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Chapter 10 - Chapter 10 - The Argument
The glow from the Earth showed through the large window in the Doctor and Rose's flat onboard the ship.
The Doctor was on all fours, crawling behind the sofa. He wore a pair of jeans and a dark blue oxford with the sleeves rolled up. He could feel the movement on the other side of the sofa of tiny hands and knees. He turned around and carefully crawled on the floor. He jumped out and exclaimed, "There's Sam!"
Baby Samuel laughed and turned around to crawl to the other side of the sofa.
The Doctor laughed and turned around. He lay down on the floor and could feel Sam's movement as he crawled to join his Dad. As soon as he appeared behind the sofa, the Doctor jumped at him. "My Sam!"
Sam laughed loudly and sat down.
The Doctor laughed at him. "You like that game?"
Sam clapped his hands and coo'ed.
"I like it, too. Want a bottle?"
Sam blew his tongue.
"Oh, no bottle then. Are you hungry?"
The baby sat and looked at him.
"What's wrong?"
Sam looked at the door just as the Doctor felt movement on the other side of it.
"I think I know who that is."
Sam continued to look at the door as it slid open. Rose stood in the doorway.
"Mum Mum!" Sam exclaimed.
Rose smiled at him. "And there is Samuel. What are you doing?"
Sam rose his hands over his head and began to babble to his Mum at top speed.
Rose sat down on the floor and nodded her head as if she understood him. "Really?"
The Doctor pat Samuel's leg. "I'll get you a biscuit, and your Mum a cuppa."
Samuel pulled himself into Rose's lap for a hug, as the Doctor walked back over and handed his son a biscuit. "And there you are. And Mum's cuppa. Coming up."
Samuel began to chew on the biscuit.
Rose yawned and shook her head. "I need a cup of tea."
The Doctor stood in front of the food replicator and asked for his and Rose's tea. "Sleep well?"
"Not really."
He walked back over and handed her the cup after he sat back down on the floor.
"I can feel how apprehensive you are." Rose told him.
The Doctor ran his hand through his hair. "I don't think that's apprehension."
Sam handed his half eaten biscuit to his Dad and started to crawl away.
"Woah." He insisted and quickly wiped the baby's face with a tissue. Sam crawled away, babbling.
"Yeah, well you were a mess." He insisted and sat the tissue and biscuit upon the table.
Rose held her tea. "I….don't really know where to begin."
He sipped his tea. "Let's wait until-"
The doorbell chimed.
"Come in, Legate!" He shouted.
The door hissed open and Legate smiled at them. "Babysitter? Or baby delivery?"
The Doctor grinned. "Either one. Lewis said he'll watch him for us."
Legate playfully picked up Sam and held him. "Ah. Samuel at the proper size."
Samuel clapped his hands and laughed at Legate.
Rose smiled, "You're the Legate from here."
Legate nodded as he looked at baby Samuel. "Yes. I am Legate the Second."
The Doctor looked back at her. "The other Legate is Legate the Third. That's how we're keeping them separate."
Rose smiled. "Makes sense. Where is the other Legate?"
"New York. At the school with the others. Lewis has said he's on a special assignment there."
The Doctor nodded, "Yeah. Protection to the older children, spotting talent there, early Quauhtin training. That sort of thing."
Legate nodded, "Yeah. With lots of snow. Lucky guy."
Rose giggled. "I've never met anyone who loves snow as much as you."
Legate bounced on his feet. "I hear that Sam will love it, too. Come on, Samuel. I'll take you to your Papa."
"Check on Genie for me, Legate. She's supposed to be doing her maths." The Doctor insisted.
"Maths. Alright, I'll look in on her. Evening."
Rose smiled at him. "Evening."
The door hissed behind Legate and baby Sam. Rose looked back at the Doctor. They both still sat on the floor.
"Hiding out up here on the ship?" She asked.
"You asked me not to come home."
"I was so cross."
"So, you're not cross anymore?"
She pointed at him. "No. I'm still cross. How could you do that?"
He sipped his tea and sat it up on the table. "Do, what?"
"I don't agree with what you say so you just….put me asleep and-"
"I'll admit. That's not what I should have done."
She could feel herself becoming angry. He took the cup of tea from her and sat it on the table next to his. She covered her face and groaned. "I can't get angry is the worst part of this. I don't want to turn into ….. her."
"Well, so far you're doing fine."
She looked back at him. "Are you ever going to see me as someone you won't send away?"
He closed his eyes tightly and sighed. "I hope not-"
She pointed at him. "Don't try to be all….swooney!"
"Swooney?"
She glared at him. "You totally know what I mean."
He grinned, "I don't."
"You…..sitting there looking so….."
He grinned at her. "You are beautiful when you're pissed at me."
She pointed forcefully at him. "Don't even start that!"
He ran his hands through his hair and cleared his throat. "There are reasons, Rose."
"There shouldn't be any reason."
"Saving your life is one-"
"Not at the expense of yours!"
"Rose, I've lived a long time-"
"Cos, you are lucky! Don't think it's because you are all brilliant and clever. You just get lucky!"
He bit his lip and nodded. "About 23.7% of the time-"
"At any point, do you think you will ever listen to anything I say? Take my feelings into consideration?"
"I do!"
"Like hell you do! You are still operating with this entire thought of you know everything, and I'm just the idiot."
"You're not an idiot."
"Well, compared to you…." She covered her face and took a deep breath.
He grinned, "I can feel that."
She pointed forcefully at him. "I'm trying to stay focused here."
He looked longingly back at her.
"Well, am I wrong?"
He cleared his throat and propped his elbow on his knee. "Well, maybe we should talk about that."
"What the hell do you think we're doing?"
"Right. Well." He pulled his shirt away from his chest and took a deep breath. "Maybe, sometimes….I might know things you don't-"
"Well, I'm sure you do! But, you can….explain to me-"
"There's not always time-"
She groaned. "This is so….frustrating!"
He nodded. "For me, too."
She threw her hand up and looked back at him. "Just say it. I know what you're going to say."
He narrowed his eyes at her. "What do you think I'm going to say?"
She spoke with a deep voice to mock him. "If it's you or me, it's going to be you."
"That sounds like something I would say, but I don't talk like that."
She rolled her eyes at him.
He cleared his throat. "This is….difficult to explain."
"Try!" Rose insisted. "Because you just sitting there…."
He rose his eyebrows at her. "What?"
She covered her face. "I'm trying to stay focused here."
He grinned. From the moment she had walked into the room, he hadn't been able to think of anything else but what it would be like to touch her. He was blocking it as much as he could. She was like a magnet that was pulling him closer to her, and it was taking everything in him not rip the blouse she wore off of her. Clearly, she was having the same problem. He could feel her lust growing even more than his.
He lay down on the floor and propped his head up on his fist to look at her. "You don't want to hear this, but I am a great deal older than you."
"I'm your wife, not your child." She insisted without looking at him.
"So, I treat you like a child?"
She still wouldn't look at him. "You do. Never mind my ideas! Or what I think might work! You just, do whatever the hell you want and to hell with me!"
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Rose?"
She looked at him. "What?"
He sat up and grinned. "Good."
"Good? What the hell are you on about?"
"Never mind. So, I treat you like a child-"
"Yes."
"Alright." He moved closer to her and propped himself up on his hand that he draped across her. His face was just inches from hers. He rose his hand and caressed her cheek.
She closed her eyes as his scent filled her lungs. "Oh, you smell good."
He whispered to her. "You smell like that vanilla soap."
She bit her lip and shook her head, trying not to smile. "I've gone completely mad."
"I love that smell." He told her quietly.
She held out her hands, "Focus. We're talking about this."
"How do you prefer I treat you?" He whispered to her.
Her eyes met his and before she even knew what she was doing, she had grabbed his face. Her lips crashed into his as she felt him pull her shirt apart. Buttons flew all over the room. He cupped her breasts through her bra.
She sat on his waist and bit her lip, "I'm still so cross with you."
"I can tell. Would it help if I said I'm sorry?"
"No!" She insisted and began to snog him, running her hands through his hair sending it in every direction. He rubbed her breasts and began to speak in her head.
'I am sorry-'
'Shut up.'
'I did what I thought was right. I didn't have time to explain-'
She took off her bra. "Shut up."
He began to snog her again. He tried to unbutton his shirt and became annoyed with how long it was taking. Rose had already begun to pull it off of him.
'Why am I like this?' She asked as she lay down on top of him and continued to kiss him. 'What have you done to me?'
'We're joined. We're one. Can you be angry with your own arm? Your leg?'
There was no slowness to any of their actions. All they could think about was getting any obstacles out of their way so they could enjoy one another's bodies.
"I'm so cross." She moaned as he rolled over on top of her.
"No, you aren't." His muffled voice told her as he began to kiss her neck and nibble her ear.
She kissed his head, "I'm really trying to be."
He looked at her. "You were, but the more that everyone talked about me…what happened?"
She looked into his eyes. "Any mention of you, made me want you."
He closed his eyes and groaned. "I've never wanted anyone so much. I came home, and saw you sleeping. I almost woke you, but-"
"You should. Oh, but I was so cross."
He laughed, "And have you punch me out of the bed again?"
She rolled her eyes, "Are you ever going to forget about that-"
"It's not something that happens everyday."
She met his lips again. He held her tightly.
'Do you want to go into the bedroom?' He asked in her head.
'No. We're not shagging. I'm cross.' She insisted as she unzipped his jeans and pushed him down.
'Okay. Whatever you say, Rose.'
She glared at him. "You are completely mad if you think-"
He caressed her face. "Completely mad about you. I love you so much, Rose."
She began to kiss him again. He lowered his shielding and she was overwhelmed with how much love came from him. It was like a warm, sensation that filled her completely. She held him tighter and snogged him, holding his hair in her fists.
He grunted as she pulled his hair. "OH….I'm loving that."
'Okay, shagging. Totally shagging. Right here.' She told him in his head.
He grinned as he continued to snog her. 'Forgiven me-'
'Hell no!'
He continued to snog her. 'Fine. I can live with that.'
She pushed her jeans off of her hips and sat up.
He held his hands to her face and looked in her eyes. "Shhh…."
She looked confused at him. "What are you doing?"
"You'll like this." He whispered to her. "Close your eyes."
They closed their eyes and she began to see herself. She was lightheaded. Drunk and laughing. They were back in New York. This was a memory of when he had first taken her there. That night they had gone to the Empire State Building, and then returned to the hotel penthouse.
Rose covered her mouth realizing this was just a memory. She felt as though she was really there. The cool air from the night sky that the balcony door welcomed in and brushed against her face. The sky line of New York, complete with Zeppelins flying past, could be seen through the floor to ceiling windows.
He sat back on the couch and pulled Rose's legs into his lap. He leaned in to kiss her as he started rubbing her thigh. He rested his forehead on hers, and told her quietly. "Rose, I don't have a lot of time left. I'm realizing that with every passing day. I used to say that even ten minutes is a lifetime, and I could accomplish so much. I find now that ten minutes is a lifetime only when I'm without you. Time seems to fly when we are together. I love you so much, I couldn't imagine my life without you. I don't want to be without you. Ever. I couldn't do this without you. I know we said it was too soon, but I don't want to miss anything of our short life together. You are everything to me. Let's get married. Just so we know we will always be together. Even if it is just a simple, human marriage. I'm okay with that."
Rose remembered she had been surprised at his words. Shocked.
"Are you serious? I think you are drunk off your ass old man!" Rose exclaimed.
The Doctor raised his head up and looked embarrassingly around the room. He ran his hand through his hair, causing it to go in every direction. Rose immediately regretted her reaction.
He laughed. "Yes, Rose. I'm serious."
She sat there staring at him. "Baby, this happened before. Why are you showing me this?"
"It's still as true now, as it was then."
"You were dying then!"
"Ten minutes is a lifetime only when I'm without you. These last few days have been Hell. You not speaking to me. I could feel you were trying to be cross. And I know I deserve it. I'm going to mess this up. I know it. I'm rubbish at this! I need, training. Proper, husband training."
She grinned with her tongue rested between her teeth. "You think?"
He nodded his head, energetically. "Yes. Whatever you think. I'm throwing myself at your mercy."
She giggled as he eyes met his. "Well, let me give it a think."
He grinned at her.
She bit her bottom lip, "I could also feel how…..well…."
He rose his eyebrows at her. "Anytime someone mentioned you, all I wanted was you. It only got worse as the hours rolled on."
"Is that why we've told the children not to discuss us when we…."
He chuckled, "I suppose so. Genie told me that we were absolutely disgusting. I suppose that's why. You don't want me to know you are thinking of me like that, because you're cross."
She giggled. "That makes sense. In a mad way."
"Expect nothing less. Being joined….it's different."
She bit her lip. "Then kiss me."
He leaned in and snogged her proper. She held his head, running her fingers through his hair. He held her tightly as he kissed her. She sucked his bottom lip as their tongues danced with one another. She even tasted the champagne in his mouth that they drank that night. That they drank way too much of.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself back on the ship, sitting in the exact same way with the Doctor.
"Oh, that is strange. How did we get up here?"
He grinned at her. "Let some of it remain a mystery." He began to snog her again as she lay down on the sofa. She still hadn't managed to get his oxford off of him so she just held him tightly under it. Both of them had slowed down their snogging from the animal-like pace they had started with.
'Ask Lewis to babysit for us.'
'All night.'
She smiled and looked into his eyes. "Taking it extra slow?"
"You love it when I do that." He laughed with her.
As they continued to kiss and giggle, Rose ran her fingertips up and down his back. He stopped and slowly sat up with a strange look on his face. She could feel his concern.
"Baby, what is it?"
He held up his finger. "Genie is cross. Something….hang on."
He listened to someone talking in his head and then looked shocked back at Rose. "She passed out."
"What?" Rose asked.
He jumped off of the sofa and pulled back on his trousers. He closed his eyes and put his hands on his hips. "Calm down. Need to calm down." He told himself.
Rose had already gotten off of the sofa and was putting back on her clothes. "Calm down?"
He didn't open his eyes. "Shagging. Oh, I was really going for that."
She grinned at him. "Sorry."
He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Never, be sorry about that."
She started to fasten the buttons on her shirt to find he had destroyed it when he pulled it off. "Damn it."
"What?"
"Well, this is rubbish. Are they bringing her onboard?"
He fastened his own oxford's buttons halfway and nodded. "Yes. Legate has her."
She looked up at him. "Then go. I'll get a shirt and be right behind you."
"Right." He insisted as he ran out of the suite with his heart in his throat.
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Legate the Second appeared in the med bay holding young Genie in his arms. She was still unconscious.
The lights came on immediately and Friday welcomed him.
Lewis appeared almost immediately after him. He pointed. "There is a bed just there. Go on and lay her down."
Legate laid Genie on the bed and checked her pulse again. It was taking everything in him to remain calm.
The Doctor ran through the door. His oxford shirt was only halfway buttoned and his hair was all over the place worse than Lewis could remember seeing it. "What happened?"
Lewis spoke. "She just passed out! She got really cross and then, fell out of her chair."
Legate looked up at the Doctor. "She has a pulse and is breathing. She's just out."
The Doctor turned on a monitor behind the bed. "Friday, run a full work-up on her."
Legate the Third appeared with the adult Sam. Both were wearing coats and stocking caps. They had clearly been in the snow just moments before. Sam tore off his cap and tossed it to the side. "What happened to her?"
The Doctor scanned Genie with his screwdriver. "I don't know. This all reads as normal."
Lewis took the little girl's hand and kissed it. "Papa is here with Daddy. Daddy and Sam will sort it out. You're alright, Genie."
Genie appeared to be sleeping.
The Doctor looked at the monitor and shook his head. "This makes no sense!"
Sam took off his coat and handed it to Legate the Third. He took a close look at the side of Genie's head. "She has a small bruise starting here."
Legate the Second spoke, "She fell out of the chair. It's possible she hit her head then."
The Doctor grabbed a pillow and put it under Genie's feet.
Rose ran into the room. "Is she alright?"
The Doctor continued to look at the monitor. "This says everything is fine!"
Rose stood beside of Sam and ran her hand through the little girl's hair. "Genie. Mum is here. Wake up."
Genie lay still.
The Doctor looked back at Lewis. "Explain, exactly, what happened."
"We were doing maths. She was complaining that she didn't want to do it."
"That's not like her." The Doctor insisted.
Rose kissed Genie's head and continued to whisper to her.
"Oh, she's been cross for a bit." Lewis insisted. "She told me I was thick-headed."
The Doctor looked confused. "That's not like her."
Sam snapped his fingers. "Friday, what is the contents level of this child's stomach?"
Friday spoke.
The Doctor scratched his head, "She's hungry. Her blood sugar is down. But, not enough to case her to pass out."
Sam turned around and got a cool, wet towel. He laid it on Genie's forehead.
Legate nodded, "I came into the room and she had her arms crossed. Then she fell out of the chair."
Sam laughed, "She held her breath until she passed out. That's what happened."
Genie started to wake up.
Rose smiled at her and continued to stroke her hair. "Well, hello there."
Genie looked startled. "Why are there two Legates?!"
Both of the Legates looked at one another and stepped back out of her sight.
Sam quickly explained, "It's the medicine I have you on. Everything is fine. How many of me do you see?"
Genie blinked her eyes. "One, Doctor Sam."
Sam smiled at her. "Perfect. It's working better now."
Genie looked up and saw the Doctor. "Are you really here, Daddy?"
He took her hand, kissed it, and smiled at her. "And you're really here. How do you feel?"
"I thought you left again. You haven't been home all day."
He leaned down and smiled at her. "I'm sorry about that."
"Are you going to come home?"
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I?"
"Because you and Mum were cross with one another."
Rose looked up at him and smiled. "We're not angry with one another."
The Doctor smiled at her. "That's never something you have to worry about. I'll always come home. Okay?"
Genie closed her eyes and relaxed.
Rose kissed her and continued to run her hand through her hair. "Mum is here. Shhh…."
The Doctor bopped the little girl on the end of the nose. "Let Daddy talk to Doctor Sam. I'll be straight back."
Genie nodded her head slowly.
Legate the Third and Samuel walked over to the other side of the room with the Doctor and Lewis.
Lewis shook Samuel's hand. "Holding her breath, huh?"
The Doctor shook his head. "It doesn't make sense. She doesn't do that."
"Yeah, she does. Well, she used to." Sam insisted.
"Some children do that. My Genie, doesn't." The Doctor shook his head. "You're mistaken."
Samuel crossed his arms and glared at his father.
Lewis added. "She was asking me about you and Rose."
"Did you tell her that we were having a discussion?" The Doctor asked.
Lewis pointed at his hair. "Looks like you've patched things up."
Sam rolled his shoulders and mumbled. "Oh, how gross."
Legate the Third laughed under his breath as the Doctor ran his hand across his hair. He looked back at Rose and Genie. Legate the Second had sat down next to the bed she was in and taken her hand.
The Doctor sighed. "Why do I feel so uneasy about this?"
Sam, still with his arms crossed. "I don't know. Has the computer finished running those scans about her yet?"
The Doctor nodded, "Yes. Genie. Is half Rixalarian and half human. Just like I always thought."
Samuel shook his head. "That's not possible. The tests I did on the other Genie show she's 98% Rixalarian. You can't have heritage take over like that-"
"You also said she had Sluyahiri. The computer can't find any trace of it."
Lewis, sensing an argument brewing, held his hand out. "Hang on a minute."
The Doctor put his hands on his hips. "No. I'm sure."
Samuel closed his eyes and shook his head. "Dad. I'm not making this up."
"Maybe not. Maybe you are just…inexperienced with this. How is it that you are 18 years old and a Doctor. With a big D?"
Legate cleared his throat. "John. He is a proper Doctor. I assure you."
"How!? And then with these errors-"
"They aren't errors!" Sam insisted.
The Doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry. What you are telling me, just doesn't add up."
Their argument had gotten Rose's attention. She joined them. "What is going on?"
Sam held his hand out to his father and sighed. "Just…Dad. Being Dad."
"Being Dad?!" He exclaimed. "You're damn right. I'm being her Dad-"
"Which is all you ever are! To hell with me! Even now!"
Rose stood between them. "Stop! We're not going to do this. I will not allow this conversation to continue."
Sam was furious. "I can't believe this. Even now-"
Rose held up her finger. "Stop, Sam. You are going to say something you will regret."
Sam looked at his Mum. "But he won't?" He nodded. "Yeah. That sounds right."
The Doctor pointed forcefully at his son. "Do not talk to your Mum that way."
Sam bit his lip. "You're right, Dad." He looked at Rose. "Mum. I apologize." He leaned down and kissed Rose's cheek. "I'm sorry. I need to leave. Come on, Legate."
Sam started to walk out of the room. Legate the Third with him.
Rose couldn't believe what she had just seen happen. "Sam!"
He stopped and turned around to face them. "Run all of the tests you want. Even summon her back up here and poke her with needles. I'm right. I know I'm right. And do you know why? Because I was there. More than you can say about yourself!"
The Doctor bit his lip and glared at him.
Samuel turned and stormed out of the med bay.
Rose looked at the Doctor with her hands on her hips. "What the hell was that?"
The Doctor groaned. "I need a minute."
Instead of running after Samuel, like Rose thought he was about to do, he walked into his office and slammed the door.
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