I do not own Doctor Who.

Sorry for such a long wait, my muse went on vacation and I was having computer troubles. And all the stuff actually going on in Doctor Who was not good for my emotional health, which didn't help my writing and...yeah. Anyways, I won't keep you waiting any longer. Enjoy! R&R what you think!

"Right. Everyone back to the control room!" The Doctor leaped into action. "Come along Ponds!" He turned about and seized Rose and River's hands dragging them behind him, the Ponds trailing after. When they were back into the mostly repaired console room the Doctor released his hold on their hands and busied himself with the console. Rose sank into the jump seat and River watched her, studied her. She was frowning. Running her hands anxiously through her daughter's hair.

"It'll be alright."

Rose glanced at her in surprise, and River inched forward a bit, giving the girl her least strained smile.

"Course." Rose agreed, her own smile fluttering up in response. There was silence for a bit after that while they both fidgeted, River less noticeably then Rose. "So... how'd you meet 'im then?" Rose asked at last. River smirked softly.

"The Doctor?" Her smirk grew at Rose's nod. "Oh the Doctor's been a part of my life for a long time."

"How'd you mean?" Rose pushed back her jealousy, her fingers tightening around her baby protectively. Rose wasn't sure she liked the way the woman's lip curled suggestively.

"My parents introduced us."

"Your parents..." River frowned in disbelief.

"Mm." her smile widened into something more believable. "Of course they didn't know I was their daughter at the time. Neither did the Doctor." She laughed, a light, sultry laugh that did nothing for the little green monster eating at Rose's chest. "You should have seen his face." her laugh tinkered out, and she watched the Doctor fondly. Rose shifted uncomfortably, she hated feeling like an intrusion. Especially in the Doctor's life. Hated feeling like she somehow didn't belong anymore, like the place she thought she'd held had been filled, it was worse then madame DePompadour, worse then the thought of being abandoned in the center of space. "And you?" River asked suddenly, startling her. "How did you meet the Doctor?"

Rose shrugged, forcing a smile.

"He came to my job. Well. Blew up my job." River shared her small laugh and Rose tried not to make comparisons. She studied Gwyn's sleeping face while she reminisced, stroking her ear. "Probably a long time ago now." He glanced up at the Doctor, studying his unfamiliar face. "Looked different then." She giggled again. "He had ears worse then his chin." She pointed laughing harder. River's smile grew rueful.

"I'd have liked to see that."

Rose flashed her a genuine grin and tucked a loose strand of blonde behind her ear. She thought back to when she'd had first...well...'met' River, and something she said struck her. 'It's nice to finally meet her.' did that mean...

"Did..." She trailed off, looking away self consciously. "Did he mention me? Before you said-... but I've met the Doctor's companions before- he doesn't- didn't..." she rubbed at her brow, trying to fight the welling of emotion. If he'd mentioned her... did that mean he thought of her? Her chest tightened at the thought. Of course she knew the Doctor loved her, had loved her and probably still felt something for her even if it wasn't as deep as it had been. Still the thought of him remembering her... talking about her after she'd gone... it meant so much more then three words ever would.

"Yes." River's eyes followed Rose's hand as it stroked Gwyn's back, her voice soft. "He's mentioned all of you. To me. I make him." She shared a conspiratorial wink and then her face grew somber once again. "But he doesn't talk about you. Not as much..." she watched Rose flinch, and though a part of her wanted to take pride in the pain she'd caused this woman who stole her man's hearts, the better part, the Amy and Rory part, felt bad for hurting her. "I don't think he can." she hastened to explain, reaching a hand to clasp one of Rose's. "He loved you." It hurt her to say it. To admit that she wasn't the only person the Doctor had given his hearts to. Rose gave her a weak smile, her eyes glistening with tears and River read the insecurities there. "He still does." Rose gave her a startled look, and River forced a flirtatious smile, pressing a finger to her lips. "Spoilers." Her voice caught the smallest bit and both woman looked away.

Rose recognized the pain she saw in the woman's eyes, the pain of a love she wasn't sure of, of giving yourself one hundred percent and never being sure if it was returned, if they'd given even half of themselves. She'd felt it practically since the day she'd met the Doctor, and twice as badly the day he'd left her and Mickey to say the future queen of France. She knew what it took for this woman to console her, knew how much it cost her. She chewed at her lip uncertainly, turning to study the woman who shared her love for the Doctor, and been given more then she ever had. Finally she reached up and nudged her shoulder.

"Thanks." They shared another fleeting smile and then turned away once again, falling back into restless silence.

BREAK

The Doctor watched as they talked, moving purposefully slow as he fumbled around the controls. Of course he'd already solved the whole trapped in the vortex problem. Well...not solved. Identified. Nothing he could do about it right now. Not that he could think of. But it wasn't serious yet, he'd come up with something. More important at the moment was the interaction between River and Rose, (and to a lesser extent, the frostiness between the Ponds, but he'd fix that later too) he wanted to be sure they got along. He was sure they'd like each other, it they didn't get territorial. And he really wasn't looking forward to the bickering if they didn't. This was important. So he payed close attention, and noticed instantly when Gwyn stirred on Rose's lap.

BREAK

Rose looked down as the baby in her arms stretched, threatening to roll off her lap. Her large brown eyes fluttered open, staring up at Rose, and where the Doctor saw the eyes of Rose Tyler, all limpid compassion and overflowing human joy, Rose saw the eyes of her Doctor, the Doctor she'd left behind in a parallel universe and, further back, on a beach in Wales. The baby let out a surprised and breathy burble as she yawned, Then she grinned, and Rose felt the breath leave her body in a whoosh. Because it was his smile too. Her Doctor's. Her first Doctor's. And she hadn't seen it in so long, and she stilled missed him sometimes, so, so much.

Tears slipped down her cheeks as she cradled her child close, a delicate chubby hand reaching up to brush as her hair. She smiled down at her baby, her Gwyn and a happiness bubbled inside her, over taking all her fears and uncertainties. Laughter mixed with her sobs, laughter that Gwyn echoed happily.

"Oh, look at you." She ran a hand through chocolate down. "I've missed you. God, I've missed you so much. Look at you!" she was so big... so much bigger then Rose remembered, little teeth accenting her pink grin, hair so long it curled around her neck. She'd missed so much. She held her child close to her never wanting to let go and her eyes sought the Doctor's, seeking the only joy that would match her own.

But when she found him, his eyes weren't sparkling with delight like she though they'd be. They were distant and broken, fixed on the child in her arms with a sorrow so deep Rose could feel it tingling across her skin like sea water.

"Doctor?" She asked, her voice soft and uncertain. His eyes rose to hers, but nothing in them changed. He shook his head slowly, walking towards her around the console, tears glinting at the edge of his eyes.

"Why Rose?" His voice was rough and shattered as he studied her. "Why did you hide her from me?"