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Chapter 24 - A Steamy Shower

Rose sat in the beautiful nursery, rocking a sleeping baby Arles in her arms. The lamp illuminated the room and the window was opened to allow the cool night breeze in.

The Doctor walked in and immediately shivered. "And it's much too cool in here for these children." He walked over and closed the window.

Rose agreed. "I'm not comfortable with these windows being open with our little climber."

"Ah, there's a force field on everything in here. They are quite safe." He turned around and looked in the cot. "Has he been climbing again?"

She sighed. "He's not been awake all day. I'm worried, Baby. He needs to eat."

The Doctor leaned on the side of the cot and put his hand on baby Samuel's head. "Yeah, he's hungry."

"Should we wake him?"

The Doctor had already picked him up, "Well, he has to eat." He could feel his son's exhaustion as he continued to sleep in his Dad's arms.

Rose felt the pang of guilt from her husband. "Baby, there was no way you could have known."

"I should have known. I'm the one that has done this to him."

She continued to rock in the chair. "And look, he's fine! Grows up to be a very, happy and handsome young man."

He smiled up at her. "That's very true. Lewis says they are dancing with Ashena and the rest."

She giggled. "That's what they should be doing at their age. Gosh, I sound like an old woman."

He laid his son on the changing table and took off his sleeper. "Alright, young man. It's time you wake up for a bit." He told him as he tickled his cheek.

Sam pushed his Dad's hands away.

"No. You need to wake up. Just long enough to eat something." He tickled his chest with his fingertips.

Sam started to cry.

Rose sat her head on her fist and looked sympathetic at her son. "Oh, sweetie."

The Doctor changed the baby's nappy. "Might as well get this sorted while you are this cross."

Sam rubbed his eyes and cried. It was clear he was still so sleepy.

Rose watched as the Doctor put a new sleeper on their son. Sam threw his arms and cried. He was not happy about this situation at all.

"So, cross." The Doctor held him and looked back at Rose. "Bottle?"

Rose handed him a tall bottle from where she sat. He put it in Sam's mouth and sat down in the other rocking chair in the room that faced Rose. He put the nipple in his mouth and Sam started to drink it as fast as he could. "Slow down. You're going to make yourself sick."

Samuel rubbed his eyes and started to cry again.

"Ah…..none of that. Have your dinner, and then you can cry."

Sam started to drink his bottle again. His Dad watched him and rocked the chair. "Daddy is sorry about this, son. I didn't know that made you so tired."

Sam continued to drink his bottle and rub his face.

Rose smiled at them.

The Doctor looked up at her. "Arles still sleeping?"

"He just went to sleep, just before you came in here."

"He's a good sleeper." The Doctor grinned. "He didn't get that from Lewis."

Rose pointed at their son. "And that one is going back to sleep."

He looked back down at him. "Hey! Wake up and eat something."

Sam jumped and he started to suckle the bottle again.

"Well, don't frighten him-"

"I'm not, Rose."

"He nearly jumped out of his skin-"

"It's good for him."

"Oh, bull. Talk to him to keep him awake."

The Doctor kissed Sam's forehead. "Alright, Daddy will hold the bottle. Just say awake long enough to get something to eat."

Sam didn't open his eyes and started to go back to sleep with the bottle in his mouth. The milk ran out of his mouth.

The Doctor groaned, "Son. You need to eat." He blew in his face. Sam jumped again and started to drink his bottle.

Rose shook her head in disapproval. "Do we need to trade babies? Stop startling him."

He glanced up at her and cleared his throat. He spoke to the baby. "Your rotten sister, Genie, was already asleep before I could tell her a story tonight."

Sam stopped drinking his bottle and started to drift back to sleep.

"Hey! Daddy is talking to you." He tickled his cheek and Sam started to drink his bottle again.

"Maybe a story." Rose suggested.

He thought for a moment. "Okay, I've got it. Once upon a time, there was this goddess. She was beautiful, young and so very….adventurous."

Rose looked at him warningly. "What is this story rated at?"

He laughed and Sam opened his eyes.

"She had blond hair, and was the wonderful woman that ever walked through the universe. One day, a lonely god met her. He had been on his own for a very long time. But, when he saw her, he realized that he didn't want to be alone any longer."

Sam grabbed his bottle.

The Doctor laughed, "That's it. But, she was very young. He asked her to go away with him, but she refused. She said that she needed to look after someone that she was with."

Rose smiled at him. "Do I know this person?"

He chuckled and kissed Sam's head again. "The lonely god traveled for many years, without her. But, he could never get her off of his mind. That blond hair. That smile. Those legs."

He glanced up at her.

She rolled her eyes. "You never saw my legs that day."

Sam laughed and smacked the bottle.

"Oh, but he had a good imagination, Samuel. And he found himself dreaming of the goddess. Even years after they had parted ways."

Sam started to drink his bottle again.

"So, he returned to her. At the exact time that he had left. That way she wouldn't know how long he had thought about her. And there she was! Just as lovely as he had remembered. She agreed to travel with him and they did for a while. She made him feel so young again, and he forgot how lonely he had been."

Rose smiled at him. "I never knew you were away that long."

He continued to talk to Samuel. "And then, one day, she found this same lonely god on a beach. He had lost everything he had ever known, but realized, he had gained the only thing he had really ever wanted. Her. She made him happier than he had ever been. The stars began to shine brighter than they ever had, because of this wonderful goddess. Because of his happiness. Their love was so powerful, that they created a beautiful, little boy. Can you guess what they named him?"

Sam coo'ed and tossed his arms.

"Frankenstein?" The Doctor asked, "Where have you even heard that?"

Samuel laughed loudly and kicked his legs. Arles laughed in his sleep.

Rose laughed and shook her head. "Samuel, you are so silly."

The Doctor sat the bottle down next to where he sat. "And I think I know what's going on here."

Rose watched as he blew his tongue at Samuel. The baby clapped his hands and started to laugh. Arles laughed in his sleep again.

Rose smiled, "What is this?"

"Rose Tyler. Our son will bring so much happiness into the universe." He laughed. He looked down at Samuel and made a silly face. Sam laughed again, and then Arles smiled in his sleep.

"I don't follow."

"Rose, Samuel can feel when someone is upset. Like we can, but he can also change it."

She nodded. "Yes. That part we knew."

"Right. But, he wants everyone to be happy, so much, that he can alter the feelings of several people in a room."

"What?"

"I saw him do it just a bit ago, out in the flat with the teenage versions. When Samuel starts laughing, so does Arles. It's some….connection they have. I'm not completely sure how. But, within moments, the entire group is all laughing. Genie says it happens all of the time with him."

"I've never heard of this."

"I haven't either. It's something unique that only our Sam can do." He told her as he rose Sam to his shoulder and pat his back.

Rose smiled proudly. "Samuel, Mum Mum loves you."

Sam stood up in his Dad's arms and laughed. "Mum. Mum. Mum. Mum."

The Doctor chuckled at him. "And you are wide awake. Do you need some more to eat?"

Samuel clapped his hands together and coo'ed.

"Okay, then perhaps later. Daddy will stay up with you tonight. I have a file to read."

Rose looked down at Arles, who was laughing again in his sleep. She smiled. "Oh, I love these two."

The Doctor kissed Samuel's face. "And that's from Mum Mum."

Samuel grabbed his Dad's face and put his mouth on his chin.

The Doctor sighed. "This still isn't kissing, son."

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Legate closed the door to the flat quietly. It was dark and quiet. All of the teenagers were sleeping.

He looked down at his bracelet and saw that it was 3:22 am. The clouds outside made the island seem darker than it normally was, even thought it was still night. He quietly walked into the sitting room and saw Samuel, asleep sitting upright as he usually did.

Legate smiled at his friend. He took a pillow and guided him down to lay on it. Then he covered him with a blanket. He turned to see that the telly had been turned off. One of the others had already been down here. Samuel always told them that it felt that there were a million voices in his head. Watching telly, or laughing, seemed to the only thing that quieted them enough that he could sleep.

He turned and saw Tony Tyler, sleeping with his arm lying on top of his ginger hair, on the other sofa. Legate took another blanket off of the back of the sofa and pulled it onto him. He could smell that Tony had been drinking. He sighed at his friend who was still so hurt from his ordeal. And briefly wondered if he would ever return to the Tony Tyler he had known.

He quietly walked upstairs and went into Genie's bedroom. He gently closed the door, careful not to make a sound. There, he found a second closet that he had copied there for his things. He pulled out some boxers and a pair of football shorts. He turned to see Genie. She was sleeping peacefully with the duvet pulled over her. He went to take a shower, and then walked back into the bedroom.

He lay down in front of her and watched her sleep. She must have been dreaming about something pleasant because he saw her smile in her sleep. It made his heart leap.

He caressed her cheek and before he realized what he was even doing, he leaned down to kiss her lips. She jumped and then, seeing it was him, smiled and whispered. "There you are."

He caressed her cheek and told her quietly. "I'm sorry. Logan and I-"

"Got into trouble." She groaned.

He pointed at himself, "I don't get into trouble."

She sat up and turned on the lamp. She turned back to see him. Fresh from the shower, he smelled as handsome as he looked. He lay propped up on his elbow, looking back at her. He wasn't wearing a shirt. His hair had been trimmed neatly.

She covered her mouth in surprise.

"You hate it." Legate sighed.

"You are so handsome. Is this why you went to Ashena's ship?"

He ran his hand through his short hair. "Me and…myself…talked about it. Oh, that's so strange."

She sat up and giggled.

"We both thought it would be easier for you. Well, the younger version of you. I can't disappear without any explanation why. So, I have to look like I did. Besides, you hated the long hair anyway."

She giggled and continued to whisper, "Oh, I did."

"So, this is better?"

She cupped his face in her hands. "So, much better."

He smiled and sat up to face her. His lips crashed into hers as they began to snog one another with the passion that they had both had to deny all day. Finally alone, they held one another tightly as their minds raced with the pleasure they had both longed for.

He closed his eyes tightly and whispered, "Slow down. Shhh….."

She exhaled slowly, "What's wrong?"

"We….need to slow down." He sighed, "It's getting harder to keep this secret."

She rubbed his strong, bare chest. "I know. What did you and Logan do?"

"Logan told me he wants to ask Ashena to make the Life Promise with him. But, he can't bring himself to do it."

They lay down together, looking in one another's eyes and continued to whisper to one another. "What did you tell him?"

"I didn't tell him about us. I know you wouldn't want me to."

"He's your best friend-"

"Yeah, but….it's not right. He wants to make the Promise. I shouldn't encourage him because I want us to make the Promise."

She sighed, "You're right."

"So, I didn't say anything. He asked if he does. And I told him I couldn't tell him."

"You know he does."

"But, he should because he wants to. And not because it's something someone told him he did."

Genie teased the hairs on his chest. "You are right, Legate."

"This time stuff…..Gene, it's weird."

She smiled, "You seem to be doing alright."

He caressed her cheek, and she took his arm to look at the tattoo of the lighthouse. "How are you going to explain this to the younger version of me?"

He smiled, "I'll tell her that's where something….amazing happened to me."

She giggled at him. "You have a key in here?"

He nodded, "It's very small. It will open any lock. Well, most locks. The ones that matter."

"Have you ever had to use it?"

"You don't want me to answer that." He smiled.

She teased, "Pirate."

He chuckled at her.

She ran her fingers across the tattoo. "Where is it?"

He rubbed his fingers across it and pointed it out. She smiled as she felt of the spot. "Where we stood at the lighthouse."

"The night we first kissed. You are my beacon. My light that helps me find my way, though anything."

She smiled at him. "You are such a romantic."

He smiled at her, "I have a great game we can play."

"These walls are much too thin for any game we usually play." Genie teased.

"I know. I didn't mean that."

She groaned and moved closer to him, "Oh, but I want to. So much. I miss you, Legate. Probably more than I miss home."

He looked into her eyes longingly.

"You're thinking about it, aren't you?"

"Why do you ask me things like that? You already know the answer."

She kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and she rolled on top of him. The enthusiasm from before found its way back to both of them. He knew it was going to be impossible to tell her no. He didn't want to anyway.

He smiled at her. "Okay, I'm not saying no….just…."

She kissed him again and felt his hands go inside of her tank top and hold her as they snogged. Her long hair fell around their faces as she looked down at him. She whispered, "Legate. I love you."

He smiled at her. "You're mad. Imagine what would happen if they caught us in here. I shouldn't be in here now."

She sighed. "Then pop us away."

"I can't do that."

She kissed his chest up to his neck. "Please."

He groaned. "With a Vesuos problem? Genie, it's not safe."

She sat up and took off her shirt.

He groaned as he rubbed her breasts. "You're making this hard to say no."

She whispered, "Do you want me to stop?"

He smiled, "No. We'll just have to be…."

"Very quiet." They said together and laughed quietly.

He pulled her pajamas and knickers off in one motion and grabbed her bum as they continued to snog.

Suddenly, he stopped and put his finger over his lips. She could tell someone was speaking to him using the Quauhtin connection. He groaned. "Damn it."

She whispered, "Who is it?"

"Summus. He wants me back on the ship."

"Tell him, you're in the shower."

He rose his eyebrows. "You are suggesting I lie?"

"I really want this." She told him.

He rubbed his face and swore in Quauthin. He nodded his head. "Okay. I have a few minutes. But, I'll have to take another quick shower, or he'll be able to smell-"

She crashed her lips into his. He pulled down his shorts and trousers. She sat on his stiff member and he rolled over on top of her. He rubbed her breast as he stroked quietly and slowly. She wrapped her legs around him and continued to kiss him.

He whispered, "This is okay?"

She panted, "This is all I've thought about all day."

He ran his fingertips down her beautiful face. "It's all I can think about. I see you, in a room, and I can't touch you. My heart longs for us to be together."

"Mine, too."

He muffled her gasp as he pressed himself deeply inside of her with his kiss. She lifted her hips to make it easier for him to stroke inside of her.

He exhaled slowly and she felt his warm breath on her neck. "You are as beautiful inside as you are outside. You feel like…" He said something in Quauthin that she didn't understand.

She started to cry out and he quickly muffled her cry with his mouth. He stopped stroking. "Shhh….."

She bit her lip and looked back into his eyes. "Please, don't stop."

He kissed her, "Come take a shower with me. We can finish in there."

She smiled.

He stood up, took her hand and they quietly went to the bathroom together. So, grateful he had put a bathroom inside of her bedroom, he turned on the shower. It was warm almost instantly. They stepped inside. The water ran into both of their faces as they held one another tightly and continued to snog one another. She wrapped her leg around him and he took her against the shower wall. She moaned in his ear as she held onto him tightly. Caught up in the moment, neither one of them realized how much noise they were making.

He gently sat her down and ran his fingertips down her chest. "I wish I could stay and do it again."

She smiled, "Me, too. One day, we'll be able to."

His lips met hers again. "I look forward to that day. It's what keeps me going. The possibility, that you will say 'yes'."

She turned, put his soap on a sponge, and started to wash him. He closed his eyes and moaned. "Oh, this is the best."

"Will this wash the smell off?" She whispered.

He nodded, "Yes."

She continued to wash and they began to snog again.

He laid his head on her forehead. "Ugh. Summus is insisting. Genie, I'm so sorry."

She smiled and whispered. "I understand."

He turned off the shower. They stepped out and dried off. Legate wrapped the towel around her and began to kiss her again. He sighed, "Oh, I don't want to leave."

She pat his chest and told him quietly. "You are going to smell like me."

He ran his hands through his short hair in frustration. "I'll try to return before the others wake up."

She giggled and opened her towel, "This is what you will be returning to."

He took a long look and swore in Quauthin. She handed him her towel and walked back into the bedroom to put her clothes back on. Unseen by her, Legate hit his forehead into the doorway and swore again.

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