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Chapter 85 – The Master Interrogator

The Doctor popped back into his flat. Genie ran and jumped into his arms. "Sweetheart, you are safe. Shhhh…" He told her as he held her. She was still trying to catch her breath. She had been crying so hard it seemed to have worn her out.

Shakes walked up behind her and rubbed her back. "She's been very brave. I'll go back to Rose. John is across the hall if you need him. Sam is on his special assignment. Everyone is safe."

Genie continued to hold the Doctor's neck while the Doctor shook Shakes' hand. "Thank you, Shakes. I'm going to stay here with Genie. We'll be fine. Thank you for your help."

Shakes smiled and popped away.

The Doctor slipped off his shoes and sat down on the sofa, still holding Genie. He rubbed her back as he held her. "Little One. You are home. You are safe. Daddy is here."

He kissed her head and held her. After a few moments, she rose up and looked at him. "He's not coming here, is he?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No ma'am. No monsters come to this flat. Not ever."

Genie rose up and sat on his knees facing him. He wiggled out of his jacket and tossed it on the sofa next to them.

Genie wiped her tears, and the Doctor grabbed a tissue and helped her. "Daddy. You are the only person I know that wears suits with vests."

He looked down at his vest and smiled. "I like suits with vests. I like how they look. What do you think about them?"

She nodded, "It looks like you. Have you always worn suits like this?"

He shook his head. "No. I've worn all sorts of different things. I think most people do. Like you. You are wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Do you always wear that?"

She smiled, "No. I like wearing other stuff too."

He smiled at her. "What's your favorite thing to wear?"

She smiled, "My dancing pants. They are really loose and I can move easy in them."

He nodded his head. "Makes sense." He kissed her forehead and held both of her little hands. "Are you alright, my Sara Gene? I know that scared you. I'm so sorry. Did you see him?"

She shook her head. "No. I was hiding under the table from Tony and Jacob. He walked in and I heard his name. Then you popped in front of me. How did you know?"

He smiled, "I'm Daddy! I always know when you need me. I'll always be there to help you."

She smiled, "You are a good wizard."

He chuckled, "I guess so."

She lay her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "You are safe, Genie. I won't let any monsters get you."

She whispered, "Did you kill the monster?"

He kissed her head, "No, sweetheart. I didn't. I talked with him. I wanted to know what he knew. Killing something is rarely the answer to a problem."

He rubbed her back as he propped his feet up on the table. He spoke to her. "You know, Sara Gene. I was really surprised to find out you danced ballet and played violin. What else do I not know about you?"

Genie asked, "Well, what do I not know about you?"

He chuckled, "My master interrogator. It's in your blood there, Genie. Okay, I don't like pears. How about you?"

Genie smiled, "I don't know if I've ever ate pears."

The Doctor smiled, "You're not missing anything. They are gross."

Genie giggled, "My favorite color is purple."

"Mine is blue." The Doctor smiled.

"What is Rose's favorite color?"

The Doctor rubbed his head. "Blue, for sure. Her favorite thing to eat is chips. What's your favorite thing to eat?"

"Fish sticks." She smiled.

"Hey! I like those, too!" he told her. "They aren't my favorite though. My favorite thing to eat is bananas!"

Genie giggled as she lay on his chest. "That's because you are an ape. Apes eat those, you know."

The Doctor tickled her, "An ape!? Me?! Cheeky!"

She laughed, "That's what my mum always told me when I asked for a banana. She was silly. I miss her."

He rubbed her back and kissed her head. "I know, sweetheart. It's alright."

Genie asked, "Did it hurt?"

"Did what hurt?" he asked her.

"When mum died. Did it hurt?" she asked him.

He sighed, "I don't think it did. I think it happened very quickly."

Genie rose up and looked at him. She looked into his eyes, closely. He raised his eyebrow at her. "What are you doing?"

"Looking at your eyes. They are brown." Genie told him.

"Oh! So, are yours!" he smiled at her. "Yours are beautiful."

She tossed her hands up, "I've never seen anyone with the same color eyes as mine! Everyone makes a big deal out of them."

"It's rare to see someone with that color eyes here, Genie. It just makes you more special. Don't worry about it." He told her. "I'll take you someplace one day and you will see many people with that same color eyes. It's common in places. Just not here."

"What color are Rose's eyes?" she asked him.

He gritted his teeth. "I should know that. Why don't know that? Green, I think. Don't tell her I don't know!"

Genie giggled at him, "She would be cross."

He ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know. I should know that! How odd."

Genie asked him, "You haven't looked at her eyes?"

He pulled his hair in frustration. "I have! A lot! I think they are green. Ugh!"

Genie laughed at him. "You are so funny, Daddy. I won't tell her."

Genie climbed off his lap and went into the kitchen. He sat on the sofa and watched as she pulled a bar stool around the bar to the refrigerator, climbed up and got her a juice box and him a bottle of water. He chuckled as he rubbed his beard and watched her. She returned to the couch and sat next to him. She handed him the water bottle as she put her straw in her juice box and drank it.

He watched her and smiled. "Thank you, Genie. I'm going to get you a step stool so you don't break your neck climbing on the bar stools. You worry me."

He took a drink of his water and stood up and walked to the front door. Genie sat down her juice box on the coffee table and asked, "Where are you going?"

He smiled and motioned for her to join him. "Come here. Did you see this?"

She ran over to him and held her hands out. "What?"

He knelt down and turned her towards it. "A piano!"

Her mouth fell open. "When did you get that?"

He laughed as he walked over and sat on the bench. She climbed up next to him. A violin case sat on the top of the piano. He picked it up and opened it for her. It held a pink violin. She looked at it and smiled. "Oh, I love it! Thank you, Daddy!"

He smiled back at her. "Which one do you want to play first?"

She looked excited, "The piano! I've never played it before! I've played the violin a lot. But, I'll play it next. Okay?"

He nodded his head. "Of course. Either is fine with me. You're playing."

She looked at him, "You can play."

He chuckled, "Sweetheart, I can't play the piano. I don't know how."

She looked surprised at him, "You just think of the music, and play it. It's easy!"

He looked at her. "That's what I want you to do. Think of a song." He rubbed his beard. "Think of the entire thing. Hear it in your mind. When it's clear, make the piano sing the song."

She nodded her head. "Okay, Daddy. The song they play at ballet every week. I love it. It's my favorite."

"Can you hear it in your mind?" he asked her.

She closed her eyes and nodded. "Yes."

He smiled, "Play it. I don't know what it sounds like. Show me."

She smiled as she played, 'The Lonely Ballerina,' perfectly on the piano.

The Doctor sat in awe as he listened to her play. He smiled down at her as she finished. "I love that song, Genie. That was beautiful."

She covered her face and giggled. "That was so easy! I love the piano!"

He laughed at her.

"Daddy. Sing that song you sung to me back on the Bullet. I'll play it for you."

He smiled, "I've never heard music with that song. I think it's just meant to be sung."

She patted his chest. "Come on, Daddy. It's just us here. For me."

He rubbed his face. "Okay. For you." And he sang the lullaby to her. As he began, she remembered the tune and played a song that sounded like it as he sang. He smiled as she played.

When they both finished, she looked back at him and smiled. "What is that song about? It's just funny words."

He chuckled at her, "It's about windmills. How they blow and turn in the wind. How life will blow you off the course of where you are headed, and you have to learn to continue do what you were meant to do in the winds. It's a very, old song."

"Why does it have funny words?"

"It's in another language. It's not in English." He explained.

"What language is it?" She asked him.

He bit his lip. "The language of where I'm from. My village."

"Is it different country?" she asked.

He nodded, "Yes. You can say that."

"I did say that, would you say that?" Genie asked him.

"Now, why would you ask me that?" he asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders, "Don't know. Just doesn't feel like the right thing to call it."

He rubbed his face, "Ummm. What would you call it? What sounds right?"

"You tell me, it's where you are from!"

He smiled, "And where do you think that is?"

She shook her head and laughed, "I have no idea. You sound British."

He chuckled, "I've lived here a long time. I suppose I do sound British."

She stood up and put her hands on her hips. "I think you tricked me."

"Why would you think that?"

She pointed at him, forcefully. "Something is off here."

He tossed up his hands and laughed, "What seems off? Come back up here and play the piano. Don't worry about such silly stuff. Worrying is for grown-ups, not children. Come back and play another song."

She climbed back up on the bench and looked at him curiously.

He kissed her forehead and looked at her, "Genie. Let me tell you something important. Listen closely and always remember this. It doesn't matter where you are from. A ship is from a shipyard, built and kept in the docks. But, the ship isn't made for the dock, is it?"

She shook her head. "No. It's supposed to sail on the ocean."

He smiled, "Right, my Sara Gene. See? Where you are from does not define who you are. You are you. No one else in the entire universe is anything like you. You are unique and very important. Understand?"

Genie smiled. "What song shall I play, now?"

The Doctor rubbed his beard. "Know any Pink Floyd?"

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