Ch 56
About an hour was spent using the TARDIS to put the Vault in the space below the university and put in place a few perception filters so no one would wander in accidentally. After all the safety measures were set up, they picked up Nardole and brought him down to the Vault to explain to him the bare minimum of what they wanted him to help with.
"Would you mind if I laid down for a bit before we get the kids?" River asked softly, once Nardole was all caught up.
"Not at all." The Doctor nodded. She smiled weakly, giving him a kiss before heading into the TARDIS, leaving the others in front of the Vault.
The Doctor looked at Nardole. "I want checks on the security. Daily."
The other man nodded nervously, "W-What about...eating? Do we have to feed her?"
"Take out will suffice. She doesn't need to eat as often as a human, so I should be able to take care of it."
Nardole scratched his head, "Are you going to go check on her now?"
"No." He said firmly. The Doctor was determined not to let Missy have any dictation over his life even though she was now very apparent in it. "I've got to pick up my daughters."
"But River said she was going to sleep." Nardole was afraid that if the Doctor didn't check on Missy now, it would be left to him later and he certainly did not want to be alone with her.
He scrubbed a hand over his face. "What's your point."
"You have time to check on Missy s-so I don't have to." He smiled hopefully.
The Doctor nearly groaned and was about to tell Nardole that there was nothing to be afraid of when he realized there actually probably was. "Fine." He huffed. "Stand guard, will you?" Swallowing, the Doctor unlocked the four seals to secure the massive vault doors and entered.
It was bigger on the inside of course. The cement floors were only countered in tone by the fake windows. Missy was wondering around the empty area, looking up when she heard him enter, "I was wondering when you'd come."
He said nothing, closing the doors behind him and moving to sit in one of the two chairs he'd put in there.
"So?" Missy circled him before plopping into the other chair, "You changed."
"In theory, so have you." He murmured, staring at the center of the room.
"The last time I saw you, you were still wearing bow-ties. What happened?"
"Long story. Last I saw you, you were quite dead. What happened?"
"Long story." She mirrored his words.
He sighed glancing at her for just a moment. "To make it short, I took a little trip to home. They didn't take kindly to it."
"I was granted more regenerations by the High Council." She offered at his confession.
He tensed. "I dispatched the High Council."
"I'm aware." She nodded, "It was the new High Council that granted me the lives—trying to drum up support for their cause I guess, though I hear that that new Council has fallen, too. Taken out one by one in just over a year… Your doing I suspect?"
He said nothing again for a few minutes. "Did you mean it?"
"Yes." She whispered.
"Going cold turkey from being bad... it's not going to be easy."
"I'm ready to change, Doctor."
He looked at her for longer this time. "You understand that I can't really trust you after all you've done to my family. Not easily."
"Yes, I understand. Though I would like to..." She swallowed, forcing the word out, "Apologize to you and your family, if I'm allowed."
He couldn't help the surprised look on his face before shaking his head. "You're not there yet. We're not there yet. It'll be a long time yet before I allow you face to face with anyone, especially them."
"She's still around then? The one with the big hair. And you've got the three wee ones." Her tone wasn't angry or spiteful, just curious.
He nodded, deciding that letting her know about the other children would come later if ever. "Yes, the ones you terrorized."
"Yes." She nodded, "I find that less entertaining now."
The conversation was surprising him. The Doctor had been bracing himself for all of this to have been a trick, for her to have only said she'd do this to avoid death. He'd expected her to try to break out the moment she woke up, or try to kill him, or something of the likes. He still held the defense in his head that it could still be an act, but so far, she was just proving him right to have spared her life. "That's good."
"I don't know if that's a good idea..." Nardole's muffled voice could be heard as the vault doors opened.
The Doctor stood, turning to see who was coming in. River stood in the now open doors, blaster in hand.
"River..." The Doctor frowned slightly. "What are you doing with that?"
"Taking precautions." She went right up to Missy, "If you lay a hand on my children, I will not hesitate to use this on you, is that understood?"
"Loud and clear." Missy gave a salute.
"If anything happens to my husband, I will cut off your hands and shove them down your throat." She added.
"This one hasn't changed a bit," Missy said half to herself.
River's jaw tightened, "You're right. My opinions of you haven't changed in the slightest. You terrorized my family and I will not let whatever this is distracting me from that."
"I'm not trying to distract you, dearie, I'm trying to be good. Full oil change, here. I'm quitting "cold turkey" as him indoors put it."
River glanced at her husband for confirmation.
He gave a nod as Missy continued, "He also said you weren't ready to... take my apology. I don't always like taking his advice, so I'd like to give it to you anyways and as many times after that as I need to." She paused, the words still foreign on her own tongue. "I'm sorry for what I did."
"He's right, I'm not ready to accept. Not until you prove that those aren't just empty words and that you actually mean it."
Missy nodded with no accompanying witty remark. "I understand."
River squared her shoulders, looking at the Doctor, "We should go." He made a noise of agreement and moved to follow River.
"Wait! Before you'd go, I'd like to make a few requests." Missy stood.
The Doctor wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. "What?"
"I'd like a piano, some books, a blanket and a heater." She listed, "I need something to entertain me for the next thousand years."
He was silent for a moment before, "I'll think about it."
"Thank you."
River took his hand, leading him out. The left in the TARDIS, setting a course for Jack's.
River took off her perception filter, opening the doors when they landed. Whatever disquiet that settled in her with Missy's presence now lurking in her life, she pushed it down to focus on her children. Terra and Arthur ran up to River as soon as the doors opened, Jack close behind.
"Hello, my darlings." River smiled, bending down to hug them.
"Hey River, where's my hug." Jack teased.
River laughed, standing up and holding her arms out wide, "Come and get it."
He hesitated, eyes widening excitedly as he finally saw her fully. "Woah there, when did that happen?" He pointed to her middle.
She smiled, putting a hand on her stomach, "About four months ago."
"Well, why'd you wait so long to tell me?" He laughed, pulling her into a hug.
She hugged him tightly, "The Doctor and I have just been being extra careful."
He nodded. "Pleeease tell me I'm finally getting a namesake?"
She looked back at her husband, "We'll consider it."
"I want to name it after Uncle Jack." Arthur piped up.
"That's my nephew!" Jack cheered, giving Arthur a high-five. "Please, Doc? We all know I'm the best Uncle." He winked at the kids.
"I make zero promises." The Doctor crossed his arms.
"Ah well, you'll come around." Jack patted the man on the back, "How many do ya got in there this time? I know you two have a knack for multiples." He teased.
"Just one." He assured.
"Well, it looks like a healthy one. You look great, River." He winked again.
"Stop it, Jack." The Doctor groaned.
"What?" He looked at him innocently.
"You know perfectly well what." He scolded.
"Jealous, sweetie." River teased, coming over and pressing a kiss to his cheek.
"I'm not jealous." The Doctor insisted.
"You've got that scowl on." She murmured. He looked a bit flustered, trying to make his expression less severe before she added, purring lowly in his ear. "I think it's quite sexy."
He relaxed and stopped trying to fight his eyebrows. "The jealousy or the scowl?"
"Both." She smiled.
"Alright, alright," Jack interrupted. "I'll stop if you will."
"Too much for you to handle?" River raised a brow.
"More like too much for your children." He gestured to the kids who were making faces at the adults.
"Yes, I suppose we should spare our children."
"[Can we get Mia and Freya now?]" Terra asked.
"[Of course.]"
The family bid Jack goodbye after he insisted they had a baby shower soon and dematerialized to go pick up the twins.
They arrived at Vastra's, Terra and Arthur running out the doors. The Paternoster Gang was waiting to greet them, the twins still packing upstairs.
"Hello, little ones." Vastra smiled.
"Auntie Vastra!" Terra chirped. Vastra's name was one of the few things she had started to say out loud.
Vastra bent down the scoop up the girl. "[How are you?]"
"[I'm good.]"
Vastra looked up as the Doctor and River approached, eyes falling where Jack's had. "Congratulations, River."
"Thank you." River smiled, "Though I suspect you already knew about it."
"Guilty as charged." She chuckled. "But I'm glad you've decided to officially announce it. When are you due?"
"In about four months."
"Do you know what you're going to name it?" Jenny asked.
She shook her head, "Not yet. We haven't found out the sex yet either. Though the baby did start kicking today."
"That's wonderful." Vastra grinned.
The girls came downstairs just then with their bags. "Mum! Dad!"
"Hello, girls." River beamed. The twins ran to hug their father first, then their mother.
"Are two ready to go home?" The Doctor asked.
They nodded, "Thank you for letting us stay here." Amelia said to Vastra.
"It was my pleasure," Vastra replied. "I do hope to see you all again soon."
"I promise we'll have you over to the house for tea soon." River agreed.
Vastra hugged them goodbye and waved them off.
Once back in the flat, River helped the twins get settled again, helping them unpack and asking them all about their trip. They gladly told River all the details over the whole of the afternoon.
The dinner was delightful with the whole family back together again, almost enough to make the adults forget about the events earlier that day. After dinner, the children went to go play together, happy to be back with one another. They played football in the backyard of the house as their parents watched from inside.
"How're you feeling?" The Doctor asked.
"I'm happy the kids are back..." She murmured, "But I'm still worried about Missy."
He made a noise of agreement. "I don't want to tell the kids about her."
"I don't want to either." She whispered, rubbing his arm softly.
"I want to believe she's going to change, River. ...I really want to believe that."
"I know you do." She kissed his shoulder. They both knew his hope was dangerous and could very well get them into trouble later, but there was no reason yet to dampen it. Missy showed promise, at least the Doctor thought so. Whether his judgment was sound was up for debate.
"I'm going to talk to her regularly if I can. She'll need direction."
River tensed at this, "Okay..."
"Do you think I shouldn't?"
"It's not up to me. She's your responsibility." River murmured.
"I know but you're my family. You come first."
"You made an oath." She reminded.
"And I made a vow. I can keep both."
She sighed, "You're so...good and kind. I'm worried that Missy is taking advantage of that and that she's laying a trap that you're going to fall into."
He nodded slowly, having had the same thought, though he was a bit helpless to stop himself from falling. "You could come with me... " It was more of a question than a suggestion.
"What about the baby?" She frowned slightly.
"She won't hurt it. You and I can make sure of that." He assured, then added, "I can put a containment field in there for her for when we're there."
"Are you sure it'll be safe." She asked, squeezing his hand.
"I think so. ...We should let her acclimate first."
River nodded, "Can we talk about something else now?"
"Sure." He thought for a moment. "Baby shower?"
"Do you think we should have one?" She smiled softly.
"I think we're going to get one whether we plan one or not. I, for one, am not leaving Jack to surprise us."
"It might be interesting." She teased.
"Interesting and disaster are synonyms when it comes to Jack." The Doctor reminded.
She hummed, "You don't think Terra will get upset will you?"
"About the baby shower?"
River nodded, "We had one for Arthur, but we didn't have one for Terra."
"Didn't we? Well, I suppose we did have all we needed already." He stared out the window as Terra blocked Arthur from making a goal.
"I'm worried that if we have one for the baby and she finds out we didn't have one for her then she'll read into it too much."
"So you don't want a baby shower?" He asked.
"I do want one, but I think we shouldn't have one for the sake of our daughter."
"If that's how you feel, then I'll let Jack know." He kissed her cheek.
"Thanks." She smiled softly.
"Do you want to play a bit for me?" She nodded towards the guitar sitting in the living room.
"I'd love to." He took her hand, leading to the other room.
She plopped down on the couch, putting her feet up. He took his guitar, sitting by her feet and starting one of her preferred songs. She closed her eyes, listening to the song and smiling. The children all eventually came inside, sitting on the rug to listen as well.