PARENTHOOD

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy One

Rain finished putting the burritos and enchiladas in the oven and got some bowls, giving Hope and Alan some of the rice and refried beans. She smiled when she heard more teasing come from the living room and she took the bowls out on a little silver tray.

"Need a refill on the milk?" she asked them.

"I do," Hope said.

"Nah, I'm fine for the moment, just enjoying this film and thank you for the de-lightful beans and rice. I appreciate it."

Rain smiled and tousled his hair.

"See, she keeps touching me, sure you don't have cootie spray?" she heard Alan say as she went back into the kitchen.

She picked up her mug of tea and stared at the food. She debated on eating anything but she decided to eat a bit of rice just to keep something in her stomach. She spooned a bit in a bowl and went back out into the living room. She checked on Hope but she was chatting happily with Alan and didn't seem scared so she sat down in the chair beside them and ate. She listened while she ate to Alan and Hope discussing the movie.

"This is weird," Hope said while she watched Dracula as a bat flapping over Mina Murray's head while she and Jonathon Harker were on a balcony. "How do he do that?"

"What?" Alan said.

"Fly?"

"Um...he's a vampire?" Alan said while Rain giggled.

"Can you do that?"

"Uh...no, cause I'm not a vampire," Alan said while Rain snickered.

"Are they real?" Hope asked.

"Yes. Serena used to be one a long time ago before your daddy cured her."

"Did she do that?" Hope said, pointing to the flapping bat on the TV screen.

"Uh...if she did, I never saw it," Alan said while Rain shook her head.

"I don't think she could do that," Rain said. "I think that's something they made up."

"Yeah, I've never heard of any real live vampire who could do it. Although, they did drink blood and fear the sun but that's a completely different kettle of fish."

"So...do you like the film so far?" Rain asked her daughter.

"It's kinda boring, Mummy."

"We could put in Mower Madness then."

"No!" Hope howled while Alan sniggered.

Suddenly, they heard a wheezing coming from the garage and Rain's hearts skipped a beat. She shared a look with Alan and he distracted her while Rain got up and ran to the TARDIS. She ran into the garage and told the TARDIS to let her in. The doors opened and she asked the TARDIS to lead her to her husband. The TARDIS moved the med bay to the back door and Rain sprinted in. Everyone cleared a path and the Doctor sat up on the exam table so he could hug her. Then she hugged Jack who was on another table beside him. Around them was Rose, her sons and daughters, the members of Torchwood, Donna, Martha and Grace.

"You may have heard we took a small diversion from the DVDs," the Doctor quipped when she came back to hold him again.

Rain looked at him and blanched. He looked haggard, there were dark circles under his eyes and his hair was wet with sweat and plastered to his head. He sent love into her mind when he held her close. He was hooked up to an IV, the needle sticking out of his right arm. He had his jacket and shirt off and Rain could see some faint bruising.

"What happened?" she said.

"Dunno how much Brother told you but we landed on the wrong planet," the Doctor said.

"I'll say," Jack said dryly.

"We got involved in a rebellion against a tyrant king that was terrorizing and torturing his citizens and we got captured during a rescue attempt of two new friends and we ended up being tortured. I was pumped full of different chemicals and...Jack..."

"I was beheaded as a warning, except the bastard was surprised when my head reattached itself," Jack said. "Right out in public too. After that, people thought I was some sort of god and I managed to rally people to attack the castle."

"And this king, what happened to him?"

"Committed suicide. He chose to do that rather than submit and surrender to me," the Doctor said. "Tried to stop him but it was no use. I was weak anyway from the chemicals and by the time they finally found me, I had nearly passed out," he added, pointing to his family. "Feel better now although I s'pose I look like Hell."

"Daddy?"

Everyone shut up when they heard Hope in the console room. Rain helped the Doctor sit on the side of the table while Jack did the same and Martha draped a white cotton blanket around him to hide his chest and the needle in his arm.

"Daddy?" Hope said, coming into the room and glancing at everyone. "What's going on? You wanna come and see the film?"

"Yes, I do but I need to rest for a minute, yeah?"

"Are you okay?" Hope said while Alan came into the room.

"Yeah. Bit icy where I went and I fell and bumped my head and passed out for a bit, I'm fine, love," he said, laying his hand on top of her head. "What have you been doing?"

"We've been eating and watching Dracula," Hope said. "Come and eat and watch it with us, Daddy."

"Um...I might have some tea at first till my stomach calms down but I'll be there in a minute, okay? Go ahead and watch it and I'll be in there in a moment."

"Hurry!" Hope said as she turned and ran out of the room.

"Blimey, I need all the energy I can get just to keep up with her," he said while everyone laughed.

Jack slid off his table and went to get his shirt, braces and coat. While he was doing that, the Doctor eased himself gently onto his feet and beckoned to Alan.

"Thank you," he said when he came close. "I trust you kept her occupied during this?"

"Mission accomplished, old man. She had no clue what was really going on. I, on the other hand, was happy to help, especially since I was fed."

The Doctor smiled, he took hold of the sides of Alan's head and laid his forehead against his while both of them shared love.

"Thank you," the Doctor said.

"No problem. Just happy to see you in one piece, Brother," Alan said.

"Well, I stayed in one piece. Can't say the same for Jack," the Doctor said as he leaned back.

"Oh? Do tell," Alan said as Martha put his IV bag on a movable pole and Rain got his clothes. "What body part did they take off Jack? His nong nong?"

"No, they didn't take my nong nong off me, as you put it," Jack said while everyone laughed.

"They didn't take your nong nong and put it up your bunghole?"

Everyone laughed when Jack flipped Alan off while he gave him a cheesy grin.

A half hour later, everyone was watching the beginning of Frankenstein. The Doctor was sipping tea and eating some rice and Jack was doing the same.

"I have a sore throat right now, can't think why," he quipped.

The Doctor sat with his daughter, smiling while she ate a burrito. Anne and Elizabeth, who were outside by the pool, were staring through the glass and occasionally whining about wanting in but everyone ignored them after Rain set some food and water outside for them. While the Doctor ate, the IV bag dripped some medicine down into his vein, restoring his health so that with each passing moment, he was getting more of his appetite back. He took a bite of rice and looked down when Hope tapped his leg.

"Hmmm?" he said to her.

"Hey, you really fall or you got hurt by bad people? You can tell me," Hope whispered.

The Doctor marveled at how astute she was at her age. He leaned in.

"Bad people hurt me and Uncle Jack but don't worry, we're fine now," he whispered to her.

"Did you kick their booties?" Hope whispered.

"Yes," the Doctor whispered back.

"Good, cause if you didn't, I'll kick it," Hope said.

She giggled when the Doctor tickled her armpit. He sent love into her mind while he put his arm around her and enjoyed the film with her.

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