DOCTOR WHO: FATHER, DAUGHTER

Rory just couldn't sleep, he didn't know why but the tick of the clock during the night was driving him insane. Amy was fast asleep next to him and she snored loudly. Occasionally she'd mutter something entirely random and Rory just looked on oddly at his wife.
"Oh, put that fish down…." she mumbled before her snoring took centre stage again. Rory just smiled but was still slightly puzzled by Amy's odd dreams. Soon, he got up out of bed and made his way out into the TARDIS corridors for some form of peace and quiet. He was going to check on the Doctor at first but then heard the kettle boiling from the kitchen down the long, cold corridor. He could hear the Doctor talking to himself before whistling the tune of the hokey cokey, so he was clearly occupied at the moment. Rory imagined him to be doing the hokey cokey as he whistled the tune. He didn't know why, but it was just something the Doctor would do. He was going to go head into the kitchen just to have a chat with him but suddenly in the corner of his eye, Rory saw a bright flash of light coming from the centre console area.
"What was that?" he muttered under his breath before slowly heading that way. His slippers brushed against the cold floor of the TARDIS as his dressing gown draped along it too but Rory felt incredibly hazy. He hadn't slept for more than five minutes all night at the last check and he was desperately in need of a nap, but he was curious as to what the bright light was. He was so sleepy that he hadn't even buttoned up his pyjama shirt properly and his slippers were infact on the wrong feet, but he didn't seem to care. It was at times like this where Rory felt his most human. Travelling onboard the TARDIS can make you forget about the simpler aspects of life, but his sleepy haze with his unkempt look just reminded him of the hours he spent revising as a teen in preparation of becoming a nurse. They were good times at first, but this life felt even better. Soon, he reached the entrance of the console area and saw a figure wandering around the controls. Rory was that sleepy that he couldn't make out who it was, so he reached for his pair of glasses he kept in his dressing gown pocket. As soon as he put them on and made sure the lenses weren't smudged, he just froze in shock.
"Hello dad…" called the figure as Rory looked on surprised.
"River…" he managed to stutter.

Rory slowly wandered across to the centre console where before him was River. His eyes were not deceiving him at all. She was dressed incredibly elegantly and her hair was curlier than ever before from what Rory could remember. Her make-up looked pristine too and she looked wonderful compared to his shabby appearance. Rory's shaggy and scruffy hair with messy stubble a stark contrast to River's refined look.
"What are you doing here?" Rory managed to ask.
"I was passing by in the area, had a spare key and thought why not?" River smiled.
"Were in flight, how could you be passing by? And what the heck was that flashing light I saw?"
"Oh that light was just a gun a fired at someone who was trying to attack me. They're out in space now anyway, so it doesn't matter. I came here because I was purposely trying to find the Doctor; I just wanted a word with him. Is he around at all?" River explained.
"He's busy…" Rory answered as he sure he could still hear the Doctor whistling the hokey cokey tune in the distance.
"Oh, fair enough, I'll pop round another time…" River said but Rory grabbed a hold of her long-flowing black dress. Something was clearly bugging him.
"We need a word…" he said as River turned around to look at him.
"What about?" River asked.
"Everything…" Rory said as River sat down on one of the console seats. Rory sat down on another as the pair of them just fell silent for a moment. "You're my daughter…" Rory then managed to say after stopping himself several times.
"Yes, I am…" River agreed. "We've covered all of this before Rory. I need to be elsewhere if I'm honest..."
"Don't call me by name anymore…" Rory said authoritatively. "I never call either of my parents by their name and you will follow that trend. I'm dad, not Rory to you…" he added sternly. River was just shocked.
"Where's all of this angst come from?" River asked. "I'm only being me…"
"That's the problem though…" said Rory as he took off his glasses. "You're my daughter but I barely know it. My mum and dad are grandparents and they have no clue whatsoever. I can hardly introduce them to you one day and say you're my daughter. You're older than me for heaven's sake." he continued as River looked on at her dad in a way she'd never seen him before. He'd been angry at people for taking her away when she was young and angry at hideously evil people on their adventures together, but she'd never seen him angry at her like this at all. Even when she was Mels, Rory never got angry at her. Yes, they disagreed but were friends again the next moment, this was something new. She couldn't tell if his bloodshot eyes were from anger or tiredness as the moment was just a lot to comprehend for both of them.
"I'm sorry, but that's the way I am Rory…sorry, dad…" River said apologetically.
"Well don't…" Rory said furiously. "When I was younger all I wanted was a perfect family. I wanted to marry Amy, become a Doctor and have a child of my own. I wanted to be there at every key moment in their growing up. Their first steps, their first words, but I've got none of that. All I got instead was my daughter being taken away to be brainwashed to kill my friend before she then got sent down to befriend me and Amy when we were young…I can hardly have a camcorder of memories for that…"
"But by me doing that as Mels when I was younger ensured that I was born…" River explained as she then got a hold of Rory's hand. "I'm key to the Doctor and without you or Amy, I wouldn't be there."
"At times I wish you weren't…" Rory mumbled through a stream of tears that developed through his last rant. "I don't think Amy ever wanted to be a mum, or one that is solely occupied by their child, not especially after meeting the Doctor. As soon as she started travelling with him, the child was put to the side. I want to be a dad. I want to be there when you first learn to swim and to ride a bike; I want to be there when you start school with me waving you off from the gates. I just want to be a regular, ordinary dad. Rory Williams, a father, a proud father. That's all I want." he added before stopping himself due to the tears once again. River just felt awful and just consoled Rory as the emotions got the better of him…

Soon, Rory had managed to regain a sense of calm but River was just looking at him in a way that she felt like she knew the damage she was causing.
"I'm sorry dad…" she whispered into his ear before just falling silent once again. Rory's emotions were all over the place and the lack of sleep wasn't helping matters at all. As he looked up at his daughter, he could see she was holding back her tears for now but was clearly struggling. Rory's anger though still continued.
"You do realise you were probably our only chance of a child now, don't you?" he said sadly towards River.
"Why? Is Amy alright? Are you alright?" River just asked hurriedly in a panic.
"Were fine, but not properly yet, River. Ever since you were taken away from us at such a young age and when Amy saw your ganger dissolve before her, she said she didn't want to ever think of trying for another child ever again because it would bring back the pain of Demon's Run." Rory explained. "You were our only hope as a child and now that's lost. I can never be a proper dad now can I? I can't be full of pride when I show off my child to my mum and dad and be full of elation. That can never happen now."
"It still can…" River said adamantly through tears. "I'd love to have a brother or sister…I really would..."
"Amy doesn't want to be a mum again at all now, so that hope is all gone…" Rory retorted as he stamped his feet on the glass floor of the console area. "I just wanted to be a dad, a regular ordinary dad." Rory then repeated. "Just a regular dad…"
"You are though…" River pointed out. "You and Amy raised me when I was Mels. How I've become is down to you two…don't do yourself a disservice…"
"Is that a compliment?" Rory asked. "My daughter's an alien-killer. A Doctor as well, but I never imagined that. I just wanted someone more….normal."
"Like Melody Williams?" River asked. "I know that was your wish to have me take your name…"
"Well it would have been the only thing you've gained from me." Rory snapped. "There's nothing of me whatsoever in you at all. I can see Amy's fiery attitude flowing through you and obviously there's even elements of the Doctor about you. What is there from me about you?"
"A heart of gold…" River said. "…and a determination to help all that are injured and in need of saving. A heart for love and friendship. That's what I've got from you…" she added as Rory looked on with a half-smile. To River, he looked somewhat proud but she knew his anger was still so dominant. She'd heard from both the Doctor and Amy how Rory just stores problems and how they eat away at him slowly. This had obviously been doing that to him for some time and it broke River's heart. Her dad was an emotional wreck right in front of her and it was all down to her actions in life.
"Are you proud of me?" she then asked as she wiped away a tear or two. "Be as honest as you want, dad." Rory just looked unsure and fell silent as he thought through an answer. River's mind was playing havoc on her as she could see that Rory's anger was far too dominant for a positive response.
"Yes…" Rory surprisingly mumbled to River's delight. The pair of them just fell silent once more but River couldn't hide her relief at her dad's pride. Her broken heart was slightly less broken now…

A little later, River was just wandering around the centre console looking at all the instruments on the gleaming sections before she then looked through the database on the TARDIS monitor. She could see files labelled under the Doctor, Amy and Rory and just selected to look under her father's files. When it opened, all she could see was photo after photo of Amy and Rory together but there was a space always left in the corner of each photo for a third person. At first, River thought it was for the Doctor but as she slowly realised, her tears just began to flow once again.
"Is that space for me?" she queried emotionally towards Rory. He just got up and stood at her side with his arm resting on River's shoulder.
"Yes…" he said simply. "A daughter is a daughter regardless of whoever you are River, so the space is there for you…the Ponds….altogether at very rare moments."
"I'm sorry for all of this…" River apologised. "I knew I'd cause some problems but I never knew how much it would affect you. I was sure Amy would be fine as she always is, but I never meant to overlook your needs, father…"
"All I wanted was a child who I could teach to play football and become the next big thing, or just someone who I could help with their homework years down the line, I just wanted a regular child." Rory said. "But I have got a very good daughter in you though…" he added proudly as he hugged River tightly.
"Melody Williams?" River asked. "I can be her if you want, be a geography teacher, be nice and normal…I could try and give up River Song in an instant…I promise, dad…"
"No…" Rory said. "Be Melody Pond, be my daughter and become River Song, but most of all…just be magnificent…" he added as the pair of them just cried with joy. River liked the fact Rory had just been so father-like to her as she'd had no-one like that in her life at all before now. She'd had people observe her and make sure she followed the right path according to them, but all along, Rory was what she had needed. Her dad was with her now and everything was falling into place somewhat.
"What about another child?" River then asked as the hug ended. "Will it ever happen? I don't want to deny your parents of the joy of holding a wonderful and beautiful grandchild…I don't want to deny your dreams either…"
"We'll have to wait and see…" Rory said. "It all depends on Amy…"
"I can have a chat with her if you want…" River offered.
"No…" said Rory. "She'll make her own mind up – I can only follow it. It's what I'll always do for the love of my life…"

The pair just chatted briefly for a few more minutes before River made her way to the TARDIS doors.
"I think it's time I made my way…" she said. "I'm hosting an archaeology ball…all my colleagues are there but god it is boring…no-one's up for a game of naked piñata!"
"Is that why you came here then?" Rory asked. "To avoid the ball?"
"Yeah…" River said. "I just wanted to be with family. There's nothing wrong with that is there?"
"No, not at all…" Rory said simply.
"Good…" River smiled as she opened the door. There before her was a hover-scooter she'd used to travel along with and soon she put on her helmet and climbed aboard. "Oh, one last tip dad…" she added through her helmet's communicator.
"Yes?" inquired Rory.
"Make sure you tie up your dressing gown a bit more…I don't particularly want to see my dad's hairy chest…Amy might, the Doctor possibly too, but not me…" River answered with a wide grin. Rory immediately felt embarrassed and held the dressing gown tightly to cover himself up. He smiled though as River left and the TARDIS doors closed all on their own. What he or River didn't know though was that the Doctor had been watching on from a distance, but just out of view from them and had heard their conversation. He'd heard everything and had made more tea just in case but now River was gone; it was just him and Rory.
"Ah! It's Mr Pond!" he said jollily. "I'd heard you were up so I made you a cup of tea. It's gone cold quickly but it's still nice…tepid tea…YUM!" he added as he passed Rory one of the cups of tea. The cup hadn't been particularly cleaned well at all but Rory thought it was a nice bit of generosity. The Doctor was a very generous man indeed.
"Thanks Doctor…" Rory said as he sipped at his tea slowly.
"Ah, it's no problem me old mate…." the Doctor replied in a bad attempt at a cockney accent. He even smiled at how bad it was. "Who were you talking to anyway?" the Doctor asked even though he knew. "I could just hear you talking; I was just wondering that's all…" Rory paused for a moment and considered saying River but he did otherwise.
"Oh it was just me…" he said. "I just wanted to have a go at myself. I can be so infuriating…" he added. "Let things stick in my mind for far too long. I just needed to let go of it all! I couldn't sleep because of it at all…"
"There's nothing wrong with talking to yourself Rory, I do it all the time…" the Doctor smiled as he sipped his tea.
"True…" agreed Rory. "But I hope it means I don't have to dress like you eventually…" he then laughed. The Doctor just smiled as part of the joke.
"Bow-ties and tweed are cool." he said adamantly. "It's certainly better than just basically a dressing gown…Cover up, man! Unless you want to show it off" he added as both he and Rory laughed. As they sipped their tea, the pair of them knew though that this night had been a defining one in terms of how they view each other. Rory still wanted a regular life but accepted River even more now and the Doctor knew Rory was insecure at times, but never knew it was that deep down within him. He knew he'd have to keep a closer eye on him, not just for Rory's sake, but for Amy's. Life on the TARDIS does strange things to people and the Doctor was concerned for his dear friend…