After clearing the table, River turned to the DocTwo and asked him when he was planning on rewiring the jumpers. Rose returned from becoming human again right as he was answering.

"Well, I had a couple of projects I promised the Tylers I'd finish, then we can go ahead to the Torchwood building and I can see if I can't talk my way into getting some of those dimension jumpers. Care to join me?" he asked River, strangely eager to show her what he and Rose and Pete did every day.

Her face lit up into a smile, and she only briefly glanced at Rose before saying, "I'd absolutely love to, Doctor. How long do you think those projects of yours will take to finish?"

"Shouldn't be more than an hour."

"Good. I've got something I'd been meaning to tend to, and that should give me some time to do it."

"Oh, do you need any help?" he asked, willing to put off his own projects a few minutes.

"Yeah, do you need anything?" Rose asked irritably, as though to remind them both she was there.

River did look at her then, face full of a patience Rose took to be patronizing.

"No, don't worry about me- it's nothing, really. Just some personal business I've got to see to."

"Without your ship?" Rose raised her eyebrows skeptically.

"Trust me dear," River held in her own tight smile, "there are many things I can do here without my ship. That beacon, for instance. I've still got to draw up the plans for that so I can be ready to build it once we have a clearer picture of range and mobility."

"Right," interjected the DocTwo, "so River will work on the beacon or whatever else she was planning, I'll finish up those things for your parents, Rose, and we'll meet down here in say- an hour and a half." He turned to go toward the basement. "Rose, you coming?"

"Nah," she said, eyes still on River, "I've got some stuff mum asked me to help her with. Should get it done before we leave." She turned back toward the kitchen, reluctantly taking her eyes off the other woman.

"Right," he cleared his throat, "of course." He nodded, turning to go. River couldn't help herself. She caught the DocTwo's eye as he was turning away, winking flirtatiously and smirking before she walked back toward her room, swaying her hips slightly more than was necessary.

He smiled before seeing Rose's scowl before he cleared his throat and ducked his head, hurrying down to finish his tasks.

Rose went to the foyer after she had exhausted every excuse to keep busy with her mother and then looked around for the DocTwo, resigned to be a part of this odd little whatever it was. When she saw no sign of either him or River, she decided to go downstairs and see what he was up to. As she opened the door, the sight of him doubled up in laughter caught her eyes. She looked up at River, who had evidently been the source of the amusement, and saw tears in her eyes as well. She was sitting on a hard bench and was helping him rearrange some sort of machine he'd rigged up for her dad, and she perked up when she saw the younger blonde enter the room.

"Oh, hello, Rose dear. All done with whatever it was you were doing?"

"Yeah," said Rose, arms crossed as she took in the scene in front of her. "I thought you had things to do."

"Well, I finished all the important stuff, then figured I'd come down here and spend time with the Doctor." The wrench lying on the machine near River's hand fell, and Rose was surprised when Tony toddled out from where the DocTwo was standing and picked it up for her. River smiled at him and thanked him profusely, praising the baby and sliding her hand across his head fondly. The little boy held up both hands to her, and River looked to the DocTwo, who smiled down at him.

"He wants you to hold him," he said, coming around and picked the boy up, placing him in River's arms. She grinned widely and fawned over the boy, who preened in her praise. She stroked his hair and told him what a handsome boy he was, and he clapped and giggled in joy.

"Docker," he said, pointing to the DocTwo, who smiled and waved in acknowledgment.

"Yes," said River, hugging the boy to her, before pointing to Rose, "and who's that?"

"Sissy," said the small child.

"And, who's this?" asked River, wildly twirling her hand, finger outstretched before pointing it back to him.

"Towy," he giggled out.

"You're such a smart boy," said River as he hugged her to him. He looked up at River, grabbing her face in his small hands and looking up at her.

"Ribber?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered him, beaming at his recognition.

"Baby," he said, his arms patting his own body once more.

"Yes," she said softly, kissing his forehead. "Baby Tony."

Rose watched the tenderness with which River handled her little brother, and slowly felt the irritation she'd felt for the stranger slightly fade into the background of her mind.