Ch 33
They made it onto the train without much trouble. This train luckily wasn't as crowded as the one before. The children all found seats next to each other, though the adults had to stand.
"Mummy?" Arthur asked. "Where's the TARDIS?"
"It's a little ways away, my love. We couldn't land in New York, so we'll have to take this train and then a bus." She explained, gripping the Doctor's hand tightly, looking around the train car for any suspicious people. New York was always full of interesting characters which didn't help any nerves.
Arthur looked a little disappointed. "I don't like the bus."
"I'm sorry, darling." She murmured, "But it'll be quick." That was a bit of a lie. She jumped when someone brushed by her, though the person was only trying to get to the next train car.
Amelia noticed this. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." River shook her head, giving the girl a weak smile, "I'm just not used to so many people being around."
"London's full of people." She commented. London was even bigger than New York, in fact, especially in the future when they lived. It wasn't like they didn't take the underground over there.
"Yes... I suppose I just don't notice all the people in London."
"Why not?" Arthur asked.
"Americans are ruder," the Doctor helped River out. "They make themselves more noticed."
"Oh." The kids seemed to agree with this, quieting down. They didn't speak much for the train ride. They signed occasionally since it was easier than trying to be heard over the loudness of the train.
Once the train arrived at their station, River herded them quickly onto the bus they needed, getting them situated in the very back row. She and the Doctor had to sit in the row in front of the kids with Terra, which made her anxious.
Terra put her head down in River's lap as the bus started moving. She stroked the girl's hair, hoping the little one could get some rest on the ride home.
It was too dark out the windows to see anything which bothered Arthur a great deal. He kept trying to enlist the entertainment of his sisters. River listened to her children chattering in the back seat.
She squeezed her husband's hand tightly, "I've been thinking about something." She murmured.
"Yes?" He replied.
"I think you should get a job at a university." She looked at him, "I think it would be good for you."
The past few months he'd had very little to do at home. River would be at work and all the kids were in school now. "Do you?" River had said she was planning on fixing up things with Luna anyhow and even if the kids took some time off, they'd be back in school again soon.
"Yes, I do. It would give you something to do, and I think it would be nice for you to make some new friends. Ones that didn't know you before you changed." She squeezed his hand. "Maybe, it would be best to not work in London at all. I believe there's a lecturer position open at Luke's University in Bristol."
"How'd you know that?"
She shrugged, smiling, "Spoilers."
The word made his eyebrows do funny things trying not to look impressed. "It's a lovely thought, but I haven't got the qualifications for teaching Or the patience."
"I disagree. You do have the qualifications and from what I've seen, I think you'd make a brilliant professor." She leaned in close, touching her lips to his cheek, "At least apply. For me?"
He made a noise of surrender that was something like a sigh. "Fine, for you. But that means I'm borrowing your vortex manipulator and you use the TARDIS."
Her smile grew, "I thought you didn't like my vortex manipulator. You called it "cheap time travel.'"
"It is cheap and a nasty habit." He huffed. "But while I'm going a few cities over, you're going off-world and through time, so you get the old girl."
"Off-world?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Shut up. You know what I meant," He muttered affectionately.
"Well, I think the TARDIS suits you better. You should take her. Besides, I've been using the VM for years. Why stop now? It's not like I'm pregnant."
"I know." He could hear something in her tone when she said that last bit, but couldn't figure out what it was. He thought about what Amy said. "How about a compromise?" She raised her eyebrows to signify she was listening. "If I get the job, and this is a strong 'if' mind you, we both use the TARDIS? I can drop you off and pick you up and you still have the Manipulator for emergencies. Or vice Versa, I'm not picky on who drives."
She nodded slowly, "Alright. That sounds like a good idea."
He relaxed a bit, moving an arm around her shoulder. He glanced at Terra who'd fallen asleep and listened to the older kids behind them playing 'I packed up the TARDIS and in it, I put...' to entertain themselves.
"I'm sorry for today." River whispered softly.
"Why? It was a lovely day." While parts of it like the goodbye had been tense, they'd been reunited with their children and gotten to visit the Ponds all in one go.
"Yes, it was, but I was just... so worried about the kids while we were at the bakery."
"You don't have to be sorry about that." He assured. "I understand why you were."
She leaned her head down against his shoulder, "If you do get the job, I don't think you should tell anyone about the kids."
He didn't need her to explain, knowing why she suggested this. He nodded in agreement. "No pictures on my desk, then?"
"None of the kids." She murmured, "Why? Were you planning on having pictures?"
"If I get a desk, yes. How can a man be given a desk and not put a picture of his wife on it? Or several..."
She laughed softly, kissing his cheek softly, "Several?"
"It's very hard to choose, dear, you look good in all of them."
She smiled, "Why thank you."
"You ought to help me choose."
"I can help when we get back." She smiled softly.
He nodded and dropped a kiss to her temple. "You can sleep, you know. It'll be a long ride."
"I don't think I can." She shook her head, "I don't want anything to happen to them if I fall asleep." She murmured.
"Even if I kept my eyes on them?" He asked though he knew she'd decline again.
She hesitated, worry casting over her expression, "...I can't."
"Alright." He murmured, understanding.
"Mummy?" Arthur tapped her shoulder.
"Yes, love?" She asked, turning to look at him.
"Are Toby and the cats alright? I miss them."
"Of course, they're just fine." She assured, "They'll be excited to see you."
"Is that other lady still there, the one with the red robes? Terra told us about her and how she showed up at the house."
"No, she's gone." River murmured, "Your father sent her home."
"Oh. Where's her home?"
"It's on Karn." River tensed, "It's very far from here. We probably won't see her again." Hopefully. She thought.
"Oh." He looked slightly disappointed. "I wanted to know more about her."
She sighed, "She's dangerous. You shouldn't want her around."
This didn't seem to deter him at all. "Dangerous like Daddy being clumsy or dangerous like when you tell us to play the quiet game so They don't hear us?"
"The second one." She shifted, "Now I don't want to hear any more talk about her, do you understand?"
He pouted for a moment but knew this was her serious voice. "Okay, Mummy."
She turned back, jaw clenched. Arthur settled back in his seat and the Doctor glanced at his wife with concern. He could plainly see she was tense but had learned that 'fine' could also mean 'I don't want to talk about it'. She reached for his hand. Though she didn't want to talk, she was willing to let him help a little bit. He weaved his fingers with hers and squeezed reassuringly.
The family sat in silence for the rest of the journey, River and the Doctor holding hands the entire time. The Doctor carried Terra when they arrived in Pennsylvania, not having the hearts to wake her.
"Where are we?" Freya asked when they got off the bus. She didn't see the TARDIS anywhere.
"We're in Pennsylvania. The TARDIS is a few minutes away." River explained, helping the kids with their bags.
"Do you know all the states?" Arthur asked.
River gave him a small smile, "Of course. Would you like me to teach you when we get home?"
He nodded. "If we drove three hours in London we'd be in another country. How many states away is this from New York? Are states like countries?"
She laughed softly, finding all his questions amusing. "I'll explain when we have a map to look at. Come on." She lead the way towards the TARDIS.
The awake children followed with excitement to be back home and see their pets again. The TARDIS was soon within their sights, the children bouncing around their parent's legs excitedly. The Doctor handed River the key, his hands too full with holding Terra to unlock the door. She took the key, opening the door.
The children were almost immediately tackled by a huge mound of fur. "Toby!" Arthur practically squealed as Toby slobbered all over his face. The dog licked the boy happily, getting up and jumping around the other children.
The twins dropped their bag to pet their dog who was wagging his tail so hard that his whole rump wiggled with it. River smiled, picking up their bags and placing them inside the ship.
"Do you want me to put her to bed?" She asked the Doctor, nodding to Terra.
He nodded, carefully shifting the sleeping girl to River's arms. "I think she can say hi to Toby in the morning."
River nodded, bringing Terra to her bedroom. All three cats found River in the hall and followed around her feet. Terra stirred slightly when she was placed into bed, feeling the weight of Mr Thomas trying to sit on her feet. River shooed the cat off, wanting the girl to get her rest. "Sweet dreams, my darling." River murmured, tucking the blanket around her. Terra couldn't hear River but could feel the TARDIS's familiar warmth wrapped around her.
River turned off the lights, beckoning the cats out and closing the door. They followed excitedly, hoping she'd feed them. She went to the kitchen to get them fed, then went to find where the rest of her family had gone off to.
The TARDIS led River to the library where a conversation was coming from within. She walked in quietly, not wanting to interrupt.
The children were sitting on the couch, Toby sprawled happily across the three of them. The Doctor sat across from them and he seemed to be answering more questions about what had happened while he and River were gone.
River stood back, tensing, listening to what he was saying. It was clear he was trying to be careful about his words and he was leaving out huge chunks of the story.
"But... I thought your people were nice." Arthur was asking.
"Some of them are. But the ones with power, most of them aren't very nice at all."
River closed her eyes, not wanting to hear the story told, but unable to bring herself to move.
"What did they do to you?" Freya asked.
"They... mostly just threatened us." He murmured. "We, em, got away before they could really do anything."
River cringed at the lie, sucking in a deep breath. Amelia turned her head at the sound. "Is someone there? Mum?"
"It's just me." River came out of the doorway. Amelia relaxed. The Doctor invitingly patted the space next to him.
She slowly came over, the pain not fully gone from her expression yet. The twins immediately recognized her expression as matching the one she'd worn for weeks after they'd lost William. "Is that true, mum? They didn't hurt you?"
River nodded, going along with his lie, "We made it out unscratched." The lie was painful to say, it felt like a betrayal to the child they had lost. Only Arthur fully believed them.
"How do you know they won't come back?"
"Because the Capital was destroyed." River murmured, "They won't bother us again."
Arthur stroked Toby, not knowing how to process all of this. "If Gallifreyans are bad, does that make us bad?"
"No, not at all. It's not that Gallifreyans are bad, that's not the problem. The problem is that some people from Gallifrey are bad. There are many people who tried to help us and were very kind to us." River explained.
They were quiet for a moment before Arthur asked, "What does Gallifrey look like?"
"It... I'll tell you in the morning. You lot should be getting to bed."
They decided, based off of the look on their parent's faces, it would be best not to argue. The three stood, going to get ready for bed. Toby followed the children out.
The Doctor looked at his wife. "Was that alright?"
She seemed to deflate a bit, "I guess so."
"Is there anything you need?" He knew the mention of what happened, even if it was inaccurate, was still quite heavy for the both of them.
"Like what?" She murmured.
"Tea? Space? Company?" He suggested.
"I don't know." She whispered, putting her head in her hands. He quietly put his arm around her, hoping to offer comfort. "We were so close to getting out." She whispered, shaking her head.
"I know." He said in the same tone.
"It was my idea. The whole pretending to be dead, putting myself in such a vulnerable position, it was my idea."
"It's not your fault. Venic tampered with the medicine."
"But it was my idea. If I hadn't suggested it..."
"Then the Council would have come to us before we came to them and that town would have burned."
"Maybe we could have still escaped. Maybe our child would still be alive."
"If we escaped without confrontation then the Capital would still be looking for us. Our other children would still be in danger."
She squeezed her eyes, shut, trying to gain control back. It was quiet for a few minutes before she said anything again, "Didn't you want to go through pictures? Find one for your future desk?"
He nodded. "Shall I get the box?"
"Sure." She nodded. He rose and left to do so.
A little while later, Arthur came back into the room in his pajamas with Lulu under his arm. "I brushed my teeth, Mummy."
She smiled weakly, "Good boy. Do you want me to come tuck you in?"
He nodded with a tired smile. "Can I have a story, too?"
"Of course." She nodded, going with him to his room.
Toby curled up on his bed with him once he was settled. River told him a story about one of her former adventures with Jack and Vastra. It was when the three had been together for her birthday back in Vastra's time. Of course, something had gone wrong and they ended up having to save London. Arthur grinned and asked questions, very happy to be hearing River's voice before bed after so long. River took the time to answer each and every question, knowing Arthur must have missed this. She promised to stay until he fell asleep, rubbing his back. Toby licked River's hand, very pleased to have all the people back home.
Arthur fell asleep quickly, just as content as the dog. Once she was positive he was asleep, she went back to the library to find the Doctor. He was sitting where he'd been sitting before, now with pictures on his lap and the box off to one side. He'd gone through and taken out candidates for the desk picture.
"I do hope I'm fully clothed in all those pictures you have." She teased, sitting down beside him.
"I save those photos for my wallet." He waggled his eyebrows playfully.
"Oh is that so?" She hummed, leaning in for a kiss. He met her halfway, humming an affirmative. "Perhaps we should take a few more for your wallet collection. Just in case you really miss me while you're at University." She teased.
This time just one eyebrow raised in amusement. "Why do you think I visited so much on your lunch breaks?"
"Ah, so that's the reason. I guess we'll be taking precautions to make sure your office is soundproof too?" She smiled.
He chuckled. "Now there's a brilliant idea."
She smiled, "Isn't that why you married me? For my brilliant ideas." going for another kiss.
"Oh, there's lots more reasons than that." He murmured against her lips.
"Like?" She purred, pushing the pictures off his lap and moving to take their place.
Instinctively, his hands moved to rest on her hip. "You're brave, you're clever, you keep me out of trouble for the most part." He looked up at her, eyes on her mouth. "You're funny and you make even a grumpy, old face like this smile."
"Well, Mr. Song, it seems like you've got yourself quite a catch." She hummed, moving to kiss his jaw.
"I have." He hummed. "I'm never quite sure how I managed it. Must've been a magic haddock." She hummed, hands already unbuttoning his shirt.