XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 8 Chapter 8 - Lunch Date

The Doctor walked through the hallway inside of the school in New York. He wore a dark blue suit and red tie. Samuel had told him that Genie was in the Headmistress' office, and he was trying to remember the directions he had given him. The thought of Genie and Arles continued to pop into his head, making him unable to focus on anything else.

He had just spoken to Legate. Why didn't he think to ask him about that?

He could also feel that Rose was continuing to block her feelings from him. Although, he could sense that she was sleeping. Lewis had told him that the babies had kept them up all night. When he popped into the nursery, he found they were both sleeping, along with Jackie Tyler. He had watched the boys for a few minutes, and then, sensing that Rose was coming to check on them before she went to sleep, he had popped away.

He continued to walk with his hands in his pockets down the stone hallway. The Head Mistress' office door appeared open at the end of the hallway. He stopped as he started to smell something odd. Was that flowers?

He continued to walk and finally arrived in the doorway. Genie sat at the large desk, talking on the phone and looking over a file that lay open on her desk. She looked so grown up in that moment. She wore a lovely purple, flowery dress and her hair in a loose braid that lay over her shoulder. The office was full of different sorts of flowers all over, in vases and pots.

He gently tapped on the door.

She smiled as saw him. She spoke on the phone. "I'm sorry. I'm late for a meeting. I'll have to ring you back, later. Alright? Cheers." She ended the call.

He stepped inside and she rushed to embrace him. He held her tightly and kissed her cheek. "And how are you, my Sara Gene? You look settled in."

She almost had a glow to her. She was so happy. "Oh, Daddy. This is mad. I have ten students already!"

"How in the world?" He laughed.

She shook her head as they took a seat on the sofa together, "Tony recruited one boy, but the press has gotten a statement from the public affairs office, or something. Pepper, I'm sure. Announcing that you and he have opened a school…."

"So, they are calling wanting in?"

"And sending e-mails and everything. Wow. I don't remember hearing about this. It's mad!" She laughed.

He held her hand in his. "Overwhelmed?"

"No. I have 243 students back home. I'm beginning to see where they came from."

"All of them are….weird?"

"Well, Daddy. What is normal?"

He chuckled at her. "That's right."

"And before you say anything, I'm using a screening process. I want this to be as safe of a place now, as it is back home."

He nodded his head as he looked around the office.

"When did you return?" She asked.

"Just a bit ago."

She rose her eyebrows. "That's not like you."

"Okay, I've been in orbit for several hours, but only on the surface for 87 minutes."

She smiled. "That's more like it. Where have you been?"

He kissed her hand. "Well, I wondered if you might fancy lunch? We can talk about there."

She covered her mouth. "Gosh, lunch. Yeah."

"You have eaten?"

"No. I need to. I skipped breakfast."

He groaned, "Genie, that's not-"

"Oh, Daddy. I know. I just wanted to dive right into this. What time is it?"

"On the island, 2:14 in the afternoon."

"Gosh. Yes. Lunch. Alright. I can go, but I need about ten minutes before we go. I have to return two phone calls."

He smiled proudly. "That would work perfect."

She giggled. "Brilliant. You pick Dad. Because I really have no idea."

He laughed as he stood up and took a small device out of his pocket.

She looked up at him. "What is that?"

"Could I take a small. Very small. Blood sample?"

She groaned, "Samuel said that I wasn't getting sick."

"Is that all he told you?"

She looked concerned, "Why? What should he had told me?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Everything is fine. I just want a small sample, to compare something to."

She stood up and put her hand on her hip. "Alright. Finger?"

He took her hand and pricked her finger. He collected a few drops of blood in the tiny tube and then used a dermal regenerator to heal it quickly.

"That's it?" She asked.

"That's it." He insisted. "I'll transport up to the ship, and return in….14 minutes."

She smiled with her hands behind her back. "I'll be ready."

He took the remote transport trigger out of his pocket and faded away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Doctor and Genie sat in a restaurant in Washington, D.C. The old building, with wooden floors and historical photos hanging on the walls seemed oddly familiar to Genie.

The waitress had brought them both a glass of water, coffee, and a Shepherd's Pie each. They sat at a table, near the roaring fireplace. The snow outside continued to blow past the windows.

"This place looks familiar." Genie told him as she looked around.

"I brought you here for breakfast once a few months ago. I think we sat in the same spot."

She giggled, "I don't remember that. I do remember anytime we went out on a date, you brought me a flower."

He smiled over his coffee, "Accept nothing less."

"Well." She grinned at him.

"What?"

"You didn't bring me a flower today."

He laughed, "You're right. I apologize."

She giggled, "It's alright. My office is full of them."

He ate his pie, "Who is all of that from?"

"Gosh. Everyone. Tony and Pepper. You and …." She stopped herself.

He looked up at her. "Me and who?"

She smiled, covered her mouth and shook her head. "Never mind. Just, well wishers."

"You're going to say your Mum?"

She blew her coffee, "It's none of my business."

He smiled at her. "That's true. So, we'll talk about something else."

"There is something, I want to talk about with you."

He held his coffee in his hands to warm them up. "Sure. What is it?"

"Sam and Legate and driving me mental about something."

"What is that?" He sipped his coffee.

"They think you believe that me and Arles have a thing-"

He spit his coffee out all over the floor. The waitress, at another table, looked back at him and shook her head in disapproval. He wiped his mouth on his napkin and cleared his throat.

"I don't think that."

Genie rose her eyebrow at him and laughed under her breath. "You do!"

He coughed. "I think I might have had coffee go into my lungs-"

"You don't have proper lungs. How could you think that?"

The waitress brought him another cup of coffee and some more napkins.

"Ummmm."

"That's a good start." Genie smiled.

"You sound like your Mum-"

"Not talking about that." She insisted.

He looked back up at her. "Well, that's what it looked like!"

"How could it look like that?"

"Well, I suppose I just…ummm. Don't really know you very well and….comments were made."

"What comments?"

"He bought you tickets to a concert?"

"Yeah? My brother can do that. I've bought them for him. He plays the drums and loves going to see the different drummers and their sets."

"Arles plays the drums?"

She laughed, "Of course he does. He loves it. Lartius teases he's going to put him and Legate on tour."

He shook his head in surprise at that revelation. "You're wearing clothes at the same time?"

"Phhh….more like I'm stealing his clothes. Especially, his jumpers. Sam's are safe. For the most part. He's just so skinny. But, Arles' jumpers….they are so big and warm. It used to drive him mental. But, he's so used to it, now. Although, I have my suspicions that he had actually purchased some that he knows I'll like. To keep me out of the ones he prefers. I mean, Arles in purple? Those are totally for me."

He grinned. "There's really nothing going on between you two?"

"I have never been able to tell anything but the truth. Trust me when I say there's nothing going on with us. Arles is my brother. The very thought, ew."

The Doctor could have passed out from the relief he felt. He sighed and relaxed more than he had in over a week. "Well, that's that."

She sipped her coffee. "Dad, you need to get some rest."

"You sound like Rose-"

"Not talking about that!" She insisted.

He laughed under his breath as he sat back and crossed his arms. "Alright."

She started to eat her pie. "Tell me why it took you 84 minutes to get to New York."

He nodded, "I went to see Samuel and Arles. The babies. Lewis said they screamed all night."

She teased, "Were they playing cards?"

He chuckled. "Don't think so."

She shook her head. "I can't imagine that. It just doesn't sound like them."

"All babies have nights like that. Your Grand was with them and they were sleeping. You and I played chess and had ice cream for breakfast." He put his finger to his lips. "Don't tell your Mum-"

"Not talking about Mum."

He chuckled, "Then, I went to check on the TARDIS."

"And?"

"Oh, boy. That's a real mess." He groaned. "I wanted to make sure that you are comfortable here, because it does appear you lot will be here for a long time."

She nodded her head and continued to eat her pie. "I understand. What else did you do?"

"Are you asking if I went to see your Mum?"

"No!" She insisted. "Oh, no way. I'm not mentioning that."

He looked surprised, "What if I'm mentioning it?"

She looked back up at him. "I'm not."

"Phhh…. I'd love to know what that's about."

"I bet you would." She giggled. "What else?"

"I spoke to Legate. He was on his way to see Lewis."

"He was?" She asked.

"Yeah. We chatted about the TARDIS, briefly. I offered him another ship, and he left."

"He left?"

"Yeah. To see Lewis. He said he would look at the ship later. I know Legate the Second has offered him that one, but I think it would be easier for them both for him to have his own. I have a surplus at the moment."

"From Tuwo Wenck."

He nodded. "Yes. I have to go see Stark and apologize for….well…..he has Soli."

She smiled, "Believe me. If it was the Yinsen or Soli. He'd rather have Soli. We all would."

"Yinsen? Was that what he named it?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she continued to eat her pie. "I imagine so. The ship he has at home is called the Yinsen II. I guess this was Yinsen I. What does that mean? I've never thought about it."

"You know about him being held captive in the desert."

She nodded. "Yes. Not a lot, I just know he was."

"Right. That was the name of the guy who saved him."

"Oh." She nodded, "Well, that rather makes sense then. He yells at it when it doesn't do what he thinks it should and calls it Doctor Yinsen. I always thought that was something towards you."

He smiled, "No. Not me."

"What else did you do?"

"I spoke to Samuel and Arles. They were trying to sort out the ice cream machine at the school. Why?"

She shook her head. "No reason. I just was curious."

He picked back up his coffee and poured sugar in it. Genie shook her head at him in disapproval. "So, much sugar."

"It's been a long day." He grumbled.

She rolled her eyes at him and continued to eat. "Did you run the test on my blood?"

"Well, the computer is still working on it. But, it did answer the main question that is on all of our minds."

"That I'm not getting sick?"

"That you have no trace of ever having had Sluyahiri, ever in your life."

"But, I did. I only have been able to telepathically connect to anyone in the past couple of days."

He sipped his coffee. "Really? Who did you connect to?"

She shook her head. "That's not important. Let's go back to this. Could I have been misdiagnosed?"

"Well, there is always that possibility. Samuel and I have spoken about it, and he's explained a few things that happened. See, not mentioning your Mum."

"Ugh. You just did. So gross."

He laughed under his breath. "Right. Sorry. But, everything I'm seeing says you're fine. It's nothing you should have to worry about."

She slowly smiled. "So, I'm…normal?"

"Health wise. Probably in better shape than the majority of people walking around down here."

"Should we have another chat about the man sitting across from me drinking too much sugar?"

He took a sipped of his coffee and exhaled loudly to annoy her. "Ahh! And it could probably use some more."

She rolled her eyes. "You remind me of Sammy. Your clone."

He shook his head. "I didn't clone him. Your Mum-"

She dropped her fork and covered her face. "Oh, please don't finish that sentence."

He laughed and added quietly, "Used an old, fashioned recipe."

"I'm going to be sick." She pointed at him. "Proper sick."

He loved that he was annoying her. She reminded him so much of Rose. He laughed and sipped his coffee. "Sorry. I won't mention her again."

"Good." She insisted and sipped her coffee.

He crossed his arms and looked at her. "Let me ask you something. What do you remember about…your other Mum?"

She looked surprised. "You've never asked me about her."

"Maybe I should have. What do you remember?"

"Well, I remember her name. I remember she worked with Grandfather and Mum. She spoke of Mum a lot, and I remember seeing Mum on telly and then thinking I had met a movie star when I saw her."

He smiled.

She groaned. "And you're making me talk about Mum."

"I'm sorry. I guess I'm asking, did she tell you anything about where she was from?"

"No. Not that I remember. I know that she said we were special, and would sing in my head. And then, you sang in my head. Different songs, but… it made me feel better."

"Do you remember the songs?"

She thought, and then shook her head. "I haven't thought about it in a long time."

He rubbed his chin. "I should probably ask the younger version of you these questions. She's been with us….gosh. A year? It's almost a year."

"She would probably remember then. I remember being little and wanting to sing them, but…was worried I would mess them up. And that would somehow, make her sad. You know?"

He nodded. "Yes. You could have sung them."

"I didn't want to. It was hard. I knew if I started to cry, it would have made you cry. And I would have done anything to keep that from happening. You always felt, and still feel, like such a ….."

"What?"

"Oh, Daddy. Please don't make me talk about this. But, if you want to know. I would ask her. But, know that it's a very sensitive topic with her. It will be for a very long time."

"Even now?"

She thought, "Some days. When I was so sick, and…..well…..I thought about it a lot."

He nodded, "I'll chat with you about this. It's clearly not something I've done enough."

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to know, that you can talk to me about anything. I don't want you to try to protect me from things. I'm the parent in this relationship, and that's simply my job."

She held her coffee and looked back up at him. "And you're sure, I'm not going to get sick again?"

He smiled, "No trace of it."

She danced in her seat at her excitement. "Brilliant!"

He grinned at her. "So, you bring up a good point. I don't know a lot about you."

She wiped her mouth and pushed her plate to the side of the table. "What do you want to know?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. We can start with…. Coffee?"

She looked at the mug she held. "I actually prefer tea, but Jane makes coffee that will make your hair stand on end. Lance says it makes his hair grow."

The Doctor laughed. "Strong coffee, huh?"

Papa proudly calls it 'Quauthin Coffee!' She mocked Lewis' voice. "It will break your arm."

The Doctor laughed, "I've never had her coffee."

"Have it black. That first time. Sammy says it's like….someone punched you in the face. And from my understanding, she's toned it down over the years."

He laughed.

"Oh, but don't tease her about it. The guys do that, and she cusses them out in 'la espanol'. In fact, she became so cross at Legate about him teasing her that she put some sort of really hot pepper in a cup for him."

"He probably liked it."

"He drinks it that way now. He's so strange."

He laughed and swore in Gallifreyan.

She giggled. "It's true, Daddy. Could you test that nutter and see what is wrong with his taste buds? Clearly something has to be."

"What did he have for dinner last night?"

"We ate at Uncle Tony's. He had some sort of shrimp and noodles thing. Tony said the chef was experimenting."

"That sounds normal."

"Then he crumbled up a chocolate brownie and put it on top."

"Yeah, that's a bit strange."

"And then he put ketchup all over the top of it."

The Doctor looked appalled. "And he ate that?"

"All at once. I just try to not think about what he eats. Oh, it's so gross."

"Oh, that's nasty."

"Anyway. Let's not talk about that. What were we chatting about?" Genie asked.

"I was asking about you. How does a 24 year old become the Head Mistress of a school?"

"A posh school, too." She smiled at him. "I was 22 when I took over there. I was so nervous when I agreed to do it. I was so sure I would mess it up. It had already become so important. Not only to Torchwood, but for Lartius. He invested so much. But, knowing how successful it is, makes me realize that I can do it. And right from the beginning. All of the things I always wished would be different, can be."

He smiled proudly at her. "But, so young. 22?"

"Uncle Tony took over Stark Industries at 21. And this is so much smaller than that."

"He had help."

"I do, too." She admitted proudly.

He nodded. "So, ten students?"

"Perspective students. I haven't admitted them yet. I haven't even found any instructors yet!"

He laughed. "I could-"

"Oh no. That's one thing I've already learned from."

"What?" He chuckled.

"No one can pass your class. And you explain stuff….just….here!" She held her hand high over her head.

He laughed under his breath. "Well, maybe your Mum-"

"We're not talking about Mum. Nope."

He laughed at her insistence. "Okay, yes we are."

She covered her face. "Oh please don't make me talk about this."

He laughed at her. "What is the deal?"

She looked confused back at him. "What do you mean?"

"Every time, I mention her-"

She waved her hand. "Oh, please stop. You two are so gross."

He laughed under his breath, "What are you on about?"

"What are you on about?"

He looked curiously back at her.

"Could that be something you don't realize yet?" She asked.

He shook his head. "What?"

"How many fights have you had? Like, really…proper arguments?"

He crossed his arms and sat back. "Ummm…. I've only been here a year."

"So, none?"

He thought, "None that I can think of."

"So, this is the first one?"

"Yes."

"Oh, gross!" She insisted.

He laughed again. "Are you going to explain this-"

"No way! I'm not. And I don't want to talk about it." She insisted.

He laughed at her.

She glared at him. "This is child abuse. Grown child abuse."

He held his hand out. "Alright. We won't talk about it. Okay. Ummm… other things I want to know about you. Are you, seeing anyone?"

She grinned, "Not Arles?"

He smiled, "Not Arles. Right. Oh, I'm so happy about that."

"I can't believe you even thought that." She shook her head.

"So?" He rose his eyebrow.

She thought for a moment. "New plan. I'm not talking about your relationship, so, we won't talk about mine. Fair?"

"About yours?"

"Oh, Dad. Please." She groaned and hid her face.

He laughed. "Alright."

She smiled and shook her head.

He became serious. "How are you? Really?"

Her light brown eyes met his. "It's so strange to be here. You and I could never sit in a restaurant like this back home. Everyone would….be annoying. We went to a concert last night. Tony had called and we had the VIP treatment, but they didn't know us. It was so nice. Sammy said that he was living his dream."

"Give it time. I have no idea how I'm going to explain you lot to the press. They are bound to figure it out."

"Tony called us friends."

He rubbed his chin. "Oh, this climate, I wouldn't do that. There needs to be a better explanation. I'll have think."

She sipped her coffee.

"How are you? With Jackie and Pete?"

She closed her eyes tightly. "I've not seen them. Sam and Arles have. I don't know if I can."

He nodded his head. "I understand."

"Where is Tony? You haven't mentioned him."

He groaned, "He didn't return with me. He's…went off to meet someone."

She looked confused. "Meet someone?"

He sighed. "I'm rather certain I've made a mistake in letting him go."

"Then why did you?"

He leaned on the table. "Because, I had to. He's an adult and has to make his own choices. You learn a lot more from the things you get wrong than you ever do from the things that go well."

"That sounds like a story you told me, a long time ago about someone else. Another Time Lord."

He nodded. "Very similar. And that's probably what makes me worry the most. Tony is in a very dark place right now. Just like the other guy was. Mad with….vengence. Mad with an idea of how things should work. I really hope I am wrong."

"I hope you are, too."

He looked back up at her and his face spread into a smile. "So, tell me about this guy."

She dramatically groaned, "Dad."

"Tell me just one thing. Just one. Then I'll leave you alone."

She smiled, "I already have. It's not Arles."

"That doesn't count."

She laughed. "It should."

"Please. Just one thing."

"He brings me a flower. Every time, well, nearly every time we see one another."

The Doctor looked impressed. "I like him. Conditionally."

"Well, of course." Genie giggled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX