Chapter Text
K-9 wiggled his ears at the praise as River skipped over to the car. The Doctor crouched down next to K-9. “K-9, how did you know the car was here?”
K-9 answered. “I brought it here.”
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Tell me how.”
“When Master sent me to the Tardis to send out the messages for this event. I took the Tardis back to Earth and collected the car.” K-9’s voice didn’t change much. It wasn’t program to do that. But in this moment The Doctor could have sworn his robot dog sounded smug.
“Sweetie! You have to let me drive her!” River was also sounding smug. She’d get her joyride after all.
“We will talk about this later. The Doctor promised K-9 as he scooped up the robot dog and placed him in the back seat. The Doctor climbed into the passenger seat of his car. He held up a key to River. “Do you promise to tell me what disguise you used to see me back then?”
River grinned and winked at him. “Promise!” plucking the key from his hand.
River started the car and hit the gas with such energy the car shot forward at great speed over the rocky terrain causing the Doctor to gasp, “Oh, my giddy aunt!”
There was no roads here but River was laughing and swerving the car to avoid the bigger rocks. They were soon far away from the car show, alone except for the occasional bird overhead.
“Dear, please slow down, remember the baby….” The Doctor put a cautious hand on River’s arm.
River sighed, “The dampeners will protect us!” But she slowed down and then came to a stop, turning the car off. They were very close to The Towers now.
The Doctor put his hand on River’s belly. “We are keeping the car, if you want.” River stared at him in wide-eyed delight. “You’re a bad influence on our dog! He stole it for us!” River grinned and The Doctor leaned in to take the opportunity to kiss her again only to wind up with a mouthful of curls. River had turned and was patting K-9 on the head. “Such a good dog!”
The Doctor sighed and leaned back into his seat. “I believe you owe me a story, my dear.”
River turned her attention back to her husband. “It was a short visit. You might remember parts. It wasn’t long after your companion at the time left you, what was her name?”
The Doctor gasped a little bit as the memory of the young companion’s face floated into his mind. “Ms. Grant.” He replied solemnly.
River fiddled with a dial in front of her, avoiding looking at The Doctor’s face. “Yes, she was before Sarah Jane, wasn’t she? The one you liked so much.” She said evenly.
The Doctor reached over with his long fingers and stroked them up and down her bare forearm. “Not the way I like you….never got any of my companions pregnant now did I?”
Hormones were raging in River and for a moment she wanted to scream at him. All that time and adventures with companions and all she had was years apart from him. Had he tried to get them pregnant? She wondered for a flash but then, she noticed his caresses on her arm weren’t stopping. Up and down his fingers glided on her arm, when they reached her sleeve, they would snake under the fabric, gently rubbing her shoulder. River breathed, forcing herself to cool down, she had no reason to doubt The Doctor’s love for her now. She closed her eyes concentrating on the feel of his fingers. When she opened them again she looked at his face which was full of adoration.
The Doctor quickly realized he hadn’t quite said the right thing, and the pregnancy hormones were probably not helping, so he tried being silent and touch her while he still could. But soon he noticed she was trying to control herself so he kept caressing her arm, hoping to relieve the tension. River let out a deep breath and smiled back at The Doctor.
“Right. So I was looking for you, followed you. You went for a drive from Unit headquarters out into the countryside. Do you remember any of this?” River queried.
The Doctor thought for a few moments. “I remember driving to a pub, I thought I wanted to be around people but away from the city, but…sorry River I can’t remember anything else, it was a long time ago…”
River shook her head, “Don’t apologize, my special tea would have wiped your memory. We met at the pub, I served you a pint, we had an adventure, I got to drive this car.”
The Doctor laughed, “This one you are making up, my dear! How did you know I’d be there? I didn’t even know I was going to be there, I went for a drive, and it just happened that I went stopped at that pub!”
River winked at him. “I had your Tardis. I followed you, then went back in time, talked my way into a job at the pub and waited for you.”
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Whose Tardis did you steal?”
River Song smiled. “Spoilers” River started the car up again. “I think the rest of the story would make a great bedtime story for our little one. I miss her, let’s head back.”
The Doctor didn’t protest. He had plenty of time to hear all her stories of when she invaded his time line. “Speaking of stealing, did you know I stole a car?”
River laughed, delighted. “No! Did you steal this one?”
“Very near!” The Doctor laughed. “I stole one like it and I enjoyed it so much, I then asked for a car as payment for my services to Unit.”
The Doctor told the story of his regeneration and stealing the car as they headed back to their cottage.
The Doctor had found them a modest cottage for them to live in during their twenty-four years. He wanted River to feel like she had a home, one that wouldn’t move unlike the Tardis. Darillium was going to be a fixed point in their lives, they should have a fixed place to stay, he had explained. The Tardis was parked in the back garden now, quietly waiting.
River parked the car out in front of the cottage and got out still smiling that she had a car again. “We’ll have to build a garage now. Maybe big enough for two, we should have two so we can have races!”
The Doctor lifted K-9 out of the back and set him on the ground, removing the leash, he sent K-9 onto the cottage.
“I think that can be arranged.” The Doctor couldn’t help but smile at River, his wife was so happy, it was infectious. He linked arms with River as they walked up the front path to their home. He stopped before the door and turned her towards him, “Good date?” He asked searched her eyes. River dropped her gaze but not her smile as she looked down to the lapels of his jacket. She snatched them quickly into her hands and pulled The Doctor forward grabbing his mouth with hers for a passionate kiss. For a moment, The Doctor’s hands flailed out in surprised, but instinct kicked in and his hands found her body as he returned the kiss. River’s hands explored his body and The Doctor broke away from her lips to kiss on her smooth neck. River moaned and ran her fingers into his curly hair and The Doctor found himself wanted nothing more than to forget parental responsibilities and to sneak his wife off to their bedroom in the Tardis for an hour or two.
“Or three” River breathlessly whispered to him. The Doctor looked up at her as he kissed his way back up her face to her lips, he gave her a crooked grin knowing she had read his mind. River sighed and kissed him soothingly. “But, later, my love, we do have to be parents and check on our child.” The Doctor hugged her and kissed her forehead. “You’re right, of course. I am glad you’re feeling better.” The Doctor caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, “I know Time Lord pregnancy is difficult on you and this time isn’t any easier.”
“Will it be like this every time?” River asked bringing his hand away from her cheek to kiss it gently.
The Doctor hesitated in his answer and that was all it took for River to look up into eyes concern suddenly filled her face. “What, what is it?”
The Doctor took a breath. “It’s fine. We hadn’t done a scan on the fetus but I think the reason the pregnancy has made you so sick is because it isn’t a fetus, its two.”
River’s eyes went wide. “Twins?”
The Doctor nodded. “It is just a theory, we could do a check using the Tardis’s scanners.”
River leaned against The Doctor. Twins She thought. “Tomorrow.” I suddenly feel like laying down.”
The Doctor gave her his wolfish grin, “That’s what I had in mind too.” The Doctor for a moment saw with delight that he had made River blush but she quickly recovered. “I’ve taught you well.” She kissed his lips lightly. “But enough flirting for the moment. Let’s go see what little Cilly got up to.”
The Doctor opened the front door and was immediately struck by how quiet the house seemed. River noticed too the lack of noise that usually followed their two year and with a shared look of concern they quickly rushed through the front hall to the front room where they found Nardole tied to a chair. Their Time Baby was standing next to the chair holding a cylinder shaped toy block. “Mummy! Daddy!” The child ran up to them and embraced them. “You’re just in time! I’m rescuing Nardole!” Cilly ran back to her nanny and held out her block, “Bzzzzz” She waved her block up and down in front of Nardole. Nardole subtly shrugged and the “ropes”, which were in actuality, Christmas tree garland, began to fall. Nardole stood up “I’m free!” Cilly grabbed his hand, “You’re not out of danger yet! We must return to the Tardis.” Nardole and the time baby jogged out of the room as The Doctor and River followed. Nardole and the time baby ran into her bedroom. “Into the Tardis, Nardole!” The baby spun around on her foot as The Doctor and River watched from the doorway.
“Bzzzzz” The Time Baby pointed its toy as unseen enemies before running into her Tardis. “We’re safe now!”
The Doctor and River clapped. “Well done, Cilly!”
Cilly and Nardole emerged from the Tardis. “Do you like my Tardis, Daddy?”
The Doctor squatted down so he was eye level with his child. The Time Baby had a head full of oynx curls and deep brown eyes. Time Babies didn’t always look like their parents current incarnations but The Doctor and River swore they saw some of their past incarnations in her. “I do, yes, do you want to show me the inside, Time Lady?”
The Time Baby grinned and took his hand. Her “Tardis” was actually a dark blue blanket that had been draped over some of the dining room chairs to make a tent. “Yes, but I am not a Time Lady, I’m an archeologist. I rescue people in distress!”
The Doctor gave a look to River, who was covering her mouth trying to stifle her laugher. “I think I’m going to take over bed time stories for a while.” The Doctor almost growled.
River spun out of the room and her laughter could be heard down the hall.
“Well, that’s me off. I trust I am not needed anymore tonight?” Nardole queried.
“No, no, thank you Nardole.” The Doctor turned back to his child. “Nardole is going home now, Cilly.”
“Thank you for playing with me Nardole!” Cilly called out already leading her father to her Tardis.
“Good night, Cilly-Billy.” Nardole replied.
Cilly stopped in her tracks. “What did you call me?” She asked curiously.
Nardole gave a slight laugh. “Oh it’s a nickname I thought of for you. You always come up with silly games so I thought, Cilly-Billy. A play on silly-billy”
The Time Baby smiled and pointed at Nardole. “I like that! But it’s a bit long. Just call me Bill.”