Ch 20

"River!" The Doctor shook her shoulders, voice emergent. "River get up, now!"

"Doctor..." She groaned, her head hurt and she tried to swat him away.

"River, please!" He was starting to cough. "We have to get out of here! Quickly!" She started coughing her eyes opening slowly. "We don't have time." He scooped her up, Arthur still on her chest and started running for the console room. Smoke and gas were filling every room and he could hardly see as he ran.

"What's happening?" She choked on the smoke around them, holding the baby tightly.

He didn't answer, going straight for the doors and not stopping until he set her down safely outside the TARDIS and next to the girls who had run ahead of them. Looking back at the ship, his stomach twisted. "We... crashed."

"What? What are you talking about?" She turned to look at the wreckage of the ship.

The lights of the blue box were all shut down and the smoke they were fleeing from pouring out rapidly. It was on its side, looking completely broken.

Arthur started wailing. Big Mummy's dead!

"Shhhhhh, shhhhhh." River whispered, trying to smooth the baby, "shhh..."

"That... No. That's not possible." The Doctor frowned, though his theory was only growing.

"What?" River asked, "What's not possible?"

"The TARDIS crashed. She's... dying." He whispered.

"Is there anything we can do?" She asked quietly, staring at the wreckage.

"I... don't know." He swallowed. At the very least, they couldn't go in there with all the smoke.

She wrapped her free arm around him, "I...I'm sorry..."

He scrubbed his hand over his face, trying to get a hold of himself. "Where are we?"

River turned around to look at the scene before them, but all of a sudden felt very very sleepy.

"Mummy, my head hurts," Freya complained, sitting down on the ground. Amelia did the same.

River knelt down beside them, kissing Freya's head, "So does mine, my sweet. It's probably from the crash."

"I want to go home." She whimpered.

She wrapped her arms around the little girl, "I know, I know."

"I'm tired." Amelia leaned against her mother. River bit her lip, not knowing what to do. She glanced down at the baby who was starting to fall asleep.

"We've got to move somewhere safer." The Doctor said, scooping up Amelia.

"Can you get Freya too?" She asked, unable to carry the baby and Freya.

He nodded and propped Amelia on his hip so he could hold both his daughters. "Come on. This gas is spreading."

River nodded, walking behind him. It was only a moment before she started to collapse, falling on her side to avoid crushing the baby.

"River!" He rushed to her. "River, are you okay?" She was unconscious, as was Arthur.

The Doctor started to panic a little, moving and placing the now unconscious girls a safe distance from the TARDIS before moving back to drag River and Arthur there too. He only made it a few feet before passing out himself.


River's eyes snapped open, her whole body shaking with coldness.

"Mummy I had a bad dream!" Freya had sat up in bed, lip wobbling. Arthur was crying as well.

"It's alright. You're alright." River whispered, wrapping her other arm tighter around her daughter.

"It's cold! Why is it so cold?" Amelia had woken too, sniffing.

"I don't know, sweetheart. How about you snuggle closer to Toby, he'll keep you warm." She suggested, arms too full to reach her.

"I had a bad dream, too." She grumbled, curling up to the dog.

"I'm sorry, my love." She murmured, managing to reach her back with her hand. "How about we go get some warmer pajamas for you two to wear."

"But I don't want to get up. It's cold."

"If you'd like, you two can stay here and I'll get you some warm things."

"I'll come to." The Doctor finally spoke up.

"Can you watch the baby, girls? Keep him between you and don't squish him too much." She gently set the baby down between her two daughters. They nodded.

The Doctor slipped out of bed to follow River. River lead him down the hall to the girls room, her whole body trembling.

"We're going to have to change when we get back." He nodded quietly, lips pressed tightly together.

"Are you alright?" She whispered, glancing over at him.

"Bad dream." He murmured.

"I had one too." She whispered, "We all had one."

"A bit curious, don't you think?" He asked.

She nodded, "Yes, it's...strange." She rummaged through the girls drawers, trying to find their winter pajamas and socks. "Maybe we should get two layers for them."

He nodded in agreement. "Maybe we should investigate this cold while we're up."

"Perhaps, yes." She glanced down at her hands which were bright red and throbbing.

He took her hands for a moment, trying to warm them before gestured for her to follow to the console room. She kept her hands entwined with one of his as they walked.

The console room seemed even colder than the rest of the TARDIS, The Doctor instinctively holding River closer when they arrived. She was shaking violently once they there. her body sending any and all heat to her abdomen. She melted into the Doctor's warmth.

"Maybe you should go back to bed and try to warm up." He fretted.

The already dim lights in the TARDIS suddenly shut down. "No, I don't want to leave you." She whispered, nuzzling into his body to try and share in his warmth. "It could help if we get some scarves and wrap them around my middle to keep the baby warm."

"Better yet, a heating pad." Hand still in hers, he felt his way toward where he knew he had a chest of warm things for her. He started rummaging, tossing her blankets and coats until he also found the portable heating pads. There were eight of them and he took them all out. "We should bring these back to the girls." He said, turning one on and handing it to his wife.

"Thank you." She breathed, fixing it so it was sitting against her stomach. She was still trembling and stayed as close to him as possible.

He turned back to the task at hand. "Something's drained the power... probably the same this that's making it so cold."

She nodded, "Where are we, anyway?" She asked, unsure of the location of the TARDIS.

"No idea. Scanners are down, it's like she just... dead." His eyebrow knit together with concern, skipping over to the door. "Guess there's only one way to find out."

River nodded, taking one of the door handles and pulling. Immediately, a draft of cold even worse than the cold already in TARDIS, hit them smack in the face. River gasped at the extreme coldness of the air, shaking so violently that her knees gave out from beneath her.

The Doctor squinted for a second then shut the doors quickly, shaking. "It's a cold star!" He looked over at her. "River!" He bent down to her, pulling her against him.

"It's f-f-f-freezing." She breathed, turning into his body.

"It's a cold star. I'm surprised we made it this far. Just hang in there, love." He gathered her up and brought her away from the door which already had frost growing on it. Her lips were dry and pale and she clung to him, not wanting to be separated from the warmth he was providing her.

He reached over and grabbed another heading pad from where he'd left them all in a pile, switching it on and giving it to River. She hugged it close to her chest, closing her eyes for a moment. He closed his eyes as well, arms secure around her.

"Can we go back to our room?" She whispered, wanting to cuddle with him in the warmth of their bed.

He hesitated. "I think we need to work a bit more on this cold problem... It's more serious than you think."

She nodded, "Alright, but I want to check on the baby and make sure he and the girls are alright."

He nodded. Kids first.

He helped her stand, keeping his arm firmly around her. "This cold is making me so tired." He murmured. She nodded, answering with a yawn. "You too, huh?" He asked, leading her from the console room.

"Yes, and I'm worried..."

"About the cold?" He clarified.

"Well, no...about the baby."

He nodded his understanding, his features remaining schooled though he was pleased with her concern for their child. "The heating pads will definitely be a huge help, though if you feel like something's wrong, let me know immediately."

"But I'm afraid if something does go wrong, we won't be able to find out what or fix it since all the power seems to be out."

"Oh." He said in the realization that the machines wouldn't be working. "Well, the portable ultrasounds go on batteries. Do you want to grab one?"

She nodded, "Yes, perhaps."

"...Did Vastra check on the baby at all during your visit?" He rerouted them towards the med bay.

"Yes, she said it was a bit small but other than that it was alright. I didn't see it, though..."

He nodded quietly. "I can do an exam if you want me to... if you're ready for me too." He added.

She shook her head, "Not yet...I want to get back to the children."

"Alright." They picked up the portable ultrasound then headed to back to the kids, giving them heating pads of their own.

"How's my baby doing?" River murmured, lifting Arthur up.

Arthur cuddled into the heating pad, relieved to have such warmth. Cold, cold, cold!

"I know, sweetheart, I know. Are you hungry?"

Yes! He cooed eagerly.

She kissed his head and sat down on the bed, wrapping the two of them beneath a blanket and unbuttoned her top so Arthur could feed.

Big brother. Arthur hummed, content against his mother's skin.

"Yes, I know." She held him so he could share the warmth of the heating pad on her belly.

Baby okay?

"What do you mean sweetie?"

Cold. Baby cold?

"Yes, a little bit. But don't worry."

Warm square. He pointed out.

"Yes, that's keeping it warm."

We need BIG warm square!

She laughed softly, "Yes, we do." She glanced at the Doctor.

Birdies.

"What birdies?" She yawned.

I hear birdies. He yawned in return, snuggling against River.

"Stay close to Mummy." She whispered, fighting to keep her eyes open.

Why... birdies... He drifted off, not finishing the thought. River started falling asleep as well, holding Arthur close.


Gas was surrounding the Timelord family on the rocky space they crashed at. River jolted awake, coughing and choking on the air. "Doctor!" She called.

"Over here!" His voice was more distant, somewhere from out of the gas. She stood and ran towards the sound of his voice, holding Arthur against her chest so he wouldn't breathe in the gas.

"Where are you?" The Doctor called.

"I don't-" She coughed, "I don't know? I can't see anything!"

"Just get out of the gas! It's spreading from the TARDIS, it's deadly!"

She held Arthur tighter, running as fast as she could out of the gas surrounding them. Arthur started wailing and hacking. She stumbled out of the gas finally, stroking Arthur's back and looking over him, extremely worried. Arthur whimpered unhappily, sounding like he was going to spit up.

"Okay, it's alright. You're okay." She whispered, trying to hold him in a way so he wouldn't get spit up on either of them.

He vomited a bit, then started to calm, asking where the rest of the family was.

"I don't know… Doctor!"

"River?" He echoed back, sounding further than before.

"Where are you?" She called back, looking around.

"Other side! I've got the girls safe!"

"Is there any way I can get to you without going through it again?" She asked, glad that the rest of their family was safe.

"I don't know, I don't think so." Concern was obvious in his voice. "It's spreading! The gap is only going to get bigger."

"What if we loop around it?" She called, "We may be able to-" Her words cut off with a groan.

"River?" He called for her. She didn't answer him, squeezing her eyes shut and clutching her middle. "River are you okay, are you still there?" He panicked.

"I think something's wrong." She called, "I think the gas did something to the baby."

"What is it? What's going on?"

"I don't know. I don't know what's happening, it hurts a lot."

"Just... stay where you are! I'll find a way to you. Hang on!" He said frantically, though any attempt to go around the gas would probably take a very long time.

River sat, hoping it would ease the pain. She cuddled Arthur close to her chest, hoping that vomiting would be the only way the gas affected him.

"Has he told you the bad news yet?"

River frowned, "What?"

"That's a 'no' I take it?" The voice said.

"Who are you? What are you talking about?" She stood again, turning around.

A balding man with round glasses stood behind her, rather on the short side, though his face was pinched and unwelcoming. "I'm talking about me."

She took a step back, holding Arthur protectively against her, "Who are you?"

"Don't you recognize me?" He adjusted his bow tie. "Or did the daft man not tell you?"

"Tell me wh-ah!" She cried out at the lurch of pain in her abdomen.

The man laughed. "Come on, that's not even the worst you've had."

"Excuse me?" She stared incredulously at him.

The man flickered then disappeared, reappearing on the other side of her. She immediately stepped away, shielding the baby.

"So that husband of yours didn't share. No surprise there."

"Get away from me." She growled, "Doctor!"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist." The man said, looking bored. "People like you call me the Dream Lord."

"I don't care you who are or where you came from. I want you to leave me alone!"

"That's not going to happen, I think we both know that."

"What do you want then?" She snapped.

"I want you to understand exactly what kind of situation you're in and just what kind of power I have over you."

"Then get on with it." She hissed, glaring at him.

"It's more fun to have you figure it out." He sneered back. "As for power, well..." The Dream Lord raised his hand and closed it into a fist.

She felt a huge rush of pain, groaning and falling to her knees.

He looked smug. "I'll let that sink in. In the meantime, let's see how fast you can get away." The gas seemed to be expanding more quickly.

River looked back at the gas, scrambling to her feet once she was able to and running.

Big Mummy's dead! Scary man! I want Daddy! Arthur was not happy about any of this.

"Shhhh." River hushed, as she ran further from the gas behind them, needing to get Arthur away as fast as possible.

Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! Where's Daddy? Where's sisters? He demanded.

"I don't...I don't know, sweetheart. Hush now, Mummy has to think." She looked around, trying to find some place they could hide. There looked to be an incline in the distance, something that likely had cover. She spotted the incline, running for it and calling for the Doctor.

There was no answer.

"Now that's really going to help." The Dreamlord appeared in front of her path. River ran right through him.

Why are there birdies? Arthur asked.

"I don't...I don't know..." She whispered, collapsing to her knees, and the laying down, suddenly too overcome with tiredness to move.

"Mummy!" Amelia called, though River was unconscious by then.