"Oh, I've missed you!" The Doctor said as he ran into the console after putting First Arthur below the console so he could sleep, then tossing his fez into a lever just wanted to park the Tardis into Amy's backyard so he could join Amy and Rory's wedding. "I can't believe River blew you up." As he pressed a lever, the fez disappeared. "Okay. I didn't mean to do that."

Then, a gold light appears before Third Arthur shows up, gasping while looking around. "I didn't do THAT." Then, a giant time tunnel swelling beside them. "I…I'm sure I didn't do that! And, more importantly, where's my fez?"

"What fez?" Arthur asked before a new voice interrupted.

"Doctor? Explorer?" Einstein questioned as he suddenly emerged from the time tunnel, holding a large test tube. "That is you, is it?" He quickly went downstairs to the console area. "Can you explain how my fez got here?"

"Albert Einstein!" Arthur gasped, running to him and shook his hand. "Nice to see you!"

The Doctor frowns. "What are you doing here?"

"I was working on MY time machine, then it started shaking," Einstein recalled. "I put my hand in to turn it off, went straight through it and ended up here!"

"So, how's it going, your," the Doctor makes a quotation gesture. "'time machine?'"

"Oh, not great. I've singed my eyebrows, almost died twice, and fallen off a cliff. In fact, I'm quite close to perfecting it. I think this liquid is the key."

Arthur glances at the liquid Einstein's carrying while the Doctor's scanning it. "I…I don't think that's a good idea."

"Oh, yes," the Doctor agreed. "But no."

Einstein frowns. "Is it yes or no?"

"No."

"So how did I get here?"

"You're the original owner of this fez," the Doctor described, grabbing the fez. "The fez I happened to be carrying during an unavoidable collision with this lever. My lever plus your fez equals time-window in the Tardis, my Tardis, so don't get any ideas trying to steal it. Again."

"You said you were going to give my toothbrush back," Einstein reminded him.

"The Daleks exterminated it last week," Arthur pointed out, before looking down, noticing his youngest self lying, unconscious. Oh. "Wait…Or was it last century?"

"Ah," he mumbled, before pointing at the liquid. "So, going back to this. I guess it's not bionic fusion liquid."

The Doctor grabs it and puts it on the console. "Never mind. I'll just run some tests on it."

"I made it!" Einstein insisted, taking it back. "I'll do the test."

"That's the 21st century physicist for you...always wanting to do it themselves."

"Where have you hidden my bicarbonate processing machine? A genius like me needs better than this old trash!"

"Old trash?!" The Doctor repeated while Arthur cover his mouth from laughing out loud or shock from Einstein's statement about the old girl. "I'll have you know this old trash will be around until the end of time. In fact, it was."

"Doctor," Arthur called, realising Einstein's back was trembling. That's not good.

"Ah! And, Albert, I almost forgot."

"Doctor."

"Do not drink that liquid."

"Doctor!"

"What?" He huffed, rather annoyed by Arthur's insistence, before looking in his direction, finding Einstein had changed into an insane ood. "Oh! I like your new look. It's an Ood, isn't it? You've got the wiggly bits and everything."

"Death is the only answer," it stated.

"Can you hear me? What's your name?"

"Death is the only answer."

"What do you mean? Answer to what?" Arthur demanded, dragging the Doctor away from the ood.

"Okay, you don't want to tell me. But wait, wait...this is what you're looking for," the Doctor shows a small yoyo that he carried around. "Power source for your time machine. Arthur!"

Arthur quickly turns on the neutronized beam and pushes the ood into it. It's shivering and screams before returning back to Einstein, his hair just spikes around.

The man blinks. "What just happened?"

"Long story," Arthur whispered, not sure if 'suddenly morphed into a crazy ood' might help the scientist.

"You went a bit Ood. Er…a bit odd," the Doctor quickly added after Arthur smacks his back. "Nice hair. You should keep it. It looks more sciencey."

"I don't feel too good," Einstein remarked, his eyes looks exhausted. "Will you drop me off home, please?"

"Sure," Arthur quickly sent the coordination of his home while the Doctor gently put him to sit on a chair. Whatever happened to Einstein clearly had drained his stamina.

"There we are," the Doctor pats his shoulder. "Ah! Sorry about that."

"Exactly what year did you come from?"

"Er, 1945, I think," Einstein said.

"Okay," Arthur nods. "Aaand we're here. 1945, 18th of September, about two o'clock."

"Oh, well back to the drawing board," Einstein remarked as the Doctor pulled him out of the Tardis. "I guess you're keeping the fez, then."

"Well, fezzes look better on me than you like bow ties," the Doctor commented.

"Typical Doctor! Some things will never change. Oh, well goodbye."

"Goodbye, Albert!" The Doctor smiles, shuts the door down, and sets back to Amy's backyard. "Now, then. Arthur..." he paused, noticing the man in questioned already gone. Welp, so much for suprise.

▪︎▪︎▪︎

"Okay," River said as they were walking into the sacrificial ground. "So tell me you have a plan."

"Eh? Why do I have to have a plan?" The Doctor complained. "You could have a plan. I chose the restaurant."

"Yes, and accidently took us to the planet of the Rain Gods where we're now being sacrificed!" Arthur huffed as the man behind him pushed him forward. "So, plan."

"Okay…plan is…" he leans to his wife and son. "We need to distract them with something before they actually sacrifice us to the Rain Gods. Then, when they're distracted, we run away."

The Time Lord groaned. Here he is, arriving with the 11th Doctor for the second time, got a nice change of clothes that consist of a silver t-shirt (bye-bye flannel shirt), his usual dark green hoodie, blue jeans, and white sneakers, ready to be at a big party at a restaurant…only to get captured by some locals to be sacrificed. "Really? That's your amazing plan?"

"That's not a plan, that's just hoping!" River agreed.

"Hey, it's a start," the Doctor remarked before he sniffs. "Can you smell something?"

"Why are they sacrificing us to the Rain Gods anyway?"

Arthur shrugs. "Appease their wrath?"

"Apparently it's very good for the crops you know," the Doctor added. "Sacrificing. There IS actually some scientific evidence…"

"Oh, so you're in favour of being burnt alive?" River interrupted.

"Just looking on the bright side, dear." Then, they hear thunder. "Ah! Hey, hey, and there it is!" The Doctor steps forward, pointing at the sky. "Oi! If there are any Rain Gods up there, you're rubbish!" He spread his hands. "Strike me dead if I'm wrong!"

River quickly drags Arthur, whispering to her husband. "What are you doing?!"

"Smelling the Ozone, dear. Down!" He crouches down. River and Arthur do as he said as more thunder appears. "Oh dear…"

"Sweetie…" she warned.

"Sunny! Umbrella!"

Arthur grabs an umbrella from his backpack and pulls it out as lightning echoing in the sky. The locals kneel down in fear, which the Time Family choose this opportunity to leaps up with the umbrella Arthur's holding.

"Ah! Ha, ha, ha, eh?" The Doctor chuckles. "River…Sunny…run!"

"Oh! Also, I think the rain gods are gonna do that again!" Arthur added before they all ran back to the Tardis.

▪︎▪︎▪︎

"That was your plan?" River asked after they entered the Tardis.

"Well it worked didn't it?" The Doctor remarked.

"Basically you hoped for lightning," Arthur corrected, wiping some water from his eyes.

"And here we are."

"We should be burning at the stake right now. It's lucky for you you're pretty," River commented.

"You two were in no danger. I knew something would come up."

"No you didn't!"

"I did! I promise I did!" The Doctor insisted.

Arthur rubbed his eyes before checking the monitor. "Well…we better hurry up, then! There's a party we need to attend!"

River glanced at her son in surprise. Arthur may have looked ordinary. However, being a mother made River realise what was inside her beloved son's hearts. And right now, Arthur seemed to be trying to ignore something that was bothering him. "Let me help you find clothes for you."

"Mama?"

"I insist. Come on."

Arthur sighed softly. He knew what River was going to ask and he wasn't sure how this conversation would end without causing a scene between his parents.

Once they entered the large wardrobe area inside the Tardis, River picked up a light blue dress with a curved stripe pattern on the sleeves. "So, what does your dad do?"

Oh ow. "He didn't do anything bad, Mama."

"You know that's not what I meant."

Arthur obviously knew. He just didn't like talking about the younger version of the Doctor. "I just met the ninth one." His grey eyes caught River putting down her old dress and picking up another with a rather...aggressive gesture. "He gets...angry very easily."

"Tell me about it," River replied in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Was dad always...grumpy?"

"Grumpy is not the definition I would use with your father. Broken? Yes. Easily hurt? Sure. Likes to piss people off to the point of disrespect? 100%" River sighed softly, then turned to Arthur. "What did he say to you?"

"Other than words based on distrust from meeting a stranger?" Arthur shrugs.

"Sunny..."

"It's nothing more than that."

"Arthur Jonas..."

"Mama, can't we not discuss this?" He pleaded. Arthur didn't want to talk about the version of his father that he was very reluctant to talk to. After all, in the end, he would open up to him and become the man who raised him. "It's nothing you should worry about. I can handle it."

River rolled her eyes, but eventually gave a mumble in response. One thing Arthur always seemed to have in each of his incarnations was his attitude of not wanting to make a fuss with others and preferring to keep his problems to himself. Sometimes River wished Arthur didn't have that side to him. Arthur is too nice. He needs to be more assertive, especially with ungrateful jerks (including the younger version of his father).

But, she won't force her son if he didn't want to. She will try to honour Arthur's decision. However, River wouldn't let this goes by.

If she ever met the 9th or 10th again, she won't tolerate how arrogant and hypocritical he really was. She would make sure of it.

▪︎▪︎▪︎

Later that day

In the Tardis control room, the Doctor comes down stairs whistling while carrying a large tuba. The door of the Tardis opens, which Arthur (wearing a suit like he wore during his honeymoon party) did as he turned back one last time. "Mama! I'll see you and Claudia in Antwerp! Tell Marilyn she's too late, she'll have to use the biplane. Bye!"

"Bye, bye, Dad!" Claudia replied before Arthur entered the Tardis. Then, as the dark-haired man walks into the Tardis, the Doctor scans the tuba with his sonic screwdriver, alks to the console to answer the call.

"Oh, Amy!" Arthur noticed her in nightdress, sitting on the stairs watching him. "Hi!"

"Do you do this every night?" the ginger asked them, not surprised to see Arthur's new appearance with dark hair and grey eyes now. Amy had already met the child version of Arthur, with his bright blue eyes and his little backpack that went everywhere while they were dealing with Pandorica. So, it's only natural that Arthur could change his appearance again.

"Oh!" The Doctor hides the musical instrument behind him. Arthur rolls his eyes, knowing Amy can see it.

"You're trying to conceal a euphonium, guiltily. Has that ever been attempted before?"

"What? Oh, this. Oh, yeah, it's just one of those, erm...euphoniums."

"Okay, so is this what you do at night when we're sleeping? Have extra adventures?"

"Time Lords don't sleep as much as you. I keep busy."

"We keep busy," Arthur added, taking the tuba away from the Doctor and putting it down.

Amy raises her eyebrow. "Doing what? Actually, tell me for once. You're my best friend, my son-in-law. So tell me what it is you all do."

Arthur looks down. His dad clearly wasn't going to explain it to Amy, so he started talking before the Doctor can make any excuses. "Well…we just helped out a possessed orchestra on a moon base. Before that, the Doctor and I prevented two supernovas, wrote a history of the universe, all in jokes, while River and Claudia did a bit of locum work in Brixton."

"Lovely practice, very short-staffed," the Doctor reminiscenced, leaning on the console. But then, he realises Amy's reluctant expression. "What's wrong?"

She stands and walks down the stairs towards him. "We're all such tiny parts of your life, aren't we? All the friends you make, just flicker in and out. You must hardly notice us."

"Amy…you and Rory are enormous parts of my life, just like Sunny. And you are all I ever remember."

"Speaking of which," she paused. "My life doesn't make any sense."

"I know," Arthur emphasised. His life also doesn't make sense.

"That's what I've been trying to talk to you two about."

The Doctor nods. "I know."

"Like, when I...when I first met you, I didn't have parents. I never had parents. And then you did whatever it was you did and rebooted the universe and…and suddenly, I...had parents. And I've always had parents. And I remember both lives in my head, both of them in my head at the same time. And then, I got pregnant, swapped away by a Ganger for nearly 6 months, found out my childhood friends are my missing daughter and grandson, and you nearly died."

Arthur tapped his foot. "But in the end, everything's fine. You and Rory had stable relationship, I know about my parents, my wife, my daughter—"

"Yeah, but it shouldn't be," Amy argued. Of all of them, Arthur should know how messed up his life is. But he seemed unconcerned, unperturbed by all this madness. "Why is it fine?"

"Rory was a Roman for 2000 years," the Doctor remarked.

"He says he hardly remembers it."

"Ah, but sometimes you catch him just staring," Arthur added with a sombre smile. In fact, during his time in Manhattan, there are rare times when Rory will still stared distantly. Like remembering something that he can't pinpoint, looking like an ancient being, before focus back and assuring him and Anthony that he's fine.

"The thing is, Amy…everyone's memory is a mess," the Doctor elaborated. "Life is a mess. Everyone's got memories of a holiday they couldn't have been on or a party they never went to, or met someone for the first time and felt like they've known them all their lives." He glances sadly at his son, at this version of him who just met his 9th self. He was such a jerk. "Time is being rewritten all around us, every day. People think their memories are bad, but their memories are fine. The past is really like that."

A brief silence. Amy takes all of that in his head, and concludes, "That's ridiculous."

"Yeah, now you're starting to get it," the Doctor smirks, clapping his hands. "Put your hand here."

"What is it?"

"Tardis telepathic circuits," Arthur informed. At least, a prototype before the one he used on Clara in the future.

Amy moves over to the part of the console Arthur has indicated and puts her hands there. "What do I do?"

"Nothing, just relax," the Doctor said before checking the screen. "Your saddest ever memory was at a fairground in 1994. Can you remember why?"

"No," the ginger replied before frowns. "Hang on, did I...did I drop an ice cream? That can't be my saddest memory."

"Remembering ice cream's always sad," Arthur disagreed as they landed.

"Did we just land? Where are we?"

"What happened after you dropped the ice cream?"

"Nothing, I...I cried," Amy paused. "No, no, hang on. There was a lady and she…bought me another one."

"Oh. Good for her," the Doctor remarked as he and Arthur walked to the door. "What did she look like?"

"She looked like she...she had a funny dress, a nightdress. She had red hair." She turns around. "Doctor, Arthur…I don't understand. Why are you doing this? What is the point?"

"The nice lady, what did she say to you?"

"'Cheer up. Have an ice cream.'"

"Amy, time and space is never ever going to make any kind of sense. A long time ago, you got the best possible advice on how to deal with that. So I suggest…" He opens the doors. "You go and give it."

"Okay, okay." Amy comes down the steps to them. "So I ask a big, important question about life and you're basically telling me to go and buy myself an ice cream."

"Actually, we're telling you to go and buy us three ice creams," Arthur corrected her. "I love ice cream!"

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

"Do you get scared on ghost trains?" The Doctor questioned as they all walked out. "I get a bit scared. So is it okay if I hold your hand?"

"You can hold Arthur," Amy suggested as they stood in front of an ice cream truck.

The Doctor laughs mockingly. "No," he said before grabbing his ice cream.