Ch 28
John had just closed the folder when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. He could tell by the way they sounded it was sadly not Rose coming to repeat their last encounter.
Instead it was Pete. He made no attempt to hide the folder as the other man approached. And Pete, for his side, didn't seem to be surprised to see it, "interesting reading?" he asked casually, taking a seat next to John.
"From a strictly clinical approach, yes," John nodded slowly, tapping the closed folder once, "but it doesn't satisfy much otherwise."
"What else do you want to know?" Pete smiled softly.
"Let's start with the simple stuff," John opened the folder again, "life expectancy? I mean I'm assuming that since I was born an adult I won't exactly get a full life."
Pete leaned back hands on his knees, "the problem with that question is you are the first of your kind. So there is no definitive answer on that. Time Lords have, from what we've been able to gather, extended life spans possible within each regeneration. One body can last them a hundred years or more, but there's that human element to figure in, and well," he shook his head, "we don't live as long."
Taking a deep breath Pete continued, "and I know The Doctor said you're a human with a Time Lord brain, but he wasn't exactly correct. You are not strictly human, you have those extra ribs, for example."
Pete could tell his words were doing nothing to help John feel less in the dark about himself. He wished he had the answers to his questions, but nothing contained in the file folder did more than just add to it.
Rising he started to leave, "you can keep that, just stash it someplace safe," he pointed at the folder, "I trust most of my employees with my life, but yours might be a different matter."
He got a few steps away and turned back around, "oh, one more thing, I hope you and Rose have been playing safely," he curled his fingers into quotes, "I can't say for sure, but based on the tests it looks like you could get her up the duff."
John frowned, confused at what it was Pete was trying to tell him.
"I think, if you haven't been already," Pete clarified, "you should wrap it going forward." Seeing that his second attempt to explain had not been any more successful Pete went for broke, "if you don't take precautions, you could make me a grandfather."
Finally catching on John first smiled with relief at getting what Pete had been trying to tell him, then as the realisation set in, his smile dropped and he went a bit pale.
By the time Rose got home, dishevelled, dripping with sweat and carrying bags upon bags, while Jackie held nothing but her cigarette and her mobile phone, John was waiting for her anxiously.
He waited until she dumped the packages on the floor with a thud and Derrick brought her a cool drink before taking her aside. She listened with a frown as he spilled out his concerns in a rush of words that flew by her head and ninety miles an hour. When he paused for a breath and her brain had caught up she started laughing.
He had been leaning in, his hands on her shoulder, his face a mask of concern and worry so her laughter set him back a bit, "what's so funny?" he asked after an awkward pause.
"First of all," Rose patted his cheek, "you are so sweet. I love the bit when you offered to 'do the right thing' and believe me I plan on taking you up on the offer, no matter what."
She slipped her hand in his, "and secondly, I'm a modern woman, and that area is already under control," she slipped other hand into her purse and pulled out a small plastic container, "so unless you have super sperm, we're covered."
At this news he was a mix of emotions, the strongest was relief, but to his surprise there was also a bit of disappointment thrown in. Before he could spend too much time analysing that, Rose got up on her tip toes to give him a peck on the cheek, "now I need to get out of these shoes, into a warm bath and I could use some help scrubbing my back, you up to the task?" she grinned wickedly.
Nodding briskly John's grin matched Rose's as she led him up the stairs.