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Chapter 3 - House Planning

As soon as he stepped into the hallway, he heard her. "Daddy!"

He turned and saw Genie running up to him. Tony and Jacob right behind her. He managed to catch all three of them and pick them up in his arms.

"Good thing you lot are so small!" he said as he laughed down at their faces.

Pete joined them.

"Finally awake, then?"

"Yeah. And fully rested up. I can't believe I lost an entire day!"

Genie spoke to him. "I was worried about you."

Tony said, "I came and read Hamlet to you."

He looked down at their faces. "Don't worry about me. It's my job to worry about you. And you really read me, Hamlet? Well done, Tony!"

Tony beamed.

Jacob spoke. "I didn't know what you liked Doctor John. So, I just sat there and kept you company."

The Doctor couldn't believe the child had spoken to him. He had always been so shy. "That's alright, Jacob the Quiet. I could tell you were there. I appreciate it."

Pete stood in front of the Doctor and listened to the children.

Tony grabbed the Doctor's face. "Guess what brother! Today is my birthday! I'm four! Finally!"

"Four! Wow! Does it feel different than when you were three?" the Doctor teased him.

"Oh, it does." Tony smiled and nodded his head.

Pete and the Doctor laughed at the boy.

Genie looked at him. "I've been four for a while. It's not bad. I'll be five next. Then I'll be older than you again."

The Doctor and Pete smiled at Genie. He was thrilled they seemed to be getting along so well.

"What are we doing for your birthday my little brother?" the Doctor asked him.

"Well, Rose told everyone that since you were sleeping, we needed to postpone the football game with the Secret Service until today."

The Doctor got excited and looked up at Pete. "Really?!"

Pete laughed, "Yes. At 11:00 today. I was coming up here to see if you were up yet."

"Oh... I love that Rose Tyler!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Genie and Jacob, are you going to play?"

Both of them shook their heads. Genie told him, "I'll come down with Rose and cheer for you, Daddy."

He kissed all three of them on the foreheads and sat them back down on the floor. They ran down the hall.

Pete slapped the Doctor on the back. Got a minute?

The Doctor rubbed his chin and said, "Actually, I have eight and a half. Rose is proper pissed at me at the moment and told me she didn't even want to see me for ten minutes."

Pete laughed. "The old 'ten-minute' thing. Oh yes. Jacks does the same thing. Granted, she's really cheesed off at me. It might be closer to ten days."

"What have you done?" the Doctor asked.

"I didn't wake her up when Tony was gone. She feels like I should have. Maybe I should. I just wanted to know what we were dealing with before I told her. She doesn't see it that way."

The Doctor ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah, mate. I totally understand that. I'm playing a similar tune. Let's go find something to eat and have a chat. I'm starving."

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Pete sat and had tea while the Doctor ate his way through eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast.

Harriett Jones had returned the day before to Great Britain, but Caroline was there. The First Lady sat with them at the table having coffee while the Doctor ate.

Pete sipped his tea as he spoke. "Rose tells me you are planning on building a house and living on that island you bought."

Caroline looked surprised. "Wow. How marvelous! A private island?"

The Doctor nodded his head. "Yes. Completely away from everyone and everything. Someplace Rose can be safe. Go outside without fear of photographers or worse. I think I know what you are going to say, Pete. You don't like me having Rose so far away. You want her closer."

Pete shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sure you understand my concern. You have a little girl in your care now as well. I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm not implying anything of that sort-"

The Doctor straightened up in the chair and wiped his mouth. "Nah, I get it. I do. I didn't even think about that when I bought that island. You're right, Pete. But, I think I have a solution we both can live with."

Pete lay his hands on the table. "I like solutions."

"I'll make you a watch. You, Howie, and all of the Quauhtin. It will make us more accessible than if we even lived in London with you."

Pete laughed under his breath and rubbed his chin. "Hmm... a gizmo watch? Could I bring Jacks with me?"

The Doctor smiled and nodded. "Oh yes. And Howie could bring Caroline. I might need another trim."

He winked at Caroline, who smiled and drank her coffee.

"I'll make the ladies one, but as-"

"Nah. Jack's would never use it."

Caroline said. "Thank you, John, but I wouldn't use it either."

"Alright, Doc." Pete said, "I could live with that. Okay. But, another thing. How are you going to get this house built? You can't be there all of the time. You need to hire a foreman or a property manager to oversee things. I can recommend a few companies I know that can build it for you. And fast. But, you can't pop in and out every day. It usually will go better if someone is there all of the time."

The Doctor leaned into the table. "That's a great point, Pete. I hadn't thought about that. Jake couldn't do it. He's too busy with everything else."

Pete waved the suggestion away. "Nah, I'm talking about a completely new guy. Howie has one in mind. He says he is perfect for the job. And he might be interested in staying on after it's built to help you with whatever. He's in the CIA here. Young man. Good man. No family. Honest to a fault. He told Howie he was a pain in the ass because he drinks too much."

The Doctor laughed under his breath. "What a recommendation!"

Pete laughed. "Yes. You need to have someone honest when it comes to something like this, though. Someone who will stand up and fight for you if you aren't there. He would do that."

"Do you know him?"

Pete shook his head. "No. Never met him. Howie can have him here this afternoon before you guys leave on the Bullet though. Want me to arrange it?"

The Doctor shrugged his shoulders. "Sure!"

Pete slapped the table and smiled. "Good, because I already have."

The Doctor laughed. "Well played, Grandfather."

Pete crossed his arms and laughed. "You're right. I love being a Grandfather. That Genie is wonderful. To quote your favorite author, 'Though she be little, she is fierce'!"

"Oh boy. Dare I ask?"

Pete beamed. "Let's just say, she fits in perfectly with these other Tyler women. Woo. Your work is cut out for you, Daddy."

The Doctor lifted his teacup with a confused look on his face.

Rose walked into the residence. She was wearing an embroidered cotton sundress. It was light blue with a scoop neck and no sleeves. The waist was gathered together with a thin strip of cloth. The Doctor didn't remember ever seeing her wear it before. Her hair was in a long braid down her back. He rubbed his beard as he watched her walk into the room. His brain had completely shorted out again.

Pete saw her, "Hey honey! I was just talking to the Doctor about the house. We have it all worked out."

"Oh, good." she said.

Caroline asked, "Would you like something to eat, Rose?"

Rose sat down next to the Doctor and poured her a cup of tea. "No thanks, just some tea."

She looked at the Doctor. He cleared his throat as he collected himself again. "By my count, it's been 19 minutes and 43.2 seconds. Are you still cross?"

"Yes. But, we'll talk about that later."

The Doctor laughed under his breath. He drank some of his tea. "Cross or not, you look beautiful. I love that dress. Is it new?"

Rose smiled at him. "I know what you're doing."

Pete pulled a notebook over to himself. "I called an architect to come to meet with you tomorrow after you return to London. We also will have Melissa's funeral on Thursday. I figure one day and get all of it done would be easier on Genie. What do you think, Doc?"

"Yes. I agree. Good thought. What's on the notebook?"

Pete looked down at it. "We all brainstormed last night with Rose about what you guys would need in a house. I hope you don't mind. We didn't have anything else to do."

"Nah, that's okay. What did you come up with?"

Pete shook his head and handed Rose the paper. "I can't read Rose's handwriting once it gets cold."

Rose looked up at him. "Yeah, right, Dad. It looks just like yours!"

Pete and the Doctor laughed at her.

Rose looked at the paper. "Okay. Well. This is just brainstorming. You might not agree with everything, maybe want to omit or add to anything. Dad suggested we have this before we meet with the architect."

The Doctor nodded. "Okay."

Rose stopped and put her hand on his forearm. "This isn't going to freak you out, is it?"

He smiled at her. "Not at all. I'm anxious to finally be living on that island. It's my island of solitude."

Rose smiled. "Okay, well Genie helped with this. Keep that in mind. First of all, I'd like a big bedroom that overlooks the ocean."

The Doctor said, "Yes. With a balcony, so we can walk out and see the stars. Private balcony. Not connected to anything. With a sitting area similar to here. But, with a fireplace. Bathroom with a big shower and a deep bathtub, like back in your old room at the Tyler mansion."

Rose looked surprised. "Wow. You have thought about this."

"Oh! And a closet that is bigger on the inside. Just mark that as a regular closet though. I'll fix it to be bigger on the inside for you. I promised you I would do that back before the other house burnt."

Rose made notes as Pete looked confused. "What? Bigger on the inside?"

The Doctor sipped his tea. "Yeah, like the box I had the boys in the other night. Same technology."

Pete smiled. "Really! We should market that!"

The Doctor shook his head. "No. That one is not for these apes. No way."

Pete laughed under his breath.

Rose returned to her list.

"Okay, then we also need a bedroom for Genie. You also said you wanted one for Tony there. I'm thinking about three guest rooms."

The Doctor stopped. "No, we need more than that. Plus, I want to have another room that all of the children can be in together if they want to be. They shouldn't be alone if they don't want to be. I imagine Jacob will be there often as well."

Caroline smiled. "I imagine so."

Pete interjected. "You also need to keep other children in mind in case you have some of your own."

The Doctor and Rose looked at one another. Rose blushed.

The Doctor rubbed his beard. "Well, hey. I've not thought about that."

Rose lay her hand on his arm. 'Can we even have children together? Me and you?'

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see why not. Susan and David did."

Pete looked confused, "Who's Susan and David?"

The Doctor looked up at him. He had forgotten he was sitting there. "Someone I used to know."

He took a lollipop out of his pocket and put it in his mouth.

Rose went back to the list, she could tell he needed to get his mind off of Susan.

"Okay, so that's it for the children's rooms."

The Doctor spoke "Put down that the children need an indoor playroom. That way they can play when it's raining outside. It can be a closet-shaped thing and I'll make it bigger on the inside so they will have plenty of room. Tony loves football and who knows what Genie will get into."

Rose continued. "Okay, of course, a sitting room."

"Big sitting room with a fireplace and tall ceilings, that empties onto a deck that connects to a pool. It overlooks the ocean. That way we can sit by the pool, watch the children, and see the ocean."

Rose smiled and made notes. The Doctor made himself and Rose another cup of tea.

Rose said, "Kitchen. I have no idea."

The Doctor said, "Big kitchen! With two ovens. An island in the middle. I like to cook now that I have the time. You can learn a lot from cooking, too. Lots of maths in that. Genie would love that."

"You know how to cook?" Pete asked him.

The Doctor nodded his head. "Yeah. I just rarely have had the time."

Pete thought for a minute. "Maths. Have you thought about what you will do for Genie's school?"

The Doctor pointed at Pete. "I have. But I need to talk to Rose about that first."

Pete said, "Fair enough!"

Rose continued, "Okay, kitchen done. Now, you need an office."

"An office? Why?"

"Why? You don't think so?"

"Nah, I'd rather have a workshop. But, I'll have to keep the door locked. I don't want Genie in there unless I am. Things could get saucey. I wouldn't say no to lead plating in that room. I'll end up making it bigger. But, it needs a garage door."

Rose laughed, "Saucey? Okay."

"You are the one that needs an office, Rose Tyler. Put that on the list. Miss Nobel Prize nominee."

Rose rolled her eyes and wrote it on the list. The Doctor leaned over and looked at what she wrote.

"Needs a garage door." he reminded her.

"Right. Wait why?"

"I used to have an antique roadster. Bright yellow, roadster that I called Bessie. I totally tricked her out. I miss that old car. I'd like to find another one and do it again."

Rose was surprised. "I didn't know that. I never saw it."

"Yeah, I was buried in the TARDIS someplace. I think. I really don't know what ever happened to her. Do they have antique roadsters here, Pete?"

Pete smiled, "Oh, I'm sure. What did you do to it to trick it out?"

He ran his hand through his hair and thought. "I had an anti-theft force field on it. It magnetically trapped anyone that tried to steal her. I could also drive her using a remote control. That came in handy, more than once. It also had a minimum inertia hyperdrive. Einstein helped me with that. He loved it! That car would drive at a breakneck speed and then come to a sudden stop all at once! Like a roller coaster without rails!"

"No one ever flew through the windshield?" Pete asked in shock.

"Nah. I had the brakes absorb all of the inertia. So, it was safe. So much fun! I overtook Bridgadier's Land Rover once. He wouldn't ride in my car."

Pete sat with his arms crossed, "Hell, do you blame him?"

Rose looked at him and smiled. "Sounds like something you would do right after you came back to Earth."

He pointed at her, "I know what you are on about, woman. There's a lot more to that story than you know."

Rose laughed and returned to the notebook. "A big dining room, so Mum, Dad, Howie, Caroline and Harriet can all come for dinner."

"Yes. Write down that I need to make Harriet a watch as well. Just in the side there."

Rose smiled, "Okay. What else?"

He thought, "Well, we have the pool. We also need a library. Like we had on the TARDIS. But, with a table in the center of the room. We also need a dock for a sailboat, because I'll get one of those. I love to sail. Oh! And apartments for Shakes and his guys. Pete! I've been meaning to ask you about that. Shakes and his guys work for Torchwood. Shouldn't I be paying them since they are protecting us?"

Pete shook his head. "No, let me continue doing that. It gives me a tax break for Torchwood."

"Oh, right. I didn't think of that."

"Just give them a place to live and we'll be fair." Pete smiled.

The Doctor pointed at him. "Got it. Put six apartments for them. Four for Shakes and the guys, and two extras for whatever we might need. You think, Pete?"

Pete nodded. "Yeah, at least two. If you get a property manager, he will take one. And that will leave another one."

"That's true. Good idea."

Rose looked at the list. "Okay, that's it?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No. We're missing something. Let me see." He looked over it and rubbed his beard.

"Oh! I'm thick! A workout room. For you, Rose! It might be raining when you want to go run. Put three treadmills in there!"

"Three? Shakes and I are the only ones that I know that run."

"Well, I can run. I used to. I just haven't in a while. I can now that I feel better." he told her.

"Really?" she said through a smile.

"Yeah, but don't make fun of me if I fall flat on my face. It's been a while, Rose. A long while."

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