Later that night Amy and Rory were gradually preparing for yet another goodbye to their only child so they could have one more day with their granddaughter, when the Doctor suddenly yelped and jumped up, followed a half- second later by River. Amy and Rory were confused when the Doctor started running at top speed down the hall, before they too heard a terrified child's yells of, "DADDY! Help me!"
They arrived mere moments after he did, Bella up in his arms and tears pouring down her young face as he frantically rocked her back and forth, trying to calm the frightened girl.
"I fell down and you didn't catched me," she managed through tears. "I called you but you didn't come, and I found Mommy and she looked at me but she didn't know me. Mommy forgetted me and I cried and cried but she didn't remember."
"Shh, Bella mia Bella. Shh. You're safe now. Daddy's here. I came. I caught you. You're ok. I'm here." He stroked her hair, her sobs winding down to hiccups, "Go back to sleep. I'll be there to catch you this time," he promised as he held her close.
"But what will you do if Mommy forgots me again?" Her terror tore at River's heart- now fully realizing the Doctor's earnestness of this morning.
"Look at me, Bella. Mummy and Daddy will never ever forget you. Do you understand?" He cupped her cheeks, thumbs brushing away the tears that had no business on his little girl's face.
She nodded, hugging him tightly even as she reached out and grabbed River's shirt, bunching it up in her hand, the other hand firmly back on her father's tie.
"Can I sleep with you?" asked a small voice between hiccups.
"Yes, baby. It's ok. You can sleep in my bed tonight. Shh." The Doctor placed soft kisses on her crown, still rocking her gently.
"Will Mommy be there too?" She was still shaken up as the Doctor lifted her in his arms and started carrying her out.
"Yes, I'll be there too," replied River without a second thought to anything but Bella, reaching out to touch the child's hand, holding it as they made their way down the hall.
"And you won't let go?" asked Bella, her hearts already returning to normal against the Doctor's own.
"No, my love. I'll be right there when you wake up."
The Doctor led them all down to a room unfamiliar to Amy and Rory, opening a wall with a touch of his hand and a foreign word, before stepping inside and laying his daughter down on a huge- well, it could be called a bed, but not nearly in the 21st century human mattress sort of way.
He snuggled his baby under the covers, holding her close and pressing kisses to her forehead, stroking her hair and once more trying to coax her to sleep. River lay down on her other side, still holding Bella's hand as the Doctor reassured her she would still be there in the morning. She began to relax as he kept whispering soft comforts to her in Gallifreyan, their conversation now reminding her grandparents that the majority of the people in the room were at least partially alien.
The Doctor suddenly sat up and beckoned the Ponds over to the bed, moving to make room for them, before addressing River- who'd followed much, but not all of their conversation.
"She's asking for a story."
"Ok. I know lots of stories, I guess," said a now- apprehensive, non- mother River.
"Well," shyly replied the Doctor, "she wants to hear a specific one. The one that's sort of become her favourite…"
"And which one is that?" asked River, amused at his expression despite having no idea what could make him so nervous.
He avoided eye contact with Amy as he said, "She likes hearing about the Last Centurion."