Freya was already waiting at the table for the rest of the family, the Doctor at the stove. "Hi, Mummy." She waved.
"Morning, my love." River smiled.
"Yaya!" Arthur wiggled excitedly. River brought him over to his sister so they could say hello.
"Can we sit next to him today?" Amelia asked. Normally one of the adults had to sit next to him.
"If you'd like." River nodded, setting Arthur down in his high-chair. The girls moved to occupy the chairs next to him as the Doctor placed the food on the table. River sat next to Amelia, sighing softly.
The Doctor distributed the hot chocolate before sitting next to his wife. "You alright?"
She nodded, "Yes, perfectly fine." She gave him a small smile.
He nudged a cup of hot chocolate towards her. "You get one, too."
"Thank you." She beamed.
"Tocat!" Arthur made grabby hands for his sisters' drinks.
River took a spoon, dipping it in her hot chocolate and blowing on it until it was cool, then she reached across the table, giving it to Arthur. He gleefully shoved it in his mouth, some dribbling down his chin. She smiled, cleaning his chin with a napkin.
The girls drank their hot chocolate eagerly, finishing it before the rest of their breakfast.
"Alright, now go upstairs and get ready for school." River shooed them up the stairs once they were done. Toby followed them.
"So, are you coming to drop them off or staying behind again?" The Doctor asked.
"I suppose I'll come today." She murmured. It was the first time she would be taking the girls to school in a while.
"You don't have to talk to anyone if you don't want." He said, thinking she'd be uneasy because of the whole situation with Monica.
She shrugged, "I should go get dressed."
"I'll get Arthur ready."
She nodded, "I'll meet you back down here."
The family got ready for the day, quietly going about their routine. The Doctor helped the girls pack their bags. River lead the girls out the door, pushing Arthur in his pram.
Amelia felt much better than earlier, holding River's hand as they walked. She'd opted to bring her Adipose to school, the toy tucked under her other arm.
River was glad to see her daughter doing better, giving both her and Freya a kiss on the forehead before sending them into the school building.
Arthur helped wave them off, practicing saying 'Bye!' a dozen times or so until they disappeared behind the doors. River smiled at her son, trying not to acknowledge the other parents.
Most were staring at her and a few were whispering, though those few were Monica's closer friends. She glanced at the Doctor.
"Let's head home." He suggested softly.
River nodded, turning and starting to push Arthur's stroller back towards the house.
"Have we decided where to go today?" He wondered as they walked.
"No, I hadn't really thought about it." She murmured.
"I would suggest Vaetir, but the girls want to do that one with us. Somewhere beautiful, though."
She hummed, not really paying attention.
"There are some lovely rock gardens on Messaline. Well, I say rock gardens, but the rocks there are more like carved glass and the garden isn't exactly a garden... So really it's more like a sculpture maze."
"Where ever you'd like to go, my love."
"You don't care?" He looked at her.
She shook her head, "You pick today."
"Alright. Messaline then. They're quite friendly once they get over the whole War for the Breath thing. It's got something like 2 billion different species that live there now, really lovely place." He rambled.
"I'm sure it will be." She pushed Arthur back home, not saying much.
Arthur wasn't too hyper today, mostly in the mood for trying to name everything around him. River helped him with pronunciation, correcting the things he said wrong.
He was insisting on being held by River when they got back. She scooped Arthur up, giving him a soft kiss.
"Muh!" He grinned at her, putting his hands on her cheeks.
"Hello, sweetheart."
He pushed his forehead against her face, giggling. She gave him another kiss, laughing with him.
The Doctor smiled at the pair. "Do you want to go out now or later?"
"We can go now."
"I wouldn't want to break up your fun."
Her smile faded a bit, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, I just, it looked like you and Arthur were enjoying yourselves." He explained.
"Right, well...let's go. I don't want to keep you." She murmured.
He blinked at her, not sure how to read her tone. "River, are you upset with me?"
She shook her head, "No."
"Oh. You just... sound a little irritated with something."
"I'm not upset with you." She repeated, though there was something bothering her.
"But,' He started carefully, "there is something."
"It doesn't matter." She shook her head.
"Of course it matters." He urged.
"Really, Doctor. I shouldn't even be upset about it, it's trivial." She, of course, was upset about the other parents, but she didn't want him to know.
"Well... alright." He rubbed her arm for a moment, not pushing her. "Let's go out now and see if it takes your mind off things, hmm?"
She nodded, "Sure."
They went to the TARDIS, the ship having left out a papoose on the pilot chair.
River returned her attention back to Arthur as they went inside, her smile slowly returning. The boy grabbed for the shiny levers on the console, trying to pull them.
"No, sweetie, not yet. You're still too little."
He whined and continued to reach as the Doctor curiously examined the papoose.
"Here, love. It goes like this." River walked over to the Doctor, setting Arthur on the jumpseat while she strapped the papoose to the Doctor, then gently placed Arthur inside. Arthur wiggled a bit in adjustment, looking between his parents.
"Does it fit?" River asked.
The Doctor nodded and Arthur made some sort of gleeful noise.
"Good. That makes taking care of Arthur much easier."
"And you did say carrying him makes your back hurt." He added. "Cozy?" He asked his son.
"Co-iee!" The boy repeated, wiggling happily.
"I'll take that as a yes." He smiled. "Off we go then."
The Doctor flew them quickly to their destination. River took his hand, heading out the doors.
The skies of Messaline were a much deeper blue than Earth, even in the light of two suns. It was a very green planet as well, the grassy hill they landed on overlooking a city. River took a deep breath in, the fresh air calming and crisp.
"Good choice?" He asked, Arthur's eyes wide at the new place.
"Excellent choice." She nodded. "
The maze is at the heart of the city. We can window shop on our way."
"Sounds lovely." He took her hand and started down the hill. She smiled, squeezing his hand.
The city wasn't terribly busy or empty. There were other people in the streets, some alone and some with others, walking just as they were. Arthur had gotten wiggly again, excited over the number of things around him, including his reflection in a glass window.
River laughed at Arthur's wiggling, finding it quite amusing. The boy pointed at everything, trying to name random alien objects that he didn't even know the name of. Some of the people around them started.
"Hush, Arthur." River murmured softly.
He only giggled. "Bepthhh." River sighed, deciding to let him babble as he pleased.
"He's only excited, River." The Doctor smiled, letting Arthur play with his finger.
"Well, he's attracting a great deal of attention."
He looked around at the other people walking by. "Oh, that's a normal thing for this planet. They don't see a lot of babies around here."
"Really?."
"Population control is a big thing here so there are only so many little ones. Plus, most of the surrounding planets have spices that don't allow their young to travel or don't have a life stage that involves being so small. Babies are actually considered good luck here." He rambled.
"Are you good luck, my love?" River cooed at Arthur.
He nodded, though he didn't understand the question. "Gook!"
She laughed softly, "Yes, you are!" He grinned and pointed to another window with dresses on display. "You like those?" She asked, stopping in front of the window.
He nodded. "Peh ee!"
"Want to go inside?"
"It might be fun to try on a dress or two." The Doctor reasoned.
"Really?" She asked, "You think?"
"Arthur certainly does." He looked at the squirming boy. "And I think you'd look gorgeous in all of them."
She laughed, "Well I wouldn't mind."
He took her hand and they popped into the shop.
"Which do you like?" River asked. Before her husband could answer Arthur excitedly pointed to a very shiny dress, completely covered in sequins. "Oh yes, that's very pretty, but I don't think I'll fit into it."
"We should probably ask if there's a maternity section." The Doctor suggested. She nodded. Arthur still stared at the shiny dress while they shuffled around to find a store clerk.
River asked if there were any dresses that would fit her, being lead to a display of dresses in the back. It wasn't a terribly varied collection, but the colors won Arthur's attention. River smiled, "See one you like, my sweet?"
"Nguh." He grabbed for a very daring dress with colors enough to fool a scarlet macaw.
River laughed at his choice. "Alright."
"Arthur, do you want to try on a dress, too?" The Doctor asked.
Arthur squealed, reaching for another dress. His father wagged a finger at him. "Those are adult dresses. You need a little dress so it'll fit you."
"Tewie!" He clapped.
The Doctor went off to see if they had a children's section, letting River go get changed.
Arthur picked out a sparkling green dress, very enthusiastic about putting it on. The Doctor brought him to a changing room and helped him figure out where his arms were supposed to go.
River knocked in the door, "May I come in?"
"Mummuh!" Arthur answered approvingly.
She came into the room, smiling at the baby, "Why don't you look lovely."
He beamed, the clapped in delight at the outfit River now had on. She held her arms out to take him, beaming.
"You two are both gorgeous." The Doctor smiled, placing the boy in his mother's arms. River laughed, kissing Arthur's cheek, then the Doctor. He hummed. "Something tells me Arthur won't want to part with his dress."
"I think it would make a nice late birthday treat."
"What do you think little man?"
"Pea-ty!" He giggled.
"River?" The Doctor looked up at her, wondering if she wanted to keep the dress she wore.
She shook her head, "I'm alright."
"Oh, maybe we should get the girls each one." He said excitedly as the idea popped into his head. "I bet they'd love them."
She nodded, "I'm sure they would. Did you see any out there that looked good?"
"Yeah, a few." He nodded.
Arthur grabbed the skirt of his dress and started flapping it about, giggling. River smiled and kissed the boy's cheek, "Perhaps we could get one for Terra as well."
"Taya!" He cheered.
She smiled softly, "Shall we go pick one out?"
Both nodded. "You get changed back, we'll meet you over there."
She nodded, giving Arthur back to the Doctor and going back to change.
The boys were pondering over some blue and purple dresses when she joined them. River took Arthur once again, looking over the dresses and pointing out a red one as well.
"Red's got the smallest size so we ought to get that one for Terra." The Doctor pointed out. River nodded, finding a dress size that would fit a newborn.
Arthur helped pick out blue and purple ones for his sisters that look similar to his own.
"Are you sure you don't want a dress?" River asked her husband, smiling as she held their three purchases.
"I'll pass for now." He shook his head.
"Alright, if you say so." They went to the front and bought the dresses, exiting the store once more.
"I think the girls will be quite pleased with their present."
He hummed in agreement. "Arthur certainly is."
"I'm glad." River smiled at the baby.
"Dess!" Arthur giggled.
"Dress." River repeated, "Now, shall we go see the statues?"
The Doctor nodded. "And lunch after."
"Of course, lunch after." They continued along, making their way to the statue garden.
"Sta-too!" Arthur exclaimed when the first statute came into sight.
"Can you tell me what animal it is?" The Doctor asked. It was a stork-like bird, carved of a turquoise marble.
"Birdie." He stated.
"That's a birdie, yes. What sound does a birdie make?"
"Peep! Peep!" He flapped his arms.
The Doctor laughed. "Very good!"
River laughed along with him. "What about that one?" River asked, pointing to an elephant looking statue.
"Ptttthhhhhhhphhhh." Arthur tried to imitate an elephant sound.
"Yes! Very good!" River smiled.
"Euwban." He babbled, trying to pronounce the name.
"Elephant." She said the word for him.
"Ewehban." He echoed.
"Good boy, elephant."
The statues seemed to be mostly animals, with a few people and abstract shapes here and there. Arthur was excited to try to name as many as he could, also learning a few of the names of the native species which he would forget by lunch.
