[A/N: Hey folks, I wanted to let you know I probably won't be updating with the same frequency as before. There are a few reasons, but mainly it boils down to the fact that both I and my writing pal have been very busy lately and we haven't had the time to create as much content as we have been able to do in the past. Thanks for being patient.]

Ch 95

Terra woke up around the time River finished feeding the baby, wandering wearily out of her room find her mother.

River was in the nursery, burping Felix. "[How do you feel?]" She asked Terra after she set the baby down in the crib to sleep.

"[Tired,]" she sighed with clear fatigue.

"[I know, my sweet.]" She walked over, "[Let's go to the medbay.]"

"[How come?]" She frowned slightly.

"[I want to run another test to see if there's any other medicine that would make you feel better.]"

"[Oh…Will it taste bad?]"

"[I don't know yet, sweetie. We have to see what you need first."

Terra reluctantly obeyed, taking River's hand. The two walked together and River helped Terra sit up on the exam table once they were in the medbay.

"[Why do I need more medicine if I just have the flu?]" Terra asked.

"[I want to check and make sure I'm giving you the right medicine.]" River explained, as she set the scanners.

"[You weren't giving me the right one?]"

River frowned at the screen, not seeing what her daughter said, "That can't be right."

"[Mummy!]" Terra waved her hand, trying to get River's attention.

River turned, looking at her daughter. Terra's face had paled considerably from just a moment ago and it was clear she was going to be sick again. River got a bin for her just in time and called for her husband. "Doctor!"

It was a good minute before he appeared in the doorway, Felix in one hand and wooden cooking spoon in the other.

River held Terra's hair back as the girl was sick. "Look at the monitor."

He tucked the spoon into his pocket to free up a hand before doing so. His expression quickly shifted to match River's. "That can't be right… [Terra, sweetheart,]" the Doctor started. "[You didn't have any red spots on your skin after we went camping, did you? Like an insect bite?]"

Terra shrugged as River got her a washcloth, "[There was an itchy spot on my back.]"

"[Would you show us?]" The Doctor asked and looked worriedly at his wife. He added in a whisper, "I've never seen anaplasmosis in a Timelord before."

"Looks like a tick bite," River murmured as Terra showed them the spot. There wasn't any tick around since the bite wasn't fresh, but the area was still red and scabbed over.

"It must have been when she ran away," the Doctor agreed as Terra pulled her shirt back down. "We'll have to start her on some different antibiotics. Let's try doxycyclin for now."

"I don't know why it didn't show up on the tests earlier."

"It was probably too early to detect," he reasoned but it was a guess at most. He'd never seen, let alone heard of any Gallifreyan (or part Gallifreyan) getting anaplasmosis, so it was impossible to say how the symptoms might present themselves both physically and on tests. A thought nagged at him that because of her biology Terra could potentially be affected in ways they couldn't predict. "I want to keep a close eye on her."

"Me too," River nodded quickly. "We don't know what this is going to do to her."

"[What's going on?]" Terra interrupted, getting a little cranky that there was so much speaking going on above her.

River hesitated, "[We were wrong about you having the flu.]"

"[I don't have the flu?]" She was only getting more confused.

"[It's something else.]" River explained slowly, "[It's from the bug that bit you while we were camping.]"

"[I didn't give it to Felix, did I?]" she asked, glancing at her brother who was calm in the Doctor's arms.

"[No, sweetie. Felix can't get it. You have to get bitten to get it.]"

"[Oh.]" She relaxed slightly. "[But what is it? What do I have?]"

The Doctor handed Felix over to River so he had his hands free to explain. "[It's called anaplasmosis,]" he spelled the word slowly for her. "[It's caused by bacteria that get into your blood from a tick bite. It makes you feel like you have the flu... but sometimes there are other symptoms so if you feel short of breath or very ache-y somewhere I want you to tell us immediately,]" he added.

"[My arm is ache-y]" Terra commented.

He reached for the scanner again as Arthur poked his head into the room. "What are you guys doing? I thought we were eating dinner."

River answered, "You three can go ahead, we're doing something with Terra right now."

"Oh, okay," Arthur said with a tad of confusion. His parents almost never changed their mind about a family dinner unless something serious came up. "How long will it take?"

"We don't know, probably a while."

"Is she okay?" he asked, watching suspiciously as his father examined Terra's arm.

"Of course, we just have a different diagnosis for her. Go have some dinner."

Arthur didn't look remotely sated but did as he was told and left.

"How bad is it?" River asked, turning back to her husband.

"Some of the infection localized in her arm. It's causing a bit of swelling, but that should go away if the antibiotics work," he informed her.

"What do you need me to do?"

"See if you can find the doxycycline. We can start the first round right now." As River started searching the cabinets, the Doctor addressed his daughter. "[You're going to have to swallow some pills. Do you think you can do that?]"

"[Can I have water?]" Her singing was a bit sloppy since her arm was sore.

He nodded and brought a glass over so she could take the pills. Terra took the pills, holding her arms out for a hug when she was done.

The Doctor pulled her into his arms, glancing at River. "We're going to have to watch her closely to see how she reacts to the medicine."

She nodded, eyes fixated on Terra. "What if she gets worse?"

"Then we'll figure something else out," he put a hand on her shoulder. "But doxycycline is a strong antibiotic—she might appear sicker she's on it."

"[Do you need anything?]" River asked Terra.

"[Can we go to dinner?]" She asked, wanting to have a chance to see her siblings.

"[I think it would be better if you stayed here." River shook her head.

"[But everyone's eating without me!]" She fretted.

"[I know, but I want you to stay here so we can make sure you're okay.]"

"[But you already gave me the medicine so I'm okay now, right?]" She was only growing more upset that her logic wasn't sound.

"[It's a very strong medicine that's designed to kill bad bacteria…]" the Doctor started, "[But sometimes it can kill the good bacteria, too, so we need to watch you in case your body reacts badly. We could have your siblings come to eat in here, if that would make you feel better?]" He offered.

She nodded slowly, still quite confused.

He glanced at River. "I'll go get them."

"[This sucks.]" Terra stared pointedly at the floor. Her stomach was still churning, she was exhausted, and all her parents seemed to be saying was that this wasn't easily fixable.

"[I know, my love. It'll be alright.]" River tried to comfort her.

"[This wouldn't have happened if I'd not gone after the bunny, wouldn't it.]" It wasn't really a question since she knew the answer.

"[We don't know that.]" River murmured. While it was most likely true, Terra could have gotten bitten at any time on their camping trip.

She looked up at River with round, wet eyes. "[I'm sorry for doing that. I really am.]"

"[It's alright, my love. Don't be sorry.]" Terra leaned into her free arm, careful not to disturb Felix who had drifted off to sleep a few minutes ago in the crook of her other arm. River kissed her forehead, humming softly.

-x-

"You're not fine, I can tell." River frowned, handing the Doctor a thermometer.

"I am. I don't need that," he scowled at the thermometer like it was to blame for all of his symptoms.

River glared at him, "You're acting like a child. Just use the damn thermometer."

"It doesn't read right for me half the time. My body temperature is lower than yours and the kids," he protested.

"Yes, I know. Which is why I had the TARDIS make this modified one for you." She insisted.

He glared at the blue box which sat in the corner of the bedroom, then begrudgingly allowed River to stick the thermometer in his mouth.

"I know you seem to think that you can't get sick. But it's a fact that Timelords are more susceptible to illness in the first few years after regeneration." She kept her arms crossed.

"I'm not ill," he mumbled around the thermometer.

"You're not?" She raised an eyebrow.

He tried to look as right as possible but ended up coughing instead.

"That's what I thought."

He scowled and took the thermometer out of his mouth, handing it back. She gave him an 'I-told-you-so' look as she took back the thermometer.

He glanced at the floor, still mumbling, "Timelords don't get colds. Measles, space delirium, vox fever, but not colds."

"Fine. If you don't have a cold, then you don't have to take any medicine. But if you don't take medicine, then you're risking passing the cold on to me."

"Now that's not fair. You're using my love for you against me."

"I'm only stating a fact, sweetie," she smirked.

"Interrogation tactics," he huffed, though his expression was softening.

"I don't want you to be sick." She murmured, kissing his head.

He took her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm with a sigh. "Fine. I'll take something. For you."

She smiled squeezing his hand, "Thank you."

"I don't suppose you'd risk a kiss?" He asked hopefully.

"I suppose I could risk it..." She murmured, leaning in.

He hummed against her, at least until he had to tear away for another coughing fit.

"Oh, sweetie..." River sighed, sitting down beside him and rubbing his back.

"Maybe soup wouldn't hurt," he managed hoarsely.

She nodded, "I'll take care of you. Just relax."

"How many times have I said that to you and you listened?"

She laughed softly, "Not many."

"I think the twins take after that."

"Unfortunately I agree."

"Like mother like daughter," he smiled, then corrected himself, "daughters."

"I'll go make you that soup." She smiled.

-x-

Terra was put to bed early after throwing up again. The Doctor put Felix down while River tucked Terra in.

They'd agreed to have Terra sleep in the medbay, which the girl only agreed to after the TARDIS put some of her things in the medbay with her. This meant that River, the Doctor, and Felix would all be sleeping in the TARDIS with Terra so the adults could keep an eye on both children.

River and the Doctor decided to sleep in their own room, keeping one monitor on for Felix and the other on for Terra.

Felix, expectedly, woke several times during the night. The Doctor and River switched off who got up to rock him back to sleep, or feed him in some cases but that was left to River. Each time someone got up, they always checked on Terra as well.

"Is she alright?" River mumbled sleepily as she felt the Doctor climb back into bed.

"She threw up again, but I gave her some crackers and something to help her sleep." He settled against her back, wrapping an arm carefully around her waist.

He had done the last two rounds since he'd had to wake River up to feed Felix during his turn, and Terra had been awake both times.

She hummed, relaxing against his body. "Kiss?"

He obliged gladly, propping himself up on his arm so he could reach her face. She leaned in, giving him a soft kiss. He hummed against her skin. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No." She murmured, "It's hard to sleep, I've been worrying about Terra."

"I know." He breathed, settling back against her. "Me, too."

-x-

"Sweetie?" River mumbled sleepily.

The Doctor didn't open his eyes, but managed a tired reply of, "Hmm?"

"She hasn't moved in two hours." River breathed.

"She's probably sleeping. Like you should be." His words were formulated, but still had a gentle tone to them.

She gave him a worried hum in response. He opened his eyes, blinking a few times until River came into focus—at least as much as she could in their dark bedroom. They'd retired to bed a while ago, though today in the TARDIS.

River had been having Braxton Hicks the day before and had insisted that they stayed close to the medbay despite the Doctor insisting that it was normal for timelords to have them, even at 25 weeks.

"Is she dreaming?"

"If she is I can't see them." River looked at him and even in the dark, it was clear she was worried.

Terra, unlike the other children, hardly ever used the mental connection with. When she did, her thoughts weren't easily decipherable.

He glanced at the clock just visible on the bedside table behind her. It was long past midnight. He reached over, hand finding her belly. "Any more pain?"

"Not really. Not as frequent as before." She breathed, putting her hand over his.

They were still for a moment until the Doctor leaned over and reached behind her to the nightstand. It was too dark to see what he pulled out of the drawer.

As he settled back where he was, the cold surface of the diaphragm of a stethoscope met her skin where his had rested before. River watched him intently, searching his face for any clue that her fears were true.

After another moment in which the Doctor's expression remained schooled, he took the earpieces out and handed them over to her. "Listen."

She put the earpieces in, listening. The double heartbeat of the baby was audible immediately in the otherwise quiet bedroom along with her own. It wasn't as loud of a sound as the scanners were able to produce and the beat was slightly slower because Terra was sleeping, but it was steady and unmistakable.

River let out a breath that she hadn't realized that she was holding in. The Doctor's hand found hers again.

"Any better?"

"A lot better. Thank you."

He pressed a kiss to her nose, accidentally landing on her cheek instead. "Keep that with you."

She smiled weakly, "Can I have another kiss?"

"Of course, love," he leaned in once more, this time a bit slower in an attempt for a more accurate aim. She closed her eyes, relaxing even more when she felt his lips against hers.