A/N: Don't own anything even relatively as cool as this.
An Attempt At Calm
"TARDIS," the Doctor's voice was raw as he tried to swallow the shock in his chest, "Expand the DNA scan beyond molecules. Look for time energy."
He could not stop staring at Asher's DNA, the molecules and numbers floating around on the screen like something out of a biology book, although not perhaps a biology book that existed, since Asher's DNA most certainly should not exist.
The Doctor rarely was speechless, but now he watched the TARDIS console mutely, too afraid to do anything, too afraid to probe into the secrets of Asher's DNA.
"It doesn't matter right now," he whispered to himself, trying to keep his thoughts straight. "Just like River's identity doesn't matter now."
His beloved machine whirred gently, as if it knew his turmoil. He paced as the results were processed.
"Doctor?" Rory's calm voice intruded upon the Doctor's rushing thoughts. "Are you alright? You seem a bit…panicky."
Rory Pond. Calm and sure and loving. The Doctor could use some of his calm right now; he fed off of the gentle and calm concern of Amelia's husband. "Right. Yes." He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm fine. We've got River's coordinates." He grabbed the DNA results that printed from the console and stuffed them in his front pocket.
Rory watched the action, his eyebrows raised. "Okay. And your eyes are wider than the time that Amy jumped that huge chasm because…?"
"River has a son. That's a huge deal, yeah? Finding out your friend has a son." He began pulling levers on the console.
"Did you and River…I mean, Amy seemed to think that you and River were a thing. Is that…wrong?" Rory stumbled over his words, but the Timelord followed.
He watched Rory from the other side of the console. He hedged the question. "We have to save her now, because she is our friend. And we have something that belongs to her."
The male Pond stepped forward. "Yes, Doctor, I know. But does it bother you that River obviously has someone? Asher has to have a father."
The Doctor watched him for a long time, his face expressionless. When he finally spoke, his words were careful. "No. It doesn't bother me. River has a life. I don't live linearly. Humans do, and always will, even the ones who travel with me."
The human man had nothing to say to that, but he stayed still next to the Timelord at the console, being a silent presence. The Doctor found himself surprisingly comforted.
Soon, Amy returned with Asher, and the Doctor almost did not recognize the clean boy before him as the same one from before. With his skin clean, it was the same rich color as his mother's. His hair was perhaps a bit messy, but not really the same frizz as River, being a bit darker and straighter. His eyes were more youthful now, although preoccupied. The smooth angles of his face revealed that he was more youthful than the Doctor had previously guessed, perhaps mid to late teenage years rather than early twenties.
The Doctor grinned at the boy's clothing choice. Boots very similar to his own, and brown cargo pants with a tan t-shirt and a leather jacket. Archaeologist gear, with perhaps a bit of the adventurer thrown in. Just like River.
Asher met the Doctor's eyes with a questioning gaze, obviously remembering the strangeness from before.
"Come on then, let's get your mum now, yeah?" He pushed his thoughts from his mind, focusing on the adventure. "Come on! It's your first time in the TARDIS! Your mother would want you to enjoy this." He grinned, and Asher returned the gesture weakly.
When the other Song came to the console, the Doctor noticed the gun that hung from his waist. He frowned at it, and Asher noticed.
"I don't like to use it either. But, mum insists." He shrugged. "I've used it and it's come in handy, but I've never killed."
The Doctor nodded, watching as Asher surveyed the controls. The boy pulled a lever, and then pushed a button. Then he looked to the Doctor and asked, "Which one next?"
"How did you know the first two?" He pointed to a dial, letting Asher turn it until it clicked.
"The TARDIS tells you some of what to do, doesn't it? That's what mum says. It's like I can feel it." The boy was biting his tongue, and his eyebrow was raised as he watched the central core move up and down.
"Interesting," he commented, taking over the final stages of flight from the inexperienced traveler. "Though it usually doesn't psychically link to humans so quickly. Though I guess that the TARDIS seems to like River…and you two are linked, obviously."
The Doctor finished off the final steps required to get them to River, conscious of Asher's gaze.
"He never lets River touch the console. Not without a fight," Rory pointed out to his wife, although certainly not quiet enough to hide his thoughts from the Timelord.
"He has a soft spot for kids," Amy's voice was as admiring as ever. "Especially River Song's kid."
"Honestly, Amy!" The Doctor glared at her, and she only laughed.
Asher smiled. "I already knew that, Doctor. You forget I've met you."
"Right, right. Back to front timelines. Confusing." He leaned against the console, trying his hardest not to be frustrated. He hated being the one who didn't know anything.
"Actually our timelines aren't like yours and mum's," Asher supplied, seemingly having no qualms about spoilers like his mother. "Yours and my timelines haven't been crossing in any particular order. I'm mostly linear, and I've never known what Doctor I'll get." He smiled at the Doctor, and his next words made the Doctor wonder if this boy could read his mind. "Don't worry. We haven't met all that often. I don't know you either, nothing like mum."
"But shouldn't your mother's and your timeline be…I dunno, similar?" The Doctor's hand flared in some manner indicating a timestream.
"You know River Song, Doctor. She doesn't stay still for very long." Asher ran a hand through his hair, and the Doctor watched the action with interest. "I love my mum, do not get me wrong. But neither is she the most traditional of mothers."
"And your dad?" The Doctor's voice was small, and he refused to look at Rory…or Amy, focusing on the boy.
Asher shrugged, fiddling self-consciously with a string hanging from his shirt, also avoiding eyes. "For all I know he's from four thousand years in the future. Or maybe the past." He sighed.
The TARDIS stopped wheezing, indicating that they had landed. The Doctor turned from his friends, forcing his mind to stop rolling over Asher's words. He needed to focus on saving River. Everything else could sort out later.
He pulled the screen over to where he and Asher stood. "We are on Martra Two. It's the Martran's industrial center. Your mother is somewhere within a mile of where we are."
"What are they doing with her?" Asher whispered, his voice raw.
The Doctor reached his hand out, letting it hover above the young man's shoulder for only a moment, before finally resting a comforting hand. "I'll get her back." He moved his face so that Asher had to look at him. Very intelligent, although young, eyes met his own, and the Doctor shivered.
"Trust me. I'm the Doctor."
Not a lot of action in this chapter, sorry. But I believe a River/Doctor meeting will be occurring in the next chapter. Probably. Review if you'd like! I have some room for fluff too, if you have any suggestions.