Tony Tyler slept on his chest. Jack gently tapped on the door. "Hey. Am I late to the party?"

Stark smiled at him. "Come in. Sorry man. The bottle appears to have sprung a leak."

Jack looked at The Doctor and Tony lying in the bed together. "Ah, I'm still pretty toasty from the Quauhtin celebration." He pointed at the bed. "Is he asleep?"

The Doctor moaned, "No. I'm just resting my eyes."

Jack rolled his eyes, "Oh, right man. Whatever. You both missed the best fight I think I've ever seen. I didn't even get to throw the first punch!"

The Doctor rubbed his face and propped his head back up on his arm, "Yeah, Clagl came in here for a bit. Lewis took out four men?"

Jack sat in the chair next to Stark. "I counted five. But, anyway, I didn't know about this. Do you know who Lewis is? Do you remember the Kmuevvuhz Kill? I'm sure you heard about that."

The Doctor nodded his head. "Yeah. That was Summus-"

Jack was shaking his head, "No. That was Lewis. I just found that out tonight. I don't know if that is the same in our dimension, or just one of those odd differences."

Stark held up his hand, "Hang on. Earth boy isn't following. The what?"

Jack looked back at him, "The Kmuevvuhz Kill. It's a story that has been told for …."

The Doctor shook his head, "At least 175 years at this point."

Jack pointed at him. "Thank you. Yes. The story goes that the Kmuevvuhz Prince was about to be assassinated. He was not much older than Tony Tyler. The Quauhtin guarding him pulled him away from his would be killer, pressed the kid's face into his body so he didn't see it happen. Then he punched the assassin's side, broke his rib, then… wow….damn….."

Stark tossed up his hands, "Well, what?"

The Doctor finished, "Well, he pushed his hand into the assassin's chest, took out his rib and stabbed the assassin with it."

"His own rib?" Stark exclaimed.

Jack nodded his head. "That was Lewis."

Stark sat back and shook his head. "Oh, bullshit. Not Lewis. Lewis couldn't do that."

The Doctor looked seriously at Stark. "Lewis is a Quauhtin. They are sworn to do anything to protect the families they serve. But, yeah. Wow. That was Lewis?!"

Jack smiled in disbelief. "Lance, Luce and Licio said he does not talk about it. I can see why. Wow. I certainly see him in a different light."

"Well, that's why he doesn't talk about it. He doesn't want to be seen any differently. Don't talk to him about this. It would be better if we would forget it. He would have told us if he had wanted us to know." The Doctor told them.

Stark shook his head. "That's not even possible. How can you pull someone's rib out of their chest?"

Jack shook his head. "I have no idea. I bet he does." He pointed at the Doctor.

The Doctor rubbed his face. "It's a move that you can learn in Kung Fu. I can't remember what it's called, but you strike with your fingers extended. They act as knives. If you push them into certain places in the body, you could pull out something like that."

Stark looked impressed. "Have you ever done that?"

The Doctor closed his eyes as he leaned back. "Lewis did that. Wow."

Stark pointed at the Doctor as he looked back at Jack. "He's like a black hole. Information void."

Jack laughed, "Exactly. He's drunk enough though, I bet we can get some information out of him."

The Doctor shook his head. "I'm really not that bad-"

"Horseshit. You've drank half a bottle of Howie's whiskey. I know what that does to you."

The Doctor didn't move from the bed. "Shut up, Jack."

Stark smiled, "You know, I stumbled on something in Friday's databank yesterday. Something called, 'Shagging Music.' Really? You have to have music to have sex? Is that an alien thing?"

The Doctor laughed quietly, "Oh geez. I can't believe you, man."

Jack laughed, "Really? What sort of music does he have?"

"Swanky stuff. Although, I was surprised there was so much modern music in it. You strike me as a Barry White sort of guy, Doc'."

The Doctor sat up on the side of the bed and rubbed his face. "Barry White? Me?"

Jack was laughing hysterically. "This is great! Rose wants you to play music? Is that to muffle the creaking of the old bones?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Oh, the gods. I'm not talking about this to you two."

Stark laughed, "No, you misunderstand. We're talking about it to you. See the difference? Alright. Music. What else does she have to have? Candles? Sappy stuff like that?"

He pointed at finger at them. "Let me point out, I'm the only married man in this room. Apparently, I'm doing something right."

Jack laughed, "But, Rose isn't enough for you, huh? Hiding out in the closet with Lewis?"

He smiled as he shook his head. "It wasn't like that. Rose had just left."

Those were the wrong words. Both of them gasped. He quickly held up both of his hands, "NO! It's not like that, either! Oh, just … shut up."

They both laughed hysterically at him.

Stark laughed, "Oh, while your blood pressure is elevated, Rose converted me on that underwear she says you love."

Jack smiled, "Isn't it the best?"

"Oh, hell yeah! I'm wearing some now. Where have these been all of my life?" Stark said.

Jack looked back at the Doctor, who was turned around and looking at Tony's leg. "Jack. Can you go get me some, Cooling Chalcedony?"

"Everything alright?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, he just needs some. Hey, get some ummm…. Cicatrix Instaurab, too. It's right there with it."

Jack was already out of the door. "Got it."

"Do you know where that -"

"Got it." He yelled from down the hallway.

Stark looked at him, "Everything really alright?"

"He's fine. He just needs to get these muscles cooled off. They seem to be swelling more than they should."

Jack walked back in the door. "Your Cooling Chalcedony, Doctor."

"Cheers." He said as he opened up the metal container and rubbed the blue gel on Tony's leg, foot and knee.

Jack turned back to Stark. "It's like putting ice on it. But, better. It goes into the muscles. Cools them off."

Stark nodded his head. "Interesting."

The Doctor put the lid back on the container and Jack handed him the other one. "Your Cicatrix Instaurab, Doctor." He presented it to him.

The Doctor chuckled at him. "Tony. Take off your shirt. Let's take care of that."

Stark looked surprised, "Catch me up. What the hell are we doing?"

"Let me see that scar from the surgery we did. This will fix that." He told him.

Stark pulled off his long sleeved shirt and grumbled. "Oh, what the hell." His chest showed an area where the arc reactor had been for so long had closed up. Lines from where his chest had been opened during the heart transplant were very clear from his collarbone down to his stomach. He sat in the chair and held his hands out. "Alright. What weird shit are you going to do here? I look like Frankenstein, you know. I'm good with that."

The Doctor chuckled. He tossed him the small, round metal tin. "Put that on there. Right where it's scarred. It will regrow the skin the way it used to be. Keep that tin. Once your DNA is in it, it can't be used for anyone else."

Stark opened the tin and rubbed the gel on his chest. "This feels strange. Is it supposed to tingle like this?"

"Keep your shirt off so I can keep an eye on it. Some people react to it. Hopefully you won't."

Stark shook his head. "Very comforting words, thanks."

Jack asked, "So, we're headed home?"

The Doctor sat back down on the bed with Tony. "Yep. In a matter of hours. I'm sure you'll be happy to see Jake. Next time we come, let's try to bring him."

Jack looked back at Stark and smiled, "Hey. I'm interested more in this shagging music. Let's get back to that-"

"Oh, the gods. Really?" he moaned.

Stark laughed as he rubbed the cream on his chest. "Yes. Explain to us, loverboy alien, how you use this music effectively?"

The Doctor shook his head and smiled, "I'm not talking about this."

Stark looked at Jack. "Get this man a beer! He'll sing like a bird if he gets enough alcohol in him."

Jack laughed as he went to the food replicator and brought back three beers. "Looks like the five months Jake and I were gone, you two hung out a bit."

The Doctor smiled, "Not really. This is the most time we've spent together."

Stark finished putting on the cream and closed the container. He sat it on the table and drank his beer. "And you see how he evades the question. He's slippery. You have to nail him to the wall."

He smiled, "I'm not talking about this." He drank half of his beer. Stark smiled at Jack. "And in three….two….."

"See, there is sex and then there is making love. There is a difference." He drank the rest of his beer and Jack rushed to get him another one.

Jack smiled at Stark and whispered, "This is brilliant. I didn't know you could get him to do this."

Stark smiled at him. "Stick around. Learn something else." Then he spoke to the Doctor. "Alright. Well, personally I just like the hot sex. Which do you prefer?"

The Doctor nodded his head. "Both. Make love, then have sex. Understand?"

Stark laughed quietly, "No. Explain that."

The Doctor sipped his beer. "See, great sex is fantastic. But, great sex with real love is ….. ace." He told them.

Jack smiled back at Stark. "He won't remember even saying any of this in the morning."

"I give him ten minutes before he forgets. Keep the beer coming." Stark whispered.

Jack threw his head back and laughed, "You know, Doc. See, I thought you would just be a 'hot sex' sortof guy."

"Nah. A good laugh, partner in crime, epic conversations, a friendship, unquestionable loyalty, great sex. The entire package. The sort that pulls you away from a King and into a cupboard for a shag that makes your brain completely sort out."

Stark whispered to Jack. "I really should have tried harder with this woman. Damn."

Jack smiled, "Now. A shag in the cupboard. Does that fall into the making love category, or the hot sex category?"

The Doctor drank the rest of the beer and sat the bottle on the table. "Oh, hot sex."

Stark smiled and repeated, "Hot sex."

The Doctor looked away, dreamily. "Hot dirty sex. Wow. It was great."

Stark and Jack were laughing hysterically at him. He lay back on the bed and lay his arm over his face. "Guys. The room is spinning. Don't let me say anything embarrassing. I need to stop for a while."

Jack shook his head. "I think you're fine, man. Don't worry about it. Rest a bit."

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Tony Tyler woke up laying on the sleeping Doctor's stomach. The telly in the corner showed CNN and some reporter talking about the Stark Expo Explosion. Stark and Jack sipped their drinks as they watched the telly. Stark had put his shirt back on, but rubbed his chest absentmindedly.

"John?" Tony asked.

Both Stark and Jack heard him and jumped up. Jack punched the Doctor in the shoulder. "Wake up, John. Tony's awake."

The Doctor groaned as he woke up and raised his head to meet Tony's gaze. He put his hand on Tony's forehead. "How are you feeling?"

Tony rubbed his face. "My head is all…. Strange."

"It's the medicine." The Doctor asked him. "Any pain?"

Tony shook his head, "I can't feel my leg. Did you cut it off?"

The Doctor chuckled, "No, little brother. I promised you I wouldn't do that. You nearly did though. I've never seen any break a leg that bad. And that is saying something."

The Doctor uncovered Tony's leg so he could see it. It floated above the mattress.

"Why can't I feel it?" Tony asked him.

"You're on some good stuff." Jack laughed at him.

Stark smiled proudly at him.

"I smell chips." Tony told them.

The Doctor wrapped his arms around Tony and laughed. "You are just like your sister. Her favorite thing is chips, too."

Jack smiled at him as he went over to the food replicator and asked for some chips. He sat them on the table where Tony could reach them.

The Doctor raised the bed up so Tony could sit up. Tony asked, "Who won the game?"

Stark shook his head and smiled. "I've seen that damn game about five times. I'm not telling. John recorded it for you to see. I don't like soccer. How do you watch that boring stuff?"

Tony smiled. "I'm sure we'll convert you, Mr. Tony."

Stark shrugged his shoulders, "Stranger things have happened to me."

Tony ate some of the chips and looked around the room. "What time is it?"

"Oh, it's early in the morning. Around 5:00." Jack told him.

"Do I have to go back to sleep?" Tony asked them.

Stark sat down in the chair. "You are not allowed to go back to sleep until you watch this damn football game so I don't have to see it anymore."

The Doctor laughed as he ate some of the chips. "These aren't that bad."

Tony shrugged his shoulders. "The ones Arla brings us are better."

Jack smiled at Tony. "Your brother didn't leave you side this entire time. He's been sleeping in the bed with you for the past couple of hours."

Stark laughed, "Yeah, man. I don't even think he's gone to pee."

The Doctor jumped up. "Damn it, Stark. If you don't think about it, you don't have to go."

They all laughed as he ran to the loo and closed the door. Stark pointed at the door. "That guy is so entertaining."

Tony smiled at them. "Have you lot been in here teasing my brother while I've slept?"

Jack looked surprised, "Us?"

Stark attempted the bad British accent again. "Now, governor. What would ever make you believe we would be responsible for such outrage? We are proper, gentlemen. Not ruffians."

Tony smiled at them and shook his head. "You are a nutter."

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