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Chapter 77 -

The Doctor and Sam popped into his office. He quickly ran over and sat behind his desk. Sam laughed at him. "On a mission, huh?"

He shook his head. "That mutant woman isn't going to figure me out! I'm determined. So, mum's the word."

Sam laughed at him and walked out of the office to tell Michelle he was there.

The Doctor took his tablet and files out of his pocket and lay them on the desk. He quickly pulled out the TARDIS box and looked inside of it.

"Now, what is this about? Why are you so unhappy?" he asked it. He rubbed his hand through his hair.

Rose spoke in his head. 'I just called, Genie is awake. She's fine.'

'Good, I need to talk to her. My TARDIS is being strange.'

He took his phone out of his pocket. He realized he didn't know who to even call.

He rubbed his face in embarrassment as someone knocked on the door.

"Yes, come in." he said.

Michelle came in. "How's your leg, today? Logan said it was terrible."

"Nah, they put me back together. I'm alright." He told her. "Thank your sons for helping with the children. They didn't need to see that. They were brilliant."

Michelle noticed the phone in his hand. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Not at all. I was going to call my daughter, but don't know who to call. Is that bad?" he asked her.

Michelle smiled at him. "Where is she?"

He rolled his hand over. "I honestly couldn't tell you. Rose said she just woke up. I think she's at the Presidential Palace still. Howie said he was going to take her riding today, but I don't know where."

Michelle smiled at him. "You must be on some good pain medication."

He sat the phone down and ran his hand through his hair. "Maybe you're right. Nevermind. I'll ask Rose. Anyway, what do you need?"

"I have rescheduled as much as I can to get you out of here as soon as possible. I'm sure you need to go home and rest your leg."

He nodded. "Right. Thank you for that."

"Are you sure about this suit fitting, today? That might be hard to do."

He waved his hand. "Yeah, let's reschedule that. I want some new suits, but it can wait."

She nodded. "Right o. I have three people screaming to see you. Let me know when you want them."

He waved his hand. "Ah, whenever. I'm here."

"Tony from New York called and wants ten minutes." she told him.

"Good. I want about fifteen myself with him!" he said.

She smiled. "Did you have a chance to look over those experiments?"

He handed her the stack of files. "I didn't approve them all. The ones I didn't, I need to see the person in charge immediately up here. First thing! Also, I need to see Malcolm for about... ten minutes."

She nodded and looked at him. "Alright. Do you need anything? Coffee? Something to prop your leg on?"

"Oh, I have something. I'm going to attempt to sit here all day and get stuff done."

She smiled, "Good luck with that. Maybe it will be a quiet -"

"Ah! Don't say that! That when we usually have damn invasion! Can't handle that today! I've got Jake someplace important. I need to see him as soon as he's done." he complained.

"How's Pete?" she asked him.

He smiled, "Pete woke up last night. He's doing great. Just a bit confused. In fact, send Thomas up here, too."

"Need to punch someone?" Michelle laughed.

"Maybe. He's a good target. Yeah. I need ten minutes from him, too. Nah, maybe twenty." he told her.

She nodded. "Okay, what else do you need today?"

He smiled and leaned back in the chair. "I have a challenge for you, Michelle. Do you think you could get a piano for me? Delivered to my flat?"

"What sort of piano?"

"Ah. I don't know. Do you think it's big enough for a small, baby grand?"

Michelle laughed, "Oh, I'm sure. That spot when you first walk in, next to the kitchen would be perfect. I thought that was odd there wasn't a table there until I found the dining room."

He pointed at her. "That was my thought as well. Yeah. I need a piano."

"Another romantic plan in the works?" she teased.

He smiled and shook his head. "No, my Genie is musically talented. I'm going to see how she does with a piano."

She nodded and made some notes. "I see! Wow! She's adorable by the way. I've never seen such a beautiful child."

He waved his hand, "That's all Melissa. She was a beautiful woman as well. I've already told Rose that Genie can't date until she's forty. I'm thinking about locking her in an... ivory tower."

Michelle laughed. "I imagine any guy that will ever want to date her will have to deal with that brother of Rose's. I think she's quite safe."

He laughed, "Oh, I've not thought of that! That's very true! Tony is a force. Like his mum. Wow. That is a great point! Thank you, Michelle! Makes me feel better!"

She laughed. "A piano. Anything else?"

He tapped the desk. "Yes. Well, no. Let me think on this daft plan for a bit more."

Michelle smiled, "Oh, that sounds like something fun."

He smiled and shook his head. "A necessary evil, I'm afraid. Singing might have been the least of my fears after this. Anyway. Tell me, were Logan and Sam happy with the game?"

She smiled, "They loved it. They are so happy. The big men at their schools now! They are so grateful to you. Thank you."

"Tell me if you ever need anything for your lot. They are good boys. They will be amazing men. Meant for greatness! I look forward to getting to know them all better."

Michelle smiled. "Thank you. I'll get on this list and send some people in for you. Let me know if you need anything. I'll bring coffee."

"Coffee! Yes!" he agreed. "Jammie Dodgers would be great, too!"

Michelle walked out of the office.

The Doctor looked back in his TARDIS box. He rubbed his chin. "Huh. Now you are happy? What's that about? " He sat the TARDIS box on the floor next to his chair and looked down at it. His phone rang. He looked at it and smiled.

As he accepted the call, Genie's face filled the screen. "My Sara Gene! How did you know I needed to talk to you?"

She smiled at him. "Rose called me. What's wrong, Daddy? She said your plant was being strange."

He looked at her and rubbed his face. "Yeah, it is. I think I might have figured it out though. Listen to it and tell me what you think."

Genie listened. "Oh, it hates that box. It likes the sky. It can see the sky right now."

"The sky?" he asked. He looked around. "Does it want to be closer to the windows?"

Genie shrugged her shoulders. "Nah, I don't think so. It likes seeing you. Just put it someplace it can see you. Talk to it today, Daddy. Or let it hear people talk."

He gritted his teeth. "Oh...well...what if it hears angry voices? Is it going to get scared?"

Genie pointed at him, "Now, Daddy. You can be nice for a few hours."

He groaned and rubbed his face. "Oh, sweetheart. You two ask a lot of me."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Then have Rose do it!"

He shook his head. "No, Rose has enough to do today."

Genie smiled and started to dance. "Like me! I'm going to ride horses after lunch!"

He smiled at her dancing. "You are going to have so much fun riding, my Sara Gene."

She stopped dancing and pointed at him. "Daddy. You know what? You should name your plant."

He rubbed his head. "Name it? What are you on about, Little One? Where are you getting this?"

She reasoned, "Seems like it wouldn't like being called a plant. It needs a name!"

He smiled and nodded. "Okay, what name do you think it would like?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Think about it."

"You know, speaking of names. Sara Gene, I need to talk to you about something else. You know how we talked about you living with me and Rose forever? Being part of our family?"

"Yes!" she said excitedly.

It made him chuckle. "I need you to think about something. What would you like your last name to be? Smith? Or Tyler-Smith?"

Genie seemed surprised, "I can pick? Really?"

"Of course you can. What do you think?" he asked her. "Sara Genevieve Smith or Sara Genevieve Tyler-Smith."

She scratched her chin, "What's Rose think?"

He shook his head, "It doesn't matter what Rose or I think. It's your name. What do you think? You can take time to think about it if you want."

She shook her head. "I like Tyler-Smith. It's a bit of Rose and a bit of you. Is that alright?"

He smiled at her. "Sweetheart, that's just fine. Hey, someone told me something about you. Is it true?"

Genie looked at him. "I don't know. What did they say?"

"That you can play the violin and dance ballet."

She smiled. "Can't everyone?"

He laughed and shook his head. "No, sweetheart. Where is your violin?"

"I have no idea."

Michelle walked in and quietly put coffee on his desk.

He smiled. "No matter. I'll get you another one. Do you want another one?"

She smiled. "Sure! I'd like a piano though. Mum said we never had a place for one."

"You want a piano? Really, Genie?" he smiled as he looked up at Michelle.

Michelle looked at him and gave him a thumbs up.

Genie laughed, "Yeah. I bet I could play that. I've always wanted to try. Looks easy!"

Michelle smiled and quietly let herself out of the office.

"Let me see what Daddy can do about getting you a piano. Any other instruments you want to try?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "I don't really know what they are called."

He smiled, "Don't worry, we'll sort it out. How about ballet? Do you like that? Do you dance someplace?"

Genie smiled. "Yes. At my school."

He patted the desk. "I'll figure it out for you, Genie. Michelle is good at stuff like that. Daddy will take care of it."

"Nanna Jones says she knows a place I need to dance. It's called...Royal Ballet something. She said she's going to talk to you about it."

He smiled. "Right. I'll talk to Nanna Jones about it. Have you been dancing for her?"

Genie laughed, "Yes. There paintings in her castle of ballet dancers. I saw them and danced so she could see me. Tony and Jacob can't do it."

He laughed proudly at her.

She looked around and whispered into the phone, "Daddy. I think it's because they are boys. But, don't tell them I said that."

He laughed. "Oh, my Sara Gene! You make me smile. It's probably not because they are boys. Although, I'm a boy and I can't dance ballet, either. But, some boys do. And it's beautiful."

"Rose probably can!" Genie told him.

He nodded his head. "Rose is amazing. I don't know if she can do that or not. You'll have to ask her."

Tony came on the screen. "Brother! I need Genie. We're going to eat and then Uncle Howie is going to take us riding."

"Be careful. Keep an eye out for one another." he told them.

Tony got serious. "My brother. I am an English gentleman. Like yourself. It is my job to protect all of my family, but especially my Genie. I love her and I know what that really means."

He smiled proudly. "You are right, Tony. Good man, indeed! I'll bring some candy home for you."

"Paying me always helps, too!" Tony said and ended the call.

He looked down inside the TARDIS box and asked, "So, I have to be nice so you will like me. Ugh. This would have to be today. Well, at least my leg is better."

He buzzed Michelle. She came right in. "Found Genie I see?"

He laughed, "No, she found me. Children are never lost. They always know where they are."

She smiled. "That's true. Piano is getting delivered at 4:00. The manager of the building will be able to let them in for you. No one needs to be there."

"Thank you, Michelle! Perfect! I also need a lot of candy. Order some for the children. Mine and yours both. I'm paying off my little brother for something."

She laughed. "Oh goodness! Loyalty in sugar, huh?"

He smiled. "Yeah. I also need a violin. Genie plays the violin and I don't know what happened to hers."

"Okay, what size?" Michelle asked.

"I have no idea." he told her.

Michelle smiled. "I'll take care of it. She's nearly as big as my twins. I'll get something by the end of the day for you."

He patted the desk. "Brilliant! You are very good! Also, Genie took ballet. Can you figure out what school she went to? Harriet wants to talk to me about another one, but we probably need to get some information before we do anything."

"Of course. I'll make some phone calls. Anything else?

"Yes, call back that lawyer about the adoption and tell him we have picked her name. Both of my girls are hyphening their names so we can go ahead and sign everything. Have him send them over."

Michelle handed him her notebook, "Write everyone's names correctly there for me so there's no confusion."

He took the paper and wrote all three of their full names down and handed it back to Michelle. She looked down at it, and then looked at him in amusement. "Storm? Really? I wouldn't have thought that."

He chuckled. "Yeah. It's a good ice breaker at parties."

She smiled, "Thomas is here to see you."

"What sort of mood is he in?" the Doctor asked.

"Thomas Trout? Oh, you know him. He flipped a summerset over his excitement to see you. He just couldn't contain himself." Michelle told him.

"Cheeky. I like it! You fit in good with my lot! Okay, send him in." he told her.

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Thomas walked in. "You sent for me Director Smith?" The door closed behind him.

"Yes, please. Thomas come in and have a seat. Forgive me for not getting up, but I have an injured leg I'm attempting to keep propped up today." he explained.

Thomas sat down in front of the desk. "Yes. What do you need?"

The Doctor considered him. "Thomas. I really think we got off on the wrong foot. Would you mind if I spoke plainly?"

"I prefer it." Thomas said.

"Thomas, I admire your ability to see through bullshit and just get to the problem at hand."

Thomas looked surprised at the Doctor's bunt words. "Well, thank you."

"I know when Pete came to you and had you handle the Director transition, it was a tough. I mean, you don't really know me. I've not really given you a good impression of me and hell, I quite frankly wouldn't like me, either."

Thomas nodded, "I appreciate your honestly. You are completely right. You are just someone Rose drug home and Pete shoved down my throat."

The Doctor ran his hand through his hair. "I see that, now. Even from the first time I met you back in Bergen. It wasn't fair what Rose asked you to do. I mean, you have no idea who I am."

He shook his head, "I still don't understand that. Not to get into Pete's family's personal life, but it's just a hard story to believe."

"I completely agree. I feel that I need to set the record straight. Things people are making up about us are way worse than you can imagine. Can you believe they think we are both aliens?" he explained.

"Well, it is the most logical explanation." Thomas countered. "I mean, you just fell out of the sky."

The Doctor chuckled, "I can see how it looks like that. It's just simply not true. I've been here, in Britain, for a very long time. When I got in Bergen, I had lost all of my identification. Wallet was stolen at a hotel I took Rose, too. Instead of rushing about to ten different offices, Rose offered to just let Torchwood handle it for me. I was grateful because I was still so shaken from being robbed."

"I can imagine." Thomas told him.

"Having said that, I'd like us to start over. Would that be alright? Hello, I'm Doctor Johnathon Smith."

He offered his hand across the desk. Thomas looked questionability at it, then shook it. "Thomas Trout."

"Where are you from, Mr. Trout?" the Doctor asked.

"Call me Thomas. I'm from London." Thomas told him. "How about you, sir?"

"Don't call me, sir. I hate that. Call me Doctor. I prefer that. I'm not really from anywhere. I moved around a lot. Not really ever had a place I called home until recently." the Doctor told him.

"British though?" Thomas asked.

"Don't I sound it?" he smiled.

Thomas nodded. "Indeed. How long have you known Rose Tyler?" Thomas asked.

"Fair question. I believe we have known one another ten years. She used to travel with me. We were the best of friends. When I stopped traveling she invited me here, to live with her. We dated, and were married last week."

Thomas looked surprised. "Really? Congratulations! I hadn't heard. Pete hadn't said. Hell, you've only been here, what?"

"Just a month." the Doctor told him.

"That's impressive. Efficient!" Thomas told him.

"I knew you would say that." he said as he bit his lip to keep from laughing. "Yeah, we've kept the wedding quiet. Pete's been busy with some stuff. Spending time with his wife." the Doctor explained.

Thomas nodded. "Right. That's what he said when he stepped down."

"You know, Thomas. I'd really like to see that paperwork. Would you have it with you?"

Thomas opened his briefcase. "Of course, Doctor."

The Doctor put his glasses and looked over the papers that Thomas handed him. "Well, this all looks to be in order. Right."

He took off his glasses and lay them on the desk. "No question to your efficiency there, Thomas. I just wanted to see them for myself." He slid the papers back to Thomas, who returned them to his briefcase. "Did Pete say anything else you remember when he signed all of that?"

Thomas shook his head. "No. I don't recall. Just told me to deal with it. It was his decision."

"Ugh, that's annoying. He does me that way, too. He could have least asked your opinion."

"Well, it was probably pretty clear without me saying anything. I still think you need answer to someone. It's a very dangerous game you play." Thomas told him.

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "I can see why you would say that. I really can."

"Just how are you able to talk to all of these aliens that we come across? How do you know all of their strange languages? Customs?" Thomas asked him.

The Doctor ran his hand through his hair, "Yeah, that does look bad doesn't it? A human knowing all of that information. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. It's classified."

"Classified?" Thomas asked him in surprise.

The Doctor nodded, "Yep! Only President Harriet Jones, President Howard Shepherd and Pete Tyler are privileged on that information. I know you have no reason to, Thomas, but on that...you'll just have to trust me."

Thomas smiled and nodded. "I can accept that answer. Makes sense."

The Doctor nodded. "Tell you what. You are an efficiency expert. I want you to do that for me. I want you to gather me a report. I want to form several teams. One for alien threats, one for attacks, one for medical help, etc. Just use your imagination or past experience of how you think we could have done it differently. I'm open to what you have to say. I have some ideas, but I want to hear yours. I also want background checks done on every person in this building. Handle this personally for me. These recent attacks had a man working inside. I've gotten information that it could be more than one. It could be a team of them. I need to know who I can trust and who I can't."

Thomas looked shocked. "Wow. Sure! I can do that. I might need more access to certain files..."

"Ask me as you come across what you think you need." He opened his desk drawer and handed him his card and wrote something on it. "This is my cell phone number. Call it anytime. Or text. I'll handle it immediately. Sound good?"

Thomas was floored. "Well, yes, sir!"

"Don't call me sir. Don't like it. Don't deserve it." the Doctor said.

Thomas stood up dazed and shook the Doctor's hand. "I'll get right to work on this. I'll let you know what I sort out!"

He left the office, nearly bouncing on his heels. The Doctor laughed as soon as Thomas shut the door.

The Doctor rubbed his face and looked out the window.

'How are you, sweetheart. Busy?' he asked Rose.

'No. What are you so happy about?' she asked him.

He slipped his coffee. 'Oh, I just made Thomas Trout's day! I've put him in charge of spying on people!'

'Are you crazy?' Rose asked him.

'Maybe. I asked him to run background checks on everyone here. Believe me, if there is dirt on someone, Thomas Trout can find it. Damn.'

'I haven't thought of that. That's very true. He used to be MI-6.'

The Doctor's mouth dropped open, 'No way. Was he really?'

'Oh yes. He is well connected to find out all sorts of stuff. Why didn't I think of that? That was brilliant!' Rose told him.

'Too close to the problem. Wow! I might have just scored a goal for sure!'

'Michelle figured you out, yet?' Rose asked him.

"Ha!" he said.

'No way, woman! I'm the best at this little game. I'm enjoying it!' he smiled.

'Did you get your problem you needed Genie's help on sorted?' Rose asked him.

'Yes. She was very helpful. Michelle brought something up I haven't thought about. Tony is going to have to approve of Genie's dates. We're going to be alright, Rose.'

He could feel Rose laughing. 'I'm trying to put on my make-up and you have me laughing so hard I'm crying. You are such a pain.'

'Sorry, love. Are you already getting ready to go? Seems early.'

'They offered to give me a tour of the campus. They said they needed to talk to me about something.'

He smiled, 'Probably going to try to talk you into teaching there.'

The phone buzzed, Michelle had someone else to see him. He told her to send them in.

'Okay, I've got to deal with this. All while being nice so my TARDIS doesn't become frightened of me.' he told her.

'That's a tall order! Good luck with that lot!" Rose teased him.

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