22) Is It a Cry For Help?

[starjargon]

A/N- I wrote this for my own enjoyment.  The last line ran through my head one day, and this is what came of it.  Hope you like it!

 

 

It was one of those weeks where River was travelling with them constantly- an occasional occurrence when they knew who she was- after all, not only were they her parents, but they had been her best friends.

 

Amy only ever found out where the Doctor’s room was- or the fact that he had a room at all- because of her daughter.

 

While her Raggedy Man worked on his precious ship, River invited Amy in to explore her wardrobe, rooms upon rooms of different outfits, scarves, accessories, and most of all- shoes.  They spent hours in there, Amy using her daughter’s clothes closet as a shopping mall.  They dressed up and accessorized- the reverse of a child trying on her mommy’s big- girl clothes.

 

River would explain where she was when she acquired random articles of clothing such as a leather rawhide catsuit (something about dinosaurs, sturdy material, and the Doctor’s fetish for poking creatures with sharp teeth- repeatedly).  She had jewelry that Snow White’s dwarves would covet- some of it even obtained legitimately.  Amy laughed when she saw River’s collection of headdresses.  Apparently, they aren’t only good when researching ancient cultures, but for impersonating chieftains when the Doctor is once again blamed for the infertile grounds and peoples of different centuries and planets.  Amy complained when River forced her into a corset, upset when she realized her daughter cheated and had herself donned a 33^rd century contraption that maintained all the appearance of the 16^th century torture device while also maintaining all mobility and breathability.  Apparently, River’s was more conducive to battle.

 

They got lost in River’s own little world of shoes- from practical to utterly ridiculous, colorful to elegant- it seemed if it was ever in style on any world in any time, River owned it.  Amy understood the use for high sandals of Ancient Rome and the pryxn from Melitta Minoria.  She got that her daughter went on digs wearing the boots and that the heels were her signature.  She didn’t understand the jelly shoes of Nuez- literally made of a type of moldable jam.  She drooled over the stilettos and laughed when she found out the Doctor had a pair of platform shoes to match his wife’s.  She enjoyed attempting to balance on the zero- gravity bubble shoes of Wonkan and paraded in all the specially- made designer shoes her daughter had charmed her way into getting personally crafted.  It took hours for Rory to retrieve his girls from that room just to remind them to eat at one point.

 

Amy understood when River quickly steered her past the assorted, yet similar, spacesuits she had well- guarded behind glass (the suits themselves were indispensable in their function, but their ability to remain intact remained solely on their distance from the suit- weary River), on to the different uniforms she wore as she commanded in various wars and battles.  The fact River was a soldier didn’t surprise Amy, though she was curious as to what causes her daughter fought for. 

 

River called Rory over to hear a few of her war stories- from the slave revolutions of New Neo New Egypt to Earth’s own French Revolution.  She told them the real story of the skirmish of Troy and about a crushing lost battle in a valley on Hera during the Unification War against the Alliance.  She also told them stories where it was she, and not just her pacifist husband, who stopped the fighting before it had a chance to begin.

 

 

It seemed there were now only two rooms left unexplored in this massive place- River allowed Amy to make her way through the room where she kept her nightclothes, explaining that the one room she quickly locked was for “special” clothes that her mother never need see.  And she was smart enough to hide the key, knowing her mother would try to swipe it once she got the chance.  After Amy’s second attempt, she turned her attention to her “trophy room,” saying it was the one room in here that the Doctor never found.  Inside were bits and pieces of cloth that had no rhyme or reason to Amy, until she found tattered pieces of a red fez.

 

“Have you really shot this many hats off the Doctor?”

 

“That man will never learn.  However, in my defense- it’s not just hats in here.  That right there is fortunately all that remains of this hideous waistcoat he was once fond of.”

 

Amy actually shrieked at the sight- although, upon further reflection, she really shouldn’t be surprised.

 

So, after what could have been hours or days exploring the many looks of River Song, she thought her child could surprise her no more.  Then one, ill- fated night, Amy passed by her and the Doctor’s room on her way to get a midnight snack, where she saw her daughter wearing what she instantly knew was what River had tried to keep locked behind a door in the nightclothes department.  It stopped her cold in her tracks- her eyes wide and gawking.

 

“Oh. My. Gosh,” said the stunned Amy.  “So this is what you were hiding!  You know- there are certain things mothers should never know about their daughters.”

 

River looked up to see her mother’s shocked expression and immediately tried to put on a long dressing gown to cover up, but it was too late.  Amy had seen all she needed to.

 

“Mum! What’re you doing up?!  It’s not what it looks like- the Doctor bought a few sets of these for me one Christmas- years ago.  I was just seeing if they still fit, that’s all. You know him and his odd… tastes.”

 

For being one of the best liars in the universe, River was doing a terrible job.

 

“You have forever altered my perception of the River Song,” said Amy, a little disappointment behind her blush.

 

“What’s the matter, Pond?” asked the Doctor as he passed Amy, plate full of jammie dodgers in his hand- noticing the look on both his friend and wife’s faces.

 

“She-“

 

“I just saw what River wears to bed when she thinks she won’t get caught.  And you!  You bought it for her!”

 

The Doctor was oblivious to his wife’s discomfort, ignoring her attempts to cover herself as he took off his own dressing gown with delight- showing off his matching nightclothes to Amy.

 

He wiggled his feet in her face as both she and River groaned.

 

“They’re cool, Pond.  Footie pajamas are cool.”

 

 

 

A/N- Not completely sure I got the terminology correct, but still- I think the point comes across well.  -  I love playing with Amy’s perception of River and River’s embarrassment- she’s River Song for crying out loud!  Also, if anyone is interested, I’d love to see this “prompt” fiddled with by someone else.  It could be very entertaining! Anyway, PM me if you end up doing anything with this, I’d love to read it.