Conference

The Conference consisted of Mickey Smith, Liz Smith, The Doctor, Captain Fallen, Engineer Walt and Jackie and Pete Tyler who had come over as well.
"Okay so facts. Facts, facts, factetyfacts, facts, FACTS!" Said the Doctor, in contemplation as he leaned back on a handy chair.
"He hasnt changed much has he!" Murmured Jackie, but subsided when the Time Lord raised his eyebrow at her. Now was so not the time for funnies, or maybe it was and he just wasnt in the mood for them, the Doctor didn't know. He had to concentrate on the matter at hand,
"Fact One: Nafficilon abducted Rose Tyler now after nearly fifteen or so years. Why"
"Easy. Revenge." Offered Mickey. The Doctor shook his head.
"Then why not do it before now? When she'd be more accessible. I take it an Ambassador has her own escort these days, secured arrangements that kind of thing." Said the Doctor, directing his questions at Captain Fallen who nodded sheepishly.
"Much good they did us." He mumbled, still blaming himself for the incident.
"Fact two: There was no way he was working alone on this - so we need to know who it was who set this up"
"And why." This was Mickey again. "We already know why. He kidnapped Rose to get to me. Which means, its either someone with a grudge against me in this world or"
"Or what?" Asked Pete, intrigued and more then a little concerned.
"Or else it's my Auntie Vasey wanting back the ten quid I borrowed two hundred years back." Quipped the Doctor, obviously not wanting to share.
"Doctor.." Began Pete, warningly, not willing to accept anything less then everything the Doctor knew or thought he knew.
The Doctor ignored him entirely, and pressed on.
"Fact three: the meet takes place tomorrow, in a well open space with little chance for concealement. These, ladies and gents are the facts." Finished the Doctor dramatically.
"And?" Prompted Mickey.
"And what?" The Doctor had dropped down into his chair, with his hands steepled in front of him, thinking hard. At Mickey's words he lifted his head, eyes curious.
"And whats the plan? How're we going to stuff this guy's plan up?" He demanded, getting a little standoffish - this wasn't the Doctor he remembered at all.
"We don't. We make the exchange without trying to pull any tricks." He replied simply.
"You WHAT!" Now Jackie jumped up out of her seat.
"This is Rose's LIFE we're discussing! This Nafficilon will have no qualms about killing her, he may try it anyway, but he won't succeed. If I'm right about the sponsor thing, he'll take me right to their lair and I can confront them head on. But I will NOT risk Rose Tyler's life for anything or anyone! Is that understood!" His eyes were blazing, but his voice remained quiet.
"What you think she's going to just stand by and watch you hand yourself over to the enemy, that it?" This was from Fallen who looked up now, and joined the discussion.
"No. If she's anything like my Rose Tyler she'll want to fight tooth and nail. Which is why you and Mickey and Pete are going to make sure she keeps walking. Got it!" The Doctor sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, a sure sign of his agitation.
"But what if "
"I'm a big boy. The worst happens, I regenerate. Can you say the same about Rose? Can you?" He asked them all, locking eyes with each of them one at a time. They all looked away first.
"Dismissed." Said the Time Lord and strode from the room, not entirely missing Laura-Rose's door closing surriptiously just before he came into the corridor. He allowed himself a small smile at her furtiveness, mentally comparing her to himself at that age. Definately a chip of the old genetic strand.

He went for a walk, and sat down a fair distance away from the spaceport where they'd just met up, and took out a battered old wallet.
Inside was the pyschic paper but behind that was a photo of him and Rose laughing on the beach at San Deiros Quiattros Major. A beautiful planet, where the weather was perfectly controlled, he'd taken them there for a holiday following the events at the Olympics 2012.
They looked like they'd been together forever, never been apart. He smiled at the memory.
"She looks happy there." He looked up startled, and saw Jimmy Tyler leaning over and looking at the photo.
"Yeah. It was a good day that. No running, as I recall." Said the Doctor, passing the wallet over.
"Where is that? Tahiti?" Jimmy asked handing it back.
"Nah. I dont do Tahiti. Thats a little planet I know, where half the coastline is pure white sandy beach. I took your mother there as a holiday once, after she got me out of a drawing." He explained, stuffing the wallet back into a handy pocket.
"We were listening, Laura-Rose and me." Revealed Jimmy, hands stuffed in his pockets.
"I know. What did you think?" The Doctor was about to put his own hands into his pockets, then decided he'd best not look as if he was patronising his son.
"I think you'd die before you let anything happen to mom"
"You're right." Said his father.
"This doesnt make it right you know. Between you and me. You still have alot of explanation and alot of... well you know. Don't expect me to call you Dad or nothing"
"Anything." Corrected the Time Lord, eyes twinkling.
"Well just don't expect it yeah? Cos Im not Louise-Rose." Countered Jimmy.
The Doctor nodded gravely.
"For a start you'd look silly in a skirt." He deadpanned. Jimmy laughed, and his father laughed with him.
"What do you think they'll do?" Asked Jimmy when the laughter had faded.
"Try and interfere. They'll step in and try to stop Nafficilion taking off, or sabatoge the exchange in some way. And if I know Mickey, they'll probably try and stop me crossing over at all"
"But you won't let them? Why not?" Impressed that his father was actually talking to him like an adult and not some kid, Jimmy was intrigued to know why.
"Because even if they do succeed it won't lessen the danger to Rose. Whoever is behind this, knew what it would take to get me here, and they'll just keep trying till they get what they want. And what they want is me. Mind you it's always nice to be wanted don't you think!" He tried to lighten the mood, but it failed.
"I'll be fine." Assured the Doctor.
"You should be getting back to your sister." He pointed out, when Jimmy didn't seem to want to move, or to talk.
"Yeah. Well so should you. I mean, we're YOUR responsibility whilst Mom is away." Countered Jimmy.
The Doctor rose, and shook out his coat.
"Do you know, you're absolutely right." He said, and followed Jimmy back to base.

"So we're agreed then? The plan is good to go?" Asked Mickey Smith, in a lowered voice. The others nodded.
"What plan is that then?" Asked the Doctor, coming in with Jimmy and Laura-Rose in tow.
"The plan to cook dinner tonight." Smoothed out Liz, standing up.
"Ah now, you shouldn't be overexerting yourself -" Started the Doctor.
"Yeah, I'll do the cooking.." Offered Jackie Tyler "Anything I can do to help Liz?" Asked the Doctor, changing tack completely.
"Oi!" Said Jackie, indignantly.
"No offence!" Said the Time Lord hurriedly, not wanting another Jackie Tyler slap.
Jimmy snickered, and Laura-Rose tried to maintain a neutral expression.
"Oh right, all gang up on me then." Said the Doctor in mock defeat.

In the end Jackie, the Doctor and Liz all helped cook the dinner which turned out to be a risotto stew. And Jackie made the Doctor have three helpings.
Which Pete thought was hilarious, until he had to do the same.
It was getting late and time for bed, but the Doctor declined the use of a bedroom.

"Don't you sleep then?" Asked Laura-Rose as he escorted her to her makeshift room.
"Occassionally. Don't really like it though." He repled.
"Do you have nightmares?" She whispered.
"Sometimes. Here we are then." He said, evasively and opened the door for her.
"See you in the morning Laura-Rose"
"Nite Dad." She said and gave him a peck on the cheek. He looked pleasantly surprised, and watched her disappear into her room.

"Good night Doctor." Said Jimmy, and shut his own door from across the hallway.
"Goodnight Jimmy."

The Doctor went back to the kitchen like area and made a fresh pot of tea. He had a plan to formulate.

"Soon, my dear, you'll be back with your precious family." Nafficlion was crowing, and Rose was getting very bored, very quickly.
"Good to hear, don't know what you've been doing in here but something stinks... oh wait thats you. Ever heard of a bath?" She sniped from her position on the bed.
With hands and legs tied there was little she could move, but from what she'd understood from the communications she'd overheard in the last four hours, Nafficilon was under strict orders not to harm her. Good to know, she thought, but that didn't help her out of these ropes - or stop her worrying about what was going to happen to the Doctor when he did arrive tomorrow afternoon.
Would he hate her for keeping the children a secret from him? How was he getting on with them right now? What was he thinking right now!??!

So many questions, no answers to be had, she would simply have to wait and see what her fates would determine for her. God she hated this helplessness!

Mickey entered the dimly lit kitchen, and sat down opposite the Doctor, who seemed to have been waiting for him all this time.
"Doctor"
"Mickey"
"I figured you know.. that we should like.. talk ... about stuff." He faltered unsure of what to say, how to express the words.
"About the fact Rose kept the fact about her being pregnant a secret? Or about the fact you helped her to decieve me?" He spoke quietly, but once again, Mickey could feel the steel edge of the words, the grating hard emotion behind the words.
"I've been a father all this time. And I never knew it"
"I wanted to tell you. I wanted Rose to tell you, but she swore me to secrecy"
"Well that's alright then, Mickey. That's just fine, isn't it. Because I obviously shouldn't have had a say in any of this... nothing to do with me at all!" He thundered suddenly, making Mickey jump.
"What was I suppose to do? Tell you? Then what! Tell me Doctor what would you have done!" Now Mickey was shouting back at the Time Lord.
"I would've STAYED! I would have told the Universe to look after itself and I WOULD HAVE STAYED"
"And gone mad with boredom! You're a traveller Doctor - never staying put for "
"I was married once Mickey, I had kids, a family back on Gallifrey. I was happy, the most happiest man alive - and then.. and then..." He broke off suddenly, emotionally drained, not wanting to go there.
But Mickey knew the ending to this story.
"Until the Daleks came." He finished, sombrely.
"They were amongst the first casulties. Burned alive, as the Capitol burned around us. So don't tell me I wouldn't have settled down... because I would've... I would've..." The Doctor turned his face away, into shadow.
Mickey stood up and made tea, handing a cup to the Time Lord, who still sat silently.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Said Mickey honestly.
"I know. I know you are Mickey - thank you." Said the Doctor.
"For what?" He was confused, first the anger and now the gratitude?
"For being there for Rose. For helping her, for loving her when I couldn't. They're great aren't they." He grinned then, the smile not quite reaching his eyes though, noted Mickey.
"Yeah, they are. Although Jimmy can be a little rebel without a cause sometimes. And Laura-Rose has this mischievious streak... she's almost as bad as that time you had me pressing that button for half an hour!" Mickey took a sip of tea, watching carefully as the Doctor did the same.
"Who would have thought it though.. me a dad." Mused the Doctor, obviously taken with the idea.
"Yeah. I would've thought one Doctor was more then enough for any Universe! But three!!" Grinned Mickey.
"Know what you mean. Do they have Gallifreyan physiology then?" He questioned.
"We think so... its kind of a mishmash." Said Mickey, watching as the Time Lord drained his cup.
"About sums me up.." He swayed suddenly, his vision going blurry.
"What... oh no Mickey.. not you.." He murmured, understanding in an instant what had been done.
"Just something to help you sleep Doctor. Promise." Mickey's words were the last thing he heard as a blanket of velvet darkness engulfed him.