Ch 42

River was still a bit shaken from the words 'date; slipping out when she picked up the kids from school, but still managed to plaster on a happy face. "How was your history test?" She asked Freya when she got in the car.

"I knew everything," Freya replied boastfully, Amelia climbing in the front seat.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." She smiled, "And how was your day?" She directed this question to Amelia.

The other girl shrugged, "Okay, I guess."

River nodded, not pressing the subject, "I wanted to ask how you two would feel about babysitting your siblings tomorrow night?"

"Will you leave us money for take-away?" Amelia asked.

"I don't want you ordering take-away if I'm not home, but if we get it before I leave then you can have it." River compromised.

They nodded. "Okay, then."

"The whole lot of you have defense class tonight and then tomorrow we have football matches all morning." She reminded, driving to Arthur's school next.

"Can I just stay home? I have to read for school." Freya asked.

"If you think you have to." River nodded.

Arthur was waiting in front of his school, talking to a friend. River waved him over, not having a lot of time to linger since they still had to get Terra. He got in next to Freya. "Freddie says it's weird that I have so many sisters."

River frowned slightly, "Why is it weird?"

He shrugged as they drove off. "He said that everyone he knows has only one or two siblings and I have three and they're all girls."

"Well, that's not a reason to be weird." River straightened up.

"He said he'd go crazy if he had that many sisters. I said he should just learn to get along with girls."

"I think that was a good answer." She smiled, "But...do you wish you had a brother?" She caught his eye in the rear-view mirror.

"Sometimes." He replied absently.

She nodded, the car going quiet.

Terra was waiting next to her teacher with her stuffed fox tightly in her arms when they pulled up. River got out of the car this time, going to physically pick up the girl since that was the rule of Terra's school. Terra was very grateful to see River, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck.

River hugged her tightly, "[Is everything alright?]" She asked once her daughter pulled back.

Terra nodded. "[I missed you.]"

"[I missed you too.]" River smiled softly, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"[Did you see Doctor Disco today? I still want a playdate.]"

"[I did see him. Maybe you can come with me to my office soon and visit him, but only if you keep staying for the full day of school.]"

She nodded, wanting to meet him again. "[If you bring him over then everyone can meet him.]"

"[We'll see.]" River murmured, not mentioning her not-date tomorrow.

River wasn't able to think too much about the impending event for the rest of the day and much of the next morning, too busy carting the children around to various activities.

By the time the Saturday night rolled around, she was rushing to get ready. Of course, the children's football games had taken more time than usual so they had gotten home late. In the rush, she grabbed one of the dresses she used to wear when going on dates with her husband, out of pure instinct.

The children had ordered their take-away which was set to arrive any moment. Freya answered the door when it rang and called upstairs: "Mum! The food's here!"

River hurried down the stairs to pay for the food.

"Um... Mum?" Freya looked her over and she helped bring the bags to the kitchen.

"Mmmhmm?" She hummed, setting the bags on the table and going over to the mirror to put her other earring in.

The girl frowned. "You're... wearing dad's favorite dress."

River froze, "Oh...You're right..." Her shoulder's slumped a bit, her eyes saddening, "I should go change."

The doorbell rang again. "I'll get it," Freya whispered.

"No, you eat. I'll get it." River shook her head, going to the door.

"No, mum, you need to change." She looked slightly upset. "You can't wear dad's favorite dress on a date."

"It's not a date." River defended, though left to change. Freya took the liberty of answering the door.

"Em, hello." The Doctor said.

"Hi." The girl grumbled, "Are you my mum's date?"

"It's not a date." He murmured. "But I am here to pick her up... are you upset?"

"It looks like a date," Freya muttered, not answering his question. She stepped aside so he could come in.

He stepped inside, glancing around. "Lovely house."

"Thanks. Mum's upstairs changing." She looked him up and down. She and Amelia had made a pact to not to let this new "suitor" infiltrate their family and Freya had taken on a 'bad cop' sort of role, "You're kinda old for my Mum."

He raised an eyebrow. "Kind of old to do what exactly?"

"For a date." She crossed her arms, looking as tough as she could, "I'm not stupid. Mum's friends have asked her to do stuff before and she never goes. So if she's going out that means this has to be something different. Besides, she's dressed like she used to dress when my d-" She stopped, changing the words, "When she used to go on dates."

"I don't think you're stupid and I didn't ask her on a date, she asked me- and it's not a date. Adults just like to dress fancy when they go out. It's a thing." He defended, and though Freya was clearly hostile, he couldn't help but take all the bait she threw at him. "Are you concerned I'm a secret axe-murderer or something?"

"You might be." She shrugged.

Just then, Terra came around, her eyes lighting up when she saw the Doctor, "[Mr. Doctor!]"

"[Hello there, Terra.]" He smiled at her, glad that at least one of the children was happy to see him. Freya started at his hands, shocked that he could sign.

"[Can I come with you and Mummy tonight? Please! Please!]" Terra jumped up and down, clasping her hands together and giving him puppy dog eyes.

He chuckled. "[I'm afraid not, poppet.]"

She pouted, "[Why not?]"

"[Because grownup-dinners get very boring very fast if you're not a grown up. Your sister here can vouch for that, I'm sure.]"

Freya nodded in agreement, though she was still very skeptical of this "not-date."

"[So, how was your football match?]" He asked, voicing the question to Freya as well.

"[My team won!]" Terra beamed, "[But Freya and Amelia's team lost.]"

River came down the stairs then, wearing a newer dress to ensure it didn't bring back any old memories. The Doctor looked up at her. "You look lovely, Professor."

She smiled weakly, casting a worried glance at Freya, "Thanks. Shall we head out?"

He nodded. "It was lovely to meet you." He said to Freya.

"Don't keep her out too late." She watched them as they left.

"Yes, boss." He saluted, closing the door behind them. "Is she like that with all your guests?"

"No, just you. You must be special." River teased lightly.

They got in his car, which was blue to match the box in his office. "So, pub or restaurant?"

"Either one is good. I have to admit I don't really know what's good around here. It's a bit difficult to go out to eat with all the kids."

He smiled. "Well, there's a pub about five miles that way, if you want to stay closer to the kiddos." He pointed. "It's got very good chips and we can yell at a football game if we please." He mostly brought up the suggestion because he had a feeling River might be more comfortable in a more casual setting- and to prove that it wasn't a date, though that was most just to spite Freya.

"That'd be perfect." She glanced nervously back at the front door, "I don't leave them on their own very often."

"Well if they need you we can leave early."

She nodded, "Do you live around here?"

"Actually, I live fairly close to the university. My students always tease me about how I practically live in my office."

She laughed, "Is that so? That chair at your desk did look rather comfortable."

"Like sitting on a cloud." He chuckled.

They made casual conversation as they drove to the pub. It wasn't too crowded when they got there. Most of the people were crowded near a telly at the bar. They chose a table in the back so they could still talk.

"Can I get you anything from the bar?" River asked.

"I'd love a beer."

She nodded, going and getting a beer for each of them. He was pondering the menu when she got back. "Anything look good?" She placed one of the beers in front of him.

"I've got an eye on some bangers."

"Can I trust you to order for the two of us?" She raised an eyebrow, "Or shall I take a peak."

"Depends on if you'll be offended if I accidentally get something horrid."

She shrugged, "I like to think of myself as adventurous. Try me."

"All right then." He pondered the menu with more exaggeration.

She watched him closely, amused. Her eyes trailed along his face, over his eyes, nose, lips. When the waiter came by, he got the bangers, chips to share, scouse, and a small mince pie.

River nodded, "Not bad. It all sounds wonderful."

"Ah, good." He grinned. "I figured we can always share if you'd rather a banger than scouse."

"Ooh, Sharing food. Are you trying to flirt with me Professor Disco." She joked.

He scoffed playfully. "I would be much less subtle, believe me."

"Is that so?" She smiled, raising an eyebrow, "Something tells me you're quite a flirt."

"Well, what does your flirting look like?" He mimicked her expression.

"Oh, sweetie, I don't know if you can handle my flirting." She leaned on the table.

His cheeks went slightly pink, though it was hard to tell in the awkward pub lighting. "I'll have to work my way up to it, then."

"I guess you will." She smiled, licking her lips.

"Is that a warning or a promise?"

"A little bit of both." She drank a bit more of her beer. He took another sip as well.

By the time their food came, they had ordered a few more drinks. River had had quite a few drinks, deciding to treat herself since it was the first night she was "kid free" in a few months. By now, she was getting a bit tipsy, and with tipsy came flirty. While the Doctor enjoyed the flirting and flirted back some, too, he was also very aware of how River had reacted before to the notion of this being a date, so he kept a wet blanket on the sparks, so to speak.

"So why do they call you the Doctor?" She purred, playing with the straw of her cocktail.

"Most people do it because they think my name is too ridiculous."

She smiled, nose crinkling, "Yes, Disco is an interesting last name."

"Doctor Basil Disco." He said.

"I think my parents were trying to be creative."

She laughed a bit, "Yes, well, I understand something about creative ideas. It's not often you meet a Terra or a Freya."

"At least those names aren't things you grow in a garden. How did you come up with them?"

"Terra was my husband's mother's name, and Freya was named after Gallifrey."

His eyes widened. "Gallifrey?"

Her brow furrowed as if just realizing she said the name, "Yes… I believe it's an island near Ireland."

He relaxed his expression. "I don't know an island could be special enough to name your daughter after."

"It was my husband's idea." She muttered.

"Lovely name. Makes me think of the Norse goddess, Freyja."

She nodded, taking another large gulp of her drink. They ordered a bit of sticky toffee pudding when the option came up. They shared the pudding, River ordered another drink.

"You going to be okay in the morning?" He asked.

"Are you saying I shouldn't have anymore?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Only if you don't want to wake up needing a day off." She frowned, looking rather displeased at the comment. "Or not." He added.

She pushed the drink off to the side, not touching it. "I'll cover the bill." She murmured.

"Nonsense. It's your night off, I can get it."

"I said that I've got." Her voice was firm, twinged with annoyance.

"Have I upset you?" He asked.

"I'm fine.

"You're bothered. Your daughter was too and she sounds just like you."

"Please stop." She sighed, paying for their meal.

He shut his mouth and the soon they were headed back to his car. River was quiet on the ride back to her house. They listened to a bit of radio, which was just classical music, but filled the silence the Doctor was sure he'd caused somehow.

"Thanks for taking me out tonight." River murmured once they pulled up to her house.

"My pleasure." He said in the same tone. It was true despite how it was ending. "I'll see you Monday I suppose?"

"I guess so." She nodded, going to open the door of the car. He watched to make sure she made it inside her house alright, then drove off.