River lay in a hospital bed at The Sisters of the Infinite Schism, her face grim as the nurses examined her.
"Now, Doctor Song, can you describe the pain you're feeling?" Sister Mira gently asked as she conducted a pelvic exam.
"Oh, um…" River winced as she felt another sharp stab in her stomach. "Well, it feels a bit like contractions, but more painful."
"Have you experienced this discomfort before?"
River glanced over to the other nurse who was inserting an IV into her arm. "I had complications with my daughter," she answered, momentarily distracted. "She was born a few weeks premature."
"And what happened?" Sister Mira inquired further.
River exhaled deeply and rolled her head back against the pillow before she continued. "It was a lot like this…but more extreme. I lost a lot of blood and she… she nearly died." It had happened so long ago, but it was still difficult for her to say.
The nurse's nose twitched in response as finished with her pelvic exam. She removed her latex gloves and motioned for River to lower her legs from the stirrups.
"What's wrong?" River asked as she scooted herself back up the length of the bed.
"Your cervix is dilated," the nurse responded as she threw the gloves in the rubbish bin and proceeded to wash her hands. "But we are going to give you something that will hopefully reverse that.
"And the bleeding?"
"Well, some form of bleeding isn't uncommon with pregnancy," the Sister explained. "It could be nothing…Meanwhile, let's take a look at the little one just to make sure, shall we?"
The other nurse wheeled the ultrasound machine over as River lifted up her hospital gown.
The machine was turned on, and cold blue gel was squirted on River's round abdomen.
"I've got a heartbeat," the nurse performing the ultrasound said.
"Only one?" River asked, concern making her voice shake. The baby couldn't live with only one working heart…could she?
"Yes," the nurse was confused, "Why? Are you carrying twins?"
"No," River answered, "My baby…she's-"
"A Time Lord," Sister Mira informed her colleague, "with two hearts."
The nurse stared at River with awe. "Impossible."
River smiled faintly.
"You'll have to pardon Sister Kerr," Sister Mira said to River, "She hasn't been with us long; she's not aware of your and your husband's history."
Sister Kerr's head tilted to one side in confusion. "Husband?"
"It's a long story, Sister Kerr," Sister Mira explained, "One that we strive to keep confidential."
"Is she going to be alright?" River inquired.
Sister Mira exhaled. "We are doing our best, Doctor Song. Now please relax, this is the best hospital in the universe. Your nervous energy isn't healthy for the baby."
"But I-"
"Doctor Song, you cannot worry at this time. The fetus doesn't need any more strain."
River exhaled deeply and placed a palm on her forehead, closing her eyes in an attempt to relax. Keeping calm wasn't something she was very good at when it came to her family.
"Would you prefer if I gave you something to allow you to sleep during our further examinations? It would be better for the baby…"
"Is it safe?" River asked, concerned for her baby.
"Of course it is," Sister Mira assured her. She went over to the cabinet, extracted a bottle from the shelf and handed a pill and a glass of water to River.
"It's just a light sedative," she explained with a kind smile, "You'll awaken in a few hours…"
"Alright…" River said. She took the pill and allowed her mind to drift away into a peaceful slumber.
A little while later, River's eyes fluttered open.
"Have you managed to stop the bleeding?" She murmured groggily, still under the influence of the pill.
She felt the smooth palm of Sister Mira on her arm. "It's slowed…You're doing very well. How do you feel now?"
"It's a bit more bearable…" River admitted after scanning her body for pain.
"That's a good sign. We've done all we can for now, we're just going to have to wait and see. All you need to do now is get some more rest, Doctor Song. We will check back soon, but don't hesitate to ring us if you need us."
That was not the answer River wanted to hear, but she obliged anyways, if only for the chance that it could save her child's life.
And so she closed her tired eyes once more.
Suddenly, a sharp, stronger pain in her abdomen jolted her awake. Gasping in discomfort, River managed to press the nurse call button. A few short moments later, Sisters Mira and Kerr entered the room.
"The pain is back. It's worse than before," she explained with a grimace.
"Oh dear," Sister Mira breathed. The nurses immediately began an ultrasound and pelvic exam again to check for the baby's vitals.
River was distraught beyond words. She felt as if her body had betrayed her…nothing could have been worse. But then she heard something even more disturbing: she heard crying coming from outside the room. Freya's crying.
"Please, can you let my daughter in?" She asked quietly, unable to stand the sound.
"Not while we are examining you, Doctor Song," Sister Mira replied. "We need to stabilize the fetus."
"She's crying," River continued, "and if she's crying there's something wrong. If her father can't calm her down…" River chocked back a sob, imagining the worse.
Sister Mira gave in with an agitated sigh and opened the door to the room. "Doctor," she called out the door.
The Doctor entered, holding a crying baby Freya in his arms. Her eyes were a puffy red, her face wet with tears and distorted by mental agony.
"Look, Mummy's here Freya…" he whispered softly, his voice gloomy and devoid of its usual enthusiasm.
"Come here my love," River said, holding her arms out.
Silently, The Doctor passed the crying babe to her mother. She collapsed onto River's chest, her cries resembling screams.
"River." The Doctor 's voice was solemn.
She looked up at her husband. His face was full of sorrow.
"Why is she crying?" she asked.
The Doctor exhaled before he answered. "She has a telepathic connection with…with the baby…"
No. It was a blow to the heart. She closed her eyes woefully. "Oh no no no, my love. Hush. Hush now," she whispered to comfort her daughter, but all the while unable to console herself.
Sister Mira then gave out a sorrowful gasp. River and The Doctor looked to her expectantly. She held blood soaked towels in her hands, cradling something tiny…
River waited with baited breath, hoping with all her being that what she thought had just happened wasn't the truth.
Sister Mira shook her head gravely. "I am so sorry," she whispered, "We did the best we could …"
River could no longer hold back the tears: she had lost her baby. It was her fault. Her body was broken, unsuitable to carry life.
She'd lost a baby whom her daughter had created a close bond with, shared her thoughts, her love, and her happiness of new life. Freya's little sister was gone. Even worse: she had experienced every last painful moment of her sister's existence. That was something entirely too horrible for a child so young to go through.
Her baby. Dead before she was even born.
The Doctor sat next to the bed in a chair, his head in his hands, crying softly. He was absolutely devastated. Freya had shared the baby's thoughts and sensations with him and he couldn't handle it. Loosing another child, and feeling their death…it stirred up more than painful memories…
River clung to Freya, who was still sobbing in her arms, and kissed her softly on the head, their tears mingling together as they cried.
Freya was the only baby River would ever have, and she was determined to love and cherish her to the end of the universe.