Ch 69

It was around lunch, when Freya's headache started to subside, that the Songs went down to the lake.

The adults sat on the rocks and watched the kids closely as they swam. River was still shaken by the morning's events, her whole body tense. The Doctor kept soft conversation with her in hopes to help ease her or at least give her a distraction. She rested her head against his shoulder, squeezing his hand as she listened to him talk.

The children spent the majority of the day within their mother's sight except for when they helped collect firewood. (Even then, they didn't stray far.) Terra took a nap with River sometime after lunch.

The Doctor discussed possible sleeping arrangements with River when she woke. The only possible choice for River seemed to be sleeping in the car where the kids wouldn't hear if she had a night terror again. The Doctor pointed out that it also might be more comfortable because of the padded seats.

River refused, "I can't do that after what happened this morning. I just won't sleep. We're going home tomorrow, so I'll sleep when we get home."

"That's not- River that's not a good idea. Now of all times, your sleep is important." He glanced down to her middle for a moment.

"I'll be fine. I'll get sleep when we get home." She insisted.

He looked very unsure but knew that she knew the consequences as well as he did. "If you're sure..."

"I'm positive," she kept her ground. Before the Doctor could argue again, Terra pulled her mother away to show her something.

As promised, that night River didn't sleep. It helped a bit that Felix was feeling more active that night and insisted on River's company and entertainment. River talked to him quietly, telling him stories that helped keep her awake after the children were tucked into the tent.

She sat outside, next to the fire in order not to disturb her sleeping family. Fireflies were visible for a few hours, disappearing around the same time the fire died down.

In the very early dawn, the tent door began to unzip. River was still attempting to keep awake, though the sound of the tent opening woke her a bit more. Terra half fought with the door as she made her way out, zipping it shut behind her.

River stood, going over to her daughter, "[What are you doing?]"

She looked up. "[Looking for you. Why aren't you in the tent?]"

"[I wasn't able to sleep so I decided to sit out here.]" River explained, "[It's still early, you should go back to sleep.]"

"[I had a bad dream.]" She frowned. "[And daddy's on the other side of the tent, I can't reach him unless I wake everyone up.]"

"[Do you want to tell me about it?]" River asked.

Terra sighed. "[It was about yesterday.]" River nodded slowly, letting her continue. Terra explained feebly how she kept thinking about the shadows and how scary the forest had looked. She mentioned how Freya and Amelia sometimes told stories about all the terrible people and creatures who had tried to attack the family before she was born and worried that it might happen again.

River sighed, "[Terra, I promise there is nothing for you to worry about. You're safe.]" River wouldn't admit this was still something she herself had trouble believing in.

"[What about when you and daddy had to go away because there were bad people chasing you? And when we had to be humans?]"

River frowned, "[That… Terra the world is never going to be perfectly safe. There will always be danger, but I promise your father and I will be here to protect you.]"

"[What if you get hurt?]" She looked at River with round eyes.

"[If anything ever were to happen—and I promise that it would be very hard to get rid of me—then you have three older siblings that will always be there for you.]" She smiled softly.

"[...Can I sit with you?]"

"[Of course.]"

They settled in front of the fire pit, which was full of barely warm ash by now.

"[I don't think I'll be a good big sister to Felix.]" Terra said.

"[Why not, sweetie?]'

"[I'm not good a protecting anyone like Freya and Amelia are.]"

"[Well, you know I didn't think I'd be any good at protecting anyone until I had Freya and Amelia. Sometimes, you don't think you can do something, then when the time comes you surprise yourself.]"

"[What do you mean?]" She frowned, finding herself surprised that River could ever doubt herself in that category.

"[Even before you came, I was scared I would be a bad mum because I didn't know how to sign. But I tried my best, I did everything I could for you.]" She explained.

"[But you're the best mum.]" She pointed out.

"[I'm glad you think so.]" River smiled, "[And I'm sure if you try your best, Felix will think you're the best big sister.]"

Terra thought this over. "[When he comes, does it mean Freya and Mia will stop being my big sisters cause they gotta do it for Felix?]"

"[Of course not! They'll probably want to spend even more time with you because they won't want to get stuck changing diapers.]" She smiled.

Terra made a face. "[They have to help change nappies?]"

"[They might, but not too often.]"

"[I don't want to change nappies.]" She said, watching River to make sure this wasn't going to become a new chore for her.

"[I promise I won't make you do that.]"

Terra relaxed some. "[What do babies smell like?]"

"[Well, I think they smell nice and fresh.]"

"[Do you think we could meet a baby before Felix comes so I know what they're like?]"

River nodded, "[I think we can arrange that.]"

"[You know a baby?]" None of their close friends had children that they knew of.

"[Well, there's a daycare at Luna University and there are always babies there.]" She explained, "[I could take you there and we can visit the babies.]"

Terra looked pleased with that. "[So I can come to work with you?]"

"[I suppose you can come in one day.]" River nodded.

Felix shifted up, wedging himself under River's ribs. Terra stared at River's belly, though her face didn't curl up into resentment as it sometimes did. "[Is it okay to be a little scared about having a new brother?]"

"[Of course it is.]" River rubbed her arm comfortingly.

She leaned into her mother's touch. "[...Are you scared to have another baby?]" She wondered.

River hesitated, then nodded slowly, "[A little bit. It's always scary welcoming a new person into our family.]"

"[But you still want him.]" This was more of an observation than a question.

"[Of course.]"

"[How come?]'

"[Well, it's difficult to explain. I love him because he's my baby.]"

Terra paused, thinking about this. It was easy for her to forget that Felix wasn't just some small, strange creature coming to stay in the house, but a real baby who was actively wanted and created by her parents—how that worked was still a mystery to her. "[Will he like football?]"

"[I'm sure he will. Will you help teach him how to play?]"

"[I don't really like other sports, so he has to like football.]"

River laughed softly, "[Alright. Well I'm sure he'll love it if you teach him how to play when he's old enough.]"

Terra reached over and picked up a stick, using it to poke at the dirt by her feet. "[What sort of games do you play with babies?]"

River spent the next while answering Terra's various questions, hoping this would help with the sibling transition. Felix shifted around, as he usually did when River was thinking about any of the children. He had figured out that sometimes it meant they were nearby, and he had grown to love visitors.

The baby's movement and the constant questions helped chase away River's sleepiness and she found it easier to stay awake.

After an hour and a half, and a few attempts to feel Felix kick, Terra decided to go back to bed for the few more hours of sleep she could get. River gave her a quick kiss and wished her sweet dreams.

Everything was quiet once again. A bird or two were waking in the distance. The sky grew lighter, though stars remained visible. River sat back in her chair, going back to trying to stay awake.

After a long while, the tent unzipped again, though this time it revealed her husband.

"Morning." River murmured tiredly.

The Doctored offered a smile and moved to sit where Terra had been sitting an hour ago.

"What time is it?"

"I'm not sure. Still pretty early in the morning, I think." He searched the pocket of the light coat he'd put on for his phone, checking the time. "Quarter to five," he murmured. "Are you cold?"

She nodded.

He shrugged his coat off and put it around her shoulders. "How're you feeling?"

"A bit tired." She confessed, holding the coat against her cold form. "Did you sleep well?"

He shrugged again, wrapping his arm around her as well. "Missed you."

"I missed you too." She smiled softly. "But you're here now."

He pressed a chaste kiss to her temple, then lowered his head to give her a proper one. She hummed softly.

He stayed outside with her as the sun finally made an appearance. River was really starting to fall asleep now, more relaxed now that the Doctor was outside with her.

Terra was the first one up of the kids as usual. The girl wiggled out of the tent again, this time finding her parents cuddling out in the morning sun. She trotted over to them. "[What are you doing?]"

"[Just snuggling.]" River replied.

"[Can I, too?]"

River nodded, opening her arms so the girl could come cuddle with them. Terra climbed up to join them, though mostly ended up sitting on her father's lap since River's was mostly occupied with Felix.

The family sat for quite a while, River eventually drifting off, unable to stay up anymore. Terra seemed confused by this, presuming that her mother had been sleeping for most of the night.

The Doctor smiled at the both of them, signing slowly as not to jostle his wife. "[She's just a bit tired, my star.]"

"[Is it from the baby?]" She asked.

He nodded, knowing River wouldn't want him to mention her all-nighter. Terra nodded, thinking she understood now.

"[She mentioned you had a bad dream last night.]"

Terra nodded slowly.

"[Are you feeling better?]"

She nodded, '[Mummy said that the bad people won't hurt us because you'll keep us safe.]"

He smiled softly, though his mind jumped to the Time Lady occupying their TARDIS. "[She's absolutely right.]"

Terra smiled contently, "[She also said that I could meet a baby!]"

"[Did she? Are you going to visit the ones at her work?]"

Terra nodded, "[Have you visited them too?]"

"[Once or twice.]"

"[Were you ever scared to be a dad?]"

He nodded. "[Very.]"

"[Why?]"

He started to say something, then stopped and thought about it. None of the children he had now knew about the ones he'd had hundreds of years ago. That had been a factor for him, though he didn't think he ought to mention it because he wasn't ready to explain why they weren't still around. "[Well, babies are a big deal when you're expecting one. Your mother and I were very different people when we were expecting your big sisters. We didn't have a house beside the TARDIS. I traveled every day. I was worried I might... get it wrong.]"

"[But now we have a big house! And we have a house in London. And you don't travel every day anymore.]" Terra observed.

"[Yes. I'm not scared anymore either.]"

"[I think you're great at being a dad! You're the best!]"

"[I'm very glad about that.]" He tapped her nose.

She beamed, hugging him tightly. He snaked an arm around her finding himself relaxing from a tension he didn't know he had.

"[Are we going home today?]" Terra asked after a while.

"[Yes. Sometime after lunch.]"

"[Can't we stay one more day?]" She pleaded.

He shook his head. "[Bill's won't be there to feed the cat's tomorrow. I promise we can go on another trip soon.]" He assured though it wouldn't be an overnight one, that much he knew.

"[Next week?]" She asked.

"[You'll be in school next week and I'll be at work... Maybe if we don't have too much homework.]"

"[Can we go to a different planet?]"

"[Ask your mother later.]"

The other kids started to wake up and go about a vague morning routine. Terra convinced her siblings that they should go on a hike today before they left. Her siblings were quite enthusiastic about the idea.

The Doctor packed a picnic as the kids got ready. "You know, Riv, you could stay here and rest. We won't be more than a couple hours."

River agreed to stay behind, quite relieved by it, in fact.