River Song: Hello Sweetie

Comics, Cocoa, And Cookies

The first time River pops by to visit Rory, she nearly scares the living daylights out of him. "Hello Rory." "Ah!!" Rory shrieks, although later he swears it was a very manly cough. "River! Er... Hello." He says, his heart slowing down to a normal pace. He glances down and realizes he's in his pajamas. He gestures to the stairs. "I should go change, you wait here, I can wake Amy-" "No, Rory. I came to see you, like always." Her smile is full of nostalgic sadness and she starts to fiddle with her vortex manipulator. "I see I've come too early, so sorry to bother you. I'll just be going now." "Wait." Rory grabs her wrist, halting her flustered movements. "You don't have to leave." "When are we for you?" River asks cautiously. "The last time I saw you, you were Mels, and then things got confusing and I punched Hitler." River chuckles, sharp relief flooding her features. "What about you, River? You look troubled. When are we for you?" River's eyes flicker to the ground quickly, her shoulders shrugging in dismissive nonchalance. "I'm not troubled, I just haven't seen you in a while." Rory sees through her lie but decides to let it go. River used to be Mels and Rory always knew that when Mels didn't want to talk about something, she wouldn't. But sometimes, very rarely, he'd be able to coax things out of her, and he knows just how. He smiles at her, his baby girl, one of his best friends, and always such a mystery. "Want some hot cocoa and biscuits?"

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Rory is eight and so very small for his age. School had been let out a while ago but he had stayed behind for his mathletes club. It's over now and Rory walks to the playground to wait for his dad who is supposed to pick him up. He is surprised to see Mels sitting on his favorite swing, she is frowning dejectedly at the twig she's twirling around in her fingers. "Hey!" He says, his voice squeaky and higher than he'd like it to be. "Hey." He tries again, his voice comically lowered. Mels looks up and scowls at him, rolling her eyes at his ridiculous tone. She ignores him as Rory walks closer. "What's wrong?" He asks, his childish concern and curiosity sincere. "Just go away." Mels growls at him. It's not the first time Rory has been alone with Mels but there's something different about today, her fiery spirit seems duller. Rory doesn't like it. As much as she teases him and pushes him around, Rory counts Mels to be his friend, and it distresses him to see her so upset. "Really, what's the matter?" Rory asks, trying again. Mels glares at him but doesn't say a word. Rory had actually expected her to punch him, but when the hit never came, he knew something was wrong. He sits next to her, but the only swing left is rather tall and Rory has quite the struggle to climb onto it. He jumps and pulls himself up with scrawny arms, it takes him several tries to make it, but when he accomplishes his impressive feat, Mels does not congratulate him on his victory. She doesn't even insult him, not one word escapes her sassy lips. Now he knows something is definitely wrong. Rory decides that if she's playing the quiet game, he's going to win. It shouldn't be too difficult, he's had loads of practice from playing with Amy. He stays silent, never pumping his feet to actually swing, he simply waits. He has to wait for quite a long time, Mels is stubbornly resolute to keep her mouth shut. After what seems like an eternity, she finally heaves a tremendous sigh and addresses Rory. "Leave!" She demands. "Not until you tell me what's wrong." Rory says. Their eyes lock into a staring contest and for once Rory is taller than Mels. He's glad for his tall swing, even if he doesn't know how he's going to get down. Mels stares up at him, she looks too tired for her age. She blinks first and Rory tries not to be too smug about this little victory. "I won." He says, almost in awe. "You did not." Mels scowls but he is too happy to be affected. "I did too, and now you have to answer the question." "We weren't even playing a game." "You're only saying that because you're too chicken to tell me what's wrong." "I am not a chicken!" She says, insulted. "Then tell me what's wrong." She groans in defeat. "There's nothing wrong, people are just stupid." Rory blinks, that wasn't really what he had been expecting. He realizes that she's still not saying what's really on her mind. "Who's stupid?" He asks. "Just people." Mels says, her hands thrown up in the air in frustration. "But who?" Rory persists, determined to find out who had annoyed his friend so much. "Everybody!" Mels shouts, fed up with his questions. "Me and Amy too?" Rory asks, trying his best not to sound hurt. "No, just everybody else." They don't talk for a little while, Rory stews over Mels words. He notices that they are the only kids left at the school playground, everyone else had already been picked up. "Did Jane forget to pick you up again?" He asks gently. If it's possible, Mels scowl deepens further. "I don't care. I don't need her, or Sam." "Of course you do, they're your parents." Rory says in his calm logic. Mels says nothing, Rory wonders if he's made a blunder. "They're not my parents, they're my foster parents. I know my parents, they just-" Mels stops, looking off into the distance. She looks scared, but when Rory turns his head to see what she's staring at, nothing is there. "What were you looking at?" He asks, his neck craning to see what he's missed. "What? I wasn't looking at anything." "Yeah you were. You were talking about your parents and then you just stopped." Mels looks at him like he's mental. "No I wasn't." "You were just saying how Jane and Sam are stupid!" He says accusingly. "Well, they are. So?" Rory shakes his head, he opens his mouth to argue, but his dad beeps his car horn, signaling that he was there. "Do you want to come home with me? I'm sure Jane wouldn't mind, and you could call her at our house to make sure." Mels looks skeptical. "What would we even do?" "I don't know, whatever you'd like to do. We could watch tv, or read comics, or invite Amy over, whatever you want." "Amy has an appointment with a doctor." "Well then just you and me, it could still be fun." "I don't know.." "There's also hot cocoa and biscuits." "Fine." Rory smiles and jumps down from his swing, it's much too high of a jump and he ends up sprawled across the ground. It makes Mels giggle though, so Rory doesn't mind too much. He stands up and offer Mels a hand up. She stares at the offending appendage in contempt. "Come on." Rory says affably. "It's just a hand." She sighs but grabs his hand, letting him pull her up from her swing. "I'm just doing this for the cocoa and biscuits." She says. Rory just smiles.