I Was Born Just To Get To You
Chapter 2
Approximately three months later
"You'll never lose that Earth accent" He laughed
"Who says I want to" She smirked back at him. She wasn't ashamed of what she was. Still, she was proud that her son had quickly become a fluent speaker of Old High Gallifreyan. He could read and write the language as well as her. Jonothon had now moved onward to Later Gallifreyan. He found the complexity of the language difficult, but so had she. It'd taken her almost a year to grasp the basics of reading and writing it, and that was as far as she got before she married the Doctor. The Doctor had taught her to be a fluent speaker, but as he teased, she spoke it with a decided accent. Amelia was learning to speak them as well, and now her toddler phrases tended to mix the languages- Gallifrenglish as the Doctor called it.
"Our daughter is creating a new language." He grinned.
River mostly left the language lessons to the Doctor and would go to find Clara. It gave the Doctor a chance to spend time with their young children alone. River would then land the Tardis and take Clara along on things the Doctor would deem "boring'. River felt it kept her mind sharp to spend time doing Archeological field work. She would focus on field research that had nothing to do with the Doctor. Most of her post-doctoral archeological work had little to nothing to do with the Doctor. There was no need to research her husband when she only had to either ask the Tardis or on occasion, her husband. She found it more rewarding to research some little anomaly across time and space. The Doctor would sometimes claim that he was the cause of the anomaly, especially if River was enthusiastic about it. River had come to suspect the Doctor was more motivated by envy than fact…
River was relieved Clara was content to tag along on these outings. It was nice having company and it was like being still being a professor- pointing out details and explaining how other cultures adapted things across time and space.
Only once did they have the Doctor's luck, running back to the Tardis and quickly jumping back into the vortex. To River's embarrassment that time had been her fault. She had temporarily forgotten a rule for off world visitors. No off-worlders could speak aloud their own translations of the ancient texts on the ruins' walls. Clara had asked what was written on a wall, and unthinking, River immediately translated it. The native born leader of a nearby tourist group began to scream at them and chased them out of the ruins, which lead to the local authorities chasing her and Clara back to the Tardis.
"Well Clara, I just got us banned from visiting those ruins again." River clapped her hand to her forehead at her idiocy.
Clara started laughing, and River helplessly joined in.
River knew Clara was annoyed when the Doctor would put his total focus on the children, especially for things Gallifreyan. Like most people who were not at least part time lord, Clara had no ability to speak the language, found it incomprehensible, especially later Gallifreyan. River had taught her to read and write some basic Old High Gallifreyan, but that was as much as Clara could grasp.
"The Doctor believes that there is something in time lord DNA that makes Later Gallifreyan fully comprehensible. Because I'm only around half time lord Later Gallifreyan comes less naturally to me than Old High Gallifreyan. Old High Gallifreyan is essentially just a refined version of the written language of the lower classes, who tended to be far less skilled in telepathy."
"It's so annoying that he can hold that over me."
River rolls her eyes. "I'm used to him showing off when he can do something better than me. He does that to any intelligent person, and not just women. In fact, he's worse with men, in some ways."
"Really?"
"He may not be human, but he still has a male ego." River laughed.
Something all three adults participated in, was storytelling for the children. Most the time Clara would just listen to River or the Doctor as she wasn't as successful at engaging the children's interest.
River was sympathic, "Time lord children are a bit different from human children."
Clara shrugged, "I think you're just better at it, and the Doctor is kind of a kid anyway."
"Yes he is." The Doctor was an extremely physically interactive storyteller. The children loved it but it tended to make them more wound up afterwards than they were before, which led to more stories. It was basically a process of exhausting them into falling asleep.
On the other hand, River was interactive with the children but verbally, with gentle, soothing touches and hugs when she got to the scary parts of the stories. It had the effect of quickly lulling them to sleep, with a feeling of warmth and safety. She and Clara often exchanged amused expressions when the Doctor would get a drowsy smile on his face listening to River's stories.
The first time River told the children a story on the Tardis, the Doctor started to slip out of the room, but felt drawn back by the way she was telling the story…
"Mum, tell us a story about Nana and Grandfather." Jonothon begged.
"Story!" Amelia insisted.
"Okay. I'll tell you one that doesn't just have them, but your father and me. The story is about when the Pandorica opened…"
By the end of the story Amelia was fast asleep, one hand still clutching the fuzzy toy the Doctor had given her. Jonothon was sleepy eyed, but still had questions, "Mum, why did they want to put daddy in the Pandorica?"
"I promise I'll tell you that story another time."
"Did you really start time over?"
"Yes."
"Was daddy really asking you to marry him?"
River's eyes danced with mischief, "Well, why don't you ask him?"
"Of course I was" The Doctor smirked, ruffling his son's hair, then leaning over and giving River a soft kiss.
"Rule number one" she whispered in his ear, "Not that I mind this time."
"Who says it was? I may not have known you that well yet, but I felt intensely drawn to you already. Subconsciously, it was a proposal." He smiled.
"Charming me again, aren't you?"
"Yes wife, I am." He laughed.
They had either been lucky, or he less reckless, but when he begged everyone to come along, they rarely ended up running from their lives. There had been that one run in with a Dalek, but it when it saw River, it squawked and immediately turned tail before it even noticed she wasn't carrying her Alpha Meson blaster.
"Well, it appears their records on me are still intact" River smirked.
The Doctor's laugh had an edge of madness, River was disturbed by the unstable look on his face, and the way his hand was twitching on his sonic screwdriver. "Should have had your gun, River." The gleam in his eyes was teetering dangerously toward psychosis.
"I didn't need it at the University or at home. I got used to not having weapons at hand." She said in a calm tone.
"Should have had it in Manhattan-"He growled.
"I wish I had, many times. I wonder if-"She felt the grief well up.
"Fixed point, wife. I've come to accept it." His eyes were hooded with suppressed grief and anger.
"I know, me too." Then she realized what the Doctor had meant about the gun- the blaster might have taken out some of those weeping angels… her hearts ached with sadness, his psychosis was becoming more overt. She took his free hand and began to stroke it soothingly. Somehow it felt right to do this almost instinctual act.
He shuddered, then relaxed, his expression returning to sanity. His hand turned and clasped hers, fingers intertwining. She'd brought him back from the madness again. "Thank you." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
She smiled and let a hint of desire show.
He grinned back and made no effort to hide the lust in his eyes.
They retired to their bedroom as soon as they returned to the Tardis, while the children played in their room.
The past three months had gone surprisingly well, River reflected, despite the Doctor's difficulties. She hadn't been drawn into his madness like she feared. Instead, rather than be drawn into his madness, her presence and the children's had brought him a measure of not just happiness, but stability. His descent into his inner darkness hadn't merely slowed, but had actually been pushed back slightly. She believed it was the children's presence, but he told her otherwise.
"No, it's you." He said firmly.
"Me? I'm as mad as you."
"No, you're not. I don't know who told you that you were a psychopath as a child, but you aren't. Kovarian tried to make you into one, but she failed spectacularly, River."
"You think so? Even with what happened in Berlin and Area 52?"
"Like I said, she tried to turn you into a psychopath, but failed spectacularly. What happened in Berlin is absolute proof of that. You broke the brainwashing and gave me all of your regenerative energy- out of your love for me. That might be madness, but it's not psychopathic. Same goes for Area 52- your insane little stopgap measure. That wasn't heartless psychopathy at all. Those words you said to me on top of that pyramid... It overwhelmed me, and I can't stop craving your love. I fear hurting you most of all, because you love so fully. You have so much love inside you. I'm glad you have the children, the more people you can love the stronger you are."
"The less mad?"
"Yes" he grinned at her, "that too. Look how quickly you 'adopted' even Clara. You never expressed jealousy toward her; you directed your hurt feelings exactly to who you should have- me. I did wrong you, again. But you forgave me for hurting you. I would have been lost inside if you hadn't."
"I know, that's why I could. I can't bear to hurt you."
"Even when I deserve it."
"Hush, I won't let you go down that path."
"You see, that's why I know it's you that's done this for me. You've bought me some time, time that I cherish more than anything."
"Oh, if I had only stayed with you!"
"You stayed too long for your own good. I was not fit for anyone's company and amply proved it by hurting you. I'm scared about sinking into that state again once Trenzalore gets close. I know I will. Promise me you'll go away before I get to that point. I know we'll be at Trenzalore together and you see this thing inside me uncontrolled, but don't stay once you can't help anymore. Leave before that."
"Oh my love, to abandon you then…"
"Please, River, promise me you'll go. If you can't see doing it for yourself, do it for our children. I don't want them to see a near complete monster that still looks like the father they know."
"Okay… I promise." Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, her hand moved to roughly wipe them away, but the Doctor stilled her hand and gently kissed each eyelid.
"Thank you" he said softly.
River leaned against him and his arms encircled her. They stood like that in their bedroom for several minutes. Then she asked, "But what about Clara?"
The Doctor sighed. "She'll be gone again when it happens. I feel it."
"Gone again?"
"You haven't seen it happen. There's something strange that happens to Clara."
"Strange? In what way?"
"She dies, then comes back."
"Do you mean like a time lord?"
"No."
"Like Harkness?"
"No, and how do you know about him?"
"Archeologist here, remember?"
"You don't know him, personally?"
River felt the hint of jealousy coming from her husband. That made her believe the more salacious stories she had read about the infamous Captain Jack Harkness- the "Casanova of space and time". Of course, the Doctor was described a similar way in a story she had come across. She had been a newlywed at the time, and it had caused her several nights of intense jealous anxiety… After she knew her husband better, she could dismiss the story as just someone's silly vicarious fantasy. What had happened with Clara proved that point, even that had never gone beyond not mentioning his marital status and stupidly preening over her attraction. River had forgiven him because he'd actually seen the damage he'd done and regretted it. He was no Casanova, just an idiot. "Never met Harkness, just heard of him."
"Good."
If the Doctor had been in less fragile a state she might have teased him about the jealousy. Now wasn't the time for a little petty payback though. She forgave him, she wasn't a saint. She smirked inwardly, then shunted the childish feelings aside. Besides, she needed to know what the Doctor knew about this problem of Clara's. "Never mind about Harkness, tell me more about Clara's dying and coming back."
"It's just that. She dies, literally. That body doesn't come back. A new Clara just shows up."
"Ganger?"
"No. The dead body doesn't fall apart."
"Hybrid of some sort?"
"No, the Tardis could pick that up, and it's a different body, besides."
"Clone?"
"Maybe. Not sure. Something like that, I guess."
"A construct of some sort then."
"Yes."
"So who is doing this to her, and why?"
"The why is the easy part, to get to me. The who is the part I can't figure out. They are covering their tracks too well. They know my ways and know how to hide from me."
"They may not know my ways though."
"What makes you think that?"
"They misjudged my actions. I bet they are the ones that drove me to you, with the children."
"They must have thought you would react in jealous anger, and leave with the children, causing me to go more unstable… Oh wife, you are so amazing!" He grinned and spontaneously embraced her.
"Thank you, husband." She looked at him flirtatiously. Then, her expression changed to thoughtful. "Next time, Clara won't show up in her new body right away?"
"Yeah, they did that the last time she 'died'. After the first few times she showed up straight away in a different body, I stopped reacting the way I think they wanted. Instead of blaming myself anymore, I was focused on figuring out what was going on."
"What did they do?"
"I don't think it was the mastermind, but someone allied. They kidnapped Clara, and I had to find her and rescue her."
"They do know you far too well. Whoever it is, they are dangerous."
"Not just to me, to you and the children as well. They don't seem to want us dead, but want to inflict plenty of mental pain."
"Do you think there is an original Clara still alive somewhere?"
"I don't know. That's what is so frustrating!"
"Yes. Well, like I said, they don't appear to know me that well. I'll do my own researching."
"Thank you. I don't know how well I can anymore. I seem to be losing the ability…" He looked at River anxiously.
River stroked a hand against his arm tenderly, trying to give him reassurance. Inwardly she was filled with dread though. It was another sign Trenzalore was rapidly approaching. He would essentially start "falling apart". First, losing abilities that he had gained in past regenerations, then even his memories from those regenerations. Something would be literally pulling those past "selves" from him and taking those "partial Doctors" to Trenzalore. He, in his current form, would grow physically and psychologically weaker. As a result that dark self, locked inside him, would be able to exert even more control…
"River, I know what is happening. I think it will be soon… the time you and the children will have to leave."
She wanted to shake her head no, deny it for him, lie, but that would just upset him more. "I know." She agreed and gave him a gentle kiss.
He smiled at that. Then forcing a lighter tone he said, "I know something good about you that I bet you haven't guessed.." His eyes danced with a playful mischief.
She looked confused for a minute, then awareness hit her. "Oh…Again?" Her mouth quirked into a lopsided smile.
"Oh yeah, wife, you are pregnant again. The Tardis told me yesterday." He smirked arrogantly.
She swatted his arm, playfully. "And you held that from me until now? You are so shameful!"
"I am." He laughed.
"You so disprove that silly story about time lord sterility!"
"Do you know how that started?"
"No."
"There was this time lord long ago, he told that lie to a human woman he was involved with. He wasn't serious about her, but she was about him. She became pregnant. He even swore before a human court that the child couldn't be his, using that lie as his excuse. All that blather about curses and looms? Straight from his lies." The Doctor laughed.
"He lied about that in court?"
"Yeah. It happened when I was in the Academy. We heard all about it on Gallifrey, when the woman contacted our government. He stupidly didn't realize a 43rd century human woman on a space colony might just figure out how to contact Gallifrey, during the time period that he lived there."
"What did they do?"
"Brought the woman and her child to Gallifrey and forced the time lord to regenerate in punishment. Rassilon's punishments were severe."
"What happened to her and the child?"
"They were allowed to stay on Gallifrey. The daughter became a transport pilot. Eventually she and the mother left and went to live on the space colony you where you teach."
"Do you mean I might know the daughter?"
"In some capacity. Last I heard she was your current president."
"Really?"
"Really. She keeps the half time lord thing pretty private, just like you."
"She's a good president. I voted for her."
"Figured you would have."
"Are you friends with her?"
"Personally, no. But we've spoken and she knows I know about her parentage. You're the only person I've ever told this to."
"So her two children are…"
"One quarter time lord."
"So the hospital she goes to…"
"Would have a lot of the things necessary to treat any medical problems or procedures needed by people with time lord DNA."
"I would have gone there, but it's on the other side of the colony. I had one much closer, where both the children were born."
"When was Jonothon born in your time line?"
"Only a few months after I got out of Stormcage. Before I became a professor. I went to that colony because I heard there was an opening for a lecturer position in the Archeology department."
"So you were pregnant at Pandorica and Byzantium?"
She sighed, ashamed. "Yes, and Utah the second time. I was in complete denial about it. I kept making up excuses why I wasn't having my monthlies, and often feeling tired and ill. I hadn't gained any weight yet, and I wasn't sick regularly in the mornings, so I was able to delude myself."
"Self-preservation too, I bet."
"Yeah, subconsciously. I must have realized subconsciously, if the Clerics found out it could be very dangerous."
He nodded. "So when did you realize you were pregnant?"
"When I took the university required physical. They told me. Said not to worry, they could fix any problems caused by the lack of prenatal care…"
"Were there any problems?"
"With the baby, none, thank goodness! I was undernourished though; it was almost all going to the baby. Had to drink some disgusting nutritional boosters for a month! Ugh, made those 21st century energy bars taste great in comparison."
"What about the second time?"
"Oh, first monthly I missed I had a checkup. Found out I was pregnant and made sure I wouldn't have to drink that nasty mess again. Felt like I got as huge as a small moon! Made me wonder if the scans were missing something, were there twins in there? But nope, just one very healthy girl."
"When was she conceived?"
"After we lost my parents…"
"Manhattan."
"Yes."
"I figured as much. Wasn't sure about Jonothon."
"Had to have been the Winter Frost Faire."
He blushed lightly, remembering their naughty interlude in the woods…
She chuckled softly at his blush. "Thank you for that belated surprise birthday gift. One the three best gifts you've given me." She lightly touched her lower belly with a tender smile.
He kissed gently "Best gifts for me too."
River awoke first and watched the Doctor sleep, seemingly peacefully. He opened his eyes and smiled up at her,
"Good morning wife."
"Good morning husband"
He pulled her down into a kiss, and she began to moan and move against him under the covers.
"Oh my word!"
The Doctor and River jumped apart at the sudden exclamation, and turned to look at the intruder in their bedroom. They both gasped in shock. The Doctor recognized his Second self, and River knew it was a past face of the Doctor.
"I am terribly sorry; I've somehow ended up in the wrong Tardis. I don't quite know how though." The Second Doctor was half averting his eyes from the couple in the bed.
The Eleventh Doctor scratched his head in embarrassed confusion. River whispered in his ear "Oh my love, it's started, hasn't it?"
"Afraid so." He looked miserable. Then he looked at his Second self apologetically. "You aren't in the wrong Tardis, I'm you, I'm the 11th."
"And the lovely lady?"
River smiled. "I'm Professor River Song. We are married."
"Oh thank goodness. I was afraid I had become a rather decadent old man, sleeping with my companions."
"No, none of the companions." Eleven said reassuringly.
"What has happened to us? Two looked at Eleven.
"Not completely sure, but it has something to with Trenzalore…"
The Second Doctor gasped in shock and his eyes widened in fear. Then he looked at River. "My dear lady, you should flee to safety immediately."
River squeezed Eleven's hand in reassurance, then replied to Two "I know about Trenzalore. It's a fixed point for me to be there."
"She knows the truth?"
"Yes" Both Eleven and River said.
"How irresponsible."
"Fixed point." both River and Eleven stated firmly.
The Second Doctor snorted in disgust. "Since when did absolute obedience to fixed points become part of my nature?"
Eleven swallowed convulsively. "Ten." He croaked out as he squeezed River's hand tightly, horrible images of her tearful face in the Library flooding his mind. She squeezed back, thinking of Area 52.
"Why not run?"
"We have." Eleven said.
"Well, good to know I haven't become blindly obedient then. But still, you are giving up far too easily; can't they help on Gallifrey?"
Eleven's eyes filled with sorrow. "Gallifrey is no more."
"No more? What do you mean?"
"There was a Time War."
"Good lord." Two shuddered. "So it actually happened."
"Yes."
"When for us?"
"Between Eight and Nine."
"Between?"
"I did myself in as Eight at the end. I regenerated as Nine, and completed what had to be done. Time lock."
Two closed his eyes in pain. "I saw that too when I looked into the untempered schism. I didn't know when it would happen. It was all horrors and pain, so I ran and told no one what I had seen." He sighed, but then opened them thoughtfully. "Karn. Was Karn time locked?"
"No."
"Good. Then there are people that may be able to help pull us back together."
"I don't know. There are very few of them left, if they even agree to help. They may not have the numbers or power to pull you back inside me. Even if they can it's only a stop gap measure." Eleven said hopelessly.
"So you won't even try it?" The Second looked disgusted.
River gently kissed her husband on the cheek, then got out of bed and walked over to the Second Doctor. She looked him straight in the eyes, feeling odd to be looking at a Doctor who was exactly the same height. "He will go, he just has lost so much since he was you, and has run so long, please understand."
"I see why he married you, my dear." He smiled, and a hint of mischief was in his eyes, "and not just your nature."
River felt a throaty laugh bubbling out in spite of the dire situation. So the flirting wasn't just something recent. She glanced back to the bed and saw her husband shaking his head, but a hint of smile ghosted there, and a bit of possessiveness too as he rose from the bed. Her lips quirked, he was jealous of himself.
This was proven when he nodded toward their bathroom and said "Get dressed, wife." with a mock growl.
She laughed flirtatiously. "Yes, husband, you too."
While River was in the bathroom, the Second Doctor berated his Eleventh self. "How could you lay the weight of Trenzalore on her?"
"She knew about it before I married her. I held off as long as I could. But finally I couldn't say no anymore. She loved me despite everything, and I'd come to love her more than I ever had loved before."
"So she's the one?"
"Yes."
"Are there children yet?"
"Two, with a third on the way."
"You had children before Trenzalore? Do you know what that means?"
"Yes. And I'm hoping they won't see it. I told River once this started happening that I didn't want them to see me become that monster. She agreed for their sakes, to leave me and stay at a safe place until Trenzalore."
"I doubt if they'll be spared witnessing Trenzalore. If they find her, they'll find the children as well."
"I'm hoping she'll convince them to spare the children that nightmare."
"You know who is behind Trenzalore, don't you? He's tried similar things before."
Eleven nodded. "We can't be sure, but yes. But I feel about trying to spare them, like you do about going to Karn."
"Indeed. We must try."
When River and Eleven were dressed they went next door. They explained to Jonothon and Amelia who Two was.
"So my father used to be you?" Jonothon looked curious. "Mum showed us a sketch of you from her book."
"So Professor Song, how did you acquire a picture of me to sketch in your book?" Two questioned, with a smile.
"The Tardis taught me many things." River felt slightly uncomfortable with her lie of omission, but she hadn't told the children the darker parts of her childhood. That would come later, when they were old enough to better understand. The Tardis had showed her holographic images of the past Doctors, and she had made the sketches from that. She had first learned of the Doctor's different "guises" when at Graystark though…
Eleven knew what River was doing and why. He ran back to the aux monitor in the bedroom. He pressed a few buttons, and a holographic image of the Second appeared in children's room. He then strolled back into the children's room.
The Second nodded. "I see you've upgraded the quality. It was decidedly poor when I attempted to use it."
"52nd century human tech. You know how they love making films of their stories. It's holovid tech with a few tweaks. Far more interactive, for example."
Amelia was running back and forth between the holographic Second Doctor and the real version, then running behind Eleven, and peeking out around his legs with much toddler giggling.
River swung Amelia up in her arms then went into the other bedroom and shut off the holographic image. "We need to let Clara know what's going on" She said as she returned to the children's room."
"Clara?" The Second Doctor asked.
"Our companion" River stated.
Eleven smiled at the "our".
"A companion when you are so close to Trenzalore?"
River spoke again, "It couldn't be helped, she found the Tardis, and insisted on becoming a companion."
The Second's expression turned sharp. "She's a trap then. Meant to snare you toward Trenzalore."
Eleven nodded. He explained what had been happening with Clara and added, "If there is a real person being used against their will, as this snare-"
"You must rescue her, I agree. What a clever and ruthless mind must be behind this. How long since Clara's last 'death'?"
"Some months, neither my wife nor children have witnessed one."
"So you had been traveling alone without the lovely Professor Song or your children?"
"Yes." Eleven looked guilty.
Again, River stepped in to smooth over the situation. "The Doctor had become quite close to my parents, we lost them in a way that was like a death to us. Both the Doctor and I needed time to grieve by ourselves."
"Grief can indeed be devastating, one lashes out at those they love the most, at times. Yes, I understand. But it opened you up to walk right into the trap, and whoever set that trap knew it."
Both River and Eleven nodded.
"Well, what's done is done. Shall we go to the console and head to Karn now? I shall meet this companion of yours now, as well."
River nodded. "She's probably wondering what the delay is."
Indeed when they arrived in the console room Clara was pacing. Her pacing stopped abruptly when she saw another person in the group coming down the stairs.
"Clara, this is my Second self. Some kind of accident has happened and we are going to a place where it can be fixed."
"How?"
"Not sure how. But it has to be fixed."
Once they arrived at Karn everyone left the Tardis together. River felt a strong sense of dread. She felt she couldn't stay in the Tardis with the children, but felt no better being out of the Tardis with them as well.
There was an eerie quiet on Karn. Two and Eleven both assured the others this was normal but exchanged worried glances. It shouldn't be this quiet. A priestess should have greeted them by now, as well.
Clara was at the rear of the group. She was distracted by a sudden flash of light she saw out of the corner of her eye and strode off in that direction.
Eleven glanced back and saw Clara wandering off "Clara don't-"
Clara screamed and dropped from view as the hillside around her gave way. The Second Doctor shouted at the Eleventh as he started in that direction. "No, don't go yourself. Can't you feel it?"
River took hold of her husband's arm, holding him back.
"Let me look" the Second Doctor told his Eleventh self sternly. "It's a trap for you, it may not be for me."
The Eleven Doctor shook his head in disagreement, but let River hold him back. He watched helplessly as the Second looked over the new cliff side. He turned back to them. "It's a drop of 100 meters, and with how she landed, I'm afraid your companion has died again… there's no safe way to retrieve the body, I'm sorry."
Then abruptly the Second Doctor vanished. Eleven fell to his knees. "It's taken him to Trenzalore. I'll forget everything I learned from him soon. River, we have to leave now."
"The Priestesses? They can't help?"
"Dead, they have to be. Whoever is behind this knew I'd go to Karn…"
They quickly made their way back to the Tardis. Once safely in the vortex the Doctor began frantically typing in a destination. River quietly double checked the route. She knew how her husband was at times like these, when he was an emotional wreck but trying to hold it together.
"One group of people I trust, and who can keep the children safe."
"UNIT?" River knew the coordinates. "You trust them?"
"Just one part, but I know they hold loyalty to me above any Earth government. And I know of two in particular I can absolutely trust. I also trust the person that heads that section- the scientific research department."
"They are in the Tower of London?"
"Yes."
"So we are going to just land right there in their office?"
"Yes."
"Dear, I imagine they have quite a bit of security, even against you. Maybe landing nearby might be better?"
"If our situation was less dangerous, yes."
"We should give them some warning then."
"Number is there-" the Doctor pointed to a phone number that had appeared on the monitor.
River picked up the Tardis phone and dialed the number, then handed it to her husband. River took over flying the Tardis. She glanced at Jonothon and Amelia. Even Amelia had gone quiet, eyes wide with fear. River motioned them over to her and both were soon holding onto to her as tightly as they could. In between the necessary movements for flying the Tardis, she reached down and touched both of them reassuringly.
"Hello Kate, Yes, it's me, the Doctor!" He was forcing cheer into his voice, trying not to show the panicky fear inside. "Need to land the Tardis in your office, you don't mind, do you?" The Doctor smiled. "I'll explain in just a few" Another nod "Yes, after I land." After a polite goodbye he hung up with a sigh of relief.
"So you have official permission to land then?"
"Yes."
"Good. After what the children have already seen today, I'd rather not have them see hundreds of rifles pointed at us and them."
He nodded.
"So this Kate? Who is she?"
"Jealous, wife?" He teased and tapped her on the nose.
River shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Kate Stewart, daughter of the Brigadier. I think you two will like each other."
"Hopefully, if she's going to be the person in charge of the group protecting our children. Who are the other two you mentioned?"
"Martha Jones and Mickey Smith, both used to be companions of mine for a short time."
"Oh yes, I know about them. So they joined UNIT?"
"Yes. Heard they married too."
"Any children?"
"Mickey and Martha? Don't know."
River rolled her eyes again. Typical, he hadn't kept up with them.
The Doctor stepped out the Tardis first. After giving Kate a warm hug he said "You probably guessed it's something I need your help on."
"I guessed yes."
The Doctor took a deep breath. "Kate, I need your help, this is very important. I have some people here that need UNIT's protection."
"What kind of protection?"
River stepped out of the Tardis with the children.
"This is my wife, Professor River Song, and our children Jonothon and Amelia."
Kate Stewart's eyes widened in surprise. "You have been keeping a mighty big secret there. I didn't even know you were married. So how long have you been keeping this wonderful secret?" Kate smiled warmly at River and the children.
The Doctor and River laughed. Then the Doctor explained. "Time isn't terribly linear for time travelers, especially time lords."
Kate looked at River. "So you are a time lord as well?"
"About half."
"And the other?"
"Human."
"Didn't know Humans and time lords were compatible."
River laughed mischievously. "Oh yes, they certainly are." Then River took a serious tone. "I'm a grown woman so I can protect myself and I can certainly protect the children. But someone is after the Doctor, and also after anyone very close to the Doctor."
"Kate, the children need as much protection as possible. We've done alright up till now. But I think we need more than just ourselves now." Even though he trusted Kate, he wanted to hide Trenzalore from her. Hopefully, Kate's connection was so minor that modern day UNIT wouldn't even come to their mind- especially in connection to River.
"So are they going after former companions of yours, Doctor?"
"I hadn't heard of any yet."
"Two of my people are your former companions."
"Yes, Mickey and Martha."
"They should be notified anyway, because of the risk. This will be strictly unofficial, but I'm certain that they will be happy to be your direct contact Professor Song. We will certainly give the children our protection."
The Doctor sighed with relief, then hugged Kate. "Thank you." Then he turned to River.
River threw her arms around him tightly and gave him a quick but passionate kiss. "I feel like I'm abandoning you!"
"No. Keep the children safe, all of them-" His hand brushed her still flat stomach. He gave her a gentle kiss back. "I love you" He said telepathically in Gallifreyan. Then he whispered in her ear "Besides" he teased, "didn't you tell me in Manhattan, one psychopath per Tardis?" He pulled back with a forced grin. Then turned and hugged both children tightly, giving them both a kiss to the forehead.
"I love you too" River said aloud in Gallifreyan.
The Doctor grinned. "That accent."
River smiled back lopsidedly, holding back her tears. Then she picked up Amelia and held her on her hip, letting her other hand take Jonothon's. Both children were crying, Amelia's uncontrolled toddler howls, Jonothon more restrained whimpers as he tried valiantly to be a big boy.
The Doctor fled into the Tardis, his own emotions overwhelming him. He didn't dare look back.
Everyone watched the Tardis depart, then Kate turned to River and gently said "Tea?"
River took a deep breath, fighting to regain self-control. Soothing her children with kisses and touches, she replied to Kate, "Yes."
In Kate's office, a subdued Jonothon played with a maze puzzle Kate had in her office, while Amelia slept fitfully in her mother's lap, whimpering in her sleep. River held her daughter close with one arm while she drank her third cup of tea.
"Professor Song?"
"Yes?"
"What is your area of knowledge?"
River's mouth quirked slightly. "The Doctor."
Kate chuckled. "Yes, I'm certain of that. But what are you a Professor of?"
"Archeology."
"Wonderful. How would you like to work with UNIT, unofficially?"
"Could the children stay with me at work?"
"Since it would be unofficial, yes. I understand your feelings- you want to make sure they are safe at all times."
"It's not just that. It's also that where I and the children lived, it was normal for children under school age to be with their parents at work, as long as the job wasn't dangerous."
"Sounds wonderful. Where was this?"
"Normally I couldn't tell you, because it's far future knowledge, but well…"
"Understood, the knowledge will be strictly confidential."
River took a deep breath, sharing even something so mundane made her slightly uncomfortable. But who knows, maybe this was the way it was meant to start. "I live on an Earth colony in the 52nd century. I teach at an university."
Kate smiled wistfully. "I have a twenty-three year old son Gordon. I wish we had that policy. But then again, I bet my job would be considered dangerous even in your time, right?"
River shook her head no. "You are essentially government scientists, right?"
"For the most part, UNIT is still mostly covert military. We are the least militarized of the larger sections, but a lot of it is still covert."
"Hmm, well, yes, I've heard that does limit workplace contact. I think they allow parents of young children to switch departments, then going back to the more covert work once the children start school."
Kate sighs. "Well I'm happy it finally happens." Then she glanced at the children "How old are they?"
"Jonothon is five. He would have started kindergarten, but…"
"But you had to flee, I guess?"
"Yes. Jonothon is more used to linear time, so he was a bit confused during the time we were with the Doctor."
"So despite the recent emotional trauma you think he'll adapt well?"
"Yes."
"And your daughter?"
"Amelia is just over 18 months. She adapted to the strange sense of time on the Tardis quite rapidly. I think she's more fully a time lord mentally than Jonothon."
"Does she have difficulties with linear time?"
"She didn't before, but I'll have to see after three months in the Tardis. The Doctor was able to adjust to linear time, so I don't think it's anything to worry about. I'm more worried about how intensely she will miss her father. She's such a daddy's little girl, absolutely adores her father."
"And Jonothon?"
"For him, I'm afraid of nightmares. He's very mentally mature for his age. He understands a lot about what happened. He had a few nightmares on the Tardis, but both of us were right there. Now he knows his father is in danger and is all alone…" River looked back, and saw Jonothon had put down the puzzle and was nodding tearfully. "Come here." River gently motioned. Jonothon ran and flung himself against his mother's free side. River let her arm close tightly around him in reassurance. Then she looked back at Kate. "This is another reason why my children should be with me, at all times."
"Understood. If any of my staff bothers you about the children, report it immediately." Her expression was firm. "I will speak to the staff. I don't think there will be any problems, especially once they know you are an archeologist. They've complained we need an archeologist who was willing to work for UNIT, instead of a university. I also have two people on staff with young children. They might start petitioning me to let their children come in as well." Her expression was serious, but a bit of amusement showed in her eyes. "I think you will be quite welcomed. They all saw your arrival and know who you are. Well, lets see if we can shake up some 21st century attitudes with some 52nd century ones." Kate let a warm smile show.
Kate's phone rang. "They've arrived? Good. Have they been apprised of the situation? Good. And they are willing to help out? I figured as much. Okay, send them in."
As soon the door opened, the two former companions of the Doctor practically ran into the office.
River stood up and faced them, holding her still sleeping daughter resting against her hip with one hand, and held Jonothon's hand in her other. Jonothon quickly scrubbed away his tears and gave the two strangers a curious stare.
Mickey gave River an appreciative look over and Martha gently elbowed him "Stop ogling the Doctor's wife." she said with annoyance.
River laughed. "It's okay. After what happened today, a little harmless ogling is good."
When his mother laughed, Jonothon relaxed and said "Can I go back to the puzzle, mum? I think I almost figured it out."
"Sure." She let go of his hand.
Martha held out her hand with a friendly smile. "Hello, I'm Doctor Martha Jones and the ogler is my husband Mickey Smith. We both traveled with the Doctor for a short time."
"Yes, I know." River said as she shook Martha's hand with her free one.
"Oh he told you about us?"
"Yes. He said he felt safe leaving the children and myself with you."
Both Mickey and Martha looked overjoyed, Mickey slightly astonished as well, he'd never known the Doctor had come to have that much belief and trust in him. "Yeah, we have plenty of room at the house. Our house is protected with shields and other things, it's not your typical home- although it looks completely normal." Mickey stated.
"Kate, Mickey, and Martha, I do want to let you know I am proficient with many types of weapons. I can and will be able to protect my children with them."
"The Doctor hated weapons, so that changed?"
"For the most part no, but he knew I was skilled and level headed with weapons." She wouldn't mention her time as Mels…
"We do have a practice range on site. Someone could watch the children while you put in time on the range. We do have a small stockpile of alien weapons allowed for UNIT use, mostly laser type handguns."
River nodded. She probably needed the practice. She had gotten out of the habit of even carrying a weapon when she took the lecturer position. She had been lucky, that job had soon turned into a regular professorship. That was why she had no weapons in Manhattan… and still had none. She was leery of having any kind of weapons around her very young children as well. Too dangerous. Jonothon was a very cautious child, but he still could be curious. She noticed the Doctor had been the same about his sonic, although that was nowhere near as dangerous. He tended to keep the sonic inside his jacket most the time around the children…
River was relieved they would be staying with Mickey and Martha. Kate was trustworthy, but former companions of the Doctor were so much better. She would only need to keep a few details from them. They would have a real understanding of the bond to the Doctor. They would understand the danger far better as well. She could also tell them about Trenzalore. They might see it too, best to forewarn them. She had one other question, first though... "Mickey, Martha, do you have children?"
Martha laughed. "Well, I was going to going to tell Kate the news when the test results came back this afternoon, but well, we think I may have to put in for maternity leave in about seven months."
"Are you sure you want to do this, with a baby probably on the way?" River asked.
"We discussed this on the drive. We decided yes, we would." Martha said firmly, her tone absolute.
"Man, she's just like her mother in that mood. Nothing will move her." Mickey complained, but it seemed more minor grumbling than discord.
They should definitely know about Trenzalore, River thought. I'll tell them at their house. She didn't mind sharing one last bit of information with Kate as well, though. "I'm also pregnant. The Doctor and I just recently found out. I'm very early in my pregnancy."
"Two hormonal pregnant women in the house…" Mickey whinged.
Martha elbowed him again.
