Ch 97
"Sweetie?" River frowned, shifting in bed.
"Hm?" The Doctor hadn't been asleep and turned over to face her.
"If Missy somehow escapes..." She started, about to spiral off into an unlikely hypothetical that she just had a nightmare about. He listened patiently, wanting her to feel heard.
They had only just put the MIssy in the vault yesterday and the knowledge that she was there was proving to make a restless night for the both of them.
"Nardole will be giving me daily security checks," he said.
"But what if Nardole misses something? Or if she finds a way to tamper with the equipment?" She breathed, trying to steady her voice. With Missy back in their lives, all she could think about was William and history repeating itself.
"She's locked out of everything. The doors only respond to my biosignature," he promised. "There's a deadlock, matterline, and a time-stop that only you, I and, Nardole can get through."
She nodded slowly, silent for a minute before asking, "What if something happens to the baby?"
He took her hand slowly, not sure if the comfort of physical contact was for her sake or his. It wasn't that the thought hadn't crossed his mind, but it was such a horrifying idea that part of his brain refused to even accept it as a possibility. "I won't let her get that far, River."
She squeezed his hand, struggling to find comfort in his words. "I don't think I can sleep."
"Come here." He pulled their bodies closer together, wrapping his arms around her. She curled closer to him, her heart pounding in her chest from all the hypotheticals running through her head.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead, letting his lips linger there as he spoke. "I know this isn't... ideal, my love, but she's not going to hurt you or the baby. I need you to trust me when I say that would never have given her an ounce of faith if I thought she presented a threat. I would never put you in danger. Not for this."
"Okay." She whispered, letting his voice and the warmth of his body calm her down, "I trust you."
He kissed her again, one hand moving to rest on her belly. "First sign of trouble, this ends. I promise."
-x-
Terra was clinging to Vastra's legs when it was time for her to go, insisting that she stayed until bedtime.
"[I'm afraid I can't stay, little one. I promised Jenny I would be home for dinner.]"
"[We have a time machine, you can still be home for dinner.]"
"[Yes, but it's a bit more complicated than that. We like to stay linear.]"
Terra pouted. "[Will you come back soon?]"
"[Of course, dear. We can have tea together again very soon.]"
Terra looked back at her parents who nodded permissively. "[Promise?]"
"[I promise.]" Vastra nodded.
After many more goodbyes and a hug from all seven Songs—Felix received a light squeeze on his foot for his hug—the Doctor finally left with Vastra to fly her home in the TARDIS.
"[How are you feeling?]" River asked
Terra. Terra looked up at her mother. She still looked paler than usual and rather tired. "[I'm fine.]"
River frowned slightly, "[Are you sure?]"
She looked at the floor for a moment, then back at River. "[...Tired, but I don't want to go to bed!]"
"[Would you like to sit and watch telly with me?]"
She nodded, slightly less defensive knowing that she wouldn't be made to go to be so early. River sat down on the sofa with Terra, putting in the television for her. Terra curled up to River's side, clearly more worn out that she would admit.
The other children had gone to do their homework, or in Arthur's case read comic and pretend to be doing work.
The Doctor finished up with some dishes in the kitchen when he returned. He came into the living room, looking at the three on the couch. "I can take Felix if you want."
"Sure." River nodded, handing the baby over.
He took Felix gently. "How's she doing?" He gestured to Terra.
"She's warm." River murmured, "She won't tell me if anything is wrong."
"Do you think her fever is coming back?"
"It might be." She nodded.
"I'll get the thermometer after I put Felix down for a nap." He moved to go upstairs, pausing to kiss River on the top of her head. "I'll be right back."
"Okay." She smiled weakly, "See you in a minute."
Terra glanced over as the Doctor went upstairs. "[Where's he taking Felix?]"
"[He's going to put Felix to bed.]"
"[You're not going to make me go to bed, are you?]" She asked again.
"[Not right this minute, but you're going to have to go to bed at some point.]"
"[But it's only 6,]" she frowned. "[And my bed time's at 7:30.]"
"[Yes, and 7:30 isn't that far away, my love.]"
"[I don't want to go to bed early,]" she repeated firmly.
River sighed, "[Alright. You don't have to go to bed early.]"
The Doctor came back downstairs a little while later with a thermometer and some medicine. "I'm worried about her." River frowned when her husband came down.
"I know," he sighed handing her the thermometer. Terra was reluctant but eventually, River coaxed her into having her temperature taken, which showed she had a fever.
River sighed, "[You need more medicine.]"
"[I don't want more medicine.]" Terra frowned again.
"[It will make you feel better. You need to take it so you don't get sicker.]"
"[But I'm getting better! Aren't I getting better?]"
"[Yes, but I don't want that progress to stop because you stop taking your medicine.]"
Terra glanced at her father who had his hand outstretched, pills in his open palm. "[It stops if I stop taking the medicine?]"
"[Yes, you'll stop getting better if you don't take it]"
The girl was starting to look more guilty. "[I thought I could stop when I started to feel better.]"
"[I'm afraid that's not how it works. You have to take the medicine until we say you don't have to anymore.]"
"[Terra,]" the Doctor began, "[Did you skip your medicine this morning when you said you took it?]"
She shrugged, not making eye contact. He sighed glancing at River. "At least we know why she has a fever."
River nodded slowly, "[Terra, you can't do that.]"
"[I thought it was fine because I'm feeling better]" Terra's hands moved tiredly and she still didn't look at her parents.
River wrapped her arms around the girl, kissing her forehead. Terra leaned into River, giving up her facade of indifference. "[I'm sorry. I thought it was allowed.]"
River hummed softly, nuzzling the top of her head. The Doctor gave Terra the pills. "[We forgive you, my star. But understand that from now on you have to take all the medicine we give you, even if you're feeling a bit better, okay?]"
Terra nodded meekly, "[Okay.]"
River glanced at her husband. "She'll probably be on the meds for at least another week," he murmured.
"But she's going to be alright?"
"Well, the medication is going to continue to make her tired, but I think so." He paused and added, "But I want to do a blood test before she goes to bed."
"She's not going to like that." River sighed, continuing to rub Terra's back.
"I know." His tone matched hers.
Terra had gone back to watching the telly, still curled up to River. They would wait a little while to do the test, neither of them wanting to make their daughter more unhappy at the moment.
Arthur came downstairs after a few minutes. River looked up, smiling at her son. "Hello, Arthur."
"Are we having dinner soon?"
River nodded, "We'll have dinner in a little bit, we're taking care of Terra right now."
He peered over at his sister. "I thought she was getting better?"
"She is, but she's still sick." River sighed, "I'll call you when dinner is ready."
"I want to watch telly with you guys," he said, plopping down on the floor in front of the sofa.
"Is all your homework finished?"
Arthur hesitated. "Well... I gotta read some of my book still, but it's Friday! Can't I do it tomorrow?"
River sighed, "Alright, that's fine. But I want it done first thing tomorrow."
"Okay," he promised.
"[What if I have a lot of school work to make up for when I go back?]" Terra asked.
"[We could talk to your teachers about getting the work for you,]" the Doctor offered.
"[I don't wanna have homework.]" Terra pouted.
"[You'll probably have homework either way. If you do some now then you won't have as much to do when you go back to school.]"
Terra nodded meekly.
"I should start dinner," the Doctor murmured. "You should stay with her."
"Are you sure you don't want me to do it?" River asked.
"I've got it. Besides, she looks comfortable," he gestured to Terra who was using River as a pillow.
"Okay." She smiled weakly, "Kiss first?"
He returned the smile and leaned over, kissing her temple. She hummed softly. He lingered longer than necessary.
The twins came downstairs as he went to the kitchen. River looked over at the twins, "How is your school work going?"
"They gave us so much work," Freya groaned, flopping down on the couch where her father had been sitting.
"We're not done, we're just taking a break," Amelia sighed. "I don't think we can finish it all tonight."
"That's fine. I'm glad you've started." River gave them a sympathetic smile.
"Can we just do the rest tomorrow?" Freya pleaded.
"Yes, you can take a break for the rest of the day."
"Thanks," Amelia said, settling on the floor next to her brother.
The family watched television together for the next hour, Terra soon falling asleep against her mother.
The Doctor announced dinner was ready. The other children went into the kitchen as he came up to River. "We should bring Terra to bed."
"I want to run that blood test. It'd be easier since she's asleep." Terra hated needles and generally had a hard time staying still whenever one came into view
"That's a good idea," he agreed.
"We can bring her to the med bay first and then bed."
"You lot can start without us," the Doctor called towards the kitchen. "We're just going to put your sister to bed. We'll be right there."
"Okay!" Freya called back as the sound of the three children could be heard starting their meal.
The Doctor scooped Terra up and they headed to the medbay. Terra didn't wake, luckily, making her parents' jobs easier as they took her blood. River watched with clear worry.
"We'll let the diagnostic run for a little while. It should be ready after dinner," he murmured, putting a plaster neatly on Terra's arm.
"I'll take her to bed." River offered, going to lift the girl up again.
Felix started whining from the other room as she said this. "I'll check on Felix. Meet you downstairs?"
"Okay." She nodded, carrying Terra to her room.
Terra stirred when she was put down to bed, though was still half asleep. "[Is it bedtime already?]"
"[Yes, my love.]" She signed, kissing her cheek. Even though it was only 7:00, Terra was tired enough to accept this answer without further question.
Instead of heading downstairs, River quietly went to go check on her husband and the baby. He was still in the nursery with Felix. The light was dimmed in an attempt to help Felix get back to sleep, and the Doctor paced slowly with the boy in his arms as he hummed.
River watched quietly from the doorway, not wanting to interrupt. After a few minutes, the Doctor put the boy back down in his cot.
"Is he asleep?" River asked quietly.
He turned at the sound of her voice. "Yeah. He just needed a little cuddle."
She smiled weakly, "What a sweet boy."
"Terra's all settled then?" he asked.
"She went right to sleep."
"Well then," he held out his arm for her. "Can I interest you in dinner, Professor Song?"
"Dinner would be lovely." She took his arm, smiling. They headed downstairs and joined the other kids to eat.
After dinner, the children went back to watching the telly, needing the night to relax. The girls were in charge of putting themselves to bed, though the Doctor told them not to stay up past 10:30. Arthur was told to be in bed by 9:00 and to come find his parents if he wanted to be tucked in.
With that, River and the Doctor went to go check the test results. River took her husband's hand, squeezing it tightly as he read the scanner.
"The infection hasn't gone down as much as it should have," he sighed.
River frowned, "Should we change her medication?"
"Well," he hesitated, though knew that if Terra was gaining antibiotic resistance it was the most sensible thing to do. "The issue is that if we put her on a stronger dose, the side effects of the medicine will probably make her worse while she's on it."
"But in the long run, it'll help her." River pointed out, "She's going to get sicker anyway if she starts building up resistance to the antibiotic she's currently on."
"I know," he sighed. "I'd like to consult the Sisters first. We have the right materials here, but I want to make sure."
"What? No, I'd rather not do that." She frowned, distrusting of anyone outside their family getting involved in personal matters.
"I don't have to mention Terra, my love," he tried, sensing her discomfort. "But my medical knowledge only goes so far, and they might have information that would be helpful."
She sighed, deflating slightly, "Fine, as long as you promise not to mention Terra and talk in hypotheticals."
He smiled weakly. "I promise."
She didn't return the smile, sitting down on the edge of the cot.
"Do you want to come with me?" He asked after a moment.
She looked up at him, "What about the kids?"
"Oh, um..." Regardless of having a time machine, they tried not to leave the kids unsupervised. "Right. I guess one of us should stay, then."
She got up, going to wrap her arms around his neck. He relaxed as she did so, not having realized he was tense. His arms moved to rest around her waist. She leaned in to kiss him as a gesture of comfort. He accepted gratefully, kissing her for a long moment.
"I hate that she has to get worse before she gets better," he whispered when they pulled away.
"I know. So do I." She breathed, touching her forehead to his, "I wish it didn't have to be this way."
"Me too," he said in the same tone.
"I'll stay here with the kids if you want to talk to the sisters."
He nodded slowly. "I shouldn't be long"
"Okay." She smiled weakly, "Be safe."
He kissed her one more time before leaving for the TARDIS.