A/N: second to last chappie! and spoiler alert! reference to Torchwood Miracle Day in this chappie. there's not really a lot that gives it away but i thought i'd mention it. enjoy!


Chapter 53: Birth

"What are you, seven months along now?" Jack asked over the phone.

"Yup," Olivia sighed, slouching back in her bed in the replica of her old bedroom, running a hand over her belly. "Is it wrong that I'm tired of being pregnant?"

"No, Nova, it isn't," Jack chuckled. "You've got something growing inside you that's sucking your energy, is basically dead weight and using your bladder for a trampoline. I'd be sick of it, too. Reminds me of your days in Torchwood."

"I don't recall using your bladder for a trampoline," Olivia smirked back, making him laugh. "So where are you now?"

"Uh…China."

"How boring. I thought you were gonna go see more of the universe."

"Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. Maybe when I get the urge again."

"You will. Talk to Martha lately?"

"Not really. You should give her a call. Uh, Nova, I gotta go."

"Everything ok, Jack?" Olivia frowned, hearing something in his tone.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Oh, hang on, Gwen wants to talk to you."

Olivia's eyes widened as she waited for the phone to be passed.

"Olivia!" the familiar Welsh accent came on, excitedly. "How are you?! Jack told me you're pregnant!"

"Yeah, seven months now," Olivia replied and couldn't help but ask, "Is, uh, something going on? You guys ok?"

"Fine, Olivia, we're fine," Gwen replied. "Just working."

"Hm," Olivia hummed, unconvinced, but decided to change the subject. "How are Rhys and the baby?"

"Oh, lovely, they're fine. How's your mum and Aaron?"

"They're great," Olivia nodded. "Mom's helping me. Fussing, making me food…mom stuff. Aaron's excited about being an uncle."

"If you ever need baby advice, you've got my number."

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Oh, bloody hell, I have to go. I'll talk to you soon, yeah?"

"Yeah. Tell Rhys I said 'Hello'."

"And your mum. Bye."

"Bye."

Olivia hung up and frowned at her phone. Something was going on that they weren't telling her. She hadn't watched the news, and neither had her mother. Aaron hadn't told her anything either, and if the Doctor knew something but wasn't telling her, well then she had a bone to pick with him.

"Doctor!" she called.

Footsteps were heard rushing down the hall toward the door and both the Doctor and Joyce rushed in.

"What's the matter?" he asked, urgently as he rushed to her side, Joyce right next to him. "Did you hurt yourself? Has your water broken? Hybrids can be premature sometimes."

"Maybe if you'd let her get a word in edgewise!" Joyce snapped at him.

"Right, Liv, tell us what's wrong."

"Nothing is wrong," Olivia replied.

"Ok, it's alright. Everything's going to be ok. I can fix it. Wait. What?"

The Doctor and Joyce both frowned at her as she folded her arms in front of her.

"Mom, I need to talk to my husband," Olivia replied. "I feel fine. Just needed to get his attention."

Joyce frowned but nodded, sparing a glance to the Doctor before turning to leave. The Doctor sat next to Olivia on the bed, still frowning at her as she waited for Joyce to leave and shut the door behind her.

"Liv, what's the matter?" he asked. "I know that face. What have I done?"

"Have you talked to Jack, lately?" Olivia only asked, lowering her hands to her belly again as he frowned.

"No," he replied. "The only time I talk to Jack is when I'm with you. What's Jack got to do with this?"

"He's in China," she went on. "Do you know why?"

"No, I don't. Liv, what's the matter, please? Look, I know you're pregnant, but I'm the only one that's allowed to behave mysteriously."

"I was just talking to him. He's with Gwen in China. Now, Gwen went into hiding after Torchwood, and the only reason she would come out of hiding and team up with Jack is if something happened. My question is: Do you know anything about it? Because if you're hiding something from me—"

"I'm not," he cut in, calmly. "Honestly, Liv, I'm not hiding anything from you. I don't know anything about what Jack might be up to."

Olivia eyed him for a moment, realizing he was telling the truth then sighed.

"What is going on with him, then?!" she growled.

"Oh, no, don't you start that," the Doctor warned, making her look up at him with a frown. "There's a reason you and your mum haven't watched telly. I won't let you. You'll want to go and fix everything or become distressed at seeing something strange that you can't fix. You need nothing but tranquil surroundings, especially now that you're in your third trimester. I'm going to make up a warm bath for you, and give me your mobile."

"Hey! What—?!" Olivia was cut off when the Doctor snatched her phone away.

"I'm screening all your calls," he reported, tucking the phone into his pocket and heading into the bathroom.

"Theta! You can't do that!" she objected, pounding her fists into the mattress next to her as she could only watch him, unable to move fast enough to chase him. "You're being controlling!"

"Your relaxation is my top priority," he called back over the sound of water running. "If it means monitoring your calls to keep you at peace, then I'm doing it."

"You're treating me like I'm made of glass!" she snapped. "I've been careful, I've done whatever you said, but I'm not a child to have something taken away from me just because you think I'm throwing a tantrum!"

"You are throwing a tantrum, darling," he called back.

"Wipe that smug smirk off your face!" she retorted, not being able to see him, but hearing it in his tone.

The water stopped and the Doctor emerged from the bathroom to head toward her, his sleeves rolled up to keep them from getting wet as he drew the bath. He sat next to her again, taking her hands in his and making her frown at him as he only ran his thumbs over her fingers.

"I know you're not made of glass, my love," he murmured. "But…you have to understand my concern. If this were a fully human baby, I wouldn't be so worried, but this is a human/Time Lord hybrid. Your delicate condition is increased by tenfold. Any hybrid pregnancy would be. I had a plan so we wouldn't have to be so cautious but…now you'll just have to bear with me on this, Liv."

Olivia sighed before rubbing her eyes, murmuring, "I'm sorry, Theta. I'm just tired of being so delicate. Mom fussing over me isn't helping. She's afraid I'll slip while trying to get to the bathroom. Do you know how embarrassing it is to have your mother sit there and watch you pee?"

The Doctor snickered, then tried to recover when she glared at him, but it only made the fit worse and he burst into laughter. Olivia was unable to help it when she giggled then laughed as well and the Doctor leaned over to press kisses to her cheeks.

"Just two and a half more months, Liv," he assured, lifting a hand to stroke her hair, affectionately. "Give or take. Ready for your bath?"

She nodded and he helped her up and into the bathroom to help her into the tub.


Month Eight...

The Doctor smiled warmly at Olivia as she sat in a huge chair in a corner of the room filled with records of music next to the stereo, asleep. He often watched her sleep, loving how peaceful she was and the small movements her eyebrows or lips made when she was dreaming. His smile fell when he noticed her brow furrow, wondering if she was having a dream that was turning into a nightmare. He stepped toward her on bare feet over the plush carpet of the room and was about to switch off the classical music he'd helped Mozart with she had fallen asleep to when she stirred with a small groan.

"Can't be…" she muttered, her head shaking lazily from side to side against the head of the chair, still frowning. "Regenerated… Can't be here…at the same time."

The Doctor frowned in utter confusion, surprised that even he couldn't make anything of the nonsense coming out of her mouth. He shook his head and knew he had to wake her, silently telling the TARDIS to move their room next door so she wouldn't have to make a long journey. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek when her head settled again.

"Darling, you can't sleep here," he whispered into her ear. "You'll be sore if you stay here any longer like this. Wake up, Liv."

"Mm…" she hummed, her eyes still closed as she let her head lull away from him, muttering, "No more."

The Doctor shot straight up, staring wide eyes at her as the words echoed in his head…but in another voice of his. A past voice he tried to forget.

Olivia took in a breath as she stirred again, her eyes fluttering open as she looked to him and he hid the effect of her words with a smile. She smiled in return and shifted to sit up a little more in the chair.

"I fell asleep," she yawned, stretching her arms.

"I noticed," he smirked, holding a hand toward her. "Let's get you to a proper bed so you can sleep comfortably, eh?"

"There's no such thing as comfort when you're pregnant," she muttered, taking his hand and letting him help her up just as Joyce stepped into the room.

"There you are," she smiled. "I was just going to head into the house for something. I'll be back in a second."

"Oh, mom, wait up!" Olivia called, waddling past the Doctor as he frowned at her. "I want my scrapbook."

"Let Joyce get it, Liv," the Doctor instructed heading after her as they all left the room to head for the control room.

"I know exactly where it is," Olivia insisted.

"I can get it for you, sweetheart," Joyce replied, waving her off as she made for the door of the TARDIS.

"I'm capable of carrying one little book, mom," Olivia retorted, stepping out behind her mother.

"Olivia! Stop!" the Doctor snapped, grabbing her arm to pull her back, making her turn a frown to him, still standing outside the TARDIS. "Come back inside, now!"

"Theta? What—? Ah!"

Olivia cut herself off as pain shot through her belly and she doubled over from it as the Doctor pulled her back into the TARDIS.

"Olivia Felton, I told you," he growled, rushing her toward the seat next to one of the panels as she wrapped her arms around her belly, Joyce rushing in after them.

"What's happening?!" Joyce questioned, kneeling next to Olivia who was trying to breathe through the pain.

"She left the TARDIS," the Doctor explained, heading for the scanner. "Even setting one foot out of the TARDIS for one second could be disastrous during her third trimester. She could have lost the baby."

Olivia gasped as she looked up at him while he stared at the scanner, but he sighed as the tension left his body.

"She's alright," he assured them, turning to step toward Olivia, kneeling in front of her to place a hand on her cheek, meeting her gaze. "And so is the baby. Now, will you listen to me next time, Liv?"

She nodded, tears welling in her eyes before she jerked with a sob, sputtering, "I'm sorry, Theta. When you said I had to stay on the TARDIS I thought I could step out just for a minute, not hours like I was doing before. I'm so sorry! I almost lost the baby!"

"I know you're sorry, Liv," he murmured as she buried her face into her hands and sobbed, making him sigh and wrap his arms around her. "Alright, darling. It's alright now. You're both safe. Just don't step out the TARDIS again, like I told you."

Olivia nodded as the Doctor looked to Joyce as she stood, her hands on her hips and their gazes met.

"Joyce, do me a favor and bring some sweeties for Liv, yes?" he requested.

"I'm not three! I don't need sweets to make me feel better!" Olivia snapped, her voice slightly muffled by the Doctor's vest and shirt as she leaned into his chest.

"Hershey bar?" Joyce guessed.

"King sized, please!" Olivia sobbed, making the Doctor and Joyce exchange smirks before Joyce stepped out the door to get the things she needed from the house, including Olivia's scrapbook and a king size Hershey bar. The Doctor stroked Olivia's hair as she still sobbed into his chest, wrapping her arms around him to pull him closer.

"Alright, darling, enough tears," he murmured, pulling back enough to look her in the eye and lifting a hand to brush away her tears. "Deep breaths, Liv. Try to relax."

She nodded and breathed deeply, trying to calm herself.

"That's better," he nodded with a warm smile. "Now, when Joyce comes back, have at your chocolate and go rest in bed. Doctor's orders."

"Can I stay with you?" she shuddered, wiping her tears from her cheeks.

"If you'd like," he nodded as Joyce stepped back into the TARDIS with a plastic bag filled with things she needed and approached to hand the chocolate bar and Olivia's scrapbook to her.

"Thanks mom," Olivia pouted, setting the scrapbook in her lap.

"Thank you, Joyce," the Doctor nodded to her as she leaned down to kiss Olivia's head. "I'm going to work on the console. Liv, comfy?"

She only nodded, unwrapping her candy bar and starting at it as Joyce stroked her hair, affectionately.

"Right, then if you need anything else, I'm right here," he nodded, heading for the console.

"I'm staying here, mom," Olivia reported, and Joyce nodded in understanding.

"Alright, I'll be in my room if you need me," she said before heading down the stairs and into the halls of the TARDIS.

Olivia watched the Doctor work on the console as she finished her candy bar, admittedly feeling better. She was silent for a moment before she couldn't hold back her question any longer.

"Theta?"

"Yes, Liv? Need something?"

"No, I just…wanna ask you something."

"Yes?"

Olivia swallowed before looking to her scrapbook and picking at the corner.

"Why…Why do you love me?" she asked, looking up at him as he rounded the console in front of her.

"Well, that's a silly question, Liv. Why wouldn't I love you, eh? That's what you should be asking."

"I'm serious," Olivia insisted. "I never listen to you…"

"That's not true."

"I argue with you."

"Well, yeah, but everyone does."

"I shouldn't."

"Oh, come on, Liv. You're only human."

"Exactly," she sighed, making him pause and look to her as she cast her gaze down again, something in her tone drawing his attention. "I'm human. A puny little human and you chose me to travel with you and…you married me and got me pregnant. You're so wonderful, and I…I pushed you to get married and have a baby. I wanted to have you and a 'normal' life with the husband and child I always wanted. Where would you be now if I hadn't…let you go?"

"I'll tell you where I'd be, Olivia Felton," he replied, stepping away from the console to kneel in front of her as she met his gaze. "I would be lost. You may only be human, but you're clever, and fantastic…and nobody's pushed me into doing anything I didn't want to. If I married you, it was because I wanted to, and I wanted to wait till we had the baby but I still wanted it. If you weren't here now…if you had let me go when I left, I'd have probably tucked myself away somewhere and never come out of the TARDIS. Who knows how long it would be before I decided to even interact with anyone?" He lifted a hand to gently stroke her cheek, their eyes locked. "I thought of never going back after I left you with Joyce. I was going to let you live your life as you should, get married to a human man and have a human baby and be…well, human. The 'normal' life, as you call it. But every time I thought of all the reasons I shouldn't go back, I always came back to the one reason I should: You. I love you because you're much more to me than just the girl who never let me go. You're the girl who stole my hearts."

A tear slid from Olivia's eye and over his thumb as he stroked her cheek. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her other cheek before pulling back as she dried her eyes.

"Better?"

She could only nod through a small smile before pressing a kiss to his lips then gently pushing on his shoulder.

"Go fiddle," she smiled through a sniffle. "You're making me cry way too much for the baby's health."

"Then I'll make you smile from now on," he grinned, giving her an Eskimo kiss and making her giggle.


Month Nine...

The Doctor sighed, tiredly as he entered the master bedroom where Olivia lay asleep in the bed. He'd been working on the console, trying to fix all the little things that made the TARDIS frustrating to fly sometimes. He'd just finished showing Olivia how to fly it all over again when she had announced she was tired and made her way to their room, leaving him to tinker. It had been hours since then, and he was sure it was almost dawn outside, but time was relative in the TARDIS.

He sat heavily on the bed, rubbing a hand over his face before leaning forward on his knees. He'd become tired easily since they'd parked in Joyce's backyard. He guessed it was some sort of depression coupled with the stress of Olivia's pregnancy. Even when she was sleeping he was worried about her, and even more so after hearing her talk in her sleep. Those words still echoed in his mind, and he couldn't figure out how she knew anything about it. The only explanation was that her psychic ability was returning due to the pregnancy, and whether it would fade again or stick around this time, he wasn't sure.

The Doctor shook his thoughts away before turning to look at Olivia sleeping peacefully behind him. He couldn't help but smile at her as she groaned softly and shifted from her back to her side with her back facing him. He gave a frown when he noticed something in the dim light the TARDIS gave in all the rooms. A large spot on the sheets. Sensing his thoughts the TARDIS brightened the lights, slowly to reveal a wet spot in the covers and covering her pajamas paints.

"Olivia," he called, grabbing her shoulder to shake her awake. "Olivia, wake up."

She groaned again and turned to him with a frown as he stood from the bed and hurried around to face her as she tried sitting up.

"What's the matter?" she asked in a raw voice, but her frown deepened when she sat up and she felt something wet and uncomfortable under her rear. Realization made her lock gazes with the Doctor as he grabbed her hands to stand her up.

"Joyce!" the Doctor shouted as more of Olivia's water-break spilled onto the floor and he shuffled her away from the bed just as Joyce rounded into the room with wide eyes. The Doctor looked to her with a huge grin, trying not to slip on the waters on the floor and instructed her, still grinning, "Clean sheets in the linen closet over there. Just put them on the bed, the TARDIS will do the rest, then get her long nightdress. This is gonna go by fast! Baby's on its way!"

Joyce did as she was told without a word as the Doctor helped Olivia out of her soaked pajamas and underwear. Her nightgown was quickly pulled over her head and after the bed was quickly made, and Joyce wiped up the mess on the floor, Olivia was shuffled back to the bed and sat down just as the first contraction hit.

"Holy—!" Olivia shouted, gripping the Doctor's shirt at the chest and fisting it as she yanked him toward her, her other hand fisting the sheets as she roared in pain.

"Liv, nice shirt, please, don't rip the nice shirt," the Doctor blurted, making her glare at him as she gritted her teeth and tried breathing through the pain, sweat forming on her brow.

"I've got your baby wanting to pop out of me, I'm allowed to rip your damn shirt if I want," she growled before taking deep breaths as the pain passed.

"What do we need?" Joyce asked him as Olivia's hand slowly released the Doctor's shirt and he stood tall to roll up his sleeves.

"Water and towels, and a blanket for the baby," he replied, and she rushed to gather what they needed as the Doctor pulled his bowtie from his collar, sitting next to Olivia while she breathed deeply, a hand running over her belly. He reached back and tied her hair back with the bowtie before smoothing back the locks that were already damp with sweat and sticking to her face. "Breathe, like your mum showed you."

"Have-Have you done this before?" she panted, a frown over her brow as she felt another contraction coming on.

"Nope," he grinned before kissing her forehead, but before he could move back she gripped his hand, shouting in pain again as another contraction shot through her. "Ow, ow, Liv. Hand. Need…hand."

She began breathing again just as Joyce returned with water, towels and a blanket slung over her shoulder, and Olivia slowly released the Doctor's hand.

"Doctor, I hope you don't mind…I made a call," Joyce confessed as he stood tall and shook his hand, mouthing 'Ow' before rubbing it and looking up at her with a wrinkling nose.

"A call?" he echoed, making Olivia frown at her mother as well.

"A while ago," Joyce explained. "There's been a secret living in my house the past month."

"I see you've redecorated."

The Doctor and Olivia shot their gazes to the door to see a familiar face stepping through into the room, setting her bag on the stand where Joyce placed the water and towels down.

"Martha!" Olivia grinned through a sigh of relief. "A doctor! Oh, mom, thank you!"

"Oi!" the Doctor chirped as Martha leaned over to hug Olivia quickly then stripped her coat off. "I had this sorted!"

"And now I've got it sorted," Martha smiled back, rolling up her sleeves. "Sit with her and hold her hand. I'll need to see how far she's dilated."

Another contraction hit Olivia and she grabbed at the Doctor…not seeing where she grabbed him. The Doctor's breath hitched, his eyed shot wide and he doubled over, grabbing her hand that clamped onto him.

"Liv!" he pleaded, his voice high pitched as she gritted her teeth through the contraction, not hearing him. "Point made! Let it go!"

She released him and he fell to the floor next to the bed as she panted for breath when the pain faded.

"Never mind, Doctor, get out," Martha ordered through a smirk at the scene as Joyce stepped around the bed to help him up and he was panting for breath as well. "Leave this to the ladies. You'll get hurt otherwise."

"Can't…leave Liv," he panted and supported himself on Joyce for a moment before flopping next to Olivia on the bed and wrapped one arm around her shoulders, the other taking her hand closest to him. She looked to him tiredly, her eyes glowing with apology but he only held their hands up. "I won't let go."

Martha smiled as she pulled on a pair of latex gloves then grabbed the bag and placed it on the bed before sitting at Olivia's feet.

"Right then, let's have a look," Martha said, all professionalism as she propped Olivia's knees up and lifted the hem of the gown to her knees to examine her. "Halfway there already. How much of a Time Lord is the baby?"

"Seventy percent," the Doctor reported, having found it out from Olivia's last examination a few days ago.

"Well, we won't be here much longer," Martha replied, pulling the gloves off and standing from the bed.

"I thought pregnancies took hours," Olivia recalled.

"Hybrid pregnancies go by a lot faster," the Doctor explained and Olivia nodded just before her grip on his hand tightened and she gritted her teeth to growl in pain with another contraction. "Geronimo."

The next half hour was a blur to her. She remembered being told to breathe by all three in the room. The Doctor's hand stroking her face. Being told to push a few times. The sound of a baby's cries.

"It's a girl, Liv," she heard the Doctor whisper into her ear before she passed out.

"Is she alright?!" Joyce gasped as Olivia's head lulled onto the Doctor's shoulder.

"She's fine," he assured her as Martha held the squirming, crying baby toward Joyce who wrapped her in a damp towel to clean her off.

"These kind of pregnancies are far more taxing on the mother," Martha explained as the Doctor stared at the bundle in Joyce's arms in awe, the cries fading to coos and baby sounds as Joyce wrapped her in the blanket.

"Can I see her?" he murmured and Joyce smiled at him as she made her way toward him, Martha starting to clean up with a smile.

"Here, take her while I help Martha," she told him, starting to hand the baby over.

"Oh, no, she's far too fragile, I couldn't—Ok," he sputtered before Joyce rested the baby in his arm, his other arm still around Olivia's shoulders as she slept.

Joyce made sure he had a good hold on her before stepping away to help Martha and he stared down at the little face peeking out of the blanket wrapped securely around her. Surprisingly thick black hair sat on her head, and though he knew that babies usually had blue eyes when they were first born, and her eyes were still closed having yet to open, his gut told him her eyes were going to stay bright blue.

"Hello, Amelia," he whispered. "I'm your dad."

Her eyes opened to slits and she gave a small noise that made him frown.

"Oi, my chin is not that bad."

Joyce couldn't help but laugh as Martha snickered before frowning at him with a smile, "What was that?"

"I speak baby," he said, as if it explained everything then looked back at Amelia. "Apparently she doesn't like my chin."

"Probably worried she'll inherit it," Martha shot back, making him stick his tongue out at her before his gaze went back to the baby, unable to keep his eyes off her.

"Amelia, you are so tiny," he whispered before he felt Olivia shift on his arm, making him look to her as she lifted her head and frown around the room with hooded eyes. "Mum's back with us."

"Baby," she murmured, looking around as the Doctor lowered his arm to cradle Amelia a little closer.

"She's right here," he murmured, propping Amelia up a little for Olivia to see her as she looked to him then stared at the baby he held with wide eyes. "She's gorgeous, just like her mum."

"Gimme," Olivia breathed, holding her hands out and the Doctor shifted the baby to settle Amelia into Olivia's arms as she grinned down at her. "Oh, she's so tiny!"

The Doctor watched Olivia as she stared down at Amelia, tears in her eyes.

"Martha, get in there!" Joyce urged, making the couple look up to find Joyce standing at the foot of the bed, her camera phone in her hands.

Martha sat on the other side of Olivia and they all smiled as Joyce took the picture before she switched places with Martha to get in a picture with the new parents and just as Joyce stood, Olivia and the Doctor's gazes locked. They shared a smile so precious that Joyce had to snap one more picture before sending the pictures to Olivia's phone and tucking hers away.

"Happy?" she whispered as he lifted a hand to stroke her cheek then leaned down to kiss the top of Amelia's head.

"Very happy," he grinned, leaning toward her to press a kiss to her cheek. "Oi."

"Hm?"

"We have a baby."

Olivia grinned and looked to Amelia to kiss her forehead and sang, "We have a baby."


A/N: so, funny, fluffy, feels...ish. Amelia has arrived! reviews?