[There's been a time skip of a few months.]

Ch 11

The sound of Arthur crying was what brought the Doctor out of his sleep. He found his wife through the sheets and nudged her with his foot. "River, it's your turn." He mumbled.

River groaned, reluctantly stumbling out of bed and down the hall to the nursery, "Alright, alright. Mummy's coming."

She yawned as she approached the crib. Arthur reached up for his mum, red faced and teary eyed. He'd been beginning to teethe and hadn't let his parents have a full night's sleep in a week.

"It's alright, my love." River murmured, scooping the baby up, "You're alright." She rubbed his back, grabbing one of is teething toys before heading back to her bedroom.

"You've brought company." The Doctor squinted up at River and their son as they came in.

"I thought he might like to see you." She murmured, kissing the baby's forehead as she sat back down on the bed, "Are you hungry, my love?"

Yes. Eat, eat! He whined. Their telepathic connection had been reformed over the past few months, with training and effort.

"Alright, alright. We'll feed you then." She began unbuttoning her top, eyes still half closed.

"Lie back, love." The Doctor suggested, putting a hand on her arm.

"Hmm?" She stifled a yawn, laying back. Arthur made a mental demand for his milk.

"I can take the girls to school today." The Doctor offered, noting the pink line of sunrise outside the flat's window.

She nodded, holding Arthur up to eat, "We can both take them if you want."

"I want you to have the rest you need." He shifted to kiss her cheek, more awake now.

She smiled weakly, "We should take Arthur out today."

"You think so?" He scooted closer to her, peering over her shoulder at Arthur. "Where?"

"Just to the park." She murmured, tilting her head to lean against his, "Nowhere fancy."

"I love parks." He grinned. "I like that idea."

"Oh, but we're supposed to be hosting tea this week for all the girls friends' parents." She groaned.

"Is that this week?" He raised an eyebrow. "Well, I guess we'll be going to the shop instead."

She sighed, closing her eyes and nuzzling his cheek, "I don't like any of those parents."

"They aren't too bad... What don't you like?"

"They're all so… dim." She murmured, readjusting Arthur to a more comfortable position before letting him continue to eat. "They're more concerned about their child's ability to spell, than their ability to defend themselves."

"Human children generally don't need to know defense. They develop slower and at this age aren't as bright as Amelia and Freya." He murmured.

"Well they don't need to be so critical of me." She muttered.

"They assume you're like them, but maybe it would help to talk about something other than self defense or education." He suggested.

"But it's not just because of that. They don't like me for… most things I do." She glanced down at the baby, wincing slightly when he bit.

"Like what?" He was getting confused now. How could anyone not like the amazing woman his wife was? Sure, she wasn't the most social when among humans, but it still didn't make sense to him.

She sighed, "It doesn't matter. You're hungry today." She murmured to the baby, changing the subject.

The Doctor decided to let it go. It was early and if it was terribly important, she'd tell him later. "I think he gets more so in the mornings."

She nodded, pressing a kiss to his cheek, "Do you like having a third?"

"He's absolutely wonderful." He affirmed, "And I think the girls really love him, too."

She smiled, "Do you think Freya's been handling it well?"

He nodded. "She's certainly making a lot of progress."

"Oh! Arthur, be gentle with Mummy." River murmured, frowning slightly.

The Doctor winced sympathetically. "Did he bite?"

She nodded, "He doesn't quite understand that he can't bite down while he's eating."

"He'll learn if you remind him often enough." He smiled. "Our children are brilliant learners."

She laughed softly, "Yes, that's true. We're going to have to wake the girls soon."

He looked out the window again. The sun was just viable now, the sky full of more fiery colors. "Can we stay like this a little longer?"

"Of course." She smiled softly, nuzzling his cheek.

He cuddled close to her, and they lay there in the quiet of their house. Arthur finished his breakfast and was quiet in River's arms until he started to whine again.

River had started to fall asleep again, the sound waking her up. "Shhhh, shhh, it's okay." She rubbed his back, "What's wrong, my love?"

"It's time to burp him." The Doctor carefully took the baby from her arms, holding Arthur against his shoulder and patting his back.

"You're going to need the cloth." She murmured, reaching over to her nightstand to get one of the rags.

"Thanks." He placed it over his shoulder then resumed burping his son. Arthur's whined increased, then he spit up and calmed.

"Oh, that was a big one. Mummy has such a good boy." River smiled kissing his cheek and wiping off his mouth.

"Yeah, you say that now only because you're not the one with spit up on your back." The Doctor took the rag off and chucked it into the hamper in the corner of the room. She laughed softly, giving him a quick peck before trying to steal the baby back. "Oi, you had your cuddle with him. My turn now." The Doctor insisted.

"Alright, fine." She curled up beside him so she could look at the baby.

Toby trotted into the room, hopping up on the bed. Arthur grabbed for the dog, having grown a liking to him. Toby trampled over the Doctor to go and lick the baby. The Timelord fell over. "Ack! River help!"

"Doctor! Watch the baby!" She was more concerned with the present safety of their child, than him, hauling the dog back by the collar and then going for the baby.

"Sorry, sorry." He apologized quickly and let Arthur into River's arms. Toby turned to face the baby, wapping the Doctor in the face with his tail.

"It's not your fault." She murmured, checking the baby over, making sure he wasn't hurt.

Again, again! Arthur giggled.

"No, not again." River breathed, holding him close to her chest, her heart hammering.

"River, you alright?" The Doctor asked.

She nodded, not speaking, though she was shielding the baby from the dog.

"Toby, go." The Doctor pointed towards the door, realizing he was making River uncomfortable. The dog jumped off the bed and slunk out of the room. "...Better?" He asked?

She didn't answer, rocking back and forth with the baby, squeezing her eyes shut.

"River..." He put a hand on her arm. "It's alright. It's okay, Arthur's okay." She flinched before finally relaxing, her breathing returning to normal. He offered a smile. "Sorry about that. Won't happen again, promise."

"It wasn't your fault." She whispered, pressing a kiss to Arthur's temple, "We should get the girls up."

"I'll do it." He stood. "I think you could use some extra cuddling time."

"Are you sure?" She asked, glancing up at him.

"Yes. Of course." He kissed her forehead.

"Okay." She whispered, curling back under the blankets, the baby securely in her arms. He looked at her for a second, admiring how the pale yellow light of the sun coming up splayed beautifully across her, before finally going to the girls' room.

The girls got up with minimal difficulty, always happy to go to school to see their friends. The Doctor made their breakfast and helped pack their bags, which mostly consisted of coloring books and crayons. River came down a bit later, with Arthur, double checking to make sure everything the girls needed was in their backpacks.

"Did the girls tell you they've got a field trip today?"

"Oh, really? Where are you going?" River asked as she searched for Arthur's teething cream.

"Ms. L said we're going to the science museum!" Amelia cheered excitedly.

"Oh my, that sounds like loads of fun!" She smiled, "I want you two to be careful, alright? Listen to Ms. L and don't wander off."

They nodded.

"Oh, that reminds me... I sort of volunteered as a chaperon. Also, I need you to grab something from Torchwood for me." The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck.

Her face fell a bit, "Oh, umm...alright. What is it you need?"

"It's a... thingy. With nobs and bits. Ask Jack, he'll know where it is." He lied.

She raised an eyebrow, "A thingy?"

"Yes! A thingy. An important thingy." He declared.

She huffed, quite unhappy that the plan to spend the day together was now falling through, "Fine. I'll go on my way to the shops."

"Thank you dear!" He smiled. "I promise I'll make it up to you later."

"We should go get dressed then." She directed the comment to Arthur, "We have a busy day ahead of us." She went and kissed the tops of Amelia and Freya's heads. "Can you give your sisters kisses?"

"Uuh!" Was Arthur's response, along with a wiggle. Can't reach!

She held him up to each girl in a distance that he could manage. His kisses were sloppy and more of him just pushing his head forwards, but it made the girls smile anyways.

"Oh, good boy!" River praised, giving him a kiss of his own.

"And one for Daddy!" The Doctor cooed, taking Arthur for a moment.

River smiled weakly, watching as Arthur gave the Doctor a big sloppy kiss on the cheek, "Have a fun time at the museum."

"We will!" They all said, gave River hugs and kisses, and left for the school.

River and Arthur went upstairs to get read. It took a while to actually get out the door since the pets needed feeding, Arthur needed changing, and the pram wasn't where she'd left it. Toby joined the walk when she and Arthur actually left and arrived at the Hub.

"Look who it is! My favorite Timelady and co." Jack greeted River with a hug.

"Hello, Jack." River smiled, hugging him back and pushing the pram into the hub. "The Doctor sent me on an errand to pick something up. He said it's a 'thingy' with nobs and bits?"

"I don't remember the Doctor leaving anything here, and everything in here has nobs and bits, but you're free to poke around. I can watch the little man for you."

"Alright, I would appreciate that. He may be a bit sleepy, he usually naps around now." She carefully lifted the baby out of the carriage and handed him to Jack.

"Piece of cake." He grinned, going back up to his office and leaving River to search.

She began searching through the various objects, rather frustrated with her husband for sending her on this errand with absolutely no information. After a few minutes the TARDIS started to materialize.

"What are you doing out of bed?"

She turned, eyebrow raised, "Sorry?"

"You're..." The Doctor stood before her, looking absolutely baffled. "Supposed to be resting."

She raised an eyebrow, "And why, exactly, am I supposed to be resting? You're supposed to be on a school trip."

"Well… um..." He lost his words, a million questions tumbling through his mind and almost onto his tongue.

She hummed softly, "Are you alright?"

He approached her, acting awfully different to the chipper Doctor from the house this morning. He let out a breath when his hand met the skin of her cheek.

"Doctor?" She murmured, staring at him, "Wh-" She was cut off by the start of wailing from down the hall.

"That's... Arthur?" He said in breathy whisper, almost like he'd never heard the sound before.

She was starting to really understand what was going on now. "Spoilers." She whispered, a smile breaking out on her face thinking of all the happy memories that were to come for him.

"You... know when I am then?" His eyes brightened.

"Well, I do now." She laughed weakly, "The awe in your voice gave you away. You'd better get used to that sound, sweetie." She smiled, referring to the baby's cries.

"It can't be much different from when the girls were born." He chuckled back, the sound watery. "It's been so long since we had to do diaries."

"Yes, it has. I guess I'm a bit out of practice." She glanced back towards the baby's cries, "I should probably go attend to the baby."

"And I should probably not see... timelines and all." He made no move away from her, though.

She could tell he was reluctant to leave, "Keep taking care of me and I'll be just fine. Cuddling and kisses go a long way and all the trouble you may or may not have on Arthur's birthday is so worth it." She was tempted to say Terra just to mess with him, but instead leaned in to kiss him, "Let's keep this meeting our little secret, yeah?"

His answer was a passionate kiss, all the emotions he had pouring out. There was so much more in this Doctor's kiss, like if he let go, she'd shatter. She kissed him back with as much love and passion as she could, knowing he needed it.

When they broke apart, she laughed softly, "Take care, my love. I'll see you soon."

"Sooner than you'd think." He was smiling and crying like an idiot, though he didn't seem to notice or mind. He finally went back the the TARDIS, knowing he wasn't supposed to be there.

She turned and headed down the hallway, her voice echoing back to him, "Alright, alright! Mumma's coming!"

"I got this one, River." Jack called back, though didn't sound convincing.

"Are you sure?" She asked, already coming into the room.

"I know how to change a diaper, but if you have a diaper bag with you, that would be great." He said. "Was that the TARDIS I just heard?"

"Yes, the Doctor dropped by." She called as she ran to get the diaper bag.

"And he didn't even say hello. How rude." He teased.

"I couldn't let him see the baby, it was the wrong Doctor." She explained.

"Oooh." This engrossed him, his tone like a school girl talking about crushes. He took the diaper bag from her. "Come on, spill."

She shook her head, "There's nothing to tell. He was only here for about two minutes."

He nudged River with his elbow. "Aw, come River. I'm sure it's int-" The sound of the Hub door opening and closing cut him off. "Oh, I guess that'll be the present version of your husband."

"You can go meet him, I'll finish up with this little one."

"Nonsense. I'm almost done." He chuckled, clearly just wanting more time with his nephew. "Go get 'im."

She smiled, turning and running out of the room. Her Doctor was poking about at computers, trying to make himself look busy.

"Hello there." She grinned, leaning against the stairway railing.

"Oh, River!" He straightened himself up so quickly that he nearly knocked himself over. "Uh... did you find the thingy?"

"Yes." She smiled, "I did find the thingy."

"Good." He coughed awkwardly, then made his gangly limbs take him over to her. "Turns out the field trip had too many chaperons so they didn't need me." IN truth he'd never actually signed up to me one, he'd only said so she'd say what he remembered her saying.

She wrapped her arms around him, "So does that mean you're going to spend the day with me?"

"Yes." He nodded, then pecked her lips. "Besides, we've got some tea to pick out." She nuzzled his cheek, humming, happy that she was going to get to spend the day with her husband and their son.

"Good as new and smelling like a rose." Jack announced, carrying Arthur down the stairs.

"Heya, Doc!"

"Oh, there's my baby!" River smiled, holding her arms out for the baby. J

ack handed Arthur over. "You guys leaving already?"

River nodded, "I'm afraid so, we have some errands to run."

He exaggerated a sigh. "You guys need to come about more often."

"We will, I promise." River smiled. Jack waved them off and the three plus the dog left the hub.

"Where to, sweetie?" River asked, making sure Arthur was nice and warm in the pram.

"I probably should have made a list. What do we need? Tea..." He started, then couldn't quite think of anything else.

"Biscuits, we need more milk, something for the girls and their friends to snack on..." She listed off.

"Sounds like a mission for the grocery store." He decided.

She nodded, taking his hand and walking with him and pushing the pram along. They looked utterly human at the moment. That is, until Toby spotted something and started running ahead of them.

"No, Toby wait!"

"Toby!" River called, "Come here!"

The dog barked, but didn't listen. The Doctor scrambled after him. River stayed behind, not wanting to risk hurting the baby by trying to run with the stroller. The Doctor followed Toby down an alley, both of them falling silent.

After a long moment or few, Toby ran out without the Doctor, whimpering.

"Toby?" River whispered, peering into the alley, her hearts pounding. Toby tried to nudge her in the opposite direction, not wanting her down there.

The Doctor was lying on the ground. She froze a few steps into the alley, gasping, horrified. "Doctor!"

"Nngh... River, you have to run." The Doctor tried to prop himself up on his arm, holding his head.

She scooped up Arthur from the pram, holding him tightly to her chest, "No! I'm not leaving you."

"She's here. She'll hurt you. Please..." There was blood coming from beneath his hand.

"I can't abandon you." She whispered, wanting to step in and help him, but afraid of putting Arthur in danger.

"It's a trap. Just go!" He begged.

She began to back up, torn between helping her husband and protecting her baby. Toby barked, pulling on River's dress for her to run, but at that point, it was too late.

"Oh, of course it's a trap. I'm the queen of traps. "

River still tried to run, making the decision that the Doctor could defend himself if he really had to, she needed to protect their son.

"Ah ah ah." Missy clicked her tongue and blocked her path. "Now where do you think you're going?"

She didn't answer, trying to slam her with her shoulder and bolt. Missy easily countered, pushing River hard instead. She stumbled, but managed to stay on her feet.

Toby growled, trying to bite Missy, allowing River to finally get past her. Missy make a frustrated noise, trying to go after River, but the Doctor managed to grab her leg. "Just keep running River! Find the girls!"