PARENTHOOD

Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Five

"Just hold still for a few more second," Duer said while moving the tissue regenerator along the gash under Jamie's fringe as Jamie sat against the pillow with his eyes closed.

"Do you mind if I go "Ow!" because that stings," he said as Duer laughed, rolling his eyes.

"Well, just be thankful that it wasn't any worse then it was," he said then placed the tissue regenerator on the table and brushed Jamie's fringe over his eyes. "Blimey, you need a haircut."

"Aye, Jenna says that I look like a sheepdog," Jamie said with a smile as Duer helped him stand up and handed him the metal cane. A walking boot covered Jamie's ankle while his right arm rested in a sling and Jamie brushed the hair out of his eyes. The walking boot had a form fitting cushion that molded over the cast and Duer assured him that his ankle would be supported enough for Jamie to walk without pain. He also assured Jamie that there was no risk of his ankle healing incorrectly and that he would take along a wheelchair if Jamie felt that he couldn't walk anymore.

"How does he look?" Duer asked as he looked at Faith and she walked closer, placing her hand on top of Jamie's left hand.

"He looks like Jamie," she said and Jamie smiled down at her.

"Well, let's get going. We have a "Daddy Takes Mommy, Faith, Cameron, Jenna and Jamie Out For Fun Day" to get to," Duer said as he walked toward the door while Faith walked next to Jamie and Jamie sighed, holding the handle of the cane tightly in his hand.

"I feel like an old man," Jamie said when the TARDIS showed them an image of Duer's first life and Duer's eyes went wide. "Well, mebbe nae that old!"

"Oi, what's with the cheek, you hairy-legged Highlander?" he asked as Jamie laughed and they left the medical bay.

The soft wheezing sound filled the air as the TARDIS materialized in the car park of a large shopping center in in London in the year 2060 and the doors opened. Duer led the way as Frankie pushed the wheelchair and Faith sat on Jamie's lap.

"Um, mind telling me why you're riding while the rest of us are walking?" Duer asked as he leaned over and went face to face with her.

"I want a ride with Jamie," she said and Jamie wrapped his good arm around her.

"Oh no, you have two perfectly good legs, so get up and walk like the rest of us," Duer said when Jenna walked closer, picked Faith off of Jamie's lap and sat down. "Um, ok, now why are you sitting down?"

"Well, he's my husband, so I can ride on his lap if I want to," Jenna said as she kissed Jamie's cheek and Jamie blushed.

"But I was there first," Faith said and placed her fists on her hips.

"Tough!" Jenna said, bugging her eyes out.

"Mommy, tell Jenna that I was riding on Jamie's lap first!"

"Mommy, tell Faith that she is a little squirt and I can ride on Jamie's lap if I want to."

"No you can't!"

"Yes, I can!" Jenna said when Jamie gently pushed her off his lap and she tumbled to the ground. She glared at him when Jamie got up, took hold of the cane and helped her up. "Why did you do that for?"

"This is supposed tae be a fun day, so I'll nae have it ruined by who gets tae ride in the chair with me," he said and Duer smiled at him.

"You sure you're not going to need it?" Cameron asked.

"Nah, I think I'll walk," Jamie said then reached out his hand and Faith took his hand. Duer nodded then closed the doors and stood back, watching the TARDIS turn into a minivan. His original TARDIS had been destroyed in a time storm centuries ago but the Doctor was able to find one surviving coral and was able to grow a new TARDIS for him. He still remembered how shocked he was when the Doctor presented him with her and how she automatically responded to him, just like his original TARDIS. The only difference was the chameleon circuit worked and he patted the minivan. Duer smiled when he noticed the toll booth sitting next to the TARDIS and turned, looking at the others.

"Looks like the Doctor and, if I miss my guess, Alan had the same idea," Duer said then walked to Frankie and took her hand. Cameron pushed the wheelchair as they headed for the shopping center and the doors hissed open. The music played over the speakers as they looked around and people apologized when they bumped into Jamie. He nodded his head as he smiled and Faith looked up at him with a slightly confused look on her face.

"Why are they doing that?' she asked.

"They're just being nice because they see that I'm a bit banged up an' dinnae want tae hurt me," he said and she nodded, holding tightly onto his hand. They walked toward the map that showed where the shops and food court was as Duer looked at the list and moved his finger up and down the list.

"Blimey, look at all these shops," he said when Jamie walked closer and looked for the bookshop. He found several bookshops and there was one that sold older books only two shops down from where they were standing.

"I want tae go there," he said, pointing to the map.

"Why do you want to go to a bookshop?" Duer asked.

"I want tae find something tae read."

"I have a library full of books and he wants to go and buy one," Duer sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Leave him be," Frankie said as she gently smacked Duer's arm and he winced, rubbing his arm.

"Owie," Duer whimpered as she giggled, kissed his arm then his cheek and he placed his arm around her shoulder. "Ok, go book shopping while we go have fun!"

"I want to go with him," Faith said and Duer bent down, going face to face with her.

"You would rather go see smelly old books than go shopping with me?" he asked then placed his face down on Frankie's shoulder. "My little girl doesn't love me anymore!"

"I love you, Daddy!" Faith said as he shook his head and pretended to sob on Frankie's shoulder.

"Knock it off before she starts crying for real," Frankie hissed and Duer looked down to see tears floating in Faith's eyes.

"Oh, Butterfly, Daddy is just teasing," he said as he knelt down and scooped her into his arms. Hushing her and sending love into her mind, he wiped her tears away as he smiled at her and tapped the tip of his finger on her nose. "You can go shopping with Jamie, ok?"

"Ok," Faith said then sniffed and Duer took his handkerchief out of his pocket, wiping her nose. Standing up, he watched as Jamie and Faith walked off and Duer placed his arm around Frankie's waist.

"I'm sleeping on the couch when we get home, aren't I?" he asked.

"Only if you don't buy me something," she said and he nodded, placing his head on her shoulder.

Jamie and Faith had looked through the children's book section as Faith found three books and she smiled up at Jamie. Jamie smiled back when he noticed something in the classic books section and walked to the shelf.

"Who's that?" Faith asked while Jamie picked up the book and looked at the picture on the cover.

"I think he was on television once," he said as he looked at the cover and Faith giggled. "What's so funny?"

"He looks like you," she said and Jamie scrunched his face.

"Och, I'm old, but nae that old," he said and rolled his eyes. He looked at the price of the book then shrugged and walked to one of the chairs. Sitting down, he placed the cane against the chair and Faith sat on the other chair. Jamie placed the book on his lap then silently cursed himself for having only one hand and he sighed, opening the book. He flipped through the pages as he read some of the stories and smiled. Some of the stories were funny and some of them were sad when he closed the book and stood up. Faith followed him as he stood in front of the shelf and found there were a few more books written by the author. He handed the books to Faith as they walked to the counter and she handed him the books. The sales girl smiled at them as she rang up the books and Jamie handed her his credit stick. She slid the credit stick in the slot then handed it back to him and he placed the credit stick in his pocket.

"You think you can carry these for Daddy?" the sales girl asked as she handed the bags to Faith.

"He's not my daddy. He's my big brother," Faith said with a smile and the sales girl nodded.

"Ah, well you are a good little sister for helping him," she said and Faith nodded, taking the bags. They said their goodbyes as they walked back to the others and Faith looked up at him.

"Why did she think you were my daddy?" she asked and Jamie smiled.

"Well, I look old enough tae be your daddy, so she just assumed that I was," he said and patted her head.

"Oh, but you're not."

"Right, and I think your daddy looks really lonely over there," he said as Faith looked at Duer and he looked at her with sad puppy dog eyes. Faith ran to him as Duer knelt down and held his arms out. She ran into his arms as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.

"There you are! Oh My Butterfly, I missed you!" Duer said as she giggled and he kissed her cheek over and over. "Don't ever leave me again!"

"I won't, Daddy," she said as Jenna walked to Jamie and slid her arms around his left arm. Jamie kissed her cheek while Duer stood up with Faith in his arms then looked at them.

"Right, let's go find the Doctor and see if he wants to join us in our fun day!" Duer said as he walked off and Jamie sighed, looking at the wheelchair. His ankle was throbbing a bit and Cameron nodded, pointing to the wheelchair. Sighing, Jamie said down as Cameron placed the cane on the back of the wheelchair and they went to catch up with the others.

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