Several days later…
"Almost there," Arthur informed as he navigates the Tardis into Stormcage, wearing a tiny black-and-white suit that resembles what the Doctor wore during Amy and Rory's wedding.
Then, a minute passed, the Tardis materialised with a thud, followed by River Song, wearing grey tank top, black sport pants, and white sneakers like Arthur often wears, entering the Tardis. She sees a long low-cut robe hanging up. "The dress is a little daring," she commented.
"Your son's choice," the Doctor, wearing a white suit and a black bowtie, added with a wink.
"Are we going out?"
"Oh, more than that! We're going to our son's wedding! Well, future Arthur, to be exact." He glances at the monitor as Arthur sets up their next destination. "How's Stormcage?"
"I'm on the first night of 12.000 consecutive life sentences. Kind of early to say," she shrugs as she ruffles Arthur's brown hair, smiling as he lets out a protest. "Where exactly does the wedding take place?"
"Alderin Beta. Boring, planet of the chip shops. But, there is a 400 foot tree growing out of a cliff top on the north side of a mountain in the middle of the sea, and if you take the lift to the top and look up, at exactly 12 minutes past midnight on the 21st of September 2036, you can see more stars in one sky that at any other moment in the history of the universe. It's like daylight, only magic. Delaney had suggested that place as her future wedding place, so I thought it's time it happened."
"That considerate of you," River remarked.
"Hey, she's my daughter-in-law. Of course I am considerate!"
"Yeah, yeah."
"We've got 10 minutes. Get dressed."
"Oh, that's so close to the perfect sentence."
"River. Our son is here, please tone it down," he grumbled. "Did you bring the diary?"
River holds up the book. "It's a diary?"
"It is now, because River, from now on, there are rules."
She is leafing through the book. "Oh, you've gone all strict. Not that I mind."
"River, you, me, and Arthur…" he sighs sadly. "It's all in the wrong order. We never meet in sequence. You put everything in the diary so we know where we are."
"Put what in the diary? Sweetie, I'm in the highest security prison in all of the known universe."
"That never stops you from running away," Arthur recalled. "Also, I think that dress doesn't suit it very well. Maybe I shouldn't pick that up."
"First right, second left, just past the helter-skelter," the Doctor told her. River simply smirks as she moves off, ready to get a pretty dress for her son's wedding. Then, suddenly the Doctor and Arthur heard laser guns firing. Arthur rushes to the door, finding another River entering the Tardis, looking exhausted.
"Mum?!" Arthur reacted as the Doctor quickly rushed to her side and helped her lay down. Her eyes remained closed.
"River! River!" the Doctor called her. "River! River? River, are you okay? Talk to me!"
"Is… Is she dead?! Oh crap! Are we too late!"
"No, no, no! That can't be! Okay, erm, er... breathe, breathe come on. Got to keep breathing."
"Wait," Arthur frowns, gripping River's hand. "Mum… are you pretending?!"
Her eyes open, looking annoyed. "That's rude, Sunny. Spoiling my fun away."
"Do you want to traumatise our son even further?!" the Doctor huffed as River stood up. "What are you doing here? Who's shooting at you?
"Oh, just a few Sontarans. Chased me halfway across the galaxy. I probably shouldn't have asked them if they were on a hen night," River simply replied.
"River you can't do things like that."
"Or what? You already had me banged up in jail for 5 years, what else are you going to do? Spank me?"
"There's a kid in here," the Doctor reminded her while holding up a reproving finger.
"Doctor. Have you brought someone else here?" River asked as she noticed the dress. "Does anyone agree to wear that dress? Where is she?"
"Oh boy," Arthur mumbled, not liking where this is going.
As she rushed up the stairs, the Doctor tried to calm her down. "River, think it through—"
"This happened the last time we were here. You brought someone else."
"No I didn't!"
"Yes you did. I heard our son talking to someone!'
"Mum, come on!" Arthur huffed as she rushed off round a corner out of sight.
The previous River appears from the left. "Sunny, were you talking to someone?"
"No, no, he just talks to me," the Doctor told her with a nervous smile.
She moves away and the second River on the right appears again. "Were you talking to someone, Sunny?"
"No, no, dear, he just talks to me."
Still not convinced, River on the right moves off again out of sight. Arthur looks around nervously. "Dad, we should really solve this before—"
The Tardis doors open and a third River comes in, looking at the Doctor. "You nostalgic idiot, you just can't keep away. Can you?"
"Great," Arthur grumbled, closing his eyes. Oh, this is just getting weirder and weirder.
"Doctor? Why have you bought another one of these? Who else is here?"
The Doctor glances behind himself briefly. "River, could you just check the light on top? I think the bulb needs changing."
"The bulb?"
"Mm-hmm."
She leaves through the Tardis' door. Then, the second River on the right comes down the stairs again. "Who are you talking to?" she demanded.
"You. I'm talking to you," the Doctor revealed, taking out his sonic screwdriver to adjust the controls on the vortex manipulator. "Back to Stormcage, Doctor Song."
"Oh at least give me a lift, you know what this thing does to my hair."
"Well, maybe next time, don't try to make our kid scared to death."
"Hey! I'm his mother—!"
She quickly vanishes. The Doctor chuckles, pleased with himself and going to ask his son what they should do…
When the third River comes back in through the door. "The light's fine, I don't know what you're talking about—"
"Wait, Mama! We can't go there!" Another voice suddenly yelled before a man with dark hair and grey eyes barged into the Tardis, wearing a green jacket that was loose around. He looks sheepish. "Upsie."
Arthur pays more attention to the man standing not far from the door. The way he looks awkward at him, the way he seems closer to River, and the way he smiles at his father… "Oh."
"Hi, younger me," he greeted. "Hi, Dad."
"Two of you!" River realised. "My, I forgot how cute you were."
"Okay, that's too cheesy," Older Arthur concluded, gripping River's hand.
"Come on, Sunny!" The Future Doctor yelled from outside. "We need to warn Amy and Rory about the Zygon that will invade Savoy Hotel!"
"He's taking us to the Singing Towers of Darillium," River informed as she walked away. "He's been promising it for ages."
Older Arthur looks down all of sudden, as if he just remembered something dreadful.
The Doctor quietly takes a small step. "The first time I met your mother, at the Library, I mean…"
"I know," he remarked. "I was there."
"She said the last time she saw us was at Darillium. Is that now?"
He glances at his younger self, giving him a knowing look before addressing the Doctor. "No," he replied with a smile. "But someday, you will."
"Are you okay?" the Doctor asked, looking a bit frantic.
"Oh, never been better. Rory had given me some good meds."
"You're ill?" Arthur asked, realising that his older self (maybe the oldest) seems much more…tired. His eyes look like panda eyes. His face looks pale. Even his position seems to indicate that he can't stand up more than normal people should.
He waves his hand before he coughs. "I've just…need sleeping, that's all. Don't worry." He winks. "Just…don't get late, okay?"
With that, Older Arthur turns to leave the Tardis. At the same time, River from the left rushes upstairs and sees her son leaving. "There's an older version of you?" She looks at them. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Right, come on you, let's go and see the stars," the Doctor suggested, taking away River's clothes.
"But I haven't changed."
"That's okay. You can do that later," Arthur said, trying to not dwell on what his future might become. He knows his future self has hidden something from him and the Doctor clearly knows what it is.
River looks at the Doctor, skeptical. "What was the other Sunny doing here?"
"Sorry. Can't say."
"What's that word you two use?"
"Spoilers," they said in unison.
"I like that word."
"Of course you would," Arthur shook his head in amusement. "Now come on. I think my older self won't like to get us late to the wedding."
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Marriage is a sacred thing. It's something Arthur always thinks about when adults talk about getting married or proposing marriage. That one day, a man and a woman should be faithful to each other, no matter what happens between them. This part... well, Arthur admitted, he thought of it as nonsense after knowing how people could be cruel to their partners or cheat on their romantic relationships with strangers. He always promised himself to choose a woman who was independent, gentle, and full of strong convictions as his partner for the rest of his life.
Seeing that Delaney Redwood was the woman he would one day marry left Arthur unsure of what to do. Of course he was happy. Delaney was the right woman for him. He could see how Delaney looked at his future self with tenderness and trust, as if this was the moment she had been waiting for. But, on the other hand, Arthur felt strange.
Arthur had known this woman as a child, and his feelings for Delaney were merely affectionate as the woman who took care of him. It seemed very odd to have romantic feelings for her.
"It feels strange, doesn't it?" Claudia suddenly whispered next to him as Craig spoke as the marriage officiant per the Doctor's suggestion. They want to make this wedding as private as they can, since both Delaney and Future Arthur didn't want a big wedding and to keep their enemies from finding out about them. "Seeing yourself marrying someone you know?"
"It's a bit strange," he admitted, looking at the couple with love on their faces.
"Mum is often like that. Sometimes she doesn't know how to deal with you and your adult version. I mean, she often sees you as the man she loves, and seeing the man she loves turn out to be a child would cause a lot of mixed feelings."
Arthur nodded slowly, understanding Delaney's thoughts. To be honest, he didn't blame Delaney for being awkward with him at times. And he won't blame Claudia if she feels the same to him.
"But that's all a long way off," Claudia added. "You don't have to force your feelings towards Mum. You told me yourself that love cannot be forced. If you force it, it will only end tragically. So," she smiles. "Try to live with it."
"...then I hereby pronounce you lawfully husband and wife." Craig announced, looking at the adult version of Arthur. "You may kiss the bride."
"Finally," Delaney chuckles and let her husband kiss her.
Arthur simply watching the happy couple. Maybe now, he doesn't have eros feelings for Delaney, but perhaps, as time goes, eventually the feeling will comes as well. Even if it means it will take a long time for him to happen.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
"15 years," Delaney said in an inexplicable tone as they gazed up at Alderin Beta's star-filled sky and sat on a tree overlooking this rare sight. "It's hard to believe that I waited 15 years for this moment."
"Waiting is excruciating, but there are times when it pays off," Arthur remarked, remembering the time he had spent waiting. Waiting 10 years for his parents, waiting 31 years to get back to the Tardis, waiting 300 years to finally grow up into an adult, waiting 12 years as he watched Amy grow up in Leadworth while waiting for the Doctor to come back... well, he could give many examples. "I'm glad I could give you this."
"I was pleasantly surprised to see that you invited your younger version to come here."
"It wouldn't hurt to let him know who the woman he will marry in a few hundred years is."
"But won't this be awkward for him? I mean, he doesn't have the same feelings as you."
"Maybe," Arthur shrugged with a mischievous smile. "But I'm sure he'll feel it too."
"How can you be sure the younger version of you would love me?" Delaney asked in a disbelieving tone.
"Because you'll make sure of it, subconsciously."
"Uh-huh."
"I'm serious! Believe me."
"Okay, okay," Delaney raised her hands with a small smile. If that was what her husband believed...then she would believe him.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
2 hours later…
"This is a very bad idea!" Delaney shouted, wearing her black pencil dress as she and Arthur, wearing a white suit similar to his father, tried to make their way through the crowd at the party while carring a goldfish in a bowl.
Everything was going normally. After the wedding session was over, the Doctor suggested a party organised by the Commonwealth who happened to be River's acquaintance for their first honeymoon. At first, both of them were very happy when they heard about it, especially considering that the Commonwealth was a private person and rarely gave invitations to his colleagues. So, without much thought, Delaney and Arthur agreed to the proposal and went straight to the event after taking Craig home to Earth and Young Arthur disappeared somwhere else.
Delaney should have guessed that trouble would arise with her father-in-law being around.
"Sorry, coming through!" She said, opening the Tardis' door without second thought.
"That's for us!" Arthur yelled at Amy, who's wearing her night gown as she looks dumbfolded when Arthur grabs the receiver from Amy and speaks to the caller. "Hello? Ah, of course. Everything's fine. Don't worry about it," he assured the caller. "We're enjoying the party, Mr. Commonwealth! Oh, your mum? Your mum... is fine. Really." He glances at Amy and whispers. "Also, don't answer this phone. I don't recommended it."
"Where have you been? I thought you went to a honeymoon party?" Amy pointed out.
"We are!" Delaney replied, rubbing her neck in frustration as she looks at the goldfish.
"Well, yes, your mum is here. But the issue is, she can't come to the phone at the moment. Why? Well, she's busy. I'm sure you know that," Arthur said, looking at the goldfish in the bowl. "So sorry, ma'am. Your son wants to talk to you. But we can't let him see you like this. He'll kill my father if he knows you're a fish." The phone rings again. "Sorry, gotta go." Arthur presses a control to transfer to the new call. "Hi?" He greeted before winces.
"Let me," Delaney proposed, taking the receiver and listening to the outrage tone of the ambassador while Arthur taking the bowl in his hands. "I'm sorry, but there's not point of yelling, ambassador. Your warrior chief is trapped in our ship. Until you've turned the Commonwealth's mother back into a human, he's staying with us." She sees the rolled-up paper. "Be right back."
After putting the receiver back, Delaney and Arthur slowly see the squashed fly on the newspaper. They look at Amy in horror. "What have you done?" Arthur demanded.
"I thought it was a fly," Amy replied.
"Well, so much for negotiation," Delaney grumbled, putting the rolled-up paper on the console. "We're totally doom."
"What is going on?!"
"We're get into a trouble, as usual. What do you think happen?"
"Where's the Doctor?"
"Outside. Mama's trying to stop Dad from causing more problem with his insults," Arthur answered, then looking back at the goldfish. "Oh dear."
"What?" Delaney asked as she looks at the goldfish. Her eyes went wide open. "Oh."
"Oh what?" Amy demanded, confused.
"Wrong goldfish," Arthur blurted, still in shock.
"Wrong goldfish," Delaney repeated, quickly opening the door and yelling outside. "Doctor, you took the wrong fish!"
Arthur looks awkward at Amy. "Sorry. We need to go back. Go to sleep. I need to make sure that the universe won't get into another war in 3 hours because my father's stupidity."
"Why 3 hours?" Amy frowns.
"The pet shops open, of course."
With that, Arthur rushes out to the party, leaving Amy more baffled than she could ever imagine.
Note: I always like the series 6 minisodes and thought it would be fun to mash up some minisodes (First Night, Good Night, and Bad Night) into one sequence to make it unique with some alteration. (First and Last being the Doctor taking River to Future Arthur's wedding while Bad taking place during Arthur and Delaney's honeymoon party that didn't go very smoothly).
FYI, Delaney is canonically 33 when married to Adult Arthur who is 945. Yes, the age gap is big, but I feel like if it works for 11th & River, then it should work with Arthur and Delaney as well. The wedding taking place right after 'The Doctor, the Widow & the Wardrobe', but before 'Asylum of the Dalek'.
Also, FYI, I imagine black-haired Arthur as Logan Lerman.
