Ch 55

By the time the trio reached the end of the garden, Arthur was quite tired, having exerted most of his energy imitating animals.

"So," The Doctor adjusted Arthur in the papoose. "Where to for lunch? Home or out?"

"I think it may be best if we head home." River murmured, looking at the sleepy boy.

He nodded. "We can put Arthur down for a nap."

River nodded as well, "I don't want him getting cranky if we try to keep him out longer."

They made their way back to the TARDIS, Arthur completely asleep by then. "I'll put him in the nursery." River murmured, taking the boy out of the papoose and bringing him into the TARDIS nursery.

Arthur curled against River's warmth in his sleep. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, laying him down in his cot and tucking a blanket around him. His hand tightened around her finger.

"Sweet dreams, my love." She whispered, gently wiggling her finger out of his grasp. Terra shifted and settled with her feet against River's ribs.

River headed to the kitchen where the Doctor was.

"I was about to put the kettle on. Do you want any tea?"

"Of course." She nodded, sitting down in a chair with a sigh.

"You alright?" He glanced over his shoulder as he turned the stove on.

She nodded again, "I'm just happy to be off my feet."

"Put them up on a chair, it should help some."

She lifted her feet up on a chair, relaxing. He went and settled across from her at the table. "So did that satisfy any of your adventurous needs?"

She shrugged, smiling, "It was nice, but I wouldn't exactly call a day in the park an adventure."

"I guess that's true, but it was an outing at the least. And an adventure if your age is only a single digit long." He added.

"Yes, that's true." She murmured, rolling her shoulders, "But I still want to go on my special adventure."

He rose from his chair and went up behind her to rub her shoulders and place a kiss on her head. "That can be arranged."

She hummed happily, "Good, I'm looking forward to it."

Terra turned again and poked River's side with her foot. River ran her hand along the spot, looking down at her belly. "She keeps turning."

"Maybe she's bored."

"Maybe..." She breathed, "But it makes me worried that she's not coming anytime soon."

"How do you mean?" He asked.

"Well, all the other times I've been pregnant, it's felt like the baby, (or babies), were settling right before they were born." She frowned slightly, trying to explain it.

"Less wiggly?" He clarified.

"Yes. Less wiggly."

"Well, maybe she's going to be a little late. Or she doesn't need as much time to settle." He tried guessing, deciding it was best not to mention the possibility of Terra being breech.

River sighed, "Well, she better not think she's staying in there for too long."

"If that's a hint to her to get her moving, you might want to try something else." The kettle started whistling and he went to prepare the tea. "Humanoids have a lot of different methods and tricks for starting labour."

"Such as?" She looked up at him.

"Spicy food, sex, roller coasters." He listed and brought the tea back over, offering her a cup. "Acupuncture, messages with certain oils..." He thought for another moment. "There are drugs to induce, but that's generally not recommended without a medical reason."

"Well are a few things on that list that I wouldn't mind trying." She purred.

He blushed and ducked his head. "I had a feeling you'd say something like that."

"You know me well." She winked.

"Well I, for one, have no objections." He grinned. "But I'll remind you that there's no need for rush. Your due date is almost two weeks away and all the other signs are saying that your body knows what it's doing without the need of an external method."

She hummed, running her hand along her belly, "I suppose not."

"Which is not to downplay anything on that list. Some are very enjoyable." He added.

Terra shifted so she could push back against River's hand. "Yes, they most certainly are." River smiled, beckoning him over.

He stood and went over to her curiously. She pulled him down for a kiss, kissing him deeply. He made a small noise of surprise but quickly surrendered to her lips. She laughed.

He was flush when they paused to breathe. "Any particular reason behind that?" She shook her head, grinning up at him with a playful glint in her eye. He grinned back. "I can't complain."

She smiled, pulling him in for another. He was a bit more ready that time, responding eagerly to her movements.

Terra gave a harder nudge. River ignored the girl, wrapped up in her husband.

Mummy! She tried to get River's attention.

What? She replied, not breaking her kiss.

Story.

Not now, Mummy's busy. She pulled the Doctor closer as if to prove her point.

Story! Terra demanded, kicking against the Doctor's weight.

Stop. River repeated firmly. Her daughter made something of a mental pout, continuing to nudge her silently.

River tried to go back to focusing on her husband, but the kicking was quite distracting. The Doctor eventually noticed it too, since he was pressed against his wife. "Looks like someone's excited."

River sighed, "She wants a story, but I told her we're busy."

"I didn't know you told her stories." He breathed. She looked up at him, biting her lip, not saying anything. "I think that's very sweet." He kissed her cheek. "Though I would agree that you are a bit preoccupied."

She smiled weakly, "Are you going to keep me occupied?"

"Well, that depends on if you want to succumb to your daughter's demands of story time." He teased, kissing her lips again.

"I think she can wait." She murmured, "Especially since her brother is sleeping right now."

Terra was not in agreement with this, refusing to be ignored.

If you go to sleep, Mummy will tell you two stories when you wake up. River bargained.

The kicking stopped as Terra considered this option, eventually relaxing. Help me sleep. River pushed warmth through the connection, thinking soothing thoughts. Terra settled willingly, done bothering River.

Once she settled, River looked back up at the Doctor, smiling.

"What did you say?" He asked.

"I got her to give us a bit of alone time." She smiled.

"You are quite persuasive." He agreed. "Does that mean checking some things off the list?"

"I think it does." She hummed, smiling.

He grinned like a boy in a sweets shop, pulling her to her feet and leading her off to the bedroom, leaving their tea abandoned on the table.

Even with Arthur in the other room, neither he nor Terra interrupted their parent's intimacy, sleeping through the various different sounds of pleasure that came from the pair tangled in bed sheets.

River smiled as she pressed light kisses to the Doctor's shoulder, pulling the sheet around her, still trying to catch her breath. They were curled up to each other, his arms around her.

"You know there it a bit of instruction that comes along with these methods." He murmured.

"How do you mean?" She murmured back, resting her cheek against his chest.

"They say you may have to try them more than once for them to work."

"Oh, really?" She raised an eyebrow, grinning, "Is that so?"

He nodded, chuckling at her expression. "So perhaps the next time all the kids are preoccupied with sleeping and such things..."

"You mean later tonight?" She purred.

"If you're up for it." He nodded. Terra started to stir.

"Of course I'll be up for it." She smiled.

He hummed delightedly, nuzzling his face against her curls.

"I'd be happy to just stay like this for the rest of the day." She murmured, curling closer to him and putting a hand to her side. Terra nudged against her hand, starting to wake up now.

"She's waking up," River whispered, guiding the Doctor's hand to Terra's feet. He grinned, feeling his daughter's movements.

Story.

"Do you want to tell her a story?" River asked softly.

"If you relay it." He nodded.

"Of course." She touched his cheek, closing her eyes.

The Doctor thought for a moment before starting a little Gallifreyan tale about a flower girl. River mentally told the story to her daughter, resting comfortably against the Doctor.

When he finished the tale, Arthur had started whining from the other room. River sighed, wishing they could stay the way they were just for another few minutes, "I'll get him."

"No, you stay. I can do it." The Doctor offered.

"Are you sure?" She murmured, running her hand through his hair.

He nodded. "You look much too comfortable."

"Alright. Will you bring him back here?"

"Course." He nodded again and slipped out of bed, putting on his trousers and shirt before heading to the boy's room. River wrapped the blanket around her body, closing her eyes.

Arthur's cries grew louder as he kicked his legs in the air, just coming to from a nightmare.

"Oh, Arthur." The Doctor turned on the light and scooped him up. "Sh, it's alright, lovie."

"Da!." He cried, immediately snuggling up with him.

He rubbed his son's back in a soothing manner, murmuring comforts to him. "How about we see Mummy, huh?"

"Mumma," Arthur repeated, sniffling. He brought him back to their room.

River had gotten her clothes on while she was alone. "Hello, my love." River smiled, though it faded when she realized Arthur was still crying.

"I think he had a nightmare." The Doctor said, putting the baby in her arms.

"Oh, Arthur." River murmured, hugging him close, "It's alright, you're alright."

Arthur clung to her, whimpering as the Doctor slipped back into bed. River moved closer to the Doctor so they could both cuddle with Arthur. He started to calm, looking up at the two with big, wet eyes. River kissed his forehead, smiling at him.

"Mummah?"

"Hmm?" She brushed back his hair. He reached up and grabbed one of her ringlets, still sniffling. "Gentle, my love." River murmured.

He let go and smooshed his face against her. "Onah."

"Oof!" She laughed weakly, "What was that for?"

"Oonah!"

"He wants you to sing." The Doctor murmured.

"No, sweetie. Not right now." She whispered, "Maybe Daddy will sing."

"Would it be alright if Daddy sang you a song instead?" The Doctor asked.

"Onah," Arthur confirmed. His father smiled softly at him and started an old nursery rhyme. Arthur settled, happy to be getting what he asked for.

Terra nudged, wanting her second story. River started telling her a story as the Doctor sang. Both children grew calm again, peacefulness setting in once again.

River sighed once the story was finished, keeping her eyes closed and taking in the peace. They stayed like that for a good hour, Arthur falling asleep again.

"You hungry?" The Doctor asked.

"I'm craving orange cream popsicles, but I don't want to get up." She smiled.

"Shall I go get some?" He offered.

"That would be lovely." She smiled, "Could you get them from that planet in the Helix Galaxy?"

He nodded. "No plain old freezer pops for you."

"Thank you, my love." She leaned in to give him a kiss.

They shared a quick peck before he hurried off to get her craving. "I'll' be back before you know it."

She stayed in bed with Arthur, Toby coming up to join them. Arthur stirred when the dog came onto the bed, quickly waking up and becoming excited.

River let him crawl around on the bed to play with the dog, stacking pillows up on the side so the baby wouldn't fall. Toby was gentle, nudging the tot around with his nose or paws, occasionally looking to River for a pat. River pet him approvingly, starting to fall asleep.