Wished Away 9
Tylers meet Phantoms:
“Christ, Mum,” Rose said as she took in how Jackie, Pete, and Tony were dressed, “we’re just meetin’—”
“Royalty!” Jackie squeaked. They were all done up like they were meeting the Queen at Buckingham Palace itself!
“Honestly, Mum, they don’t care,” Rose rolled her eyes, grabbing her mother’s wrist and tugging her through the console room and to the wardrobe room, “I told ya ta dress casually. Let’s just hope the Ol’ Girl has clothes fer ya.”
It took about an hour to get everyone redressed, in things much more casual but still nice, before Rose led them back to the console room.
Jackie was clearly anxious, “Are ya—”
“’m sure, Mum. Danny an’ Sam don’t do formal unless they have ta. Unless you’re an annoying subject or someone threatenin’ war, ya don’t even have ta call ‘em by their titles. They’re just Danny an’ Sam ta family.”
“Lookie what I found,” Jenny bounded from the innards of the TARDIS, holding a tiny bike helmet.
She went to her toddler uncle and put it on him, making sure it fit right, “Landings in the Realms are worse than normal ones. The TARDIS does Her best but the Realms give her…nausea? A headache? She just doesn’t do good.”
“Oh, goody,” Jackie said lowly, hugging a strut for dear life already.
“Let me protect Anthony,” Bad Wolf came out, holding out her arms; without hesitation, Pete handed his son over.
Bad Wolf settled Tony in her arms, against her chest and shoulder, and then spread her feet and crouched slightly, clearly bracing for impact; she stayed steady even as the TARDIS began Her flight.
Everyone else was thrown about the console room, the Doctor and Jenny barely holding on to work the console, but Bad Wolf and Tony did not move an inch.
The landing was rough, just as Jenny said it would be, throwing even the Time Lords to the grated floor before the TARDIS stopped quaking.
Jenny recovered first and stood up, rubbing her shoulder, to peek out the doors, “We’re in the Palace. Uncle Danny and Aunt Sam are waiting…”
Slowly, everyone picked themselves up and Rose reemerged, straightening with some popping from her knees.
Jenny led the procession out, racing to hug a man and a woman, “Uncle Danny, Aunt Sam! How’re you?”
Danny and Sam chuckled and hugged her as one, “Good, doing good. You?”
“Perfect!”
She let go of them to drag Jackie, who was hesitant, forward, “This’s my Gran, Jackie. Mum’s side, duh. Completely human. He’s my step-granddad, Pete, and Mum’s holding my uncle, Tony.”
“Yer Majesties,” Jackie tried to curtsy even though she was in trousers, “an honor ta—”
“Oh, enough,” Sam chuckled, “didn’t they tell you? We don’t do formalities with family.”
“Family?” Jackie’s eyes were wide, “I know Rose said—but—”
“We count Clockwork as family,” Danny explained, “and he’s claimed the Doctor as family. The Doctor and Jenny. Rose’s basically married in by this point. Common-law, you understand. That makes her family our family. Welcome to the Palace, your home in the Infinite Realms.”
“My god,” Pete muttered, somewhat disbelieving.
“Not a god, not yet anyways,” Danny winked.
“Where’s Dani?” Jenny burst out, “Is she still in school?”
Sam grinned, “With Anakin, in the nursery. We let her stay home today.”
“Oh, Gran! Can I introduce Tony to Anakin? Please!” Jenny nearly begged.
“Anakin’s our youngest,” Danny explained kindly, “around Tony’s age, actually. We also have a nanny looking after them, Nanny Clara. He’d be perfectly safe.”
“Well…” Jackie looked to her husband, who nodded, “if you’re sure.”
Jenny cheered and took Tony from Rose, dashing off with him deeper into the Palace.
“Jenny knows the Palace as well as anyone,” Sam assured, “and if she gets lost, she can flag down a servant for help. She’s heading directly for the nursery. It’s the most defensible part of the Palace.
Danny stood up, helping Sam, “C’mon, we can talk over food; stay close, Tylers. Doctor?”
“Rose and I can bring up the rear,” the Doctor agreed, taking Rose’s hand as they began walking.
The Palace was a gothic masterpiece, in a very literal sense, though even Sam had wearied of all the gloom and had sought artists and artwork to fill the halls, soft, plush carpets and tapestries to keep the warmth, glassworks to fill the once barred windows. Statues and busts dotted the hallways, some classical, some avant garde
Masters had given their masterpieces, their magnum opuses; they were paid handsomely of course, in either coin or material.
Oils, watercolors, acrylics, textiles, glass, all created for Her Majesty the Ghost Queen.
For His Majesty the Ghost King.
It wasn’t yet a riot of color, nor would it ever be, but it was more alive.
Jackie gasped and the group stopped, turning as one to see what had captured her attention.
“When they said the family was huge…”
Ah, it was the most recent family portrait; all the children were gathered around Danny and Sam, all in formal wear.
“We…sometimes people sell the souls of children to me,” Danny started, causing her and Pete to whip around to him in horror, “I know, it’s horrible, isn’t it? But anyways, we adopt the kids. Only Dani—Danielle—isn’t adopted.”
He pointed out each child and gave their backstory.
“Good Lord, you were young!” Pete said at Damian’s story.
“Old enough to be king,” Danny shrugged helplessly, “it…it wasn’t easy, we had help, so much help, and we made mistakes…”
“All parents do,” Jackie told him softly.
“So we’ve been told,” Sam smiled just as softly, “and we’ve learned and made new ones with each kid.”
Danny coughed and continued to point out kids and tell stories, until all had been covered and then they moved on.
As they neared the dining room, Danielle and Jenny joined them with each holding a toddler.
“Oh my,” Jackie said, taking in the Anakin Skywalker; she knew who he grew up to be, or would have if he had not been adopted.
“We’re hungry, Dad,” Danielle said.
Danny waved them into the dining room where the smaller table was already set for a meal; there were two chairs with booster seats and Jenny and Danielle put Tony and Anakin in them before sitting beside them and helping them get food.
The group chatted over the meal, Jackie and Pete slowly relaxing at how easy going the Royals were, and generally had good cheer.
After the meal was done, Jenny asked, “Do we put their photo up on the family wall now? I know you’ve got me, Dad, and Mum…”
Danny chuckled, “We can, if they’re okay with it.”
“Family wall?” Pete questioned.
“We keep walls of pictures of the extended family,” Sam explained easily, “you know, like Rose, the Doctor, and Jenny. Harry’s and Neville’s parents. Damian’s paternal birth-family. The Royal Portrait is just the immediate royal family. The walls are for everyone and everything else.”
Danny and Sam led the group out of the dining room and down another hallway; the walls were plastered with photographs. Some were professional, most were candid and amateur.
A common camera sat on a small round table; a high-end camera but nothing too expensive or professional.
Danny picked it up, saying, “If Jackie, Pete, and Tony don’t mind—”
Jackie decided it would be a family photograph and dragged the Doctor in; Rose and Jenny came without complaint.
Danny took a set of pictures.
After that was done, it was decided it was time for the Tylers to leave, taking pity on the still disgruntled TARDIS.
They were, however, invited to the next family gathering.
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