Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who.

"A year?" said The Doctor in disbelief, turning away from where he'd been fiddling with levers on the TARDIS console.

"A year" River confirmed.

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Wow" The Doctor paused, then grinned, wrapping his arms around River's waist. "I can't believe it's been a whole year since you zapped onto the TARDIS all 'Hello Sweetie, I'm Pregnant!"

"I never said that" River smirked. "You worked it out on your own."

"Well, it was fairly obvious" The Doctor teased.

"Are you saying I was fat?" cried River in mock-horror.

"Of course not" The Doctor reached to brush a stray curl out of her face. "You were beautiful, as always."

"Hmm. Even when I was screaming my head off at you, all covered in sweat, and blood, and gunk.."

"Even then" The Doctor nodded, leaning in for a kiss. "And after that, when I saw you holding our son.. Well, I don't think you've ever looked more beautiful than you did at that moment."

"Oh stop it, you're making me blush!" River chuckled. "What about you when you listened to his two little heartbeats? You had the most amazing smile.."

"Well, it's not everyday that a dying Race gets new hope for the future, is it?" The Doctor beamed. "I have plans, River, big plans. There's so many places I want to take him, when he's ready. I'll show our son all of time and space, and he'll be amazing, just like his Mummy.. Well, Mummies."

"And his Daddies." River smiled.

"Mhmm. Lucky boy, inheriting so much amazingness."

"Our Little Prince.."

"Our Little Prince" The Doctor grinned. He let his hands tangle in River's hair (God, he loved her hair), capturing her lips in another passionate kiss.

Somebody cleared their throat, and they turned to see an apron-clad Clara in the doorway, smirking.

The Doctor leapt away from his Wife, blushing furiously. River Song, as always, was shameless.

"Afternoon, Clara dear" She grinned. "Did you need something?"

"Just wanted to tell The Doctor that I finished his order" Clara smiled.

"Order?" River was confused.

"Well, you said you were having trouble finding a birthday cake for Anthony, so I asked Clara to make something special" The Doctor explained.

"Mhmm, one Bowtie-shaped Banana Cake, as requested." Clara grinned cheekily. "Do you want to see it, or would you like me to leave you two alone for a while? It's fine if you do, I have some reading to catch up on.."

"No, no, we'll see the cake" said The Doctor quickly. "River and I were just, um.."

"I know what you were doing, Doctor" Clara laughed. "It's fine. You can kiss your Wife whenever you want.."

"She's right, Sweetie" River grinned.

"I'm just glad I wasn't a few minutes later, like that time I walked in and saw you with your hand up River's.."

"Clara!" The Doctor yelped, his cheeks almost as red as Amy's hair, "I thought we all agreed to never mention that again!"

River just laughed.

The group soon made their way into the TARDIS' Kitchen. On the bench, as Clara promised, sat a cake shaped like a bowtie, coated in TARDIS-blue frosting, with the words 'Happy 1st Birthday, Anthony' over the top in a lighter blue icing.

"Brilliant!" The Doctor grinned, bouncing excitedly. "Anthony's going to love it! Won't he, River? Won't he love it?"

"Oh, he'll definitely love it" River smiled. Her Husband's joy was contagious. "Thank you, Clara."

They had told her the truth about Anthony a while ago, making her one of the few people in the Universe who knew that The Doctor and River Song had a son. A risk, maybe, but with The Doctor openly gushing over Anthony's achievements and proudly displaying pictures of him all around The TARDIS, the secret had been too difficult to keep. Fortunately, River had grown rather fond of Clara by now, and The Doctor trusted her, which was all the reassurance she needed.

"It was no problem, really" Clara smiled. "Anything for the little Time-Lord. Besides, cakes are easy. It's Souffle's that still give me trouble."

"Still, Thank you" River repeated. She turned to The Doctor, beginning to adjust the settings on her Vortex Manipulator. "I should go. There's a stack of papers I want to get marked before Tomorrow."

"Alright then. Uh.." He looked awkwardly at Clara.

Clara rolled her eyes and sighed, turning her back to them.

The Doctor stole a goodbye kiss.

"I want plenty of pictures" He said, running a hand through his Wife's hair.

"You'll have them" River replied. "I promise."

"And tell them all.."

"That you love them" River smiled. "I know. Always do." She gave him another quick kiss before moving to grab the cake. "Goodbye, Clara. Thanks again."

"Really, it was nothing" Clara turned back, smiling. "Just remember to put it in the fridge so the icing doesn't melt."

"Will do" River looked back to The Doctor. "Can you get the manipulator, Sweetie?"

"Okay" He replied, quickly kissing her forehead as he reached for the button. "Love you."

"Love you too."

So, River zapped back home.. If she could really call this old house 'Home'. She felt more at home aboard the TARDIS or at her parent's place than she ever did here. She put the cake away, and sighed, subconsciously stroking her, by now, once again toned stomach.

Likely because, the year before, on this night, at almost exactly this time, she had felt the first twinge of pain indicating that her baby boy was ready to enter the World. A joyful moment for most women, although River had been, understandably, quite conflicted about it, knowing from the beginning that giving birth meant giving him up. Sure, she knew that he'd be safe and loved with her Parents, and that she'd visit often, but that hadn't made it any easier.

River sighed again, then shook her head, shut the fridge, and set about marking those papers. She needed to be completely free for Tomorrow. Because Tomorrow, on Anthony's Birthday, she belonged to him completely, for as long as he wanted.

"Rivvy!"

River had barely turned the corner into the right street when she heard the beloved little voice call out, and looked up to see her family standing in their front yard, Anthony in Amy's arms, all waving cheerily at her. She smiled and shifted the cake, which she'd been holding rather awkwardly in her efforts to grip it securely enough to not drop it yet also be able to reach her Vortex Manipulator, into a more comfortable position as she headed down the street towards them.

"Hewo, Rivvy" Anthony greeted, smiling an adorable little smile as she approached.

"When Amy told him you'd be coming soon, he wanted to come out and wait for you" Rory smiled.

"Aww, he did?" Asked River, glowing at the heartwarming information. She held up the cake, grinning. "Hello, Birthday Boy. Look what I've got for you!"

"Bowtie!" He cried excitedly, reaching his little hands out towards it.

"Nuh-uh, that's for later, Little Man" said Amy, pulling him away.

Anthony pouted as they headed inside.

"Great cake" said Rory. "Good thing you brought it, too. Your Mum was going to bake one, but you know she's got a history of.." He gulped when Amy glared at him, "..Baking lovely cakes."

"Don't worry Daddy, I know the truth" River smiled. "I was there, remember?"

"Oh, right" Rory grinned. "Remember when she burnt her cupcakes?"

"Mhmm."

"Or the time she accidentally put salt in her Christmas cookies instead of sugar?"

"That was horrible!" said River. "But most of all, I'll never forget that time, when we were about nine, or you two were, anyway.. And she tried to make a.."

"Fish fingers and Custard cake!" Father and Daughter cried in unison, erupting into fits of laughter.

"Yes, yes, we all know about the bloody Fish fingers and Custard cake" Amy snapped. "It was a disaster, and we all agreed to never ever ever talk about it ever!"

The last part of her sentence sounded so childish that it only made River and Rory laugh more. Anthony joined in.

"Oi, don't you start!" Amy lightly scolded him. "I was nine, I didn't know any better! Everything seems like a good idea when you're nine!"

"That is a good point" Rory mused. At age Nine, Amy had not yet given up hope that The Doctor would come back for her, a fact that had led she, Rory and Mels into a few rather crazy situations.

"And hey!" Amy continued, turning to River, "How old were you then, really? Why didn't you try to stop me from doing something that was obviously such a bad idea?"

"I don't know exactly how old I was then" said River. "Time-travelling so young made it hard to tell. Physically, nine. Mentally, not hat much older. And the reason I didn't try to stop you from making the Fish Fingers and custard cake was because you were hoping it would make The Doctor come back.."

"And you'd have your chance to kill him" Amy huffed, then gasped, wishing she could take it back. Her fiery temper gave her an unfortunate tendency to speak without thinking.

"Actually, no" River sounded hurt. "I knew it wasn't going to work, and your heart was going to get broken again, but I didn't stop you because I didn't want that to happen any sooner than it had to. Biggest flaw in The Silence's plans, actually. That all the training and programming and manipulating in the World didn't stop me from loving my Parents."

"Bad Mummy!" Anthony frowned, yanking Amy's hair. "Rivvy sad!"

"Ow!" Amy yelped, but didn't scold him. It was his Birthday.. And she felt like she deserved it. "Rory, take the cake."

"Huh?" Rory blinked, still in shock at how quickly some light teasing over a childhood baking experiment had become a serious conversation.

"Take the Birthday cake, I need to hug our daughter!"

"Oh" Rory took the cake, allowing Amy to pull River into a one-armed hug.

"I'm sorry, Melody" Amy sighed. "I'm mean when I'm grumpy. Stupid Scottish temper.."

"It's okay, Mum." River hugged her back. "Everyone says stupid things when they're upset."

"But over a cake! And it was a terrible cake.."

"Mmm. Horrible sloppy thing as I remember.."

"Yep. It didn't cook properly because I tried to mix the custard into the cake batter.."

"And the fish fingers melted and made everything watery.."

"And there was a slight explosion.." Rory added as he set the cake on the Kitchen bench.

"An absolute mess" River agreed.

"Mum and Dad were furious" Amy continued, a smile spreading over her face. "You two weren't allowed over for weeks!"

They were all laughing now, and since his grown-ups were happy again, Anthony changed from 'Defender of Rivvy' back to regular cheeky baby, reaching out to play with River's hair.

"Oh, silly us" River chuckled, taking him from Amy. "Today's supposed to be about you, isn't it Little Prince?"

"Happy Day!" Anthony cooed.

"Yes, Happy Birthday to you, big one-year old!" River grinned. "Now, what would you like to do on your special day?"

"Bowtie!" He pointed at the cake.

"Uh.. Mummy?"

"We'll have a bit of proper lunch first" Amy smiled. "Then we can try bowtie cake."

So, they ate Lunch. And as soon as they were finished..

"Bowtie!" cried Anthony, bouncing excitedly in his Highchair. "Bowtie, bowtie!"

"Okay, okay, just be patient!" Amy headed into the Kitchen to retrieve the cake.

Anthony shot her look that said he clearly didn't like being patient.

River couldn't help but laugh. So much of The Doctor was already coming out in him. If she hadn't seen how well her Parents could handle the Time-Lord through their adventures, she might have been worried for them.

Amy returned with the cake, a small candle burning atop it.

"Happy Birthday to you" She began as she carried it towards the Table, River and Rory quickly joining in, "Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dear Anthony, Happy Birthday to you! Hip hip, hooray!"

Anthony looked at it in awe.

River lifted him out of the highchair and into her lap, holding onto his hands so he couldn't grab at the candle's flame.

"Now you get to blow it out and make a wish" Rory grinned. He was holding River's camera, set to record the moment.

Anthony seemed a little confused.

"Like this, Little Prince." River blew gently, lightly ruffling her son's hair and making him giggle. "Easy! Just aim at the candle."

"Rivvy too?"

"I can help if you like."

"Mummy an' Daddy?"

"Why not?" said Amy happily, moving around the table to squat beside River and Anthony, face level with the candle.

"We'll all do it together" Rory smiled, propping up the camera so it would still record before joining them.

"Everybody ready?" asked River, grinning.

"Ya!" Anthony nodded eagerly.

"Okay then.. 1, 2, 3!"

They all blew, and the candle flickered out.

"Yay!" The adults cheered.

"Yay!" Anthony echoed.

"Did you make a wish?" River asked.

The little Time-Lord nodded excitedly.

"Don't tell anyone" Rory told him. "If you do, it won't come true."

Anthony nodded again, more seriously this time.

"Ooh, careful Mum!" River teased as Amy moved to cut the cake. "If you hit the bottom, our Birthday Boy gets a kiss from the nearest girl!"

"Oops" Amy smirked, making sure the knife audibly clinked against the plate. "And we're equally close to him, too."

"Oh well" River shrugged, then grinned at Amy, both of them swooping in to kiss Anthony's cheeks, making him giggle.

"Do that again!" cried Rory, rushing to grab the cameras. Both River's, and He and Amy's old Polaroid. "I'll get a photo!"

"Well, alright" River chuckled. They swooped in again, and Anthony giggled louder. His Mothers stayed still for a moment, letting Rory get his photos.

"Done!" He smiled.

"Good. Time for cake!" Amy announced.

"Yay!" Anthony cheered again, bouncing in River's lap.

Amy cut pieces for Herself, River, and Rory, along with a smaller piece for Anthony, setting them on plates as she went.

Anthony frowned.

"Docta!" He pointed at the empty plate at the end of the table. "Docta!"

Amy always set the extra place now, thinking, 'What if The Doctor found a way to come visit on a day that wasn't Christmas?'. She usually set two extra places actually, to account for River's visits, since beyond events like Christmas and Birthdays that they knew she'd want to be there for, she had no way of telling her Parents when she was coming.

"Anthony" said Rory gently, "The Doctor can't come."

"He's busy, saving the Universe from bad things" Amy added.

"Docta!" Anthony repeated. "Docta! Rivvy!" He twisted in River's lap and looked up at her with wide eyes that matched her own, as though begging her to understand him. "Rivvy, Docta! Bowtie!"

River's heart broke at the thought she'd have to confirm that The Doctor wasn't coming.. Until she realized what her son meant.

"Oh!" She breathed a sigh of relief. "You just want me to take a piece of Bowtie Cake home for The Doctor, don't you?"

"Ya!" He beamed, pulling himself up to hug her. "Bowtie fo' Docta!"

"Okay" River kissed the top of his head. "Mum, would you mind cutting.."

"Already done" Amy smiled, setting a slice of cake on The Doctor's plate.

The rest of the day was wonderful. River, Amy, and Rory spent hours playing with Anthony. At the moment, his favorite game was acting out his parents' adventures with the woolen dolls he'd gotten for for Christmas.

It was nice, River thought, to be able to just play, get completely lost in a game, never having to worry about the World's hidden horrors.

Her own childhood, being molded by The Silence into the perfect weapon, had consisted of almost nothing but said hidden horrors.

While her life as Mels had been slightly freer (It had now become rather obvious to Amy and Rory why their friend had always wanted the seemingly uncharacteristic role of the baby when they played 'House'), all that programming still clawed at the edges of her mind, ready to propel her into deadly action at a moment's notice.

"Rivvy!"

In her musings, River failed to notice her son barrelling towards her until a few seconds before he came flying into her lap at full speed, causing her to topple onto her back in surprise. Before Amy or Rory had a chance to scold him, she beamed, and swung Anthony over her head, making him squeal in delight.

Melody Pond had never had a chance to just play, but she'd defend her Little Prince's right to until the ends of the Universe. And, as she saw the little bowtie-wearing doll clutched in Anthony's hand, and heard her Parents flop down on either side of them, both laughing, she was secure in the fact that everyone else who loved him would do the same.

The day moved into night. Anthony yawned.

"Had a big day, haven't you Birthday Boy?" Amy smiled, scooping him up. "Come on, bedtime."

"Rivvy.." He said through another yawn, pointing.

"Oh. Do you want River to put you to bed?"

Anthony nodded.

Amy turned to her daughter.

"Do you mind.."

"Not if you don't" River replied.

"Of course not" said Amy, handing him over.

Anthony loved both of them, she knew that. And, the more she and Rory had talked about it, the more Amy realized how important it was that their little boy bonded with River. They were human. Anthony was not. He was inevitably going to lose them at an age which would be considered still very young for a Time-Lord. He'd need someone to guide him through the endless Universe he was born to explore, and it was best that this guide be someone he knew and loved, who loved him just as much. That time would be River's chance to be his Mother, though Amy knew she would never downplay the role she and Rory had had in Anthony's life. River would have lost her parents too.

"Okay, then" River smiled, cuddling Anthony to her chest. "Say goodnight to Mummy and Daddy."

"Nigh-nigh.." said Anthony sleepily.

"Goodnight" said Amy, kissing his cheek.

"Goodnight, little guy" said Rory, lightly ruffling his hair. "Hope you had a nice Birthday."

Anthony waved at them over River's shoulder as she carried him upstairs.

River had watched Amy or Rory putting Anthony to bed enough times by now to know his routine. She changed his nappy, and got him into his pyjamas. She cuddled with him for a while, telling him a story (The tale of how The Doctor and River once got The Queen temporarily turned into a goldfish was his current favorite). Finally, once he had almost completely drifted off, she gave him a kiss, and tucked him into his crib with the familiar old scarf and his little woolen Doctor, neither of which he would now sleep without.

"Rivvy stay?" He mumbled, as his eyelids drooped.

"I can't tonight" River replied, her heart breaking a little. "I have to go see The Doctor. But I can probably come back and play with you for a while Tomorrow afternoon, if you'd like?"

He nodded slowly, using his last little bit of energy before he drifted into the land of dreams.

"It's a date" River smiled, reaching down to run a hand over his golden curls. "Goodnight, Little Prince."

"Ha ha.. Yay!" The Doctor, through a mouthful of cake, cheered along with the video as he watched them all blow out Anthony's Birthday candle. "You all look like you're having fun. Did you all have fun?"

"Yes, Sweetie" River smiled, snuggling into his side. "Lots of fun."

"Good." He turned back to the video, which had now jumped ahead to when Amy, Rory, and River were playing with their Birthday Boy. The camera had obviously been left rolling somewhere nearby. After a while, The Doctor began to chuckle softly.

"What's so funny?"

"River, You're a Mother!"

"Yes" River raised an eyebrow, confused. "And you're a Father. Have been for a year today."

"I know, I know.. But I mostly get photos, and yes, you've been getting more videos lately, but you're not usually in them because you're the one filming. This one, though, you're in this one, and I can see how you are with him, our Prince. He obviously adores you. It's beautiful." He grinned, leaning in to give his Wife a kiss. "River Song's a Mummy. Never thought I'd be saying that when we first met, I can tell you!"

"I'm still as dangerous as I ever was" River warned.

"Oh, of course. In fact, I think it only makes you more dangerous."

"Really? How so?"

"Well.. You're like a Lioness. A lioness protecting her cub" said The Doctor, kissing her again. "My sexy lioness."

"Mmm. And that would make you The Lion King, I suppose?" River smirked, tilting her head as The Doctor nuzzled at her neck, allowing him to trail kisses down it. Clara was sleeping, so there was no chance they'd be interrupted for at least the next few hours.

"Yes. And you're my Lion Queen" He paused to suck at her pulse point, marking her as his, and River didn't mind, because she was. "All mine."

"All yours" River confirmed with a contented sigh, enjoying her husband's attention. "The Nala to your Simba."

"The Nala to my Simba" The Doctor agreed.