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Chapter 39 - Chapter 39 - Crepes and Sausages

Samuel and Karen sat next to one another at the bar in their flat inside of the school. They both ate crepes topped with whipped cream and strawberries. Samuel had put on a blue t-shirt.

Arles stood across from them, sipping his tea.

Karen wiped her mouth. "Arles. This is amazing. You should be a chef."

He laughed, "Over crepes? That's easy."

"I don't know how to make them." She insisted and had another bite.

Samuel smiled back at her. "This is one of my favorites that he makes. Man, do you really have to move out?"

Arles shook his head. "I assure you that you won't miss me. Not if you are living with this lovely lady."

Karen smiled and mouthed, "Thank you."

"We'll get all of us moved to the island today. Besides, I'm just next door with Tony-"

"Tony?" Samuel asked in surprise. "Tony Tyler?"

Arles picked a strawberry off of Karen's plate and tossed it in his mouth. "The same."

"You can't live with him." Samuel insisted.

Arles pointed at himself. "I actually get on pretty good with him."

"Because you get along with everyone! If you wasn't Quauthin-"

Arles shook his head. "Don't raise your voice. Make a better point to your argument."

Samuel sighed and looked back at Karen.

She sipped her coffee and pat his thigh.

Someone knocked on the door just as Samuel went back to his plate and groaned. "I'm telling you, I don't think this is a good idea, Honey."

Arles sat down his tea. "I'll get the door, Dear."

Karen rubbed Samuel's back. "If you start to get tired…."

"I'm fine. I think today is going to be the turning point." He grinned at her.

Arles opened the door and the Doctor walked into room. "And good morning! Have a bit of a lie in, did we?"

Arles shook his Dad's hand. "We did, Dad. And it was brilliant. I might do it again tomorrow."

The Doctor chuckled, "Samuel awake?"

Samuel leaned back and called, "I'm in here, Dad."

The Doctor walked in and smiled as soon as he saw Samuel. "You look a million times better."

"I feel a million times better. Thank you."

Karen smiled, "Whatever you gave him seems to be helping."

The Doctor laughed and kissed her cheek in greeting. "Wonderful. How did he sleep?"

"Like I was in a Dad induced coma." Samuel told him.

Karen grinned, "He talked all night."

The Doctor made himself a cup of tea. "Really? What did he say?"

"Nothing that really made sense."

"Well, it's Samuel!" Arles teased.

Samuel pointed warningly at his brother.

Karen giggled. "He's never really done it before. I thought I would mention it in case it matters-"

"Everything matters." The Doctor insisted as he sipped his tea. "This tea tastes different here. What is with your food replicator?"

The Doctor walked over and looked at the food replicator. To Karen's complete surprise, he leaned down, smelled of the control panel and licked it.

Samuel exclaimed, "Dad! Can you please, not!"

Arles laughed.

He looked back at his son. "What?"

Karen looked at Samuel, "Why is he licking that?"

Samuel rolled his eyes. "Because, he's mental."

"I'm not mental! The calibration is off a bit." He told Samuel as he took out his sonic screwdriver, opened the panel, and made some adjustments.

Karen watched him as she sipped her coffee.

Samuel propped his head up on his fist. "Oh geez."

Arles hid his silent laughter by turning his head.

Another knock at the door was heard. Arles shouted for them to come in. Genie and Legate joined them in the kitchen.

Genie smiled as she walked in. "And good morning. Dad? What are you doing?"

"Repairing this." He told her as he closed the panel and typed something into the keypad.

Legate grinned, "Has he licked it yet?"

Karen giggled. "He just did that."

Genie rolled her eyes. "He does that." She put her hand on Samuel's back. "You look better."

"Are you saying I looked like poo before?"

She smiled, "Yes. Poo. You look like you feel a lot better."

Samuel stood up and held his arms out, "And you can properly hug me without causing me to shout. How about it, old girl?"

Genie wrapped her arms around her brother and held him tightly. "I've missed you so much, Sammy."

Samuel kissed her cheek and smiled at her.

"Ah ha!" The Doctor exclaimed as he sipped a new cup of tea. "Perfect! Who else wants a better cup?"

Karen smiled, "I'll try another cup of coffee."

Arles asked for "Karen's Coffee" and handed it to her.

The Doctor stood and waited for her to sip it. "Yeah?"

She smiled, "I can't tell any difference, John."

He threw his hands up. "It's different! Anyway. Samuel is talking in his sleep?"

Karen nodded and sat down her coffee. "Yeah. Numbers, colors. Some of it sounded like another language. It was just, strange."

The Doctor sipped his tea and considered. "Hmmm. If he does it again, ring me and let me hear it."

"In the middle of the night?" Karen asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, or just whenever Samuel sleeps."

"Five minutes into watching any tellie program." Legate teased.

Genie sipped her tea. "He says that helps muffle the voices."

Samuel sat back and crossed his arms. Until that moment, he hadn't noticed that he hadn't heard the millions of voices in his head that morning. At all.

The Doctor noticed the look on his son's face. "You alright?"

Samuel didn't hear his Dad and continued to listen for the voices.

Karen noticed. She put her hand on his lap. "Samuel?"

It had become an automatic response. He nodded. "Yeah, Karen. I'm fine. Umm. How was dinner?"

Genie laughed, "Oh, you missed it. Howie loves Karen."

"Well, who doesn't?" Legate smiled. "And baby Samuel kissed her all evening."

Arles shook his head in mock disapproval, "Another man."

Samuel sipped his tea and looked back at Karen. "Well, not really."

Karen smiled at him. "You are such an adorable baby."

Samuel returned her smile.

She added, "When you're not pulling people's hair!"

He laughed, "Geez. This is a mad conversation."

Genie giggled. "Thank goodness he grew out of that. I remember that, too. Daddy had to put my hair into a braid every day."

The Doctor smiled. "Did that just this morning."

Genie smiled, "Which sort? The Ralbion Rope?"

The Doctor rose his eyebrows. "I've not done that one. I'll do that tomorrow."

Genie smiled, "That was my favorite. That and the Princess of the Sphere."

The Doctor smiled. "That's the one you have today."

Samuel stood up to offer Genie his seat. "Here. I'm alright."

Genie sat down and all of them watched as Samuel walked over to the food replicator and put his plate on the shelf. He pressed a button, and it disappeared. He turned to see all of their eyes on him. "What?"

Arles crossed his arms, "You just look….different."

"Like you feel better." Legate said.

"Like you used to look." Genie smiled.

He held his hands out, "I'm really fine. Geez. Talk about something else. Like Arles playing softball today."

All eyes went to Arles.

Arles shrugged his shoulders. "What? I'm playing softball."

Legate laughed under his breath and said slowly. "Okay."

Genie sat back and looked at him. "I thought that was a girl sport?"

"It's co-ed." Karen smiled. "Some of my old teammates will be there, and there are some sailors from the base playing, too."

Samuel stood next to his Dad and sipped a fresh cup of tea. "He has a skirt he's probably wearing, anyway. That purple one, with lots of lace. Right, Honey?"

Arles ran his hand through his hair. "Well, I would. But, I loaned it to you. You never gave it back, Dear."

Samuel nodded his head. "Oh. Touché."

The Doctor laughed, "I hope you lot are kidding."

Genie smiled, "Arles is. I can't tell with Sammy."

Samuel grinned proudly, "And that makes her mental. So, Karen are you playing softball today, too?"

Karen nodded. "Yes. Pitching."

Samuel danced in a silly way. "I get to see Karen pitch." He stopped and looked at her. "That's where you….ummm."

"I throw the ball to the batter. Yes." She sipped her coffee.

Samuel smiled at his Dad. "I hear she's good, too."

The Doctor nodded. "I've seen baseball. I'd like to see softball. Do you mind if I come?"

Karen shrugged her shoulders. "I don't mind."

Arles rose his eyebrows. "Dad, at a softball game? Do you want a riot?"

The Doctor held up his hand. "Your Mum at a softball game would cause a riot. I think I'll be fine. No one knows Mr. Rose Tyler, yet. Well, what do you think, Karen?"

Karen smiled. "I don't believe anyone would expect you to be there. Just dress….casually. No suit. What you're wearing now is fine."

The Doctor grinned as he looked down at his jeans and oxford that he wore. "My thoughts, too. I'll wear sunglasses. It is Florida after all."

Arles laughed, "And comb your hair, Dad. No one will know you if it's not all….sticky-uppy."

The Doctor looked surprised. "Sticky-uppy?!"

Samuel teased, "I don't know. Those Elvis side-burns."

The Doctor grinned.

Arles seemed satisfied. "Oh. Okay, well. That handles security then."

Legate sat his glass in the sink. "Good. Because I'm busy today with moving all of these students to the island with Genie."

Arles held his chest in mock disappointment. "See, this is why Samuel needed to get married. So, I would have a sister who actually wants to come see me make a fool of myself."

Genie shook her head. "You forget. I've seen that. Rather often, actually."

Samuel pointed out, "And more ladies to borrow clothing from when you decide to do your drag queen, softball thing."

Arles nodded approvingly. "That's true. Karen. We need to go shopping again. You have a lot of brown. It's just not my color."

Legate laughed.

"Says the Quauhtin." Samuel said.

"What's that got to do with it?" Arles asked.

Karen laughed. "I even know that. All of the Quauhtin wear brown pants with….."

Samuel and Arles laughed hysterically.

Karen shook her head. "No, I didn't mean that."

They continued to laugh together.

Genie shook her head.

Samuel pointed at Arles. "Yeah, man. Why does Quauhtin wear brown pants?"

"Well, why not? Seems to make sense to me. Especially, when facing an enemy. Brown pants, all the way! And don't forget the brown trousers."

Genie shook her head. "Oh no. Just stop. Oh please."

Samuel and Arles laughed hysterically again.

Legate crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

Genie looked at her Dad. "They are always like this."

"Hyenas." The Doctor insisted.

"Oh. Okay. So, when is this softball game? 2:00, right?" Samuel asked as he wiped his eyes and held his face in his hands.

Arles looked at his bracelet. "Yeah. We actually need to go. I need to take Karen back to her parents' house to get ready. All of her stuff is there."

"Well, hang on a tic." Genie started. "I came to talk to you guys."

Samuel crossed his arms and leaned back on the cabinet next to his Dad. "Oh no. The boss speaks."

Genie leaned on the bar. "Yeah, so listen. Classes. I have students showing up as early as this afternoon. So, tomorrow is Day 1."

"So, we need to go to work?" Arles asked.

"Lame." Samuel complained and turned back around to get his tea.

"We haven't even moved there, yet." Arles pointed out.

"That's true. But, these students are already on their way here." Genie crossed her arms and sat back. "You guys. I really need you. But, Sammy. If you're not well-"

Samuel dramatically cleared his throat. Then whispered as he grabbed his chest. "I think I'm dying. Can I cancel class-"

The Doctor laughed at his son's silliness.

Genie rolled her eyes. "Only if you are actually dead."

Karen laughed.

Arles rose his eyebrows. "Too bad, Honey."

"I'm noticing that too, Dear." Samuel smiled. "So, Gene. What time? Where?"

Genie smiled. "I'll text you the info. There will only be a few students, so we're going to just have one class for each subject, for all of the grades this week. When they arrive this afternoon, we're sending them directly to the island. I've got to explain all of this to parents, so wish me luck."

"Are you handling that on your own?" The Doctor asked Legate.

"Nah. I have several guys with me. It's sorted." Legate told him.

The Doctor nodded in approval and sipped his tea.

Genie stood up and continued. "This is going to strange enough for these children, and I know you guys. Do. Not. Frighten them!"

Arles laughed, "Pop quiz!"

"Everyone is going to fail!" Samuel insisted in a gruff voice.

Genie groaned. "Guys. No. These are impressible children-"

"I'm impressible!" Samuel insisted.

Arles leaned against the cabinet next to his brother. "Maybe we need to ask Legate for Quauthin protection-"

"Yes!" Samuel agreed. "Managing the feral children while teaching them science. Actually, I have it. First lesson, let's find something to….explode."

"Hey, there's a lot of maths in that." Arles snapped his fingers, "Uncle Tony's Sugar Bomb!"

Samuel danced in excitement. "YES!"

The Doctor laughed under his breath.

"No!" Genie declared. "No. Sugar bombs. NO bombs at all! Are you guys mental?"

They looked back at one another. Smiled proudly, and said at the same time. "Yes."

Genie crossed her arms. "Gosh. You nutters make me miss Soli. He would be right in the middle of this."

Samuel grinned. "Well, he's just in New York. Go see him."

"Actually, he's already on the island with Tony and Pepper." Arles told him.

"Island house?"

"Nah, the one from Malibu." Arles sipped his tea.

Samuel looked impressed. "Hopefully, he brought some cars."

"You know the Soli I mean." Genie sighed.

Samuel shook his head. "Remember our agreement."

"Yeah, sorry. I need to go. Sammy, please take it easy today, and if you really can't do classes tomorrow-"

"Ah. I'm fine. If I can't do classes, I'll send Dad-"

"No!" Genie insisted.

The Doctor's eyes lit up. "I could do it-"

"No! Dad! Really. It will be fine."

Arles laughed. "That's a brilliant idea. Dad would be great!"

"No!" Genie told them.

Karen laughed at their argument. "I'll call Rose later, and have her keep his day free."

Samuel smiled proudly. "My beloved."

The Doctor pointed at Karen. "Great idea. Genie, I'll be there."

Arles crossed his arms and laughed.

Genie covered her face. "I can't deal with this right now. Oh, all of you. Ugh!"

Legate laughed. "Okay. Well, let's go, Genie."

Genie rolled her eyes. "Yes. Let's."

They left the room together.

Arles laughed and sat his cup in the sink. "We actually need to go, too."

The Doctor's phone dinged in his pocket. He took it out and looked at it. Within a few moments, he groaned, "Damn it, Jake."

Arles asked, "What's Jake's problem?"

The Doctor pat his pockets and groaned. "He's sending me something to look over. Damn, I left my glasses at home."

Samuel held his hand out. "Let me see."

The Doctor handed the phone to his son.

Samuel looked at the voice pattern. "That is….umm. Looks like people from Icarus."

"Icarus?" Karen asked.

Samuel nodded as he looked over the information. "Yeah. It's a tiny place, similar to Mercury. They want to know if they can take some iron sulfide."

The Doctor nodded, "Jake could figure this stuff out. How does he not know these things?"

Arles grinned. "Dad is getting sucked back into Torchwood-"

"They need to learn to sort their own problems out!" He insisted.

Samuel shrugged his shoulders. "I can answer them-"

The Doctor crossed his arms and sighed. "Jake should answer them. Why am I even involved in this?"

Karen asked, "Well, where would they get iron sulfide? Here?"

"No. Mercury is full of it." Samuel told her. "Dad, it's a simple question-"

"Which these humans should be able to sort out themselves. First of all, everyone knows that Mercury has that there-"

"I didn't." Karen told him.

"And second, this is just a way to open back up that door. Oh, something simple. Let's call him and see what he says."

Arles shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see what the big deal is, Dad."

"Today it is this. Tomorrow it is me deciding the fate of the planet that I'm not even a member of. I'm trying to stay out of it."

Samuel returned the text. "I'm telling Jake to direct them to Mercury, but to be aware of the silicate crust."

The Doctor sighed.

Arles could feel an argument brewing. He pointed at Samuel. "He's doing something Torchwood-ish-"

"No, he's not. I am." Samuel told him.

Arles held his hand out. "Karen? Judge?"

Karen shook her head. "Samuel is doing it, not John."

Samuel handed his Dad back his phone and grinned. "That's right. So, I win the bet."

Arles rolled his eyes. "Dad! You could help me out here?"

"Phhhhh." The Doctor replied.

Arles threw his hands up. "Fine. Karen, we need to go."

"Why are you leaving so early?" Samuel asked.

Karen walked over, put her plate on the food replicator, and pressed the button to have it disappear. "Well, after I get my stuff, we will need to practice. That's why."

Samuel ran his hand through his hair. "Oh. Okay."

Karen held him around his waist. "It's Florida. Bring a hat."

He grinned as he looked at her and rubbed her back. "Okay."

"And don't do too much."

The Doctor smiled. "I'll stay with him, Karen."

Samuel groaned. "Babysitters."

"Good. Thank you, John." Karen giggled. "I'll see you later, Samuel."

They kissed one another quickly. Arles took her hand and they popped away.

Samuel sighed. "Well. There's that."

The Doctor walked over to sit at the bar. "Alright. What's really going on?"

"You know, I should ask you that. That's just, not like you at all."

"What do you mean?"

"Someone asks you for help, you always help. Even in my time. What's going on?"

The Doctor sat back and took a deep breath. "It's complicated-"

"Which is Dad for, 'I don't want to talk about it'."

"We're not going to fight."

"No, but I think it's worth a chat. What's going on? Is there something I need to know?"

The Doctor leaned on the cabinet. "If…I continue to intervene in these people's problems here, knowing that the future brings, it's going to prevent them from growing up. They already are so frightened of any alien involvement and for now, I think the best thing to do is to keep my head down, and just…stay out of it."

"And the fact that Mum has just left Torchwood, has nothing to do with that?"

"How much do you know about why she left Torchwood?"

"Not much. Just that she did after you two got together. It was always implied it was a safety thing, but. Never really discussed."

"And believe me, son. The less you know about what has happened to your Mum, the better you will be."

"Something happened? Besides the explosion?"

The Doctor nodded. "Yes. And let that be the end of that discussion for now. Let's talk about you. What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

The Doctor pointed at him. "Oh, you know what I mean. Out with it."

Samuel leaned against the cabinet. "Well. Odd stuff. I think….well…."

"Just tell me, Samuel."

"You sorted out the scar on my back."

"Yeah. Last night. We talked about that. Remember-"

"Yeah. Umm. But, my chest?"

"What about your chest?"

"It….well. When I woke up this morning. It looked different."

"Different, how?"

Samuel shook his head. "Ah. I think maybe….. I just…didn't see it properly."

"Sure?"

"Yeah, Dad. I'm sure. There were some other things-"

"Like what?"

Samuel looked away and shook his head. Did he want to tell his Dad about the toothbrushes? The voices? He would think he had gone mental for sure and put him back in the med bay.

"You know, Dad. Never mind. I think I was half asleep this morning when all of that happened-"

"Something happened?"

"No. Ah. Forget it."

"Sure?"

Samuel crossed his arms and nodded. "Yeah. It's fine. I'm fine."

The Doctor wasn't convinced. "Well, okay. If you decide you want to talk about it."

"Maybe when I get all of this information about Mum."

The Doctor sighed. "I'm not ready to talk about that. But more importantly, you aren't ready to hear about it."

Samuel's phone beeped oddly. He took it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. "Karen's Heritage Results are finished."

"And?"

Samuel clicked a few things on his screen. "Unknown. That's what it said with mine."

The Doctor nodded. "He's human, son."

"Then it would have came back with 'Human'." Samuel sighed. "I really thought it would come back with something useful. I mean, who drops a baby off on a ship, in the middle of the sea?"

The Doctor shook his head. "There could be a million explanations. Go with the simplest first."

"And what is that?"

"She was already on the ship."

Samuel looked confused. "Why would you think that?"

"Why wouldn't I? Think about it. Karen is human. She's from here. I know it. Trust me. I know more than any primitive computer."

Samuel sighed. "This actually doesn't surprise me. I just don't know how I'll tell her."

"She's an unknown-"

"And having an unknown's baby." Samuel put the phone back in his pocket. "I don't think she'll take this well."

"What's going on? She knows you are not-"

"She does, but-" Samuel immediately stopped talking and looked up at his Dad.

The Doctor rose his eyebrows at him. "What? Son, I can't help if you don't tell me."

"Yeah, Dad. I know." Samuel nodded. "So. Babysitter. What are we doing? Going to the island to sort out that mess?"

"Nah. You can do that with Karen later." The Doctor stood up. "We have other plans."

"Okay. Oh! Before we go. What's Arles' middle name?"

The Doctor smiled, "Lovell."

Samuel grinned. "Lovell? After the King?"

"The same. Arles Lovell Bennett. But, he doesn't know yet. Your Mum and Papa wanted to make sure it met with your approval first."

Samuel tasted the name in his mouth. "Arles Lovell Bennett. He's sure to work that into his terrible pick-up lines."

The Doctor laughed under his breath. "So much like his Papa."

Samuel grinned and nodded. "Sure. That's alright."

"Great! Well, keep it to yourself. He's sweating it rather hard. Your Grandfather threw out some names that made me sick. He has a hidden talent that no one ever knew before last night."

Samuel laughed.

"Lewis is going to tell him when he gets back. He's on his way now."

Samuel nodded. "Alright."

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