PARENTHOOD

Chapter Ninety

The Doctor led the little group back to the TARDIS. While they walked, the children save Namid walked around Frobisher, fascinated with him. While they walked, the Doctor explained briefly who everyone was. By the time he was done with his explanation they had reached the TARDIS and he reached in his pocket for the key.

"I'm surprised, Doctor, " Frobisher said as he unlocked the door.

"Oh? How so?" the Doctor said, looking at him.

"Never thought you'd get married or have children. You always seemed like such a loner."

"Well, a lot changed in three lifetimes," the Doctor said as he opened the door. "Here ya go, have a look."

He stepped aside and let Frobisher go in. Frobisher stopped in his tracks and his beak dropped open.

"You changed it," he said as everyone came inside. "It's not all white anymore."

"Nah, I grew tired of that," the Doctor said to him. "I finally changed it near the end of my seventh life. All that stark white interior was starting to make my eyes hurt."

"I like it this way," Frobisher said, waddling up the ramp. "Much more natural looking."

"Like your pub?" Alan said.

Frobisher chuckled.

"I got that from traveling with the Doctor and visiting London. You notice how much custom I had? Everyone likes my pub because it isn't boring and depressing and doesn't resemble a laboratory. But much of the city is that way, clean and sterile; it's a safe place to live but incredibly dull."

Frobisher waddled up to the console and stared at it while everyone came up behind him.

"I'm so glad you came back," Frobisher said as he stared at the glass paperweight. "Worried about you. You never came back to say hello and I was afraid something might have happened to you."

"Funny, Sarah Jane said as much when I saw her again," the Doctor said, coming up and sitting on the rim of the console so he could see his face.

"Well, I thought we were mates and I do worry about my friends if they don't keep in touch with me. I don't know who this Sarah Jane is but I'm sure she felt the same way," Frobisher said. "Speaking of, have you spoken to Peri lately?"

"No," the Doctor said, shaking his head. "Last I heard she was married to King Yrcanos and went to live with him."

"So, you just drop people off and never see them again?" Frobisher said, frowning.

The Doctor sighed and glanced at Alan and Doc.

"Frobisher, I've traveled with hundreds of people, if I kept in touch with all of them I'd never have any time for travel. A lot of those people left by choice and I figured it would be better to let them live their lives instead of popping in and out every so often. I'm sorry I didn't come back and say hello but I figured you were getting on with your life and I didn't want to interfere."

"I understand. But I gather that if your children hadn't said anything you wouldn't have bothered coming back," Frobisher replied.

He held up his flippers when he saw the Doctor was becoming upset.

"But you're here now and I'm glad you are," he said. "So I won't say anything more. I'm just glad you're alright."

"Thank you. I'm glad you are as well," the Doctor said gratefully.

Frobisher looked at Chaska who was standing beside him.

"You have a very handsome son," Frobisher said, changing the subject.

"Thank you," the Doctor said, ruffling his son's hair.

"Are you always disguised as a penguin?" Chaska asked.

"Most of the time. I enjoy being in this form. Penguins are beautiful creatures."

"It's just that you're kinda short," Chaska said, looking down at him.

"Well, in my true form I'm not much taller than you are, my boy," Frobisher said.

The Doctor ushered them back to the kitchen where he made them some tea while they talked. While Frobisher talked, he kept noticing that when he was speaking, Namid seemed to be looking straight past him. He sensed that perhaps he should ask why discreetly and when the Doctor got up to fetch the tea, he waddled over and tapped him on the leg with his flipper. The Doctor bent down to him and he whispered in his ear.

"Sorry, old friend, don't want to be rude," he whispered, "but your daughter, the one with darker skin. Is there something the matter with her, she seems to be looking past me when she looks my way."

"She's blind," the Doctor said.

Frobisher nodded.

"I thought so but I didn't want to ask and embarrass her," he whispered back.

The Doctor chuckled.

"Don't worry about it. She's more than capable of taking care of herself even without her sight. But I appreciate you asking me in private since she gets mad if people condescend to her. She just wants to be a normal girl."

Frobisher nodded. He offered his assistance and took the tea tray after the Doctor loaded it up with tea, sugar and milk. He carried it back to the table. The Doctor followed him and they sat together and chatted for awhile.

After several hours, Frobisher announced that he was tired and had to be getting back. The Doctor and everyone else walked with him back to his pub, enjoying the warm night air and the twin moons that hung in the sky overhead. When they reached the pub, they went inside and Frobisher turned and took the Doctor's hand in his flippers.

"Please, come back and see me, old friend. I know it might be a bother sometimes looking up old friends but I do miss you and would like to keep in touch."

"I will," the Doctor said. "Perhaps you can come visit us on New Gallifrey sometime."

The Doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out a pad of paper and pen. He jotted down his post office box number and asked Frobisher to write when he could. While they were talking, Namid edged towards the door and stepped out onto the pavement, smelling the night air and listening to the sounds of people and traffic while she stayed near the doorway. While she stood there, she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and she gasped in shock and surprise.

"No, easy," a voice said gently. "I won't hurt you. I just want to say hello."

"Who are you?" Namid said nervously.

She felt the person's hand on her head.

"If I told you, will you keep it a secret?" he said.

Namid thought about that. The man had a pleasant voice and she sensed that he wouldn't hurt her. She nodded and the man put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm your father," he said.

Namid frowned.

"Daddy, it doesn't sound like you. Are you using a funny voice?" she said.

"Funny?" the man teased, "I don't have a funny voice, young lady. But no, I'm not disguising my voice. I'm the eleventh version of your daddy, the one that's coming after the man you know now."

"You're gonna die?" Namid said alarmed.

"Not for awhile yet. I've come from years and years in the future and it's been ages since I've seen you as a little girl. My Namid is a confident young Time Lady."

"Me?" Namid said happily.

"Yes, you," the Doctor said, rubbing her back. "She's an adult and so are your brother and sister and cousins."

"Why are you here, Daddy?" Namid said.

"I have business that needs to be sorted out but I remembered coming here today to see Frobisher and I thought I'd pass by and look in and lo and behold, here you are, outdoors so I'd thought I'd say hello and I love you."

Namid let out a frustrated sigh, wishing she could see him. She reached up and felt a tweed jacket.

"Daddy, could you show me what you look like?" she asked.

"Um...I better not, Mi-mi. I want it to be a surprise but even though I change, I'll still love you and everyone else in our family."

There was a pause and Namid heard his father, Alan or Doc coming closer to the door, laughing as he neared the doorway. Namid felt her future father kneel, gather her close and give her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Love you, Rainbow, be good and I'll see you someday," he whispered to her.

Then just like that, he was gone. Namid sensed him running away, seconds before Alan poked his head through the doorway.

"There you are, you naughty thing, can't stand to be in here with us?" Alan teased.

"Yeah, cause you smell," Namid said after deciding not to tell what happened to her, at least not for the moment.

"Yeah, well you're a smelly, delly poo poo," Alan said.

Namid laughed as he tickled her armpits. She took his hand and he gave her a kiss on the cheek as he led her back inside.

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