A/N: Takes place between chapters 6 and 7 of Don't Cage the Wolf, so go read that one if you haven't already!
After a long, rainy night that involved the twelve youngest children of the Dowlrin Royal Family and a shape-shifting babysitter, a quiet night in the library was just what the Doctor ordered.
"Since when do you give orders?" a skeptical Amy Pond asked the Doctor as they trekked the long hallways of the TARDIS. He and Rose were walking hand-in-hand a few paces in front of the Ponds, and he waved his free arm in exasperation.
"Since always! 'Don't wander off', 'Come along, Pond', 'Be careful with that thermo-coupling'. It's you that's suddenly decided to listen." He released Rose's hand and threw his arm around her shoulder, kissing her temple. "Nice quiet evening in front of the fire'll dry us all out and maybe we can figure out why that nanny took on my face with Rory's nose. Not very flattering."
"Evening? It's four a.m.," Rory reminded the Doctor, "and I wasn't too happy about it either. It looked like a..." between his eyebrows, his forehead creased in his attempt to draw a comparison.
"Monkey wrench?" Rose asked, mimicking Rory's nose and the Doctor's chin with her curved hands.
"That's it!" Amy agreed, pointing a confirming finger in Rose's direction. Rose smiled at her and Amy grinned back.
"Nice quiet morning, then," the Doctor continued in an attempt to ignore the womens' teasing. He pushed open the library door and turned the lights to a muted glow. "Tall Pond, snacks. Scottish Pond, blankets. Rose, find us some music, will you? I'll start the fire."
"In the fireplace this time, Doctor." Rose called over her shoulder as she went to a nearby linen closet and started fishing around the shelves for quilts.
Rory raised his hand as though to ask a question. "Why—" he began.
"Because you don't spill things. Hurry on, chop-chop, it's time to relax!"
Twenty minutes later, Rory re-joined them in the library carrying a tray and wearing a flowery apron.
Amy choked on her laughter and had to cough into her sleeve. "Where did you find that?"
"And where's the head scarf? It's got a matching head scarf, Rory, you can't just go 'round wearing half of it," The Doctor insisted as he poked at the meager flames in an attempt to ignite the larger logs.
"There's a bucket, too, if I recall," Rose added, tossing a quilt to Amy and keeping the large blue one for her and the Doctor to share.
"Blue, isn't it?" he asked
"Not blue." Rose insisted.
"You sure?"
"Fairly sure, as the last time I used it we had this same conversation, only louder. And running."
"Ah, the Hoix. Right." The Doctor swung around and pointed the fire poker at Rory like a sword. "Rory." He jiggled the poker, and Rory followed the glowing tip with his eyes. "What are you doing?!"
Rory cast a quick glance to both women, questing for an explanation. Not finding one forthcoming, he responded, "Passing out drinks? I can take the this off first." He nodded downwards, indicating the flowery fabric.
"Rory, stop!" the Doctor cried out, as Rory handed the chocolate-filled mug he was holding to Rose, in order to remove the apron. She blew over the hot surface of the liquid and took a sip.
"Oh, now look what you've all done!" The Doctor threw his hands in the air. "Now we've got to stage a museum raid, come on." He reached out, grabbing both Amy's and Rose's hands and pulling them up off the sofa.
"A museum? At half-four?"
"What's going on?"
"Do I have to wear the head scarf?"
"Yes, yes, Aztec tradition, and no," the Doctor responded, rushing them all out of the library doors, making a point to dump the cocoa in the fire before leaving.