DISCLAIMER: DOCTOR WHO BELONGS TO THE BBC

A/N: YUP ME AGAIN WITH ANOTHER TIME TOT FICLET. I JUST CAN'T WRITE ENOUGH OF THEM IT SEEMS …

THIS TAKES PLACE QUITE A WHILE AFTER THE WEDDING OF RIVER SONG FOR RIVER AND FOR THE DOCTOR IT TAKES PLACE WHEN HE'S HAVING CHRISTMAS DINNER WITH AMY AND RORY.

In a cramped , damp cell , millions of light years away from any other galaxy , in a prison full of thugs and murderers , throughout the crazed yells of prisoners and the clanging of guards shutting and opening cells a new and unexpected sound travelled through the air unnoticed. The sound of a new life crying for the first time.

River rocked back and forth with her hands clutching at her hair till it felt like it was going to fall out and her scalpel was going to bleed. What the hell was she going to do? She peered down at the tiny baby wrapped up in a tardis blue blanket and he stared back at her with huge , grey eyes unblinkingly. She was still drenched in her own blood from her long and strenuous labour and everything was becoming a blur of chaos. She hadn't a clue how to care for a child and she knew that there was no way that she could keep him , not with her dangerous lifestyle and most certainly not in Stormcage. " And as for your impossible father. I have no idea where he's got to. " She whispered and reached her tired arm out to stroke her sons soft brown tuft of hair. " You're perfect. " She placed a finger in his tiny palm and watched in awe as his fingers wrapped round hers. He really was perfect though. He had his fathers hair and his skin was so pale he looked like he was a tiny porcelain doll.

She sighed in frustration , it was usual for The Doctor to go off and not show up for months and he was always late but never once had he let her down like this. This was such bad timing on his part and part of her hated him for it whilst the other half of her screamed out for him and hoped the familiar blue box would materialise at any given moment. She hadn't seen him since their sons conception and that scared her , perhaps he'd forgotten about her and had abandoned her. Their son on the other hand had the complete opposite problem with timing and had arrived far too early or at least she thinks he's early but she really hasn't the faintest idea about how long a timelord pregnancy should be as records only date back to when the Timelords started using looms to perfect the gene pool.

So far she'd been able to hide the fact that she'd been pregnant from the guards of Stormcage by wearing a perception filter to cover up her bump and blaming her morning sickness on the dodgy food they fed her and she had even managed to stay relatively quiet throughout her labour despite the agonizing pain she had been in but a baby compared to all that was a different matter entirely. Who knows what the prison guards would do if they found her with a baby. They would take him away from her for sure , perhaps even kill him. And if news got out about her giving birth to a baby then suspicions would arouse and people would begin to question who the father was and when they find out the contents of her babies DNA riot would be let loose on the universe. Everyone would know that The Doctor was still alive and then her being in Stormcage would have been a completely pointless exercise. It hadn't been easy for her , pretending she had killed the man she loved but then she remembered just how close she had come to doing so and how on one occasion she actually had. Back then in Germany she had been a young , brainwashed psychopath and it was only then that she realised how much The Doctor really cared about … well everything and everybody that was in the universe and how he wasn't the monster he had been painted out as.

The thing that had really won her over though and perhaps now she truly thought about it had started her obsession of love for him was the blue , leather bound diary that he had placed by her hospital bedside ; that had been the first act of kindness she had ever experienced. After that she had fallen for The Doctor hook line and sinker and her love for their child was just as deep. That was why she knew she couldn't keep him , because sometimes if you love someone you have to let them go. She knew who could have their child though , who deserved to have a child after all that happened over the years because of The Doctor . Her parents. She couldn't think of anyone else more worthy of bringing him up and at least he'd be cared for and he'd be safe and tucked away from the rest of the universe. She knew her mother and father had always wanted a child of their own and although she was their flesh and blood they hadn't been able to raise her and for that she felt guilt burden her. Perhaps in giving them her son they would be getting a second chance but they'd get to do it right this time round. Her parents wouldn't have a clue as to who baby actually was as he didn't have his second heart yet and wouldn't till he regenerated, hopefully he'll never have to do that River thought to herself. She felt tears welling up in her eyes as she realised that her son wouldn't ever know his real parents and she wouldn't be the one he'd call mummy nor would The Doctor be called daddy.

She'd have to work fast if her plan was going to work out though , she could already hear the jangling of keys telling her a guard was coming to open her cell. First of all she was not setting off and placing her son in her parents care without sending a message with him to hopefully show him when he grew up that she truly cared about him and would never forget about him. She quickly ripped a piece of unblemished paper from her blue diary and grabbed her fountain pen but noting she had only a drop of ink left from over use in writing down the many adventures her and The Doctor had had she swore under her breath. She shrugged and dipped her pen in the only resource she had , her own blood. She poured her soul onto that single page and hoped it was readable through the blood spots and tear stains. She grabbed her thick winter coat, stuffed the letter in her pocket and gently picked up the baby and delicately placed him in the inside of her coat close to her chest and stood up despite her legs wanting to give way underneath her .

Just as she heard a key turning in the lock of her door she reached her hand up to her vortex manipulator and typed in the coordinates for Leadworth. She closed her eyes and hoped that the baby would be ok as travelling by vortex had it's risks , especially for a life so precious and fragile. She landed with an almighty thud and only just managed to steady herself. She peered into her coat and sighed in relief as the seemingly unharmed baby just looked at her and gurgled , if she wasn't mistaken her son was laughing. She smiled , happy that her son was totally unaware of the seriousness of the situation. She shivered and pulled the tiny boy closer to her , glad for her thick winter coat as it was snowing quite heavily.

She grimaced as she caught sight of her parents house only a few feet away from her. Could she do this? Was she really strong enough to leave hers and The Doctors son alone? Could she really lie through her teeth the next time she saw The Doctor , that is if she ever saw The Doctor again? She shook her thoughts away and began to walk swiftly towards her parents house. Of course she could do this ! She was River song ! She'd been through much worse than this.

But as she placed her baby on her parents door step she had to literally force herself to knock on the door and it took all her effort to turn away from her son. His face although so young seemed to question her , mommy why are you leaving me here ? She quickly placed the letter she had written beside him and ran away as fear of breaking her sons true identity clutched at her hearts. She only stopped when she thought she was far enough for no one to see her and watched in silence for someone to open the door.

Amy , Rory and The Doctor were all laughing as they all pulled crackers with each other around the table. The Doctors paper hat kept on falling over his eyes and he was getting incredibly annoyed and was flapping his arms around in a wild panic when there was four loud knocks on their front door. " I'll get it. " Rory rolled his eyes at his childish wife and his best friend acting like they were five years old instead of grown ups and scrambled to his feet. He wobbled slightly and laughed at how light-headed he felt , perhaps he should of stopped at his sixth glass of wine . He stumbled down the corridor and to the front door.

" If that's carollers again , tell them they can get stuffed. " Amy yelled after him followed by a rather girly, high pitched giggle from The Doctor.

Rory swung the door open and stared down in shock at what lay before him. He'd expected some stupid school kids to be singing at the top of their lungs , not what he saw now. A tiny baby wrapped in a blue blanket on his doorstep.

He looked around but he couldn't see anyone through the thick blizzard that was coating Leadworth in a blanket of white . " Who are you little one?" He muttered to himself and scooped the bundle into his arms and away from the freezing cold. His eye caught something , a piece of paper . Probably from whatever low life left their baby on my doorstep Rory though internally but picked it up anyway.

" Who was it Rooray? " Amy yelled.

Rory , holding the baby in his arms rather awkwardly strolled back into the dining room. " A baby. " He stated. " Someone left it on our doorstep. " Rory shook is head. " I don't know how people can do this to their own children. "

Amy stared at Rory and the tiny baby in his arms in awe. She got up and walked with caution to Rory , a look of hope in her eyes followed by a forlorn Doctor.

The Doctors eyes dilated to twice their size and his brow creased as he came face to face with the adorable bundle Rory held. " Humans, sometimes I do wonder if there's any sense in those pint sized brains of yours. " He practically growled in anger.

" Doctor. " Amy playfully slapped him on the arm , snapping him out of his anger mode and back to her happy go lucky imaginary friend.

" I mean you and Rory are the only exceptions. " He held his hands up in mock surrender before turning his attention back to the baby.

" Yeh but why abandon your baby to fend for itself , we could have been anyone. Murderess for all they could of known. " Amy blurted out and blinked away tears as old scars started to resurface.

" One less mouth to feed at Christmas. " Rory shrugged.

As the baby reached forwards and wrapped his fingers around one of The Doctors silky brown locks an instant connection was made between the two. " Hello to you to. " The Doctor murmured as a smile wiped across his face.

" Doctor you said you can speak baby. Can't you just ask it where it came from? " Amy queried.

" Firstly lets stop with the it Pond , it is a he. " He informed. " And secondly I can most certainly speak baby, I can speak everything." He smiled smugly. " And I could but I doubt that he'd understand , much too young to be understanding full sentences. " His brow creased slightly. " I think he's slightly premature in fact going by his size but you're a fighter little one aren't you. Don't worry you'll be ok , I was abandoned in the cold and left on my own and look at me now. " The Doctor stroked the baby's cheek gently , as if he was made of glass.

" Do you think that's why they left him on our doorstep? Out of fear. " Amy asked.

" Could be pond , fear can do the funniest things to the best of us. " The Doctor smirked as the baby seemed to smile at him.

That's when Rory remembered the letter. " Oh right. I found this left with him as well." He said and handed the letter to The Doctor.

The Doctor unfolded the piece of paper and held back a gasp at the writing in blood , the all too familiar writing. The writing that was so messy but neat at the same time could only belong to one person in the universe. This letter was from his wife , this letter was from River song.

To my dearest baby boy.

I am writing this to tell you that I love you very dearly and that I will never forget you. Your father on the other hand doesn't know about you but that isn't exactly his fault , its mine and if by any coincidence that he finds you remember not to hate him and to love him as I love him. I have placed you with the pond family as to give you a safe upbringing from the rest of the universe and that's all I ever wanted for you , to be safe. You may be different from the other children of Earth but always remember no matter how hard or far you fall , you shall always be loved and cared for.

I know that we'll never meet again so goodbye my dearest son. Do something for me if only to put my mind at rest … have a good life.

Love your mother xxx

The Doctor stared at the baby , truly took him in for the first time. Eyes that looked uncannily like Rivers stared back. " How could I of been so stupid. " He yelled and slammed his hand against his forehead.

The baby's face screwed up and he started bawling and wailing at the top of his lungs.

" Great Doctor thanks. " Rory moaned and started rocking the baby up and down in an attempt to calm him.

" Shh. " The Doctor held one finger up and the baby quietened down almost immediately.

The Doctor gestured for Rory to give him the baby and Rory compliantly placed him in The Doctors arms. He could sense it now , like a sixth sense he'd forgotten over centuries of being alone . Back on Gallifrey all Timelords had been connected by a physic link and when Gallifrey had burned The Doctor had lost that but now the familiar feeling of a presence pushing around in his brain was present. This baby was impossible , a complete and utter oddity of the universe but here it was cradled in his arms. Children of Gallifrey had been abolished once the high lord president had created looms so that only gave him one option. An option that he wasn't really sure if he liked or not.

" What's wrong Doctor? " Amy asked.

The Doctor swallowed and exhaled loudly. " I think he's my son. " He croaked through his façade of emotions.

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INVISIBLEBLADE XXX