A/N: new chappie! enjoy!

Chapter 11: Eleven Months

Olivia grinned as she stared at all the equipment and experiments littering Sherlock Holmes' laboratory table. Her jade eyes were as wide as her smile, but she dare not touch anything out of fear of disturbing and breaking something.

"Mr. Holmes, would you—?" She cut herself off when she whirled around to see him staring and examining the TARDIS as the Doctor ran in and out of it, carrying panels from Talik's lair out of it.

"This…ship is extraordinary!" Holmes breathed, leaning over to look inside before turning to Olivia with sparkling eyes as the Doctor darted back into the box. "Is it possible for such a small box to be so much larger on the inside?"

"Is it possible that extraterrestrials should exist as phantoms beneath opera houses?" Olivia smirked as he approached, both lifting their glasses of water to tap the crystal in a small toast and sip. "As you said before, when you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable—"

"Must be the truth," he nodded as the Doctor sailed up next to Olivia to wrap an arm around her and kiss her temple.

"All the panels are set up for you to examine, though you won't be able to turn them back on," the Doctor explained.

"I understand, thank you, Doctor," Holmes nodded then observed, "The two of you look very happy together."

"I should hope so," Olivia giggled.

"It's an honest happiness," Holmes explained. "I've seen married couples that deceive in happiness very well, but there are still signs that they are miserable."

"Well, we're still in the honeymoon phase," Olivia smiled, giving the Doctor a wink when he looked down at her, looking appalled. "It's been a year or so…maybe two? Time is a bit relative for us. We have a baby back home. Amelia."

"She's adorable," the Doctor beamed.

"How old?" Holmes wondered.

"She just turned two months," Olivia grinned.

"Oh, Doctor, I'd been meaning to ask, where do you suppose that huge hole in the lair came from?" Holmes wondered. "It's the one thing I couldn't make sense of."

"Honestly, I'm not sure either," the Doctor shrugged. "My guess is, when his ship crashed it hit so hard that it tunneled its way there and that's where he came out."

"Stranger things have happened," Olivia nodded, seeing Holmes' frown of thought then frowned herself in wonder, "Where's Dr. Watson?"

"Still consoling the soprano, I believe," Holmes smirked, making Olivia giggle as the Doctor rolled his eyes.

"And he balked when I said he was a lady's man," she smiled before they heard the door downstairs open and shut, Watson trudging up the stairs. "Speak of the devil."

"Ah, John," Holmes smirked, setting his water down as Watson stepped into the room, noticing the TARDIS and staring at it for a moment before looking to the three. "How is Miss Davenport?"

"Shaken, to be expected, but unharmed," Watson reported, pulling off his hat and coat to set it on his writing desk. "This was a rather fanciful adventure, wasn't it? No one would ever believe it. There is no possible way the readers would, in any case."

"Maybe you can tweak the details a bit?" Olivia smiled, making the Doctor roll his eyes again. "Change a few things. Maybe even write it under a pseudonym?"

"I say, that's not a bad idea, that," Watson nodded then glanced around in thought. "The Phantom of the Opera. That has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? And instead of London, it could be set in Paris, France. My first work of fiction!"

"Thought a name for yourself, yet?" Holmes smirked.

"I have one!" Olivia grinned.

"Ok! Time to go!" the Doctor grinned as well, quickly shaking Holmes' hand then Watson's. "Pleasure meeting you two. You have no idea, really, but we really must be going. Getting back to that baby of ours. Little Amelia. Come on, Liv. Don't say another word."

"But, Doctor!" Olivia whined as he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the TARDIS and she quickly turned to Holmes and Watson with a grin. "Gaston Le—!"

The Doctor threw a hand over her mouth before she could finish the name and dragged her back into the blue box as she giggled into his hand and the door shut behind them.

"Rather a strange pair, aren't they, Holmes?" Watson frowned in wonder as his friend only chuckle at the display.

"But we knew that from the beginning, didn't we?" he replied, before they both frowned in wonder when they heard a whirring sound fill the room, a gust blowing around the room. Watson's eyes shot wide as the TARDIS began dematerializing, Holmes only staring on as it disappeared completely.

"By Jove! Did you see that, Holmes?!" Watson questioned, looking to his friend…who immediately burst into laughter.

In the TARDIS...

"Olivia, you are terrible!" the Doctor laughed as he operated the console and Olivia sat in the jump seat, giggling and playing with a piece of lace that was dangling from her bodice. "Having a hand in creating your own favorite story. You've really pulled a number, Mrs. Sigma. You are wicked!"

"Love you two, Mr. Sigma," she giggled, unable to stop herself as she leaned back in the seat. "Are we going back to mom's?"

"Yes, we are," he smiled, slamming a lever down then turning to her with a grin as he leaned sideways on the console. "Just in time for Christmas."

"Oh, goodie," she sneered, slouching in the chair with a pout. "Mom's gonna want me to help her cook. I hate cooking Christmas dinner! It's retarded! Why do we have to even have Christmas dinner?! Why can't we just have…regular dinner?"

"Because then, it wouldn't be Christmas," the Doctor smiled, stepping toward her and taking her hand to pull her to her feet, his hands wrapping around her waist, made smaller by the corset she was wearing. "I'll help with Amelia and some cooking if ya like? The TARDIS can cook the turkey!"

Olivia giggled before asking, "What?"

"I'll show you when we get to that bit," he assured her. "Come on!"

He grabbed her hand and dragged her to the door.

"Wait!" she called, making him stop and look to her with a frown, but she only smiled, sweetly, taking his hand in both of hers and swinging it slightly. "I think I was pretty brilliant today, don't you? Not to mention I didn't fall in love and feel compelled to run off with the Phantom of the Opera. I think I deserve a good, long, passionate kiss for that, at least."

The Doctor gave a slight growl before pulling her hand from his and wrapping it around her waist to pull her against him and looking deep into her eyes.

"You deserve a lot more than that, but we don't have time," he murmured.

"You're the Lord of Time," she giggled as he inched toward her lips. "You can bend it to your will."

"Would that I truly could, Liv," he whispered, inching closer to her as they both grinned at each. "If I could, we'd never leave this bloody box."

"Watch your language," she whispered back before his lips brushed against hers and she captured his mouth to kiss him deeply, her hands instantly going to his hair as his hands pulled her closer to her waist. As they pulled back for breath, she ruffled his soft, curly hair, making them both giggle as he leaned down to trail kisses over her neck. "I've been wanting to do that since I saw you do it. You always end up with such…awesome hair. I'm jealous."

"You have other dazzling qualities," he assured her, whispering against her skin before pulling back to look into her eyes again, lifting one hand up to stroke her cheek, smiling down at her warmly. "Come on, it's time for you to get your surprise."

"That's right! I have a surprise waiting for me!" she grinned, letting him grab her hand and pull her out the door of the TARDIS and into the backyard of a one story house painted white, and she could see through the glass door leading inside from the yard that it was empty of all furniture.

"Ta-da!" he sang with a grin, holding his arms up to the house. She frowned in confusion at the house then at him as he looked to her, still grinning before he excitedly explained, "It's ours!"

Her frown disappeared as and her eyes widened as she looked back at the house in shock, then at him again as his smile fell, his blue eyes glowing with worry as she gaped at him, breathing, "Ours?"

"You don't like it," he assumed, deflating and nearly slapping a hand to his face, rubbing at his mouth. "I knew I should've gotten the two story. But, I reckoned this was right across the street from your mum, and we could still be close to her so she could watch Amelia and come over whenever she liked, or we could go over there. You know it has four bedrooms! Master bedroom, Amelia's bedroom, a guest bedroom and a room for…whatever we want! I'd say we could park the TARDIS there, but then I thought, why would we, when we have this lovely backyard? Did you see the huge weeping willow tree I'm parked in front of?! Please, say something, Liv."

Without a word, Olivia threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close, making him grunt when their bodies hit each other.

"Ok! Hugging now," he smiled, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly to lift her off her feet and swing her gently from side to side. "Hugging's good. Hugging means good feelings…right?"

"Right," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion as tears filled her eyes and he set her back down on her feet, but neither of them let the other go. "I love it, Theta. It's amazing. Is this what you did the other day when you went out early that morning?"

"Yes," he chuckled into her hair. "I can't get anything past you anymore, can I?"

"Not since I became a mother," she whispered, finally pulling back as she sniffled and he lifted his hands to her cheeks, running his thumbs over the tears she shed.

"Happy tears," he smiled, warmly. "Good. I like those, too. Want a look inside?"

Olivia only nodded, wiping her tears away and smiling before he took her hand and pulled her toward the door.

Christmas Eve...

"I can't believe how big she's getting!" Aaron grinned, bouncing Amelia in his arms and grinning down at her, the Doctor and Olivia watching him as they, Joyce and Jack all sat in the living room. They were all looking festive, Olivia in a reindeer decorated red and white sweater, Aaron in a matching one, but the red was replaced with green, the Doctor in his gray suit over a green waistcoat with the collar of a red button-down shirt, Joyce in a flattering green dress with bright red heels and Jack wearing what he normally did, with the exception of the Santa hat on his head.

"I can't believe how sexy the Doctor's regeneration came out," Jack smirked, looking to the Doctor as they both sat on the couch, Olivia between them, and the Captain winked at the Time Lord, making the latter sneer and Olivia couldn't help but giggle, placing a hand on the Doctor's knee.

"He's always been sexy, Jack," she smirked, looking to the Doctor, then reaching up to run her fingers through his hair, adding, "But his hair is the best this time around."

"Liv, stop pawing at me in front of everyone," the Doctor muttered, swatting her hand away as they all laughed, and the doorbell rang, making everyone frown.

"That'll be the Smiths," Joyce smiled, standing and heading for the front door, making Aaron frown at the other three as they only nodded, seeming to understand.

"The Smiths?" he asked. "Who are the Smiths?"

"Mickey and Martha," Olivia replied, making Aaron stare wide, green eyes at her.

"Mickey and Martha got married?!" he shrieked, making Amelia burst into loud cries of shock, and Olivia rolled her eyes as she stood to take her from him. "Sorry."

"I hear a baby cryin'!" Mickey grinned as he walked in with Martha under his arm both holding a bag each. "Did Captain Cheesecake tell another bad joke?"

"Mickey Mouse!" Jack cheered, standing, as did the Doctor as Olivia laughed, and Martha made her way to Aaron for a hug, then to Olivia for a half hug and a kiss to Amelia's head. "Come to bring presents for all the good girls and boys."

"Yup, and you got coal again. Nice hat," Mickey retorted without missing a beat as he shook Jack's hand, then looked to the Doctor. "Who's this, then? Another one of your boy toys?"

"I wish," Jack scoffed, making Aaron punch him in the arm as Mickey frowned in confusion at the two before Olivia stepped up next to the Doctor with Amelia.

"No, he's my boy toy," Olivia smirked as the Doctor wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You remember the Doctor, don't you, Mickey?"

"Ah, so you went and changed your face again, eh?" Mickey nodded, letting Martha take the bag he held, along with her own and set it next to the Christmas tree in the corner.

"Twice," the Doctor confirmed.

"Blimey, how much trouble did you get into since we last met?" Mickey laughed, stepping toward him to shake his free hand then look to the baby, whispering to Olivia, "Don't let Harkness near this one when she's older."

"I have a feeling by the time she comes of age, he's gonna be a big huge face in a rolling, glass cylinder of smoke," Olivia whispered back then giggled as realization dawned on Mickey.

"No!" he breathed through a smirk, making Olivia nod hugely.

"Liv, behave," the Doctor warned her.

"Any problems I should know about?" Martha asked about Amelia as she came up next to Mickey.

"She had a huge case of the sniffles a week ago that freaked me out, but other than that, no worries," Olivia smiled back. "I'm glad you both came."

"Well, when Mrs. F invited us over we couldn't say no," Mickey smiled, wrapping an arm around Martha. "It was this, or Christmas at the in-law's."

"I don't blame him for choosing here," Martha added, making Olivia laugh and the Doctor nodded in agreement.

"Hello!" a new, cheerful voice called from the doorway and they all turned to see Sarah Jane entering with bags, her son, Luke, right behind her carrying a glass casserole dish covered in aluminum foil.

"Sarah Jane! You came!" Aaron grinned, rushing toward her and hugging Luke as Joyce took the dish from the young man and Jack sauntered over to take the bags from Sarah Jane.

"Of course we came!" Sarah grinned as Aaron hugged her before leading them into the living room as Jack set the bags near the tree then stuck his hand out to Luke.

"Captain Jack Harkness," he smiled, charmingly, making Aaron glare at him as Luke shook his hand.

"Oh, knock it off, Harkness," Olivia called, making him look to her with wide eyes.

"I'm just saying hello!" he called back defensively as Luke retreated to his mother's side, Sarah Jane rolling her eyes at him before turning Olivia and the Doctor for hugs each then looked to the baby.

"Oh, she's so beautiful," Sarah Jane smiled as Luke looked over her shoulder at Little Amelia.

"Sarah Jane Smith, Luke Smith, meet Amelia River Felton…Sigma," the Doctor introduced, as Amelia squirmed in Olivia's arms, happily and Olivia chuckled at his addition to her name. Amelia made a few noises that made the Doctor chuckle as Olivia rolled her eyes, and the two looked to them in wonder.

"She just commented that Luke is very handsome," Olivia muttered. "We've got a live one on our hands, Doctor."

"Well if she's anything like you…" the Doctor trailed off with a smirk, making Olivia shoot a wide-eyed, gaping stare at him.

"Me?! You're the madman with a blue box!"

"Can I hold her?" Sarah Jane hoped, turning their attention back to her and Olivia smiled with a nod as Amelia was transferred over to Sarah Jane, Luke still staring down in awe at the baby.

"She's very tiny," he finally commented, lifting a hesitant hand to touch her tiny one with his finger and she grasped it, tightly. "Wow! She's strong!"

"Like her mum," Sarah Jane smiled, giving Olivia a wink as the Doctor pressed a kiss to Olivia's temple.

"Olivia," Martha called, drawing their attention to her as she leaned around Luke. "Sorry, your mum needs help in the kitchen."

Olivia nodded and followed Martha in that direction, Sarah Jane following with Amelia as she bounced the bundle in her arms and Luke couldn't help but follow, mesmerized by the baby, leaving the Doctor, Mickey, Aaron and Jack in the living room with Christmas music filling the background from the stereo.

"So, the Doctor's gone domestic," Mickey smirked as he sat on one end of the couch, the Doctor on the other and Jack in an armchair with Aaron sitting on the arm of it next to him.

"Disappointing, isn't it?" Jack added, making the Doctor glare between them as Jack pulled his hat off and set it on Aaron's head, making the red-head giggle.

"A wife, a baby…and Martha said that you bought a house across the street," Mickey went on. "What, are you, Mr. Rogers, now?"

"Very funny, Rickey," the Doctor shot back, making Jack chuckle as Aaron rolled his eyes at them.

"Why are you picking on the Doctor?" Aaron questioned, adjusting the Santa hat on his head. "Mickey's got a wife and was complaining about having Christmas with the in-laws! You can't get any more domestic than that."

"Yeah, but I've still got a cool job," Mickey retorted.

"Oi! Liv and I still travel!" the Doctor chirped, defensively. "Just a few days ago we went to visit New Siluria to see how the dinos we left there were getting on."

"If Olivia hadn't told me the story behind that I would not have a clue what you were talking about," Aaron piped up.

"Nearly got crushed by a T-Rex again," the Doctor muttered. "My fault, she told me not to try riding it."

"The part that really disturbs me about that sentence is the word 'again,'" Mickey confessed, shaking his head.

"Please tell me the baby wasn't with you," Jack begged with a pained expression.

"Of course not!" the Doctor shot back with an offended stare. "I'm daft, but I'm not a moron."

"I think some of us would beg to differ on that," Mickey chuckled.

"Tell them about Sherlock Holmes!" Aaron grinned excitedly, trying to change the subject as Jack only laughed.

In the Kitchen...

"Olivia, you'll have to show them the house before they all leave!" Joyce insisted, mashing the potatoes in a huge bowl as Martha stood next to her, Sarah Jane and Luke still fawning over the baby. "It's got four bedrooms, a huge back yard, and it's just across the street! They can stop parking in my backyard now, and I can take care of Amelia whenever they need me to."

"Sounds lovely," Martha smiled, sipping on a glass of wine as Olivia looked over the stuffing Sarah Jane had made and brought for them. "Just out of curiosity…how did he pay for it?"

"Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and U.N.I.T. took care of it," Olivia smiled, making Martha nod, knowingly as Amelia started fussing in Sarah Jane's arms and Olivia instructed, "Give her over to Luke."

"Oh, no, I-I couldn't take her," Luke refused, shaking his head as Sarah Jane moved to hand the baby to him. "I'll drop her!"

"I'll show you how to hold her," Sarah Jane assured him, taking his arm with one hand to push him toward the dining table. "Here, come sit and hold her."

"She's hungry," Olivia explained her reason for fussing as Luke sat in one of the chairs at the table, turning to face the women in the kitchen. "I'll make a bottle up and you can feed her."

"Here," Sarah Jane urged, showing him how she was holding Amelia. "Like this. Rest her head on your arm and hold her close."

"Mum, I'm not sure I should—"

"You'll be fine," Sarah Jane nodded, lowering Amelia into his arms and he did as his mother had showed him, holding Amelia close as he stared down at her with a wide-eyed stare as she started to settle. "See? You're doing wonderfully."

Olivia stepped up with a bottle, handing it to Luke after testing the temperature of the milk. Luke swallowed as he looked to her and took the bottle, holding it toward Amelia who instantly began drinking from it, happily.

"That is so precious," Martha murmured to Joyce, watching Luke with Amelia as Olivia and Sarah Jane started helping with the food.

After Amelia had drained the bottle, Olivia took her to burp her, then handed her back to Luke, who took her back with enthusiasm this time and started playing with her, talking and making a few faces at her as he rocked her and eventually she fell asleep as he watched her. Olivia skipped into the living room to announce that the dinner was ready, but frowned when she noticed the Doctor was nowhere to be found.

"Where's the Doctor?" she asked Jack as he passed her with Aaron and Mickey to serve themselves, and she glared at him. "What did you do to him?"

"We didn't do anything!" Jack promised, holding his hands up in surrender. "He just disappeared after Mickey told us about Antarctica."

Olivia frowned and nodded, swatting him away to go get his food as she turned back to the kitchen to get to the backyard, glancing outside to see if he was there. Looking to the TARDIS, she noticed the door was ajar and frowned in wonder, stepping toward the box to quietly open the door fully. Her frown deepened when she caught the sound of a familiar song, but it sounded tinny and there were voices mingled with the music, laughter and chatting…and one familiar voice in particular laughing that he was embarrassing.

She sighed, realizing what he was watching on the scanner with his back facing the door. She was sure he didn't even notice her making her way toward him, or notice when she was standing next to him, watching Amy and Rory's wedding reception on the scanner. How he'd recorded it all, she didn't know.

"I got this from the videographer they had at the wedding," he reported as if reading her mind, and she wasn't too surprised that he'd actually noticed she was there. He sighed as he tapped the screen to pause it on an image of Amy and Rory dancing together, smiling happily at each other…before it all went to hell. "Eleven months, Liv. It's been eleven months since Manhattan."

"I know," she whispered, looping her arms around his as tears filled her eyes at the memory of her friends and where they were…and how they got there. She frowned in thought when she looked up at him, sensing there was more to that than he was admitting. "Theta? You don't…? You know that wasn't your fault, right?"

"Of course it was my fault, Liv," he replied, looking to her, incredulously. "They were under my protection, and I let them down. Now they're stuck in the past, dead in the future, and they would be here right now if I hadn't decided to show off, as usual. Wouldn't you want them here, to see them with Little Amelia, laughing and partaking with our friends?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Of course I want them here, but they're not, and I miss them, but if you think, for one second, that they blame you for that, or I blame you for it, or even River blamed you for it, you had better think again. It was no one's fault but those damned Angels, Theta. We went to Manhattan for a bit of fun, and you couldn't have possibly known that. I know nothing I say will change how you feel, but what happened to them was not…your…fault."

The Doctor swallowed before giving a small nod as Olivia sighed and pulled him closer to hug him tightly, her arms slipping under his suit jacket to bury her face into his waistcoat, his arms wrapping around her shoulders and pull her even closer.

"They should be here, Liv," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion, and she closed her eyes to keep her tears from falling before pulling back and looking up at him.

"Why don't we just focus on who is here?" she smiled, sweetly, lifting her hands to cup his face as she looked into his eyes. "Martha and Mickey. Sarah Jane and Luke. Jack, Aaron, my mom…and me. I'm still here. You could've lost me a million times over, but you've managed to save me every time. If you keep taking the blame for things you have no control over, you'll be angry and sad all the time, and you'll hate yourself. We all love you, Theta. Me most of all."

He swallowed hard, a tear escaping down his cheek as he nodded, and she brushed it away, gently, with her thumb.

"Dinner's ready," she smiled, stepping onto her tiptoes and kissing his cheek. "I'm starved."

A/N: fluff and family and friends fun! I wanted to have everybody come together just for fun! reviews?