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Chapter 26

Jane was restlessly sleeping, still with her arms hugging Lance's arm. She thought she felt him move and rose up to look at his face. He still slept. She lay back on her pillow and kissed his arm again. Just as she was about to drift back to sleep, she heard him.

He moaned, "Jane."

She sprang up to look at him. "Lance, I'm here."

He hadn't opened his eyes yet. He shook his head. "Jane."

She kissed his forehead and caressed his face. "Lance. You're going to be alright."

He still wasn't completely awake. "Jane." He said as he dreamed.

Jane reset the pain blocker that was on his shoulder. He groaned and lay still. He seemed to have fallen back asleep. Jane looked confused at him. Had she done something wrong?

She rubbed his chest and said quietly, "Lance?"

He opened his eyes and looked up at her. Just seeing his eyes made her heart nearly jump out of her chest with happiness.

She ran her fingers through his hair. She told him quietly, "Lance. You're home. You're alright."

He relaxed, as he realized it was her. His face spread into a smile slowly. "You're here."

"Of course, I'm here." She told him as tears filled her eyes.

He looked confused at her. "What's wrong?"

She wiped her eyes and smiled. "I'm just so happy you are awake."

"I've frightened you." He realized.

She smiled and shook her head. "You scared the hell out of me is closer to it."

He took her hand and kissed it. "I'm so sorry. How bad am I?"

"John and Sam said that you're going to be alright."

He sighed and held onto her hand. "Alright? Hang on. John is telling me what happened."

She teased his chest with her fingertips as he lay and appeared to be listening to John speak to him. After a few moments he turned to look at his injured arm. "And this isn't going to work for a while."

"That's what they have said. Something about your nerves?"

He started to sit upright. He groaned in pain, and lay back down with his arm over his face. "And that's going to be a few minutes."

"How can I help you, Lance?" She asked.

He didn't uncover his face. "How many pain blockers do I have on me?"

"Just the one on your shoulder."

He uncovered his face. "That's what hurts so much."

"Is it not working?"

"Oh, it's working. It's just not strong enough." He sighed.

She wasn't sure what to do. But, within a few seconds, Lance sat up and groaned loudly.

"Lance! Are you sure you are supposed-"

He closed his eyes tightly and shook his head. His arm was secured in the sling he wore. "I can't lie down any longer. My back is killing me."

She sighed. "I don't think this is a good idea."

He rubbed his face as he sat on the side of the bed for a moment. Spotting the other two pain blockers, he put them both on his shoulder with the other one, and turned them on. He relaxed, "Much better."

He turned and looked at her stunned face. "Jane. It's still rather early. Go back to sleep."

"Where are you going?"

"Well, I'm going to take a shower-"

"And how are you going to do that?" she demanded.

He rubbed his chin. "Well, I haven't worked that out yet. But, I feel like I need one."

She stood up and held her hand out to him. "Come on. I'll help."

"How are we going to do this? John says not to take off the sling."

Jane took a closer look at the sling. His arm lay, bent at the elbow. A large band wrapped completely around his chest, securing his arm. She was certain it wasn't going to move.

She smiled warmly at him, "We won't take it off. Let me help you. Come on."

He took her hand and stood up. They walked into his bathroom together were she drew him a warm bath. She had him sit on the side of the tub, with his feet in the water as she bathed him. She told him about all of the visitors that had came to check on him while he slept, and how Lewis had stayed for so long with her.

He smiled. "I'll have to thank him."

She took a towel and pat him dry. "Is that better?"

He nodded, "So much better. Thank you, Jane."

She busied herself letting out the water from the tub, while he turned around and pulled on his boxers with his one hand. He had nearly pulled on his trousers when she spotted the struggle, and rushed over to help him. Her eyes met his as she fastened them. He put his hand on her cheek and kissed her.

His familiar touch comforted her more than anything else had. She held him close to her as they continued to kiss. He smiled at her when he looked back into her eyes.

"We probably need to find you a soft shirt." She told him.

"You pick." He nodded his head and walked with her into his bedroom. She opened his drawer and found a dark, grey t-shirt that was very soft.

She stood in front of him and considered. "Now, how are we going to do this?"

He pulled the shirt on his injured arm, carefully. When he pulled it over his head and other arm, he groaned in pain. He said something she didn't understand and closed his eyes tightly.

She held her hands out. "Oh God! Are you alright?"

He nodded, opening his eyes. "I'm alright."

She quickly reset the pain blocker on his shoulder.

He wiped the tears from his eyes and groaned. "Oh man. Let's hope we never have to do that again."

She sighed. "Lance."

He quickly put his hand on her shoulder. "Jane, I'm alright."

She wasn't convinced, and the look on her face expressed that to him.

"I can't lie in the bed any longer. But, it's still rather early. Go back to sleep."

She was already shaking her head. "You might need me."

He took her hand in his and kissed it. "Okay. Let's go downstairs, and I'll sit on the sofa. You, lie down and sleep. Just for a bit longer."

"Lance. I'm fine. You are probably hungry."

He closed his eyes tightly and nodded. "Now, I am."

She smiled at him. "Then, we'll eat. Come on."

He rubbed his face as he watched her walk downstairs in front of him.

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The Doctor, holding a sleeping baby Samuel in his arms, transported back into his and Rose's bedroom. The sun was just beginning to come up and the room was still dim.

He laid Sam in his cot. Baby Sam put his hand in his mouth and suckled his fingers. The Doctor walked over to the bedroom doors and opened them to allow the breeze into the room. He pressed a button on the edge of the doorway and a flash of light told him that the force field had turned on that would keep Samuel from going out on the balcony. He took in a deep breath of the sea air.

He turned to look at Rose, who was still sleeping in the bed. She was wearing a white, silk gown with spaghetti straps.

He took off his shoes and lay down behind her, under the duvet. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the back of her neck, shoulders and back. She giggled. "I love being woke up like this."

He held her. "I'm sorry to wake you, Sweetheart."

She rolled over to face him. The dark circles under his eyes told her that he had been up all night. She positioned her hand on his cheek. "Baby, what's wrong? You feel, so…."

"What?"

"Sad." She decided.

He closed his eyes and sighed. "I read that file. Oh, Rose. Our brother has really been through it."

"I imagine so. With Mum and Dad dying."

"He was with them. And please don't ask me to explain anything more." He rubbed his eyes. "I don't even know how he's putting one foot in front of the other one."

She played with the buttons on the oxford shirt he wore. "That's the reason the Bad Wolf sent them back?"

"Rose, it simply can't be allowed to happen. Something like what he's been through could turn Tony into something…..horrid. I've seen it happen."

"Maybe she has, too." Rose thought out loud.

He ran his hand down her side. He loved how the silk felt against her skin.

She smiled feeling his mood change. Instead of being so sad, he began to grow lustful at her touch. "Did Sam keep you up all night?"

He kissed the end of her nose. "He's sleeping. I was careful to let Summus hold him and put some more….happiness and laughter in him."

She smiled, "Summus is good at that."

He began to run his fingertips up and down her back. "Tuwo Wenck has died."

She looked surprised at him.

"That's why they keep ringing me. I have to go to Plentitude."

"When, baby?"

"Today. Before lunch. It's a quick trip there and back. I'll be home tonight."

She could feel what he wasn't saying. "You want me to stay here."

"You'll be safer here-"

She sat up on the bed.

He sat up to face her. "Rose-" He began.

She pointed at him forcefully. "You are completely, barking mad if you think for one minute that I'm going to let you go someplace-"

"Let me-"

"Yes! Let you!" She shouted.

He put his finger over his lips, "Shhhh…Sam is sleeping-"

She threw her hands up and quietly attempted to shout at him. "If it's not safe for me, then it's not safe for you-"

He shook his head. "No. I'm alright-"

"You. Are. NOT!"

"Shhhhh… Baby-"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He grinned quickly without being seen by her. He cleared his throat to keep from laughing, he was getting exactly the reaction he wanted. "Yes, ma'am. I've thought it over, and it would be better if you stayed here with the children. Well, the younger childr-"

"And here we go with this shit!" She crossed her arms.

"There are Vesuos out there! They are no doubt looking for me, you, and anyone associated with Soli. I don't want the children, are you, falling into their hands-"

"And you?"

"Oh, hell….I'll be fine-"

"Because you are bulletproof-"

He shrugged his shoulders, "I've lived this long-"

"Yeah, an entire year!"

She covered her face and shook from her anger.

He put his hand on her lap. "Rose?"

She didn't take her hands from her face. He could feel how cross she had become. "Rose, my dear. I really feel like this is the safest bet. It's not like I've not gone someplace and you have stayed behind."

He felt her annoyance rise more when he said that than anything else. He grinned.

"Sweetheart, I'll be back tonight-"

She uncovered her face and sighed. "You won't. You'll be delayed."

He looked surprised, but then understood when she opened her eyes and he saw the flash of yellow. The Bad Wolf had arrived. He smiled.

"And here you are, smiling like a loon." The Bad Wolf insisted.

"I really need to talk to you." He grinned.

"So, you come and pick a fight with Rose-"

He shrugged his shoulders with a grin, "It's the easiest way."

"Yes, it is." She kissed him quickly on the lips and sat up straighter on the bed. "Oh, silk! I loved these sorts of gowns."

He watched her look at herself and rub her chest through the gown she wore. "Oh, and no knickers. I remember this."

She looked up to see the look of surprise on his face. She bit her lip and smiled at him. "We're the same you know. I'll let you-"

"No!" He insisted. He stood up and ran both of his hands through his hair.

She rolled her eyes. "We're the same-"

He put his hands on his hips and cleared his throat. "She….won't see it that way."

She rose her eyebrows. "She would. Imagine what I can do."

He considered it. Would Rose? Then he pointed at the Bad Wolf forcefully, "Focus. I need to talk to you about you sending these children back."

She clapped her hands together. "Oh, they are here! That's right!"

"Why are they here?"

"Boy, you are thick-"

He covered his face. "No. I mean….why this far back? The Vesuos problem. Could it be connected-"

"Of course it could. What you want to know: Is it connected?"

"Yes." He nodded his head. "That's what I need to know. And…can we even prevent this?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you can. Just the act of them coming back will prevent it now."

"But the file still has the report on it."

She looked surprised. "Hmmm…I suppose there is still something you need to do. And the Vesuos, isn't even your biggest problem."

"They aren't?"

She looked back at him and smiled. "No. Something much worse is at stake here. Something that can be fixed, now."

He crossed his arms and thought about what she had said. "Worse than a Vesuos."

"Much worse. You need to look in another direction. Something that is much more important to you."

"Personally. Me?" He groaned. "You could just tell me. Forget all of these….riddles and shit-"

"What's the fun in that?"

"This is your party!" He insisted.

"Oh my God! You sound like Stark!" She groaned.

He sighed. "There's something with him that-"

"Yes. He's with him. But, that's not all." She told him as she settled back into the sheets and got comfortable.

He crossed his arms and thought. "Tony. Tony Tyler. He needs me to-"

He looked back at her to see that she had fallen asleep. "Damn it." He groaned.

Sam began to cry from his cot.

"Damn it." He said again as he walked over to pick up his son.

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Tony Stark woke up lying on his side in the island bedroom. His arm was asleep from how he had curled it up under his pillow. He groaned and moved it so it would lay out straight. When the feeling had returned to his hand, he moved it down until he felt Pepper's head. He ran his fingers through her hair. Why was she laying so far away from him?

He opened his eyes and immediately saw why. Soler was curled up in front of Pepper, sound asleep. Her arm was draped across the little boy.

"Pepper." Tony whispered.

Pepper ran her hand across Soli's head, "Ummm?"

"When did he come in here?"

She didn't open her eyes. "I brought him in here when he came home. He was frightened to sleep on his own."

Tony watched the little boy sleep and couldn't help the smile that spread on his face. He ticked the Soler's nose with his fingertip, and the boy never moved.

"He's really out." Tony smiled.

Pepper opened her eyes and smacked Tony's hand. "Leave him alone and let him sleep! Bully."

He laughed under his breath. "So, is this going to become a thing?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Him. Sleeping in here?"

"Children sleep in the bed with their parents when they are frightened." Pepper explained.

"No, they don't. Well, in stories they do. But, not in real life."

Pepper looked confused. "Yes, they do."

He sat up and rested his hand on his cheek. "You're seriously going to tell me that you slept, in your grandfather's bed-"

She looked at him. "Well stop. You never slept in your parents' bed?"

"No."

"Even when you were scared?"

He thought, "No."

"What did you do then?"

"I would go in their room and Dad would turn me around and tell me to go back to bed. I wasn't allowed out of my room until morning."

Pepper sighed. "Tony, that's sad."

"No, that's normal."

"Well, that's not normal for me. It's important he feels safe. Even if he's not frightened, I am. I want him with us until we know this entire thing is over."

Soler took a deep breath and rolled over. She snuggled into Pepper's chest and continued to sleep.

Tony groaned, "Oh, that lucky kid. That's one of my favorite places."

Pepper smiled. "I'll let you snuggle into my breasts, anytime."

"Okay. If there's a vacancy."

She kissed Soli's head and climbed out of the bed. "I think you're jealous."

He watched her. "Where are you going?"

"To the restroom. Keep an eye on him." Pepper told him as she closed the bathroom door.

Tony lay back down and tickled the back of Soler's neck with his fingertips.

Soler waved his hand to slap whatever was bothering him away.

Tony grinned and propped his head up on his fist. He put his finger in his mouth and quickly stuck his wet finger in Soli's ear.

Soli jumped up and held his ear. "What was that?"

"Hey! You're awake! How did you sleep?"

Soli lay back down, rubbed his face, and yawned.

Tony smiled, "That good, huh?"

The little boy snuggled into Tony's chest.

Tony wrapped his arm around him and kissed his head. "You know you're safe, don't you?"

Soli laid his tiny arm across Tony's waist. "As long as I'm with you or the Quauthin."

He held him tightly in both of his arms. "Tell me why you got so upset when you saw the Veusos in our penthouse."

"I had seen him before."

Tony kissed the little boy's head. "Where?"

"On the ship. My father's ship. The one that was so mean."

"What was he doing there?"

"He wanted to buy me. He tried to take me, but my father hid me in my power box."

"A power box?" Tony tried to understand.

"He said it would make the power shock the Vesuous. That's what he would do to make it work. I didn't know how to make it work like I do know."

Pepper came out of the bathroom and lay back down in the bed with them. Tony continued to hold Soler tightly in his arms.

"It was a metal box, so it made the power bounce around. Then you could absorb it quicker. Am I right?"

"I don't want to go back in a box, Tony. I know you won't make me do that."

Pepper ran her hand across Soler's head. "Nobody is going to make you do that, Soli."

Tony bit his lip as he worked it out. "How long would you have to stay in this box, man?"

Soler rubbed his eyes. "I don't know. Once, I was there for a long time. Then I woke up and saw you."

"That's when you had gotten hurt. You were in the hospital."

Soler nodded his head. "Yes. It had happened before, but….I just remember everything going…blank."

"Did it hurt?"

The little boy thought, "I don't remember."

Pepper kissed the top of Soli's head. He looked back at her and smiled.

Tony rolled over and opened the drawer next to the bed. He pulled something out and rolled back over. "Here, Soli. I have something for you."

Soli lay back down in Tony's arms. Tony held the gift out so that Soli could see it. "This is a called a pocket watch. You can tell what time it is. Where, Terra is at, as it spins around."

"When it spins all the way around, it's been a day and a night." Soler smiled.

Tony kissed his head. "That's right. This, is a special watch that I want you to keep with you all of the time."

"Why is it special?"

"Because it is yours. I'm giving it to you. It was my….father's father. We call that a grandfather. In your case, you would call him your great grandfather. And he was a great guy. So, that's perfect. But, if you open the watch, just click it on the side there."

Soli clicked the button and the pocket watch opened. Inside was a picture of Mageer. Soli's eyes lit up. "That's my father! The one who loved me!"

Pepper lay down with her head on the pillow with them so she could see. "Tony! Where did you get that?"

"I printed it from the ship's recording of when he spoke to Soli." Tony pointed at the picture. "He's smiling in this because that is when he first saw you. After all of that time. That's….the look he had….when he realized you were okay."

Soli smiled. "He looks so happy."

"I know how he feels. I'm that happy when I know you are okay."

Soli saw some writing on other side of the watch. "What does this say?"

Tony took the watch and showed Soli how to unfold it. "This is a special watch because it you can tell time with it, and put pictures in it. My grandfather put my Dad's picture in one side, and his wife's in the other side. Then he could tell what time it was, here in the middle. I took those pictures out because you don't know those people. But, he had this engraved in here. He did that when he gave it to me."

"What does it say?" Soler asked.

"It says, 'If ever there is there is a tomorrow when we're not together. There is always something you must remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. But, the most important thing is even if we are apart, I'll always be with you.' You need to know that, Soli. That's all of the best parts of Mageer, that you have too. You are brave, strong and smart. I'll teach you to read this, and understand what it says. But, that's what I think about when I see that. You, and your father."

Soler smiled and looked up at Tony. "This is great. Thank you, Tony!"

Pepper smiled at him. "Tony, this is so sweet."

Soli showed it to Pepper. "I love it! Did you see it?"

"I did." She smiled at him.

"But, Tony. Can I have a picture of you?"

"Why do you want a picture of me?"

"I can put it on the other side. That way, it's like you are saying that to me, too."

Tony looked back at Pepper, who raised her eyebrows. "Don't look at me. The only picture of you that I have, I had to steal from your Mom."

Tony chuckled. "Oh geez. This family of mine." He rolled over and looked in the drawer next to the bed. He pulled out his wallet and lay back on the bed.

Pepper teased as she watched him go through it. "You have a picture of yourself in your wallet? Narcissism at its finest."

He laughed as he pulled a small picture out of his wallet. "Here Soli, I'll let you have this one."

Soler handed him the pocket watch and Tony folded the picture so it would fit. "This is me and Pepper. We were at a ….thing, about six years ago." He handed the watch with the picture in it, back to Soli. "See, she wore a red dress and was so beautiful that night."

Soli looked at the picture. Tony was wearing a bow tie and Pepper's red hair was down. They were both laughing at the camera. She was hugging his arm.

Pepper looked at the picture. "I don't even remember this."

He rubbed his face and cleared his throat, "It was in a magazine. People or Life or something. I called and asked if they would print me a copy. I've carried in my wallet since."

She smiled at him and whispered, "Stalker."

He laughed and kissed Soler's head. "How's that then? Me, Pepper, where you are in the world, and Mageer."

"In your father's father's watch. This is great! It's the Father Watch!"

Tony laughed. "I guess it is."

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