Ch 14

It was before bed that night when River brought it up again. He was only being playful, but it was still something she'd had on her mind since he mentioned it. They were in bed and he was examining her wrist.

"It looks good as new."

She smiled softly, "Yes, I'm happy I didn't have to wait for them to heal on their own."

"Me, too." He agreed, pressing a kiss to the pulse point on her wrist.

"Can we talk about something?" She asked.

"You mean what I mentioned before?" Apparently it had been on his mind too.

She nodded, moving her hand so it rested in his.

"I didn't mean terribly soon. " He clarified, watching their interlocked hands. "Arthur is still a baby and the girls only just started school... but if it's something we wanted to do, or if it just happened, then I would be on board." He looked up at her.

She opened her mouth to say something, hesitating.

"Riv?" He asked softly. "You can say no."

She sighed, "I'm not defiantly saying no, I just think we need to talk about this more in depth."

"Now or later?" He wondered.

"Now, if you don't mind." She murmured.

"I don't mind." He smiled encouragingly and sat up straighter, looking quite attentive.

"Well, to start, our flat only has three bedrooms." She murmured, unsure of how to voice her feelings.

He paused, seeming to go ever the blueprints in his head. "Oh yeah. Well, that's not too hard to fix."

"How are we going to do that?" She asked quietly.

He shrugged. "We can convert one of the rooms, Arthur could have a roommate, we could renovate, use the TARDIS, or we could move."

"I don't want to move." She pulled a blanket higher. "And we can't wait too long to have another one."

"We don't have to move. It was only a suggestion." He assured. "How long is too long?"

"Well, I don't really want to girls to have to adjust to another baby now that they're starting to get older. Two years, I think, is too long."

"So you think if we were to have another, it should be soon." He stated.

She nodded slowly, "Don't you?"

"Well, sure. Soon is fine."

"Do you think we'd be able to handle four?"

"We've handled the universe blowing up. I think four kids won't be much harder."

She swallowed, "I don't know if I can do it."

"Then you can say no." He reminded gently. "I'm not going to kick and scream."

"But I don't want to say no." She squeezed his hand.

"Then don't pressure yourself to say yes right this instant. I sort of sprung this on you, but you said two years. That's plenty of time to think about it, talk about it more..." He kissed her nose. "Decide later."

She sighed, burying her head into his neck. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her there for a good moment, breathing her in.

"Do you want to sleep now?" She asked quietly.

"Absolutely." He yawned. "Nothing makes you miss your bed like for days on a concrete floor."

She settled under the blankets, nuzzling his cheek

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too." She breathed, giving him a soft kiss.


The months flew by, the girls adapting to school well and the Timelord family finding a nice balance between their adventurous lifestyle and their human home. The days grew colder as winter began to settle in and soon enough was getting ready to leave again.

River had fallen asleep with Arthur during his afternoon nap one day on the couch in front of the fireplace.

The Doctor had spent most of the day cutting out various colored, paper hearts. It was Valentine's day and upon the girl's insistence, and a bit of his own, decorations were in order. He'd just finished making River a ridiculously sappy card, when he wandered into the living room to find her and their son. Rather than wake them, he tucked a blanket around the two and settled on the floor in front of the fire. The girls were in school, so it was just the three of them in the house.

River stirred as the blanket was placed around her, yawning and looking around until she saw her husband. He didn't notice that she was awake yet, eye still fixed on the small fire. She nudged him with her foot lightly, staying quiet so Arthur would remain asleep.

He turned, smiling at her. "Nice nap?"

She nodded, smiling back at him. He handed her the card her made, shifting to lean against the couch. She read the card, smiling at the words, "Thank you, my love." She murmured.

He leaned up and kissed her nose. "I doubt that'll be the last one you get today." She laughed softly, shifting the baby in her arms, "Your son made a mess in his room this morning."

"Why is he always my son when he makes a mess?" He teased.

Arthur mumbled, but didn't wake. River giggled, rubbing Arthur's back lightly, "He's not your son only when he makes a mess. He's also your son when he needs to be changed."

The Doctor laughed softly. "And your son when he accidentally makes a bad word with his blocks."

She laughed again, nuzzling the top of Arthur's head, "Fair enough."

The Doctor reached his hand up and stroked Arthur's cheek. Arthur cooed, his eyes opening slightly. "Did you enjoy your nap, too?" The Doctor bubbled. His son nuzzled into River's chest, yawning and cooing. "Now there's a sight I'll never get tired of."

River smiled, pressing a kiss to his head. "I've been thinking about...another one."

He looked up at her. "You have?"

She nodded, "I think I want to do it."

"Any reason behind that?" He asked coolly, though he was quite excited.

"I don't know." She breathed, "Ever since we've started talking about it, it's been on my mind and now, our family feels… unfinished without another one."

He beamed at her, leaning up her kiss her lips this time.

"Happy Valentine's Day." She murmured against his lips.

"Indeed." He grinned.

Arthur squirmed, feeling squished. "Would you like getting a new little brother or sister?" River asked him, adjusting his position so he wasn't so tightly between them.

He waved his arms and giggled. He didn't understand what River said, but he knew responding the way he did to the tone she used was usually met with something interesting or rewarding.

River laughed, giving him kisses all over his face. He let out a small squeal, squirming. "Would you like to go see your Daddy?" She asked, passing the baby to the Doctor.

The Doctor held Arthur above his head, eliciting another high pitched noise from the baby.

"If you want, we can start trying tonight." River purred in the Doctor's ear.

"Do we have a sitter?" He looked over at her, lowering his soon to his chest.

"No, but we can do it after the kids go to bed."

"Only if you're quiet." He teased. "Which reminds me, is it my day to pick them up, or yours?"

"Neither, Clara said she'd drop them off." She smiled, nipping his ear.

He blushed. "Be prepared to get covered in hearts. The girls are very festive."

"Now who's fault is that?" She hummed, busy pressing kisses down his neck. Arthur caught fistful of River's hair, gleefully giving it a tug. "Ow!" River winced, "Arthur, gentle!" She tried to pry his hand away from her hair.

"I think he's trying to tell you that he shares his sisters' opinions on us kissing." The Doctor helped detach the boy's hand from River's hair.

"Well, nobody's going to be getting another baby without any kissing." She murmured.

"Don't worry, love. You can kiss me all you want after we put the kids to bed." He assured.

She pouted, "I don't know if I can wait that long."

"Well, you said Clara is coming with the girls. We could ask her to stay and watch them for a little bit."

"I don't want to keep her. I actually think she has a date tonight. I suppose I'll be able to wait if I must."

"Is she going out with that P.E teacher?" He asked.

She nodded, "Maths, and I think so."

"We should invite them for tea soon." He suggested.

"That would be nice." She kissed his cheek, "Which reminds me, we're supposed to have tea with Vastra tomorrow."

"I'll bet she has that tea that helps with your morning sickness." He pointed out.

"Yes, but I don't need it just yet. You're going to have to actually get me pregnant before we start worrying about that." She smiled.

"That's a two person job." He reminded, giving her a kiss.

She laughed against his lips, "Yes, it is. I don't want anyone to know that we're going to try again. We can tell Vastra, but no one else."

"And why is that?"

"I just want to keep it private for now. After what happened the last time, I want it to stay between us." She breathed.

He nodded. "I don't think Arthur will blab about it."

She laughed softly, "No, I'm sure he won't."

"And River?" He added. "It won't be like last time."

"Or the time before that." She added, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Yes, it won't be like that either." He promised.

She closed her eyes sighing, "I know."

He kissed the top of her head. "Good."

"Uhn! Uhn!" Arthur kicked his feet, starting to get fussy.

"Don't worry, lovie. I haven't forgotten about you." The Doctor offered Arthur his finger, who immediately attempted to stick the digit in his mouth.

River smiled weakly, "The girls won't be home for another two hours or so. We could take Arthur to the park down the street."

"Hmm, but I'm so cozy." He hummed.

"Well, I suppose we could stay here." She glanced out the window, watching the snow fall.

They watched the snow fall for a long while as they stayed in their cozy corner. They switched off who was holding Arthur from time to time and the Doctor tended to the fire.

When the girls came home, they were absolutely covered in snow, clearly having had played in it on their way there. Their noses and cheeks were pink with the cold and they were asking for hot chocolate.

The Doctor offered for Clara to have some tea, but as River predicted, she elected to go home and prepare for her evening. He took care of the girls and soon they were cozied up with River and the Doctor by the fire.

They ended up watching a movie, the girls wanting to sit in the Doctor's lap. About halfway through, they decided they wanted to continue cutting out hearts, hopping off the couch and getting out all of the arts and craft supplies they could find. Once they had about 30 hearts cut out, they ran around the house pasting them on the walls and pinning them to everyone's clothes.

"Told you it wouldn't be the end of the hearts." The Doctor murmured.

River hummed, "Girls, can you settle down? Your brother is trying to sleep." She asked, "How about you go play with Toby in the snow?"

"Actually," The Doctor added, "You've got to clean up your craft, and then you can go play."

The girls nodded, cleaning up the mess they had made before going out to the backyard. River and the Doctor made dinner while the girls played, calling them in when it was ready. They chattered away about the little Valentine's party they'd had at school with lollipops.

Eventually it was time to brush teeth and the Doctor helped the girls get ready for bed while River tended to Arthur who'd woken up crying.

Finally, the kids were asleep and they were both in their own bedroom. River was laying on the bed, sighing softly and closing her eyes.

The Doctor settled next to her. "Tired?"

"Yes, a bit." She murmured, turning on her side to look at him.

"Not to much I hope." He teased softly.

She laughed, "No, not too much. It is Valentine's Day after all..."

"And traditions are traditions." He added, leaning to kiss her.

She kissed him back, gently nipping at his lip. He pulled her close, pressing flush against her. She deepened the kiss, wrapping her arms around him. He returned the gesture, chuckling as he suddenly turned them so she was lying on top of him. Her kisses moved from his mouth to his jaw to is neck, her lips leaving small love bites in their wake.

He hummed at the pleasant sensation, reaching to pull her top off. She assisted him in taking off her top before returning to the previous task, sucking on his pulse point. "Mm, Riv..." He breathed, turning his chin up to expose his neck better. She hummed against his neck, causing his skin to vibrate. He moaned softly, hands going to roam her skin.

She smiled, moving to the other side of his neck and repeating the action. He avariciously grabbed her bum in response. She gasped, giving him a small nip in return.

He caught her lips with his own again, starting to work her her trousers off. She now started on his shirt, sucking on his lower lip. Soon, all articles of clothes had been tossed onto the floor.

The Doctor pushed his hips up teasingly. River shivered, her eyes growing dark. Stilling holding her against him, he suddenly lurched them up into a sitting position, so her legs were wrapped around his hips. She yelped at the sudden movement, clinging to him. He chuckled. "Alright there?"

She nodded, "Yes, you just startled me."

"Not so bad now, is it." He teased.

"And now I can do this." He grinned then leaned his head down to her chest, pressing an open mouthed kiss to the top her her sternum. She moaned, pressing her body into him. He dragged his mouth even lower, pulling one of her breasts between his lips.

She whimpered, rolling her hips towards his. He pushed his hips against her in response, this time slipping into her. She moaned, grinding her hips roughly into his. He grunted, hands all over her back and hips.

They set a pace quickly, moving and bouncing in sync. Her nails raked down his back, her hips rolling roughly into his. His brought his touch forwards, working her chest with his hands and mouth. She sucked on his neck once more, her movements growing more and more desperate.

He shifted them yet again, lowering her to the bed and bracing his hands on either side of her head. She moaned into his mouth as she kissed him, arching her body up to his.

The kiss was heavy and passionate, hot breath against each other's skin. He pushed into her harder, able to get more leverage. "Doctor!" She cried, trying to muffle her moans against his skin, holding him so tightly she was almost hovering over the bed.

"Hush, you'll wake the children." He panted, though was having trouble containing his own sounds of pleasure.

She let out a breathy laugh, "I'll try my best." She murmured, nipping his earlobe.

Heat grew low in him, his movements getting more frantic. She was growing more and more desperate for him as well, clawing at the skin of his back. "Nnh, River." He groaned. She rolled her hips roughly into his in response.

His control was slipping, his hips losing rhythm. She encouraged him to let go, grinding her body against his. He buried his face in her hair, the cry of her name muffled. His movements stuttered as his orgasm crashed over him.

Her body shook as her climax hit hard. She too buried her face against him in an effort to muffle the noise.

He lay breathing heavily on top of her for a moment before lifting his head and kissing her nose. "Happy Valentines Day, wife."

"Happy Valentine's Day." She purred, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"If our baby is born in November, you'll know exactly what night she happened." He grinned.

"She?" She smiled.

"Call it a guess." He finally rolled off her, settling beside her.

She curled up next to him, resting her head on his chest, "If it is a girl, what will we name her?" She already had a name in mind, but she wanted to know what he would say.

"Didn't we agree on Terra?" He asked.

She nodded, smiling, "Yes, I just wanted to see if you remembered." She murmured. "Do you still like it?"

"Yes." He nodded, wrapping his arms around her.

"And will her full name still be Terra Aurora Song or will we change her middle name since we have Arthur?"

"I think we can think about it more when we actually know we're having a baby." He kissed her shoulder. She nodded, pulling the blanket over them and closing her eyes. "Night, love." He whispered.

"Goodnight." She murmured back.