XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 6 - Chapter 6 - Cookie Dough Cherries

Legate woke up and yawned as the sunlight from the dawn crept into the windows that he had forgotten to close. He couldn't believe he had slept so well, and then remembered him and Genie's celebrations a few hours before. He turned his head and saw the empty champagne bottle that he had enjoyed with his new bride. He rose his head and quickly stopped as the pain from his head reminded him how much he had drank.

He held his head and groaned. He closed his eyes tightly and rolled over on his side. He reached out and found Genie's nude body lying in front of him. He ran his hand down her side and smiled remembering that they had made the Life Promise only hours before. He had asked, begged, and waited for this moment when he would wake up and see her as his wife. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

Genie lay in front of him, mouth opened, drooling, and her hair all over the place. He couldn't help himself and laughed at her. She had clearly drunk too much, too.

He caressed her cheek and she slowly spoke. "Legate?"

"Who else are you lying nude in a bed with?" He whispered.

She rubbed her face. "Oh, my head."

"Mine, too. I think it's the champagne."

"Or the wine." She moaned. "Oh, such a headache."

He leaned over and kissed her, holding his lips to her forehead.

She still hadn't opened her eyes. "Legate. I'm so sorry that this happened."

"What are you sorry about? You have nothing to be sorry about."

She opened her eyes and looked in his. "This with you and the other Legate."

He smiled at her and rose his eyebrows. "He's probably done me a favor."

"How's that?"

"I only want you. I only see you. And now, there is only you."

She smiled, "Legate."

"I've wished for someone who I know was you. You are my everything. The one I adore more than anything. The one who I would do anything for."

She smiled as she continued to look in his eyes and whispered. "Even get up to get me some medicine for my head?"

He grinned, "Sure."

She closed her eyes as he got out of bed and rubbed his face. He must have been walking with his eyes closed because she heard him stumble and hit the side of the door as he went into the loo.

She held her head, "Are you alright-"

"Alright!" He told her and grunted from the pain of his shout.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Doctor wrapped baby Samuel in a towel that morning. He had just finished giving the little boy a bath and was drying him off as he sat on the bathroom cabinet.

"Daddy! Dog!" Samuel insisted.

The Doctor grinned, "Yes, we'll go see the mad dog."

Samuel clapped his hands together. "Yay! Sam play dog!"

Rose walked into the bathroom with a nappy and some clothes for Samuel. "And Mum has brought you some clothes."

Samuel blew his tongue at his Mum.

The Doctor fussed at him. "Ah! No. Tell your Mum, 'Thank you'. You can't just wear a towel, son."

"Wook, Daddy." Samuel pulled the towel over his head.

Rose smiled at him. "You have to wear something. Is this not what you want?"

The baby babbled and held the towel out.

The Doctor turned his head to keep his son from seeing him laugh.

Rose noticed, "Are you going to tell me what he said?"

The Doctor cleared his throat, "And anyway. Son. You need a trim. What do you think, Rose?"

Rose sighed. "I've always been told he will look less like a baby when that happens."

"It's true. He'll look like a little boy, then. A Time Tot."

Samuel held his hands over his head and babbled at top speed.

"Yes, we know you are a little boy." The Doctor insisted. "The fact has not escaped us."

Samuel pulled his hair and babbled again.

The Doctor grinned. "No, if we don't get it trimmed, you won't turn into a little girl."

Samuel clapped his hands together.

The Doctor nodded, "Well, he's for a trim. What does Mum say?"

"It's your hair, Samuel." Rose leaned on the cabinet. "Dad rang and wants me to go to New York today with him."

The Doctor lay Samuel down and put his nappy on him. "Yeah, why?"

"He's selling Vitex and wants me there for photos."

The Doctor picked Samuel up and helped him stand on the cabinet top. Samuel danced and laughed as he hung onto the front of his Dad's shirt. "Daddy!"

"Do you need me to go with you?"

"Nah, Lewis is going. Guess who he's selling it to?"

He shook his head. "I have no idea."

"Samuel." She told him.

The Doctor looked surprised at the baby. "What? What did he do?"

Rose laughed, "No. Dad is selling Vitex to Samuel. Samuel and Arles-"

"Oh! I was with him all day yesterday and he never mentioned it."

"He was trying to stay out of the Void." Rose teased.

"Well, that wasn't all day."

Rose took Sam in her arms and put his shirt on. The Doctor took a hair brush and tried to get the blond, unruly hair on the baby under control.

Rose kissed Sam's face. "I think your Daddy is right. It's time for a trim, little boy."

Sam laughed, "Mum, Mum!"

Rose held him as he continued to dance on the cabinet. The Doctor leaned against it and crossed his arms. "Genie told me that the TARDIS in her room is hers. Properly hers."

Samuel spoke, "Mum, up, pleze."

Rose picked him up and kissed his face. "Hers?"

He nodded, "Yeah, and the other two in there are Sam and Arles'. And then there are four more. Guess who they belong to?"

"Baby, they have a lot of growing to do."

"Our granddaughter has a bloody TARDIS! And the only proper Time Lord here in Pete's World doesn't. Why? What the hell is that about?"

Samuel pointed at his Daddy. "No, Daddy."

The Doctor blew his tongue at his son.

Rose laughed, "Samuel, don't scold your Daddy. Baby, I think it's probably because Genie is spending so much time with the TARDIS plant."

"I could move her in our room." He thought.

Rose shook her head. "The TARDIS plant has always been connected to her. Moving it into our room will only make her more cross with you."

He groaned, "That's true. Damn it."

Samuel heard his Dad swear again and pointed at him. "No, Daddy!"

The Doctor shook his head and held up his hand. "Sorry. Adult language. You're right, son."

Rose kissed the baby's cheek. "In fact, I think it's time that our roommate gets his own room."

The Doctor rubbed his face and smiled. "Yeah, it's time."

"You're agreeing to this?"

He cleared his throat and smiled, "That's the reason he didn't want to put on clothes. He said I look too comfortable without them."

Rose slowly nodded her head and laughed, "Yes. Time for your own room, Samuel."

Samuel laughed and clapped his hands.

The Doctor pointed at his son. "And a bed, instead of a cot."

Rose looked surprised at Samuel. "Wow. Big day for you, little boy! A hair cut, a bed…"

"Clothing." The Doctor added.

Samuel insisted, "Sam play dog!"

The Doctor looked back at Rose and grinned. "I guess I need to ring up Henry's Mum."

"And try to go see Genie today."

He sighed. "Oh, I don't want to-"

"You are her father!"

"Which just makes the entire thing worse."

Rose handed the baby to him. He immediately calmed down. "You're telling me to take Samuel to see Genie, too?"

Rose put her hands on her hips and grinned. "That's what I'm saying. The longer you avoid this conversation with her, the worse it will be."

The Doctor closed his eyes and laid his forehead to his son's. "Oh, the younger they are, the easier they are."

Samuel hugged his Dad's head and kissed him.

The Doctor smiled. "Thank you, Samuel."

Samuel babbled something.

The Doctor kissed his son's face. "Daddy loves you, too."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The adult Samuel was in a great mood. He danced out of the bathroom that morning after he had gone to the work-out room there at the school and trained. Neither Legate or Arles had shown up. He really hadn't expected Legate, but Arles? Where was he?

It was no matter. He had to teach his class and Karen had asked him to wake her up before he left. Remembering he was expected in New York later that day, he put on his brown suit and blue tie.

He stepped out of the closet, put his wallet, cell phone and such in his pockets before going down to the kitchen to make Karen some coffee.

He stood in front of the food replicator and danced as he hummed along to a song.

Karen giggled as she walked into the kitchen. "What has you in such a good mood?"

He continued to dance. "It's going to be a good day. I can tell."

She laughed. "You can tell, huh?"

He turned and saw her sitting at the bar, watching him. She was wearing his dressing gown and her hair was down. He pointed at her, "Yes, ma'am. A good day. You and me? How about a date tonight?"

She looked surprised. "Wow. A date?"

"We haven't been on a proper date in ages. What would you like to….actually. Never mind. Let me surprise you."

She laughed as he put toast and coffee in front of her. He sipped his tea and continued to dance and hum.

"What are you singing?"

"I don't know. It was playing this morning while I was training. Now, I can't get it out of my head." He told her as he leaned across the bar.

"Training, huh? After last night?"

"Yep! I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep, so I went to train….after…."

She rose her eyebrows at him, "After what, Samuel?"

He sat down his tea and walked over to stand in front of her. He took both of her hands and she stood up in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and they danced together as he hummed.

"Geez, I've never seen you in such a good-"

He cupped her face and kissed her. The electrical sensation went through both of their bodies and Samuel was sure his hair had stood on end. The energy entered where he touched her with his fingertips, palms, and moved up his arms. His lips seemed to light up as his tongue danced with hers. He could taste the coffee she had sipped and feel her hands on his back.

He looked into her eyes and grinned, "And good morning."

She looked at him, breathless. "What the hell?"

He kissed the end of her nose. "Thank you for making me read those letters."

She threw her hands up, "That's what has you like this!"

He laughed as he walked back over to the food replicator and asked for some fruit salad and a bowl of some odd, purple pieces of something.

"Well? What did they say?" She asked.

He sat down next to her and put the bowls down in front of them. He stabbed some odd, purple bits with a fork. "Here, baby. Try this." He fed it to her.

She closed her eyes and moaned, "That is amazing. What is that?"

He stabbed a few more bits of the purple bits with the fork, and fed them to her. "It's a fruit that grows on Photoria. Like cherries. They are good for the baby. And I read someplace, that you liked them."

She covered her mouth and smiled. "I really do. Tastes like….cookie dough?"

He looked surprised. "Cookie dough? Really? You think?" He asked as he put one in his mouth.

She giggled. "Okay, maybe because I'm eating it with coffee."

He pushed the bowl of the purple fruit to her. "There. Your cookie dough cherries, then. Mad woman."

She smiled, "If you could program that thing to give me these-"

"I'll do it. And you just have to call them that. Cookie dough? Really?"

"Yeah." She smiled and ate another one. "I bet they are good with chocolate."

He hung his tongue out. "Oh, rubbish."

She laughed. "So, you finally read the letters?"

He sat in front of her and nodded. "I did. Thank you."

She continued to eat the fruit. "Well, you're welcome."

He grinned, "No, really. Thank you, Karen. Your words there, has put my mind at ease."

She moved closer to him and smiled. "Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?"

He leaned down and caught her lips again. He could feel her hands on his thighs as they kissed one another. The electrical current began to move between them again. Samuel rose his hand to her cheek as he continued to kiss her.

Someone knocked on the back door, which brought them back to reality. Samuel looked up and saw the figure of someone standing behind the drapes of the glass doors that had been drawn.

He quickly looked in Karen's eyes and told her, "You are everything I need and make this place home. Do you know that?"

She smiled, "You make me breathless, Samuel."

He kissed her lips again and walked over to the glass door. He pulled back the drapes and saw Anne standing there.

"Oh! Lovely! Anne, you have perfect timing." Samuel told her as she pointed at a basket of laundry. "Let me grab that, then."

Samuel picked it up and Henry ran up the steps into the flat with them. "And washing! Brilliant! Thank you, Anne."

"It's nothing. Gave me something to do."

Karen smiled and ate some more of the purple fruit. "Good morning, Mom. Come over here and try this odd fruit."

Samuel asked as he sat the basket of washing on the kitchen table, "Coffee, Anne?"

She smiled, "Please."

Samuel went over to the food replicator and Anne sat down next to Karen. Karen offered her the fruit which made her Mom smile. "Something besides toast?"

Karen continued to eat the fruit, "I really like this."

Anne tried it. "Tastes like…a flower."

"A flower?" Samuel sat the coffee down in front of Anne.

Anne nodded. "Yeah, I don't think I like it."

Karen smiled, "I think I want another bowl of it."

Samuel grinned and walked back to the food replicator to get Karen another bowl of the fruit.

"Would you like something else, Anne?"

She shook her head. "No, thank you."

Samuel leaned on the cabinet after handing Karen her fruit. "Umm. Anne, have you heard from John?"

She sipped her coffee. "He text me this morning and said he was going to sleep for a while."

Samuel scratched his chest. "Text? Not actual speaking?"

"That's how he usually communicates. It's just easier with all of the sailors around."

"Did he mention anything about a message from me and Dad?"

Anne shook her head. "No."

Samuel continued to scratch his chest and became lost in his thoughts. "Hmmm."

Karen fussed at him. "Stop scratching-"

He held up both of his hands. "Right. Sorry. Ugh."

Karen smiled at him. "Samuel, you're going to be late for your class."

He glanced at his watch. "Yeah, science waits for no man. Umm. Karen, date. Us. As soon as I'm finished in New York. I know I was gone all day yesterday and I'm going to try to return as soon as I can today. Alright?"

She sipped her coffee. "Are you going to tell me what we're doing?"

"No." He smiled and bounced on his feet. "But, if you hear from your father, will you please let me know? Just text me or something."

Karen smiled. "Sure. What if I hear from your Dad?"

Samuel grinned and tossed some of the odd fruit in his mouth. "I doubt you will see him. This entire thing with Legate and Genie has him avoiding the area."

Anne smiled from behind her coffee. "He asked to come by today to let Sam and Genie play with Henry."

"He did?" Samuel asked.

Anne grinned. "Apparently, Sam has been asking about him."

Samuel looked down at Henry, who sat in the floor, panting at him. "Well, you are a popular guy, aren't you?"

Henry barked.

Samuel looked surprised. "A biscuit?"

Henry barked again.

Karen stood up. "I'll be straight back. Don't leave just yet."

Anne sipped her coffee as they both watched her walk out of the room.

Samuel reached into the cabinet, and gave Henry a biscuit. The dog jumped at it and ran into the other room.

Anne smiled, "He really likes you. He's never been one to jump or run like that."

Samuel rubbed his hands together. "Ah. He's fun."

Anne spoke. "You are worried that the Commander has come back? John told you about that didn't he?"

Samuel nodded and looked back at her. "Yes. And I don't know how to tell Karen, but she needs to know."

Anne sat down her coffee. "Let me tell her, Samuel. It might be seen as something….different from you."

Samuel scratched his chest. "Alright. Cheers."

She pointed at him. "What is wrong with your chest?"

He stopped scratching. "I think it's hair growing back. Oh, it's itchy."

"You might want to get some cream."

"It's not that bad."

She brought her coffee up to her lips and teased, "Or, see a Doctor."

"Phhh." Samuel insisted.

She handed him her phone. "These are the texts I have gotten from John. Nothing really alarming."

Samuel looked over the texts. "Yeah, except he may not be the one writing them."

"You think they have come back?"

"They are going to come back. It's only a matter of time."

Karen walked back into the room and Samuel handed the phone back to Anne. He turned and looked at her as she slapped his hand away from his chest. "Stop scratching."

He grinned, "Sorry. We need to go to Plentitude and get me some new shirts. What are you doing this weekend?"

Karen smiled. "Sounds like I'm going to Plentitude."

"And we'll get you some new things, too. Lots of…brown…"

She giggled.

Samuel smiled, "Anne, would you like to go?"

Anne shook her head. "No, thank you! My feet are firmly planted here on Earth."

Karen and Samuel smiled at her.

Karen pat his chest. "Class."

"Right." He said and tossed some more fruit in his mouth. "Bye, Anne."

Anne sipped her coffee. "Have a good day, Samuel. I'll take care of that."

Samuel held Karen's hand and they walked into the sitting room together. Karen fixed his tie and smiled at him. "You are so handsome."

He took both of her hands and kissed them. "I wish I didn't have to leave."

"If you didn't have to go, what would we do?"

He pointed with his eyes back upstairs and laughed under his breath.

She giggled. "Go to class. I'll see you later today."

He kissed her bye and walked out of the door. Henry barked and he turned to wave at him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX