Note to readers: Just to let you know, if I don't reply to your queries it will be because they are soon to be answered. For example, this chapter begins a looooooong explanation of what the hell is going on here. Hopefully it's not too confusion. It makes sense to me, but you need to let me know if you're having trouble understanding what's going on, especially as the next few chapters, starting here, are going to explain pretty much everything there is. I hope you enjoy it!

"Dinner!" River called up the stairs, then moving into the living room to rouse her parents. The Ponds stumbled sleepily out into the hallway after their daughter, very nearly colliding head-on with Merry and the Doctor as they made their way down into the kitchen. Once they were all seated at the table, River dished out chicken stir-fry in healthy portions. They all chatted away, the Doctor even joining in with the general domesticity of the occasion.

But River said nothing. She didn't even smile once. After noticing this, the Doctor rarely took his eyes off her, watching her every move. She looked tired. No, more like shattered. She had huge bags under her eyes, ones that the Doctor was sure weren't there when he last saw her. As she was pouring water into Merry's glass, her hands shook violently. Merry frowned and touched her mother's arm, taking the jug from her hands and forcing her to sit down in her chair.

"Mum, are you alright?" she asked in concern, studying River's face intently.

"I'm fine." River replied flatly. Merry, looking slightly put off, began twisting the ring on her finger as the Doctor had noted she did when she was thinking. River nodded to her hands, "Did you take your ring off yesterday?" Merry looked down guiltily.

"No." she said quietly; it was a clear lie.

"Merripen Amelia Song, don't you dare lie to me." River snapped darkly, "Tell me the truth."

Merry's breath quickened as she looked in terror into her mother's eyes.

"I… I…" she stuttered, tears welling in her eyes. The Doctor's hearts were beating fast. He'd never seen her like this before. And he'd never seen River so dangerous, despite the number of times she's nearly shot him with a gun. But there was something beneath her anger: fear.

"Spit it out!" River barked, pushing her chair back and standing up. Merry whimpered as if she had been stabbed with a white-hot poker.

"It was an accident." She sobbed, tears now streaming helplessly down her face. Gradually standing up too, the Doctor held his arm out to River.

"River, you need to calm down." He said slowly. He didn't understand: what was so important about this ring? But she simply smacked his hand away from her.

"How could you be so stupid?" she said, still looking at the quaking Merry.

"It wasn't my fault." The young girl pleaded, "Some girls in my class took it from me. They hid it. They wouldn't give it back."

"I've told you how important it is to keep that dratted thing on!" River shouted; she was crying now too. Suddenly, the Doctor gave in to his curiosity.

"Why is the ring so important?" he asked, looking back and forth between River and Merry. Both of them remained silent, causing the Doctor to continue, "Why shouldn't it be taken off, Merry?"

"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know." She wept helplessly. The Doctor rushed around to the other side of the table, making Merry stand up, as if she were expecting him to grab her. She backed herself quickly against the wall, raising her shaking hands to her face. He slowly approached her, eventually pulling her into his arms.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to know why you need to keep it on." He said, comfortingly rubbing her shoulder and kissing the top of her head.

"Mum s-says it's to keep me s-safe. She s-says I'll be in danger if I t-take it off." Merry sobbed. She sounded just like a terrified child, utterly distraught by seeing the dark side of a parent.

"Why does she need to wear it, River?" the Doctor asked, rocking Merry in his arms, "What would happen if she took it off?"

"I can't…" River said whispered tearfully.

"River, look at what you've done. Then tell me you can't." he said sternly to her. River looked in horror at her daughter, her eyes filling with new tears as she raised a hand to her mouth. But she still shook her head.

"I really, really can't." she said through her fingers. The Doctor was fed up of the lies. He was fed up of everyone knowing more than he did. He wanted answers. After glaring at River, the Doctor looked down.

"Merry," he began gently, pushing her away far enough to see her face, "Can you give me your ring?" The young girl's eyes widened and she shook her head, glancing to her mother and back again.

"No!" River cried, moving to get around the table.

"Rory, Amy, hold her back." The Doctor ordered quietly, watching as they jumped up. Rory held his daughter by the shoulders, as Amy attempted to calm her down. The Doctor looked back down at Merry, who was watching the situation with a child-like expression of fear. Slowly she turned back to him as he spoke again, "Merry, I want you to give me your ring."

"No…" she whimpered, shrinking away from him. But he gripped her by the shoulders.

"I won't let any harm come to you, I promise." He said patronisingly, well aware that forcing her to do something wouldn't be the sensible thing to do. Merry looked down at her ring and, raising her hand, she began to take it from her finger.

"Merry! Please!" River cried in distress, Rory having to hold her back.

As soon as the ring had been removed, it hit him. The Doctor stumbled backwards, hand to his mouth as he tried to take in what he now knew. He could smell it. He could smell her. She was the Time Lord. He ran forward again, running the sonic up and down her. He looked at the reading. Time Lord. Still dumbstruck he pressed his ear to her chest and listened. One heart. He moved to the other side of her chest. Two hearts. He moved back and simply stared at her.

"Doctor, what's happening?" Amy asked. Without looking away from Merry, he replied.

"It's a bio-damper." He said plainly.

"What is?" Rory asked, every bit as confused as his wife.

"The ring. It's a bio-damper." He replied.

"What's a bio-damper?" Rory said, loosening his grip on River.

"It disguises the bio-signature of an organism. What it truly is can't be detected." The Doctor said offhandedly, more interested in Merry, "But that means…" He stretched out his hand, gently stroking her cheek. Slowly, Merry smiled.

"Welcome home, Pappy."