Thanks to Farane, mrs- morgan 35 for following/faving my story.
SerahSanguine: I promise there's more to it.
NicoleR85: thanks!
"You know we don't have to do this now if you don't want", James said to Alyssa. Literally a day after she'd regained her memories, she had practically insisted on decorating the baby's room.
"I have to do something", Alyssa said, firmly, tightening her grip on the roller "I have to keep myself busy".
"I know", James said, softly, taking the roller from her and swapping it out for the paintbrush.
"Hey!" the red head protested "why am I on border duty? And don't say it's because I'm pregnant".
"I wasn't!" James cried and she just raised her brows, clearly catching the lie.
"Yes, you were", Alyssa playfully shot back "so now you're on border duty". She waved the brush at him. The man went to take the brush from her when she suddenly dunked it in paint and dabbed it onto his nose.
"Oh is that how its gonna be?" the meta crisis asked, narrowing his eyes at her. He snatched the brush from her hand and proceeded to chase her around the nursery with it. Eventually he caught her and swiped a little paint on her cheek. "Now we're even", he stated.
"Yeah we are", she agreed "what?" she asked when he gave her a look.
"Nothing, it's just…you look beautiful", James replied.
Alyssa laughed "I think your eyes need to be checked cos I'm wearing my scruffiest clothes and I've got paint on my face thanks to you".
"You could be covered in paint and still look just as beautiful", the meta crisis proclaimed earning a blush from the Time Lady.
"Stop it", she mumbled.
"Never", James said "I told you that I was going to spend every day showing you how much you mean to me. So if I say you look beautiful, you better believe it".
Alyssa smiled "ok, I'll try", she said.
"Do or do not, there is not try", James said in a bad impression of Yoda that had her in fits of laughter.
"Don't do that again, its terrible", she giggled.
"I thought it was pretty good", James said, happy to have made her laugh.
"No, it really wasn't", Alyssa said "but doesn't mean I don't love you any less". She went to kiss him when she stopped and stepped out of his arms.
"Ali, you ok?" James asked, concerned as she seemed almost…confused.
"I-I don't know", she admitted "I can feel the Doctor" she shook her head "I'm probably just imagining it…grief and all that. I'm…I'm gonna go clean up and get some rest".
"Sure", James said. He didn't blame her at all. "I'll come check on you in a bit". Alyssa nodded and left the room. She headed into the bathroom and scrubbed the paint off her cheek with warm water. The Time Lady went to the bedroom, stripping off her decorating clothes as she made a beeline for the bed. She tugged on her pj's and buried herself under the covers.
A couple of hours later, a freshly showered James came into the room. He paused midstride when he heard quiet sobs coming from the bed. The meta crisis sighed, his heart aching at how much the woman he loved was hurting. He wished there was something he could do to take it all away but he knew he couldn't. All he could do is be there for her and do his best to make each day a little bit easier. The ginger haired man climbed into the bed, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "It's going to be ok", he murmured.
Alyssa shifted around so she could properly look at him properly. "You promise?" she whispered.
"I promise", James vowed, softly kissing her "I love you, Alyssa Palmer".
"I love you too", the empath said, quietly, resting her head on his chest.
That afternoon saw the pair of them pushing a trolley through the section aimed at babies and infants. "I never thought I'd be here", James remarked.
"What, being in a toy store?" Alyssa asked "we were in here a couple of months ago to get a present for Molly's birthday".
"Still can't believe that Steve and his partner adopted a kid", James commented "anyway, what I meant is that I never thought I'd be here, with you, shopping for your baby".
"Our baby", Alyssa corrected, earning a look from him "well, technically it is considering that your part Doctor". James was surprised that she was still calling it their baby especially since she'd regained her memories. He figured that she would change her tune but no. In all honesty he was relieved by it. He went to kiss her when he noticed someone loitering nearby, watching them. It was the Doctor! "James? You ok?" Alyssa asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine", he replied "how about you take the trolley and pick out some toys?" he suggested "there's a mobile I spotted that I want to take another look at".
"Alright", Alyssa agreed. James watched her walk away with the trolley before he went over to the Doctor.
"Doctor", James greeted, arms folded.
"James", the Time Lord greeted back "thank you for looking after her".
"It's no problem", the meta crisis said.
"Is she happy?" the Doctor questioned. It looked to him that Alyssa was happy but he needed to hear it from James.
The ginger haired man nodded "yes, she is", he confirmed "but not as happy as she would be with you around" he looked around to see if Alyssa had come back "River dropped something off at the house that…made her remember you".
The Doctor sighed at the woman's interference. It was one thing for River to leave her diary for Amy so she could remember but it was another thing entirely to make his fiancée…his pregnant fiancée to regain her memories. That could've put her under a lot of stress which is never good for both mother and baby. "She shouldn't have done that", he stated.
"I know", James agreed "cos now Ali is grieving you all over again. Maybe you should let her know that you're alive".
"James not I'm sure…" the Doctor trialled off when he saw Alyssa.
"J-James is he…am I…" the Time Lady started.
"No you're not imagining things Ali, he really is here", the meta crisis confirmed. The Time Lady stepped away from the trolley and approached the pair.
"How…how are you here?" Alyssa breathed "you were gone".
"Amy. She remembered and it brought me back", the Doctor explained.
"When?" the Time Lady asked.
"A few hours ago", the Time Lord admitted.
"A few hours", Alyssa repeated, feeling rather hurt he'd been around for a while and only had just found her "why did it take you so long to find me? I figured the TARDIS could easily track me down given our bond" the Doctor looked down "you knew where I was and you didn't show till now?"
"You were happy!" the Time Lord argued.
"Yeah, I was", Alyssa agreed "but thanks to River I was also grieving you!" she prodded him in the shoulder, angrily "I was mourning you and you decided to wait until now to show yourself! Unbelievable".
"I know there's nothing I can say…" the Doctor began.
"You're damn straight there isn't", Alyssa snapped.
"But I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you", the Time Lord promised.
"Don't make promises you can't keep", the red head shot back. James moved closer to her, placing a hand on her back to try and calm her.
"This one I do intend to keep", the Doctor insisted "please Ali, just give me a chance". The Time Lady glanced at James and he nodded.
Alyssa sighed "Alright, I'll give you a chance".
The Time Lord let out a breath, relieved "if you're up for it, Amy would like to see you at her wedding reception. So would Rory", he told her.
The empath glanced at James again "if you're up for it if you are", he said.
"Since it's Amy and Rory, then yes, I'm up for it", Alyssa told the Doctor.
"Ali!" Amy cried happily when the Time Lady entered the hall, now dressed in a sleeveless pale green dress.
"Hey Amy", she greeted, hugging the woman "congratulations. You must be really happy".
The Scottish woman smiled "thanks and yes I am", she confirmed "now time for dancing!" Alyssa laughed as she grabbed her hand and dragged her over to the dance floor.
"I know I already said this once but thank you for looking after her", the Doctor said as he and James watched the Time Lady with Amy.
"Like I said before, it was no problem. Even if you hadn't made me promise, I would've done it anyway", the ginger told him.
"You really do love her, don't you?" the Doctor remarked.
"I'm part you, Doctor so you already know that answer", the meta crisis replied.
"Yeah, I do", the Time Lord admitted "listen I know we haven't had a great start…"
James snorted "that's an understatement. You hated me", he interrupted.
"True but now I can…tolerate you for Ali's sake", the Doctor said "plus you're the only one I can trust to protect her when I can't. So I'd like for you to continue travelling with us, that is if Ali still wants to".
"I'm sure she will", James assured her "she said she was going to give you a chance".
"I know that but I also know that you guys have a house and you've built a life here", the Time Lord said "So if Ali wants to stay here with you, then I would be ok with it".
James shook his head "no you wouldn't. And I don't blame you. You're engaged to her AND she's pregnant with your baby. If I was in your position, I wouldn't be happy".
"No, you're right I wouldn't be", the Doctor confessed "though, if it's what Ali wants then I would respect her decision". Alyssa ran over to them and took hold of the Doctor's hand.
"Come on, I'm going to get at least one dance with both of you", she proclaimed before he pulled him over to the dance floor.
"Ali, I really am sorry", the Doctor said as they danced "I should've just made myself known as soon as I found you. I shouldn't have waited. It was the wrong decision".
"Yeah it was", Alyssa agreed "but despite that I'm really happy that you're here. When I remembered that you were gone, my world fell apart. Just promise me that our is going to get to know you".
"I promise", the Doctor vowed "our baby is going to know his or her father".
Alyssa smiled "good", she said. The Time Lord noticed Amy and Rory dancing nearby. He wanted to talk about their impending marriage but stayed silent as he figured she wouldn't want to talk about it yet. They had a long road ahead of them to get back to where they were pre Pandorica and it wasn't the best topic to start with.
Later…
The Doctor and Alyssa walked toward the TARDIS where it was parked by Amy's house, James trailing after them. As the Time Lord put the key into the lock, River spoke up behind them. "Did you dance?" she asked "Well, I bet Lyssa made you dance".
"Didn't have to. I was quite happy to dance with her", the Doctor said.
"You've got some serious explaining to do", the meta crisis said to River, sternly "what you did to Ali was wrong".
"She got her memories back and that's all that matters", the curly haired woman said.
"That's all that matters?" James repeated "what the hell is wrong with you?! You put stress on her and the baby!"
Alyssa was quick to pull him away from River when he got right in her face. "It's ok James", she said softly, taking his hand and placing it on her baby bump "we're ok". The ginger haired man looked down at his hand and then up to her face. She gave him a smile which he returned, feeling much calmer.
The Doctor handed River her diary and vortex manipulator. "The writing's all back, but I didn't peek", he assured her even though he was incredibly tempted to do so. He still didn't trust the curly haired woman. Not after what she did to his fiancée.
"Thank you", River said.
"River, you never did answer this but who exactly are you?" the Doctor questioned.
"You're going to find out very soon now", River replied "And I'm sorry, but that's when everything changes".
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that", Alyssa mumbled after the woman vanished in a flash of light.
"Yeah, me neither", James agreed "and whatever is going to happen, we'll deal with it together", he assured her. He exchanged looks with the Doctor, who nodded. If River's answers where going to be something that'll hurt the one they both cared for, then she was going to have to deal with them.
The Doctor unlocked the TARDIS and pushed the door open. "Oi! Where are you three off to?" Amy questioned, coming into the TARDIS with Rory.
"Sorry, you two. Shouldn't have slipped away. Bit bus…" the Doctor broke off when the phone rang "Hello? Oh, hello. I'm sorry, this is a very bad line. No, no, no, but that's not possible. She was sealed into the seventh Obelisk. I was at the prayer meeting. Well, no, I get that it's important. An Egyptian goddess loose on the Orient Express, in space. Give us a mo" he glanced at Amy and Rory "Sorry, something's come up. This will have to be goodbye".
Amy nodded "Yeah, I think it's goodbye. Do you think it's goodbye Rory?"
"Definitely goodbye", he confirmed.
"Oh, no its not a goodbye", Alyssa said "it's…"
"See you later", James chorused with her and she smiled before running over to the open door
"See ya later, Earth!" she shouted.
The Doctor chuckled "Don't worry about a thing, your Majesty. We're on our way", he assured the person on the other end.