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Chapter 14 – Licis Contacts the Doctor

The Doctor and Tony Stark sat the bar of the island home, looking over the information the TARDIS had fed to the computer the night before. It was late afternoon, and the weather had turned as dreary and dark as the mood in the home. The storm made the palm trees dance against the windows. It was as if the sky had decided to cry.

Tony was in a long sleeved t-shirt and black trousers, and the Doctor in a pair of jeans with an oxford that he hadn't tucked in. His hair stood up in every direction as he kept running his hand through it.

He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Ugh. This doesn't make sense."

"Maybe, she was malfunctioning." Tony suggested.

The Doctor stood up and went back to the food replicator to make them both a cup of tea. "My TARDIS, doesn't malfunction."

He sat the tablet down they had been looking at. "But, she was damaged. You know how you talk out of your head when you aren't 100%."

The Doctor bit his lip and shook his head. "Nah. Not, my TARDIS."

"Yeah. But, this isn't actually your TARDIS. This is a child of that TARDIS."

The Doctor sat a cup of tea in front of Tony and stood on the other side of the bar. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Another missing child-"

"Okay, I didn't mean it that way-"

"No. It's alright." He told him as he rubbed his face. "I'm….just not able to think today."

Tony looked sadly at his friend. "Samuel is a smart guy. Tony's no idiot."

The Doctor sipped his tea, hoping it would make the lump in his throat stop throbbing. It didn't.

Rose walked into the room. "Is there tea?"

The Doctor, pleased for such a pleasant distraction, quickly turned to make her one. "There's always tea for you, Rose."

Tony looked up at her. "Is Soli being helpful?"

She smiled, "He's playing with Genie and Tony. And I might have done a terrible thing. I've left baby Sam with them."

The Doctor handed her the tea. "He's a child. He needs to be with other children."

"He's a baby. But, they were all sitting with him on the floor and being…gentle."

Tony rose his eyebrow. "Was Sam being gentle with them?"

The Doctor grinned, "Got you, huh?"

"An entire handful of my hair when I first got here. I'm sure I have a bald spot in time for this GQ shoot." He fussed.

The Doctor rubbed Rose's back. "Want me to go check on them?"

"No. He's happy. What's Genie like?"

He sipped his tea. "She's laughing a lot and feels, proud. He's alright."

Rose took a deep breath and wiped her eye. Not wanting them to see her growing upset, she quickly turned to walk into the pantry. "I'll see if there's fruit or something for them."

The Doctor sighed and leaned against the cabinet.

Tony looked back down at the tablet. "Pete call yet?"

"Nah. And Jake's idea of looking over all of the space traffic again has kept Lance busy most of the day. He says he's up to his eyes in it."

"Does he think he didn't depart immediately?"

"Well, it's an interesting theory. Maybe they took him, waited in orbit a bit, and then left. They would have known we would look for someone leaving at the same time he was taken. And quite frankly, I'm open for any suggestion that could help."

Arles walked into the room holding Karen's hand. "Hey Dad."

The Doctor pointed at Tony. "Need you on this-"

"Got me." Tony told him.

The Doctor and Tony walked over to meet Arles and Karen.

Tony smiled at her. "And meet John. John, this is Karen."

He took her hand immediately. "Karen. I'm so glad to see you."

She looked back at Arles. "Arles said you have been ill, and I know you're busy-"

"Not too busy for you. I'm so sorry I haven't come to see you."

She shook her head. "It's really okay. I've really not been….ready to see anyone."

The Doctor nodded. "I understand."

Arles put his hand on her back. "Want something to drink? Maybe, tea?"

She laughed under her breath. "You guys and your tea. I'll just have some water?"

Arles went over to the food replicator, leaving the Doctor and Karen with Tony.

Tony turned back to Arles. "Rose is in the pantry. Tell her Karen is here."

"Yep!" Arles agreed.

The Doctor ran his hand through his hair. "I'll admit, I'm rather nervous meeting you."

She laughed. "Why?"

"Well, I just….don't know what to even say." He admitted and smiled.

Tony teased, "And believe me. That's odd for him."

"I worried about coming here." She wiped a tear that fell from her eye.

He took her hand in his. "You're always welcome here."

She smiled painfully. "You. Just look so much like him."

The Doctor grinned. "I think he is better looking."

She laughed through her tears. "That sounds like something he would say."

Rose joined them. "Karen?"

She smiled at her and wiped a tear from her eye. "Hi."

Rose hugged her tightly. "Oh, I'm so glad you came. Please, come in and make yourself at home. Have you met John?"

The Doctor bit his lip. "Yeah. Ummm….we were just…." He looked at Karen and pulled his neck back. He had noticed something.

Karen rose her eyebrow. "Okay. That's so strange. Samuel does that, too."

Rose laughed under her breath. "They are so similar."

The Doctor ran his hand through his already crazy hair. "Ummm… yeah. I suppose." He looked around the room. "Everyone be very still."

Tony pointed at Arles, who stopped dramatically in mid step. "What are we doing, Dad?"

The Doctor looked back at Rose's curious face. He suddenly smiled like a loon. "And it's Karen! Rose! Did you see, Karen!?"

Rose shook her head. "You're being strange."

Before Karen knew what had happened, the Doctor had embraced her tightly and picked her up off the floor as he laughed.

"Oh! I love it!" He shouted. "Oh! I'm…just! Wow!" He grit his teeth and insisted. "I'm just so happy that you came to see us. Wow! HA! It's Karen!"

Karen held him and looked confused at Rose. "Does he greet everyone like this?"

Rose shook her head. "No. It's possible he's gone mental."

Arles was still standing on one foot, "Can we move yet, Dad?"

The Doctor let Karen go and looked back at Arles. "Yes." He smiled larger than he had in days. Rose could feel he was so excited that he was about to jump out of his skin.

He stepped back and pointed at Rose. "Oh! I needed to do something. What was it?"

"Find a Doctor, Doctor." Tony shook his head. "Rose, I think he's cracked under the pressure."

The Doctor turned to him. "Tony! Oh, I need to tell you something!"

He rose his hands, "Then tell me, you freak. What the hell is wrong with you?"

The Doctor bit his lip and looked back at Karen. "Ummm…. ugh. I can't…."

Rose shook her head. "You've completely gone off the rails! Karen, I just don't even know what to say about him."

He bounced on his feet. "I need to check on the children! That's what I'll do! Yes! I'll do that now. Excuse me."

He grabbed the front of Tony's shirt in his fist, and drug him out of the room. "What the hell is this, man? ROSE!"

Rose laughed and shook her head as she looked back at Karen. "I'm sorry. I don't know what got into him."

Karen giggled. "He's fun."

Arles shook his head. "What's with Dad?"

Rose and Karen sat down at the bar together. Arles sipped his tea and shook his head as he watched Tony walk back into the room with a spring in his step and rubbing his hands together. "Dad's madness is contagious."

Tony sat next to Karen and smiled. He snapped both of his fingers and had the biggest smile on his face. "Oh yes. We're both completely nuts."

Rose shook her head. "Don't let these idiots frighten you, Karen."

Karen giggled. "They haven't. Although, I have no idea what's going on."

The Doctor walked back into the kitchen. He held his hands out to steady himself. "Children are fine, Rose."

"You haven't had time to go check on them." She fussed.

"You're right. It's a ruse. I needed a moment."

"For what?" She asked.

He smiled like a loon and put his hands in his pockets. "And it's Karen. Oh, Rose. This is brilliant! Karen."

Rose shook her head and looked back at Karen. "You can smack him if you want to. I really don't mind. In fact, he may need it."

The adult Genie popped into the room with Lewis.

Karen shook her head. "I'll never get used to that."

Genie walked over to join her and Rose. She kissed her Mum's cheek and then turned and hugged Karen. Arles didn't even ask and put a cup of tea in front of her. "How is Legate?"

Genie sighed. "Better."

The Doctor crossed his arms. "Resting, I hope."

Tony laughed. "Says the man that gave him a concussion."

"It was clearly a case of temporary insanity." The Doctor insisted.

Rose smiled, "As opposite to…."

Arles sipped his tea, "Complete madness."

"You would have hit him, too!" The Doctor insisted, "I come in here and he's got his hands all-"

"Please." Rose insisted. "Do not frighten Karen."

Karen laughed and sat down her water. "Arles told me about what happened."

Tony rubbed his hands together, "Yeah. I heard, too. So, you know."

The Doctor looked surprised at him. "You knew?"

He pointed, "Karen told me!"

Karen held up her hands. "I plead temporary insanity, too."

The Doctor grinned and sipped his tea, "You fit right in with this mad lot. We're all mad here." He suddenly smiled like a loon, "HA! Rose! Do you see!? It's Karen!"

Rose shook her head and laughed. "Completely, mental." He motioned for him to join her. "You, come here a second."

"Why?" He asked.

"You need slap." Rose insisted.

He grinned and winked at her, "Maybe later."

Genie groaned, "Gross."

Arles coughed in his tea. "I'm really trying not to be sick here."

Rose smiled and shook her head. "Karen, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to even say."

Karen laughed. "It's alright."

Rose glared at him. "Sometimes, he's just rude."

"And still, not ginger." He said as he sipped his tea.

They were interrupted as young Tony Tyler walked into the room holding baby Samuel's fists in his hands, and helping him walk.

"Look at this, Daddy!" little Genie clapped. "Great job, Sammy!"

Karen covered her mouth.

The Doctor sat down his tea as him and Rose looked on in shock.

Soli cheered. "You can do it, Sammy!"

Baby Samuel looked up at the crowd. "Da! Da! Da! Da! Da!"

The Doctor smiled proudly. "Da Da sees you."

He gripped little Tony's hands tightly. "Awe! Sammy. I'm not going to let you fall."

Genie moved in front of him and held out her hands. "We're not going to let you get hurt."

Karen began to cry silently. Rose and the adult Genie both turned to her and hugged her at the same time.

Lewis rushed over and picked baby Samuel up. "And you are trying to be a big kid like the rest of them, aren't you?"

Baby Sam held his hands out and cheered, "Papa!"

Lewis laughed and kissed his face. "Papa loves you."

Baby Sam clapped his hands together.

Little Genie put her hands on her hips and pointed at the Doctor. "How about that, Daddy? I told you today was going to be a better day."

He smiled at her. "Daddy is ready for a better day."

Lewis announced, "Back to the playroom! Let's go! Last one there has to change a nappy!"

All of the children laughed loudly at ran at top speed.

Arles had joined Rose and Genie, comforting Karen. He bent down in front of her and handed her a tissue, "Are you alright?"

She wiped her eyes and nodded that she was.

Genie rolled her eyes. "Of course, she's not!"

Arles stood up and put his hands on his hips. "Yeah. None of us are."

Friday spoke. "Doctor Crusoe-"

"Is this damn thing ever going to call me 'John'?" He complained.

"Not if I can help it." Tony insisted with a smile.

The Doctor groaned. "What?"

"There is a transmission for you from-"

He rolled his eyes as if he was listening to something. "It's Licis. Put it on the telly."

They all walked into the sitting room. The television on the wall came to life. They immediately saw Licis the Quauhtin standing in the middle of a control room of a large ship. He looked up and the screen and smiled.

"Primus John!"

Lewis walked back into the room just as he began to speak.

The Doctor pointed at him. "I have nearly everyone here, so please be careful with what you say if it's bad news."

Licis nodded, "Understood. Well, it's good and bad. I'm heavy three people you are looking for."

The Doctor shook his head and breathed a sigh of relief. "Please tell me it's not too bad."

Licis continued. "They are all here. I need you to get here. Yesterday. Clear?"

The Doctor snapped his fingers. "Lewis-"

"Got them." He tapped something on his bracelet and popped away.

Licis continued. "The doctors here are looking over everyone. Poltious is finally awake, and complaining. Tony Tyler is with him now."

"And Sam?" Rose asked.

"He's unconscious. We just got them aboard, and gotten close enough to contact you. That's all I know right now. He has all of their attention down there. As soon as we know more, I'll let you know. I've sent our position and flight plan to you. John, I've seen him and I really don't want to alarm you, but get your ass out here. Our guys are trained how to put back together Quauthin."

Arles put his arm around Karen. She turned into him to allow him to hug her as she cried.

The Doctor nodded. "Understood. As soon as I have everyone aboard, I'll work with the doctors there to see what we can get sorted."

"That would be wise. I'll let them know." Licis ended the transmission.

The Doctor immediately turned to the room. "Alright, everyone get to the ship. We're leaving as soon as everyone is aboard. Arles, take Karen and get it pointed in that direction."

"Yes, Dad." He took a remote trigger out of his pocket and looked at Karen. "This will be strange."

They disappeared together.

Rose asked, "Mum and Dad-"

"Lewis has them. They will meet us on the ship."

Rose started out of the room, "I'll get the children."

Tony stood up and had his phone to his ear. "I'll tell Pepper-"

The Doctor pointed at him. "Pepper is headed to the ship with Exton. Take Soli and meet her there."

Tony ended the call and put the phone in his pocket as he ran out of the room with Rose.

The Doctor turned to Genie. "I can't hear Legate. He's sleeping."

Genie wiped her eyes. "Daddy. Please bring him back."

He took her hands in his. "You're going, too. Just go wake him-"

She shook her head and whispered to him. "I don't know if I can-"

He pointed at her. "You will. I'll be there with you. Go help your Mum with the children, and I'll get Legate."

She wiped her eyes and laughed under her breath. "No! I'll get him. I'll see you on the ship."

He grinned, "I'm not going to hit him again."

She tapped something on her bracelet, "Yeah, right."

She popped away leaving him standing there with his hands on his hips.

He looked around the room and took a deep breath. "We're coming Sam."

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