Chapter 13

Torchwood Special Operations Standby Room.

Torchwood Tower,

Canary Wharf.

Most of White Watch were out on various 'shouts', so the Standby Room was quiet. Duncan 'Doughnut' Prescott was the Field Agent Supervisor for the shift, and was in the glass fronted office, keeping up to date with the status on all the missions. Chrissie 'Brains' Anderson entered the office with two cups of coffee, putting one on his desk.

"Busy shift?" She said looking through the glass at the empty Standby Room.

"Yeah, nothing big though, just little jobs to keep 'em out of trouble."

At that point they both looked through the glass as they heard the sound of the TARDIS.

"Well I'll be damned," Duncan said. "They're back."

He picked up his coffee, and they wandered through to the black and yellow striped landing area, where the TARDIS was slowly appearing. The sound stopped, and it was a few seconds before the right hand door opened inwards, and Rose stepped out.

"ROSE!" Chrissie called out, she put her coffee on the low table, and rushed forward to give her a big hug. "Julia said she'd seen you on her shift, how are you?"

"I'm fine; I've even got my voice back." Marla stepped out of the TARDIS, with Jack behind her, wearing a bathrobe.

"So this is Torchwood then?" Marla asked, looking around at the impressive room.

"Yep," John said as he closed the TARDIS door. "Special Operations Unit, where we protect the Earth from the scum of the universe," he said, quoting 'Men in Black'.

"Don't listen to him, "Rose told her. "We're more like the galactic version of the Foreign Office, with a bit of MI5 thrown in for good measure."

"Duncan, Chrissie, good to see you," John said. "May I introduce Dr. Martha Jones, all round brilliant person." Duncan and Chrissie shook her hand and said hello.

"Oh, your family arrived a few hours ago, they're in the Courtesy Suite upstairs," Duncan said. "Would you like me to take you to them?"

"My family's here? Oh yes please, they'll have been so worried."

"Not really," Duncan replied. "We told them that you were safe and being looked after by two of our most experienced field agents, one of which happens to be the director."

"Director?" Marla asked, all confused. "I thought Rose's dad was director."

"Dad announced his retirement last Christmas," Rose said. "He asked Jack to take over, what with his experience of running Torchwood Three in the old universe."

Marla realised that she had seriously underestimated Jack Harkness if he was director of the Torchwood Institute.

"This way then," Duncan said, indicating the way with his arm, and Marla followed him out to the lifts.

"When I've got some clothes on and had a cup of coffee, I'll come and see your family and say hello," Jack said as they left the Standby Room.

Duncan and Marla stood in the lift in an awkward, embarrassed silence, both acutely aware of how attractive the other one was.

"So, you're a doctor then Martha," he said as an opening gambit.

"Er, yeah..., and it's Marla actually," she said, looking up from under her eyelids at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I thought the Doc said it was Martha."

Marla gave what he considered to be a beautiful, bubbly laugh. "John said it would be simpler for him to call me Martha."

"Trust me, where the Doc's concerned, nothing's simple," he said with a smile that crinkled what she considered to be beautiful blue eyes.

The lift went 'ding'. "Ah, this is our floor," he said and led the way to the hospitality suite. "I'll leave you to get reunited with your family, and Jack will be along later to say hello. Maybe I can see you later..., I don't know maybe go through the debrief or something?"

He opened the door of the hospitality suite, and she squeezed past him, closer than she needed to. "I'd like that, yeah," she smiled.

"Really? Oh, great, well, I'll see you later then," he said beaming a smile at her. He closed the door after her as he heard squeals of delight from her family.

Sitting Room.

Tyler Mansion.

Highgate, London.

John and Rose stepped out of the TARDIS in the living room of the Tyler mansion, and straight into a group hug from Jackie, Pete, Tony, EJ and little Juleshka, who was in Jackie's arms. There were tears, and laughter and questions all at once, but Rose only had eyes and ears for her children that she hadn't seen for four days. She sat on the sofa with Juleshka on her lap and Eyulf between her and John.

Alistair, the non butling butler brought in the tea, and she proceeded to tell everyone as much as she could about the mission, and how she had never been in any real danger, and how the little alien girl had been heartbroken when she found out that Rose wasn't her pet.

"And did Jack behave himself?" Jackie asked. "What with ya all bein' naked an' all."

"Wha?" Rose blushed. "How did ya find out about that?" She asked.

"Sorry Mummy," EJ said, not looking sorry at all.

Rose and john laughed. "He behaved as much as he could, you know what he's like," Rose said.

"Yeah, I do, that's the problem," Jackie replied. "Anyway, you're stayin' for dinner aren't ya?"

"Yeah, that'll be great Mum, thanks."

While they were waiting for dinner, Rose got down on the floor with John, and played with their son and daughter, laughing and chuckling as they had fun with their toys. She had really missed this, and was determined to make up for lost time.

Eventually they went through to the dining room, and Rose sat Juleshka in her high chair, where, to everyone's amusement, she tried to feed herself with her plastic spoon. Most of the conversation revolved around the children, Rose was asking what they had been up to while she had been away, with Jackie, Eyulf and Tony only to happy to fill in the details.

John could sense that Rose was thinking about something, but she wasn't letting on as to what about. She often mulled things over in private and then discussed them with him when she had organised her thoughts.

"So Dad, how's retirement suitin' ya, d'yer miss all the excitement?" Rose asked Pete, as they ate.

"Well, I still keep an eye on the status boards in my office, and I go in occasionally to help Jack with the paperwork and say hello to everyone, so not really. I enjoy not having to get up early, and I enjoy spending time with the kids." Rose went quiet as she thought about what her father had told her.

John told Pete and Jackie about Marla Jones, how she was just like Martha in the old universe, and how she had saved everyone in the kennels. Jackie then told Pete how she had met Martha on the Dalek crucible, and how brave and resourceful she was.

They had dessert, and then went back to the living room, where the Smith's got ready to leave. John took the baby bag and toys into the TARDIS, whilst Jackie and Pete had a goodnight hug and kiss with their grandchildren.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Rose said, before entering the TARDIS and closing the door. John started the time rotor, and they made their way home.

Northumberland Place.

Notting Hill.

London.

John was lying in bed, waiting for Rose to come out of the en suite, when he heard Rose gasp. "Oh my God, John!"

He leapt out of bed, grabbed his dressing gown, and ran into the en suite. "What is it, what's the matter?"

She was holding up a rectangular foil packet with bubbles embossed into it. "My pill..., I haven't been takin' my pill while I was stuck in the kennels."

"Oh right, well, it won't hurt will it, just for a few days?"

"But on the TARDIS, we did 'it'."

John smiled at the memory. "Yeah we did, didn't we?"

"But what if I'm ovulatin'?"

"Ah, well the chances of that are fairly remote..., aren't they?"

"I don't know."

"Nah, you'll be fine," he said unconvincingly, and they stood there looking at each other.

"The TARDIS," they said together, and he grabbed her hand and headed for the basement.

In the TARDIS Medi-Bay, Rose lay on a medi-bed in her dressing gown, while John ran a high tech scanning device over her pelvis.

"That tickles," she giggled as the data started to appear on a screen on the wall.

John smiled at her. "Okay, I'm done; let's have a look at your womb shall we?"

"I bet you say that to all the girls," she said with a teasing smile.

"Ah," John said, ignoring her humorous quip.

"Ah? What ah? Is that a good ah, or a bad ah?" Rose asked, slightly concerned at his 'ah'.

"Well, that all depends on your point of view."

"My point of view, what about my point of view?"

John brought up the data on the screen. "See that graph, that's your luteinizing hormone level, and it's surged."

"And is that good?"

"Again, that depends…."

"On my point of view. What is my point of view?"

"If I zoom in on your left fallopian tube…, there, see that," he said, pointing at a blob on the screen.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"An ovum…, a mature egg cell."

Rose grinned. "Really, that's one of my eggs?"

"Yep, and if I move the view down to your uterus…, see that," he pointed to a shimmering patch.

"Yeah, what's that?"

"That puddle, is millions of my spermatozoa, swimming towards your ovum, go on my lads, go for it."

Rose lay silently looking at the screen, trying to take in what he was telling her. "So…, are you're tellin' me, that at the moment, I'm not pregnant, but I soon will be?"

"Er, yeah, in a few hours actually…, so, how's your point of view now, good or bad?" he asked apprehensively, not quite able to read her expression, or her thoughts

Rose could feel his uncertainty, and his excitement, he was transmitting on all frequencies. She became excited herself; it was an unexpected surprise, a brilliant, unexpected surprise.

She grabbed him around the neck. "Y'know, I thought feelin' our baby's first thought was the earliest I could ever find out I was pregnant, an' now you're tellin me that I'm goin' to be pregnant in a few hours."

"Yeah."

Her face broke into an enormous grin. "Brilliant…, how cool is that? Bloody brilliant…, oh my God, I'm goin' to be pregnant," she squealed.

John's face broke into a grin to match hers, and she pulled him into a snog, running her hands through his fantastic hair. He lifted her off the medi-bed and carried her out of the TARDIS, kissing her again and again. He carried her up the stairs, and into their bedroom, and laid her gently on the bed.

"Do you think the lads in there..." He rubbed her lower abdomen. "... Need any re-enforcements?"

She grinned at him. "It wouldn't hurt, would it, y'know, just to be sure?" And so, that night, John proceeded to send in three lots of re-enforcements..., just to be sure.

Rose, awoke early the next morning, with a smile and a warm glow from the knowledge that she was now pregnant. She had her arm under John's head, and she gently played with his hair. He was laying against her, with his arm over her chest, his hand cupping her breast, and his one leg over hers.

She felt him starting to stir. "Mornin' Love," she whispered as she kissed the top of his head.

"Morning," he said as he kissed the nipple closest to him. "Someone's in a good mood," he said, sensing that she had finished mulling over her problems.

"Yeah..., John, I've been thinkin'," she started.

"Mmmm, I know," he said, still paying lip service to her nipple.

"You know..., have you been peeping?"

"No, it was like standing outside the board room, knowing there was a high level meeting going on inside."

"Oh, yeah, I suppose it was really, because I think I've come to a decision, and I'd like to know what you think."

John stopped sucking her nipple and looked up at her. She had a look of uncertainty about her as she started to explain. "Well, y'know how in the old universe, we used to go gallivantin' about without a care in the world, no ties, no responsibilities, and it was brilliant?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, now I've got ties, I've got responsibilities, and this week has made me realise how important those ties and responsibilities are."

John could see where the conversation was heading. "And what are you saying; that you want to quit Torchwood?"

"Not completely, no, and I don't want a desk job, that'd drive me crazy. I was thinkin' of askin' Jack if I could work as a shift supervisor or somethin', I mean I've got years of experience in the field."

John smiled at her. "That would be brilliant, we could still work together, and I wouldn't have to worry about you."

"No, it'll just be me worryin' about you," she said with a smile. "An' we've still got the TARDIS to travel about in, and I know the young girl wouldn't take us anywhere where the kids would be in danger."

"And you get to wear that smart dress uniform every day," John said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Got a thing about women in uniform have ya?"

"No," John said, pretending to be hurt by the accusation. "I've got a thing about you in uniform."

"Shut up," she said with a laugh. "C'mon, it's time to get the kids up."

They fell into their daily routine, John went and had a shower, while Rose went and woke Eyulf and Juleshka, to get them dressed. Then John took them down for breakfast, while Rose showered and put her makeup on.

Together in the living room, after breakfast, they got the baby bag together with all the things that Jackie and Pete would need for the day. Eyulf went out to the DeLorian with John, whilst Rose carried Juleshka.

"Bye you lot," Donna the house computer said as they went out through the front door.

"Bye Donna, see you later," they called back.

After dropping the kids off at the mansion, they drove to Torchwood Tower, and got changed into their black uniforms in the locker rooms. They met up again in the Standby Room for a cup of coffee and Andy's morning briefing, where the few jobs that were outstanding were issued. Rose and John excused themselves, and went up to Jack's office on the top floor.

"Jack, can we have a word?" Rose asked as she put her head around the glass door of the glass fronted office.

"Rosie, John, of course you can, my door is always open to my best friends," he said with a warm smile, indicating the two comfy chairs in front of the desk. "What can I do for you?"

Rose looked at John for reassurance, and got it with a nod, before she looked back at Jack. "I want to resign as a Field Agent," she said without preamble.

Jack looked stunned. "What leave Torchwood? What's the matter is something wrong?"

Rose smiled at him. "No, there's nothin' wrong, and I don't want to leave Torchwood, I love it here. It's just that this last week has made me realise that I'm not that nineteen year old shop girl anymore. I have a family that needs me, and I need to be there for them."

Jack breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness for that, I thought I was losing one of my best agents then. So, what have you got in mind?"

"Well, I was wonderin' if you'd let me be a shift supervisor, I mean, I've got enough years experience in the field, and I've done it in the past when I've been pregnant." Rose said.

Jack grinned at her. "You know, I think that would be a brilliant idea, let me have a word with HR, and I'll arrange a meeting for after lunch."

"Oh Jack, thank you, that's a relief," Rose said, smiling at him and squeezing John's hand.

"Okay, if you head back down to Special Operations and let Andy know that I need to see you after lunch," Jack said, standing to see them out of the office.

"Er…, actually Jack, I've been thinking about what Rose has said, and I think it's time I followed her lead, and did the same.