The Doctor Will See You Now

Chapter Thirteen (UPDATED)

Star Date 2261.139 / 19.05.2261

Lex sighed with pleasure as she rolled over onto her stomach face down into the lush green grass, basking in the sun's rays, she could almost feel the vitamin D soaking into her skin. It was the main thing she missed when on board ship, no matter how sophisticated the UV lights were, the sun simply couldn't be replicated.

Joanna giggled at the rapturous expression on her face "You're going to burn if you're not careful"

Lex snorted "I don't care, it's glorious"

"Here" Joanna shook her head laughing, as she misted sun protection spray across her back, making sure she was covered.

"Spoilsport" Lex muttered into the grass tickling her face.

Bones had taken his mother out for the day, leaving them to their own devices. They'd made it as far as the lake at the bottom of the garden, flopping onto the grass bank to cook gently in the Georgian heat, which despite being only May was already ferocious.

"How can you stand the heat?" Joanna whined, panting and fanning herself with her hand.

Lex lifted herself up onto her forearms to look at her friend "I've lived in an artificial temperature-controlled environment for nearly two years, I weirdly miss the extremes. Sometimes I turn the heat up full blast in our quarters, but it's not the same"

"Bet Dad loves that" Joanna snorted out a laugh, imagining his face.

Lex sniggered "Not so much... Dammit woman, it's hotter than hell in here"

Joanna cackled loudly at her spot-on impression.

"Girls, we're home" Eileen called from the porch.

They both waved, laughing as Bones struggled towards the house with a sour expression and a curt nod in their direction, arms overladen with bags.

"Looks like Gran's been to the market" Joanna commented, as a single bag slipped from his grasp, splitting on contact with the floor, causing fruit and veg to fly in all directions.

"Oh Dear" Lex muttered as Bones cursed violently, glaring down at the offending bag "Maybe we should go out for dinner tonight?"

Joanna's face lit up "Gran would love that, I'll go tell her" scrambling to her feet she ran up to the house, dodging around Bones, who was now on his hands and knees retrieving the lost produce.

He too disappeared inside, arms full once more, reappearing a moment later, walking down the grass bank towards her.

"Hey there" she squinted up at him.

"I hear we're going out for dinner tonight" he commented, dropping down heavily besides her, stretching out on his back and shutting his eyes with a sigh.

"Thought your mum could do with a break from cooking" she leant down to plant a gentle kiss on his temple.

Opening one eye he looked up at her "What have you two been doing with yourselves?"

"Enjoying the sun. Where did you two go?" She responded, flopping back down onto the grass her hands cushioning her forehead.

"Where didn't we go more like" he grumbled.

Lex snorted "Don't give me that, you loved spending time with her no matter what you were doing, admit it"

Bones shrugged "Humph"

Considering there were three women getting ready for a night out in the house it was remarkably calm. None of them were particularly high maintenance, Bones spent more time styling his hair than it took the rest of them to get dressed. A short car journey later and they pulled up outside of a large old white wood clad building that had once been a cotton plantation but was now a very popular upscale restaurant.