After once more fondly pulling out the cot once used by him, his wife, and his beautiful daughter, he found himself reluctant to put his new baby down, so held him close a few more minutes before gently setting him to rock. He sonicked the stars on top so they twirled, just in case his baby, or as he decided to temporarily call him, Sir Davincicopernicusgallileoeinsteinteslafranklin (David for short), got bored.
Then, he tapped a special call bell on the console, which shortly after gave three little dings in answer. He smiled as he set the TARDIS on course.
When he arrived, he lifted Sir David into his arms, dancing around haphazardly trying to gather all the supplies future River had left him with, wondering how she had made it look so easy and trying not to drop anything whilst holding his too- tiny son.
He finally collected himself, then cleared his throat, determined to appear utterly calm, despite the day's surprises. He smiled down at the boy in his arms, then pushed out of the TARDIS.
"Well. Here goes nothing," he said, ignoring the boy's inquisitive stare.
He walked up to the house; then, kissing his son's face for good measure, he knocked on the door.
Canton answered, grinning behind him at the giggles the Doctor could hear from inside the house. Then he turned back around and caught the sheepish smile on the Doctor's face as he lifted Sir David in greeting.
"Surprise."
Canton stared for a moment more, then gave the Doctor a smirk and a small longsuffering shake of his head, before stepping aside to let him into the house.
He couldn't tell what game everyone was playing, but apparently it involved twirling Bella around between the adults, who were all sat in a circle and laughing loudly.
"Daddy!" cried the little girl, falling breathlessly back into Amy's arms when she spotted her father, her little hands reaching out to steady herself when she tried to stand upright.
Everyone else looked up at this, and instantly froze when they saw the delicate package in the Doctor's embrace.
Amy squealed and ran up to him first, looking down at the baby delicately as she reached out a hand to pet his cheek.
"And where did you come from, little one?" she asked in the voice all humans tended to use around babies and puppies.
"That friend of mine, apparently they needed a bit of time to themselves. Asked if I could keep Sir David here for a couple of hours."
"Sir David?" asked Rory with an incredulous look.
"As good a name as any," argued the Doctor.
"Ah, so you don't know his real name," reasoned Canton.
"Well, not technically- as you can see, he's a bit new. Wasn't even around last time I saw...his parents."
"So they just handed you a baby and you said okay?"
"Well- look at him," he held his son up for his wife's inspection, "How can you just say no to a face like that?" he asked everyone, smiling as he pulled the baby back to him for just a bit more close- up admiration.
River softened, smiling tentatively at the baby while she ran a hand lightly through Bella's hair, who herself had come up with her to examine the alien creature in her father's arms.
Bella, for her part, was still having trouble deciding how she felt about the intruder. She stared at him cautiously, unused to having to share the Doctor's affections. Then she stepped back with a decided look on her face.
"I don't like him," she declared, pushing the Doctor's arms up so the invader was out of her height range.
"Bella," the Doctor chuckled, squatting down with the baby and turning him to face her, "how can you say that, you've barely even met him."
She looked frustrated, then huffed, staring once more at the baby in her daddy's arms, as he stared right back at her. Then, she approached cautiously, as one would a wild animal, before reaching out a tentative small finger to poke him. He waved his pudgy little hands up and down, smiling at her and gurgling.
"See- he likes you," said the Doctor tenderly, wondering how old the "sissy" to whom his son kept referring normally was.
Bella leant forward more to watch the baby's smile, then returning one of her own, she gently kissed him on the forehead.
"Well, maybe he's okay," she confirmed with a nod of her small head. Then she gasped, "Mommy- can we keep him?" she asked eagerly, turning and tugging on River's hand as she gestured to her newfound pet.
Everyone looked up in bemusement at the nervous, slightly anxious, non- mother River Song.
"I don't think so, darling," she answered the girl who was not yet hers. "I'm sure his own family would miss him."
Bella pouted at this information for a moment, turning back around with a look of determined resignation, then stood on her tip toes to get a better look at the baby, who had been passed to her gran. Amy cooed and smiled, rocking the infant back and forth and speaking gibberish as she kissed the boy affectionately. Rory came up next to her, picking up Bella so all three of them could fawn over the new guest equally. Even Canton grunted his approval before holding out his hands, gruffly asking Amy if he could have a go.
She made more nonsensical noises, passing the baby into Canton's arms, who smiled and nodded, chuckling before he too began to speak in a ridiculous tone to the tiny person he was holding, making the Ponds smile to see their old friend making such a fool of himself.
Bella kept leaning over in Rory's arms, nearly falling out of them before she turned toward the Doctor, tugging on his bowtie to get his attention. "Can I hold him, Daddy?" she asked earnestly, holding out two clumsy toddler hands for the baby. He looked at her, smiling softly before gesturing to the sofa, picking up his son and carrying him over. Rory propped a cushion under Bella's arms, manoeuvring them into the correct position. Then the Doctor squatted to place the baby into her hands, keeping one of his own very large hands under his body. Of course, Bella could see no difference in what she was doing and what nearly everyone else had gotten the chance to do, and she smiled up proudly as she held him.
"Look, Mommy, I'm carrying him!" she declared proudly, trying to lift her tiny arms to show off to River. Rory quickly reached out a hand to keep hers around the child, making sure she understood how important it was she kept a good hold on him. She giggled as she looked down, before the Doctor pulled "Sir David" to himself once more, letting Bella free to hop down and press sweet little kisses to her future brother's head.