A/N- Continuing in the spirit of pure, unabashed author gratification, here is another part to my Time Baby series. It's not as polished so far as I'd like it to be, but it is key to other parts that I'm excited to put up soon. So, continuing with the AU fluff- here's another moment in the intersecting pieces of Bella Song's life. Set during Journey's End. T for some River/ Doctor innuendos. Please provide feedback, as some of these characters may make more appearances, and it's essential I get them right.
They had just gotten the earth back into its rightful spot in the sky, when there was a loud knock on the TARDIS door. They heard a distressed woman's voice on the other side of the door.
"Doctor! It's time! Open up and help me!"
Confused, the Doctor was about to run down when Jack went forward instead and opened the door.
"Jack Harkness! This certainly is a surprise. Is my old man in there?"
"Wha-"
"Well, let's just have a look, shall we- ahh!"
"Jack, who- River Song?"
"Hello Sweetie- oh, daft old idiot- how young are you?"
"I'm not- hang on," he said, finally registering her look of pain and her hand placed delicately over her-
"River… is- I mean. Are you pregnant?"
"Not for much longer- get over here!"
The stunned Doctor and his clone ran to her when she screamed once more. Jack held her up as pain contorted her face.
"Hands above the equator at all times Captain," she said when the contraction had passed. Then she took in the other men near her. "Two of you! Well, is it my birthday as well?"
"Doctor- who is this?" asked a very confused Rose, while Martha went into medical mode and ran to her newest patient, taking vital signs and checking her pulse.
"River, why come here? To me?"
"It's not like I had much choice, Sweetie. I kind of got distracted. I was on the moon helping with a last- minute treaty, then the earth moved and with its gravitational centre gone, everything went haywire up there. It returned to normal not long ago, so of course I knew I'd find you close by. By then the contractions had started."
"But Doctor, she can't be-"
"Donna! Spoilers."
"Doctor, not to rush you, but this whole room will be getting a very big spoiler very soon if we don't move her out of here- this instant." Jack remembered his daughter's birth and was not sure everyone here was ready for such an up close and personal experience.
"Right- River, med bay- now."
"I'll stay here in case we need to take off again- who knows the state of the earth right now?" reasoned the new Doctor.
River got a death grip on the Doctor's hand as Jack helped lead both of them to the med bay, Martha listing out instructions for what sort of supplies she would need, with which Jack hurried to comply.
"But- but who is she?"
"My future," said the duplicate- pacing furiously and still deciding if he wanted to follow into the med bay or not. "Well, his future. Not quite sure how yet, though apparently we are very much connected."
"Oh give it up, Space Boy. Never took you for an idiot."
"But HOW is this possible?! Even if she was- even if we- It's not possible! Humans and Time Lords simply aren't compatible like that."
"Well, apparently that's rubbish theory, isn't it?"
"Donna, you're not being very helpful."
"Sorry. Just a bit of a shock- that's all. She's dead. I mean she will be dead. I mean she was dead. And now she's here. Having a baby! Oh! That means- this baby… Oh my- Doctor!"
This Doctor had begun to pace even more rapidly now. "Yes, Donna. Exactly. IF, and I mean IF…that child is- either way, he or she will lose their mother."
"Can someone please explain what's goin' on to those of us not all Alien-y? Who was that woman- and how can she be in your future if she's dead?" Jackie was fed up with all the confusing conversation around her.
Donna was the one to answer. "We met that woman, River Song, in a library-"
"THE Library. That's the name of the planet."
"Alright- the Library. Only, she already knew the Doctor. Very well. But then, things went wrong. She-"
"Handcuffed me to a pole and died in my place. His place. Oh, this is going to get confusing, isn't it? Anyway- she wouldn't tell me- him- us, who she was. But she knew something no one else in the universe does. But how?"
"I'd say the answer's pretty clear, Boss," joked Mickey.
"What'd she know?" asked Rose, trying to keep up with him, still trying to process the new events of the day.
He just gazed up at her, silent, before resuming his pace.
"I was able to transfer her consciousness onto the data banks though. Our lives are going to be out of order. She had to keep track of everything in a diary."
"Oh, Boss- you do like to keep them guessing don't you?" He glared at Mickey.
Sarah Jane broke the moment "So, Doctor- is it possible that this woman is-"
Just then the door burst open, and everyone jumped, as in walked- Jack, and behind him he was dragging a young man with a tweed jacket and a bowtie.
"Now why would you bring us her-e. Jaaack. Oh my," said the man- looking at the people around him in utter astonishment. Everyone else froze, confused as well as Jack pushed the man into the room, in a kind if not forceful manner. The man glanced at the faces around him, turned quickly to take a step back toward the door, then turned back around as Jack stepped in front of it, eyes glaring at him pointedly.
"Donna!" exclaimed the bow-tied man, clapping his hands and raising his arms as he ran to her and engulfed her in a hug.
"And my Sarah Jane- how's Luke? Silly question- of course he's fine. Wow! Look at you, lovely as ever." He threw his arms around her as well. Donna and Jackie were just about to shout at the stranger when he turned on his heel and started toward-
"Rickey! How's things, mate? And Jackie! Look at you- just the same as you always are. And me! Wow, we were pretty then, wasn't I?" He turned his head and took in the duplicate Doctor with interest.
He turned slowly at last to the woman who was standing still in shock. He took a deep breath and let out a gentle smile. "Hello, Rose Tyler."
"Doctor?" She finally exhaled the air she hadn't realized she'd been keeping.
"Right, new face. Well, it's been so nice catching up with everyone, but you know how it goes- can't stay in this Old Girl for long- not like this anyway." He made to escape once more out the door, but Jack stayed firmly in front of it.
"Jack-"
"Doctor- no. It's time you faced this. No more running away."
"I'm a Time Lord, I can run away all I want."
"Look, I promised Rory and Amy I'd make sure you were here, and you are. And you aren't leaving until they do."
"But Jack- we could cause a massive paradox!"
"No buts, Doc. I promise, it'll be worth it."
