Ch 19

Arthur was still whining for food, hunger drowning out his excitement to be with River.

"Okay, okay." She whispered, sitting down and undoing her top. He greedily latched, calming as soon as he was nursing. "Gentle, my love, Mummy's sore."

Arthur didn't understand, though tried to do as she said. She let Arthur feed for as long as he needed, rubbing his arm gently.

He was quiet when he finished, having a satisfied look. Full.

"Are you going to say hello now?" She asked, smiling down at him. He reached his hands up for her, making a gleeful sound. She laughed, pressing kisses to his face, "That's what I thought."

Mummua! Mumma! Where'd you go?

"I had to go away for a while." She whispered, "Mumma's going to have another baby, so she had to take care of some things."

Arthur only half understood, thinking this meant another big sister. "Buh!" He said excitedly.

"Yes, you're going to have a little brother or sister soon."

More big sister! He bounced.

She laughed softly, "No, my sweet no big sisters. Only a little baby."

Am I 'little baby'? He asked.

"Yes, and now we're going to have another one."

I'm a big sister? He looked up at her with round eyes.

She laughed again, "Big brother." She corrected.

Big brother, big brother! He tested it out, liking the title. She smiled, kissing his cheek.

A few minutes more passed before the Doctor knocked on the door. "Is it safe to come in?"

"Yes, I'm done now."

He gestured behind him and the girls came skipping in.

"Hello, girls!" River beamed, still cuddling Arthur. They clambered up onto the couch and cuddled next to her. She kissed the top of their heads, "I missed you both very much!"

"We're making clay bowls in art class!" Amelia grinned.

"I learned about butterflies in science class!" Freya said at the same time.

River smiled, "I can't wait to see your bowl, Amelia. And maybe we can visit the butterfly center this weekend."

"Please, can we? Can we?" Freya got even more excited, Amelia joining in.

"Well, we'll have to see." She laughed.

"If Mummy's feeling up for it, then yes." The Doctor added. "She's had a very tiring time with Auntie Vastra."

River looked up at him, a small frown crossing her face.

"There were a lot of reports to write about the artifact she was working with." He continued, so the girls wouldn't ask too many questions.

River's frown only deepened. "I think it's time Arthur goes down for his nap."

"Aw but Mummy, we just got here!" Freya held onto her.

She sighed, "Well, I suppose he could wait a little while."

"He can sleep on your lap," Amelia suggested.

Arthur was starting to get fussy, not liking the light and the noise and wanting to sleep.

"Shush, baby brother. Go to sleep here." Amelia instructed.

"Shhhh. Shhh. Okay." River murmured, rubbing his back, "You're okay. Just go to sleep."

I want my bed! He complained. I want my blankie!

"Alright, fine. Mummy will bring you to bed." She stood, not wanting to keep him up and throw off his whole sleep schedule.

"Can I come?" Amelia insisted.

"Of course you can, but you have to be quiet." She nodded.

"I'm coming too!." Freya hopped off the couch.

River lead them out of the room and down the hall to where Arthur's nursery was. She gently set him down in his cot, tucking the blanket around him. "There you go."

Arthur clung to her finger. Big brother.

River smiled weakly, though she felt a knot tighten in her stomach. He thought the words again, contently, liking the sound of them

She bent down, kissing his forehead, "Sleep, sweetie."

"Night, night, Arthur." The girls said, blowing their own kisses to their brother.

River ushered them out, turning off the light as they left. "

Why does he go to bed so early?" Freya asked.

"He's not really going to bed, sweetie. He's just taking a nap. He'll be up later." She lead them back to the living room.

"Oh." She nodded. "Are you going to nap too?"

"Well, no. I wasn't planning on it, why?" She asked.

"'Cause Daddy said you were tired from arca-ologly." She replied, mispronouncing the word as she usually did.

River sighed, shaking her head, "Daddy's confused, I'm not tired."

"Why'd he think you were?"

"I don't know." She lied, "But I promise he isn't right."

"Does that mean you can play?" Amelia asked hopefully.

"Of course I can play!" She smiled. They dragged her off to their room, getting out some games.

River happily spent the next few hours playing with her daughters, glad to have to distraction.

Vastra and Jack came into the TARDIS looking for River by that time. They searched around until they found the girls' room, peering in the doorway but not interrupting yet.

The girls collapsed into a fit of giggles on top of River who smiled and hugged them tightly. A moment more and they noticed the adults in the doorway. "Auntie Vastra! Uncle Jack! Come play with us!"

River looked up as well, a bit surprised to see them. "The Doctor mentioned we could come see you now. How are you?" Vastra asked River.

"I'm fine." She breathed, not quite looking at her, "The Doctor seems to be making a lot of decisions for me today."

"We can go if you'd like." Vastra offered, sensing she was a bit upset.

"It's fine." She breathed, growing increasingly upset with the Doctor.

Amelia got up and pulled Vastra and Jack into play with them. River continued to play with the girls for a bit, along with Vastra and Jack, though she seemed a bit more distant.

Arthur started to cry from the other room, having woken from his nap. "I'll be right back, I have to get the baby." River excused herself, going to the nursery.

The Doctor was already there, scooping Arthur out of his crib and rocking him.

She stood in the doorway watching him for a minute, "Where have you been?"

"Hmm?" Her turned to her, not sure where her tone was coming from.

She stared at him, expecting an answer.

He blinked at her for a second, then adjusted Arthur who was quickly lulling back to sleep. "Well, I was in the living room for a while. It was quite cozy so I waited for you to come back. When you didn't, I went to check on Arthur and watched him for a while because he was sleeping in an awfully cute position. Then I went to look for my old cot since we'll probably be needing it soon unless you want to use a different one." He listed voice quiet for the sleeping baby. "I didn't find it, but I did hear you playing with the girls eventually so I went and told Vastra and Jack it was probably okay to come see you because they were waiting very patiently because we didn't know if you wanted to be around people or not. You sounded pretty happy so I figured it was a good time." He explained. "Then I looked for the cot again, still no luck, and then Arthur started crying." He finished. "And here we are, though you look less happy than you sounded."

She sniffed, "I don't like you deciding things for me."

"I... Sorry." He was a little taken back. "I didn't realize I was. I can get Vastra and Jack to leave if you want me to."

"I shouldn't have come back." She whispered, "I wasn't ready to come back..."

"River..." He tried to sooth, rubbing her arm with his free hand. "We're all very glad that you came back, but it's okay not to be ready for all this. Why don't you go lie down somewhere, I'll deal with everyone?"

She stepped away from him, standing there for a few moments, before going down the hall to their room. He looked at Arthur, feeling rather like he had deja vu. "Just you and me again. I don't suppose you have anything to say to Mummy that could make her feel better?"

Arthur just whimpered, not liking seeing River so angry.

"Me neither." He murmured. "Will you sleep now, lovey?" Arthur whimpered again but agreed. The Doctor tucked him back into his crib, then went to the girl's room.

The girls were still running around with their Aunt and Uncle, laughing and dressing them up.

"Girls, are you hungry?" He asked them, watching them run back and forth.

"No, we already had dinner," Freya answered.

"Oh." He nodded. "What are you playing?"

"We're playing horse race!" She smiled, then proceeded to do her best horse impression.

"Where did Mummy go?" Amelia asked.

"Uh, she had to... finish another report." He lied quickly. Vastra looked up at him for a moment, eyebrow raised. He shrugged, gesturing that they'd talk later.

"Come play with us!" The girls tugged on his arms, wanting him to join in their games. He agreed, participating in the games until it was their bedtime.

The girls were unhappy to be going to bed, but went without much complaint since they were so tired. The exhaustion left them not even realizing that they hadn't said goodnight to their mother.

The Doctor helped them get ready, tucking them in. "Goodnight sweethearts."

"Goodnight, Daddy." Amelia yawned, snuggling into her pillow.

He left them to their dreams, going off to find the other adults. Vastra and Jack were talking quietly in the hall. He smiled weakly at them. "Thank you for your help today."

They nodded, "Of course. How is the Mrs anyway?" Jack asked, glancing down the hall.

"Well... I can't really say." He rubbed the back of his neck.

Jack raised an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean? Do you not know?"

"She told me that it was too early for her to come back and then went off somewhere. Our room I think." He sighed. "She told me to stop deciding thing for her, which I wasn't aware I was doing, so I can't tell you how she's feeling because I'm not her."

Jack put his hands up in defense, "Alright, alright. I guess we should leave you two to hash this out then."

"No, I don't want to fight with her." He frowned. "I just was trying to comfort her, but I keep saying the wrong thing."

"She's having a lot of trouble coping with what's going on. Maybe instead of using words, you could use gestures. I don't think she wants to hear your words right now, she just wants to know that you're there." Vastra offered.

The Doctor nodded, open to anything. "Thanks. Do you need a ride home?"

They both nodded. He led them back to the console room and drove them both back to their homes, Jack first and Vastra second.

"If you need any more help, I'm just a phone call away," Vastra said as she left.

"I'm sure you'll be hearing from us soon. Thank you for taking care of River."

"It was no trouble." She waved as the door closed.

The Doctor turned back to the console and fiddled with some controls for a moment, taking a breath. The kids were all asleep, but he found the quiet to be making him a little nervous. He didn't want to mess up again, though Vastra's advice was a bit comforting. He started to stroll towards his and River's room, thinking she'd be there.

River was in their bathroom, having fallen asleep in the bathtub. It took the Doctor a few minutes to find her, confused as to how she'd fallen asleep there. Quietly, he scooped her out of the tub and dried her off, wrapped her up in a towel and brought her to the bed. He tucked her under the blankets, going to get changed into pajamas.

"Doctor...?" She mumbled sleepily.

"Hmm?" He responded, looking over at her.

She sat up slowly, "Where are you?"

He rounded the bed, standing next to her and smiling softly. She reached out to take his hand, squeezing it softly, "I'm sorry."

He squeezed back. "It's alright."

She sighed, slowly standing up to put her pajamas on as well, discarding the towel. He quietly changed finished by her side.

She sat down on the bed once she was changed, her hand lightly falling on her middle. He sat next to her taking her hand again. She stared at her middle until Toby came in, jumping up on the bed. The dog settled his head on River's leg, licking the hand on her belly.

She sat in silence for another ten minutes, before speaking, "It's quite cold in here."

"We could get under the blankets." He suggested.

She nodded, crawling beneath the heavy sheets, though the temper seemed to be dropping. He slowly cuddled close to her, Toby shifting to snuggle on her other side. She curled up against her husband, appreciating his warmth and presence.

The TARDIS only continued to grow colder, the chilly temperatures waking Arthur some time later.

"Shall I get him?" The Doctor asked when he heard Arthur crying.

"If you don't mind." River nodded, "Can you bring him in here?"

"Of course." He slipped out of bed, shivering on the way to the nursery.

Arthur was wailing in his crib, his nose, fingers and toes all red from the cold.

The Doctor quickly picked him up, blanket and all, and held him close to warm him. "Sh, sh. It's alright Arthur. I'll warm you up." He murmured, bringing him back to the bedroom.

By the time he had gotten back, Toby had also snuggled under the blankets with River, his nose just peaking out beneath the covers.

"Why is it getting so cold?" The Doctor asked, slipping back into bed.

"I don't know." River breathed, immediately snuggling up to the Doctor and the baby, covering them in the heavy fur blankets she had retrieved from the closet while he'd been gone. "The heating must be broken."

"The heating doesn't break." He pointed out, confusion not lessening.

"I don't know then, maybe the TARDIS wants us all to sleep together." She was more concerned in warming the baby.

She left the bed and went back to the nursery, getting a warmer pair of pajamas and a hat for the boy. They bundled Arthur up until he looked more like a swaddle of blankets with a little red nose. He'd stopped crying, though was still sniffling because of the cold.

River kissed his nose, holding him against her though she was starting to shake herself. The Doctor held her close, arms around her. "I bet ten minutes before the girls join us."

She nodded, curling up against him for more warmth, "You don't think being in a room this cold could hurt the baby, do you?" She asked. It was the first time she had shown any serious concern for their newest child.

"Well... it's probably not the most healthy. Your body heat will be more concentrated on the baby so you'll likely be more affected." He explained.

She nodded, "Okay..."

The girls wandered in a few minutes later, wrapped in all of their blankies. They wedged themselves between their parents, "Why is it cold?"

"We don't know, my loves." River murmured, helping them get settled.

"I like getting to snuggle," Amelia grinned. Freya only complained about the cold.

"I like getting to snuggle too," River smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Now try and get some rest and don't squirm too much or else you'll wake your brother." Arthur had fallen asleep on River's chest, emitting soft little snores.

The girls closed their eyes and were quickly asleep as well. River glanced over at her husband, worried that the children were going to get sick all over again with the strange weather on the TARDIS.

"Do you want me to investigate the heating?" He asked her.

"I don't want you to leave us." She murmured, weaving her hand around the little bodies between them to hold his hand.

He met her halfway, holding her hand. "In the morning then?"

She nodded, nuzzling his cheek over the heads of their children. He smiled, watching her sleepily.

The temperature took another dip down over the next few minutes. River made sure Arthur was nestled warmly against her chest before tightening the space between her and the Doctor so the girls would be warmer. "Are you alright?"

"Fine aside from the cold. You?" He whispered back, the cats creeping into the room to join them.

"Glad to have my family so close." She breathed, smiling weakly.

"Me too." He breathed, though was more worried about the heating than he let on. The TARDIS heating hardly ever broke down. In fact, maybe only a handful of times all together and all of those had been extreme situations. The cold now he'd only experienced once before. "Try to sleep. I'm sure the heating will be back to normal soon."

"Alright." She whispered, closing her eyes and trying to drift off.