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Chapter 19 - The Painting

Sam walked out of the lift inside of the dorms. He wore a pair of jeans with his blue ski jacket. As he stepped off of the lift, he immediately heard the sound of music blaring loudly, although he couldn't make out the song.

He rubbed his chin and walked over to the source of the loud music. It was coming from the room that he had seen Scott pop his head out of the night before. He grinned and walked over to knock on Karen's door.

A lovely young lady answered, "Hi."

He smiled, "Is Karen here?"

She pointed to Scott's room. "She just went over there. Scott wanted to show her a drawing he had done."

He looked back at the door. "Oh."

The girl laughed, "Scott is harmless. He just looks frightening."

He followed her as she walked over to Scott's. Taking her fist, she pounded loudly on the door and shouted, in a deep voice, "Police! Open up!"

Scott jerked the door opened and grinned, "The police are getting better looking every day."

She rolled her eyes and walked away.

Scott noticed Samuel, "And the gentleman is here. Karen!" He motioned for Sam to come in.

Scott's dorm was lit brightly. The smell of incense was nearly over powering as he walked in that it made his eyes water. Paintings sat on their easels in various stages of completion. There were about ten students sitting around a short table in the sitting room. They looked to be getting together a game of some sort.

Scott wiped his hands on a rag that he held. "Forgive me for not shaking your hand again. I have been using charcoal."

Samuel shook his head. "It's alright."

Scott picked up a remote and turned down the barring music. "Karen!"

Karen walked around the corner. As she saw Samuel, they both smiled warmly at one another. "Hi you."

Sam took her hands in his, "Hi, you."

She looked beautiful. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun on the back of her head. She wore a pair of jeans and light blue blouse. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her lips. The tingle started again just as it had the night before.

She laughed, "You're early! I haven't even changed-"

"You are lovely."

She giggled, just as Scott walked back up to them. He pat Karen's back. "Go on and finish getting ready for your date, Karen. I need to talk to this man."

She turned to Scott and pointed forcefully, "Do not scare him."

Sam grinned, "I don't scare easily."

Karen kissed Sam once more and rushed out of the door. "I'll just be a minute."

Scott motioned for Sam to come into the kitchen with him. "You look familiar to me."

Sam put his hands in his pockets. "I get that a lot."

"I never forget a face. I know I've seen yours' before." Scott nodded. "Samuel who?"

"Smith."

"Hmmmm. I don't know anyone named that."

Sam grinned, "Now you do."

Scott chuckled. One of the people setting up the game behind them, called out for Scott to join them.

"We're playing D&D in here tonight. Do you play?"

Sam shook his head. "No."

"Do you smoke?"

Sam put his hands in his pockets and sighed. "Honestly…..I've never tried it."

Scott nodded. "That's cool man."

"I'm glad you brought it up. I was planning on asking you about it."

Scott, with semi clean hands, pat Samuel on the back. "Then you came to the right place. Karen told me you were cool, so come this way." He yelled at the people in the sitting room, "Give me ten minutes."

Sam followed him to his room. The incense smell seemed to be coming from there. Sam's eyes watered so much, he had to wipe them on his sleeve. "Geez."

Scott told him quickly, "Now, Karen doesn't smoke. So, don't expect her to."

"She doesn't?" He was surprised.

Scott chuckled. "Karen doesn't do anything that might jeopardize her scholarships. And I don't blame her one damn bit. She was able to quit working at the club this semester. I am rather surprised she's even going out with you."

Scott opened up a cigar box and picked up a joint. After explaining to him how to smoke it, Sam took several puffs and suddenly the ground beneath him seemed to slow down. The voices in his head became quieter. "Karen worked at the club?"

"Yes. She was a waitress there for a while. She can mix drinks, too. She worked assisting the bartender some."

Sam felt more relaxed than he had all day.

"Her Dad didn't approve, so she quit." Scott inhaled deeply off of the same joint, closed his eyes, and sighed. "Oh, that's good shit. That's the best I have."

Samuel coughed and looked around Scott's room. There was a painting of a landscape seen through a heavy rain storm. Sam could see a river, with many waterfalls feeding it. A high mountain in the distance showed a tall pyramid with a diamond shining at the top. It was a planet he had been to, many years ago, with his Dad.

"This is nice." Sam told him as he pointed at the painting. "I really like it. Where is it?"

Scott took another drag off of the joint. "That my friend, is home."

Sam rolled his neck back in surprise. "That looks like I place I've been before."

Scott shook his head and handed him the joint. "I doubt it, my friend."

Sam looked closer at the painting as Scott opened a desk door and pulled out five, pre-rolled joints in a Ziploc bag. He took another hit off of the joint he held and immediately felt his head swim a bit more.

Scott stood up and smiled at him. "So, what do you think?"

Sam coughed a bit and grunted. "I really like this."

Scott laughed. "That's the best I have. I rolled these just today. I'll admit to you, that I mixed some of the shit I had in with it. Just use it up. So, I won't charge you for that. But, if you want some more-"

"Hell yeah. Let me see what you have."

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Rose rubbed a sleeping baby Samuel's back as she watched the news playing quietly, inside of the bedroom of their island home. She had just given him a bath. She held her face to his tiny shoulder, inhaling that sweet scent. He felt so peaceful, sleeping in her arms.

She kissed his cheek and whispered, "Your Mum loves you so much."

He smiled in his sleep.

The Doctor walked in the door with a huge smile on his face. "That. May have been the most fun I've ever had. In all of my lives. Thank you, Rose."

She could feel his excitement and happiness. 'Top Gear went well, huh?'

He looked up in surprise, realizing she was speaking to him telepathically. 'The baby is sleeping. I'm sorry. Did I wake him?'

'No.' She held him tighter in her arms.

The Doctor sat down next to them and smiled at his infant son. 'He feels so peaceful.'

'He's had a good day. He stayed with Grand while I went to Washington. I think his face is sore from all of the kisses.'

He chuckled, 'He loves it. He felt happy all day.'

She smiled back at him, 'How did Genie like Top Gear?'

'That girl! Wow.'

Rose giggled, 'What did she do?'

'Oh, she just had a great time. Her and Tony both. It will be interesting to see how they, edit it.'

Rose kissed Samuel's sleeping face again. 'She's alright?'

'She's worn out. I just tucked her in.' He rubbed Samuel's back, 'And this one is sleeping better tonight, too.'

'You're home tonight. I think that was his problem.'

'I think he was just cross because Arles was. I talked to him and he's missing Lance and Jane.'

'You should take him with you guys then-'

He looked confused. 'You're coming, too.'

She shook her head and whispered, "No. I need to stay here with these children. You get the older ones, and I'll take these little ones." She cradled Sam in her arms.

The Doctor looked away and sighed. She could feel he was disappointed and a bit nervous.

"Are you anxious? Is that what I'm feeling from you?"

He propped his head up on his fist. "I just, well…."

"Genie says you two of you just don't get on."

"I know. There was a lot of that letter that I edited."

"You edited? You mean you left out?"

He nodded as he looked back at her.

"Baby, you can't do that."

"I just don't understand this, Rose. How I can go from this….to what he is now?"

She shook her head. "That's the problem. You think you know him."

"They are all the same-"

"They are not! Why would you think that?"

Rose's outburst had disturbed Sam's slumber. They both put their hands on him and whispered, "Shhh…."

The Doctor looked back at Rose. "Want me to take him?"

"I want you to sort out how you are going to fix this with Sam." She insisted.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"Things can't remain this way. Genie told me that you guys were always arguing. He spoke a lot about leaving Earth, and going out on his own. Does that sound like anyone you know?"

He knew she meant him. "You're saying, that I'm driving him away."

"I'm saying, that you and his relationship could be a damn sight better."

"But it's not me!"

"I know that! But, to him it is."

"Then, I'm going to have to build a relationship with someone who already hates me."

"No." Rose told him seriously, "This isn't someone. This is your son. And I don't need to know what you took out of that letter that you read to the children, but I do want you to fix this. I can't stand him feeling this way."

"He's fine-"

"He hugged me this morning. And when he did, he felt as though he is barely keeping it together. How could he be alright? With everything that has happened to them? How?"

He held his finger out for baby Samuel to grab in his fist.

"You believe that you already know him, but you don't. Take some time to actually, properly, get to know him. You might find that this entire thing is over some, silly misunderstanding."

"That's not even happened yet. I wasn't there when Genie was treated and he's livid with me about it."

"But, it wasn't you-"

"To him, it was. I'm the same."

"And this that you say about them all being the same….baby that's not true. If they were, why aren't you fighting Arles or Genie?"

"They aren't mine."

"As much as he is."

She could feel that her words had hurt him. She couldn't believe she had said it.

"Baby, I'm sorry. You know I don't mean-"

He shook his head. "No, you're right."

"No, I'm not. He looks like you, he regenerates, he has visions-"

"He's you." He stood up and sighed, "He's always been you."

She grabbed his hand to stop him from walking out of the room. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. That's not what I meant."

He shook his head. "I'm fine. I just remembered I had to go check on something."

Rose knew he was just saying that to have an excuse to leave. "This…between you and I..."

He rose his eyebrows.

"I'm willing to completely forgive the entire thing if you will just be honest with me."

He put his hands on his hips and sighed. "You weren't even really cross about that."

She grinned, "Humor me. I should have been."

He chuckled and looked around the room. "Okay. Honestly, I just want some time to myself."

Rose nodded. "And that's alright."

"Yeah?"

"Of course it is." She pulled the blanket around Sam. "Just don't be too long. I'm planning on going to take a bath, then putting on my silk gown-"

"Oh." He looked surprised.

"Maybe some….I don't know….some of that lingerie you gave me."

The Doctor put his hands in his pockets and looked away from her with a huge smile on his face. She could feel his mood completely change to excitement.

She looked back up at him. "I'd like to tell you good-bye, proper. I won't see you for a couple of days."

He grinned, "Take your time, and let me know when you want me back. I'll run."

She giggled, "Run, huh?"

"I'll be here as fast as I can."

She smiled as he leaned down and kissed her.

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