"Hammer," the Doctor said holding out his hand to his wife and not looking up from the control panel he was fixing on the TARDIS.

River reached into the Doctor's tool bin, pulling out a rather small object. She placed it in the Doctor's outstretched hand, fending off a shiver. 'That's odd," she thought to herself as she shivered again, suddenly feeling very cold, and strangely dizzy.

The Doctor didn't seem to take notice as he was staring at the object River had handed him, "This is a wrench." He said absently, but he shrugged and used it anyway hitting a small nail that was sticking out of its place, effectively fixing at least part of the problem. He sighed and placed the wrench back in the bin and continued to make repairs.

He finally figured out something was wrong when he heard River cough, he turned looking away from his project, only to get sneezed on.

"Uh." The Doctor stuttered wiping the snot from his face, "Are you okay?" He asked with concern in his features.

"Ya, I'm-" River fell into a coughing fit.

The Doctor stood and placed his hand on her forehead then frowned, she was burning up.

River continued to cough, her legs suddenly feeling like they couldn't hold her up. The Doctor caught her as she fell to her knees, holding her up straight and biting his lip.

"River," The Doctor said, nervous, "You, you should lay down." He was trying hard not to panic.

River suddenly gave a laugh, it was strange and happened due to no notable cause, but here she was laughing. "You're," She snickered looking up at the concerned Doctor, unable to compose herself, "You're really cute when you're worried." She said, through a round of giggles. Then she coughed some more.

"Ya. Okay." The Doctor took a breath, beginning to suspect what this was about, but hoping beyond hope he was mistaken. "Come on, can you walk?"

River snickered, "No, you should carry me, it's more dramatic." She wrapped her arms around The Doctor's neck and giggled, coughing through the laugh. The Doctor was concerned, but he managed to scoop River up, walking to the nearest room with a couch, which happened to be the library, and placing the giggling time lady on a cushy lounger.

He took a step back and drew his sonic, scanning River, who was now curled up in a ball coughing. He read the results of his scan, and sighed, his suspicions confirmed. River had a 105 degree fever, symptoms read out as delirium, coughing and sneezing, shivers, nausea, and drastically lowered inhibitions along with lack of control when it came to speaking and acting. Results read conclusive, River had gallifreyan four day fever. At least it wasn't something worse. He had hoped before that River, being born in the matter that she was, wouldn't be susceptible to gallifreyan diseases. It seemed that his hopes weren't recognized.

"River," he said very quietly, getting on his knees and holding her hand in his, "Do you know who I am?"

River half chuckled half sneezed, "You're my Doctor." She said firmly pulling him into a hug, "Silly, why would you ask that?" She laughed, "You know, I feel horrible." She said, "And I have no idea why I'm so fricken happy! Isn't that weird?" She sniffled, then suddenly burst into tears, causing the Doctor's hearts to practically break in his chest. "Am I dying?" She asked sobbing.

"No, no," The Doctor said quickly, squirming slightly from River's grasp, "You just have a bit of a flu is all. You'll be fine. As long as you get plenty of rest and fluids. Understood?"

River's lip quivered, she grabbed the Doctor firmly, "Oh, but you'll make sure I won't die right? My flu isn't contagious right?" She sobbed into the Doctors clothes, then suddenly stopped, "Con, con-ta-gee-eye-ous." She giggled her face still pressed to the Doctor's shirt, "That's a weird word." Her tone became thoughtful. The Doctor couldn't help but smile, although his eyes showed his worry.

River looked at the Doctor, coughing right in his face, "You, *cough* you look worried! Oh! It is contagious isn't it?"

The Doctor sighed, "Well, a little, love. Humans can't get it, and older time lords, like me, rarely get it."

River looked panicked, grabbing the Doctor's face in her hands and staring at him, "Rarely isn't never! You haven't been around the disease I assume? You're immune system wouldn't be able to handle it!" She said the words in a frantic panic, but just as fast as it came, the panic flushed from her face, she let go of the Doctor, leaving him sitting by her. The small moment of fear forgotten to focus on something else, "My stomach hurts." She observed. "Wait, where's my mum?"

"Amy?" The Doctor asked, reeling slightly from Rivers panic and rubbing his face from where she had grabbed him.

"Ya. I miss her, but then again I always miss her. And Dad. You know," She leaned in close and whispered, "sometimes, I wish we could just go back to the old days, hanging around mum's house and me trying to get her and dad together." She giggled, "The memories make me happy, but sad, like, I can't get the days back, which is sad, but I still like remembering them. Is that weird?"

The Doctor shook his head, holding on to Rivers hand and trying not to look alarmed, "No, that's normal love. Well, I can go get them if you would like."

"Get who? My memories?"

"No, Amy and Rory." The Doctor clarified.

"Oh could you?" River grinned the words.

"Ya, I'll be right back." The Doctor stood and smiled at River before walking for the door.

But the Doctor was stopped by a small frantic voice, "Doctor?"

The Doctor turned, "Yes?"

"Where are you going?"

"To get Amy and Rory." The Doctor responded.

"But, then you'd be leaving me alone." River protested with a huff. "You have to stay here or take me with you."

The Doctor couldn't help but smile, "Alright," He returned to River's side and scooped her up, feeling her hot shivering body against his own cool skin. "Let's go find your parents."

River gave no response, well unless you count sneezing as a response. The Doctor walked from the room, cradling his delirious wife and calling for his companions as he walked into the hallway.

The couple was found in Amy's room, both still in their pajamas, hair unbrushed. Amy was sitting atop her bed trying to throw grapes into Rory's mouth and laughing as the majority of the fruits fell to the floor. It didn't take long to find the couple, but apparently it was long enough for River to fall asleep, as she was cuddled in the Doctor's arms snoring away by the time the Doctor swung open the door, awkwardly pushing the door away with one arm then quickly swooping his arm back under River's sleeping form as the room came into view.

Amy looked up, amused at first, than confused. "Doctor?" She asked, "Is something wrong?" She ran to him and River, staring at the shivering figure of her daughter. "What happened?" She demanded, slightly panicked. "Is she alright? Are you alright?"

"River's sick." The Doctor sighed, shifting slightly under Rivers weight "She'll be fine, the flu only lasts four days. I wouldn't freak out around her now. It'll only make things worse."

Rory was by Amy's side in an instant, "What does she have?" he asked suspiciously, keeping his voice calm and placing his hand on his daughter's forehead. He pulled his hand away in shock at the heat. Quickly he took River in his own grasp, the Doctor helping her into Rory's arms, next Rory placed River on the bed and watched as she curled up on the covers, sneezing in her sleep.

The Doctor sighed "She has the gallifreyan four day fever. It's mostly a Time Lord sickness, but given the tweaks in her DNA, she seems susceptible."

Amy glared, "How's that possible? She's human."

"Sure, sure." The Doctor sighed, "But this particular disease affects those who can regenerate, and she can. The disease can be caught once every regeneration. It's quite annoying, brings fever delirium, and other not so fun things. But harmless in the long run."

The couple took in this information, but something didn't sit right, "Wait," Amy looked up concerned, "Does that mean you could get it?"

The Doctor gave a sheepish smile, "It's a possibility." He said, not willing to admit just how possible it was. "But you two can't get it."

"Oh god," Rory started, his face in his hands, "are we going to have to deal with two sick, crazy time lords?"

The Doctor shuffled slightly, "Another possibility." He admitted.

But the conversation was broken when River suddenly gasped, sitting up straight, strange tears rolling down her face. "Doctor?" she asked panic-stricken.

Rory grabbed her hand, holding it gently in his own. "It's okay," he shushed, "you're safe. The Doctor's here, so are your mum and dad."

River looked at Rory's face and wrapped Rory in a hug. "You have no idea how long I've waited to hear that." She said. She pulled back and got a good look at Rory, then busted out laughing, "You're hair looks stupid." She said before falling to another flurry of giggles.

Rory frowned and pushed his unbrushed hair down.

The Doctor sighed, "Don't take anything she says to seriously Rory, she doesn't know what she's saying."

"Right." Amy muttered, "So what do we do?" she asked.

"Um," The Doctor thought for a second, feeling his mind blank. He swallowed, placing his hand to his head, feeling slightly dizzy all the sudden, "Um, uh, water, soup, sprite, tea, and rest just basic stuff you'd need to cure a common cold."

Amy frowned, noting the Doctors pause then said, "Right,lay down, I'll get you and River some tea."

"What? Me lay down? I'm fine Amy." The Doctor reassured, "I'll help you make the tea."

Amy narrowed her eyes, "No." She stated, "We can't be sure that you're fine. Lay down."

"Amy," the Doctor rolled his eyes, "I'm not a child."

"But you're my son-in-law." Amy gave him a knowing smile, "And as your mother, I'm telling you, lay down. Just until we're sure that you're not sick too. Okay?"

The Doctor shook his head, making him feel even more dizzy, "But, no, I'm-"

"Doctor!" River laughed, "You have to do what Amy says?" she mocked, "That's soooo cute!" She sucked in a giggling breath, coughing as she did. "Come 'ere" River laughed patting the spot next to her on the king sized bed. "I wanna cuddle."

The Doctor couldn't say no to that. He kicked his foot, defeated for the time being, and crossed the room. He sat down on the mattress and shrugged. "Alright, I'll lay down if it will make you feel better Amy, but, I'm fine-fi-ahchoo!" He sniffed, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach, the sneeze seeming to knock something loose in his head. He blinked through a spell of utter dizziness and a bout of sudden shivers, his vision took a second to clear, but when it did he saw the other three in the room studying him with concerned eyes.

"Yes absolutely fine." Rory rolled his eyes.

River sat up, placing her hands on the Doctor's shoulders, "Doctor my Doctor," She slurred, "are you okay?" She gave him a sudden hug that the Doctor returned.

The Doctor felt himself smile as he hugged River back. Then he giggled, seeing Rory who was now standing over the two. "River was right," The Doctor observed, his words strangely slurred, "You're hair is stupid."

Rory and Amy exchanged a nervous glance. River laughed.

The Doctor cleared his throat, "Sorry, that was rude of me." He said, still hugging River who seemed to be snoozing on his shoulder now.

Rory shrugged it off, "Don't worry about it." He looked at the Doctor and the now sleeping River Song and sighed. "You didn't mean it. Amy, take care of them." He said to his wife, "I'm going to make some tea and soup." Rory took his leave, kissing Amy on the head and whispering a quick 'good luck' on the way, then leaving the room.

"Right." Amy said finding her way to an arm-chair in the corner of the room and taking a seat, settling in for a long four days. The Doctor's head still hurt, but he took comfort in the warm time lady cuddled to him.

The Doctor found himself leaning on River and giving Amy a glaring pout, "Really, Amy, it was just a sneeze, I'm fine." He insisted.

"Really?" Amy asked skeptically, "you sure about that?"

"Y, ya." The Doctor suddenly tensed up, the composure in his face breaking, the words started to pour out of his mouth, "I'm fine, I mean, I think I'm fine, it's just, I don't really know, uh, I'm babbling. Why am I babbling?" He could feel his pulse speed he gasped in a breath. His blood chilled, he could feel his whole body begin to shiver.

Amy stood, fear and compassion playing in her features. "It's okay." She said carefully, "lay down, both of you, you'll be fine." The words were tender and soothing.

"Right." The Doctor gulped and attempted to climb into the covers, taking River with him and accepting help from Amy who tucked the two in. She moved The Doctors sonic to the bedside table. Then she placed her hand on the Doctors forehead, "You have a fever." She informed.

"I," the Doctor coughed, "Well, that's just great. Th, Th, this isn't fair you know! I thought I was done with this flu. I haven't had it since I was a really little kid." He blinked, forgetting where he was going with that, he looked up at Amy, "You know, by time lord years, you're practically a baby." He giggled at Amy.

"Is that so?" Amy asked.

"Ya." The Doctor yawned, "I should be telling YOU what to do."

"You can do that when you get better." Amy rolled her eyes, an act she seemed to be doing a lot lately.

The Doctor stared up at Amy. "Did you know that you have really pretty hair?" He asked, "Even when it's messy. It's just so red. But not, like, scary red, more like, you know, pretty red. In that light it's really shiny. And," He coughed. "I wish my hair was shiny like that."

River cuddled closer to him, her arms wrapped around the doctor's waist. "Stop talking." She muttered, "I'm trying to sleep."

"Oh really?" The Doctor asked River, cuddling up to her, full attention on the time lady now, forgetting that Amy was even there.

River giggled, "Ya. You should sleep too."

"Why's that?"

"Cause if you were sleeping you wouldn't be talking." River informed like it should be the most obvious statement in the world.

The Doctor gave a small giggle, "Well, no one said we had to be sleeping." He said absently. He rolled over to face his wife.

"Oh really?" River teased. "What else would we be doing?"

The Doctor grinned, pulling River into a kiss.

To this Amy groaned. This was going to be a long four days.