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Chapter 26 – Arles' New Flatmate

Arles had returned from his date on Plentitude. He whistled and walked with a spring in his step as he made his way down the hallways of the Doctor's ship. It was late, and he was sure that most of the people on the ship had already gone to bed.

He put his hands in the pockets of his dark brown trousers as he walked along. He wore a white, collarless shirt and a dark brown jacket that gave the appearance it was made of leather. His trainers softened his steps as he walked into the hanger. Although, music was playing so loudly, no one would have heard him step inside.

"Fly" by Sugar Ray played loudly in the corner with Tony Stark's ship. Arles grinned and ran up the gang plank in three steps with his long legs. "Hey!"

Tony Stark looked around the corner. "Hey, man!"

Arles smiled and pointed up. "You listen to this old music?"

"I'm currently a music hostage. Mr. Tyler picked it." Stark told him as he lay back down inside of a panel to connect something. "Jarvis, turn off this music."

The music stopped.

Arles laughed. "What else is he listening to? ABBA?"

Stark laughed, "Oh, geez. No."

Arles grinned. "Give it time."

Stark dramatically lay down on the floor and rubbed his face. "Damn. I've been at this all night."

The adult Tony Tyler walked up the gang plank of the ship holding a square, metal device. "I found it, oh. Hey Arles. How was your date?"

Arles shrugged his shoulders. "Ah."

Tony Tyler smiled. "Not a Qonse?"

"I have no idea. We just danced. Had a few drinks. Nice…chat." He groaned.

Stark propped his head up on his arm and looked up at the men. "Nice chat? What the hell, man?"

Arles rolled his eyes. "I blame this Karen."

"Karen? She wasn't with you."

He threw up his hands. "She's in my head-"

"Whoa!" Stark said. "You have a thing for Karen?"

Arles shook his head. "NO! No, not that."

Stark nodded, "Oh. Good. Because how is that going to work?"

"Karen is Sammy's girl. There's nothing between us."

Tony Tyler looked confused. "Then, what do you mean that she's in your head?"

Arles bit his lip and sighed, "Some things she's said. Anyway-"

Stark stood up and pointed at Arles in the chest. "Well, listen to me, 'One'. Screw your head on correctly. Your brother is engaged to this girl, so-"

"Whoa!" Tony Tyler insisted. "Sammy is engaged?"

Stark and Arles looked back at Tony Tyler.

"No one told me that! Why didn't Sammy tell me that?" Tony Tyler asked.

Stark grinned. "Oh wow."

Arles put his hands on his hips. "Umm. Tony. Need to tell you something. Sammy is engaged-"

"That shit I gathered! What the actual hell? I leave and Legate and Genie decide to marry-"

"That was actually, before you left-"

"Fuck that. Tony and Pepper get married-"

Stark pointed at himself, "Don't even bring me into this. That was before you guys fell out of the sky-"

Tony Tyler threw his hands out. "What the hell is going on? Are you actually….dating?"

"I went on a date-"

"With one girl? Didn't sleep with her?"

Stark laughed. "Oh wow. Arles, the ladies man."

Arles ran his hands through his hair. "Never mind me-"

Tony Tyler pointed at Arles. "This is what you were going to tell me that would shock me. Wasn't it?"

Arles smiled, "Rather shocking, huh?"

"Hell yeah, it is! Sammy swore he wouldn't date anyone else after Denise."

"Well, you knew that was shit." Arles insisted.

"Well, yeah. But, it was Denise-"

"Denise was a bitch." Arles shrugged his shoulders. "She only liked him because of the….popularity."

Stark groaned, "Really?"

Arles nodded, "Yeah. Until she got a really good taste of it."

Tony Tyler looked back at Stark and nodded. "Oh, yeah. Are you sure about this, Arles? Sammy? Is he alright?"

"He asked her before he was taken." Arles told him. "I think it's serious."

Tony Tyler put his hands in his pockets and sighed. "Damn. Everyone has gone mental."

Stark laughed, "Speaking of which, I'm going to see if my wife is still awake. I'm off to bed. Gentlemen, until later."

Tony Tyler and Arles watched him leave the ship.

Arles sat down at the panel and went back to work on what Stark was putting on the ship.

Tony Tyler sat down on the floor next to him. "Sammy. Wow. And you're 'One'?"

"I'm 'One'. Legate is 'Two.'"

Tony Tyler nodded. "I doubt I've made that 'Ten'."

"You and Sam are mates-"

"Not really. I think I get on with you a lot more than him or Genie. They've….always just been…."

Arles continued to work in the panel as he spoke. "You and I get along because I just, get on with everyone."

"That damn Quauthin heritage. Is that just a thing with them?"

"Yep." Arles nodded. "The best in the universe at blending in and just….well, you know."

"Which is why you're so good with the girls." Tony Tyler sighed as he leaned against the wall. "Yeah. Dad always told me that if I ever married, to make sure I name a Quauthin as my 'One' and 'Two.' Sammy was listening, obliviously."

Arles grinned. "Apparently."

"So, you've been with Karen-"

"No!" Arles pointed at him forcefully.

"I don't mean like that, nutter. Well, it is you we're talking about."

"Now, what the hell?" Arles came out of the panel and looked at Tony. "I wouldn't do that. That's Samuel's girl."

Tony grinned, "Let's face it, man. You have a reputation."

Arles groaned and went back to work in the panel. "I do not."

"Yes, you do." Tony laughed. "If you were gay, I would never have a date."

"Maybe, that's what we should be talking about."

"What? Me?"

"Getting you a date. You sound like you need to get laid."

Tony Tyler groaned. "Oh, piss off. You mean to tell me, there's nothing with you and this Karen?"

"Nah. I wouldn't do that. Never."

"Even if she begged?"

Arles groaned, "Damn it. Why are you on about this?"

"Because it's annoying you." Tony laughed. "Let's face it. I need a laugh."

"You know, sometimes, I question why we get on."

Tony held his hands out. "You're right. Sorry."

Arles worked for a bit more and came out of the panel. He sat next to Tony Tyler. "And you have to come back to Earth."

"Ah. I was going to do that anyway. Mum asked me to."

"So, you've seen her?"

Tony nodded. "That was hard. And seeing Dad, too. I know, John says that all of that won't happen now."

"No. We stopped it. They are safe."

"I can't, no matter how much I try, I can't get it out of my mind. I close my eyes, and I hear their screams. I still hurt from the first time I was taken, in addition to this time. I suppose, it's just life now. But, the worst has to be the memories. John says that I'll always remember it, and I'm telling you, mate. Memories are absolutely the worst sort of torture a man can endure."

Arles looked back at him, sympathetically. "That's all they are though. Memories. To something that never happened. Something that will never happen-"

"But, it could." Tony pointed out. "Them taking Sammy and me just shows that."

Arles nodded, "You're right."

"Just because they are still there, doesn't mean that something doesn't happen. To them or someone else. It has to be stopped. I'm determined to stop it."

"You're going to war with Vesuos?"

"If that is what has to happen for my family to be safe. I'll do anything to keep them safe."

Arles nodded. "You're a hell of a guy, Tony."

"No. I'm a hell of a coward-"

"I would never say that about you-"

"No, it's true. I should have acted quicker when Sammy was on that ship with me. I was just….frightened. I knew there was no way to get out."

"But, then you did."

"I had to. And I knew that no one was coming. I had to save Sammy myself."

"And you did." Arles smiled proudly. "You brought him, and yourself, back to us."

Tony looked back at Arles. "He's really engaged?"

Arles laughed, "He is. And I'm going to need a flat mate. Fancy it?"

Tony sighed and laid his head back on the wall. "Life with Arles."

"Completely up to you."

Tony rubbed his hands together, "Well, you're a good cook."

"I don't bring girls home-"

"That makes two of us." Tony smiled.

Arles laughed. "That's true. Think about it. We have a nice place in New York at the school."

Tony nodded, "I'll give it a think."

Arles pointed at him, "I want you to stay. Even if you want to go back in space. At least, for a bit."

"So, you can talk me out of this?"

"No." Arles shook his head. "You need to be around the family. Put some more memories in your head that will be louder than those other ones that torment you so."

Tony nodded. "Good idea."

Arles pat his thigh. "Get some sleep, man. That will help."

"Ah. I'm going to…finish this stuff up."

Arles stood up, "Alright. Well, I'm going to get some sleep. Night."

Tony grinned up at him. "Night, Arles."

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Karen woke up to the unmistakable sound of vomiting coming from the bathroom. She jumped out of bed and arrived in the loo just in time to catch Samuel as he fell backwards onto the floor.

"Oh my God. Samuel." She said as she wiped the sweat from his brow.

He lay in her arms and groaned. "Oh, this sucks."

"I'm calling John. Friday-"

"No, no, no-"

She shook her head. "You are sick. Samuel, this looks bad-"

"It's not bad-"

"This is my definition of bad!"

Arles walked into the bathroom. "Hey, you alright?" He spotted a very pale Samuel lying in Karen's lap. He knelt beside of him. "Oh geez. Friday, Medical Emergency!"

"No." Samuel groaned.

Arles pointed at him. "Shut it."

Friday spoke. "Doctor Seuss has been notified."

The Doctor's voice immediately was heard, "On my way. Stay there."

Arles looked up at Karen. "What happened?"

"I have no idea. I woke up and he was in here."

Samuel, still with his eyes closed, groaned. "I'm fine."

Arles rose up, ran a towel under the tap and put it on his brother's head. "You look like shit."

"Thanks." Samuel grinned. "How was your date?"

Arles sat on the floor and held the towel on Samuel's head. "Never mind that. Are you feeling better?"

"No." Samuel groaned.

"Pain?" Karen asked.

"No." Samuel told her.

The Doctor rushed into the bathroom and knelt down on the floor next to Samuel. He wore a pair of jim jams and a t-shirt. He scanned him with his screwdriver. "Samuel. Tell me what is going on."

"I'm lying on the floor."

"Not the time to be cheeky young man."

Samuel relaxed. "I'm just …."

Karen looked up at the Doctor. "Has he gone to sleep?"

The Doctor nodded. "Passed out. I didn't expect this."

"Should we take him to the med bay?" Arles asked.

"He doesn't want that." The Doctor told them. "He really put up a fight to return here."

Karen insisted. "I'll fight to send him back. He's not well enough to be out yet. He could have fallen getting in here. He's so weak. This is only going to make him worse."

The Doctor nodded. "I agree. And it's really not up to him at this point."

"Why?" Karen asked.

"Because, The Doctor is always in change of any determined medical emergency." He told her.

Arles shook his head. "And you've been waiting to play that card for how long?"

The Doctor grinned and winked at his son. "You know me so well. Friday!"

Friday spoke, "Yes, Doctor Seuss."

"Bloody hell." He grumbled. "That Stark."

Karen giggled.

The Doctor instructed Friday to transport him and Samuel directly to the med bay. They disappeared in a mist of blue light.

Karen looked up at Arles. "I'm grateful you were here."

"I didn't do anything-"

"Believe me. You did." She said as she ran her hands through her hair. "I didn't know how to call for help."

"You would have figured it out. Friday understands a lot more than you think."

Karen leaned against the wall and covered her mouth. As hard as she tried not to, she began to cry again.

Arles walked on his knees over to her and embraced her tightly. "Sammy is going to be alright. He's always trying to rush things. Dad should have made him stay."

She wiped her tears. "Why didn't he?"

"Sam is a pain in the ass, if you haven't figured that out yet. Him having a Doctor status gives him the ability to walk out of the med bay if he wants."

She pointed at him. "You should be a doctor-"

"Ha! Why do you say that?" He helped her off of the floor.

"Then you could stand between them-"

"Samuel and the Oncoming Storm? No way." He shook his head. "Believe me. I've had to do that too often. Both of them are as stubborn as the other one. Add a bit of Mum in Sam? Woo. And I think there's some Jackie Tyler that you might see sometime. Just, a warning. Maybe you're right not to tell him about this engagement. You can get out of it."

Karen playfully smacked Arles in the chest as she laughed. "That's not the reason."

Arles laughed playfully. "I'm only teasing."

Karen noticed he was still wearing the same clothes he had been wearing earlier that day. "It's late. Have you not been to bed?"

"I just got in."

"I don't want details." She insisted. "I'm getting dressed and going to the med bay."

Arles nodded as he walked out of the bathroom door. "Right. Do you know where it is?"

"Not really-"

"I'll take you down there then. Get dressed and I'll be just out here."

"You need to sleep-"

"I'll sleep." He told her as he put his hands on his hips. "I just need to do this first. Get dressed."

Karen shook her head. "When he gets well, I'm going to smack him."

Arles smiled and walked out of the bedroom. "You and me, both." He pressed the button on the side of the door, causing it to close.

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