As always, thanks so much to you all that are reading and reviewing :) This chapter, lets get a glimpse into more of what the the Doctor is feeling ;)

Rose was almost asleep when she heard the sound of the credits on the movie playing. She still couldn't believe that after her and the Doctor's water fight and shared bath she had actually got him to agree to do something else domestic. She had suggested, almost jokingly, that they watch a movie together as she didn't feel like going to sleep yet though she just wanted to relax. She was flabbergasted when the Doctor had agreed. They had shyly emerged from the tub and put their dressing gowns on, though Rose had smiled to herself when she caught the Doctor sneaking a peak at her when he thought she wasn't looking.

Rose had went back to her own room on the TARDIS, one that she found herself less and less frequently using, and changed into her pyjamas before returning to the Doctor's room. She smiled a little when she saw him lying back on his bed, dressed down in his own pyjamas. Though she had slept in his room the past few nights, he hadn't slept himself since the first night she went to his room. Seeing him in something other than his jumpers and leather was strange but she liked it; it made her aware that he was loosening up.

She had found herself getting more and more fatigued as the movie went on and by the end she had almost drifted off. Her head lay on the Doctor's chest, warm in a cocoon of his own body heat mixed with hers. Her head moved slightly each time he breathed in, almost in a way to rock her to sleep.

"Rose, what do you want to do?"

The Doctor's soft voice in the dark of the room called out to her and woke Rose just enough to speak back to him. "Right now I want to sleep" she said with a smile.

"No...I mean...about the baby"

Now Rose was awake. Her stomach twisted nervously as she opened her eyes and turned so that she could see his face in the glow of the telly. This could be a good thing, discussing the baby. After all, they really hadn't discussed several things that they needed to. But Rose's mind automatically went to the worst case scenario. "W-what...about the...baby?" Rose asked, working all of her energy into not sounding as nervous as she felt. What if he said he didn't want to do this? What if he didn't want to be tied down by her and the baby? Dark thoughts, like the ones that she had had before he had returned, popped into her head and would not stop.

The Doctor's face was calm and didn't betray what he might be about to say. "Well...I mean...what do you want to do? Do you want to settle down? Get a house and all that?" he asked. She detected the slightest trace of nerves in his own voice. Rose knew that he did not want her to say yes. She knew how he felt about domestics and knew he wouldn't want to be tied down to a single house in a small part of the Earth. Rose hadn't given it much thought, but now that she did, she knew she didn't want that either. She didn't really want things to change; she knew that some things would change inevitably with a baby. But she couldn't imagine a better place for a young time lord to grow up than on the TARDIS, traveling the universe. And what house could be safer than the TARDIS? It was already her home and she wanted it to be the home for her new family.

"No...I don't want that" Rose said earnestly, looking into his eyes. "I can't imagine, after all the things that I've done and seen, going back to staying put on Earth. I want to stay with you" She smiled at him. "And if you think you're leaving me and the baby at home while you go off and travel, you're mental"

She said it with jest but deep down it was a fear that gnawed away at her insides. What if the Doctor did get bored with this and left her behind? She didn't know how she could cope not only with him leaving her but having to raise their child on her own.

The Doctor smiled at her. "I don't plan on leaving you behind" he said warmly and Rose felt some of her nerves dissipate before he got serious again. "I just...want to make sure that you and the baby stay safe. There's so much danger out there...my priority is keeping you two safe"

Rose's heart was warmed by the Doctor's obvious concern of her and the baby. He seemed very worried about them staying safe and Rose loved his protectiveness. "We will be safe" Rose said, "Can you imagine a safer place for us than the TARDIS? It's much safer than a normal home"

She was glad when the Doctor nodded. "I suppose you're right" he said with a smile. He pulled her closer to him and Rose sighed in relief. The Doctor remained quiet after this and it was not long before Rose drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

...

Long after Rose had gone to sleep, the Doctor remained awake. He was troubled and excited and a mess of other emotions he didn't even want to try to place his finger on. He didn't want Rose to know exactly how much he was already worried about the safety of her and the baby. She had enough to worry about and if he showed fear and weakness, then she would quickly follow suit. Besides, he didn't want to admit to her exactly why he was so fearful of losing his family in the first place. He didn't want her to know the pain he had already experienced in his long life.

The Doctor gazed down at the peaceful form of Rose laying on him. She looked positively beautiful, her face calm, her rumbled blonde hair drifting across her forehead. He knew she was worried about him leaving; he could sense the worry emanating off her more than once. He had no intentions of doing such a thing; he did not want to leave her or his son. He just feared it would be his danger and demons that would put them in jeopardy. It had happened once before; no reason such a thing couldn't happen again.

The Doctor pulled the covers back and lifted Rose's shirt up slightly to show her stomach. He placed his hand on her soft skin and opened his mind to the small time being inside of her. He had scanned Rose and had seen their child the day he had come back but he hadn't allowed himself to connect with his child on this level yet, one that only he could. He saw in his mind everything about the growing form beneath his fingers. He could see cells splitting in rapid fashion, going to make all different organs and vital systems. He could hear the beating his small hearts, strong despite their miniscule size. He could see and almost feel the strength of the bond between the baby and Rose as blood pumped from her to

him. It was amazing...simply amazing, the way a baby was created, how much was going on just barely below the skin. He reached out his mind toward the rapidly developing one of his son and let all of his love pour out to him. While his son couldn't yet respond in the way that he would soon be able to, the way that only time lords could speak to each other, he felt his son's heart rate rapidly increase at the emotions that the Doctor sent his way.

The Doctor's heart skipped a beat at the amazing feeling, for once in a long time, truly overwhelmed by something.

The Doctor eventually let his attention fall from his son and back to Rose. He reached out and sensed all of her bodily systems. He was relieved to see that everything was functioning as it should be. Rose's body was healthy and managing the pregnancy well. Her emotional state however, was another matter. Rose's sleep was peaceful but just underneath the surface he could sense the worry. Rose believed him when he had said that he didn't plan to leave her. There was, however, a corner of her mind that couldn't let go of the worry that he would leave her. A little deeper into her consciousness he could sense the worry had started when she had been waiting for him come back. It pained him to think about the pain that she had been in, pregnant and alone, fearing he was angry and that he didn't want her. Feeling a spark of something fantastic in his brain, he had an idea of just what he could do to show Rose he meant what he said.

The Doctor put Rose's shirt back in place and pulled the covers up to her chin. He slid out from under her, as gentle as he could so that she didn't wake up. He turned the telly off and slipped out of the dark bedroom and into the hallway of the TARDIS. His bare feet were cold against the floor as he walked down the hallway but he was warmed and invigorated by the idea that was blossoming in his head. He walked down the rarely used corridors and stopped at the door he sought. He paused for a moment, knowing that at least this part of his plan was going to hurt.

The Doctor pushed the door open and walked into the dark and dusty room, scanning the mounds of aging items he chose not to see on a daily basis for the one he sought out. In the corner of the room, exactly where he knew it would be, he saw it and felt a war of happiness and anguish.

The Doctor sat down on the floor beside the small, ancient cradle. To a human it would look like something from Earth's medieval period; the worn wood of the cradle spoke of age and long ago born children. Circular symbols criss- crossed along the side of the cradle; while Rose would know the marks were Gallieyfrean, she would have no idea of meaning behind them, nor did he want her to. A mobile of metal stars and planets hung above the cradle, no better a sign to inspire the sleeping time lord underneath them.

The Doctor's throat tightened as he dusted the cradle off. He refused to cry but honestly the reason for him not letting the tears out was because he was afraid if he did, he might not be able to stop. Years of pain and anguish and a million regrets would rush out of him and he wasn't sure that he could manage the pain. But that didn't mean that the memories didn't still come and gnaw away at his stomach.

Him and Rose's son would not be the first of the Doctor's children to sleep beneath that shiny mobile. He put his hand to the cradle and began to slowly rock it, as he had done so long ago. How many late nights had he spent trying to lull a crying baby to sleep in this crib before weakening and falling asleep with a little one on his chest? How many nights had his dreams and the innocent, calm ones of his children mingled as they slept?

How long it had been since he had been a father. He missed his children dearly despite the time that had passed since their deaths. He didn't think he would ever fully get over the loss of them. He had done what no father should have to do; he had buried all of his children long before his time. The wave of emotion that came to him as he relived the deaths of his children in his mind was enough to cripple him.

But there was a light in the darkness; a big, bright shining light. He was going to be a father again. He got a second chance to do the right thing this time. The Doctor had not imagined that he would ever be a father again. After the loss of his family he had resolved to never open himself to that pain again. Even now, he was given a terrific chance at parenthood again, not through his own planning but by accident. A wonderful, fantastic accident. The Doctor pushed the thoughts of death and sadness out of his mind as he let himself imagine what could be.

The Doctor had a wide, genuine smile on his face as he pushed up from the floor and carried the cradle out of the room and down the corridors. The TARDIS was bristling in excitement for him as she sensed his plans. The Doctor smiled. "I'm glad you approve" he spoke to his female ship who was very much in agreement to what he was going to do. "Because I'm going to need your help"