XxxxxXxxxx

Chapter 45 – Lewis' Favorite Game

The Doctor put on his grey suit and smiled at himself in the mirror of his bathroom.

'And I'm wearing your favorite suit.' He told Rose.

'Have someone take a picture and send it to me.' She told him.

He smiled and sat down his hairbrush. 'They are all here to watch the game. What are you doing?'

'We're about to go on the telly with Mum and Harriet.'

'How much make-up is Genie wearing?'

'Very little.'

He nodded his head and walked down the hall, grumbling. "Six years old…"

Pete stood holding Arles, and looking at the telly. He playfully popped his mouth when he looked down at the baby and laughed. Arles kicked his legs and coo'ed at Pete. The pre-game activities were being broadcast. Tony Tyler was putting food on the bar along with Luce and Licis.

"Pete. Did you know Rose and Jackie were going to be on the telly?"

"Yeah. Some….wedding….something. I told her I would record it and watch it later. I mean, it's the playoffs!" He looked down at Arles. "A man has to have his priorities sorted."

Arles coo'ed and the Doctor couldn't help to wonder if Pete would have been so bold if Jackie Tyler wasn't millions of miles away.

Pete looked back up, "You wouldn't believe the betting. It's epic for even a Quauhtin. I've been rang by people I've not done business with in years."

The Doctor put his hands on his hips and looked around the room, "Damn. I'm sorry I'm going to miss this. You know who my money is on."

Licis pointed at him and laughed, "Yes. And Lance is betting against the team. Does he know something we don't?"

Pete laughed, "I ask myself that so often with Lance. I was going to ask, can Quauhtin….be…..I'm thinking of the word…"

The Doctor looked confused at Pete, "What?"

"Where they can see the future?"

The Doctor looked surprised, "Lance?"

Licis laughed hysterically. "I'm betting 'no.' And I've known him the longest in this room."

Pete kissed Arles' face. "His first game. When we return, we'll do a game proper for him and Sam."

Arles grabbed Pete's face and coo'ed. Pete smiled back down at him. "Yes, we will."

The Doctor smiled at the scene, "He likes you, Pete. Where is Lewis?"

Licis handed Tony a juice box, "He's been asleep for about three hours. I was about to go check on him. Did you hear him earlier today?"

"I thought I did. Would that have been while he was asleep?"

Licis nodded his head, "Yeah. Just after that. I thought I heard it too. Just…I couldn't make it out."

"Hang on. You said…after. After what?"

Licis bit his lip, "After he was finished. He went to train-"

"Train?! What the hell is he thinking?" The Doctor complained.

Luce laughed and said something to Licis.

The Doctor grumbled. "Oh, I'm sure he wasn't supposed to say anything to me about that. Ugh. Lewis the Stubborn. I'm going to sedate him when I get back."

Licis laughed, "Good luck with that, John. You would have a fight on your hands-"

Pete laughed, "That I would pay to see."

Licis continued, "I think he's doing well. He limped a bit, but not bad. He just needed a rest."

Tony ran up to the Doctor and handed him a meat pie. "Football food, John?"

The Doctor had a strange look come across his face.

"John?" Tony asked.

He continued to listen, and put his hand on Tony's shoulder. He looked over at Licis. "Are you getting this from Legate-"

Licis nodded, "Tony. Come with me real quick. John needs a different tie."

Tony looked confused, "What? He's wearing a tie."

Licis didn't explain and picked Tony up and ran down the hall with him. The meat pie fell out of the little boy's hand. The Doctor quickly turned and looked at Pete. "Everything will be fine. Just, stay calm."

Pete looked surprised, "What?"

Just then the door slid open. Legate, with his hands on his head…was lead into the room by a gang of five of the most frightening demon looking aliens Pete had ever seen. They all were towering above Legate and one held a knife to his throat.

The Doctor held his hands out, "We're all unarmed here. There are children present. Let them go to safety and we'll-"

"You didn't give my people time to get to safety! They will remain."

The Doctor groaned, "And we're back to this."

The Jeclaonide that held the knife to Legate's throat, hit him in the back of the head with the butt of the knife. He fell unconscious to the floor. Four of them walked into room. Two took the Doctor's arms and held him. One stood by Luce while the other one walked over and looked down at Pete and Arles.

Pete unconsciously turned his body to shield Arles from the monster. He looked over and saw Luce with his hands up. Pete, surprising himself, looked the demon in the eyes and heard himself say, "If you have decided to hurt this child, you will have to pry him out of my cold, dead hands first."

Pete, unsure of how his backbone had suddenly became so stiff, stood face to face and glared as the demon growled. Arles cried in Pete's arms. Pete covered the baby's face so he wouldn't be able to see the frightening alien.

The Doctor groaned as his arms were twisted behind his back, "So. You have a choice. You can leave and we can forget this-"

"That will not happen!" the leader demanded as he walked a bit away from the door and pointed the knife at the Doctor.

Pete looked at the Doctor and noticed a grin spread across his face. He nodded his head and said, "Well…. If that's what you have decided. I don't offer second chances-"

Suddenly, the demon standing in front of the Doctor, fell unconscious to the floor. Lewis stood behind him with a smile on his face. "Oh, I love it when they decide to do things this way."

Pete took cover with Arles just as the fight broke out. He held the small baby close to his chest and turned his back to the room, shielding Arles from whatever might come their way. He could hear the sounds of the struggle and suddenly the room became quiet. Arles screamed.

Pete felt a hand on his back. "It's alright."

He looked up and saw Lewis standing next to him. He smiled and held his hands out. "Let me see if I can calm him down."

Pete handed Arles to Lewis and stood up. Lewis sat down on the sofa, propped up his sore leg, and kissed the small boy. "You are fine, son. It's all over. Pete and your Papa wouldn't let anything happen to you. Shhh….."

Pete looked around in surprise. All of the demons were lying on the floor. Luce stood with his foot on one of the demons' head. Legate was busy tying their hands up as Summus ran in. "I came as soon as Legate said they had come aboard!"

The Doctor stood up from the unconscious Jeclaonide on the floor. "Yeah, I had him bring them up here."

Summus' deep voice boomed in laughter, "Wow. That was really unfair."

The Doctor shrugged his shoulders, "They asked for it. Is Logan alright?"

Legate nodded, "Yeah. He just has a nice crack in the head. He'll be alright."

Pete was confused, "I thought they knocked you out?"

Legate shook his head. "Nah. I have my bracelet on from Stark. It's easier to take an opponent, if they are surprised. Rose told me that."

"Yeah, his head is as good as it always is." Pete teased. "Hell, I believed it."

The Doctor laughed, "Friday. Transport protocol, 'Emergency Out'. This room only."

Friday replied, "Voice pattern recognized. Time?"

"I'll cancel when they are gone."

"Very good, sir." The lights in the room turned red.

Summus put his hands on his hips and nodded his head. "Legate. You saw them first. How did they get aboard?"

"They came out of that small shuttle. My guess is that they transported onboard when it was on the return program earlier today from the hospital."

The Doctor looked surprised, "It doesn't have transport shielding on it?"

"Apparently not. But, it will before it goes out again." Legate insisted.

The Doctor nodded his head, "Good man. Cheers."

Lewis held his son and kissed him playfully. The baby had calmed down and was coo'ing at him. "See. You're safe. Your Pete was keeping you safe." He looked back at Pete, "Thank you, Pete."

"I didn't do anything, Lewis."

"I heard what you told that Jeclaonide. You shielded my son from danger. It means a lot. Thank you." He told him, sincerely.

Pete chuckled and watched as Andromedaen soldiers came into the room with Leontes and Oberon. Summus pointed at the Jeclaonides, "John has activated the 'Emergency Out' Protocol. Transport them to the box aboard the space station, immediately."

Two soldiers knelt next to each Jeclaonides. Using a transporter on their shoulder, they disappeared. The Doctor looked around, "Okay. Everyone is good?"

Pete looked around the room, "I believe so."

The Doctor spoke again, "Friday. Transport protocol, 'Emergency Out' has expired."

Friday spoke, "Yes, sir." The red lights turned back into white in the room. Pete looked around and was impressed. Nothing had looked like it had even happened. "So, Emergency Out allows them to transport off of the ship without coding?"

The Doctor nodded as he took off his tie and tossed it to Pete, "Yeah. Well spotted."

Pete caught the tie, "What's this?"

The Doctor grinned as he called down the hallway. "Tony Tyler! I need that tie! I'm going to be late!"

Realizing he had planned the entire thing to keep his promise to his son that he wouldn't see anymore of the Jeclaonides that frightened him so badly, Pete laughed as Tony ran down the hall with a red tie in his hand.

Pete smiled proudly, "That was brilliant, son."

Tony Tyler handed the Doctor the tie, "Here you go, John. Licis says this one will look better with your suit."

He knelt down in front of Tony. "I think he's right. Thank you. You saved me from a fashion crisis."

Tony held his head sideways, "Is everything alright? You are a bit….. red."

"It's hot in here to me. And yes. Meat pie! I need one of those before I go. Pick me out one while I put on my tie."

Tony ran to the bar, climbed up in a stool while the Doctor put on the new tie. Licis smiled at Lewis, "So. Rose told you five days, Lewis."

Lewis smiled, "I took it easy on them."

Pete laughed and sat down on the sofa. "Damn, I'm glad we're friends, Lewis."

Tony returned to the Doctor and handed him the small meat pie. "There you go, John! We'll record the game for you."

"Thank you. We can watch all the good bits over and over."

Tony smiled at him. "I'll mark the times." He ran over and sat down next to Pete.

The Doctor smiled at Lewis, "Nice to have you back, Lewis."

Lewis nodded, "I never realized how much I would have missed that."

Pete looked back at Lewis, "Telepathy?"

Lewis nodded, "And it couldn't have come back at a better time." He rose Arles up to his lips and kissed him again.

"How's the leg?" The Doctor asked him.

"Promises to really let me know I shouldn't have came down here so quickly later. I have medicine, John. I'll be alright."

"Take it. Don't wait until it is hurting. Let me know if you need me to come back for any reason."

Tony Tyler waved his hand. "Go to your party, John. This is the only excitement up here. We have a match to watch."

Pete laughed and rubbed Tony's ginger head.

XxxxxXxxxxxxXxxxxxxx