Raising a Song 101 [Sequel to Hello Sweetie]

Chapter 5

It looked the same as it did when they left. The TARDIS blue door, the flower bed, even the door knocker that the Doctor had modified. The only difference was the car in the yard.

River shifted Brooke on her hip and walked to the door, the Doctor on her heels. They were uncharacteristically silent, and Brooke's gurgling was the only voice heard.

The Doctor knocked on the door.

It was a moment before anyone answered, but eventually the door opened, and a man stepped out. He had black hair and smiling green eyes, which widened as soon as he recognized them. 

"Oh. My. God." He stuttered, leaning on the door frame. "You're- you're- Oh my God." He repeated. "Come inside, come in." He immediately backed up and motioned.

"It's yours anyway."

River smiled her thanks and walked in. "Not really. It was Mum and Dad's. He just gave it to them."

"I meant yours." Anthony said quietly, shutting the door behind them. River quirked an eyebrow, but nevertheless walked into the lounge and sat. The Doctor followed, placing Brooke on the floor next to a toy of hers that was still set up in the corner from the year before. Anthony, he noticed, hadn't taken it down. She batted at the small rattle hanging down and Anthony sat across from them, taking a deep breath.

He was quiet for a long moment, and River was about to ask if she could go make tea or something when he finally spoke.

"They- they told me all about you." He admitted. "Every night they'd tell me a story with you in it. They always considered you a part of the family, even if they didn't show it as much. Dad-" He chuckled at that. "Dad would always talk about the amazing things you did. Mum did a lot more, obviously, but it was a big deal with Dad because he never did that with anyone else, not really. Mum used to tell me about how she met you when she was little. That was my favorite story." He smiled. "And then they'd say how they were proud to know you, how they wished I'd have met you.  How you were one of the best people in the universe, even if you didn't always believe it.

"And Dad used to say that you were one of the fastest eaters he'd ever known. I guess that surprised me a bit. He was...." Anthony paused. "He wished he could have told you goodbye. At least Mum did, but he was just gone. Straight to the early 20th century from the early 21st.

"One of the... stories, I guess, they told me about you was how they went to some planet with you, and how that queen wanted to marry you, but you said no because you were married. I always thought that was good on you.

"And they said," He began, biting his lip, "they said that they couldn't be more happy to have had you, and that they don't regret a thing. That even though they didn't get to raise you, you were their daughter. And that if I ever met you, they said to-" He reached over and got River's hand. "they said to tell you they loved you."

Her eyes widened in surprise, and she reached up to brush at her eyes. "I'm guessing you know who I am, then." She tried, a watery laugh coming out.

Anthony smiled. "Of course I do. Melody Pond. My sister."

"I go by River now."

He shook his head and squeezed her hand. "Nah. I think I'd rather call you Mels, if that's alright."

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"Okay, here you go." Anthony said, setting two cups in front of them. "One with more sugar than tea, and one with half as much sugar as tea."

River got hers and grinned. "I'm guessing Mum also told you about my sweet tooth."

"That she did." He took a sip of his Coke. "And about your hair. I never did understand the way she described it. 'Kind of like a lion's hair, except really curly and soft and smells like petrichor.' I do get that now."