Amy sat with the woman who would become River Song on her hospital bed, holding her hand and watching the clouds drift lazily past the window. Rory and the Doctor had stepped out to give them some privacy, but neither woman knew what to say. River finally broke the silence.
"I was born to kill the Doctor. That's all my life has ever been about. What will I do now?" Amy's eyes had a fierce glint in them as she turned to face Melody.
"You were kidnapped to kill the Doctor. You were stolen. You were stolen from the people who love you and then raised on lies and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you when they took you from my arms. I'm sorry I didn't know you for who you are when you first showed up in my life when we were little kids. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you when you were frightened and lied to and alone."
Melody opened her mouth to reply, but Amy put a finger to her lips. The glint in Amy's eyes softened into something more tender than Melody could remember anyone directing at her before.
"But you were born to be loved and you were loved. You are loved. I adored you when you took your first breath and cried to let the universe know you were here. I adored you when you were getting into so much trouble while we were growing up. I adore you now, even though you've been lied to so much and hurt so much that you thought murdering my best friend was something you should do. And I adored you in your future when I didn't even know I would ever have a daughter as ferocious and beautiful and brilliant as you. You were born to be the daughter I never could have imagined and always wanted. And you already are her, even though you're only starting to understand how to be her. You are River Song, Melody Pond, Melody Williams, and you are my daughter. I am your mother. No eye-patch-wearing idiots could ever threaten that. They never have, and they never will."
"How can you be so sure of that?"
"Spoilers. Besides, I'm your mother. I might have done a lot of my parenting without knowing that fact, but even then, it didn't take away that bond."
"No. It didn't." Melody finally met Amy's eyes with a guarded, tentative hope. "I really will be all right?"
"Yes, you will be. You already were." Amy grinned sheepishly. "Verb tenses are hard when you travel through time." Amy kissed Melody's forehead and cupped her cheek for a moment. "Get some rest. You'll need it for all the crazy adventures you're going to have."
"I thought you said you couldn't tell me about my future?"
"I didn't. You were conceived in the time vortex while your parents were gallivanting through time and space fighting monsters and rebooting the universe. You could never be in any danger of a boring life having that for your heritage."
Amy hugged Melody one last time before she slid off the bed and started for the door.
"Mother?"
Amy paused with her hand on the knob and turned, an almost involuntary grin lighting her eyes.
"I love you, Mother."
"Of course you do. What's not to love?" Amy slipped out into the hallway.
Melody reached for the blue book the Doctor had left her, turned to the first page, and wrote a single sentence: "I was born to be loved."
