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Chapter 53 – Schedules

After hours of love making and drinking the strong wine, they had fallen asleep in one another's arms completely exhausted and covered in sweat. After a rest, Rose woke up and put on her robe. It was still dark outside of the huge window. Her head felt strange from the wine.

She went to the loo. Then walked quietly into the sitting room and had some nibbles.

Carrying a glass of water, she walked back into the bedroom. She giggled at the sight in front of her when she returned. The Doctor, still asleep, had rolled over on his stomach. His bare bum was the first thing she noticed.

After setting down the water on the table next to the bed, she climbed onto the bed and lay down facing him. She kissed him on the end of the nose. "You have a cute bum, Doctor."

He smiled at her without opening his eyes. "You should see the rest of me. This body isn't that bad."

"Oh, I have-"

"And?" he asked.

"I completely agree. Although, I imagine the one before wasn't terrible either."

He smiled as he opened his eyes and looked at her. "You never saw all of that one. Tell me, were you checking me out then?"

She smiled, "Oh, I was. Were you checking me out? Honestly?"

He put his hand on her cheek and returned her smile, "You know the answer to that."

She laughed as she grabbed the duvet and recovered both of them. He rolled onto his side and put his hand on her hip. She caught his lips with hers and kissed him as she ran her hand through his hair. She could feel his apprehension.

She looked at him curiously, "Baby, what's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Ugh. Nevermind." He pulled himself closer to her and started to snog her again. She teased him as they kissed, 'I can feel that. Do you need another go? That would make, what? Five? Six times-'

He smiled at her, "Not counting."

She giggled. "Alright. I brought you some water. It's just over there on the table."

He sat up and took the water. He drank the entire glass and closed his eyes. "Thank you, Rose. I really needed that."

She lay on his chest and felt him wrap his arms around her after he sat the glass back on the table. "Did you get enough rest?"

He didn't open his eyes and lifted his eyebrows, "You want another go. That's what you are on about."

She rolled her eyes. "I won't tell you no, but maybe we should wait a bit."

He sighed in relief. "I'm good with that plan."

"Still catching your breath?"

"Since that very first kiss on the beach."

She smiled and sat up to look at him. "Baby. Tell me what you are thinking about?"

He didn't open his eyes, "It's hardly pillow talk."

She ran her hand across his chest. "You need to talk about it. What is it?"

He turned his head and looked at her. "Rose. I have wanted to go back and prevent that from happening to you. Pete told me not to. He saw it as a fixed point. What do you think?"

She rubbed the stubble on his face, "Baby. It's in the past-"

He shook his head. "It's the same to me. I can change it. Keep it from ever happening. It kills me what you have been through. You shouldn't have had to-"

She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. "No! Dad is right."

He sighed and she felt his hand rub her arm. "Rose. Please. I can stop this-"

She could feel his sorrow, determination, and apprehension. She opened her eyes and noticed a tear run down his cheek. She wiped it away as she looked into his eyes. She thought for a few moments as she held his gaze. Then quietly whispered, "No."

"Rose, I can see it. It's not fixed. I can take the Vortex Manipulator and go back-"

"Don't you dare!" She held him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her. "I wouldn't have found you again and now that I have, I won't lose you."

He kissed her cheek and held her. "But-"

She looked at him. He thought the light reflected in her eyes. "Think back. How it was even just a year ago. I was without you. You were without me. I told you that I tried to off myself. Baby, I can't live without you. I saw you lost your will to live without me. Let's not risk it. Don't even think about it. Promise me. This is one you need to let go."

He continued to look at her. He could feel her determination and fear. "Rose-"

She closed her eyes tightly. "I don't want to talk about this."

"Sweetheart, we need to talk about this."

He could feel her anger growing. She didn't open her eyes as she shook her head. "This is so you. I know you want to protect me-"

"More than anything! Why won't you let me?"

Her anger grew even more. She didn't open her eyes. "I'm not talking about this."

"Rose."

She didn't speak to him as she sat there with her eyes closed. He took her hand and kissed it.

"Rose, I don't mean to bring this up. We won't ever talk about it again. It's just-"

She looked at him. He was certain he saw yellow flash across her eyes as she opened them. "It's a fixed point in time. You can't change it. That's when everything changed and I realized what I had to do. I won't let you change that."

He started to argue, but then felt that it had changed. He saw it clearly as the fixed point it had became. He looked at her. "Alright, how did you do that? No one can do that."

She bit her lip and he felt she was on the verge of tears. He quickly embraced her and kissed her head. "It's alright."

He could feel her fear. She whimpered, "What am I turning into?"

He held her tightly, "Shhhh. You are my Rose. I've seen you in the future and you are still my Rose."

She nodded her head. He lay back in the pillows and continued to hold her. He kissed her head and told her quietly. "We're in this together. Everything is alright. We'll sort it out, together. Rest, my dear."

"Don't let me go."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

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The Doctor sat on the hay bale in the barn with the sandy floor. He leaned down, picked up the sand and watched it pour through his fingers to the ground.

"You never change." He heard her voice say with a smile.

He didn't look up at her. "Tell me what happens. Why are you alone?"

"What?" The Bad Wolf asked as she sat down next to him.

He looked at her. "Why are you alone? Where am I?"

"Why do you think I'm alone?"

"Some of the things you have said. You have outlived me, haven't you?"

She looked away. "You were ready. It was such a long life for you."

He shook his head. "That's not what is supposed to happen. That's not right."

"It was up to you."

"Everything is not completely up to me."

"That was. I left it to you. That was your choice."

He picked up another handful of sand, "No. That's not right. I wouldn't leave her."

"You didn't."

He looked surprised, "Well, that doesn't make any sense-"

"Look. I can't talk about that with you-"

"Why the hell not!?"

She smacked his shoulder, "You know why! Don't pretend you don't."

He rubbed his shoulder, "Yeah, I do. Damn it." He groaned.

She giggled, "Oh, I've missed this."

"What? Our arguments?"

"Oh, this isn't even an argument. We had some epic ones. You just wait."

He chuckled. "Oh wow. Spoilers."

She giggled as she rubbed his shoulder. "I'll try to keep them under wraps for you."

He shook his head and smiled. "I would appreciate that."

She nodded, "So, are you finally satisfied that you can't change it?"

He groaned, "No. But, I'll have to be."

She nodded her head. "It's a start."

He took a deep breath as he looked around the barn. "Why do I always come back here?"

"Some things you need to always remember. If you don't remember where you came from, how can you see where you are going?"

He shook his head. "I left this place. This life. For good."

"This is where you are still most comfortable."

He shook his head. "Nah, not here."

She smiled, "Tell me where then."

He picked back up another hand full of sand. "At home. In bed with my wife. That's the place I'm the most comfortable."

The Bad Wolf laughed, "I couldn't appear there. Two of us?"

He smiled as he looked back at her. "Oh. The ultimate!"

They laughed together.

He shook the sand out of his hand, "Why am I sleeping so much? Have you done something?"

She smiled back at him with her tongue in her teeth. "Maybe you're pregnant."

He shook his head and laughed. "Ha! I'm certain that's not it."

She continued to tease him, "Didn't I sleep a lot when I was pregnant with the children?"

The word shocked him, "Children? What?"

She covered her mouth and shook her head. "Sorry, nevermind. No."

He grabbed another hand full of sand and shook it in his hand as he sighed.

She watched him. "She needs you. If you didn't sleep, you wouldn't stop long enough to have those moments with her."

"Oh, hell I would."

"You wouldn't. You came here as a human. She welcomed you to her bed and only sleeps well when you are there. She's grown accustomed to it. She looks forward to it more than she can even tell you."

"So, I help her sleep."

"She is very delicate right now. She thinks she can control it. She needs to rest. She simply needs to sleep."

He nodded his head. "That makes sense. Keeps her level headed. Keeps her from becoming cross so quickly."

"Helps her deal with you." She teased.

He nodded, "That's true."

"This is the best chat we've had."

"But-?"

She smiled proudly, "You always know."

He smiled back at her. "It's my life. What do you need to warn me about?"

She leaned down and grabbed a hand full of sand. She slowly poured it into his hand. "Enjoy this. You told me so often that it was your favorite time of our lives together. But, don't let your guard down. Rose is too delicate to lose anyone. It would devastate her. She can't control it if she becomes upset."

"Who is she going to lose?"

She smiled, "What is the fun in telling you everything?"

He groaned, "When did you think I was enjoying receiving such cryptic messages?"

She rolled her eyes. "You have never changed. I love you. Such a pain in the ass." She leaned over and kissed him on the end of the nose. She leaned back and smiled at him. "Good night, Baby."

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He woke with a jump. Rose still lay on his chest and his sudden jump woke her. He ran his hand across her head and whispered, "Shhh…. Everything is alright. Go back to sleep."

She rose her head up and looked crossly at him. "I'm not Sam."

He laughed, "Right. Sorry."

She saw a look come across his face that she was all too familiar with. "Police scanner again?"

He nodded his head. "Genie had a bad dream. Legate is with her now."

"Is she alright?"

He rubbed his face and got out of bed. He went to the suitcase and put on his pajamas and a shirt. "Tony is bringing to her to me. He was on his way back down."

Rose sat up in the bed still wearing her robe. "Shall I get dressed?"

His bracelet lit up. He rubbed his face and looked down at it. "You're fine. I'm going to meet him."

Rose asked, "What was that?"

"A reminder to charge my phone. That's odd. I'll have to do that later. Must be something new."

Rose lay back in the bed and watched him.

He climbed back onto the bed and kissed her quickly. "You go back to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

She watched him put on his robe and walk out of the bedroom. She closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

He walked out into the hallway, running his hands through his hair and yawning. The wall of glass windows had began to show the first sun rising over the canyon. Royal Staff Coordinator Talus was walking towards him talking to a young woman who was quickly taking notes. He dismissed her as he got even with the Doctor and continued to walk with him.

"Good morning, Doctor Smith. Did you have a pleasant evening with your wife?" He asked.

The Doctor smiled back at him. "We did. Thank you. I'm on my way to collect my daughter now."

Talus nodded as he looked back down at a small notebook he carried. "I'll join you to go over your schedule."

He looked at him in surprise, "Schedule?"

Talus nodded his head, "Well, of course. Okay, first. The Queen has asked for you to speak at the Feast tonight."

He nodded his head. "I'll do that. Sure."

Talus made a check next to something on his list. "Your presence is requested by the Queen and the Princess for a meeting this morning."

"Work it in someplace. My schedule probably isn't as loaded as theirs."

"Right. Your little brother called and was extremely excited. He said to tell you thank you."

The Doctor stopped walking and looked at him. "You spoke to my brother?"

Talus smiled, "He's an adorable little boy. I noticed his name sounds similar to your friend you are here with. Is that a common name where you are from?"

He rolled his eyes, "More common than you would think. What else?" They began to walk again.

"Summus has insisted on a debriefing of yesterday's events. That will be held at 9:15. Your Quauhtin will fetch you for that."

He groaned.

"Your ship's repairs are completed and upgrades will be finished by this evening. You are welcome to come up and inspect it after the debriefing. The engineer was most interested in the project you asked him to work on."

He nodded his head. "Yes. That's important. It's a gift for my wife. I'll check on that."

"Also. Tuwo Wenck has arrived and has asked for 30 minutes of your time, before the Feast."

He nodded. "Tony needs to be in that meeting, too. Put it sometime he can attend."

Talus nodded his head and looked down his list again. "Yes, sir. I believe that's all. If I can be of service, let me know."

The Doctor saw Tony walking with someone down the hall. He stopped and turned to Talus. "Thank you, Talus." Talus bowed and walked away. The Doctor turned back to face Tony who carried Genie in his arms. A young, brunette woman walked with him.

Tony whispered to Genie, "And there's someone you know."

Genie turned around and saw him. She held her arms out and cried, "Daddy."

Tony passed her to him. The Doctor held her tightly in his arms and kissed her cheek. "Daddy's got you. What's wrong?"

She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

Tony rubbed her back. "She had a bad dream and wanted you. It might have been our fault the reason she even woke up. The card game got a little loud."

The woman he was with laughed, "A little?"

Tony shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, a lot then." He pointed at the lady he was with. "You know, Ress?"

"From where the children play? Yes. Nice to see you again."

She smiled at him. "Yes. Tony offered to walk me back to my room." She looked back at Tony and smiled. "That was very kind. Legate will bring your son to you when he wakes up. He was sleeping so peacefully."

The Doctor smiled, "Thank you. So, finished playing cards?"

Tony pointed at the Doctor. "That damn Lance is a card shark."

"How deep in are you?"

"Enough to know to quit."

"That deep?"

"Oh, yes. He's got to be cheating. No one is that damn good."

Ress smiled at Tony's grumbling. "He's been complaining about this all night."

The Doctor felt Genie had drifted back to sleep. He rubbed her back as he continued to hold her, "Tony. Summus has us scheduled to attend a-"

"Debriefing. Yeah. Lance and Licis are forcing me to go. I'll see you there later. You have Gene, so I'm going to escort the lovely Ma'am Ress back to her room." He said as he looked back at the woman and smiled.

The Doctor nodded his head. "Right. See you then. Ma'am Ress."

She smiled as she turned around and walked away with Tony.

The Doctor stood holding Genie sleeping in his arms and watched them walk away. He mumbled under his breath. "Oh, this will not end well."

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