Ch 45

The Doctor took Toby along when he went to pick up the girls, going a little early so he could talk with some of the parents.

Toby seemed very anxious on this outing out, not wanting to sit still. The Doctor allowed himself to be dragged along by the dog.

Other parents were already there, waiting for the dismissal bell. Toby paced around the Doctor's legs when we went to talk to the other parents: Sitting, then standing and trying to walk back to their home, and then sitting again. The Doctor kept the leash loose so the dog could move around, but never let him too far.

"Hey, Gary." He tried to make conversation with one of the other adults who he was fairly well acquainted with.

"Hello, John." The man gave a polite nod.

"So, uh, how's everything?" He tried to strike up a conversation.

Gary shrugged, "Good. Jessica's parents are in town this week, so we've been entertaining them. How about you?"

"Well, River recently got back from her trip and we're working on getting the nursery ready." It wasn't entirely true, but he watched the other man's expression to see if mentioning River would prove anything.

His expression shifted, "Ah, that's great. I'm glad she's back." It was obvious the words were false.

The Doctor held back a glare. He was suddenly feeling much more protective of his family, but he had a thing to investigate so he only made note of it in his head. "Yeah, she's pretty jet lagged, poor dear, thought everyone was staring at her when she came to pick up the girls yesterday." He forced a chuckle.

The other man laughed uncomfortably, "Yeah, well..."

"Even if she weren't imagining it, I can't imagine the reason." He tried to sound as casual as he could, wishing he was actually friends with these people. It would have been much easier or at the very least less awkward.

Gary sighed, "Look, I'm sure she's a lovely girl, but there are a lot of parents here who...aren't too fond of your wife. They all love you, but they don't...they don't really care for River. I don't have a problem with her, but..." He scratched the back of his head in discomfort, "I'm not the person you should be talking to about this."

"You must hear the talk." He urged, knowing that Gary probably did have a problem with her and was trying to pass the blame. "I don't bite."

"John...I'd rather not talk about this.." He laughed uncomfortably.

The Doctor stuck his hands in his pockets. "Alright, I'm just playing you mate." He decided that human beings were about as useful and talkative as fruit flies for the time being. River had hardly interacted with these people and there were judging her for what, being a little different? He recalled the argument with Sasha's mum a while back but didn't think there was a connection. "Been a long day, know what I mean?"

He nodded, "Look if you really want to know, I'd talk to Monica, you know, Sasha's mum."

"I... don't think we're on the best of terms..." He hesitated, having been trying to avoid that.

"Well, she kinda started...everything. And she really doesn't seem to have a problem with you, she's actually on your side."

Side? There're no sides. What kind of self-respecting adult starts rumors? The Doctor thought. He himself had pretty blurry lines for what was childish and what wasn't, but this was just immature, not to mention hurtful. Monica hadn't the faintest idea of who River was and what she'd been through. The Doctor found himself growing angry. "Have you seen her around?"

"I think she's over by the swings."

"Thanks. Um," He paused. "I know River can come off strong and whatever you think of her is your own business... but she's a really wonderful person once you get to know her." With that, he and Toby went towards the swings.

Monica was there, chatting away with a group of women, though the conversation halted when the Doctor came closer.

"Uh... hi." The Doctor managed a wave to the circle. He wasn't going to let his emotions control this, he was here for River.

"Hello, John. What a pleasure to see you." Monica, the obvious ringleader of this pack of immature parents, smirked.

"Can I talk to you?" He said seriously, not looking for banter.

"Of course." She stepped aside, leaving the circle of women to talk to him, "What do you want to talk about?"

"...River got back from her trip." He started, arms crossed. Toby sniffed at the woman, moving to sit behind the Doctor's legs.

"Yes, I saw." She sneered.

"Have you been talking about her?" He huffed.

She shrugged, "I can't say I haven't been. I think people need to know the truth about her."

"You think you know?" He didn't hide his glare so much now.

"I have enough information to piece things together. Besides, I feel sorry for you. She's not trustworthy, she's secretive, snippy, and what kind of respectable woman leaves her family for over a month, especially while she's expecting?"

"What kind of respectable woman spreads rumors about another?" The words slipped out before he could stop himself. In for a penny, in for a pound. "She's been through more than you could wrap your thick head around. And for the record, her father had gotten into a serious car accident and she needed to be there." That hadn't happened of course, but she ought to feel bad for her accusations.

Monica glared at him, though the last bit made her eyebrows raise, "Oh? Car accident? That's not the story your daughters have been telling. They said that she was on a work trip. So which is it, John, work trip or family emergency?"

"I told my daughters it was a work trip because River and I haven't figured out how to tell them their grandfather is dead." He uncrossed his arms, hands tense at his sides. "You've been making assumptions about my wife and I don't care what you tell yourself she's like, it is completely childish of you to go around and spread lies about her."

The woman, not having a comment to fire back just crossed her arms and walked away. The girls came out of school minutes later, bouncing around, happy to see their father. He gave them hugs and hurried them off the school grounds, not wanting to stick around.

River was waiting for them when they got home, already getting out the girls' after school snacks. Toby sat under the table while they snacked and told about their day.

"Is Arthur still asleep?" The Doctor asked River.

She nodded, "Yeah, he finally went down right before you got home." She sighed, sitting down in a chair rubbing her eye. She had only been up for an hour and she was already looking exhausted again.

"Did you eat yet?" He worried.

She nodded, "I had some fruit."

"Good." He smiled weakly. "You look tired."

She nodded, "I am rather tired."

"How come you don't kiss anymore?" Freya piped up, "You always give Mummy a kiss when you see her but you haven't been doin' it since she came home."

The Doctor blinked at the girl, surprised at her sudden comment. "I thought you didn't like when we kissed in front of you."

"I don't like it, but it's weird that you haven't kissed because you used to do it all the time." She made a face at the memory.

"Well, um, Mummy's been tried lately so... Uh..." He looked at River for help.

River opened her mouth to say something when Amelia interrupted, "Do you and Mummy not love each other anymore?"

"What, of course, we love each other!" The Doctor frowned. At least he still loved River all the same, though he wasn't completely sure that was mutual.

"So why don't you act like it anymore? You don't even sleep in the same bed." She pointed out. The girls obviously weren't as oblivious to their parents change in dynamic as they had originally thought.

He looked at River again, nervously fidgeting with his thumbs. She was staring at the floor, not knowing how to answer her daughter's questions.

"Look girls... Mummy and I had a fight and we're just working some things out right now." He sighed. "That doesn't mean we don't love each other anymore, we still do."

River nodded, "We'll always love each other." The Doctor smiled weakly at her.

"But then why can't you be like you were?" Amelia frowned.

River answered this one. "Well, sometimes, when Mummies and Daddies have fights, they don't want to kiss for a while, even if they love each other. It's like when you and Freya have a fight. You still love each other, but you don't want to share your toys with her for a little while, just like Mummy and Daddy don't want to...share things for a while."

"But how long is a while?" She fretted, having a feeling it would be longer than when she and her sister had fights.

River shook her head, "I don't know, sweetheart. But I promise it won't be forever."

Amelia didn't look very believing of that. "What'd you even fight about? You've never been like this before."

"We don't really want to talk about it, my love." She murmured, massaging her temple.

"But we could help!" Freya butted in. "Is... Is it our fault?"

"Of course not!" River assured, "But it's a private thing that we have to deal with on our own." She was tensing, growing more and more stressed.

The girls looked down at the remainder of their snack, only picking now.

"I'm going to go check on Arthur." River murmured, standing. The conversation had obviously upset her, but she didn't want her family to see.

They nodded, the Doctor cleaning up after the girls and urging them to do an activity. The girls went outside to play, soon forgetting about their talk. Toby joined them and the Doctor went upstairs to check on River.

She had gone to their room, sitting on the edge of the bed with her head in her hands. He knocked on the doorframe. "Riv?"

"Yeah?" She lifted her head, looking up at him.

"I, um... Are you alright?" He asked stepping into the room.

She nodded, "Yes, I'm fine."

He didn't believe that but he didn't push. "Alright. I just want to see if you needed anything."

She nodded, "Thank you for checking on me."

"Is there anything I can do or get you?"

She shook her head, sitting in silence for moment. "You do know that I still love you, right?"

He nodded. Though he had doubted it before, the words were a great comfort. "Yes. And you know you're still my everything?"

She nodded slowly.

"The girls are playing in the yard, I think they're okay now."

"That's good." She whispered, standing and approaching him. He watched calmly, taking in her features.

She took his hand, examining it in hers. Her ring was still missing, though she hadn't looked to see if his was still there. He'd never taken his off, the metal band still sitting there, shiny and well taken care of.

Her fingers slowly slid along the metal. "I don't know where mine is..."

"Did you lose it?" He asked softly.

She sighed, "Yes… I didn't think I would ever wear it again."

His expression remained schooled. "And now you think differently?"

"I-" She hesitated, "I want to give you another chance. I want everything to be alright between us, but if things don't change..."

"They will. I will. I'm going to change, I'm going to do everything I can to be a better husband to you."

"I'm not saying that you specifically have to change, I'm just asking that you be more… conscious of me."

He nodded. "I will, I'm trying and I'm not going to stop trying." He assured. She nodded, eyes shifting to focus on his. He looked back at her, hope shimmering there but not quite reaching the rest of his face. "Thank you... For deciding to give me another chance."

She nodded again.

"Um, so I did ask around when I was picking up the girls... I'm afraid it isn't good news."

She sighed, closing her eyes, "I'd rather not hear it then."

"Alright." He agreed.

Arthur started whining from the other room. She looked up at him, watching his face as if expecting something more, and then turned to go get Arthur.

"Um, River?" He turned, hoping she hadn't left earshot yet.

"Yes?" She turned, looking back in his direction.

"Do you, I mean um, I can recreate your ring. If you want me to."

She closed her eyes, it hadn't been what she had hoped, "No, no I don't want you to do that."

He nodded. "Oh, alright."

She turned, going to get Arthur. The boy was whining in his crib, limbs flailing and reaching. "Hello there." River smiled softly, lifting the boy up and kissing his cheek. He grew less fussy, making sleepy noises at her. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Nuh." He mumbled against her.

She kissed his temple. "What's wrong, my sweet?"

"Puppy." He frowned.

"Toby's downstairs, do you want to go see him?"

"Baw!" He remembered, still disappointed about not getting to do what he wanted with the tennis ball.

"Shhh. How about I put you down with some of your toys. I bet that will be loads of fun!"

He hesitated and made a bit of a huff. "Baw."

She set him on the floor, getting a ball for him, "There you go."

He grinned and immediately tried to chew on it, unable to actually fit it in his mouth. River sighed, going to lean against the doorframe, feeling quite sore.