XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 20 – Ice Cream and Tea

Rose walked down the hallway of the suite on their ship. She wore her pajamas with her dressing gown and ran her hand through her hair.

When she arrived in the kitchen, Lewis was standing there holding her a cup of tea. The Doctor sat in a chair, sipping a cup of tea. Tony lay in the floor with his head propped on his arm. His tea sat on the table. Baby Samuel crawled around the room.

Lewis asked quietly, "So, Genie is asleep?"

Rose sighed, "Genie sleeps more than my son does. Gosh, that's so strange. I wonder if it's something she grows out of?"

Lewis chuckled. "I don't know. Her and Legate are on their way back to Terra. They will be there before us."

Rose smiled, "Is he speaking you at the moment?"

Lewis looked back at her. "Not at the moment. Why?"

"Would you ask him what Genie is doing? I find that I miss her."

Lewis sipped his tea and Rose watched the familiar expression on his face as he spoke with Legate. Then he looked back at her. "Genie is flying the ship back."

"Flying the ship?"

Lewis nodded and sipped his tea. "Yes. Legate and her went to pick up a new ship that the heir Legate has given to them."

Rose smiled. "And Genie is piloting this?"

Lewis shrugged his shoulders. "It's not surprising to me. Growing up with us?"

"I suppose you're right." She looked back at Samuel crawling in the sitting room. "And this child. Our vampire."

"Arles just went to sleep. He's over there in the cot."

"Gosh it's late." Rose sipped her tea. "Hopefully, Sam won't wake him. Oh, what is he doing now?"

Samuel pulled himself up on the table and Tony quickly moved his tea glass.

"Nee!" Samuel said.

Tony sat up and shook his head. "No. Tea. Say it. Tea."

"Nee!"

"No, tea." Tony corrected him.

Samuel looked confused. "Nee."

Tony sighed. "Like my name. It's 'Tone-nee'. Not just 'Nee'."

The little boy stood holding onto the table, looking at him. "Rone…."

"Tone." He said. "With a T. Ta-Ta-Ta. Try that."

"Ton-wee."

Tony pointed at him. "This is progress. Now try tea."

"NEE!" Samuel lifted his hands over his head and fell on his backside.

The Doctor laughed as Rose sat down next to him.

"Samuel. Ta. Listen to Mum. Ta."

Samuel sat on the floor and threw his hands over his head. He began to babble at top speed.

Lewis walked over and looked in on Arles in the cot. "Really, Samuel?"

Samuel crossed his arms and poked his lip out.

Tony looked back at the Doctor. "Alright, translate. Baby Whisperer."

The Doctor shook his head. "He says he's saying what you ask. You just aren't listening properly. Samuel, you're not."

"Nee, Daddy!"

"He's not Nee. He's Tony. And that's a tea cup."

"Nee Cup."

"Tea cup." The Doctor told him slowly.

Tony grinned. "And Englishman who can't say tea. Lewis! I need a bet here."

Lewis sat in a chair and grinned. "$1,000, you can't get him to say it. Tonight."

Tony sat up. "You're on!"

Rose groaned, "It's the middle of the night. Well, it feels like it. What time is it?"

The Doctor considered. "At home? You probably don't want to know."

Rose sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "Why are we all still awake?"

He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her head. "Go to bed."

"Nah." Rose yawned.

Tony had returned his attention to the baby. "Samuel, there is ice cream in the fridge-"

"Wait, no." Rose told him. "No, ice cream. He should already be asleep."

Tony wasn't listening. "Tony will go get you some, and we'll share it…if you say my name and 'tea' before you go to bed tonight."

The Doctor groaned, "Oh, it's going to be a late night."

Tony got up and went into the kitchen. He grabbed a container of ice cream and a spoon and then walked back into the sitting room, taking his spot back on the floor.

The Doctor complained. "You're going to eat the entire container?"

Tony put the lid on the table. "No, Sam and I are sharing it. Aren't we Sam?"

Samuel crawled over to Tony. "Dat, pleze."

Tony scooped some of the ice cream on a spoon and fed it to Samuel. Samuel sat on his knees and clapped his hands together. "Dat, pleze!"

Rose groaned, "Didn't I say no to ice cream?"

Tony looked up at her, "Sorry. What?"

Rose sipped her tea, "And apparently I have another child."

The Doctor laughed under his breath.

Tony ate a bite and shook his head. "No, that's a free sample. You have to speak properly so I can understand you."

Rose shook her head. "I don't know if this is going to end well."

The Doctor rubbed the side of his head. "I'll stay up with him. I should have stopped this before it started."

Lewis was excited. "Oh, this is brilliant! I'm going double or nothing. And you're going to piss him off."

Tony shook his head. "I know I'm going to piss him off. That's the point."

Samuel threw his hands on the ground. "No, Nee."

The Doctor grinned. "He doesn't like swearing."

Tony blew his tongue at the baby and ate another bite of the ice cream. "Ta. Ta. Ta. Ta. You do it, you get a bite."

Samuel held his hands out, "Dat, pleze."

"That, please. Ta. Do it." He ate another bite.

Samuel grew angry. "No! Nee! Dat!"

Tony took another bite and shook his head. "Ta. Ta. Ta. Say it."

Samuel's eyes flooded with tears. "Nee?"

Tony took another bite. "Ta. Do it. And you can have some more."

Samuel started to cry and fell on the floor.

Rose started to get up to comfort him. "Tony, you jerk! Why are you being so mean to him?"

The Doctor grabbed her hand. "Hang on. This could work."

Tony lie down on the floor and put his face to Samuel's. "You can be as stubborn as you want. I'm worse. You can cry. But, it doesn't get you what you want. I know you can do this. Come on, buddy."

Samuel rubbed his eyes and cried. "Dat, Ton-wee."

Tony smiled. "That, what?"

"Dat!" Samuel pointed at the ice cream.

"Tone Nee." Tony said again. "Do it. Come on. I know you can."

Samuel threw his hands up and cried. "Tony, dat!"

Tony smiled and gave Samuel a bite of the ice cream. "Good job. Tony. That's me."

Rose seemed to relax. "I can't believe this is working."

Lewis grinned and shook his head. "Tea?"

Tony took another bite and then gave Samuel one. Samuel clapped his hands together and was happy again. Tony wiped his tears and gave him another bite. "Tony isn't being mean to you buddy. I'm trying to teach you something. So, remind your Mom of that when she kicks my ass."

The Doctor smiled back at Rose.

She pointed at him. "Don't start-"

"I didn't say anything, Mum."

Tony and Samuel had several bites of ice cream. Then Tony propped himself up on his elbow, and looked at Samuel. "So, you know what would be good? A nice cup of tea. Tee. Ta. Just like Tony. Say it slow if you need to. Tea."

Samuel laughed, "Nee."

"No, tea."

"Nee."

Tony put some ice cream on the spoon and bounced it on Samuel's lip. "Tea. Tea. Tea! Some on, you're English. You have to say this."

"Said the American." The Doctor teased.

Tony grinned and pulled the spoon back. "Tea. Say it, Sammy!"

Samuel jumped forward, determined to get the ice cream, "TEA!"

Tony smiled, "That's it!"

Rose smiled, "Oh, Samuel. That's a great job. Now, stop on the ice cream."

Samuel had already climbed into Tony's lap and put his hands in the container. "Mum. Tony Sam. Ice Deem."

Tony groaned. "Oh, this is going to be a mess."

The Doctor grinned, "And you can give him a bath, mate-"

"Hell, no! I don't do baby baths." Tony told him.

Lewis threw his hands up. "I can't believe that worked. Damn it, Stark."

Tony grinned. "My mom used the same trick with me."

The Doctor rose his eyebrow. "You would have to be older to remember that."

Tony nodded, "It's a problem when your brain works faster than your mouth. You have to learn to slow it down. Doesn't work for everyone, but ticking me off always worked."

Samuel continued to dig into the ice cream and eat it off his fingers. "Num!"

Rose smiled, "I bet they are numb."

Friday spoke. "Doctor Samuel is at the door, Doctor Spock."

The Doctor held his hand out, "Doctor Spock?"

Rose laughed. "Tell him to come in, Friday."

Tony shook his head. "Rose's idea. Live long and prosper."

The Doctor groaned and sipped his tea.

The adult Samuel walked in. When he saw the group gathered and looked surprised. "I thought most of this lot would be in bed. Have all of you been bitten by the vampire toddler?"

The Doctor pointed. "The Nosferatu is eating ice cream."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Our baby is not a vampire."

Samuel leaned on the back of the sofa and smiled as he looked at the baby. "And making quite the mess."

The baby grabbed two handfuls of ice cream and licked his hands. "Tony! Ice Deem. Good!"

Tony complained. "And it's all yours, man. Tony isn't eating after you slobber all over it."

Rose pointed at him. "I'm giving you just a few minutes on that, then Tony is giving you a bath."

Tony immediately complained, "No, I'm not!"

"You are the one who gave him the ice cream!"

"Lewis bet me-"

"Then maybe you should have bet who would give the baby a bath, rather than money." Rose insisted.

Tony looked back at Lewis, who smiled and rose his hands. "And I've lost, and won. On the same bet."

Baby Samuel clapped his hands together and sent ice cream all over.

Tony groaned. "Oh, this is a mess-"

"I'm glad you recognize that-"

"Oh, this sucks. I need Pepper." Tony complained.

The Doctor laughed. "Ha! I knew it! I win!"

Tony rose his eyebrow, "Win what?"

The Doctor smiled, "Rose and I had a bet just between us just now. If you mentioned Pepper giving Sam a bath, I win." He turned to Rose and smiled. "So, Rose has to give him a bath."

Tony threw his hands up in celebration. "Yes! I'm off the hook! Score one for co-dependency!"

Samuel laughed, "Personally, I'm happy it's Mum and not you, Tony."

Tony looked surprised, "What? Why?"

"Well, you've always told me that you dropped me once. Giving me a bath, or swimming pool, or something."

Rose shook her head, "Oh no. Mum will be giving Samuel a bath."

The baby smeared ice cream through his hair and laughed. "Wook, Mum!"

Rose groaned. "Oh geez."

Lewis rubbed his chin. "Maybe he will need to run around again."

The little boy Samuel continued to eat the ice cream with his hands.

The Doctor looked back at the adult son. "Come in and sit down, son."

"Nah. It's okay." He told them as he leaned on the back of the sofa.

Rose asked, "Karen alright?"

Samuel's face spread into a smile. "She's asleep. Exhausted. I think we may have done a bit too much shopping. And I've kept her up too late."

Lewis sat his tea down and crossed his arms. "What's on your mind?"

Samuel rubbed his lips and stood up. "Well, I was…having a think."

Lewis sighed. He knew Samuel wasn't about to confess to marrying Legate and Genie with an introduction like that. Samuel pointed at him. "Not tonight, Papa. But, I'll get to that."

"When?" Lewis asked.

Rose looked from Lewis to Samuel. "What is this about?"

Samuel waved his hand. "Nothing. Umm. Us. The older children, being around the younger children. If we call you Mum, Dad, or Papa. Even Uncle Tony. These younger children are going to figure this out."

The Doctor sat his tea down and nodded. "You're right. It's something I've thought about tonight after seeing you in the toy shop."

Rose asked. "You saw him in the toy shop?"

"He's the one who told me to get those bloody trains that drive me mental!"

The baby Samuel threw his hands up and splashed Tony's face with ice cream.

The older Samuel grinned and rubbed his eyebrow.

The Doctor pointed at him. "Which you knew would, didn't you?"

Samuel shrugged his shoulders. "It's been a while since I've played with a train."

The Doctor groaned.

Lewis laughed. "I need to see these trains."

Tony picked the baby Samuel up and held him out. "And he's ready for his bath, Mom."

Rose took the baby in her arms and smiled as Tony reached up and wiped the ice cream that had been spattered on his face.

"You deserved it." Rose told him, matter of factly.

Tony grinned sarcastically as Rose turned and walked away to the kitchen to wash Samuel off.

Lewis crossed his arms. "This is the least of our problems-"

"Right now it is. But, it should be addressed before it continues. Should these younger children actually know who we are?"

Lewis rubbed his lip. "It is Quauhtin tradition to start calling your parents by their first names once you reach a certain age."

Tony looked surprised. "Really? That's strange."

The Doctor spoke, "It's something they've always done."

Lewis added, "It's normal."

Samuel stood up and crossed his arms. "Have you ever in your life heard Legate call Poltious anything else?"

Lewis sipped his tea. "Well, I have. But, I've known Legate his entire life."

Tony sat back down on the floor. "I've never thought about it."

The Doctor sat his tea glass down and crossed his arms. "Usually they are older before that begins."

"Yeah, but in this case…" Lewis added. "Might be something to consider allowing a bit early."

The Doctor groaned. "I still don't like this entire idea of treating these children as adults-"

"Baby, they are adults!" Rose called from the sink were she was giving baby Samuel a quick bath.

Little Samuel threw his hands over his head and laughed. "Mum Mum! Ice Deam!"

Rose wiped his face. "Ice cream is everywhere."

The adult Samuel closed his eyes and moved his neck from side to side.

The Doctor noticed. "Back alright?"

Samuel nodded, "It's fine."

Genie's little voice was heard. "Hi, Doctor Sam! Why aren't you in bed?"

Samuel smiled and put his hands in his pockets. "Good evening, Gene."

Genie walked into the sitting room and climbed into the Doctor's lap. He held her and kissed the side of her head. "Did we wake you, Sweetheart?"

She nodded that they did as she rubbed her eyes and yawned.

Samuel rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, right-"

Genie asked. "Where is your Karen?"

Samuel leaned on the back of the sofa and smiled like he always did when someone mentioned her name. "She's asleep. It's a lot of work to grow a baby."

The Doctor asked. "Everything alright with Ashena?"

Samuel stood up and stretched his back. "It was a simple exam. I made the statement, and she's headed home."

Rose groaned, "So, she's not coming to Mum's party either?"

Samuel looked back at her and shook his head. "She's not."

Rose wrapped the baby in a towel and shook her head. "I'm not telling Mum."

"What exactly do you tell your Mum?" The Doctor asked.

Rose walked over to Samuel and smiled, "Not much."

Samuel smiled at her. "Good night, then."

She smiled. "I think it's wise to think ahead about this problem. I'll think about it, and give you an answer tomorrow."

Samuel nodded. "Thank you. Whatever you decide."

She kissed his cheek and took the baby out of the room to dress.

Samuel pat the back of the sofa. "Okay. Well, I'm going to….do something-"

"We'll be leaving in a few hours. Do you need to be back at any particular time?" Lewis asked.

"No. Just sometime today. Karen wants to see her Dad."

"You finally heard from him?"

"She has. He's on the island with Anne. He's fine."

The Doctor sighed and held his lips to Genie's sleeping head. "Oh, that's a relief."

Lewis shook his head. "I'm sorry about that John, Arles told me and I forgot to inform you."

"It's alright." He smiled at him.

Tony walked over and pat Samuel on the shoulder. "I'm on my way out. Come on."

Samuel nodded. "Right, night then."

They told him good night as he and Tony walked through the door together.

Lewis turned and looked back at him. "And….?"

"Did you notice how he was moving his shoulders and back?"

Lewis shrugged his shoulders. "He's been on his feet all day."

"He's been injured and I don't know the extent of how badly."

Lewis took a deep breath. "So, this pattern of him getting hurt-"

"I don't think it's a recent thing. No."

Lewis nodded and walked over to pick up baby Arles.

The Doctor rubbed his lip. "And what the hell does he know, that you know, that I need to know?"

Lewis shook his head. "Not my thing to tell you."

"Lewis-"

Lewis held Arles in his arms. "And I need to get Arles back to our suite. I might sleep for a bit, myself."

The Doctor watched him walk through the door, "Lewis. I'll find out. And when I do, I'm going to kick your ass."

Lewis grinned, "Oh, I dare you to try, John. That sounds like a lot of fun."

He closed the door.

The Doctor laughed. "Oh, what have these children of ours done, now?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX