The Littlest Time Lord
Chapter Three: Without You

Rose smiled as she pressed a kiss to her sweet boy's forehead, "It's just for a few days, Shareen's having the baby any day now, and I promised I'd be there. Just come back at the end of the week."

"Mummy," whimpered the four year old as he reached up for his mother.

"Shh, sweetie, you're going to have lots of fun with daddy, aren't you," she said glancing back at her husband who quickly forced a smile. The Doctor was about as happy to see his wife leaving them for a week as their young son was. "Okay, I have to go, you two be good," she kissed her husband before handing off their son and leaving the TARDIS.

The Doctor met two big blue eyes; they instantly clouded with tears, lower lip beginning to tremble. "Hey now, come on, I'm not that bad am I?" questioned the Doctor as he gently bounced his four year old son against his hip.

Instantly a scream ripped through the TARDIS. The doctor pulled back slightly looking at the screaming child. Normally Rose cared for their son during one of his temper tantrums, of course—now her being absent was the whole reason for his tantrum.

Still bouncing the little boy he began to walk around the TARDIS, with every intention of trying to get the boy a nice nap. The Doctor smiled at a sudden fond memory. They'd known they were in big trouble with this little fella when started arguing about naptime at the age of three. The Doctor, however, had pulled seniority saying he was far too old to deal with cranky little boys and demanded the child's bedtime was standard time.

Seeing that they were heading for the nursery/bedroom, the four year old decided he hated that idea as much as his mother leaving and began to really fight against the Time Lord. The Doctor simply groaned at a well placed kick and held his son closer, hoping human contact would stop his temper tantrum. "Jack, there's no need for this, your mum is going to be before you know it," The Doctor explained as he set the child down on his bed and began to get him changed.

"Mummy!" cried the child as he curled up on his bed, tears still streaming down his face.

"What did I do to deserve this," mumbled the Doctor as he reached out and gently wiped the damp hair from the boy's face, "See you're getting all worked up and now you're tired. Come here son," The Doctor lifted the pajama clad boy into his arms, holding him like he had when Jack was a baby and started to hum a soft lullaby he'd heard Rose sing at some point or another.

"Miss Mummy," whimpered the child as he rubbed at his eyes with his chubby little fists.

The Doctor quickly grabbed them, "Don't rub son, it won't help, just close your eyes and relax, I'm here."

It was some time later that the Time Lord realized his young son had drifted off to sleep, deciding to stay close to the little boy; he curled his arms around him, and allowed sleep to take him over as he gave his son some much needed comfort.

The week didn't turn out to be as bad as The Doctor had feared; Jack had his 'mummy moments' when he would cry until he had nothing left to cry and fell asleep, but for the most part the little boy delighted in being with his daddy.

Even at one point, the Doctor chose to go all out and be as human as he could, he ordered pizza, popped in The Lion King and sat down on the couch, completely relaxed in a set of jeans and a t-shirt. Next to him: in identical jeans and t-shirt sat Jack, slouching like his father, leaning against his daddy's side and watching the movie, while eating pizza.

Looking down shortly after Mufasa's death, the Doctor was surprised to see his son burying his face in his side. "Hey kiddo, what's wrong" The Doctor wasn't sure when he'd gone from Time Lord and Doctor to daddy, but it certainly had happened quickly.

"Daddy—you're not gonna die are you?" Big blue eyes, with goofy ears and a goofy nose met his chocolate brown ones.

The Doctor grinned and pulled his son into his lap, dropping a kiss to the boy's silky sandy hair, "Not any time soon no. Don't worry son, the movie gets better," son on father's lap the two finished the movie, but not before the small boy was fast asleep curled against his father.

"So much for no Domestics," mumbled the Doctor as he spread out on the living room's couch, his son in his arms.

It was the morning when they were supposed to pick Rose up, the Doctor was diligently trying to give his son a bath that the child was strictly set against. The little boy craned his neck back and looked up at the Doctor with those big blue eyes.

Suddenly he began to whimper and squirm as the shampoo began to get into his eyes. He reached his hands to try and rub it, however, they were also covered in soap, "No, wait, here," the Time Lord gently wiped the suds away from his little eyes, as the boy breathed quickly from the burning. Sighing he removed shirt and hurriedly rinsed the rest of the soap suds from the little boy's hair. He then grabbed a large blue fluffy towel and looked at the young boy, "stand please," he directed. As told, the boy stood, extending his arms to the Doctor.

With a soft smile he lifted the boy into his arms and pulled him close, wrapping the towel around him. With a sigh, Jack leaned his head against the Doctor's shoulder. Legs wrapped around his waist, and arms about his neck. The morning only went down hill from there.

Rose smiled as the TARDIS stood where she'd left a week ago and opened the door. Closing it behind her she looked around, "Hullo?" she called.

"MUMMY!" came a gleeful squeal.

Rose let out a loud giggle as her four year old son; butt naked and covered in chocolate came running towards her. Unsure of what else to do she swept him up in her arms and planted a kiss on his chocolaty cheek. "Oh my, what did we get into?" she grinned as she held him against her hip.

"Good chocolate mama!" he cheered.

"Jackson Peter Tyler!" came the Doctor's annoyed roar through the hallways.

Rose had to contain further laughter as her husband, clad only in blue jeans—also covered in chocolate came running into the consol room. His hair was sticking up in every direction and his chest heaving from the obvious run he'd just had.

"Rose?" the Doctor smiled at her.

"Hi Sweetheart, glad to see you handled everything," she chuckled as she placed a well directed kiss against his cheek, completely unrepentant as she licked some of the chocolate off his cheek.

"Okay, he got into the cupboards, this is my fault—believe it or not an hour ago he was completely bathed and I was getting ready to dress him, then he ran from me—and well here we are," huffed the Doctor as dropped in for another kiss.

"Oh, Jack, are you giving daddy trouble?" she grinned as she pressed a kiss to his temple.

"Love Mummy!" he grinned as he wrapped his sticky chocolate covered hands around her neck.

"I love you too," she laughed, "Come on Time Prince, I think it's time to get you washed up again and into some clothes, you're a bit old to be running around in the buff."

"Daddy!" cried the boy as he held his hands out to the Doctor.

"What?"

"Want daddy!" the child stretched, practically falling out of his father's arms.

Not knowing what else to do, the Doctor accepted the boy into his arms and smile, "Now you want me, where was this attitude a week ago, huh?" The Doctor mumbled as he carried the child back into the depths of the TARDIS.

Rose looked up and around her and smiled, "I want to see the films girl," she joked to the TARDIS; she could feel the old girl laughing along with her. Gently patting one of the consoles, Rose disappeared into her depths as well to help her wayward husband with their even more way ward son.