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Chapter 53 - French

Rose sat on the sofa onboard the Asclepius inside her and the Doctor's suite. She had just finished feeding Sam a bottle and he had fallen asleep in her arms. Sam yawned as she smiled down at his sleeping face. She carried him into the bedroom and lay him down with him in the large bed. She stroked his cheek causing him to smile in his sleep. She whispered, "You are so handsome. Just like your Daddy. You look like him today."

Rose lay and watched Sam sleep and started to feel sleepy herself. She took a pillow and laid it behind Sam. Then thought for a moment. She took her pillow, and put it behind Sam. Then she took that pillow and snuggled into it. She whispered to Sam. "This is the pillow your Daddy uses. It smells like him."

Sam smiled again at her in his sleep. Rose closed her eyes and heard the door beep. She rolled her eyes and mumbled, "It never fails." She put her pillow in front of Sam to keep him from rolling off the bed and walked into the sitting room. She opened the door and saw Tony holding a nearly asleep Genie in his arms. Her head was lying on his shoulder. Rose quickly held her hands out, "Oh gosh! I'm sure you aren't supposed to be carrying her around-"

Varro stood behind him, "That's what I damn told him."

"Nah, John told me I could start lifting weights. I just don't think this is what he had in mind." Tony laughed as walked into the suite. "She's just gone to sleep, where should I put her down?"

Genie lifted her head to see where she had arrived. Rose rubbed her back and motioned for Tony to come in with her. She sat down on the sofa and Tony laid Genie in Rose's arms. Genie held her Goofy doll. Tony looked around and found a blanket lying on a chair. He spread it across Genie. Rose kissed her head as she rocked her back and forth. "Did you have a good time, Genie?"

Genie snuggled into her arms. "Yes." She said quietly as she went back to sleep.

Tony sat on the other end of the sofa and took off Genie's trainers. "Now, Gene. If that Goofy runs away, you just tell me. I'll find him and give him a stern talking to. You deserve a good Goofy, and I'll make sure you have one."

Genie smiled in her sleep, "Love you, Tony."

Tony patted her leg as he pulled the blanket back over her feet, "You too, Gene."

Rose's heart melted hearing the words. Tony turned around to see what Varro was doing. He pointed at him. "Good man! Making the British lady tea!"

Rose smiled as Varro walked around and sat down a cup of tea for each of them on the coffee table. He held the one he had made for himself. He asked Rose quietly, "The Doctor's not back?"

Rose shook her head. "Not yet. He said it was a bad day. He told me a bit ago that him and Lewis had to go see Howie, then they were going out for a drink someplace. But, he said I needed him, I only had to ask."

Tony looked surprised, "A drink? He's not supposed to be doing that."

Rose smiled, "I just wanted him to stop until he got well. He's fine now."

Tony bit his lip and nodded his head. "Alright. Cool. John's back on the sauce."

Rose shook her head. "But, I don't want him drinking as much as he was."

Tony nodded his head. "Yeah. The old man had a problem with that. It's not something you want to grow up in. He's teaching Gene, Latin? Why?"

Rose held his arm. "Okay, hang on. This sounds like John has a problem. He doesn't."

Tony shook his head. "I didn't say he did. I don't think he does. But, if you think he does."

Rose held her hands out. "He doesn't!"

Tony stopped and looked at her. "Right. That's what I'm saying."

Rose groaned as she ran her fingers through Genie's hair. She rose up and sipped her tea that Varro had made her. "Thank you, Varro."

Varro smiled as he sipped his tea, "I'm needed in the hanger. I put the bags just over there."

Rose looked back at Tony and then at Varro. "Bags?"

Varro smiled and bowed his head. "Yes, ma'am. We're all around so just yell if you need anything." He turned shake Tony's hand. "Thank you, sir. We had a great time."

Tony smiled, "Thanks, man." Varro walked out and the door closed.

Tony looked at Rose. "Bags. Yes. Genie did some shopping."

Rose smiled. "Shopping?"

Tony smiled proudly as he held Genie's foot, "She was a huge help. She assisted me in a coaster repair I needed to look at there, so I had to pay her. It was only right. Then, she kept smiling and being cute. They kept giving her stuff. It's all over there." He pointed at the dining table.

Rose smiled as she looked back down at Genie sleeping in her arms, "Sounds like she had a lot of fun."

Tony rubbed his beard. "Do you want some company for a bit? I can't stay long."

Rose sipped her tea. "That's alright with me. Don't you have a date with Pepper?"

"That's not for a little while. You seem to need someone to talk to. Besides, I've grown to like British tea since I was out here with you guys." He said as he sipped his tea.

Rose smiled, "There's nothing better!"

Tony nodded his head and dropped his sunglasses on the table. He spoke, "Friday. Turn the lights up in here about 22%."

The room got brighter.

"This room is making me sleepy. Where is the baby?"

Rose pointed in the bedroom. "I just put him down. I was thinking about sleeping-"

"Then I'll go and you take a nap with the baby."

Rose held out her hand. "No. It's alright. It's really alright. Stay. I'm fine."

He nodded his head and sat back on the sofa, sipping his cuppa. "Alright. Why is John teaching Genie Latin? What the hell is that about?"

Rose smiled and shook her head as she held Genie. "He says that it is the base of a lot of different languages around the universe. I'm sure he knows what he's doing."

"Oh, I'm sure he does. It's just…..strange. Who speaks Latin?"

Rose smiled, "Do you speak another language besides English?"

He nodded his head. "Of course I do! French."

Rose looked surprised, "Okay, I didn't know that. Did you take it in school?"

He smiled at her. "You don't know?"

"Know what?"

He sipped his tea. "My mom spoke French. Spoke it all the time to me. She tutored me at home until Dad finally had enough of me and sent me to boarding school. I admire what you and John are doing. She seems incredibility smart."

Rose smiled, "Thank you. He tells me just to read to her. All of the time. When I was pregnant, she would lie in the bed next to me and we would read the classics. It was a nice departure from studying physics."

Tony chuckled, "The classics. Yes. I've read most of those. Mom insisted that's how we would spend the time I had off from school, and was at home. She read them to me in French. I had just returned from school where everyone spoke English. It usually took a few days to turn back on that side of my brain. John is amazing how he can speak anything…just….blah. Says what he has to. Doesn't have to think about it. Is that a weird alien thing, or did he take lessons for every language…..?"

Rose giggled, "I have no idea."

"I'll have to ask him."

Rose smiled, "We were in New Germany and he was speaking to a waitress. He turned around and spoke to me, but in German. He didn't realize what he had done. He just looked at me, wondering why I hadn't answered him. Then he realized what he had done. It was rather funny."

Tony smiled, "Do you speak anything other than English?"

Rose smiled sheepishly and said, "French."

He smiled, "You do? Oh, that's right. You grew up in France."

She rolled her eyes at him. He turned to her and said in French. "We should speak French to one another. That way I can practice and so can you."

Rose smiled, and replied in French, "That would lovely. Sure."

Tony continued to speak in French. "Okay, let's practice then. Tell me. John never has said. What happened to Genie's mother?"

Rose looked surprised.

"You understood what I asked?"

Rose nodded her head. "Yes-"

He shook his head and said in French, "Then answer me, but in French. So, you can practice."

Rose sipped her tea and answered him French, "Melissa was a friend of mine. She was killed in a car accident when John and I went to the States. It was terrible. Genie was alone in the flat for three days, waiting for her mum. They had put out the story that I had been killed, so no one called me until she had been in the hospital for a few days."

He pointed at her and replied in French, "I do remember that. That was the night of the State Dinner. You and John announced your engagement that night. I didn't realize that was the same day. Wow. Hell of a day."

Rose smiled, "John and I had just popped back to London to get her a few hours before the dinner. She was upstairs with Mum."

"A Dad?"

"She lost him a few years ago. Some sickness. I don't really know what he had."

Tony shook his head. "Damn. Rough few years for the Lizard."

"A lizard? What?" Rose looked confused.

Tony nodded his head. "Car accident, huh? That's how I lost my Mom."

"How old were you?" Rose asked him, still speaking in French.

"Twenty-one. I can't imagine being as young as her and going through that."

Rose sipped her tea. "She has a lot of people who love her."

"Yeah, that's all you can really do. She talked my ear off about her Daddy and you, today. Oh, and her little brother. How he's so tiny and cute. She said she wants you buy another one, but one that won't make you sick."

Rose giggled, "Buy her one?"

He lifted his hand. "I didn't correct her. Not my job. I'm not explaining that."

He stood up and took his cup of tea back to the food replicator. He pressed a button and it disappeared.

He walked back to the sitting room and spoke in English. "Thank you for the company, and the practice. I've not spoken French with someone I like in a long time."

Rose smiled and spoke in English, again. "Anytime."

He nodded, "I need to go. I have a date tonight that I can't be late for. You probably need to sleep while the children are asleep. Isn't that what they always say?"

Rose smiled. "I do believe so."

He smiled, "Then I won't keep you from it. Tell John, thanks. I'll call him later."

He walked out of the room and Rose took Genie to lay down with Sam.

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