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Chapter 38 - Waiting for News

The Doctor, Rose, Jackie and Sam popped right outside of the hospital's entrance. It was late at night, and they could hear the sirens in the distance. Rose had her arm around her mum. She could feel the anger and disappointment coming from the Doctor. They walked in and were directed to a large, private waiting room. They found Howie and Caroline there.

Howie was sitting in a chair, tears rolling down his face.

Caroline hugged Jackie as soon as she saw her. She held her and said, "I'm here. I've got you. I won't let go until you tell me to."

Rose began to cry hearing those words. The Doctor could feel her sadness through their connection. He turned around and held her tightly. She could feel he was fighting back his tears as well.

Caroline spoke. "The doctors were just in here. We told them you were on your way. They have him in surgery. Something about a major concussion, broken ribs, they aren't sure of what else yet."

It was a very long night. They mostly sat in silence. Harriet Jones got there moments after Jackie, Rose and the Doctor did. She sat with Caroline and Jackie on the other side of the private waiting area. A nurse came in to update them every hour. With each update, the situation seemed to grow more grave.

A secret service member went to get them all tea and coffee. Caroline remembered that the Doctor liked coffee and poured him a cup without asking. He sat with his arm around Rose as they waited for news. Rose had lay her head on his shoulder and fell asleep hours ago. He had felt her start to sleep, and had her lay down and put her head in his lap. He took off his leather jacket and lay it across her as she stretched out on the sofa. He sat there running his hand through her hair, sipping his coffee.

Howie, who sat across from the Doctor, looked up and spoke for the first time since they had arrived. "Your other half can sleep anywhere." he told him.

The Doctor smiled. "My better half. Yeah, she's always been like that." He ran his hand through Rose's hair.

"This has been one crazy night. That's for sure." Howie said.

"Yeah. I wanted to thank you for marrying us. I know we put you on the spot-"

He waved it off, "Nah. Not at all. I was happy to do it. Given this situation, I'm glad we did it."

The Doctor rubbed his face. "Yeah. I am, too. Are you alright? Do you need to sleep?"

Howie told him quietly so Caroline, Harriet and Jackie couldn't hear him. "Honestly, I haven't slept much in the past few weeks. All of this mess going on. Scares the hell out of me. I've been waiting for a phone call, but I never imagined it would be Pete."

"When did you stop sleeping?" the Doctor asked him.

"The last time they got Rose. But, I don't think I've slept at all since they took Jacob. I just can't turn my mind off. I think that if I study on it long enough, I can figure out a way out of this. A way to stop it. " Howie told him.

The Doctor noted how clearly he was speaking. He never imagined that he would ever meet Howie in such a state of shock. Howie rubbed his face and sighed. "This not knowing is the worst. Each minute seems to take and hour to pass."

The Doctor nodded his head. "I have to agree. Time is very slow for those who wait. Very fast for those who are scared, very long for those who lament. Very short for those who celebrate."

Howie looked seriously at the Doctor. "Pete told me you traveled in time."

The Doctor smiled. "I wondered when we would get here. When did Pete tell you that?"

"Ah, it's no matter. So, it's true?" Howie asked.

The Doctor smiled and nodded. "It is. Traveled for a very long time. But, not anymore."

"Pete told me you were over 900 years old. Is he kidding me?" Howie asked.

The Doctor shook his head as he bit his lip. "Nope. That's true."

Howie looked surprised. "Hell, I thought he was full of it. He said you can't travel in time anymore."

The Doctor looked at Howie, "He's right. I can't. I don't have my ship anymore."

"So, you had a ship?" Howie whispered.

The Doctor smiled. "Of course I did. How do you think I got here? How do you think I took Rose traveling with me?"

"So, you abducted her?"

The Doctor pointed at him. "No! I didn't do that. No. I asked her if she wanted to come with me and she did."

"You didn't put some alien spell on her?" Howie asked, seriously.

The Doctor tossed his hand in the air. "Why does everyone always think that? No, I didn't. I wouldn't do that!"

Howie chuckled at him. "I know you wouldn't. I just had to ask."

The Doctor sighed and shook his head.

Howie continued. "So, why don't you have a ship anymore?"

The Doctor ran his hand through his own hair. "It's complicated."

Howie nodded. "I get that. I wish you did. I'd have you take my Jacob someplace safe. This entire thing scares me so much. Jacob has always been such a quiet boy. I never know what's going on with him. He won't talk to anyone about anything. Being in the public eye so much hasn't helped. Tony is a natural. He just does whatever he would normally do anyway. He doesn't care who's looking. It helps Jacob when he's around Tony. Your Genie, how do you think she'll take it?"

The Doctor rested his hand on his face. "I honestly don't know. I haven't really thought too much about it."

His phone buzzed. Jake was asking for an update. The children were all playing together and had ate breakfast. Shakes had cooked something which had smoked up the flat.

"Oh, fantastic." the Doctor complained.

Rose woke up, "What are you fussing about?"

"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it. Idiots in our flat."

The surgeon walked in. They all walked over to him.

"He's stable. We don't know what his recovery will be. He had quite a blow to the head. His ribcage was broken and several of his organs were punctured. Broken arm. Broken leg. Just his entire right side. We've done everything we can. But, until he wakes up, we just won't know if he has sustained any damage that will be permanent."

"Brain damage. That's what you are saying, right?" Jackie asked.

The surgeon nodded. "Yes ma'am. That's what we are looking at. He's sedated and in recovery now. We will move him into ICU in about an hour. You can see him then. Two at a time."

Howie pointed at the Doctor. "This is our Doctor here. Doctor Johnathon Smith. He invented that bone regrowth machine everyone is all talking about. Could it help Pete's ribs? The rest of the broken bones?"

The surgeon nodded his head. "Maybe. Can we step outside and talk about that Doctor Smith?"

The Doctor quickly kissed Rose's cheek as he walked out with the surgeon.

Rose spoke to Howie. "That was a great idea. Why didn't we think about that?"

Howie shrugged his shoulders, "Ah, it's been a hell of a day. One of us thought about it. That's all it takes."

The Doctor walked back in as the surgeon walked down the hall. "We worked it out. If he continues to say stable, I'll come back in the afternoon and use it on him. We both agree his body needs to rest from all of the trauma for a bit. I need to make some phone calls to get my hands on one of those machines. Excuse me."

He walked away from the crowd and got on the phone.

Howie rubbed his face and declared he was going home to have a drink.

As soon as the Doctor was off of the phone, Rose turned and told him. "I'll stay here with mum, and you take Jake and the children to Disney today."

He looked surprised at her. "Are you crazy? Pete laid up here at the hospital and I'm off playing with the children-"

"Yes, I'm serious! Don't tell Tony about this. Or Genie. We don't know what we are dealing with, yet. Take them and let them have a great day. Genie needs a great day. Especially if this situation turns up to be worse than we are thinking. Dad needed you to go anyway for that bone thing you made."

He put his hands on his hips and nodded. "You're right. Are you sure? I don't feel right about this."

Caroline and Jackie had overheard their conversation. Jackie nodded. "I think that's a brilliant idea! You go ahead. I know the children will be safe with you and Shakes. They will only allow two of us back there anyway."

Rose held his hand, "Go have fun. You need to have fun. Too much of your life has been-"

"That has nothing to do with this!" he told her as he rubbed his face.

Rose patted his chest. "This will help us, too. Take pictures. Send us videos. We are going to be here all day, waiting. Come back this afternoon with your machine. He's stable."

"He can quickly not be!" he reasoned.

Rose looked at him.

'Sorry. I just don't trust these ... ugh...'

'Apes.' Rose filled in for him.

'Didn't say that. Didn't even think it.'

"Sweetheart. There's nothing you can really do. But, you can do this. You don't need to sit around in here all day waiting for news. We will call everyone with any updates. Hell, I can keep you up to date through our connection. I have to stay here. Mum won't leave him. You know that."

He sighed. "Alright. Time to put on a happy face and go make some children happy." he mumbled as he rubbed his hand through his hair.

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