Ch 92
River started to drift off when the Doctor left. Felix wasn't asleep but remained placid resting on her chest.
Terra sat in her chair, staring at her mother and brother. Eventually, she got off the chair and approached the bed, making sure to keep a safe distance from Felix. Terra waved her hand, trying to catch the baby's attention.
Felix was still too tiny to have eyesight strong enough to really see her clearly, though he turned his head slightly at the flash of blurry movement.
Terra stared at him once more, slightly more scrutinizing now that she could properly see his face. She'd heard of adults often saying that babies looked like their parents, but she couldn't really see how such a round, squishy looking face looked at all like River or the Doctor. Except for the small bit of hair and his eyes, that was. "[Can you understand me?]"
Felix blinked blankly at her. Terra frowned. She'd seen her parents and siblings cooing over this boy and using what she assumed were spoken words with him. She didn't understand why they did that if the baby didn't understand anything to begin with.
Experimentally, she tried this time to vocalize his name, though having had no practice with it, said something closer to, "F'ek."
Felix perked up slightly, his tiny fists flexing. Terra looked pleased to have gotten some kind of response, though the feeling fled when a bout of nausea came and she had to sit back down.
The Doctor returned after a while with a tray of food. There were two egg sandwiches for the adults and one piece of plain buttered toast for Terra.
River started to wake once the food came, though this was mostly because Felix was getting restless.
"I can burp him," the Doctor volunteered. "You should eat." He put the food on the stand beside the bed and moved to lift Felix up.
"You don't have to do that," River murmured.
"I don't mind." He was already settling Felix against his shoulder and looking for a spit-up towel. "It won't take long."
"Okay." She murmured, glancing at Terra. The girl was looking quite pale, obviously wheezy. "[Come here, my love.]" River beckoned her over.
Terra meekly got off the chair and approached the bed. She got up on the bed and settled tentatively against her mother, sure that she was going to be told soon that Felix had priority and she'd have to keep her distance again.
River wrapped her arms around the little girl, rubbing her back. Terra seemed to relax a little, closing her eyes. River hummed softly as a comfort.
"I don't think we'll be able to send her to school this week," the Doctor murmured.
"I know," River sighed, "I hope she gets better soon."
"I should make sure the others get up."
"Do you want my help?" She offered, though she knew he would refuse it.
"No, you need to rest," he insisted. Felix finally spat up, to which the Doctor cleaned up his face and set him down in his cot. "And keep an eye on these two."
She beckoned him over for a kiss, "Good Morning, by the way."
"Morning." He grinned against her lips.
"Thank you for everything last night."
"I'm glad you're feeling better." Soreness was certainly a step up from the pain she had been in.
"I'm glad you were here."
"There's nowhere else in the universe I'd be," he promised.
-x-
The Doctor tutted, pressing a dish towel into the wound. "It looks deep, Riv."
"It's not that deep," She winced, trying to blow off the pain, "Really. It's fine."
He didn't look like he believed her, though did try to peek under the cloth. Blood oozed from her arm the moment he lifted the pressure so he put it back quickly. "Well, at least you didn't nick anything too big... I thought you were going out for tea?"
"I was. I guess I typed 789 instead of 879 into the Vortex Manipulator. I landed in the middle of a battleground-got nicked by the Sharman's blades as I was trying to get out," she explained.
His eyes widened and he looked over her like he might suddenly find more injuries on her, going completely protective. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yes! Yes! I'm perfectly fine. Why are you so worried?"
He looked slightly flustered at that question, not realizing how protective he sounded and clearly not expecting to be called out on it. He answered, still in a worried and a bit hurried tone, "Because I love you and I don't like seeing you in pain."
Her expression softened, "Sentimental as always."
"Can't help it. I've always hated seeing you hurt and now is no exception." He glanced at her round midsection for emphasis. "And this might need stitches."
She bit her lip, feeling guilty now, "I'm sorry. I should have been more careful."
"It wasn't your fault," he was starting to relax a bit, reminding himself that no matter what horrible images his mind conjured up, she was here and fine (aside from her arm). "Let's get you a real plaster."
"I put our baby in danger because I was craving tea." She put her head in her uninjured hand, "It was so stupid and careless."
"Tell you what, my love," his voice had gone softer. "How about I make you a cuppa once we take care of your arm?"
She looked up at him, a bit teary eyes, hormones getting the better of her, "That would be lovely." He offered her one of his warmest smiles was warmed her from the inside out.
He made the medbay visit quick, pressing a kiss to her wound once it was properly wrapped in a neat, white gauze.
Soon they were in the kitchen with two warm cups of tea. "You can't possibly believe that you're not capable of protecting our kids, River."
She was tracing circles on her middle, not looking at him, "I'm disappointed in myself. I made a stupid mistake that could have..." She trailed off, "I shouldn't have been so reckless."
"You're too hard on yourself, love. It was an accident and you thought quickly and smartly."
"You wouldn't say that if something had happened." She sniffed, thinking of the horrible things that could have occurred.
"But it didn't happen." He reached across the table for her other hand that was resting on her teacup. "Because you are a very, very capable woman. And if it did, I'd be there in an instant."
She took his hand, squeezing it lightly.
"I don't doubt for a moment that you can protect the kids. I've seen you do it more times than I can count. I promise you'll do fine by this one, too."
She rose quietly, coming to sit on his lap, "I'm glad you have so much faith in me."
His arms slipped easily around her waist and he pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "Always, River."
-x-
Terra was starting to look worse as the Doctor got the other kids ready for school. She hadn't even looked in the direction of her toast. River was starting to fret, getting up at one point and hobbling over to the scanner to try and do a scan on her.
Terra was confused as to why River couldn't walk comfortably but was too tired to comment on it. The scanner didn't show anything out of the ordinary besides the gastroenteritis. River got Terra more medicine, then attempted to move Felix's cot a bit further away from the bed.
The Doctor returned a little while later. River was trying to comfort Terra, who had just been sick on the bed again. The Doctor tutted. "I'll help get this cleaned up."
"I'm worried about her." River frowned.
"Did you do a scan?" He asked as he replaced the sheets.
"Yes, but it said she's fine other than gastroenteritis." She sighed.
"Well, sometimes the symptoms are worse than other times," he reasoned, pressing the back of his hand to Terra's forehead. Wisely, he kept to himself that somethings presented as gastroenteritis until more symptoms arose. "[Do you think you can keep down some medicine for the fever?]"
Terra shook her head, turning and pressing her face into River's shoulder.
He sighed worriedly. "It'd be better if we could get her to eat or drink something."
"I know."
-x-
River paced back and forth outside the door of the nursery. She didn't have much experience with illness or children, and certainly not illness in children. Now that her daughters, who were barely a year old, had developed a fever, she was beside herself with worry, wringing an already wrinkled dish towel in her hands.
The Doctor exited the nursery with a slightly relieved exhale. There was a bit of sick on his shirt, but he didn't seem to notice. "Finally got them asleep at the same time."
"Are they doing any better?" She asked, "How are their fevers?"
"Haven't changed in the last hour, but I think sleeping. Will help," he murmured.
"They haven't kept anything down all day. They need fluids." She took the towel she had been holding and wiped the bit of sick off his shirt.
"We can give them fluids after they sleep." It had taken a good hour for him to get both babies asleep at the same time without waking the other up.
She nodded, "I changed the sheets on our bed and cleaned up the bathroom."
"Thanks," he offered a smile and brushed back a curl that had escaped River's ponytail. "You look tired."
"So do you." She smiled back.
"We have been up half the night." He pointed out. "Let me cook you something."
She waves a dismissive hand, "Let's just order in."
"Good idea." Ordering take away was a much more common occurrence now that they had little ones, especially when they were first getting used to the late and interrupted nights.
Their usual spot was a little restaurant on Flaxi Seta that had just about everything. Living in the TARDIS meant that one could pick up the food as soon as they finished the call without having to wait for it.
The Doctor lurked by the nursery while River got the food, just in case one of their daughters decided that nap time was going to be short today.
River returned quickly with the food, the couple deciding to picnic outside their daughters' room. They made quiet conversation, not often having an opportunity like this.
"I just never knew whether their health would take after yours or mine. Gallifreyan immune systems are very strong, we don't get sick very easily."
"Well, I guess we know now. They're taking after me." River sighed, avoiding his eyes.
"It's not a bad thing, Riv."
"It is when they're sick like this." She frowned.
"The stomach flu isn't going last forever, my love," he started.
She sighed, "I just hope they'll get better soon."
"I promise they will." He squeezed her hand. "Because they have an absolutely brilliant mother looking after them."
"The same could be said about their father." She smiled.
He kissed the back of her knuckles as crying started from the nursery. "Together, then."
-x-
Terra had somewhat taken over the medbay cot, her eyes screwed shut against her nausea. River tapped Terra's shoulder, "[You need to try and eat something, my love.]"
Terra peaked an eye open, "[Don't want to.]"
"[You need to try.]" River pushed gently.
Terra looked uncertain but didn't say anything more to protest. River handed her a piece of toast, helping her sit up. Terra feebly started nibbling on the cold bread.
"Are the others awake?" River asked her husband.
"Yes, they're eating now," he confirmed.
"Good. Thank you." Felix started to wake up, wanting to be held.
"I can take them to school."
"Are you sure?" She asked as he lifted Felix from his cot. Felix was still small enough that the Doctor could cradle him in one arm as he sat on the end of the bed.
"Both of you need as much rest as you can get, and she shouldn't be leaving the house today," he nodded towards their daughter.
"Doctor, I'm fine." River insisted as if she had already forgotten last night's events.
"You need to rest," he repeated and added for good measure, in case that wasn't reason enough, "and she can't stay home alone."
"I know." River breathed, looking at their daughter. Terra had managed a few bites of the toast but was now just holding it and not eating.
"Do you want me to bring Felix with me?" he asked.
"It's okay. I can watch him."
"We have our hands full today, don't we." He reached for her hand.
She nodded, "I guess this is what it's going to be like from now on."
"The stomach flu isn't going last forever, my love," he started, then paused. "And little guy won't be little forever, either."
"I know." She smiled weakly, "You've told me that before."
Terra tapped on River's arm. "[Thirsty.]"
"[Okay, my love. We'll get you a drink.]"
The Doctor filler a cup of water and handed it to her. "[Take small sips, please.]"
Amelia poked her head in after a little while. "Mum and dad? We're ready to leave, I think. Why are you guys in the medbay?"
"Terra is sick." River informed her daughter, "Just the stomach bug."
"Oh." She nodded, glancing between the four of them. "Did she get it from camping?"
"I hope not, but it's possible," River answered.
"Which one of you is taking us to school?" she asked.
"I think your father is going to take you to school." River smiled weakly. Terra was still holding tightly onto her mother, showing no signs of letting go.
The Doctor rose and placed Felix back in the cot before moving to kiss River's forehead. "I'll be back soon"