Mai Li is sitting along the edge of the still growing console room of the young Tardis. She is doing homework, just trying to stay out of the way although her fingers are itching to help. Rose is sitting on the edge of an open section of deck, her feet dangling over and into the opening. She is not happy at the moment as she wants to be right beside the Doctor working, but can't fit any longer due to her advanced pregnancy.
"Hand me the spanner, will you, Rose?"
She hands him one.
"Not that one, the other one," he says as he hands the first tool back to her without really looking up from under the deck plates of the newly grown console room.
Rose starts muttering under her breath as she maneuvers her gravid abdomen around so that she can get the requested tool.
Accepting the tool, he replies absently, "Thanks." He tries it on the part he is working on, finds that the original tool she handed him was actually better, and says as he reaches up without looking, "The other one fits better, Rose. Could you hand it back…" There is a crash as the box of tools is unceremoniously knocked over into the area he's working in with a couple of wrenches bouncing off of his back. "Ow!" he says as he finally pokes his head up above the deck. "What'd you do that for?" Mai Li looks up and smiles.
"Because you were supposed to wait for me to be able to help you."
"You are helping me!"
"By handing you tools! I should be helping you, down there!"
"You can't fit down here."
Rose looks around for something else to throw at him. "I asked you to help me get up so I could use the loo. You said to give you a moment. That was fifteen minutes ago! Do you realize how hard it is to hold it when the baby's kicking my bladder?"
"Oh!" He immediately starts out of the area. "Sorry." He starts to help her up. Once she is up, she immediately leaves.
When she returns a few minutes later, the Doctor is back under the console. Rose looks into the area, debating on whether to join him or not as another mild contraction occurs. Owen is entering the Tardis and watches her run her hand over her swollen belly, smiling. Mai Li looks up, sensing that something is happening that they've been waiting for.
"Doctor," he says, "I think you should take Rose home."
Poking his head out from where he has been working, he responds, "Why? What's going on?"
"Contractions. They aren't frequent nor are they hard enough to do much good yet, but they are becoming regular. I've noticed a couple on the monitor and went back in the log… she's been having them most of the day."
"I'm fine," she tells them. "She's not quite ready yet," she continues, referring to the baby.
"That settles it," the Doctor tells her as he starts climbing out of where he has been working. "I'm taking you home."
"But… I'm fine… Really."
"It explains why you weren't hungry for lunch."
Owen adds, "Both of you need to get whatever rest you can tonight. I have a feeling it's going to be a long day tomorrow. I'll let Dr. Russell know."
"I'll let Rose's mum know," Mai Li offers. They were expecting us for Christmas dinner. I don't think we're going to make it, but I don't think she'll be upset about it."
"Love?" she says as she leans over him to wake him in the wee hours of the morning. "It's time."
"What?" he says, still half asleep.
"It's time… The baby's coming."
"Oh…" he continues; still not awake enough for it to fully register on his consciousness. Then, all of a sudden, he sits bolt upright in the bed as realization sets in. "What?"
She laughs lightly at his reaction, then hisses as another contraction hits her. "She's impatient… Could you call Owen?"
"Of course." He gets up to make the call. She gets up while he is making the call, starting to walk to ease the discomfort she is feeling. As he returns from making the call, she has another contraction, grasping the end of the bed to support herself. He goes to her, helping to take her weight. "I can help."
"It's not so bad when I walk."
"Then I'll help you, I don't want you falling."
When Owen arrives, Rose has just sat back down. The Doctor is rubbing her back to help her, holding her hand with the other.
"How are things?" Owen asks.
"Progressing. She's more comfortable when she's moving."
"Callahan will be here sometime later today. She's been brushing up on midwifery. In the meantime, I guess we'll just have to muddle through until she gets here."
"Don't I get a say," Rose asks as she catches her breath between contractions.
"Actually, Rose, the impression I got from Callahan was that childbirth is a thing best kept out of the hands of men. She's been keeping up to date with everything," Owen replies.
In a bit, she gets back up, saying, "I feel better when I'm up and on my feet. Let me walk for a bit. Besides I need to visit the loo." Supporting her weight, he follows her lead. While she is using the toilet, her water breaks during an especially hard contraction.
"That's it," Owen says as he goes to help the Doctor. "I want her in the bed." After she is back in the bed, the Doctor sits beside her. Owen starts to examine her, checking on her progress. The Doctor holds her hand and caresses her brow, merging with her mind to help her to deal with the pain she is feeling. Owen notices as she starts to relax a bit. He looks at the Doctor in curiosity.
"It's better than drugs… And I can help her to calm our daughter as she is being born as well."
"I keep forgetting that you're telepathic."
"Touch telepath. I need the physical contact."
Later that morning, Callahan arrives, gently sliding Owen into the background as the labor progresses. She considers having the Doctor take a break, but stops when she realizes how much the Doctor is able to help.
Mai Li brings refreshments at times as she is curious as well and is hoping to be there when the baby is born.
That afternoon, the Tylers arrive. Jackie comes up to the bedroom to help while Pete and Mai Li take care of the Tyler children. Finding that she is not needed, she proceeds to set the household in order and plan Christmas dinner with what is available.
Late that evening, realizing that the labor is starting to reach the final stages, the Doctor turns his concentration to Rose. "Rose, remember to breathe. Just concentrate on welcoming our daughter. I'm here. I'll help."
"She's crowning," Callahan says. "Now Rose, I need you to push with the next contraction… Good… Good." Feeling the contraction start as she rests her hand on her abdomen, she continues, "Push! That's it… That's good… Now rest a bit between."
Feeling the next one start, Callahan continues, "This should be the last time, Rose… Now… Push..! Push!" Supporting the child's head and neck, she helps as Rose pushes one last time to birth her child. "Now, you can rest," she says as she lays their daughter on her after wrapping the bawling child in a towel. "She's a beautiful little girl! And there's no way the Doctor's not her father with that shock of brown hair! He couldn't disown her if he tried!" Callahan laughs.
Owen clamps off the umbilical and hands the Doctor a pair of scissors, offering to let him cut the cord.
The Doctor looks at the bawling child with her shock of brown hair sticking up like his own. She's a bit unfinished yet, he thinks. She doesn't look at all like the child she showed me last year. And just what am I supposed to do with these scissors?
"Doctor?" Owen asks. "Are you going to cut the umbilical? Doctor?"
"Huh?" the Doctor says as he comes out of his reverie. "Oh! Yes!"
Owen smiles as he realizes that the Doctor's hand is trembling as he cuts the cord.
"You know, Doctor, for having been a father before, you're as nervous as a first time father."
"That was a long time ago… lifetimes ago."
Callahan takes the baby to get her cleaned up before handing her to her mother.
When Rose rouses again a few minutes later, the baby is being held in the crook of her arm by the Doctor. Callahan says, "Rose, how do you feel now?"
"Tired," she replies. "How long have I been out?"
The Doctor leans over her and kisses her gently, tenderly. "Long enough for us to tidy things up a bit."
Owen interrupts them, saying, "Well, since I'm going to have to register the birth, I need to know what you plan to name her. By the way, she's lovely, just like her mother."
"We could name her after your granddaughter," Rose suggests, "unless you find it too painful to be reminded of her. I know we can't bring her back, but we can honor her memory."
"I think Susan would have been proud to be her namesake," the Doctor says as he thinks it over. Nodding, he adds, "I think Susan is a good name for her. I'll help Owen get everything straight. Now, rest." The baby stirs, starting to cry.
"She's hungry!" Rose says as she realizes why. She tries to sit up a bit so that she can nurse her, but falls back onto the bed, exhausted. Tears form in her eyes in her frustration at her own weakness.
"Let me help you," the Doctor says as he helps her to hold the child to her breast, supporting her shoulders as she leans against him with one arm and the baby with the other. As the child begins to nurse, Rose relaxes, secure in her husband's arms.
"I'll leave you two alone for now. We can finish what we need to in the morning. Get to know your daughter. And Rose, you need to rest. You've had a hard day."
He leaves them, promising to check on her later that morning, after he gets some sleep.
The Doctor turns back to Rose, gently moving her hair out of her face.
"I need to send the message to your original with a picture of Susan."
"You need to sleep. The message can wait."
"No! It can't." She starts crying. "It's part... He deserves to know that he has family now. He needs…"
"What is it Rose? What have you seen?"
She looks at her husband with profound sadness. "He… He…"
"He'll be regenerating, won't he?'
She nods. "He needs to have a picture of Susan. The message is ready to go except for that. I've got it set up as an email. The cannon's ready to go. It's been ready for a couple of days. I've asked him to be a godfather to our children when we get back."
He smiles. "I can imagine what his reaction to that will be… Alright, I'll send the message with pictures of Susan." He picks up the camera they've been recording things with and takes a few pictures of Susan with her mother, then connects the camera to the computer and uploads the video and photos he has just taken. He finds the email she has set up, attaches the pictures and sends the file, knowing that it is set up to trigger the dimension cannon to function for the split-second that is needed. When he turns back to Rose a few minutes later, he says, "It's sent. Perhaps it will give him a little happiness in an otherwise sad time."
"That's what I'm hoping. Now, we need to let my mum know about Susan."
"I will, but I want to get you two settled first. Are you hungry?"
"No, just tired. I just…" She falls asleep.
The next morning Jackie comes in to check on her daughter. Seeing her asleep, with the Doctor asleep in a chair beside her, she decides to check on her granddaughter in the cradle next to the bed.
The Doctor stirs, sitting up in the chair. "Good morning, Jackie." Seeing her look at Rose, he says, "She's sleeping. Susan was born about three in the morning. A Christmas gift for me." He smiles in wonder at how much Rose knew of her daughter's birth when she initially showed him her image the previous Christmas.
"You're naming her Susan?"
"Yes… after my granddaughter."
"Your… granddaughter?"
"Rose's idea. She wants to honor her memory.
"Jackie, I know I've mentioned the Time War to you before." She nods. "I lost everything in that war… Home… Family. Rose wants to honor that memory. She wants me to be reminded of the good things that I had… not just the losses.
"I… argued against it at first, but she made me realize that life continues.
"And… right now… all I can say to her is 'thank you'. The joy I felt when I held our daughter… Thank you is not nearly enough. She has given me so much more than I ever had a right to."
"Then… you were married before?"
He nods. "Lifetimes ago. It was before I had ever regenerated… Before I started wandering the stars.
"My children had married and had children as well. Susan, my granddaughter, was why I started wandering the stars. She was my first companion in my travels. She was so much like me… Then they all died."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be dredging up all of your bad memories."
"It's alright. Rose has helped me to deal with much of it. It's just…"
"You don't know what you would do if you lost everything again."
"No…" he says quietly. "The rage I felt when I lost them… It nearly destroyed me. Then I met Rose. She made me better. She… She saved me from myself."
"You've got family now and a home. We'll be here for you. That's what family is for." He smiles in reply.
"Well," she continues as she goes to pick up the child, "I want to show Pete his granddaughter before everyone wakes up and the kids join Rose in the bed. Maybe I can control the situation by showing them the baby downstairs. Don't worry, I won't be long.
"Why don't you lie down and get some rest? You can't have been comfortable in that chair."
"I will in a bit. I just want to check Rose. It wasn't an easy labor."
Jackie glances at her daughter. "She's doing fine. You need to rest too. They're both going to need you rested."
He nods. "I will, Jackie. I promise."
She walks out of the room carrying the baby.
Late that day, a Christmas dinner has been assembled. Tables and chairs have been scrounged as Gwen and Rhys, Toshiko, and Ianto have joined everyone and brought food and drink to be enjoyed. Owen and Callahan come downstairs after checking on Rose. She says, "They'll be down in a few minutes. They're making themselves presentable. The Doctor needed a shave and a shower."
When Rose and the Doctor enter a few minutes later with the baby, room is made at the table so that they can share the meal too. As food is passed around, everyone settles in to enjoy the celebration of life with friends and family.
After a few minutes, a familiar wheezing sound is heard from outside. Mai Li looks up with a smile on her lips.
Rose says, "You've already told them? I thought I'd have a couple of days before…"
"I forwarded a copy of the medical records to them," Owen says. "They asked to be kept in the loop. I didn't know they'd come and check on things right away."
"Owen," the Doctor replies, "there hasn't been a Timelord baby in…"
There is a knock on the door. Mai Li gets up and answers it, saying, "Everyone's eating. You're welcome to join us."
The Timelords enter, joining everyone at the dinner table. "We came to congratulate Rose and the Doctor on the birth of their daughter," says Romana, smiling. "Besides, our Doctor now has a niece. Maybe it will entice him to marry and have a family of his own."
"I'll decide when and if I marry, Romana," that universe's Doctor replies.
Rose gets up from the table, picks up Susan from the carrier, and hands her to him. Go ahead and get acquainted with your niece. I want you involved in her life."
He looks at Rose, at a loss for anything to say.
"You could be a godfather to her here. I know she's not your granddaughter and can't ever replace her, but you've got family again and don't have to be alone.
"I told you that you'd always be welcome here and that you're family. I meant every word of what I said. I want you involved in our lives. Now, get to know Susan a bit."
Talk continues through the evening until people start to go home. Rose thanks them for coming, though she doesn't rise from where she is sitting and feeding Susan.
Romana says, as she gets ready to leave, "It's been my privilege to meet your daughter. Be assured that there will always be a place for her."
"We understand, Romana," Rose's Doctor replies. "But our place is here, not on Gallifrey. Susan would be an oddity there. Here, she's just another child, loved by her parents."
"I do understand, Doctor. I just want you to know that there are many options for her as she grows, that's all."
"Romana, I do understand, perhaps more than you realize, but she needs the human side of her heritage as well. She'll get that with living and growing up on Earth."
"I understand your choice, Doctor, and although I do wish you would change your mind, I see your reasons and accept them. I trust we'll be welcome to visit from time to time?"
"Yes, you're welcome to visit, you know that. Yes, I know you've adopted Rose into your house, so you're family as well and we want all of Susan's family involved in her life."
Later that evening, after the Tylers have retired for the night and Mai Li has finally gone to bed. The Doctor notices that Rose has nearly dropped off to sleep as she feeds Susan one last time before going to bed herself. He sits beside her and puts he arm around her, kissing her forehead. She wakes enough to say, "Merry Christmas, love."
"Merry Christmas, my love," he replies. "Our first of many to come."