A/N: When Elli is married to the Doctor, she tells you (Jack) at the orange heart level: "I just realized it, but the Doctor looks a lot like my father." This got me thinking of a saying I'd heard before that a lot of girls tend to date/marry guys that resemble their dads. Although I prefer Jack/Elli, I thought I'd give writing a Doctor/Elli fic a shot.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon. Biiiig surprise.

Just Like Dad

It was finally the end of another long, busy day. Mineral Town Clinic had closed for the evening a few hours ago, and its exhausted owners were preparing for bed after a quick dinner. Well, truth be told, Doctor Timothy Parker was not nearly as exhausted as his wife, who was in their bathroom at the moment. He glanced up from a book he was reading upon hearing a gentle groan from her, and frowned subtly. He was aware that Elli had been showing symptoms of an illness: she had complained of a weak stomach this morning, was sluggish and tired during the day, had skipped lunch, and barely ate dinner tonight. Whatever she had eaten at dinner was quickly thrown up, and needless to say, dessert was consumed by only her husband.

Naturally Tim was concerned, and theorized that perhaps Elli had caught something from someone. After all, it was cold and flu season, and Elli had recently spent much of her time nursing her little brother back to health. The contact with him and the patients coming to the clinic lately may have possibly left her feeling ill.

He hoped that wasn't the case. In addition to naturally wanting his wife to be well, he needed her by his side at work. He knew that working alone day after day left him not only remarkably bored and lonely, but even irritable. But with Elli around, he definitely had things to do and never felt forlorn nor testy. She made everything sweeter somehow. It amazed Tim to think that Elli still had that effect on him even after all this time. He smiled affectionately as he thought of the pretty little brunette he used to call his little helper and now his incredibly cute, sexy and wonderful wife.

Work and life wouldn't be nearly half as enjoyable without being able to see her shy smile and blush, hear her kind and softspoken words, witness her adorable and slightly clumsy ways...ah, Tim sighed, the list could go on.

Thank goodness I worked up the courage to ask her on a date last Winter, he thought gratefully, sincerely. And now, a year later, he was reaping the lovely consequences of pursuing a relationship with her as he was now a content, married man, and very happy in more ways than one...

He thought of the three days he and Elli were snowed in last week, and couldn't resist smiling even wider. What fun that was... He had never been extremely grateful to a snowstorm before...

"What are you smiling about?"

Tim looked up, feeling a tad flustered as his wife caught him off guard. He noticed the curious, playful glance she cast at him, and slightly blushed. He hadn't even heard her enter their bedroom. He quickly recovered and resumed reading, answering coolly, "Nothing in particular."

Elli smirked as she settled in bed next to Tim, not believing him for a minute. She was content to find her side of the bed quite warm, and gave her husband an appreciative look. It was a look that went unnoticed as Tim was focused on the book in his hands. Elli playfully rolled her eyes, then smiled softly as she observed her husband carefully.

He was laying on his side, propped up on an elbow, with a concentrated and contemplative look on his face. He mused thoughtfully, reached up to scratch his hair, and turned a page. Elli nearly giggled to herself. Only Tim would find reading a thrilling, deep mystery novel relaxing. She liked that about him, though. He was always thinking, always trying to learn something and improve himself. Intelligence was definitely a turn-on to Elli, not to mention she found Tim to be quite handsome and very kindhearted. She knew there was more to Mineral Town's doctor than a solemn man with a constant, composed demeanor. And, she thought with another smile, only she would know all the sides of Tim, including the passionate-but-gentle-yet-oh-so-sexy side of him that showed itself whenever they made love...

"Elli?"

She tore her eyes off of him when he spoke, certain he had seen her flush a dark pink, and wondered if he had any idea what she had been thinking. She ignored it and acknowledged him shyly, "Hmm?"

Tim closed the book and placed it on the nightstand aside their bed before turning to face Elli, his eyes running carefully up and down her body. "Are you alright?" he questioned concernedly. "I noticed you haven't felt well at all today. Should I take your temperature to start with, and we can find out what's wrong?" Even when the workday was long over, he never failed to be in doctor mode.

Elli shook her head. "I'm fine..."

"You're fine," Tim repeated, a slightly annoyed tone in his voice, and frowned. "I know you, Elli. Your loss of appetite and lack of energy tell me something isn't right. I wanted you to rest. Why didn't you take today off like I suggested?"

"Because, as I told you earlier, I didn't want to leave you alone with all the work," she gently reminded him. "It's my job to help you."

"It's also your job to take care of yourself," Tim countered with a sigh, reaching over to feel her forehead. He seemed relieved after a moment. "You feel fine, but let's use the thermometer so we can be certain."

He began to pull his hand away, but felt Elli's hand on top of his own, holding it in place for a minute before guiding it to her cheek. He looked at her perplexedly and seemed even more bewildered when he saw her look at him coyly. "Babe...?"

"I'm not sick," Elli replied softly, her cheeks coloring a bright red. She gave him an exuberant smile, squeezing his hand gently. "I'm pregnant!"

If rapidly blinking was any indication of being stunned, then Tim was astonished. His eyebrows nearly shot up into his hairline, his heart skipping a beat. He found he could only stare at his wife in awe. She was still starry-eyed, waiting for him to say something about this. The fact quickly registered in Tim's mind, and he looked tenderly at her, his facial expression softening. "Oh, Elli," he murmured, drawing her into his arms. He embraced her tightly, burying his face in her soft, lightly perfumed hair.

There wasn't anything else in the world that caused Elli to feel as warm and tingly as having her husband hold her and call her name gently like that. She smiled against his shoulder, and kissed him softly when he pulled away. "I'm so happy," she whispered, slipping her hand in his.

Tim beamed and rolled over on his back, gently pulling her on top of himself. His other hand sought hers, and their fingers interlaced. "So am I. When did you find out?"

"After dinner... I suspected it as much with the way I'd been feeling...and I was so curious that I couldn't wait anymore," Elli shyly explained, blushing. She sighed happily. "We're going to be parents..."

Tim smiled and brought her hand to his lips for a kiss. "That we are. I know this is what you've wanted for a long time. I'm...happy to be by your side as we raise our child."

Elli bent over to brush her lips against his, moaning her delight as she felt him cup her face in his hands and deepen the kiss. A giddy grin crossed her face as she broke the kiss, and she contentedly sighed before stretching herself out on top of her husband, her head laying on his chest. She closed her eyes as she felt him gently run a hand up and down her back. "Love you..." she murmured.

"I love you, too," Tim replied quietly, his eyes thoughtfully focused on the ceiling. He imagined that with Elli excited about the pregnancy, she'd want to start getting things prepared as soon as possible. He figured it wouldn't be long before the room next door was transformed into a cute nursery. He understood there was much to do to prepare for the arrival of a baby, and much, much more to learn and do once the child was here. But, he thought nervously, how could he guarantee he would do everything right?

It was easy to oversee and assist with the births of other babies, but in the end, they were not his own to care for. With his own baby, he'd have to always be there and know what to do for every situation every day of the week. Sure, he knew how to care for infants, but what if he made a mistake?

I'd never forgive myself, he thought with a frown. If anything ever happened to our child on my behalf...

He subconsciously sighed as he mulled over certain facts. He may have had more experience as a doctor, but Elli had it all when it came to raising a kid. If Stu was an example of child-rearing, then Tim knew he should expect his son or daughter to be playful and/or mischievous. He didn't mind if the child was energetic or had an impish streak, but he didn't grow up that way. An only child, he was calm, serious and studious, and that did not change in adulthood. What if his child thought he was boring...?

He sighed again, his thoughts drifiting back to the fact he felt inadequate. Perhaps extensive reading on child-rearing would ease the feeling. Of course he would have to deal with hands-on experience on his own, but it was best to be prepared. Always be prepared, he mentally repeated his motto.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"Hmm?" Tim mused, glancing down at his wife in surprise. He thought she had fallen asleep...

"This is the second time you sighed like that," Elli noted cautiously, lifting her head up to make eye contact. She folded her hands together and let her chin rest atop them. "Is something the matter?"

Even if he could avoid gazing into those adorable, sepia eyes, he couldn't hide anything from her, via the fact she knew him too well. He subtly frowned, looking at her with honest eyes. "Well, nothing is the matter, per se, but...may I ask you a question?"

Elli raised an eyebrow, puzzled as to why he would ask that. "You know you can ask me anything," she stated reassuringly.

Tim looked away, then gave another deep sigh, a full frown already making its way to his lips. He said nothing for a moment, as if he were hesistating with his question. He felt Elli gently stroke his chest, no doubt an incentive to continue, and finally murmured, "Do you... Do you think I'd make a good father?"

Elli's eyes went wide with surprise as she sat up, gaping at him in bewilderment. "Of course you would," she declared immediately, reaching out to caress the side of his face. Her hand momentarily strayed north to brush aside some hair from his eyes. "Why would you think so otherwise?"

Tim shrugged slightly, still frowning as he made eye contact with her this time. "I don't know... I don't feel as confident and as prepared as you. I'm worried."

"What do you mean?" she questioned softly, still stroking the side of his face.

"There's a difference between medically examining a baby and raising him or her," Tim began. "I only have experience in the former..."

Elli smiled gently at him. "This is my first baby too, you know."

"Yes, but you know about children outside of a medical perspective. You know how to talk, laugh and play with them...you understand them and how they think. Just look at Stu. I, on the other hand... I just don't want to make any mistakes."

His concern made her smile just a little more, though she honestly hadn't meant to grin any further. "We're going to make mistakes as parents and as people," she carefully countered. "We won't always make the right decisions. Believe me, I have done wrong by Stu more than once. But the point is we'll learn from these mistakes together, Tim. As long as we're doing what's best for our baby and we learn from our mistakes, everything will be fine."

Oh, how he loved her optimistic thinking and sweet ways... He envied her outlook on life and her enthusiasm; it was a strong contrast to his solemn and at times overly realistic mindset. They were alike, yet opposite. She was so fun and full of life, and he... He wanted to know something. He gently touched her hand, and surveyed her curiously when her eyes met his. He knew his next question would undoubtedly sound odd to her---nonetheless, he thought it was important. His voice faltered, "...Am I boring, Elli?"

The look on his wife's face alone made him feel ridiculous for asking, but he wanted her opinion.

Elli tilted her head slightly to the side as she eyed him cautiously, perplexedly. "What..." she paused, recollecting her thoughts. "Where is this coming from, Honey?"

"Am I boring?" Tim repeated, glancing at her hesitantly.

"No," Elli answered sincerely, smiling as she added, "And I'm not saying that because I'm biased."

Tim shook his head, starting over. "No, babe, what I'm trying to ask is... am I actually fun to be with? I know it seems strange to ask you this, but I need to know."

"You are fun to be with," Elli assured him candidly, taking his hand in both of hers. She shyly played with his fingers for a moment before questioning, "Why? You don't think you're fun? I can prove it to you..."

Tim almost smirked, knowing what she was hinting at. But his concern overrode any thoughts of sensual, clever innuendoes or where they might lead---although he wouldn't mind coming back to that in a little while. "I know you could," he murmured to Elli. "I suppose I'm asking because I never saw myself as someone fun to be with. Even as a child, I was the way I am now: composed, serious, introverted... Books and nature kept me company as a child. I suppose that carried on into my adulthood, and I'm afraid I haven't developed enough interests...or different interests."

"Such as?" Elli gently urged, both intrigued and concerned that all this was something her husband seriously worried over.

Tim placed a hand over her abdomen, his fingertips stroking it softly. "I want to be able to relate to our child. If our son likes sports, for example, I won't know how to play basketball, baseball or football with him... If he wants to build a treehouse or ride a bike, I'm afraid I won't be much help. I can't count on the idea that he'll be as studious as I am. Same with our daughter... If she has an interest in cooking and baking, or wants to play dress up and princess games with me, I'll be at a loss... I wouldn't know what toys to buy or how to play with her... If she wanted a kitten or puppy, I--"

"Tim, Tim, Tim," Elli interrupted him, chuckling, cupping his face in her hands. She laughed affectionately at his concern and the sight of his adorable, worrisome face, and leaned toward him to kiss his puckered lips. She smiled when she pulled away, caressing the side of his face once again. "You're so cute when you worry...but you needn't do that. I know our child will look up to you. Just knowing that you have an interest in what our child's likes will be tells me you're going to be a wonderful father... When you play with our child, it doesn't matter how you do it...there's no perfect way to play if you think about it, my love. The fact that you're paying attention to and playing with our son or daughter is the thing he or she will notice and appreciate. Just relax, Honey. What's important is that our child loves us and that we're raising him or her to the best of our abilities."

Tim half-smiled, compassionately looking her over with calmer eyes. "I suppose you're right," he said softly, his fingers lazily rubbing the soft, warm skin of her thigh. "I just don't want to disappoint you."

It was amazing how her heart was warmed by his statement, for she remembered the days when she was a nurse in training and didn't want to let him down either. She eased forward and kissed him deeply, pressing her body against his as she felt his fingers wander farther up her thigh. Her own fingers were busy running through his dark, silky locks and gently massaging his scalp, eliciting a moan from her husband. She was reluctant to break the kiss, but did so only to allow them both to breathe. Giggling sweetly at the sight of his flushed cheeks, mussed hair, and chest quickly rising and falling, she planted another kiss on the tip of his nose and grinned. "How could you disappoint me? You married me, didn't you? As long as you're by my side through this, I couldn't ask for anything else..."

Tim smiled, tilting his head up so his lips could touch hers again. For a few moments, the only sounds in the room were that of quiet moans and breathy laughter as they continued to kiss and let their hands wander over each other's heated, sensitive bodies, and the ticklish spots on them. Even when they parted to catch their breaths, their hands continued to roam. Elli looked over her husband, admiration and respect reflecting in her eyes. "You'll be a great father," she whispered, snuggling close to him. "You know how I know?"

"How?" Tim inquired, wrapping his arms around her. He raised an eyebrow when she lifted her head up to make eye contact, and declared proudly, "You're just like my dad."

"Your dad?" he repeated, curious and amused.

"Mmm," Elli mused, shifting slightly to lay on her side. She smirked teasingly at him. "Mom said that Dad had worried with everything about her pregnancy, and he was overprotective even before I was born."

Tim rolled his eyes and returned the smirk, knowing once again what she was hinting at. "It's not my fault I want what's best for you and the baby," he said truthfully. "Honestly, did you expect me not to have any concerns?"

"Of course not," she said sweetly. "I like that you remind me of my dad." She grew nostalgic as she went on, "He was an honorable, hardworking man who really cared for his family. We never had to doubt his love for us. He was a loving husband to my mother, and a wonderful father to Stu and me. I remember when we would dance together, and he would call me the most beautiful girl in the world...he made me feel like a real princess."

She smiled at Tim, gazing intently into his eyes. "Did I ever tell you that you sort of look like him?"

He blinked. "I do?"

"Yeah. You're tall, lean and dark-haired like him...you have the same square jaw and determined, dark eyes. It's cute."

"Cute?" he quipped, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, would you prefer handsome?" she retorted playfully, kissing him in between those stormy, gray eyes she loved.

Tim snorted softly, his lips curving into a wry smile. "I'm not handsome," he mumbled.

No sooner than Elli had pulled away did she pause in front of his face, a solemn expression on hers. "Yes, you are," she protested, giving him a look similiar to the one he would give to stubborn patients.

If not for those large and innocent brown eyes, and her cute, cheery disposition, Tim would've completely taken her seriously. Nonetheless, judging by the tone of her voice and her current facial expression, he knew better than to toy with her at this moment. He looked at her placidly, curiously. "Do you really think so...?"

Elli eased, returning to lay down in her spot next to him. "Of course I do," she asserted gently, seeking his hand beneath the bedsheets. When she found it, she held it and glanced at him shyly, her cheeks flushing pink. "You might not believe me, but I really do think you're handsome. I love your soft, black hair..the way it's messy, yet well-kept. I love your eyes..they remind me of storm clouds, gentle and beautiful in color... and your lean, well-built body. I think your looks are...refined, and I think that you're...you know..."

She trailed off, unable to maintain eye contact for a second. After a moment she coyly shot him a glimpse and mustered up a bit of courage to continue in a whisper, "...sexy."

Hardly anything else spoke to Tim the way compliments and words of affirmation did, especially those from his adorable, sensitive wife. He blushed and smiled tenderly, his eyes studying her with more to say than 'thank you'. He bent over her and began to leave a trail of soft kisses down her body, starting at her forehead and continuing on to her lips. He felt Elli smile within the kiss, and was undoubtedly sure that she made across her point that she found him physically attractive. While his lips worked their way down her supple, soft body, his hands traced her curves that he loved. He heard her sigh pleasantly, and felt his heart begin to race at that sweet sound. He paused at her abdomen, sweetly kissed it, and then looked up at her, compassion and gratitude apparent in his gaze. "Thank you... I love you," he said softly.

Elli smiled and watched him dreamily through half-lidded eyes. "I love you, too." She beckoned him closer with a wave of her hand, kissing him deeply when he was near, intending to show him how much she loved him. She was confident in her heart of hearts that Tim would be a terrific father.

Just like her dad.

End.

A/N: I don't know why, but writing for the Doctor is somewhat difficult for me. I suppose it's because I have to kinda make up his personality, though I tried not to stray from that of his in the game. I hope angsty/insecure Doctor wasn't too much... I just thought it'd be interesting to see him with serious concerns (other than him not being able to cure Lillia and Ellen..what a sweetie). It was incredibly fun writing for Elli. It's a little late, but I salute my favorite sexy, little nurse in honor of Nurses' Week.