You Reap What You Sow (16&17 of 45)
Jun. 30th, 2008 07:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amberfocus
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Chapter Sixteen: Time at Torchwood
“That man!” was all Donna would say as she passed Rose on the way out the door of Jack’s room. Rose had come running at the loud commotion.
“Oh, Jack, why?” Rose asked as she came to see what had happened.
“Because I genuinely enjoy her company!” proclaimed Jack when Rose stood in the doorway, her arms crossed, and glared at him. Well, she was trying to glare at him. Or to be more specific, trying desperately not to laugh at him. It was really hard though when the soup was in his lap, the bowl was on his head and the tray table seemed to be wedged into a very uncomfortable place.
“That one of these days she’s going to hand me my ‘dangly bits’ on a silver platter?” he said gloomily.
“Well, it’s not a platter, but it is silver,” she said gesturing at the tray table. “And it seems uncomfortably close to your…’dangly bits,’” she said seizing on the euphemism.
“Well, not so much,” said Jack. “I kind of tucked them away before I started flirting,” he said his incorrigible grin back on his face. “Can’t trust Donna with a blunt object around me. Too tempting for her.”
“I think you’re just mad because there’s one woman alive who won’t succumb to the Harkness charm,” Rose teased.
“Two,” said Jack, giving her a pointed look.
She let it pass. “So when are you seeing Andromeda again?” she asked to change the subject.
“Next week actually,” he said. “I’m taking a couple weeks off and we’re going to Sandoval. Kaylee and Josz are joining us,” Jack said.
Rose winced at the mention of Kaylee’s husband. “Be careful Jack. The Sowers can be as bad as the Reapers. Jasz is part of the reason I lost my memories.”
“Josz is not his brother, sweetheart,” said Jack. “Don’t you trust Kaylee’s judgment?”
“Medically, I do. But I don’t know her that well yet. Our timelines haven’t crossed that often. I mean for Pete’s sake, Jack I haven’t even given birth to her grandmother yet! You know, sometimes time travel just really gets on my nerves,” Rose complained.
Jack laughed. “Then you shouldn’t have married a Time Lord, Rosie.”
“Doesn’t get on my nerves that much, Harkness,” she shot back. “Oh, before I forget, here.” She unslung a bag from her shoulder and pulled out the puzzle books Donna had picked out earlier. “Something for your brain to occupy itself with.”
“I’d rather borrow your stash of trashy romance novels,” Jack said. In response Rose blushed from head to toe. “And what was that blush for?” he inquired.
“Nothing,” said Rose her voice an octave higher than normal. He opened his mouth and she said, “And if you want to borrow them you won’t press me on this.”
“Fine,” he said, pouting.
Tosh appeared with a new food tray and a wash cloth in her hands and a new set of bed linens tucked under her arm. “Donna said there’d been an accident.”
“That was no accident,” said Rose with a laugh. “He was flirting with her again.” Tosh set down the tray.
“Help me get him to the chair, please. Are you ever going to get it through your head that that woman is always going to think you’re a pervert, even if you’re one of her closest friends? Or probably because you are?” Tosh asked. With Jack settled she and Rose quickly stripped the bed and changed the linens.
“You can’t be desirable to everyone all the time, Jack,” Rose said.
“Don’t know about that, but Donna’s resistance to my flirting isn’t what hurts,” said Jack. “What hurts is she said she’d rather sleep with Owen!”
“Please tell me you weren’t trying to seduce Donna,” Rose said, her eyes narrowed.
“Hell, no,” said Jack. “Andromeda would hand me my…” He cleared his throat, editing himself for Rose’s sake, although why he did that she never did understand, “Pride for lunch if I did. We have an agreement, as long as I don’t follow through, I can flirt to my heart’s content. I’m not losing my wife through stupidity, Rose.”
“She must be pretty good in bed then to monogamize you, Jack,” said Tosh as they helped Jack get back into bed. Tosh put the tray over his lap. “And you are perfectly capable of feeding yourself,” she said when he opened his mouth, “so don’t even start.”
“I’ll stay with him,” Rose said, when Tosh started to settle into the chair. “What’s my husband up to, by the way?”
“Owen’s got him trying to unravel an alien artifact down in the vault. The Doctor’s like a kid in a candy store,” Tosh replied.
“He let the Doctor in the vault?” Jack groaned sitting all the way up and trying to move the tray away from his lap.
“Oh, no you don’t, Jack Harkness!” Rose said sharply. “Owen said bed rest. He most emphatically did not say you could run down two flights of stairs and start an argument."
Jack sagged back against the pillows. “Will you at least make sure he doesn’t abscond with anything? Last time he got in the vaults there were three things missing and twelve things misplaced.”
“I’ll make sure,” said Tosh. “Now you eat and rest.” And she turned on her heel and left the two of them alone.
Jack looked down at his soup and then looked hopefully up at Rose. “Not unless you want me to have the choo choo going into the tunnel,” said Rose with a snort. Jack sighed and picked up his spoon.
“You know, I used to have women and men beg to feed me on my sickbed. How far I’ve fallen,” he said.
“Guess you’re family is just immune to your charms, Captain,” Rose said.
“Doesn’t sound so bad when you put it like that,” he admitted. “Why don’t you join us on Sandoval, Rose? You and the Doctor. You’ll get a chance to spend time with your granddaughter and great granddaughter and maybe ease your fears about Josz a bit.”
“I don’t know. You know how the Doctor can be about messing with time lines.”
Jack got a faraway look on his face. “Yeah, Rose. I think better than anyone, I do.”
She was about to ask him what he meant by that cryptic remark but he picked up his spoon and started shoveling the soup in. “Tastes better eating it than wearing it,” he grinned at her as he inhaled the rest of it. “I’m still starving. I thought dying took it out of me, but whatever that Dorfinian did to me really messed with me. Be a love and go ask if there’s anything else to eat about.”
“I will, but don’t you dare move from that bed while I’m gone. If I catch you down in the vaults the Oncoming Storm is going to be the least of your worries,” Rose warned.
“Yes, Rose,” Jack said placatingly.
Rose left him alone and went off in search of food.
Jack sighed and slid himself off the bed. Surely it couldn’t hurt just to take a quick peak. He really didn’t trust the Doctor not to pocket something he felt Torchwood had no business possessing. He made it halfway down the first flight of stairs before he had to sit down. Damn. Rose was going to kill him. He didn’t dare try to go up them on his own.
“I should have known better,” Rose said when she came into sight with a take away box from a restaurant down the street. “Get back into bed.”
“I can’t,” he admitted. “My muscles turned into rubber.”
“I’ll get the Doctor and Owen,” she said handing him the box. She hurried off to the basement.
“Oi, you, I thought I said bed rest,” Owen said in annoyance as he caught sight of Jack.
“Come on,” said the Doctor, “Let’s get Jack in bed. And none of your lip, Jack,” he added when Jack started to speak. Rose retrieved the take away box and got out of the way while the men lifted Jack to his feet and half carried him, half dragged him back to his room.
“What were you playing at?” Owen asked.
“You shouldn’t have let the Doctor down in the vault,” said Jack. “Things always turn up missing when he’s been down there.”
“I put everything back in its proper place, Jack. I can’t help it if sometimes its proper place is halfway across the galaxy,” the Doctor said.
“I’m in charge while you’re sick and I’m taking advantage of the resources open to us at this time. Now you stay in bed or I’ll wake up Ianto,” Owen threatened.
“Fine, I’ll stay, but no more Doctor in the vault without me there to monitor him,” snapped Jack.
“I’m hurt, Harkness,” the Doctor said.
“Too bad.”
Donna reappeared inthe doorway holding the baby. “Rose, Dare’s hungry,” she said.
“Is there somewhere I can feed the baby?” Rose asked.
“The interrogation room is free,” said Owen. No windows, so you’d have privacy. I’ll show you. Doctor, if you’ll stay with Jack, please.” The Doctor nodded and Rose followed Owen to the interrogation room.
“There you are,” he said opening the door for her and gesturing her inside. “All the comforts of home.” She looked at the stark room with a table and six chairs and realized this was just Owen’s humor.
“It’ll do,” she said. She went into the room and closed and locked the door behind her. She had the feeling it was going to be a long day.
Chapter Seventeen: Unexpected
Jack’s recovery went well, but he never did manage to convince the Doctor and Rose to vacation on Sandoval with his wife and daughter. Rose was simply too unsettled by the idea of being around any Sower, even one that was ‘good.’ By definition all Sowers were supposed to be good or at the very least neutral, but she’d had more experience with an evil one and so recently that she couldn’t stomach the idea of being around any of them.
Besides, Rose was rather sick of timey whimey things and felt like her life needed to play out in a linear fashion for awhile. So they gallivanted across the galaxy, visiting clusters and nebulae, planetoids and moonlets, and generally getting into and out of trouble.
A month after they departed Torchwood the Doctor brought Rose on a lovely picnic in the TARDIS garden. He’d prepared yet another one of his lovely meals. She’d really have to remember to thank Donna for giving him all those cooking lessons. She’d just about trained him to the level of a five star chef.
She felt happier than she ever remembered feeling and that caused a sudden shift in her stomach. The last time she’d felt close to this happy, everything had gone haywire. She’d been kidnapped by Harrington Conrad, her pregnancy had been interfered with when the unborn Dare had gone all rapid-gro, and then she’d been shot by a blaster in the abdomen and the two of them had nearly been killed. Not to mention the coma afterwards.
That was defeatist thinking and she really needed to keep it from her mind. Nothing bad was going to happen. She was safe and loved. Well loved, she thought as her mind drifted to the night before. She allowed herself to linger in the memory before it was overcome once again with a sense of foreboding. She sighed heavily.
“What's wrong?” the Doctor asked sensing her shift in mood. He was gazing at Dare who was lying on the blanket next to them trying to grab his feet. “I do believe he might be a touch nearsighted,” he commented as Dare repeatedly missed his toes.
“I don’t know,” Rose said. “Everything’s been a little too perfect since I got my memories back. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.” She sneezed, and then sneezed again. “I think I’m allergic to something in here,” she said. “Or maybe I caught Donna’s cold. I certainly hope not.” She frowned at the thought. Donna had been in bed for ten days now and was finally on the upswing, but still needing as much rest as possible.
The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and quickly made a pass over Rose’s body. “Sometimes a sneeze is just a sneeze Rose. Looks like you’re perfectly healthy. No signs of infection or histamines in your system or…oh.” A slow smile spread across his face.
“Oh?” Rose asked. His tone and smile didn’t make her panic but they did put her on alert. “What, oh?”
Looking a trifle embarrassed and yet pleased with himself at the same time the Doctor said, “Well, the screwdriver has detected an anomaly.” She looked down to where the screwdriver was pointing. Directly at her abdomen.
“You didn’t dare!” she burst out.
“’Fraid so,” he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I can’t be. It’s too soon!”
“Sorry,” he said with a shrug, a smirk coming into play on his mouth. “Can’t help it if I’m that good.”
“How long?”
“Between four and five weeks along,” he said. “The night we relived the bonding, I’d say.”
“It’s that Time Vine, isn’t it? It’s a freaking fertility drug.”
“Oh, dear,” said the Doctor.
“What?”
“The babies. The TARDIS babies. They’ve been gestating in the base of the Time Vine. I think you’re right. The vine has picked up the residue from their development and enhanced the biological drive to procreate. Well, what’s done is done. Guess Cassi’s on her way.”
“I thought we’d have more time,” wailed Rose. “I’m not ready to be pregnant again. Dare’s just starting to do things. He’s smiling and giggling and oh, look!” The Doctor snapped his head around just in time to see Dare successfully catch hold of his foot and bring it up to his mouth. A tiny pink tongue darted out and licked the big toe.
“Like father, like son,” laughed Rose, charmed despite the crazy news. “I thought we’d have more time,” she repeated. “I wanted to be able to enjoy his every first and now, well…” She rubbed her stomach. “Do I have to stop nursing?”
“I’ll put in a call to Dr. Visily,” the Doctor asked. “But I shouldn’t think so as long as you get proper nutrition. Not all chips this time,” he added darkly.
“I didn’t just eat chips last time,” she insisted.
“Not for lack of trying.” The Doctor ran his hands through his hair. “I’m going to be a daddy again,” he said gleefully and suddenly Rose found herself smiling as he pulled her into his arms.
“It is good news,” she said. “And I will be happy once I’m over the shock of it. But once this little girl is born, you are not getting anywhere near me with that super potent Time Lord sperm and that damn Time Vine.”
“You’d deny me?” hhe Doctor asked, pouting.
“I’m sure Dr. Visily can proscribe something effective to block conception. Because I’m still worn out from the last go around. When Cassi’s done cooking I’m out of the baby-growing business for at least three years!” Rose insisted.
“Gah!” said Dare.
“See, even Dare agrees I need a break.”
“Gah, gah, gah,” Dare babbled as he heard his name. As his parents looked over at him again he smiled and giggled and grabbed his foot again.
“He’s so proud of himself,” the Doctor said.
“Looks just like his Daddy when he thinks he’s done something important. Just waiting for him to start the lecture now,” Rose teased.
“Rose Tyler, are you comparing my vast flights of intellect to the babblings of a two month old child?” the Doctor asked trying to look offended and failing miserably.
“Think Dare’s babbling might be more comprehensible than yours,” she teased.
“Oh, you are so asking for it.” His fingers immediately flew to her ribcage and began to tickle her unmercifully. Rose shrieked and tried to get away from him but only succeeded in falling onto her back and bringing her husband down on top of her.
Since there was no getting away from the tickling fingers she found another way to defend herself and snogged the Doctor senseless, his hands quickly changing to gentle caresses. When he finally pulled away from her, he said, “You fight dirty, Mrs. Tyler.”
“So do you, Doctor Tyler,” she replied. “Well, you best get off me. It’s about time for Dare’s feeding and then he’ll go down for his nap and we can celebrate the news properly.”
“Oh,” said the Doctor looking interested. “And just how might we do that?”
“Oh, I dunno,” Rose said. “Shag like bunnies?”
“I do so love the way your mind works.”
“As if you weren’t thinking it yourself, love.” And the Doctor’s answering grin told her very clearly that he had been.
Ch. 18&19: http://amberfocus.livejournal.com/91059.html
