Tyler-Smith. Chapter Four

  "You know, you might as well marry her," said Jackie, coming into the living room with a cup of coffee.
"Excuse me?" The Doctor's foot slipped from the coffee table.
" You've got kids, why don't you just bit the bullet and ask her?"
"Jackie, I'm really not that type of person,"
"Think about the kids,"
"What about the kids?"
"What about them?"
"Don't you think it's a bit unfair for their parents to not be married?"
"What's the difference?" Jackie opened her mouth to speak but the Doctor stopped her, " I love her Jackie, you know I do. Whether I marry her or not. Does it really matter if we say 'I do'? Cos I don't think it does, Rose knows I don't do the whole 'domestic' thing okay? We're happy together"
"You don't do the whole domestic thing? I call having kids domestic you know,"
"That's not what I mea-," He wiped his hand over his face, "Oh just forget it,"
He stood up dropping the book he'd been reading on the sofa. "I'm making tea. You can stay or you can go. But I need to talk to Jenny,"
"We'll leave you. Pete's coming back from his business trip, I want to be there when he gets back,"
"Tell him I said hello, and can you not tell him about the twins? I think she wa-"
"Did you just say twins?"
"Erm... yeah. I thought you knew," Jackie ran from the room flustered. "Don't disturb Rose!" He yelled after her, "She needs her sleep!"
                    "That's my sister?"
"No. That's your brother. That's your sister,"
"What are they called?"
"Well, we think we'll call them Ross Jack Tyler-Smith and Scooty Helena Tyler-Smith,"
"Why don't I have a middle name?"
"Because you're special."
"Do you have a middle name?"
The Doctor shook his head. He took the scan and pinned it to the fridge, and using fridge magnet letters, spelt out the word 'Babies'. He pulled open the freezer and brought out a tub of ice-cream. Jenny grew wide-eyed. She recognised that tub of ice-cream, that was the 'special occasion' ice-cream, the expensive ice-cream. The Doctor laughed, and set it on the table.
"I think you deserve a treat. I know we've all been so excited about the babies about the past few months, so I think it's time we had some of the nice ice-cream."
Jenny grinned and jumped up and down. "Isn't Mummy having any?"
"Mummy's asleep, she can have some when she wakes up,"
"Is ice-cream good for babies?"
"Ice-creams very good for babies. Now come on, let's go read a book."
"In the front room?"
"Yes in the front room,"
"But we're not allowed to eat in the front room,"
"And I said I think you deserve a treat. Now come on before I change my mind,"
                    

                When Rose awoke, it was six o clock and the house was deathly quiet. She flung back the cover and slipped her feet into her slippers. Wrapping her dressing gown around her she padded down the corridor into the kitchen. The special occasion ice cream was out on the table, half melted and, after helping herself to some, she placed it carefully back in the freezer. She made her way to the front room, and nearly laughed at the site that met her eyes. The Doctor was sat on the armchair, a book limp in one hand, the other hand curled protectively around Jenny who was sat on his knee. She had her head resting on his shoulder, an arm snaking across his chest to rest on his opposite one. They were both fast asleep. Instead she smiled. She walked over to the pair and gently the book from his un-resistant hand. The two empty bowls were balanced precariously on the armrest and she quickly picked them up in fear of left over melted ice-cream being spilt on the carpet, which for some strange reason, she had become very protective over.  She started to walk from the room.
"Rose?" She turned, the Doctor's eye's were still closed.
"What is it?"
"I love you,"
"I love you too," she replied, "But you spill ice-cream on this carpet and you'll be out on your backside before you can say Raxicori-"
"-cofallipatorius," finished the Doctor, opening his eyes and smiling at her.
"Exactly. How much of that have you two actually eaten anyway? I'm cooking tea,"
             The Doctor woke Jenny up slowly. It was one of the hardest things to do, she was definately a bed person. And that was definately a Rose trait, no matter how much she denied it. It usually involved a lot of grumbling, and moaning and pulling the cover over heads, and then pulling it off the bed so she squealed.
"Jenny, come on wake up. Your mum's cooking tea,"
"Mmmhddmmnn," was the muffled reply, spoken into his shoulder.
"Off you get Jenny. Go and say hello to your Mum,"
Jenny slid, somewhat reluctantly, off her father's knee and shuffled out of the room, a thumb in her mouth. The Doctor looked after her for a moment, a slight smile playing across his mouth. He sighed before hauling himself out of the chair and following her into the kitchen. "So what are we having?"
"I was thinking the age old stand by of pasta and tomato sauce with an awful lot of cheese on top,"
The Doctor smacked his lips together. "You need any help?"
"You can grate some cheese if you want. Jenny do you want to grate some cheese as well?"
Jenny shook her head. "I'm going to go and get a book to read," She skipped energetically out of the room, and returned moments later a book clasped in her skinny arms.
              Five minutes later the Doctor was dancing around the kitchen singing along to Bryan Adams. He was swinging Rose around, who was laughing, her cheeks rosy red and a sparkle in her eyes. Jenny was complaining because she couldn't concentrate on the reading her new book that she'd borrowed from the library. But instead of being quiet, the Doctor simply scooper her up and waltzed her around aswell, until she was giggling and laughing as much as her Mum.
"Okay, okay, put me down, put me down," gasped Rose.
The Doctor did so, but still twirled Jenny round, skirting round Rose whenever he'd made a full circle around the room. The moment was intterupted by the ringing off the phone. Jenny was placed back on her chair, and was immediately engrossed back in her book. The Doctor reached for the phone.
"Yello?" There was a pause, "Yup. Yeah I'll tell her. We might pop over for a bit later, Rose is in the middle of cooking tea. Well yes I would put her on, but like I said she's cooking tea. Yes I said, we'll be over later,"
                

              "I can't believe you didn't tell me it was twins!" exclaimed Jackie as soon as she'd opened the door.
"Well seeing as I went to bed as soon as I came in the door, I kind of didn't have the time, I thought the Doctor would have told you,"
"Yes well he didn't," grumbled Jackie, leading them through to the front room.
"Didn't tell you what?" A very tired looking Pete looked up from where he was having a well deserved glass of whiskey.
His eyes fell to the just about noticable bump and his eyes widen. "Well I guess congratulations are in order,"
"Cheers Pete," said the Doctor grinning, "How was the trip?"
"Exhausting. Thank God there isn't anymore for the rest of this year. I'm hoping. I'm getting tired,"
"Well they do seem to be getting longer in duration. How long was this one?"
"Three months. Three months in Sydney. The weather was..." He shuddered, "Hot,"
Rose laughed. "It's nice to have you back anyway. Jenny missed you,"
"I missed her. You never know I might have brought back some little something for my only Grandchild,"
"Presents!" Shouted Jenny, running forward towards Pete,
The Doctor leant forward towards Rose, "I'm just going to talk to your mum. I'll be back in a minute,"
He disappeared from her side.

               "Jackie?"
"Yes?"
"You know the whole 'marriage' thing?"
"Yes,"
"Do you really think it's a good idea?"
"I'm just saying you might as well. I mean you love her, you've got kids. Why not go the finale hurdle?"
The Doctor sighed, and leant against the door frame. "You think she'll say yes?"
"How thick can you get? She's having your children. She's already had one of them. You live together. How much have you been through? She lost you once, and you said, well not you, but it was you -oh you know what I mean - you said you couldn't see each other again. And what did she do? She found a way. She found a way back so she could find you. And for bloody hell's sake she did. That show's determination if you ask me. If she says no... then I'll eat a whole tin full of caviar. And you know how much I hate caviar,"
The Doctor laughed. "Yes I know how much you hate caviar. It's just ... I never really thought that I'd ... Of all the times I've dreamed of seeing her again, all the times I've wondered where she is, what she's doing. I never really imagined marrying her,"
"Well just ask her. There's no harm in trying. She'll love you no less or no more no matter what she says,"
The Doctor looked at her, straight in her eyes. "Yeah..."