February 24, 2013.  9:12 PM

Today wasn't that eventful, surprisingly. Took both of them to the planet Barcelona. I feel bad for those dogs. River let Brooke use them as target practice. Only with a BB gun, she keeps saying, so it's no big deal, but still. And technically Brooke only hit one.

The King wasn't too happy about it, but he just let us go as soon as he laid eyes on my daughter. Took all the fun right out of it! No escaping, no running, no nothing! Just a glance at Brooke, and they're overcome by cuteness. Okay, she is adorable. And beautiful. But still.... I think she'd enjoy the running. Even if River's carrying her while she runs.

The Doctor sat down his pen and yawned.

I wanna eat! Let me eat, Milky! Brooke shouted telepathically.

"Go get me a pacifier, will you?" River asked him, brushing back her daughter's hair.

"Where are those?"

"Ask the Old Girl to materialize one. We picked one up at Walmart, I'm sure."

"Okay." He stood up and went to the control room, and eventually discovered a blue one under the console.

He went back into the room and handed it over. "Here you go."

"Thanks." River stuck in her mouth, but Brooke spit it out.

"Hey! Just take it! What's wrong with it?"

I can tell the difference. It's obviously rubber.

River groaned. "I'm tired. Can't you drink out of a bottle or something while you go to sleep?"

The baby's eyes opened, and darted around.

Can Daddy feed me?

His face flushed. "No! Only Mummy can do that."

"Lucky Dalek." River grumbled under her breath.

"Want me to make her a bottle?" The Doctor asked, stroking her face.

She peered down at the child, who's face resembled her father's pout. "Yeah. Go ahead." He nodded and walked out.

Mum! Those are weird! Please, let me eat.

River grinned. "You called me mum!"

Milky. Whatever.

"Too late now. It's mum."

Brooke started crying.

Please, Mum! Please! I don't want to!

"Look, I'm tired. And sore. All I want you to do is drink out a bottle. Just one time, alright?"

Her daughter sniffled, but quieted down. "And I want you to call me mum."

Okay.

River was smiling when the Doctor came back in the room. "What is it?" He asked as he handed the bottle over.

"She's calling me mum now."

"Oh, that's great!." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to each of their foreheads. "Goodnight, Brooke. I'm going to take a quick shower, alright?"

Night, daddy.

He grinned and went into the bathroom. By the time he got out, Brooke was in her room and River was reading a book on their bed.

"Hey." He plopped down beside her.

"Mmhmm." She murmured, focusing on the page. He huffed, annoyed, and slid under the covers.

He got impatient after a few seconds, and slid his hand on her knee. "River..."

"What?"

He shifted, and propped himself up on his elbow. "We should talk."

"We aren't kids, sweetie. We sleep in the same room. This isn't a slumber party."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "I know. But... what you said." He paused. "In Manhattan." He added. "Did you mean it?"

She looked up from her book and closed it. "Did I mean what?"

"You don't really... I mean, you know it's okay. You don't have to hide anything from me."

She stiffened. "Sure."

He frowned at her as she slid in next to him. "No, I mean it, River. You're a person. You're gonna have fears, and you're gonna be weak sometimes. I can handle that."

She went closer to him and curled her hand against his bare chest. "Just sleep, my love."

"Stop it."

She blinked at the harshness and tone of his words. "What?"

"I said stop it. You lost your parents. It matters to me, and it certainly matters to you. Stop hiding everything. I don't want you to hide the damage. I know River Song isn't invincible. I want all of you. Not just the superhero part." He cupped her cheek gently. "Okay? I want you to be able to talk to me."

She swallowed, and chose her words carefully. "Yes, it matters. I'm just good at handling it. I'm fine, I really am."

The Doctor sighed. "Fine? Are you really, River?"

She bit her lip and tugged her face away from his hands, instead burrowing into his arms.

"No." The word ghosted across his chest.

His hearts skipped beats. She had given in a lot easier than he'd expected.

"That's okay." He finally whispered back. "I'm right here."

She let out a small whimper she didn't know she'd been suppressing, and he pulled her tighter to him.

"I'm sorry." He told her hair. She didn't respond, but let her tears flow silently. "I really... I'm glad they're together." He added. "They deserved that, in the end. To be together."

She nodded.

"You did the right thing, not telling me about them before. We couldn't have done anything."

"Yeah."

"Hey, it's alright. And I don't know if you knew this, but you've got a brother."

Her eyes shot open, and she immediately sat up. "Oh my God! Mum got pregnant!?" 

He smiled, but shook his head. "No. They adopted this boy named Anthony."

She smiled and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Oh, wow. They finally got the child they wanted, eh?"

"Hey, they had you!"

She shook her head, and a sad look glinted off her eyes. "Not really, honey. I was always more of a best friend. Maybe not completely to Dad. He was sort of fatherly when we were kids. But with Mum, it was different. We grew up together, told each other everything. It was different."

He was silent for a moment. She was right.

"We can go visit Anthony, yeah? Maybe tomorrow. How's that sound? I bet he even knows how to use a sword! Rory'd never teach me. Always said I'd cut somebody on accident. But your brother'll show me!"  

She let the edges of her mouth quirk up. "Honey, I can use a sword. He taught me."

The Doctor beamed. "Really? Then you can teach me!"

"I'm never letting you near anything sharp again. Remember the balloon parade on Resikli?"

He sighed. "Fine. Then I'll ask him how to do nurse-y stuff or something."

 "Nurse-y?"

"Whatever." He slid his hand down her back. "Say, we've started to make up now..." He paused to slide it lower. "Want to finish?"

River arched an eyebrow, but nonetheless rolled him over and kissed that stupid smirk off his face.

[A/N. No diary entry at the end this time. Just at the beginning. There'll always be at least one in each chapter, though. No worries!]

[Votes and comments are worthy of fish fingers and custard!! (ignore the fact that that made no sense!) ]