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Chapter 39 – Lewis' Recovery

Genie sat at her desk in her office that morning, reading over a thick file. She brought the tea to her lips to sip just as someone knocked on the door.

She looked up to see Lewis smiling at her.

"Is it a good time?"

She sat down her tea and walked over to embrace him. "Papa. It's always a good time! Please come in."

Lewis closed the door as she went to the food replicator.

"Tea, Papa?" She offered.

He sat down on the sofa. "Yes, please."

She sat next to him and handed him a cuppa as she began to sip a fresh cup of tea, herself. "It's nice to see you."

He sipped his tea. "Have you heard from John?"

"He just rang me. He was worried after hearing about the Torchwood thing."

Lewis nodded. "You're alright?"

She smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "Of course. I had Legate with me."

"Which is what I came to talk to you about." He sat down his tea and turned to face her. "I've not spoken to him yet about this."

"Is he to be paneled? I know he broke that man's jaw."

"No." Lewis pointed out. "I see no reason to do that. I've been to Torchwood and have seen the video."

Genie nodded, "Yes. The man sprang forward to grab me."

"You, had glared at him from the moment you walked in the room."

"You're saying this is my fault?"

"No. I'm saying, that you are being….very careful with explanations."

She sat her tea down on the table in front of them. "I would like you to explain that."

"What had this man done?"

She crossed her arms. "He had shot Legate. He would have killed him had Adriano not tackled him just as he fired that gun."

"How do you know that?"

"Legate told me."

"The one from here?"

She nodded, "Yes. The one from our time wouldn't tell me when I asked."

"Interesting. So, you knew this was the man that had hurt Legate?"

She picked back up her tea, "I remember that from when I was a little girl. Legate was hurt for a long time. His leg seemed to need an ice pack, all of the time. It made him stop surfing, which made me happy, but as soon as he started surfing again…. "

"He broke it? Again?"

Genie shook her head. "I hate him surfing. He still does it, and it makes me mental. I've asked him to just, play in the snow. If I can keep him here, he's off that damn board."

Lewis grinned, "Makes sense. So, you wanted to hurt this man."

"I didn't want him to hurt me."

"You wanted to hurt him, because he hurt Legate. I've seen the video, Genie and you exploded. You were waiting on the opportunity."

"What would you have me do?"

"I can't help but think, there was more to it than just a…."

She sipped her tea. "What are you saying, Papa?"

"Well, I've thought a lot about it. And then, seeing the video, there's something else going on."

She rose her eyebrows, "Such as?"

He counted on his fingers, "You stayed in his suite on the ship."

"Yes."

"You were wearing his clothes."

"I didn't have any of my own."

"You have insisted he remain here with you."

"That was his choice. But, I'm grateful."

"He returned here, with Jack, when he heard you had crashed."

"He….was concerned."

"Concerned?"

"Well, yeah."

He pointed at himself. "He tells me that I have sent him back."

"Is that what he said?"

"But, that's not the truth. He sent himself back. I wouldn't have sent him. I would have come myself if it was really that big of a concern. Am I wrong?"

Genie exhaled. "He sent himself back."

"Risk dying with Jack Harkness and that unreliable Vortex Manipulator just so he could be here with you?"

She sipped her tea and looked up at him. "You're not drinking you tea, Papa."

"It's cooling." He insisted. "You told your Dad that you had a guy that always brings you a flower."

She nodded her head.

"Legate would know that John had always done that when you were a little girl."

She shrugged her shoulders, "Or…maybe ….."

Lewis rose his eyebrows, "Having a bit of trouble there?"

She sipped her tea. "I'm interested to see what you're going to say next."

Lewis picked up his tea and sipped it. "Okay. That's a bit better. Tell me, what did you do last night?"

"Last night?"

"Yes. After you were done with work here."

She thought, "I went to my flat. Watched telly. I was upset because Samuel left."

"What did you eat?"

She looked confused. "Take away."

"And it was?"

"Fish and chips."

He smiled, "Not Italian?"

She shook her head. "No."

"When was the last time you ate Italian? Think about it. Pizza doesn't count."

"This is the maddest conversation ever, Papa-"

He sat down his tea and smiled. "It was that night you were in Legate's suite. Right?"

She thought, "Yes. It was."

"Did you know that Italian food has a lot of tomatoes?"

"Yes."

"And tomatoes, block a Quauhtin's sense of smell?"

She shook her head. "I didn't know that."

"Legate does. And I bet Arles and Sam do, too. That night, they were trying to mask a smell. That same scent I can smell on you now."

Genie closed her eyes. "Damn."

"That's the real reason he was so quick to tell me he wanted to quit the Guard. I remember that he and Lenox both swore they would when they made the Life Promise. I'm right aren't I?"

Genie nodded. "Yes."

Lewis slapped the back of the sofa and shouted. "I knew it!"

She shook her head. "Please don't tell Dad. He'll kill him-"

"Oh yes, he will." He grinned. "Does Rose know?"

"Yes. Mum found out before you guys left to go to Caihiri."

"You told her? Or she did some…odd…."

"She figured it out. She told me that I was actually a Rixalarian. Legate excused himself to go shout in the hallway. He is so happy. And Samuel asked me if I would finally say 'yes'."

Lewis smiled proudly, "Have you?"

"I had told him 'yes' the night before. We had this conversation, not realizing Mum was still sitting next to me. She knows."

Lewis laughed, "Good. I don't want her looking back at that moment and….feeling awkward with it being some….odd way she found out. I want you to be honest with her. Even if you can't tell anyone else anything. Tell her. Don't let her memories of you be something that will bring her sadness."

Genie nodded. "I understand."

"And as for your Dad. He's not going to kill Legate. Maybe punch him."

"Arles has a pool going."

"I'm getting in on that. But, I want you to tell him. Same reason why. He will look back at this, and be hurt you kept it from him."

She sighed. "I don't want to tell him while he's away."

"I agree. This needs to happen in person. So, you two need to do everything you can to keep it quiet. John has to be the next person to find out."

She nodded, "Alright."

He smiled, "So, making the Life Promise. With Legate. You haven't done it yet, right?"

"We haven't. I've only agreed a few days ago."

"Alright. I'm sure he's gathering his Ten."

She smiled, "He says he has them sorted, but I don't know who they are."

"I hope to make the list. Although, as your Papa, I will always come to your aid anyway. So, it's rather a mute point."

She smiled, "I love you, too."

He laughed under his breath. "I'm so happy about this. You and Legate. That's perfect. Both Rixalarian, well…he's a bit Rixalarian."

She giggled. "He says just enough to make him handsome."

Lewis rolled his eyes. "Quauhtin are rather handsome people, too."

She laughed, "Not like Rixalarians. You know I'm right."

He smiled at her. "My Rixalarian daughter makes an excellent point."

Genie sat down her tea. "Lartius knows."

"Good. He should."

"And he says that he's put us under some sort of protection."

"Well, there's really no reason for that. At least from me. John, maybe. But, I think he's just going to punch him one really good time."

"So, Legate's not in trouble? Dating a Primary?"

"Well, I can't say I agree with it. There are rules against it. But, with my past. I can't really…." He became lost in his thoughts.

Genie took his hand. "It hasn't been that long for you, has it?"

Lewis shook his head and looked at his lap. "Arles, is a consent reminder of how long it has been."

"Papa. You've never spoken of her. Arles would probably-"

"I can't talk about it. Not to him. Not to anyone."

Genie gripped his hand tighter. "But, you can. It's something you have thought about."

"I don't want to talk about me. I don't want this…happy news to be clouded with my misfortune."

She nodded, "Okay, Papa."

He closed his eyes and sighed to steady himself.

"I'm so glad you know." She smiled at him.

"And I figured it out. Recovery at its finest!"

She laughed with him.

He looked back at her and held out his arms. She laughed and they hugged one another as they sat on the sofa.

He kissed the side of her head. "Congratulations, my dearest. I couldn't be happier for you. For you both."

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Samuel sat in the floor, in front of the sofa in the penthouse. He wore a pair of jeans and a grey t-shirt.

Karen sat next to him on the floor. She wore knee length skirt and a lovely white blouse with her hair wrapped in a messy bun on the back of her head. Both of them were barefoot. They had just finished lunch and now shared a plate of chips.

They had been working on Latin for the past hour and a half. Karen realized quickly that she wasn't a lost cause. She had just never had it explained to her the way Samuel was able to. Within ten minutes, she was able to translate what the sentences in the text said. She grew more confident and excited with each exercise.

Samuel laid his hand on her thigh, under her dress. Both of them enjoyed the feeling that moved through their bodies as they touched.

"Okay. So, Latin. It's just that simple."

"I can't believe I can understand this!" She laughed. "I feel like, you've transferred your knowledge into my head. You're an amazing teacher, Samuel."

"You already had it. It's a different language. That's always difficult in the beginning." He smiled at her and rubbed her thigh.

"I took French in high school. It was nothing like this."

"French has words from this. That's the reason the vocabulary seems familiar. And growing up in Saint Augustine, were the Spanish settled…."

"Everything there is named in Spanish. Yes. I really should have taken that in school."

He laughed with her and sipped his water. He sat with his hand resting on his bent knee. His other hand still on her leg. His fingertips rubbing her skin, sending more of the tingle to both of them. "What languages do you speak then?"

"I wouldn't say I speak anything but English."

"American English." Samuel pointed out. "With your….mad words."

"Yes. I am familiar with some French and Spanish. And now, Latin."

He nodded, impressed.

"How about you?"

He sat down his water on the table. "I speak several languages."

"Which ones?" She smiled at him.

"French. My Mum and Dad both speak that, but my Uncle Tony speaks that, so….that's why I learned it. He taught it to us. It's like…our secret language." He chuckled.

"Why does he speak French?"

"His Mum was French. She spoke it to him."

"I didn't know that."

"See, things the press never tells you." He grinned. "He's always managed to keep that under the radar."

"What other languages?"

He continued to rub her thigh under her dress. "Hmmm. English, of course. Spanish, German. Arles' Mom was German, and I learned that language with him. That's all he has of her. That language."

"That's sad."

He nodded. "There are a few others, but…that's the main ones. Arles and I will sometimes speak German to one another, but…I think it upsets Papa. So, we try not to around him."

"Makes sense. Well, I have two exams."

"When are they?"

She pulled her planner out of her bag. "Oh, it's in here. Let me see."

He sipped his water again as she moved next to him and showed him when the next exams were.

"Okay. Well, we'll study some more as it gets closer to it." He pointed at one day. "Ew. A maths exam there. Same day."

"I know. My brain will be mush."

"I'll give you a full massage when you return from class on that day." He pulled the planner into his lap and flipped through the pages. "Do you write everything in here?"

"Some people use their phones, but I have to write it down."

He sat his water down on the table as he found where she had written, "Met Samuel." She had drawn hearts all around a block on one day.

He smiled back at her. "I got a block."

She giggled, "Yeah."

He flipped the page and saw that she had written on top of each day something about him.

"Flowers from Samuel."

"More Flowers from Samuel."

"A treadmill from Samuel! WHAT?"

"Samuel comes back today! Dinner!"

He laughed. "So, we've know one another for eight days."

She took her finger and counted the days. "Yes. See. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven and today."

"So, let's talk about time."

She pulled her legs under her dress and laid her head on his shoulder. "Okay."

He laid his head back on hers as they looked at the planner together. "We met one another, and that first night…."

She giggled, "I have no idea where you are going with this."

He chuckled. "I'm getting there. So, then we… fell in love."

"And told one another. That's like…Day Six?"

He looked back at the planner. "And it's written here. Good, okay. So, and now we're on holiday together."

"For our one week anniversary." She grinned.

"Which isn't in here as that. Give me the pen."

She got on all fours to reach for a pen to hand to him. She sat facing him. He put his hand back on her thigh, under her dress. "Alright Samuel, write it there."

He scribbled it on the page, "Anniversary trip to New York City."

"Left handed." Karen teased. "And your handwriting looks like a Doctor's."

He smiled at her. "So, my question is, based on this, and this is just for informational purposes."

"Okay?"

"Okay. So, based on that, how long would I have to wait before I asked you to marry me?"

"Are you serious?" She asked in shock.

"I'm gathering information. It's just a simple question. How long, Karen?"

She covered her mouth and laughed in disbelief as she looked away and thought. "Well."

"You pick. How long, Baby?"

She looked back him and smiled, "Six months."

"Six months?" He asked as if he had never heard of such a long period of time in his life. "Are you barking?"

She laughed, "Six months, Samuel. That's how long."

"Alright. So, today is….alright." She watched as he flipped the pages and then wrote something in the planner, six months from the present date.

He handed it back to her. She looked at where he had written. "Samuel - Ask Karen to marry you."

She covered her mouth and smiled back up at him. "Is this real?"

He held up the pen for her. "Written in ink."

She shook her head in complete disbelief. She looked away and mumbled. "I can't believe this."

"You don't have to answer now. You have six months to think about it."

She was fighting tears. She already knew what she wanted to say.

She looked back at him and took the pen from his hand.

He watched as she wrote something under his note to herself.

"Right handed." He teased.

She giggled. "Right handed." She finished and looked back at him.

"May I see?" He asked.

She slipped the planner back to him. He looked under the words he had written and read the note she had left herself. "Karen – Tell Samuel 'yes' and be sure to kiss him."

He looked up and saw her smiling as she blinked happy tears. He grinned as he closed the planner and sat it next to them, "That's going to be a hell of a day."

She nodded, "Yes, it will be."

She stood up on her knees and threw her arms around him. He laughed and held her tightly. The excitement from her seemed to light him up inside. He cupped her face with his hands and they kissed one another in celebration. The sensation they enjoyed moved through their bodies and became stronger the more they kissed and touched one another.

Karen pulled at his shirt and he stopped kissing her so she could take it off of him. The entire time, they looked in one another's eyes, completely lost in one another.

She rubbed his chest, sending shockwaves through his system.

"I love that feeling." He told her.

She smiled, "I do, too."

He unbuttoned her shirt and cupped her breasts that her bra formed perfectly. He looked back up at her. "Must I wait that long?"

"Samuel, I love you so much."

He looked pained at her. "Six months, though? Really?"

She returned to his lips and began to kiss him again. He unfastened her bra and stroked her bare back as they continued their snog. The electrical sensation flooded his senses and before he knew it, she was laying on the floor with him thrusting inside of her. The sensation had changed and was more powerful than it had ever been before. He was unsure if their moans were from the sexual act, or the presence of the electrical feel that moved through them. Perhaps it was both.

Samuel closed his eyes and tried to focus on where the feeling was coming from. Himself or her. But, it was no use. He was unable to think and just as she wrapped her leg around his back and began to tease herself.

They became paralyzed from the pleasure. They breathed in sync. They moaned at the same time. His heart beat along with hers. He could only hold himself up over her as he closed his eyes tightly, savoring the feeling running through him. His brain had completely stopped. He moved his hips slowly to press himself deeply inside of her just as her walls tightened around him.

He laid his sweaty forehead to hers and looked in her eyes. "You have no idea how much I love you."

She ran her fingertips up and down his back feeling his muscles. The electrical current continued to come from her fingertips. "Is it as much as I love you?"

He grinned, "Maybe."

"Let's go to the bed."

He smiled as he stood up and helped her off of the floor. She cupped his face in her hands and began to kiss him again. He held her around the waist as they slowly made their way to the bedroom together. When they got there, he pulled the duvet back and they both climbed onto the bed and lay down together.

"When do we need to leave for your errands?" She asked him.

He kissed the end of her nose and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Not for several hours."

She beamed, "Let's stay here until we have to leave."

He looked into her eyes and told her quietly, "That's the best idea I've ever heard."

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