BREAKFAST WITH MANDY

A/N: This story is part of a series of Family in Indiana stories. The other stories in the series are Happy Hillbilly Thanksgiving, A Country Christmas, Loss and Healing and Refugees.

It was a chilly morning in late September as John, Rose and Mandy set down to breakfast in the Mayfair mansion. The older children were in school and Jim and Lori went out shopping after asking John and Rose if they wouldn't mind watching Mandy for a few hours. Rex was lying by the kitchen door, snoozing while John served Mandy a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. Since their escape from the other universe, both he and his wife had improved significantly. Both of them had fattened up a bit, although both of them were still underweight. Rose still hid her extremely short hair under a wig but John kept his hair out in full view. It was now slightly longer than the Ninth Doctor had it. He had finished serving his wife and himself some food and cups of tea and now he went back to get Mandy her milk from the counter. Once that was done, John sat down across from Rose and beside Mandy.

"And now, I will do what all humans do in the morning and read the morning paper while I have my breakfast," he said loudly.

A copy of the London Times was by his plate. He picked up the front section, opened it up to the first page, made a show of ruffling the paper loudly before bringing it up in front of his face. Rose looked at Mandy and rolled her eyes while Mandy giggled. All three of them ate their breakfast while John kept the paper up in front of his face. While Mandy slowly ate her bacon, she began to sing to herself, repeating a word she heard on the television earlier in the morning.

"Hula, hula, hula," she sang between bites.

Rose giggled when John lowered the newspaper until his eyes were over the top of it and he eyed Mandy while she sang to herself and ate.

"Ahem," John said to Mandy.

"Hula, hula, hula," Mandy sang to herself.

"AHEM!" John said louder

"What?" Mandy said to him.

"I am trying to read about Victoria Beckham and you're distracting me from reading about her latest shopping spree."

Mandy stared at the eyes over the top of the newspaper while Rose sniggered.

"Hula, hula, hula," Mandy sang to him.

Rose giggled when John lowered the paper further, feigning anger while he glowered at Mandy.

"Rose, my love, isn't there something about children being seen and not heard?" John said to her. "Something about sparing the rod and spoiling the child and get outta my face, you big disgrace?"

"I don't know about the last one but yeah, there is the other two," Rose said.

"When I sit down to breakfast, I expect absolute silence from all and sundry," John said. "When I have my brekkie, I like to pretend this is the Mary Poppins house and I am George Banks."

"Oh yeah?" Rose said, amused.

"A British bank is run with precision!" John sang to her. "A British home requires nothing less. Tradition, discipline and rules must be the tools, without them…anarchy, disorder, chaos, in short, you have a ghastly mess!"

"Wow, you can remember an obscure song from the film? That's impressive," Rose said before picking up her cup of tea.

"Rose, I want you to ring the Times and place an advertisement for a nanny for this…thing!" John said, putting his finger on Mandy's head while Mandy giggled. "I want it down posthaste so I can enjoy my meal in silence. This house is not a rowdy funfair and I will have order!"

"Mmm," Rose said.

"Well, did you do it?" John said after a few seconds silence.

"Do what? Ring the Times?" Rose said.

"Yes, woman, do I have to spell out everything? Did you ring them and place an advertisement yet?"

"Um…yeah, I did, just now," Rose said before taking another sip of tea.

"Well? Where are the nannies?" John said.

"They're sorting through the ones with rosy cheeks and plays games and finding the ones who will mold the young breed," Rose said.

"Good, because we need discipline, discipline, discipline," John said, pounding the table with each repetition of the word.

"Hey! Stop that!" Mandy said, grabbing the rim of her plate to steady it.

Rose laughed when John froze in open mouthed shock while he stared at Mandy. He held that expression while Mandy stared back.

"You need to close your mouth before flies get in there," Rose said.

She chuckled when John turned his shocked expression towards her and stared at her.

"What? You want flies in your mouth?" Rose said.

"Anarchy!" John finally said. "Women shouldn't be talking when a man is present! I will take this to a higher authority!"

He stood up, took his mobile out of his pocket and dialed the Doctor's number. He quickly put it on speakerphone and put it on the table.

"Hello?" the Doctor said, answering the phone after a few rings.

"A British bank is run with precision," John said to him. "A British home requires nothing less. Tradition, discipline and rules must be the tools. Without them, Anarchy, disorder, chaos, in short, you have a ghastly mess!"

He shut up and Rose laughed when they didn't hear anything from the Doctor.

"What?" the Doctor said after a few seconds of silence. "Rose, what's going on?" he said when he heard her laughing.

"Um…John is being a tyrannical dictator here at the house," Rose said.

"I am not. I am being the master of this house and imposing my will on it," John said. "We are in England and we will behave like Englishmen and women and that means discipline, damn it!"

"Donna, I better go back there, I think John's gone off his trolley," they heard the Doctor say.

Hi, Uncle Doctor,"Mandy piped up.

"Ps and Qs! What's going on there?" the Doctor said.

"We're eating breakfast," Mandy said, taking the phone.

"Are you? It sounds like John is pretending he's in Mary Poppins or something," the Doctor said.

"This is Mary Poppins, damn it!" John said, pounding the table with his fist while Rose laughed.

"Right. I'm going over there, Donna," they heard the Doctor say.

"Now you've gone and done it, he's coming for ya now," Rose said to her husband.

John was about to reply when they heard the wheezing sound. Rose looked over her shoulder when the TARDIS materialized behind her. The door opened and the Doctor appeared at the door with Donna. His goggles were up on his forehead and he had a peeved look on his face.

"I was doing calibrations and updating my ship when you decided to ring me," the Doctor said to his clone as they stepped into the room. "I'm just glad you didn't ring me when I was running from something."

"I'm just making the point that the child should let me read about Posh Spice and her shopping sprees and quit singing "Hula, hula, hula" while I'm doing it. Does this even look like Hawaii to you?" John said.

"Mate, you haven't lived until you're stuck in a car with her while she keeps on singing "Break it down now" for forty five minutes," the Doctor said, walking over to Mandy and ruffling her hair. "Besides, there are earplugs, you know."

"I don't want them. I shouldn't have to have them," John said, pounding the table with his fist. "I ask for quiet in this household and that is what I shall have. I asked Rose to place an advertisement in the Times for a nanny that will punish this wayward child and so far one hasn't appeared. How long must I suffer, I ask you?"

Rose laughed while the Doctor just stood there and stared at his clone. He turned to Rose and hugged her.

"I'm sorry; I'm so sorry, Rose. I made a grievous error in judgment when I left you with this loon," he said as he hugged her. "You poor lamb, how did you survive living with him? I know he absorbed a bit of Donna but I didn't realize the Donna portion of him made up 95 percent of his being."

"Oi," Donna said.

"Well, listen to him. He sounds a lot like you," the Doctor said to Donna.

"Why is there talking and no nanny?" John said.

Rose laughed harder when the Doctor let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes. He bent down to Mandy.

"Howdy, Ps and Qs," he said to her.

"Hi, Uncle Doctor," Mandy said.

"Would you like to go someplace fun for a bit so you can get away from the muppet over there?" the Doctor said to her while he pointed to John.

"I like Muppets," Mandy said.

"Yes, I do too. But I'm not talking about the fun sort of Muppets, I'm talking about the muppet over there who will drive you insane if you sit here a moment longer. Want to come with me for a bit?"

Mandy nodded. The Doctor took her hand as she hopped off the chair.

"I will take the child off your hands so you can pretend to be a Victorian dad without any distractions," the Doctor said to John. "Rose, you can come with us as well if you feel you can't stand his boorishness."

"Nah, I'll stay here and keep his boorishness in check," Rose said.

"You're very brave and I admire your courage. Come, Mandy, we shall find a nice park or funfair or something like that where you can be a child and not have to listen to Berk the Jerk over there. Donna…"

"Bye, Mandy," Rose said, waving at her.

"Bye, bye," Mandy said, waving while the Doctor took her into the TARDIS.

They watched while the Doctor shut the doors once everyone was inside. Then the TARDIS dematerialized and the room was quiet again. Rose looked at her husband.

"There, problem sorted, read your paper now," Rose said to him.

"Um…I was just joking, everyone does know that, right?" John said to her.

"I think they do," Rose said. "Just read your paper and eat your breakfast, love."

John shrugged. He laid the folded newspaper beside his plate and glanced at it while he and Rose finished their breakfast.

THE END.

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