Ch 99

The Doctor informed Terra when River was done and it was safe to look again. Terra looked over at her brother who lay on River's chest with curious round eyes. "[Why does he need to eat so early?]"

"[Babies grow very quickly and they need food to help them grow. So Felix gets hungry a lot.]" River explained.

Terra looked a tad envious for a moment before quickly brushing the feeling away. She hadn't had much of an appetite since she'd gotten sick and was starting to miss food, even if she wasn't necessarily hungry for it. "[Does it, um, does it feel weird? When he eats?]"

"[A bit.]" She nodded, "[But it doesn't hurt.]"

Felix started whining again so the Doctor volunteered to burp him. River handed the baby over so he could be burped.

Terra kept her eyes on him as the Doctor sat up more and adjusted the baby on his shoulder. "[When can he eat grown-up food?]"

"[We'll start giving him soft food in a few months. Once his teeth grow in he can try grown-up food.]"

"[But when is that?]"

"[Not for a few months.]" River informed. Based on how early the other children were teething, Felix would likely do so at about six months.

"[So then he can eat breakfast with the rest of us?]"

"[Eventually, yes.]"

Felix finally spat up, calming his fussing. The Doctor rose the get the two of them cleaned up. Terra sighed as she watched them. "[...Do you think he'll ever meet Toby?]"

River hesitated, frowning slightly, "[I'm not sure, my love. I don't think he will.]"

"[But we have Mumma TARDIS so we could see him, right?]" She peered up at River, eyes round and hoping.

"[It's a bit more complicated than that. You know that crossing timelines is dangerous and Toby lives in our past. In order to see him, we would have to cross our own timeline.]"

"[Oh... right.]" She deflated slightly as the Doctor joined them back on the bed with the baby.

"[I'm sorry, sweetie.]" River sighed, looking up at the Doctor.

"[I miss him,]" Terra leaned against River for a hug.

"[I know, sweetie. Me too.]"

"Poor thing," the Doctor hummed. River nodded in agreement.

"[Can we get a new Toby?]" Terra asked.

The Doctor met eyes with his wife. "[Er, we'd have to discuss it.]"

Felix waved a hand in an attempt at copying the signing, accidentally bumping Terra in the process. Terra looked down at the baby, "[Can I hold him?]"

"[Of course, my star.]" The Doctor agreed, shifting the baby carefully over to her. "[Remember to support his head, alright?]"

She nodded, gently cradling her little brother. The Doctor looked at River again, this time with a softer expression. "She's getting used to him."

River smiled weakly, "Yes, I'm glad to see it."

He reached for her hand over Terra's head, entwining the fingers together. "...It won't be pleasant, but she'll make it through this."

"I know." She sighed.

They stayed like that for a long time, Terra willingly letting Felix stay in her arms. They were joined by Mr. Thomas and Arthur, the old cat slinking up on the bed with the young boy and both of them finding a spot to settle in.

Arthur was a little more chatty than his sister and eventually persuaded the Doctor to come downstairs to start breakfast.

River lay with her daughter, watching her and Felix. She eventually began to fall asleep, exhausted from waking up multiple times in the night with worry.

Terra began to realize her mother was falling asleep but was too tired herself to wake her. She looked at her brother instead and adjusted him so she had a hand to sign with. "[You know she likes you a lot.]"

Felix flailed his arms about, trying to copy her sign.

Terra concentrated on his face, looking for any hints of understanding and disappointedly finding none. Experimentally, she brought her free hand to his temple and concentrated.

Felix squirmed a bit more, making it difficult to keep contact. "Hold still," she mouthed, trying to reach out with her mind.

Felix started to whimper, not knowing what to make of the connection Terra was trying to form. Terra frowned at the resistance she felt. Don't be like that, it's just me, she thought.

Mummmmaaa Felix thought, fussing a bit more.

Terra winced, withdrawing her mind and hand. "[It's no fun if you don't cooperate.]"

Felix started to cry, quite overwhelmed. Terra poked River, not wanting to hold her brother now that his face was scrunched like that.

River woke, "What's wr-" She frowned, immediately taking Felix.

"[I don't know why he's so upset.]" Terra huffed.

Felix whimpered, trying to convey to River that someone was messing in his head.

"[Were you holding his head?]" River asked, checking the baby for injuries.

"[Yes,]" Terra nodded like River should have already known this. "[You told me I had to so he didn't hurt his neck or anything.]"

"What's wrong, my sweet?" River murmured as the baby wailed louder.

Felix tried harder to explain, this time projecting the memory.

"[Did you try to connect with him?]" River asked, trying to understand.

"[He wouldn't let me,]" Terra signed slowly, obviously disappointed.

"[He's very little. He probably didn't understand.]" River tried to comfort.

"[But he would have if he'd just let me do it.]"

"[He didn't want to do it, my love.]"

"[Why not?]" Terra wasn't understanding why her mother was taking Felix's side.

"[It frightened him. Perhaps we can try again another time, but please ask me first next time.]"

"[Okay...]" she deflated slightly, starting to think she was in trouble.

River looked over, noticing the change in body language, "[I'm glad that you tried. It was a nice idea.]"

"[I wanted to show him what it was like when Toby was here.]"

"[I don't know if he's ready for that, sweetie. He's still so little.]"

Felix started to calm in River's arms. Terra leaned to River, seeking the same comfort. "[Maybe we can show him a picture?]"

River nodded, "[That would be good. Do you want to go find one?]"

Terra nodded and shifted off the bed. Once her feet were on the floor she paused with a frown and put a hand to her head.

"[Everything alright, my love?]" River frowned as well.

"[Dizzy,]" she managed, leaning on the side of the bed a bit more heavily than she had been before.

"[Why don't you sit back down and I'll get a picture of Toby. You need to rest.]" River sighed, knowing that trying to connect with Felix was probably contributing to Terra's dizziness.

Terra would have protested if she weren't so suddenly drained of any energy to do so. She meekly got back on the bed, curled up next to the cat, and screwed her eyes shut in an effort for the room to stop spinning.

"Doctor..." River called, watching her daughter with a frown.

It was a moment before the Doctor came in wearing an apron and holding a spoon with pancake batter on it.

"I think she's getting worse." River frowned, eyes barely leaving Terra

He found somewhere to put the mixing spoon down before approaching them. He put a hand on Terra's forehead and sighed, "No, I'm afraid this means the new medicine has kicked in. More extreme side effects, remember?"

"Right..." River sighed, "I think we're going to have to have one of us watching her at all times until her side effects regulate."

He nodded slowly in agreement, knowing it was going to be a long ten days of doing so. Throughout the day, the two adults took turns watching over their daughter, ensuring that one of them was in the room with her at all times.

Terra refused breakfast completely and had to be convinced to eat some plain toast at lunch. Even then, she barely managed a slice before turning away from it.

The worry of River and the Doctor was spreading to the other children who routinely asked if Terra was okay. The Doctor took the time to explain the nature of the infection to them around dinner, but it only seemed to provoke more questions.

When the kids were settled doing their homework before dinner, the Doctor went back to Terra's room. They'd moved her out of the TARDIS earlier so she'd be more comfortable, though a few scanners now inhabited her room.

River and Terra were snuggled together on the bed, both of them seemingly asleep. Felix wasn't asleep and looked around from his place in a baby carrier they'd moved into the room.

Felix wasn't going to be left alone any more than Terra was, so the adults had collectively agreed that it was more convenient to move the small carrier into the room than a crib.

The Doctor gently picked the boy up and cradled him in his arms. "I think it's my shift. Mummy seems a bit worn out, doesn't she? Yes, she's very worried about your sister," he kept his voice soft. "Rightfully so. But that's what mummies and daddies do, you know: worry about their babies. You should get used to that."

"Sweetie?" River breathed, starting to stir.

The Doctor approached the bed. "I'm here."

"Sorry..." She started to sit up, "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's alright, River." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You've been on for a while. It's my turn to watch her."

"Are you sure?"

He shrugged and settled into a chair. "You need a break."

She stood up, walking towards him, "Do you want me to take the baby?"

He glanced at Felix who seemed to light up when River approached and smiled. "I think he does."

She carefully took the baby from his arms, "Hello, my love." Felix reached up and grabbed her finger, holding securely onto it.

The Doctor looked over at his daughter. "How is she?"

"Well, I finally got her to go back to sleep, which is good at least." River murmured.

He hummed in agreement. "We should save some food for her in case she wants it," he said, though they both knew she probably wouldn't eat it.

"That's a good idea." She nodded.

"Why don't you go eat with the kids? The twins could use a break from their work and you know Arthur won't turn the telly off unless he's told."

"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you with all the work." They both knew that the older three could manage on their own, and lately, it had proven that Terra's illness occasionally needed two pairs of eyes.

"I'm sure." He met her eyes with an expression somewhere between somber and altruistic. "They're all as worried as we are. Even if they won't admit it, they need us as much as Terra does."

"Okay." River nodded, going to be with their other children.

The children were, as the Doctor had said, not fully themselves. It was easier to spot when one was looking for it-the way their pushed food around and exchanged the slightest of glances between each other all pointed towards their malaise.

River did her best to assure them that everything was going to be alright. Terra was going to get better very soon thanks to the medication she was on now. Arthur seemed to be the only one comforted by this. The twins were old enough and had too many bad experiences to fully believe her.

It was 10:00 by the time all the kids were in bed. The Doctor and River sat in Terra's room, trying to figure out the best method for sleeping. The most logical thing seemed to be to put an air mattress in Terra's room so one of her parents could stay with her.

"I can be with her tonight." River offered, bringing the extra blankets into the room.

"Alright." The Doctor didn't try to refute this knowing that River probably would be up all night with worry anyways. "Then no baby duty for you. I'll take care of Felix if he wakes up."

"What if he needs to eat?" She crossed her arms.

He hesitated. "Well... I'll try a bottle. And if he doesn't take it then I'll get you."

"Okay..." She nodded, "Get some rest."

He knew he probably wouldn't sleep well without her but nonetheless gave her a long kiss goodnight. "Maybe… I can stay for a little while?"

She brought him over to the air mattress, "Lay down with me? We can both fit if we squeeze."

They settled as comfortably as they could which involved quite a lot of shifting. Terra, of course, wasn't bothered by the noise it made. River closed her eyes, trying to get some rest before Terra woke. The Doctor ended up staying with River and Terra the whole night.