Author's Note: So, a few months ago, I started to write a story about a secret regeneration of Melody Pond. I deleted the story because I struggled with writing it especially after it took an unexpected turn. Anyway, this idea popped into my head and I thought I'd have another go at writing about Amy and Rory meeting their daughter, as Melody, one more time. This story is likely to contain spoilers for Series 6, The Angels Take Manhattan and the minisode called PS (but you've seen these episodes already, right Whovians? :P). The chapter titles are all linked to music or theatre, which I thought was quite fitting as the story is about a girl called Melody. I don't own Doctor Who; I've just been inspired by various episodes to write about young Melody Pond and her family. This chapter is a bit wibbly-wobbly so I apologise in advance for the confusion and also for any plotholes you find in my explanations. But I hope you enjoy reading it :)
River knew she was risking a paradox but found she didn't care. She reasoned that perhaps the paradox had already happened considering the number of versions of her in 1969: chasing the Silence across the States, in her mother's womb, in a spacesuit at the lake, as a little girl in a spacesuit.
The little girl was currently asleep in River's arms having been rescued by River. Spending years in Stormcage meant that River had a lot of time to think things through. She had come up with this particular idea in the dead of night and put it into action once she'd thought of everything. Using her vortex manipulator, she was transported to a warehouse where she found her past self struggling to get out of a spacesuit that had been damaged by bullets. As River soothed and comforted the girl, she could feel her own memories changing. She placed her hands on the little girl's temple and gently entered her mind to put her into a calming sleep. Then River worked quickly to get her younger self out of the spacesuit and get them both away before anyone (well, particularly another version of River Song) found them. Holding the little girl in one arm and pressing the vortex manipulator in the other, River managed to get them both to a leafy suburb of New York.
She stood on the corner of a street, looking at the house opposite. The door opened and a young man, possibly about 20 years old, stepped out. He turned back to the open door and seemed to say something to the occupants inside. Then he closed the door and began to walk down the street. River watched him go and then took a deep breath as she crossed the road and headed towards the house. The little girl shifted slightly in her arms as River reached out for the doorbell. She pressed the bell and waited for someone to answer.
"Oh, Anthony. Have you forgotten your key again?" A man's voice could be heard as he opened the door.
River remained silent as the man noticed who was standing on his doorstep.
"Ri-" He faltered. "AMY!"
A ginger-haired woman appeared at the doorway and there was no mistaking that she was Amy Pond. Amy looked at River cradling a strikingly familiar little girl and her mouth dropped open in shock.
"You have six months," River said quietly as she held out the girl.
Rory was the first to recover. He took the child, albeit rather perplexedly, and gestured for River to come inside. As a result of his nursing years, his caring instincts took over. "Is she alright?"
"She's just asleep." River didn't directly respond to her father's question. She knew that it would take years, even lifetimes, for the little girl to be alright. Even though there was no longer any evidence of her injuries, River knew that the little girl's wounds would have a lasting effect and she would regenerate within a few months.
Rory nodded as he placed the sleeping girl on a sofa. Amy studied the girl closely, still reeling from the shock.
"Melody," Amy whispered.
"Yes," River replied.
Amy blinked. "Oh, did you think I was talking to you? Or that I was asking if this girl is Melody?"
"Yes," River replied enigmatically.
"Was that a yes or a yes?"
River stifled a chuckle as she was reminded of when the Doctor inadvertently proposed to her following the events in the Pandorica. "Yes, mother. Perhaps it would be better if I explain."
Without checking, River sat herself down on one of the chairs in their lounge. Amy and Rory followed suit and looked at their daughter eagerly.
"I rescued Melody, myself, her," River began. "Oh, bloody hell, pronouns are going to be difficult talking about myself. Anyway, remember 1969 for the first time for both of you? There was a little girl in a spacesuit, who called the president because she was scared. We found it weird that she had managed to get out of the spacesuit. She would have had to be super strong, which she is. But, she also had help from me. I rescued her and brought her here to you."
"Why us?" Amy asked.
"Because she's a scared little girl who needs looking after. And because she is Melody Pond, your daughter."
Rory looked fondly over at his sleeping daughter. He knew that in that short question, Amy was trying to ask more but it was hard to find the correct words. He thought of the implications of River's actions and said his realisation out loud. "You changed your own past for us."
"You didn't have a chance before. Now, you can be Melody's parents if only for a short while."
"River, it's touching that you did this. But you can't just rewrite time," Amy said as she almost jumped out of her seat. Despite living in America for many years, her Scottish accent was still there. In fact, it became more pronounced the more emotional Amy got.
"Bit late for that, Amy. It's already been done," Rory muttered.
Amy continued. "We've seen all sorts of things happen when time is altered. End of the world, alternative realities, paradoxes. Anything could happen."
"Oh, mother, I appreciate your concern but I am perfectly aware of the consequences. That's why there are conditions to this arrangement."
Amy looked a little abashed as she realised that it was obvious River would have thought of all this. After all, her daughter had way more knowledge of time and its consequences when you meddle with it. Amy allowed her husband to pull her back on the sofa in order to listen to River.
"Melody Pond," River explained, "is a fixed point in time. You've seen for yourself the things that she, I, will do. Time can't be rewritten for Melody because these things have already happened. You and I have the memories to prove that. But, I had to do something. I am your daughter but we were never able to be a proper family. But, now, there is a small window of opportunity. I may have let my heart guide me slightly into doing this but I assure you that I didn't dive straight in. I have thought of all possibilities and this is the safest option. Compared to the other paradoxes happening around this time, this one is just a drop in the ocean."
Amy and Rory seemed relatively satisfied with her answer. Or in any case, they were just being silent to let it all sink in.
River's tone became insistent as she implored, "You have six months. That is all you have to look after Melody. Six months. One day, Melody will run away and leave you. You must let her go and don't go looking for her. Apart from this, the rest of her, my, timeline must run the same; it must not change anymore. Because then there'll be a big paradox. So she has to leave you in six months' time." Her tone softened slightly. "It's ok, though, because she will see you again as Mels. But, when she leaves here after the six months are up, she will no longer be Melody Pond."
Rory and Amy were grim as they accepted River's words. They supposed that they should be grateful for what little time they would have with their young daughter but knew that it would be hard to let her go.
"Concentrate on now," River said, as though she had read their minds. "You have a little girl that needs looking after. Yes, it will take some getting used to but it's what every parent goes through. You'll manage. In fact, you will do brilliantly."
"How can you be so sure?" Rory blurted out, slightly panicked.
"You did alright with Anthony, didn't you?"
"Oh, god, Anthony," Amy exclaimed suddenly. "How are we going to explain this? We told him he had an older sister."
"I'm sure you'll think of something."
"What do we tell him, River?" Amy asked.
At the same, Rory questioned, "You're not going to help us?"
River had a feeling that 'spoilers' wouldn't be an appropriate answer here so instead she said, "I'm sorry I can't. My timeline is now intrinsically linked with your timelines from this point. And even though I know you will tell him something and Melody will love her time with you, my memories are a bit blurry as they technically haven't happened yet."
They looked baffled at River's explanation. She looked apologetic towards them to show that she couldn't explain it any better than that.
"Now, I really must go. The paradox can't be kept at bay much longer." River said.
Amy looked horrified. "You said there was no paradox?!"
"And there won't be. But Melody's about to wake up and prolonged contact with two versions of the same person in a timestream where none of us is supposed to be is not a good idea. It can just about manage with one of us," River said seriously as she stood up. "Now before I go, I need your word that you will let Melody go when the time comes. I know I keep emphasising this. But it is vitally important that Melody stays here for six months only. I trust you but I need to know that you understand that Melody has to go six months from now."
Amy nodded mutely as she reached out for her husband's hand.
"I don't really accept or agree with it," Rory acknowledged, "but I think I understand why it has to be this way. So, yes, River, you have our word that even though we won't want to, we will let her go."
"Thank you, Dad."
"But she's not leaving any earlier than six months." Rory was suddenly fierce.
"I completely understand," River demurred.
Melody began to stir and Amy and Rory immediately rushed to her side.
River smiled as she watched them. She set the coordinates on her vortex manipulator to take her back to Luna University. As she dematerialised, she whispered, "Good luck."
Amy and Rory looked at each other briefly and then back at their daughter as they started their first day together as a family.