PARENTHOOD

Chapter Thirty Six

Rain looked up when her husband returned with a large paper sack in his hands. Behind him, Jack, Chaska and Christopher carried similar bags. Alan walked behind the pack, hands in pockets as he whistled cheerfully.

"We have burgers, chips, soft drinks and some sliced vegetables for tonight," he said to them. "We didn't let Alan carry any because it would have been gone before we got it here."

"Yup, because I'm a hungry boy," Alan said, patting his tummy.

"Now," the Doctor said, setting his bag down on the ground, "where is my daughter who thinks I'm a perfect parent?"

Rain pointed to Namid who was snoring softly beside her. The Doctor's face fell.

"No, I was all set to love her back. Ah well, both her and her sister are tired and need their rest," he said. "Do you know what she did?"

"Yes, she showed me and Doc what she showed you," Rain said.

"Oh good, I was going to show you if she hadn't done that since it concerned you two as well."

He looked down at his sleeping daughters.

"Well, as much as I hate to disturb them, we need to move to our campsite," he said as he bent down.

He nudged Sokanon.

"Huh?" she murmured in her sleep.

"Sokeeeee, gotta move, gotta get up and walk down to our campsite and then you can go back to sleep."

"Okay, I'm comin'," Sokanon murmured.

Everyone giggled when she immediately fell back to sleep.

"I've got a solution to this," Alan said, bending down and gathering her into his arms. "There, now she can keep on sleeping while we transfer here. Ha! I'm a genius."

The Doctor smiled. He bent down and gathered Namid into his arms and held her close while Rose grabbed the blanket and she and Rain helped fold it up. While the Doctor walked away, he felt his daughter stir in his arms.

"Aha, there you are," he said as she blinked awake.

"Who's this?" Namid said groggily.

"The number one parent there ever was."

"Oh, hi, Daddy."

"Hello, my little number one fan. I'm taking you to the campsite so we can have fun tonight."

"Okay," she said, snuggling against his shoulder.

The Doctor sped up a bit so he could talk to her as they walked.

"I love that you did that, Mi-mi, that was one of the best gifts I've ever received," he said softly to her.

"I just want you to be happy, Daddy."

"I am happy. You and your brother and sister make me very happy."

"Sometimes you seem sad. Like I can feel it deep down."

The Doctor was shocked by that.

"Really? You can feel my sadness."

"Sometimes. I just sorta feel like your sad, like it's a part of you, you know."

"Well, a lot of sad things have happened in my lives, Rainbow, and everything I've seen is a part of who I am."

"That's why I want you to know I love you."

The Doctor's hearts melted and he sent love into her mind.

"I'm glad you love me. I'm glad you think I'm a great parent."

"You are. You don't make fun of me."

"Why would I make fun of you?" the Doctor said.

"Cause I'm blind."

The Doctor stopped in his tracks.

"Honey, I'd never make fun of you for that."

"Some people do."

"Who?" the Doctor said, the words coming out more forceful than he meant them to.

"I've heard some people talk before about how I'll never grow up to be anything special cause I can't see."

"Mi-mi, listen to me. Whoever said that, they're fools and idiots. You can be anything you wanna be and I know for a fact you're not about to let your blindness stand in your way."

"I can even be a time traveler?"

"Yes, Mi-mi, and if that's what you wanna do, I can help you by coming up with devices that'll compensate for your blindness. Just don't listen to anyone that is going to put you down and tell you that you can't do it because they don't know you like I know you and like your family knows you and you are a very special young girl."

Namid thought about that as she held onto the Doctor.

"I think that's why I chose you, Daddy, cause I wanna be a Time Lady when I grow up."

"Well then, I'll help you become one," the Doctor said, sending love into her mind. "And now, my future explorer, we are at the campsite."

He walked off the trail and onto the grass. The campsite was about an acre with bathrooms in the middle of it and picnic benches and firepits scattered around it. Several tents and RVs were parked in some of the areas but the Doctor carried Namid to a spot on the right near the back of the campground. Their firewood was there, stacked and ready as he put her down and showed her what it looked like.

"We're gonna sleep here, Daddy?"

"Yup. Well, you can sleep. We adults will more than likely stay up and partay! And once the others catch up with us, I'll go back and get my bike. But I just wanted to talk to you privately and tell you thank you for showing me how much you love me and mum and Doc."

He smiled and sighed contentedly when Namid put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He stood with her until the rest of them caught up with him, dismounted and walked their bikes over towards the campsite.

"Howdy, just needed to chat with Mi-mi, I'll be going and getting my bike now before someone steals it. Just wanted to wait so the Meemster isn't alone."

Go ahead, dear. We're here," Rain said.

The Doctor gave Namid a kiss on the cheek and quickly hurried off to retrieve his bike.

By the time he got back, Jack and Doc had gotten the fire going while Rose and Rain spread the blanket out near it and put the food down on the edge. Alan carefully put Sokanon down on the blanket while the others got on it and sat down. Once they were settled, Rain got the bug repellant out and sprayed the children so the mosquitos wouldn't bother them.

"We bought a couple of citronella candles in that shop over there," Jack said, getting them out of one of the paper sacks. "That way we can eat in peace."

"Good idea," Rose said, glancing over as the Doctor walked his bike across the grass over towards them.

He parked the bike with the others and plopped down on the blanket near his daughters.

"Food!" he said. "Feed me!"

He sniggered when the other adults gave him an odd look.

"Bag!" Rain said, pointing to the sacks. "Serve yourself."

"No, it's easier to have others do it so I don't have to get up."

He grinned and reached for the sack of food while Namid crawled up next to him.

"You gonna get sprayed?" Namid asked him.

"Sprayed? Who sprayed you? Is there a skunk about?" the Doctor said, looking around.

He smelled Namid as she giggled and made a face.

"Ugh, definitely skunk!" he said.

"No, dear, I sprayed them with Off so the mosquitos wouldn't eat them alive. Would you like some?"

"Oh. Um...s'pose so. I don't think I want a mosquito drinking Time Lord blood and becoming some kind of mutant genius mosquito that'll try to take over the world since then I would have to sort it out. Spray me, babe."

Rain grabbed the can of Off and sprayed him as Namid leaned back to avoid getting it in her face. When he was done, she leaned back up while Alan tried yet again to wake up Namid. He laid down on his belly beside her while everyone watched.

"Sokeeee, dumplin', trouser, ding-dong," he said in her ear. "Food is being served, dingle-doodle, time to wake up and have some before we eat it aaaaall up."

"Huh?" Sokanon muttered.

She giggled when Alan started tickling her armpits.

"You know, I've tried the nice way to wake you up and now I must use force, so sad," Alan said, letting out a sigh as Sokanon opened her eyes and batted his arms away. "Aha, there is dinky-dooder now. Finally back in the land of the living. Now it's time to sit that narrow bum up and eat before I get it aaaall!"

The Doctor helped her sit up and rubbed her back while she yawned and slowly woke up.

"Blimey, you must have been spent by the time we got here," the Doctor said.

"Yeah but I had fun," Sokanon said.

They passed out the burgers, chips and sodas and they sat together on the blanket, ate and chatted. While they did, the sun began to set and the mosquitos began to swarm. Jack had lit the citronella candles and place one at each end of the blanket but a few brave ones managed to break through. Namid frowned and batted the air around her head while she tried to eat her burger.

"Daddy, tell the mosquitos to go away and quit buzzing in my ear," she finally said to him.

Everyone laughed at the odd look on the Doctor's face. He leaned forward and got next to Namid's face.

"LEAVE!" he yelled as everyone laughed harder.

He leaned back up.

"Well, did they leave?"

"No," Namid said angrily as she swatted at the air.

"Well see, here's the thing, Mi-mi. Unlike some planets, these insects don't have enough intelligence for me to reason with them. So I can't just say leave and they leave. As long as they're not feasting on you, I'm afraid you're gonna have to put up with the buzzing for awhile till they finally go away. If it's any consolation, you're not the only one with buzzing in your ear. They're around me too."

"Why won't they go though?" Sokanon said. "They can't land on us."

"Yes but you see, Earth scientists haven't figure out how to put something in the bug repellant that will telepathically say to the mosquitos, "Neener, neener, neener, you can't land on me so give up and go away." They're determined to get a meal and until they tire of that there's nothing we can do."

"I'm glad we don't have these stupid mosquitos on New Gallifrey," Sokanon muttered to her siblings while they ate.

After dinner, they cleaned everything up and threw away the trash. By then, the sun had nearly set and the moon was beginning to rise. The Doctor planted his hands behind his body and leaned back to look up at the stars which were just beginning to come out.

"Ah, gorgeous. Gorgeous night," he said as the children scooted closer to him and everyone else sat down. "Now...a bit of an astronomy lesson for the little ones so close your eyes and I'll play planetarium."

The children giggled and closed their eyes along with everyone else. They smiled when the Doctor appeared in everyone's mind's eye.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is astronomy for beginners," he said as he wore an academic gown and mortarboard. "Tonight children we are going to be identifying constellations. Now..."

The image pulled back and everyone could see a starry sky above him. The Doctor pulled out a pointer and pointed to a cluster of stars above him.

"Now this is known as the Plough," he said, pointing to the stars. "Or...as your mum and aunt knows it, the Big Dipper."

White lines connected the stars to show the pattern.

"It is so called because it resembles a plough or to your mum and aunt, a water dipper," he said. "There is also a littler version of this same constellation. It is known as Ursa Minor or the Little Dipper. See...here is the outline of the constellation. Cool, huh? Now...this cluster of stars over here is known as Orion the Hunter and these three stars in the middle are known as Orion's Belt because that's where his belt is on his body."

The image shifted to another part of the sky and the Doctor pointed to a cluster of stars.

"Now...this group of stars is the constellation Big Old Mess because they are just jumbled together in a big indefinable mess."

The children laughed as the white lines went every which way connecting the stars in no real pattern. The Doctor ignored them as he walked past it and pointed to another group of stars.

"Now...This large group of stars is known as Amy Winehouse and the smaller group of stars beside her is known as Amy Winehouse's vomit."

"Geez," Rose said as everyone laughed.

"Over here," the Doctor said as he carried on with his spiel, "is a large constellation called Rehab. Ancients tried to make Amy Winehouse go to the Rehab constellation but she said, no, no, no. Now..."

The Doctor walked to another part of the night sky as the children giggled. The image pulled back and back until the Doctor was dwarfed in the distance. He pulled out a loud hailer and pointed up to an enormous constellation above him. The lines connected the stars and they saw the Doctor's face smiling a cheesy grin.

"Now, this magnificent constellation is called The Most Important Person In The Universe, Ever," he said as everyone laughed. "It is the single greatest constellation known to mankind and the ancients rightfully worshipped it and even performed human sacrifices in honor of its magnificence."

He started to talk again when he suddenly saw a tiny spaceship flying across the sky towards the constellation. The UFO stopped right at the edge of the Doctor's face and steel shields parted to reveal a window. The children giggled when they saw Alan standing at the window. Then suddenly the UFO zoomed into the constellation and the Doctor's mouth fell open when Alan maneuvered it around so the vapor trails made a mustache above Star Doctor's lip. Then he flew up and made devil horns with the vapor trails before flying on.

"Oh ha ha," the Doctor said in real life as everyone laughed hysterically. "Just for that, I'll get you back at some point, mate. Might not be tonight or tomorrow, but someday."

"Don't worry, Uncle Alan, he threatened to do that to me too," Sokanon said.

"I know, he's all blow and no show," Alan said.

"You're gonna think all blow and no show when I tie you to the side of the TARDIS and go into the vortex."

"Better not tempt him to do that, Alan. That's a rough ride," Jack said.

"Anyway, now that my constellation lesson is ruined. What do we do now?" the Doctor said as everyone lay back and looked up at the sky.

"I know!" Chaska said, sitting up.

"Ought-oh, this ougtha be good. What do you have in mind, son?" the Doctor said, glancing at him.

"Race Alan with the bikes. Have a night race."

"Hee hee, I'm up for it if you are," Alan said, glancing at his brother.

"You mean, race him down this trail back into the trees?" the Doctor said.

"Yeah, now that the trail's dark and spooky, race him and see if you see any ghosts."

"P'eh, I seriously doubt we will. At any rate, I'm not in the mood."

He eyed Alan when his brother made clucking sounds.

"You wanna race, race Jack then," the Doctor said.

Alan looked at Jack.

"Man enough to face me on the Dark Bike Trail of Doom?" he said to Jack.

Jack snickered. Everyone laughed when he leapt up and went towards his bike. Alan gleefully followed him and everyone else followed them back to the trail.

"Alan, be careful. I don't want you wrecking the bike and busting your head open," Rose said as she walked behind him.

"I'll be careful, promise. Come on, Harkness, let's see what you're made of!" Alan taunted him as they walked side by side.

They walked the bikes up onto the trail and got on them. The road ahead was lit only by the full moon and around them crickets chirped while a light breeze blew. Up ahead was the trailhead and beyond that the forest. The trees formed a canopy blocking out the light and making the trail dark and sinister looking.

"Alan, be careful," Rose said, staring at the inky blackness ahead.

"What about me?"

"You be careful too."

"She isn't as concerned about you because you can come back to life if you're killed," Alan said flippantly, "Anyway, let's get this show on the road. Brother, will you start us off."

The Doctor picked Namid up and held her while he sent an image in her mind of what was going on.

"On your mark," he said as both Jack and Alan bent over the handlebars and tensed their muscles. "Get set...Go!"

The children cheered when both men took off, pedaling as fast as they could towards the forest. The men zoomed under the trees and everyone waited for them to come back. They heard Alan yelling triumphantly.

"Ha! Beat you!" they heard him say.

"How do you know. We didn't agree on where the end was," Jack said to him. "You just stopped suddenly and said you won."

"I know. I won," Alan was saying.

"Yeah, right, Timelord, guess again," Jack said.

"Here we go, now they'll be arguing about who won for the remainder of the evening," Doc said as they watched the two men pedaling back towards them.

"Brother, care to try your luck?" Alan called to him.

"Come on, Daddy. Use the two person bike and I'll help you," Chaska said, coming up beside him.

The Doctor debated on whether or not they should do that as Jack and Alan came up to them and stopped.

"Brother, wanna try your luck?" Alan said to the Doctor.

"Okay, but only to the trees and I'm using the tandem bike because Chas wants to help me."

"What? Oh no, no helpers," Alan said.

"Yes, I'm gonna help him so there!" Chaska said as the Doctor went to get the bike.

Alan shrugged.

"Still beat ya anyway," he said as he turned his bike around.

He frowned when Jack did the same.

"Three man race...well, four men with Chaska," he said to Alan.

The Doctor walked the tandem bike up beside Alan and turned it as Chaska climbed on behind him.

"Doc, start us off," Alan said.

Doc nodded.

"On your mark...get set...go!" he said.

The three men zoomed away but with Chaska's help, the Doctor pulled away from the pack. Everyone laughed as Alan cursed him as the Doctor and Chaska laughed and sped towards the trees.

"No! No fair!" Alan said as they reached the trees first.

The two of them turned around and Jack snickered as Alan eyed them while they pedaled back.

"Two heads are better than one," the Doctor said smugly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, well in future, we're not using the tandem bike again" Alan said as he and Jack turned and rode back to the others.

Back                         Home                              Doctor Who Main Page                          Next