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Chapter 2 – New Blooms

Lewis sat on the floor of the island home amid sounds of laughter from both baby Samuel, and little Arles. He had them both lying on a blanket in the floor and was taking turns kissing them playfully.

Rose sat on the sofa, drinking a cup of tea, and smiling at them. "Lewis, I think you're enjoying that as much as they are."

Lewis leaned down and Samuel grabbed his face. "Papa!"

Little Genie sat next to Rose, looking at photos in an album.

Lewis sat up and smiled as Samuel rolled over and held Arles' hand. They lay looking at one another and smiling.

"I've not heard anything about the negotiations." Rose told Lewis.

"Summus has returned to the ship with the rest of the delegation. This is how it works with Quauhtin negotiations. You wait for one day, and then return for two. And then on the third day, you try again. It's tradition."

Rose nodded. "Everything with Quauhtin is tradition."

"It brings order to chaos." Lewis told her.

"Have you heard from Legate?"

"Not since this morning. He's really quiet now." Lewis told her.

Genie looked up. "What's wrong with Legate?"

Lewis pat her knee. "He got some bad news earlier today."

"Is he alright?"

Lewis smiled at her. "Legate is alright. He's quite safe."

Genie still looked concerned. "Well, what was his bad news?"

Lewis held up his finger. "Hang on. Legate just told me to tell you that, you are very sweet to think of him."

"Ask him if he's alright. I don't want him to be sad."

Lewis listened and then looked surprised. "Umm. Okay. Well, he says he's very happy. He sounds like he's….well, he's says they are having a party."

Genie laughed. "That's Legate. He says that when you feel bad, you should play some music until you feel better. If he's having a party, he's alright. But, tell him that next party, I want to go."

Lewis grinned and looked back at Rose. "I've told him."

Rose hid her smile by sipping her tea again.

Lewis started playing with the boys again. They were making so much noise, that no one noticed the Doctor pop back into the room.

Genie's attention was back on the photo album. "Daddy looks mad with a beard."

The Doctor grinned as he leaned on the back of the sofa, "Mad with a beard, huh?"

Genie pushed the photo album in Rose's lap, jumped off of the sofa, and into her Dad's arms. He held her tightly and kissed her cheek. "Oh, I missed you."

She giggled. "Grand has such a great party planned, Daddy."

"Oh, does she? Is she planning on cooking?"

Genie covered her mouth and laughed.

The Doctor laid his forehead to hers and asked her telepathically, 'And why are you still awake?'

She smiled at him. "Daddy. You should speak where everyone can hear you!"

He grinned, "Okay. Why are you still awake?"

Rose sipped her tea. "She's waiting on you. I told her it was alright."

"Ah." The Doctor said in understanding.

Genie held him around his neck. "I missed you and tonight, I'm going to tell the story."

"Oh, you are?"

"Yes!" She told him excitedly. "All about Spartacus! I have a good one."

Rose grinned. "Spartacus? That's someone we haven't heard from in a while."

Samuel rolled over and sat up. "Daddy!"

The Doctor rolled his neck back in surprise. "Samuel, that was perfect!"

"Daddy!" And then Samuel babbled something that only the Doctor and he understood.

Lewis looked back at him, "Get that, John?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I'm not taking you to see the dog tonight."

Samuel poked his lip out. "Daddy. Dog!"

"Daddy will take you to see the dog tomorrow. It's late and the dog is sleeping."

Lewis leaned over to Samuel, "Sleeping. Like you should be."

"No. Papa." Samuel told him. "Sam play dog. You play sleep."

Rose looked back at the Doctor. "Genie has been reading to him all day."

Genie smiled proudly. "And he knows a lot of words."

The Doctor smiled in surprise. "Genie, great work helping your brother."

Genie shrugged her shoulders. "That's what sisters are for."

Samuel threw his hands over his head. "Nee! Nee! You play dog!"

Rose giggled and sipped her tea. "Henry is a popular guy over here."

The Doctor nodded, "Yes, he is. Okay. Samuel. Daddy will take Genie and you to see Henry tomorrow. Alright?"

Samuel clapped his hands together and cheered. "Mum! Mum! Dog!"

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Arles lay on his sofa reading Arla's journal. It was late at night and his head was swimming from the celebration they had enjoyed after Legate and Genie's promise had been made to one another.

His phone dinged behind him. He reached over his head and brought the phone to see who had text him, just as Tony Tyler walked into the door.

Arles looked up at him. "Oh, hey! Back then?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah. I need to sleep. Umm. Has Sammy been here?"

Arles sat his phone down on his chest. "Yeah. He left about an hour ago."

"He's probably asleep. I don't want to wake him, but I need to apologize."

"Want me to tell him that you're looking for him?"

"Nah. I'll catch him up, later. I really need to sleep."

"Alright. Night."

Tony walked out of the room and Arles read his message he had received. It was from Kelly.

'Did you make it back to New York alright?'

He smiled and put the phone up to his ear.

Kelly answered, "Well, hey."

He smiled, "Hey. What are you doing? Isn't it rather late there?"

"It's the same time here as it is there. Goofball. I'm thinking about ordering a pizza for dinner."

He rubbed the side of his head as he remembered that she was hours behind him. "Oh, yeah, that's right. Dinner. Florida. New York."

"You must be tired."

"Nah." He smiled. "I was just sitting here, thinking about…"

"Thinking about what?"

"A friend I have."

"So, I am guessing the trip back on the Bullet was fine?"

He smiled and reminded himself that he was rather stoned and had to be careful with his words. "Umm. As it turns out, I'm glad you rang. I'm in town."

"You are? I thought you had to teach tomorrow-"

"Not, until tomorrow afternoon. I'm catching the Bullet early in the morning." He lied. "Umm. What are you doing?"

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The Doctor carried little Genie into her bedroom and they both playfully collapsed on the bed together and laughed.

"Daddy! I'm so happy you are home tonight."

The Doctor smiled at her. "I am, too. So, tell me this story, my Sara Gene."

Genie giggled and climbed out of her bed. "First, Daddy. You need to see this."

He sat on the side of the bed and watched her walk over to the tank that contained the TARDIS plant. She sat down on her knees and pointed at it. "Come and look."

He joined her, sitting behind her as she continued to point. "Okay. So, there is mine-"

"Yours?" He asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah. That's what she told me."

"Hang on. She told you that she belongs to you?"

She nodded. "Yes, Daddy. And then these other ones. A lot have started growing. See?"

He watched as Genie pointed out the new blooms inside of the tank.

"See, Daddy. There is mine. Then, Sammy's and Arles'. And then these other three popped up. See them there?"

The Doctor sighed. "So, there are six?"

She smiled and nodded excitedly. "Seven. There is a tiny one there at the back."

"Seven?" He asked.

She nodded and looked back at the tank. "She told me that she loves my stories and wants to….." Genie stopped talking suddenly and looked back at him. "She doesn't like you and wants you to go sit over there."

"I thought we were over this? I'm not going to feed her to a monster."

Genie pointed forcefully to the bed. "She really doesn't like you, Daddy."

The Doctor walked over and sat on the side of the bed. "Why doesn't she like me?"

Genie kissed the tank and smiled, "Don't worry. I'll sing to you in a bit. He's going to sit over there."

The Doctor shook his head in surprise. He couldn't believe how close the TARDIS and Genie had become.

Genie sat down next to him on the bed. "And there are seven! She loves being in here with me. We speak all of the time."

"About what?"

Genie shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, stuff. But, I only noticed that seventh bloom this afternoon. I couldn't wait to tell you. Isn't it wonderful, Daddy?"

He nodded, "It's brilliant!"

Genie wasn't fooled by his false excitement. "You aren't happy about this. Why?"

The Doctor groaned. "I guess I was just expecting that one of them would be mine."

Genie looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I know how you feel."

"You do?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, I do. Everyone brings Sam and Arles all of these new things and Grand is the only one who brings me anything. But, Mummy says that I shouldn't want their new things. And, I don't. It's baby stuff that I don't need."

The Doctor bopped her on the nose with his finger. "You and I are going shopping soon."

"And we can get lots of dolls?"

He grinned, "Anything you want. I don't want you to feel this way. You are a brilliant, big sister to Sam and Arles, both. I want you to know that you are just as important as them."

"Oh, Daddy. I know. And it's up to me to show them how to play with those toys, so I actually get to play with them anyway."

He laughed under his breath. "Right."

"And it's my job, as the older sister, to help those two out. Can you imagine when they are older?"

The Doctor grinned, "What do you think they will be like?"

"I hope they are as silly as Doctor Sam and Les. They are so funny!"

The Doctor laughed.

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