As it was, the children were able to learn sign language much faster than River, who oddly struggled with it. Whenever anyone tried to teach her, she was easily frustrated and mixed everything up. It was most likely the pressure of having to learn so quickly that was getting to her since she was usually good that things like this.
The girls were determined to help her learn a few new words every day, while the Doctor's help consisted of softer encouragements. He practiced with her in three designated sessions a week which Arthur liked to sit in on.
After several weeks of trying to learn, River was beyond frustrated. Had Arthur not been sitting in, several, less age-appropriate words would have been exchanged.
Halfway through their most recent session, she got up and left, going to their bedroom to cool off. While her husband knew to give her a little space, her son was not so knowledgeable and went after her to see if she was okay. She didn't want to talk to anyone, curled up on her bed.
"Mummy?" He pushed the bedroom door open.
She looked up, sighing, "Hello, my love."
He hurried up to the bed, though struggled to climb up. She reached down to help him up onto the bed. He settled next to her. "Why'd you leave?"
"Because sometimes Mummy needs some time alone." She whispered.
"Are you sad?"
"Don't worry about that, darling." She shook her head.
"Is the baby ever gonna learn to talk?"
"I don't know, I hope so." She whispered.
"I wanna know what it's voice sounds like." He said.
"Well, you won't know until after it's born."
"Can babies talk when they're born?"
"Well, they cry and that's their way of talking."
He giggled. "Crying isn't talking."
She smiled, kissing his forehead, "Well that's how you talked when you were first born."
"And Mia and Freya?"
"Yes, and Mia and Freya."
"What are babies like?" He asked.
"Well, you know they're very small and they don't know much so we have to teach them everything. That's why it's so important that we all learn sign language before the baby comes, so that way, once they're here, we can teach them."
"It doesn't already know?"
"No, we have to teach them."
"Oh." He shifted and leaned his head against her middle. The baby settled next to him. "I can feel Baby." He murmured.
River smiled softly, "Can you?"
He nodded. "Does it like me?"
"I think it loves you very much." She murmured, "Would you like another picture of Baby for your wall?"
"Can I?" He asked excitedly.
She nodded, "Let's go find your father and we can get another one."
He nodded, hurrying off the bed. River got up a bit less quickly, walking slowly behind him.
Arthur ran ahead to the Doctor who scooped up his son and walked back to River. "What's this I hear about a picture of Baby?"
"I told Arthur we could get another picture for him if he'd like." She murmured.
"It looks like he certainly would like it. Come on."
They went to the TARDIS med bay and set up an ultrasound. "How long until my baby brother gets here?" Arthur asked.
"About 8 weeks, but we don't' know if it's a boy." The Doctor reminded.
"I think it's a boy because I already have sisters so I hafta have a brother." He chuckled.
"I'm afraid it doesn't work like that, little man."
"Awwww." He pouted. The Doctor ruffled the boy's hair as an image of the baby showed on the ultrasound. "My baby!" Arthur cheered, pointing to the screen.
"Yes, there's your little sibling." He smiled.
"What's its name gonna be?" Arthur asked.
"Well, if it's a girl her name will be Terra." River smiled weakly.
"I like that." He said. "Can I name it if it's a boy?"
River laughed softly, "What did you have in mind?"
"Jack!"
River looked up at her husband. He laughed. "We're not naming the baby after your uncle."
"But I want to!" He pouted.
"We'll, uh, we'll think about it."
"Really?" Arthur and River said at the same time.
"Uh, well..." The Doctor looked at River, trying to indicate that he was only saying that to please the two-year-old.
Arthur was quickly losing interest in the conversation, "Can you make it move?"
"The baby?"
"Yes."
"Well, maybe. They might respond to external movement." The Doctor suggested.
Arthur tapped on River's stomach, "Move."
The baby pushed back against him which could also be seen on the monitor. He giggled, then hugged River's stomach.
"Let's get a picture, shall we?" The Doctor said, printing an image of the sonogram. Arthur made grabby hands for the image, hugging it close. "Careful, lovie. Pictures are delicate, remember?"
He nodded, "Sorry."
"Why don't you go hang it up in your room?"
Arthur nodded, running to his room.
"Arthur's really quite excited." The Doctor observed, helping River from the exam table.
She smiled, "I think he's looking forward to having someone closer to his age to play with."
"Should we break it to him that babies can't really play until they're older?"
"Oh, no. I don't want to crush his excitement."
He nodded in agreement. "Are you feeling better?"
"A bit." She whispered, hugging her middle.
"Well, we can end the session for today if it's getting to you." He offered.
"I think that might be best." She nodded.
"How about dinner then?"
"I'm not very hungry." She whispered, "I think I'm going to go… sit for a while. I'll be in the library."
"Alright. Just shout if you need anything."
She nodded, quietly leaving the room.
While Mr Thomas went to follow River, the Doctor went to Arthur's room to see if he wanted dinner yet. Arthur was struggling to hang the picture up on the wall, frowning.
"Need help, little man?"
He nodded, "It won't stick."
"Did you use any tape?" He asked. Arthur shook his head. "Well, there's your problem." The Doctor went and pulled out a roll of tape from one of his drawers.
"Can you put it next to my other one?"
He nodded and taped up the newest picture. Arthur sat on his bed, looking up at the two pictures.
"What do you want for dinner, Arthur?"
"Cookies."
"Hmm, I'd like you to have something a bit healthier..."
"A cookie sandwich?" He knew that sandwiches, for the most part, were healthy.
"No, dearie. But if you eat a healthy dinner then you can have one cookie after."
He sighed, "What are you having?"
"I haven't decided. Maybe fish."
Arthur made a face, sticking his tongue out, "Yuck!"
"Okay, not fish then. Why don't we go see what we have, hmm?"
He nodded, "Where's Mumma?"
"In the library." He murmured, scooping his son up.
"What's she eating?"
"She said she didn't want dinner, but maybe we can bring her something later."
He nodded, "I want peanut butter!"
"That we can do. A PB and J sandwich?"
"With apple sauce." Arthur insisted.
"Sure." He brought the boy to the kitchen and set him on the counter.
"Can I help make it?"
"Yes. And you can help make one for Mummy."
He clapped his hands, happy to help make dinner. More peanut butter and jelly ended up on him and the floor than on the bread, along with a big clump of jelly falling on Toby's nose, but Arthur gave it his best effort.
While he sat and happily ate his sticky creation, the Doctor and Toby tried to clean up the mess. Arthur let Toby lick his peanut butter covered fingers. The Doctor did his best to de-stick Arthur once he was done, using wet wipes on his hands and face. Arthur was clean relatively quickly, though he would still definitely be getting a bath later.
The Doctor gave the boy his well-earned cookie. "Why don't you go find your sisters, lovie. Tell them there's sandwiches if they want."
He nodded, popping off the chair and running to go find Amelia and Freya. Toby ran after him. The Doctor smiled to himself and put the other sandwiches on the table.
He took one of them and headed to the library to see if River wanted one. River was on the couch, reading, a worried crease across her forehead.
"Riv?" The Doctor called softly.
"Yeah?" She didn't look up from what she was reading.
He approached at sat across from her, her expression making him forget slightly about the plate in his hands. "What are you reading?"
She handed the book to him. It was about raising deaf children. He skimmed over the page she was on which was talking about the conflicts between choosing a hearing aid, oral teaching, and/or sign. "Well, that explains why you're frowning."
"I don't know what the right thing to do is." She whispered, running her hand along her belly.
He put down the plate near her. "The answer will be different depending on who you ask. I think signing is essential, but we could do more than that if you want to. We could also just ask her when she's old enough to say what she wants."
"How do you know so much about this?" She took his hand, squeezing it.
He shrugged. "I've lived a long time, love, I've met a lot of people. I've met Deaf people who can't talk to each other because none of them can sign, and I've met Deaf people who can't communicate with their hearing families."
"You don't think… that'll happen with our baby, do you?"
He shook his head. "We may all be hearing, but that's why we're all learning sign."
"I don't want it to feel left out of our family."
"They won't. I promise they'll know they're loved."
She sighed, massaging her temples, "I'm sure you're right, I just...worry."
"I know." He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Mothers usually do."
She smiled weakly at him, "I love you."
"I love you, too." He kissed her cheek. "And your son helped make you some dinner."
"Oh, did he really?"
"He'll need a bath later, but you know." He gestured to the sandwich. "It's the thought that counts."
She laughed softly, "Yes, I suppose so. Did you get to eat?"
He nodded. "I had one with Arthur."
"What about the girls?"
"Arthur's letting them know there's food."
She nodded, "It sounds like you have everything under control."
He nodded. "I wanted to see if you were doing alright."
"I'll be alright." She gave his hand another squeeze.
"Good." He smiled. She pulled him in for a kiss. He hummed, an eager participant.
At the hum she pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. He was breathless when they broke off. She smiled, "Haven't done that in a while."
"We could, uh, do more of that." He suggested.
She raised an eyebrow, "Here? Now?"
"Well... the TARDIS wouldn't let the kids find us."
"I'd like that."
He smiled and leaned to kiss her again.
Though it was one of their shorter rounds of intimacy, it was passionate and left them both satisfied and unspotted by young eyes.
"That was nice." River murmured, nuzzling his collar.
The Doctor nodded, arm around her.
"Are you okay?" She asked, brow furrowing.
"Yeah." He nodded again. "Just thinking."
"About what?"
"Firstly about how beautiful you are." He grinned, rolling over on his side to face her and kiss her nose.
She laughed, "And?"
He propped his head up on his hand, using the other to trace patterns on her arm. "Home."
"Home?" She murmured.
"Gallifrey..."
"Oh...what about Gallifrey?"
"Well," He sighed, "I've always wanted you guys to see it, now more than ever. I told you what Clara and I did, yeah?"
She nodded slowly, his statement making her a bit nervous. She knew that his home planet was important to him, but she also knew how the Time Lords could be, and was afraid that their children -since they were only half Time Lord- would be looked down upon if they ever were to go to Gallifrey.
"I always wondered if it really worked, what we did. And when Missy came back... well... I started looking." He admitted.
"Oh?" She shifted.
"Not that often," he added, "and I haven't found anything, I just wanted to tell you. In case I do."
"Oh..." She repeated, placing a subconscious protective hand on her middle.
He watched her. "You... don't think it's a good idea, do you."
She hesitated, "I don't know..."
"Talk to me." He murmured.
"I understand how important it is to you to be able to share your home planet with our children, but..." She sighed, "I'm afraid that if we ever were to take them there, they'd be seen as..." She trailed off again, "You know how proud the Time Lord race is. They won't appreciate...interspecies children."
He nodded. "I don't think I'd take you all anywhere near the capital. My kind is less traditional in the drylands."
She nodded slowly, still unsure.
"Well, it's really only a thought." He murmured. "I may never find it. And we have lots else to think about."
"I'm sorry..." She whispered.
"It's alright, River." He murmured.
"I didn't mean to burst your bubble."
"I'm a big boy, Riv. I wouldn't have brought it up if I wasn't prepared for it to be burst. All of your concerns are concerns I've had, too, so I know where you're coming from."
"Okay. If you do find it...we can talk about this more."
He nodded. "Thank you."
She fell silent for a bit, tracing the baby's restless movements with her fingers. "Doctor?"
"Hmm?" He responded.
"Do you think the baby will be deaf in every regeneration?"
"I don't know." He murmured. "It's impossible to know." She nodded slowly.
Just then, the TARDIS made a groan to indicate that the kids were looking for them. "We should get dressed." River murmured, going to get her clothes back on. He nodded and did the same.
Soon they were dressed and presentable for their children. Promptly, the three children burst excitedly into the library.
"Hello, my loves." River smiled, slipping on her shoes.
Their faces all had jam on them and what looked like cookie crumbs. "Hi, Mummy!" They chorused.
"You three are a mess!" River laughed.
They giggled. "We want a bath party!"
"A bath party?" She ruffled Arthur's hair, "That doesn't sound like a bad idea."
"With duckies!" Arthur chirped.
"Well, I'd be more than happy to get the duckies."
He took her hand while Amelia captured the other. Freya lead the abduction of their mother towards the bathroom.
Once they had taken their bath, the girls and Arthur got settled into their pajamas. The Doctor read the girls a book while River took care of Arthur. It took a while to get Arthur to go down since he wanted to practice the new signs he had learned that day.
"Mummy is this right?" He asked, trying to sign 'baby brother'.
She nodded, "Yes, very good. Now, it's time for bed." It must have been the fifth time she had told him that.
"I don't wanna go to bed!" He insisted.
"Well, you have to."
"Why?" He pouted.
"Because you have to rest, it's very late."
"Can I say goodnight to my baby brother?"
She nodded, "Of course, darling."
He wiggled himself close to her middle, poking her bump so the baby would know he was there. The baby lazily nudged back. Arthur made a delighted sound. "Daddy said the babies can talk to their mummies in the belly. Does my baby talk?"
"Not really because the baby doesn't know many words."
"Then how do you know what he's thinking?"
"Well, I don't really know."
He looked disappointed. "Can you try?"
"Not tonight, love. But if you go to sleep now, I promise we can try in the morning."
He quickly pulled his blankets over himself at the promise. "I'm sleeping!"
She laughed softly, "Goodnight."
"Kiss?" He peeked out
She leaned down and gave him a kiss on the head. The baby nudged again as Arthur settled into sleep.
