Yowzah Oneshot Collection (1)

43(G)

of shoes-- and ships-- and sealing wax

He was late.

Also in trouble. But most definitely late. He’d promised – well he always promised but it was a bit difficult to keep track of time when you popped out for the tea your wife particularly likes and ended up embroiled in the middle of an inter-planetary conflict of the alien invading variety.

He was running toward the TARDIS. Not being chased – not by anything other than the mental image of his irate wife and their equally put out daughter. He slammed the doors behind him, sprinting down the hall in a rush. As he drew closer he could hear the muffled giggles emitting from Amelia’s room. He paused by the door, to catch his breath – no need to make it obvious – and if he happened to overhear, well....

“’If seven maids with seven mops swept it for half a year. Do you suppose,’ the Walrus said, ‘That they could get it clear?’” River was reading Amelia’s favourite story aloud, complete with hand gestures and different voices. The Doctor peered around the frame and watched intently.

Amelia was tucked into her blue blankets, her walls drenched in stars and watching her mother intently, her hands laced together as she gasped and giggled and clapped at the story. He felt his hearts swell in his chest as he watched – the source of such joy surely couldn’t be contained in one small tiny girl who would be a Timelord one day. “You’re late Daddy.” Amelia’s voice cut across his musing and he felt a grin stretch across his face as he popped his head further into the doorframe.

“Am I? Are you sure, Amelia Song? Because I am a lord of time and I’m fairly certain that I am certainly, most definitely...” He grinned as he spoke and River glanced over her shoulder with an arched brow and a slow smile. Amelia simply crossed her arms and glared at him. Sometimes she was eerily like her namesake. “Alright, alright-  a smidgen, teensy, weensy bit late. I have a good excuse!” He sauntered into the room, and flopped onto the foot of Amelia’s bed, causing her to giggle and River to look down at his head pillowed on her lap as he shot her an unrepentant wink and a smile. “What’s this rubbish you’re reading? Not this book again.” He snatched the book from where it lay open on the bed for Amelia to follow along with.

It’d been a gift from Amy and Rory – proper human books so Amelia would know all of her history. And read them to her yeah? Don’t just be putting her to bed with your ridiculous robot king stories, Raggedy Man. Amy’d brought books upon books upon books into the TARDIS for her little granddaughter.  It also happened to be Amelia’s favourite book at the moment – and they’d read it so many times that neither he nor River needed the book to read from anymore, so now Amelia would follow along with them.

“Daddy!” Amelia protested with a shriek, reaching for the book in his hands that he held away from her.

“What about a proper story? The Emperor Dalek’s New Clothes? You love that one. Or Daddy could tell you a story.” Amelia stopped reaching for the book at that and she clapped, her face wreathed in smiles once more. River’s hand moved into his hair, as she leaned close enough to him that he could feel her breath on his cheek.

“You spoil her.” She admonished him softly and he grinned up at her.

“And you don’t?” He countered, reaching up to tap her nose gently before he sat up quickly, clapping his hands in delight. “Alright Miss Amelia. What story would you like? Oh how about the one with-”

“The aliens!” Amelia and River both responded in the same sing-song voice and he pouted at them.

“Well I could tell the one about the time I-”

“Saved the universe.” They both finished for him and he let out his breath in a huff, folding his arms across his chest and glaring at his family.