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Chapter 41 - Chapter 41 -Warm Custard

Jane danced around the room with baby Arles in her arms. She wore a beautiful sundress that twirled when she spun. Arles squealed in delight as she sang along to the song, 'Hold on, I'm Coming' by Sam & Dave.

Lance sat at the bar watching them. He smiled as he rested his head on his fist.

"You are going to make him sick with all of that twirling." Lance teased.

Jane kissed Arles' face. "He likes it."

Arles squealed and laughed.

Lance walked over to the door of the flat and opened it.

Lewis clapped his hands together. "And I've returned! Where is my son?"

Lance shook his brother's hand. "Dancing with a beautiful woman."

Lewis put his hands on his hips and smiled at Jane dancing. "Hi, Jane."

Jane looked at Arles. "Your Papa is here. I know you've missed him."

She danced over and gave Arles to Lewis. Lewis put his forehead to his son's and closed his eyes for a few moments. "Oh, I've missed you."

Arles grabbed onto Lewis' cheeks and laughed.

Lewis looked at his son's face and laughed proudly. "And have you had a good time with Lance and Jane?"

Jane laughed. "Come in, Lewis. Have a drink."

"Ah. I-" Lewis began.

Jane's phone rang. "Excuse me. I'll just be a bit."

She ran over to pick up her phone.

Lance and Lewis walked into the kitchen together.

"So, productive trip?" Lance asked.

"Not really. Luce had put it all together by the time I got there. We'll have to wait to see what Summus can do with this woman." Lewis told his brother as he sat down on a bar stool and helped Arles sit up on the cabinet. He smiled proudly of his son. "You are getting so strong. Look at you moving your head around so well."

Lance grinned at them. "Yeah. He rolled over this morning. I think it surprised him as much as it did me. He cried for over an hour."

Lewis kissed Arles forehead. "It's the first time. It's alright, Arles. We'll go back home and we'll do it together."

Arles chewed on his fists and coo'ed.

"Am I the only one not happy about Summus going to see this woman?"

Lewis shook his head. "Poltious and I had the same chat."

"And what did you work out?"

"Summus knows what he's doing."

"Well, I know that. It just…."

Lewis looked up at his brother. "What is it?"

"She believes Soli is hers'. At least that's what she's telling everyone. If someone had Arles, and sent someone to tell you to…."

Lewis nodded, "I see your point. And believe me. I agree with you."

Lance took a deep breath. "Sounds like a one way trip to me. But, don't tell Summus I said that."

Lewis looked up at his brother. "John is concerned about you."

"I don't know why." He shrugged.

"Oh, you do." Lewis told him. "Have you spoken to her?"

Lance sighed. "No. I don't even know where to start."

"Just pick a place. Seems like you both have a lot to talk about."

Lance groaned.

Jane walked back into the room. She sat some photos on the bar next to Lewis. "And I took some photos of young Arles over the last few days."

Lance grabbed Arles in his arms so Lewis could look through the photos. "And you come see me, young man."

Arles laid his head on Lance's chest and started to go to sleep.

Lewis looked at the photos. With each one he saw, the larger his smile became. "These are wonderful."

Jane walked over to the food replicator and made herself a cup of coffee. "That one of him with all of the light is my favorite."

Lewis smiled at the photo she was talking about. Arles lay on his back, with his feet pulled up to his mouth. "He looks like her in this one."

Lance bounced on his feet and kissed his nephew.

Lewis took the photos and tapped them on the bar, "So, thank you Jane. I hear you have helped us discover a problem we had."

She sipped her coffee. "It was accidental. If I'm honest, I just wanted to make sure I knew everyone's names."

Lewis and Lance laughed.

Lewis nodded, "Well, the solution seems to be for the best."

Lance held his head next to Arles' tiny face. "You smell so good."

Jane looked back at Lewis. "I gave the baby a bath just before you arrived. I guessed you would want to play with him."

Lewis smiled. "Thank you, Jane. Lance."

"Yeah?"

"I want to make sure there are enough eyes on these older children."

"Something wrong?"

"If they are bold enough to steal the TARDIS and come back here, I wonder what else is going on?"

Lance rose his eyebrow. "What have you heard?"

"What have you heard?" Lewis repeated.

They looked at one another for a few seconds.

Jane giggled. "Well, I haven't heard anything."

Lewis smiled. "It was something I thought about on the way home. Arles is on a date with some friend of Karen's."

Lance nodded in approval. "Okay. Well, want me to put someone on him?"

Lewis sighed and leaned on the bar. "There's really not enough to do that. And I don't want him to think I don't trust him."

"However, you want him safe." Jane added.

"Yes. Quauhtin Jane." Lewis grinned.

Lance considered, "Can he speak in your head?"

"No. I need to talk to him about that. I don't know why he can't."

"Half human-"

"Yeah, but John has told me he was able to before. He was even able to phase."

"Really?" Lance looked impressed. "Why can't he now?"

Lewis looked at his brother. "Because, I believe he's too much like you."

"Phhh." Lance groaned. "Are you ever going to let that go?"

Jane looked back at Lewis. "What are you on about?"

Lewis grinned and pointed at Lance. "This man. This one right here. Was able to phase before any of the rest of the brothers. And did he tell any of us?"

Jane smiled, "I'm guessing no."

"And you would be correct. In fact, he was halfway through the Academy before anyone knew he even could."

"Well, I had to for that first trial." Lance grinned.

"We were sure he couldn't. Our mother sent him to every doctor she knew. I think he liked the attention."

Lance chuckled, "And in all of that, no one ever just asked if I could."

Lewis sat back and shook his head. He swore in Quauhtin.

Jane giggled. "Stay and have dinner with us, Lewis."

"Ah. Nah. But, thank you. It's been a long day. I'm sure you two would rather be alone."

Lance grinned, "Would you like to go out for dinner, Jane?"

Jane shrugged her shoulders. "Sure."

Lewis stood up and smiled. "Just ring when he gets arrested, Jane. I'll be straight there."

Lance rolled his eyes. "Cheers."

Lewis took Arles back in his arms. "Such a big guy. We have a lot of playing to do when we get home."

"Yeah." Lance smiled. "He was up all night last night, so you better keep him busy so he'll sleep for you."

Lewis laughed and kissed Arles' head.

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The Doctor popped into his island home. It was evening and Rose stood at the cooker.

"Oh, no. What is Rose cooking?" The Doctor teased.

Rose smiled at him. "A recipe of Mum's."

He walked over and kissed her lips quickly, "She uses recipes?"

Rose giggled. "She says she does. This is for custard."

He nodded and walked over to the food replicator. "Tea?"

"Oh, I'm finishing some. Thanks."

He made himself a cuppa and looked back at her. "Children gave you a hard time?"

"No, it's not that. Gobbo..?"

He sipped his tea and nodded. "It's over. That entire thing there. Just gone."

She shook her head as she continued to stir the custard. "That's so sad. All of those scientists."

"Total count is 82. Well, 85. Three scientists died yesterday. What would have been worse is for that disease to get out. Imagine that. Just, one person can infect an entire planet. The Bubonic Plague killed 50 million people here during that outbreak."

"You don't think it's here, do you?"

"No." He told her certainly. "They followed protocol that I had set up. To the letter. I'm sure it's stopped. It's not something anyone has to worry about."

Rose nodded and said sadly. "Alright."

He leaned against the cabinet and looked back at her.

"How was the softball game?" She asked.

"It was fun. Arles hit a homeroom at the end of the game to win it. It caught the eye of some girl who promptly asked him out. I wish I had gotten a photo of his face. He was surprised."

Rose giggled. "And Karen?"

"That girl can throw a ball. I've never seen anything like it. In all of my lives. Perfect. Right down the line. Every time. And fast, too. Her Dad had a guy there with a speed detector. She averages 94 MPH with each pitch."

Rose looked back at him in surprise. "And you're sure she's human?"

He sipped his tea and nodded. "She's human. I'm sure of it. Although, I do think she's had her DNA messed with a bit."

"Like Tony." Rose took the custard from the cooker and tasted it.

Her look of surprise made the Doctor smile. "Now, what's that look for?"

"This is actually good." She smiled.

He rose his eyebrows as she fed him some off the spoon. She looked at him as he tasted it. "What do you think?"

He nodded in approval at her.

She turned to pour the warm custard into a bowl and didn't see him hang his tongue out of his mouth in disgust. He mask his cough by sipping his tea quickly. "Something is up with Samuel."

She grinned, "Isn't there always something with one of these children?"

"Seems so. He won't talk to me about it. I might need you to say something to him."

Their talk was interrupted by little Genie and young Tony running into the room together.

Genie spotted him standing against the cabinet. "Daddy!"

He sat his tea down and picked her up in his arms. "And how are you, today? Well, tonight."

She laughed, "Lovely."

He smiled at her, "Lovely."

"You missed dinner." She told him. "Mum said you were working."

He put his head to her forehead and sighed. "Yeah. I was. But, I'm home now."

"You probably need to eat something." Rose told him.

He shook his head. "Nah. I had something already."

Tony groaned as he climbed onto the stool, "Well, I could eat again."

The Doctor nodded. "What shall we have? Rose made custard."

Genie clapped her hands together in excitement. "Yay! I'll have that!"

Tony shook his head. "Oh, I don't mind."

The Doctor sat Genie down and went back to the food replicator.

Rose smiled at the children. "So, what have you lot been doing?"

Genie climbed onto the stool and Rose gave her a bowl of custard. "Chatting."

The Doctor put a plate of beans and toast in front of Tony. "Yeah? About what?"

"These new people." Tony told him. "Who are they?"

"Ummm. New people?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes, Daddy." Genie started. "You know. Doctor Sam. And then there's Tony, and ….well, you know."

Tony ate his beans and toast. "I think they are us. Genie doesn't agree."

Rose looked back at the Doctor. "Yeah? Why do you think that?"

"Well, they look like us. And they have the same names." Tony reasoned.

The Doctor looked at Genie who was watching him with narrowed eyes. "What do you think, Daddy?"

He pointed at her. "I think that's interesting."

She sipped her tea. "Interesting?"

"Yes. Interesting." He insisted. "Rose, do you want tea?"

"Certainly." She smiled.

"Are you lot trying to talk about something else?" Tony asked.

"Nope. We're talking about tea." The Doctor grinned. "What sort of tea do you want, Rose?"

She smiled, "Oh, the usual. Umm. Mum called. They are having a party."

Tony groaned. "Can we get back on topic here?"

Rose shrugged her shoulders, "We are on topic. I'm telling him about the party."

"We were talking about these people! These people who look like us!"

"Nah. They are a lot older than you lot." The Doctor told them as he handed Rose her tea.

Rose nodded, "That's true."

Genie threw her hands up. "Daddy! You can't deny it. There's a Genie, Tony, Sam and Arles. Just like here."

The Doctor sipped his tea. "Then I have a question for you."

Genie rose her eyebrow. "Alright?"

"If they are who you think they are, where is Soli?"

Genie crossed her arms and sat back. "Oh. That's interesting."

Tony shook his head and groaned. "That has nothing to do with it."

"It might. Consider everything." He told them. His attention went back to Rose. "So, a party? Is that what you said?"

"Yes." She smiled. Then began to speak in his head. 'And I see what you did there. Do you think that the end of that?'

'No way.' He insisted.

Rose grinned. "John?"

He laughed under his breath and shook his head. "I'll never get used to you calling me that."

Rose grinned. "I think it's time you and I went out on a date."

He sat his tea down and clapped his hands together. "You read my mind! Yes! Let's go do something! Just you and me."

Genie held her hands out. "What about us?"

Rose smiled. "Grand."

"Well that's just shit." Tony complained.

"Hey!" The Doctor pointed at him. "Not in front of the ladies."

Tony rolled his eyes.

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