"River?" It was Rory. He stood in the doorway with the door swung open all the way, the daylight illuminating his body. "Dad…" River smiled. He took a couple breaths through his wide smile then ran over to his daughter. He stopped just in front of her the bent down so his eyes were even with hers. "Oh River…" he breathed placing a hand on her cheek. "I'm fine Daddy…we're both fine" she smiled placing a hand over his and the other over her stomach. He leaned forward and placed a long kiss to her forehead. "I was so worried…" he whispered as he leaned back.
The joy of seeing his daughter was soon replaced with rage as he turned his attention to the Doctor. "You!" he yelled. Rory's nostrils flared and his fist clenched as he stood straight. The Doctor swallowed nervously, looking between River and her father, mouth agape with fear and unexplainable excuses. His eyes searching for any sign of the centurion's sword."Dad! No! It's not his fault!" River chimed in putting her hands up to hover in front of her father's chest. "You…you just abandoned her! Then when you finally felt like coming back…you…you JUST TAKE HER! Without so much as a chance to say where she was going! Unlike you Doc-TOR she isn't the last of her kind! She has a family! And she is-"Rory was yelling blindly at the Doctor, ignoring every attempt by his daughter and wife to calm him down. "ENOUGH!" River suddenly yelled. She had made it to her feet fairly quickly and stepped between her father and her sitting future husband. "Riv-"Rory started. "Enough father! It wasn't his fault! It's a complicated paradox that I call my life…our life! And I am a grown woman with a fiancé and a baby on the way and I love my life the way it is. And I love him. I love him Dad. And he loves me and I know…I KNOW he would never have left me alone on purpose…he is not alone. He does have a family…I'm" she touched her stomach, "we're his family. Like it or not I can take care of myself. I only dragged him back here to tell you that I was fine." She took the Doctor's hand and pulled him to his feet. "I'm fine…we'll be on our way now."
Rory stood frozen to the spot as his daughter walked away with her fiancé. Amy followed them out frantically apologizing and begging them to stay. "Sorry Mum…but the Doctor and I have a lot to do before our daughter arrives…and this…this isn't the best place at the moment." She kissed her mother on the cheek. "I love you River" Amy whispered as she hugged her daughter goodbye. "I love you too Mum." Amy hugged the Doctor next. "I know you love her…just promise to take care of her" He nodded as they pulled apart. "I promise." He felt slightly nauseas after promising Amy such an impossible thing. He knew how River dies…at his hands…for him. And it killed him every time he looked at her. He quickly snapped out of it as River tugged on his hand. He gave one more half hearted smile to Amy before following his wife inside the blue box.
Amy watched as the TARDIS began to dematerialize. Fresh tears rimmed her lids and she crossed her arms as a cold breeze blew through. "They come back" Rory had appeared behind her suddenly, hands deep in his pockets. "That's not the point Rory" Amy snapped not turning to even look at him. "Amy I-…she's my baby girl…she-..Him" his voice changed slightly at the mention of the Doctor, an angry edge appeared but disappeared just as fast. "They come back…you know that. She obviously forgives me…and we get to meet our granddaughter." Amy nodded at his words, still not turning to look at him. He placed a hand on her shoulder before gently ushering her back inside.
Once inside the TARDIS River let out a breath that seemed she'd been holding in since her argument with her father. She started to pace. "That…that man! Why? Why doesn't he understand that problems can't always been solved with him revealing his sword and treating me like a child! I understand he couldn't raise me as he wanted but he can't enforce childhood punishments now! I'm not a child! Why must he be so short with you…he doesn't understand and never tries to understand our relationship! You would think that after years of traveling with you and Mum he'd understand the complex matter that makes not only you but us!" She was angry and hormonal and the rambling was a prime example of the mix. The Doctor, who had been leaning against the white doors of his TARDIS, pushed off the wall with his shoulders and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her bringing her close. "River…he's your father and he loves you…he's only trying to protect you" the Doctor was speaking into the mass of golden curls called River's hair as she buried her face into his chest. "He's short with me because I took you away…I'm getting a life with you when he couldn't and I'd feel the same way if the situation was reversed…give him time." He kissed the top of her head softly and slid his hands down her back. "And I might add…the way you stood up to him was rather sexy." River snorted a laugh into his chest. "Oh shut up!" she squealed leaning back to look up at him. "I love you River" he smiled before covering her lips with his. She tugged gently at the hair at the back of his neck and moaned softly into his mouth as the kiss continued until the need for air became too much and forced them to separate. "I love you too" River whispered up to him, tracing his jaw lightly.
"So…3 days eh? Guess you can't pilot her as well as you thought" the Doctor suddenly piped in as they headed up to the console. River smacked his shoulder playfully. "You must have touched something sweetie! That never happens!" The Doctor just laughed. "It must be your daughter! She's already choosing sides!" River added rubbing her baby bump. The Doctor giggled loudly. "Smart girl…BRILLIANT girl!" He rushed over to place kisses on River's stomach. She playfully pushed him away and made her way over to the old leather chair that occupied the console area. "I'm already getting out numbered and I haven't even delivered yet!" The Doctor smiled smugly from the controls. "Where to?" he suddenly asked. "What?" River watched him for a second, rubbing her belly absentmindedly. "Where to?...we have all of space and time to deliver our child. Where will it be?" She pondered for a moment before looking down at her stomach and framing it between her hands. "She's the daughter of a Raggedy Doctor and the child of the TARDIS…no planet will do, no single galaxy, no earth hospital, no alien maternity ward…none of that will do for our child Doctor…there is only one place she can be born.." she looked up to meet his excited eyes and proud grin, "She can only be born on the TARDIS…she can only be born amongst the stars, beside the brightest sun, tucked away in the most vivid nebula…she must be born in the only possible place that can nearly illustrate the love and Time she was made from…" he walked over and kneeled in front of River, placing his hands over hers. "Can you find that place Doctor?" He smiled and nodded. River could see the joyful tears building in his eyes so grabbed his face and pulled it up until their lips met.
The Doctor suddenly lost his balance as the TARDIS lurched into the vortex. He fell to the side causing River to bellow a laugh. "Not funny" he pouted getting to his feet quickly and brushing his clothes off. "Where is she taking us?" River asked pushing herself up as the Doctor scurried around the console looking for any clue as to where they were headed. A large grin spread across his face as he finally saw where the TARDIS was taking them. "Thank you Sexy…" he smiled stroking the screen gently. "Excuse me?" River asked holding her stomach as she stepped closer. "She…she's" he swallowed the tearful lump in his throat, "she's taking us there…to the place our daughter will be born."