"PUSH RIVER! PUSH!" They all yelled. She did. She pushed harder than before. "There's one shoulder…and another…keep going River!" The Doctor was pushing with her now. His mind tangled with hers, encouraging her to use all her might to push, to keep going. River fell limp again, a sob escaped her mouth. "It hurts so much" she gasped falling against her husband. He kissed the side of her face lightly then placed his forehead against her temple. "She's almost here River. Our beautiful daughter is almost here" he whispered as Rory shot Amy a worried look. River had to keep going, the baby was half way out and she couldn't stop now. "One more push River, one more!" He pleaded with her. "I'm sorry my dad broke your nose" she suddenly cried out as the next contraction started to build. The Doctor, tears streaming down his face, laughed. Amy and Rory smiled too, tears streaking their cheeks. "Oh it's alright my love, it's all better!" He kissed her temple. "Now I need you to push River...I'm right here, we're going to do this together. Are you ready?" She took a deep breath and nodded. "Ok. Ready?" the contraction hit. "PUSH!"

She pushed, pushed harder than before, gritting her teeth, clenching her husband's hands until finally…. The room was silent except for one tiny sound. "Oi! She's beautiful!" Amy sobbed out, handing Rory the umbilical cord clip and scissors. River had fallen limp against the Doctor, breathing heavily, a wide smile on her face as she listened to her daughter's wailing. "Is she ok Dad? Is she healthy?" River asked worriedly. Rory grabbed the bulb syringe and cleaned the baby's nose, mouth and ears. "Oh Melody…she's perfect" Fresh tears were falling both her parent's eyes. The Doctor who had frozen after hearing his daughter's first cries watched silently as Rory handed Amy his bundled daughter, not able to get a clear view of her yet. Amy stood up carefully then closed the gap between her and River. "Melody, Doctor….Your daughter" she cried handing them the pink bundle. River carefully brought her daughter to her chest and gasped. "She's beautiful" she sobbed looking down at the small person she and the Doctor had made. She was beautiful; oceanic blue eyes just like her mother, her nose was small and round not to mention proportionate to her face which the Doctor mentally cheered about. Rory's nose? Not for his daughter. She had a tuft of strawberry blond curls at the top of her head, still covered in the slime of after birth. River kissed her forehead lightly, then traced her daughter's face with the tip of her index finger. "Oh you're perfect!" River cooed rubbing the tip of her nose against the baby's. The baby had calmed down once landing in her mother's arms and stared up at River. "She has your eyes" the Doctor suddenly chimed in from behind River. He gently traced the rounded face of his child then counted each finger and toe. "Brilliant, she's brilliant!" He exclaimed kissing River's temple. River leaned into his touch. "Look what we did Iota…look at her" she whispered as her daughter's florescent blue gaze concentrated on her two hovering parents. She made quiet gurgling noises and repeatedly blinked as she got use to not being in the womb. "Let's clean her up a bit more River, then get you some clean clothes to put on. Ok?" Amy whispered, her tears finally clearing. River nuzzled her daughter's neck lightly. "You'll be back with me soon my love, don't fret" she whispered kissing the baby's tiny cheek. The Doctor removed himself from behind River and stood. "I'll clean her off Pond!" He smiled, the pride of fatherhood bursting through every pore. Amy nodded. 'You left some clothes upstairs River, I'll just go grab them" Amy added before placing a small kiss to River's forehead and brushing the tip of her finger along her granddaughter's nose. Rory, who had been busy cleaning and stitching River up gently removed her feet from the stirrups and got to his feet. "I'll go set up the room for them both" Rory said to Amy stepping towards his daughter to brush his lips against his granddaughters forehead. River who had been casually nodding to every word any of them said while taking in every detail of her daughter looked up as the Doctor moved to take the bundle from her arms. "You'll be back" River whispered more for her own benefit then her daughters. The Doctor kissed River gently on the lips before slowly taking his daughter into his arms. She whined for a moment and squirmed until becoming comfortable in his arms. "Oh oh oh. You will be back with Mummy soon, don't worry my dearest. Daddy is here" he cooed lifting her closer to his face. The Ponds smiled before taking off to complete their tasks.

The Doctor stepped carefully away from River towards the coffee table, which had been moved to allow room for the bed. Rory had set the after birth tools there. "She's wonderful, River" he whispered staring down at his daughter, "absolutely amazing!" River smiled widely as she watched her husband admire their daughter. He picked up a clean cloth, dipped it in water Rory left out for this particular job and gently started to cleanse his daughter. He held her secularly between his body and right arm while his left hand gently scrubbed the after birth from her small curly locks. She whined lightly, earning a worried sigh from River as she watched from her bed. "It's cold? I'm sorry my love, it's only for a few more minutes" he whispered moving the blanket she was wrapped in to clean more of her little body. He smiled to himself as he studied each little crease, roll, dip, birthmark, pigment change, every detail. She was beautiful, the most beautiful creation he had ever seen. "Is she ok Iota?" River asked shaking the Doctor from his thoughts. He suddenly became aware that his daughter had started to cry, wail almost as the cloth touched her skin. "Bring her over, I'll finish" she added struggling with the sound of her daughters screams. The Doctor nodded, he hadn't realized how in need of practice he was…it had been so long since he was a father. He picked up the bowl of water with one hand and held his daughter close with the other. "Here, here…Mummy is here" he cooed dipping so River could take their daughter. "Oh my love, it's ok. Mummy is here, I'm right here" River sang quietly nuzzling her daughter's neck with her nose. "I'll hold her while you wash" River whispered as the baby started to calm down, her lips were still pouted and trembling and a few tears clung to the corners of her eyes but her eyes never lost contact with Rivers. The Doctor sat back on the floor next to River and dipped the cloth in the water. River removed the blanket completely and giggled at how adorable her daughter's tiny body was. "She's so small" River whispered running a finger down her daughter's arm until reaching her tiny palm. River smiled wider when her daughter's reflexive instincts kicked in and her fingers wrapped tightly around her index. "She's strong!" She announced to her husband with a teary smile. The Doctor smiled then kissed River's lips gently. "Of course she is!" He continued to clean her then; River sang a quiet lullaby or hummed sweetly after every whine or tear until he was done. "Found some nice clean clothes for you River! And even this for the baby!" Amy's Scottish voice boomed from the stairs as she bounced down the steps. They both looked towards her to see her excitedly holding up a pink onesy with the words "Grandma Loves Me" written in bold yellow block letters, "we don't have any nappies though!"

The Doctor smiled at his mother in law. "We have some on the TARDIS, I'll just run and get a few, and the baby bag of course" he said simply as he watched his daughter stretch her arms, no motor skills yet to actually control her movements fluently. He finished washing the remaining slime then pushed the cloth and bowl aside. "I'll be right back my loves" he whispered kissing his daughter's forehead then River's. The baby made a slight gurgling noise as the Doctor made it to his feet. "Oh no! Never…I would never leave you" he whispered bending down to smile at his child, "I will always come back for you and Mummy…always." River smiled as she watched her husband gently brush their daughter's tuft of hair as he comforted her worries. He kissed them both again before sprinting off to the TARDIS.

Amy settled on the floor next to River and a moment of silent smiles passed before both women broke out into tears. "Oh Melody! I'm so proud of you!" Amy sobbed wrapping her arms around both her daughter and granddaughter. "Oh mother!" River sobbed back hugging her mother back with one arm. Amy pulled away at the sound of a small whine coming from between them. "Oh I'm sorry my darling" Amy cooed tracing the newborn's nose. "Have you and the Doctor thought of a name yet?" She asked not looking up from her grandchild. River smiled as her daughter's eyes locked with hers then answered. "No…we discussed several options but…nothing ever felt right. And looking at her now…nothing will ever be perfect enough." Amy nodded in agreement just as the Doctor stumbled through the door carrying an assortment of bags, toys and blankets. "I'm back! Is she alright? Are you alright?" He babbled, dropping everything at the door before running over to his little family. "Yes sweetie" River smiled patting his cheek lightly, "did you get everything?" He looked down at his daughter, her eyes drifting closed slightly. "Everything and more! The TARDIS had a pile of things waiting for me as soon as I opened the doors" he whispered as their daughter fell further into sleep. "She's asleep! Perfect time to get you cleaned up and changed River and to get her into some clothing" Amy quietly chimed in from beside River. "I'll take the baby…and you," she pointed at the Doctor, "help your wife shower and change…trust me she's going to need it!" River rolled her eyes. "Mother you act as if I'm not in the room…anyways I don't want to shower...I want to hold my daughter. She'll be hungry soon…" Amy shook her head. "Melody, it's best for you and your daughter that you get cleaned up and more comfortable. She'll sleep long enough for you to take a shower" Amy added reaching for the bundle in River's arms. River placed chaste kisses all over her daughter's face before reluctantly giving her to Amy. "I'll take her upstairs to your room and change her" Amy smiled standing and walking towards the staircase. She grabbed the baby bag the Doctor had left by the door then ascended the stairs. Both River and the Doctor watched intently as their daughter was carried away.